According to Jeb Blount, the author of *Fanatical Prospecting*, there are three key obstacles that hinder sales professionals from effectively prospecting. And I realize that these are the  same obstacles also apply to real estate agents like us. The three challenges that hold us back from prospecting are procrastination, perfectionism, and analysis paralysis.
Procrastination
The primary challenge that many real estate agents face when it comes to prospecting is procrastination. Many agents prefer to reach out to old and fading prospects they have been trying to befriend for years, hoping that one day the homeowner will choose to list their house with them. Instead of focusing on their computer to research their niche and find potential clients to build relationships with, they often choose to call an old acquaintance for coffee, engaging in casual conversations about outdated politics and unrelated issues. After spending two hours on this, they might feel a sense of accomplishment for having talked to at least one person that day.
Prospecting is not easy; it requires courage to cold call, learn digital marketing for lead generation, or even go door-to-door. However, this aspect of the business is unavoidable. Many agents avoid prospecting altogether, choosing instead to wait for opportunities or even take leads from other agents.
Jeb Blount describes this behavior as an ugly disease that plagues the human race. Brian Tracy, in his book “Eat That Frog,” emphasizes the importance of tackling challenging tasks head-on.
To be a successful agent, one must be a dedicated prospector and develop the self-discipline to engage in a little bit of prospecting each day.
Perfectionism
I personally struggle with this challenge. I have the tendency to want everything to be perfect before I even pick up the phone to call a prospect. I worry about sounding foolish, so in my mind, I aim to sound perfect. Consequently, I often spend almost an hour researching a single contact, only to find that the call either goes unanswered or results in a brief brush-off. I find myself asking, “Why bother?”
Fortunately, after reading a book about prospecting, I learned that as long as I have a script to guide me, I can quickly qualify leads. This approach also saves a lot of time. Most of the time, calls last only about 60 seconds, so there’s no need to conduct extensive research on a contact upfront. Instead, I focus on doing deeper research once the prospect shows signs of interest, often referred to as micro-commitments.
For effective prospecting, I set a daily call goal during my most productive hours. For instance, if my goal is to call 100 contacts between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, I simply concentrate on making those calls and follow through.
It’s crucial to free yourself from perfectionism because it can sabotage your pipeline and eventually lead to desperation. Time is a valuable currency in life, so we must learn to use it wisely in everything we do.
Paralysis from Analysis
I have heard many real estate agents say that one of the most avoided aspects of their business is prospecting, particularly cold calling. I wonder why this is the case, but it is understandable.
I believe that no one is born without a fear of rejection. In the real estate business, experiencing rejection is unavoidable—whether it’s during cold calls, networking, or even from your sphere of influence, you are likely to face it at some point.
Paralysis Analysis is a real issue for many real estate agents, often stemming from these negative experiences. When it’s time to start prospecting, thoughts filled with “what if” scenarios flash through your mind, which can make you feel paralyzed and hesitant to pick up the phone for cold calls.
To break free from this paralysis, it’s important to revisit your target goals for the year and stay focused and motivated.
In conclusion, allowing these three P’s into our lives can create significant obstacles that prevent us from achieving our goals. Personally, I remind myself that reaching my life goals is crucial, and prospecting is an unavoidable part of that journey.
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