The Reticular Activator

Late last summer, my car expired after 107,000 miles! I had intended to put another 20,000 or so miles on it but the cost of the needed repairs was more than the car was worth, so I threw in the towel and decided to buy a new one. For a variety of reasons, I decided to consider that ultimate practical vehicle, a Subaru Outback. As soon as I started to think about them, Outbacks seemed to magically appear EVERYWHERE! They even showed up in almost every driveway in my neighborhood. Who knew! Of course, we’ve all experienced this phenomenon, as I had just tuned my attention so that I began to actually notice the Subi’s that had been there all along, because now I was interested in them.

Thank you, Reticular Activator!

Whether it’s a new pair of boots, a new laptop, or a vacation to New Mexico, our brain heightens our awareness of things we are actively onsidering and we suddenly discover that nearly everyone we meet has just returned from Santa Fe with a new pair of rattlesnake-skin cowboy boots and the latest MacBook Air!

So, what’s this have to do with Real Estate?

We all know the key to long term success in our business is through relationships with folks—our sphere of influence—who can give us referrals to others who may be considering buying or selling. And who among our sphere would have their Reticular Activator most finely tuned to thinking about buying or selling? Our current clients, of course!

Brian Buffini, in his Peak Producer training, talks about the Reticular Activator and how he uses this awareness with current clients to get three—yes, THREE—referrals from each of them during the period of their active buying/selling process! Again, who knew? Buffini makes the point that of course our current client is far more immersed in real estate than the average person, and is probably chatting about it with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and pals at the gym, ad infinitum. Our current clients’ Reticular Activator for real estate is on high alert.

Thus, Buffini tells us that we need to help our current clients a wee bit by more finely tuning their Reticular Activator since no doubt in all their chatting about the process, they will surely meet other people who might be considering buying or selling at some point, right? Buffini suggest that we REMIND our current clients to think about helping us by being aware in their conversations (that Reticular Activator) and proactively getting someone’s name or giving out our information when appropriate, ie, giving us a referral.

How three? Buffini suggests we should have three separate phases of client satisfaction during our active buy/sell process, and that with each one, our client is highly likely to be happy to do their best to help us in our business by thinking about referring someone.

First, as we begin the process and have maybe done a first buyer tour or a first open house, we’ve impressed our new client with our expertise, our proactive communication, and of course market knowledge and our charm, so, boom, remind them they can help us with a referral.

Second, once we have an accepted purchase agreement, usually our clients are again delighted and excited, so we can once more remind them how they can help us with a referral as they tell all their friends about their success.

Finally, of course, as we walk out after the closing and hand them the wine or chocolates or flowers, boom, a third time we can remind them to refer their friends to us.

Since our clients are always perfectly delighted with our service—you have delighted them, right?—that little tweak to their Reticular Activator should yield a referral or two, if not more! Remember, we live in a referring culture and who doesn’t like to tell folks when they’ve had a great experience—and especially an experience that’s far more important than a well-cooked bacon cheeseburger!

Thank you, Reticular Activator!

David M. Hassler

VP, Director of Business Development