Get Your Badge On!
Wearing Your Name Badge Creates More Sales Per Year

I want to tell a little story about how, just today, I managed to get a $2.8M property listing by simply wearing my name badge. The story begins with me sitting at my desk and taking care of some loose ends on a few transactions and taking a couple calls to come and list two new homes – from my prospecting efforts.

It was getting to be early afternoon, my phone rang and it was my ex-wife asking me if I could take our eldest son to the dentist. I made arrangements to pick him up at his school and being a normal teenager he was running late so we had to rush to the dentist’s office to make the appointment.

I have never been to this dentist and in the rush I didn't realize I was still wearing my name badge. I sat in the waiting room patiently for a little while and finally was called back to discuss what was going on with my son’s teeth. I shook the dentist’s hand and he looked directly at my name badge. Before I could utter a single word, he said; “So you’re badge says you are a REALTOR®?”

I quickly answered; Yes sir I am.

He replied; “Are you a good one?”

I responded honestly with; I would like to think so.

He then went on to tell me about his business partner and their piece of prime commercial land that had been put on the market with another REALTOR®. The listing agreement had just expired and they were not pleased with how the other REALTOR® didn't manage to get any results for them. He had 43 acres and he had it on the market for $2.8M.

“Do you think you could sell it?” he asked me.

I told him directly with most my confident voice, I can sell it for you!

just as quickly he responded with; “Great, call me tomorrow to set up a time to meet and we will go with you.”

So I met with him and his partner the next day and listed the property.

THE MORAL OF MY STORY--- Always wear your name badge. You just never know who you’re going to meet. Incidentally I purchased my name badge from Recognition Express and yes, my son needed to have two cavities filled - in case you were wondering!

Thanks for that great story Jeff, and thanks again for being our customer. We are extremely proud that our name badges are behind your name and in front of your clients. I think that might set a record for ROI (Return on investment) for an advertising tool. A $20 badge reeling in a $2.8M listing is like earning $140,000 for every dollar spent! Look at the results of our poll and you will see that an overwhelming majority of agents understand the importance, effectiveness and value of using name tags as a marketing tool.

Visually, name badges are seen more than any other form of advertising. Virtually every successful service and sales company has utilized name badges and/or branded clothing since the 1950’s to provide their first interface between themselves and their customers.

I found my last REALTOR® because he was wearing his badge in the Coffee Beanery and we started talking. Things like name badges, license plate frames, magnetic car signs are really great mobile marketing tools because they work passively on their own without your direct involvement (other than initially placing them in view).

Name badges make you more approachable which in turn will make your conversation and sales process flow smoother. To me it just makes too much sense, especially in this economy. That is why I was interested in putting up the poll to see what the numbers and comments would be.

I would like to thank all those agents who participated in our survey and gave us such great comments (see them below.) If you would like to get a high-quality name badge for yourself or outfit your office with them if you currently are not utilizing this basic sales dynamo we would love the opportunity to serve your needs.

Feel free to CLICK HERE to take a look at some different badge styles that would work for you. If you would like us to make you a totally custom badge with a different shape, color or any variation you can think of we would love to make it for you. You might be surprised at how nice they are, some agents tell me that they consider our badges to be more like "bling" or jewelry with the doming and frames that we offer.

Don’t go into 2010 without every advantage you can possibly have. Make sure you are wearing your name badge everywhere!

WHY DO THESE REALTORS® WEAR THEIR NAME BADGE EVERY DAY?

	Yvonne Thomas-Brooks (Atlanta, GA) Director of Corporate Training Metro Brokers GMAC Real Estate www.AtlantaPropertySpecialists.com “Without it you are naked!”		David Goldstein (Little Rock, AR) Executive Broker, Assistant Manager Crye-Leike Realtors-NLR Branch www.DavidAnytime.com “You’re CRAZY not to wear it everywhere except church. If you’re not prospecting you’re going out of business. ”
	Julie Barrett (Pensacola, FL) Agent/Associate Paradise Home Realty of the Southeast www.juliesellsnwflorida.com “Wearing a name tag in this ecomony just makes sense!. It's all about timing and being in front of the right person at the right time”		Anne Langley (Ball Ground, Ga) Metro Brokers GMAC www.annelangley.com “You'd be surprised at how many people want to talk to you. I have gotten business from standing in line at the grocery store with my name badge on.”
	Daryl New (Boise, ID) Realtor, MBA SilverCreek Realty Group www.DarylNew.com “Now is the best time to wear a name badge. Consumers need Realtors more than ever with the complexities of Short Sales and REO's...”		Liz Hoffman (Fairhope, AL) Associate Broker Coldwell Banker Reehl Properties, Inc. www.reehlproperties.com “I certainly leave my tag on if I head out to a shop or restaurant. Particularly in stores I often meet future clients this way.”
	Sheri Jones (Hamilton, MT) Broker/Owner Greater Montana GMAC Real Estate www.GreaterMontanaRE.com “The grocery store is the best place to wear a name badge. It is a great conversation starter. You should be looking for business 24/7...”		Linda S. Cefalu (Hales Corners, WI) Realtor Remax Realty 100 www.lindacefalu.com “I have picked up three new clients just this week as a direct result of wearing my name tag.”
	Karen Johnson (Atlanta, GA) Associate Broker Metro Brokers GMAC Real Estate http://agents.metrobrokers.com/atlantadwellings “A name badge is a mini billboard. Why not advertise everywhere you go? I have gotten business from wearing my name tag.”		Lisa Pierucci (Price, UT) Realtor Etzel Realty www.etzelonline.com “Sometimes I forget to take it off, until someone tells me... Otherwise I would wear it until bedtime!”
	Kathy Mroczko (Collins, CO) Broker Realty Executives “To remind you how powerful badges are, our school only has 122 kids enrolled! I got two sales and one potential sale from parents. Remind the people you see every day what you do.”		Gail Zaccaro (Alpine, NJ) Friedberg Properties www.GailZaccaro.com “...At the grocery store, its always the same question; how is the market? I always say it's great! Interest rates are the lowest and still coming down and prices are down. So BUY!!