Where do I get my list?

Question

Hi BP!

Just wanted to share a tiny bit of insight into what my experience has been engaging in the forums, mainly in wholesaling.

I’ve met great people who have offered kind words and actionable steps, thank you @Bill Spell @Jay Hinrichs @Dave Chapa @Michael Pittman @Jerry Puckett and others...

I’ve had the chance to connect with others and share my experiences and offer different POV as well as receive footnotes on strategies, books, mindset... thank you @Nick Britton @Laura Iannella @Mark Sewell @Barbara Gardner @Ken Nyczaj and others...

It’s been great to go from thinking I struggle with all these things alone to finding a community . I’ve actually taken this thinking over to  other forums, but that’s another diatribe for another time.

The problem I’m finding in Biggerpockets is the question I get asked the most: “Where do you get your list?”

I don’t mind sharing, but as most of you know I populate my own list and go from there. I put in hours in the seat and grind my face off.

The sense I get from this question is “show me the shortcut”. “I just got out of this bootcamp and I was told to buy a list and a mentor, why not both at the same time?”

Am I wrong in not wanting to feed the instant gratification crowd? Or should I have an answer ready for this question every time it comes in my inbox?

I really want to help, but if I tell people go figure it out, or think about it and try something outside the box, I never hear back from them.

Patrick Daniel · Answer

Jorge,

I think that giving people too much help in the beginning is a disservice in the end. Its like the "Lead them to water but can't make them drink" Or the Moth in the cocoon analogy that @Brandon Turner used in one of the recent podcasts.

I am still a fairly new investor, but I know that while I could probably have done twice as many deals by asking others to give me the answers, I would not have built up the grit and have the buy-in I do now to stick with it because of the hard lessons I have learned.

That's what I love about this community at BP. people are willing to point the way, but generally only help people to the point that others can help themselves (If that makes sense).

P.s.... How do I get that list? ;D

Jorge De Jesus · Answer

I think you hammered all of it home. I’d PREFER folks reach out after going out there and searching for answers through organic methods. What makes sense for me to do? Then I can have a conversation instead of a class. However, my family have always been teachers and I’ve always been a trainer at every single w2, so coaching intrigues me. It just comes down to BEING Chilton’s, that’s where the best and highest use of my time and passions would lie. I’m always open to questions, and would love to delve into every single rabbit whole deeper with every single one. Short uninvolved answers don’t fulfill me

Jerry Puckett · Answer

Hey there @Jorge De Jesus,

I thank you for the shout out. I'm not sure I really understand where you're coming from in this thread though. When you display knowledge and success, people will be inspired and want to follow in your footsteps. I hear you saying in part: "I want to help" and in part "People need to figure it out". (Both are true in fact, more on that in moment).

But I confess to me it also seems (and please correct me if I'm wrong on this),..... to me it also seems as if maybe you are angling towards getting started as one who has something to sell to these folks who are reaching out for help.

There are no secrets in this business; no magic bullet, secret sauce or mysterious knowledge that only a few key people have. @Mark Sewell is right, you are either going to spend your time or your money. People have varying degrees of both. Trying to find a "short cut" is in a way a misnomer, and I'll exaggerate to make the point;

When your car breaks down, taking it to a mechanic to fix it is not a short cut. I could spend my time studying Chilton's and trying to figure out the problem myself, but it would likely take me way too long and distract me from the best use of my time.

So it's worth it for me to reach out for "help" from the one who purports to have the knowledge. If he were to say to me, "hey I want to help, but go figure it out; think outside the box" I'd simply move on. If he does fix my car, I get close to instant satisfaction and my little moth wings did not suffer at all. (Not to mention that if it's a good experience I will be back and will recommend him to others)

Most of the people who ask for your help want to do what you do....DEALS. They don't want your list, they want a deal. If people asking you for your list annoy you (or even if they don't), you should absolutely have a pat answer for them that in turn points them to a solution.  I'll remind you Jorge, that you reached out to me in the same way a couple of months back:

In that instance, I did not think to myself "he's looking for a shortcut", per se...I took it to mean you were doing your due diligence and trying to learn a better way. When someone is asking about your list it's the same....looking for an "Aha" moment to tighten their strategies.

If your information is proprietary, (for instance asking for your ACTUAL list....the spreadsheet you use with all of the names and mailing addresses) don't give it away; but if it's something people could work out on their own and you've found a good way to do it.....blog about and refer folks to your blog. They can read the method, repeat the steps.

You say yourself that you grind your face off, so it's not a light or easy thing to do....not my definition of a "short cut".

So....which way are you going with this?

Do you want to be a Mentor?

A Coach?

Do you want people to stop asking you for help?

Do you want to monetize the help you give?

Are you broadcasting the fact that you have something special? (If so, people are going to keep asking you for help....whether it's a short cut, an aha moment, instant gratification, or whatever else we call it)

Or did I just miss something here?

Matthew C. · Answer

@Jorge De Jesus I believe you're correct in your thinking..  Don't feed the instant gratification crowd, as it ultimately will not help them in the long run.

If they're trying to cut corner's at this stage, what is the likelihood of them even making it to their first deal?  They'll soon realize that it wasn't as easy as some guru portrayed, and move on the the "next thing."  People who consistently look for short cuts will do this throughout life, as they don't have the will power and internal drive to grind it out a bit to learn a process.

Mark Sewell · Answer

Nothing but respect for doing your own list, man.  I just came across data from a source I never knew I had, or rather I wasn't using because I thought it didn't work.  Everything we get is a combination of applying time or money.  You don't pay for data, I like to handwrite letters/postcards.  Whose making better use of time and money?  Fortunately we get to decide that for ourselves.

I learn a ton from podcasts, videos and BP tips.  Nothing wrong with comparing notes.

Laura Iannella · Answer

I agree with you totally Jorge. While I appreciate all the advice you have given me, the only way to do this is to learn to persevere on your own.

Where do I get my list?

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