Jas Takhar is the Founder of REC Canada under Royal LaPage and the host of the Jas Takhar podcast. Jas is also the Founder of From the Ground Up Media, where he focuses on helping real estate agents produce quality content for social media platforms. His purpose? To help them create content that inspires and attracts others. In this One Big Tip podcast episode, Jas shares actionable tips for growing your business.
Jas started in sales at the young age of eleven when he sold newspapers door to door. From there, he bounced around as a salesman in different industries until he settled on real estate, where he found his place for the last 18 years. From Jas’s perspective, everyone is in sales; only most people don’t realize it. When you apply for a job or draft a resume, what you are doing is pitching yourself to a prospective employer. Once you accept the premise that everything is about sales, you must learn how to attract the right market and become effective at sales to close the deal.
Years ago, it was simple. You created an ad for television and radio, reaching your target audience, and the rest happened naturally. That all changed with the internet and the various social media platforms. In addition to the many platforms you post your message on, you must create appropriate content for each platform. Content creation is the easiest way to get your message out and attract your target audience. It’s an excellent way for prospective clients to get to know you and your brand and build authority in your field. The content you put out there is what you use to leverage your brand to your prospects because now when you talk to the person and connect with them, they already know a bit about you and your message or offer.
When starting in the industry, it’s important not to do it in isolation. Great ideas were never born in a closed room. Jas recommends joining a group of other like-minded people, so you have a think tank. Look for Facebook groups, accountability groups, or coaching groups as a place to freely exchange ideas with people who are equally motivated and have similar goals. It’s important to have patience with the process. Very few people know their strengths and weaknesses when they first start. For most, the road to success is paved with many failures. It only benefits you to have a support system that can guide you. Jas tells his clients that in the beginning, it doesn’t matter what part they have in the group. Just put yourself out there and be a part of the conversation. Be open and willing to learn, and once you have a solid handle on the industry, choose what you want to focus on.
In the end, Jas teaches his clients that marketing will only take you so far. You can post content daily on every platform, but you won’t reach your full potential until you are comfortable closing sales. Being a good closer requires you to be a bit of a chameleon. You need to understand people, know how to read them, and figure out the best approach. You rarely pitch the same way to more than one person. You need to pivot and be fluid in your thinking and offer without losing your message.
An important aspect of sales that Jas has his team focus on is sorting. Sales are about nurturing relationships. You’re not out there making cold calls every day. Rather, when you reach out to people you’re calling and having conversations with. You want to find out where they are in the sales cycle and sort them into lists. That way, you know who to reach out to in the next six months and who to skip over for now. That is how you build trust and maintain loyal customers.
As you progress in every part of your life, remember that you are always selling something. Become comfortable with the sales cycle, and learn how to close a deal. These skills will help you move ahead in your life.
In this episode:
[2:25] Jas shares his background, and he realizes that no matter what industry you are in, there is an element of sales involved.
- You need to get comfortable with having conversations with others.
- Don’t be shy. Put yourself out there. You can’t succeed without trying.
[5:40] Where you start is not necessarily where you’ll end up
- Jas was in many different fields doing the same thing until he found his passion
- Try different things and see how you succeed in them.
- Don’t give up, learn to shift gears
[9:45] Sales have always been given a bad reputation
- There is an art to sales
- You don’t have to be salesy and pushy
- When you are good at what you do, people naturally want to buy from you
[13:02] Content creation and ad placement have changed more than ever
- With the invention of streaming platforms, no one pays attention to commercials
- Everything is very niched down
- People have short attention spans
[16:36] Use your content to create leverage for your in-person meeting
- Your content is a person’s first glimpse into what you’re all about
- Give people the opportunity to know who you are and what you’re about before meeting with them, then half the job of selling is done
- People walk into meetings with a certain level of comfort based on your content. Use it to your advantage.
Watch the Interview:
Learn more and reach out:
- LinkedIn: Jas Takhar
- Website: www.jastakhar.ca
