Mixing real estate with humor for the best results

Cathy Turney believes real estate is best with a side of humor.

Turney recently received the American Business Association’s (ABA) 2015 Stevie Award for “Best Business Book of the Year” for her book, Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success. It also was awarded the bronze medal for “Best E-book of the Year.”

Mixing humor with real estate “has kept me sane,” said Turney.
“It has warmed my clients to me more and made them feel more like we are a team,” she added. “I was surprised when I won the Stevie Award. But actually people love to laugh and so I am not surprised that they love to read about real estate written in a funny way,” she said.

In all seriousness, with more than 25 years experience in real estate, Turney’s biggest piece of advice to Realtors® is the importance of farming.

“A farm is a geographic area where you market. It is the foundation of a real estate business,” she said. “If you have a farm, and work your farm, you will always have business. If you always have business, you can always enjoy real estate.”

“So many people don’t do it,” she added.  “So, you are an unknown and you are competing with other unknowns.”

Turney believes farming gives you an “edge” as a Realtor®. “People  speak to you and learn who you are,” she said.

She suggested focusing on a specific geographic area and pushing the marketing there. While she acknowledged that an online presence is helpful, she said getting out there is more beneficial.

“When you get out there and walk your farm, you meet people. No one else is really doing that anymore,” she said.

Finally Turney said to always remember the three most important words in real estate.

“Location, location, location.”

“You absolutely will build your business exponentially if you get out there face to face,” she added.