A Negative Center of Influence?

I only have 2 days left of training before I start my job selling real estate. I am so excited and today I got my business cards so I took them around to all my friends and family to help spread them around when the opportunity arises. To my suprise I was give a totally different response than I had hoped. Everyone gave me the I don't think you can do this speech. Or told me horror stories. My questions is, how to I create a center of influence with people like this? Any ideas?

I can completely understand your situation. I got a similar response from a few people when I got my license. Your best bet is to prove them wrong by being the best damned agent you can be. Here are a few tricks I used when I was getting started.

Send your COI periodic reminders that you are an agent. I use a quarterly newsletter to counteract the awful reports in the media. My area has been insulated against the awful market conditions found elsewhere in the nation, and none of them knew that until I told them. I'm an expert in my field, and that's why they come to me with questions.

Learn your market stats, know them by heart.

When you go to parties, look up the neighborhood that afternoon so you can speak knowledgably when people ask you questions.

Be positive at all times. Don't just fake it, you need to actually BE positive. This will come in handy when you experience your first 500 rejections before you actually get some business.

Go after Withdrawn or Expired listings. These people want to sell but can't. Go show them why you are a better agent. It's not hard to BS a good game, but it is exceedingly difficult to actually carry through on your sales pitch. You'll have to plan your work, and stick to the plan.

Once you actually get business, don't rest on your laurels - got get MORE!

Good luck!

Right now real estate is a little depressed in the US. Don't count on making too much money in the beginning, but if you are willing to hang in there and if you are a hustler, you will do fine. Remember though, it's day and night and weekends.

I would say you need to find some other successful people in your field to mentor by. in addition its typical for those that are close to you to challenge your commitment to a new career and way of life. sometimes people close to you feel threatened by success if they are not successful. Selling is a tough job and requires a strong mind and psychological stability. The sales field requires lots of positive influence and books are another powerful mentor for you. REad such a authors as zig ziggler and tony robbins and og mandino and
dale carnegie and norman vincent peale and w clement stone and tom hopkins and ect. the motivational people may help you through the jungle of negativity you get from people close to you. when I began to build my business people at work questioned me. i worked in a factory and my answer was always this.
I am doing something to better myself whether i fail or not doesn't matter at least i am making an effort to move in a forward positive direction. If you don't have something positive to say please keep it to yourself. something short like that will do fine. If they are decent people they will leave you alone. If they don't leave you alone put them outside your circle of influence and don't look back. I have seen men tell there spouses not to bring up work cause even the spouse was negative. when we follow our dreams we need to be very proactive in staying positive. Reading and cd's will help the rest is in the new mentors you look for at work or in the field.
Professional conventions often are places to meet new mentors. These authors are great for anyone getting into sales. I hope you get them at your local library.
the key is stay tough focused and the negative is always going to be around you so build that invisible wall around your body that protects you from negative. I walk away from negative people they are poison. I flock to positive people and those that are willing to support me in my decisions to better myself. A lot of people hate sales cause its not a consistent paycheck. At least in sales you have the opportunity to make things happen that wont produce the exact same pay check every week. Want my opinion a pay check every week sounds pretty depressing!
you did pick a poor time to enter this market as a sales person but it doesn't really matter because sales is sales they need a sales person. Now i made a negative statement I shall balance this statement with a positive statement just to explain what i mean by being positive.
The echo boom has begun in 1998 an they are children of the baby boomers they will add 4 million homeowners to the already growing us population of homeowners every year for 18 years give or take. This dynamic trend of brand new home owners will highly impact the housing market for the next 8 to 10 years as its already half over with. Hmm with that in mind do you know any brand new professionals or couples that are looking to get into a home? If you yourself are younger you probably do! There now put that in your pipe and tell your relatives about that one!!! Here is another one 20+ million illegal aliens are in this country probably most will stay and at least half of them will want to own housing and participate in the american dream. Will you be the one to bridge that gap?
If so there is some more money in your pocket. The positive statements I can make are endless.
Mark twain said buy land cause they ain't making anymore of it. there thats my sound bite and I hope you liked it and it helps!! don't let the dream stealer's mess you up!!
Run for it and work nights at a second job to earn income if you have to while you get your new career on track. Just don't quit unless something better comes aloung. Be a winner! Knock em dead!

I had a mentor once draw a circle on a piece of paper. She said, "here is your sphere of influence." Then she put a dot about 2" outside of the circle and said "Here you are. Don't count on others to make you successful, do it yourself."

I think Danno has some good ideas, and once you get into this business, you will get plenty of insight from others on what is working, what isn't.