Hey welcome back to an exciting new episode of this week in marketing: I'm not Jason Pantana but today we're going to unpack my buddy David Schwartz who's from New York who took on well my 30-day video Challenge and he and a couple of his buddies decided they would take it one step further and we want to unpack what happened David Welcome to the show man! Hey Tom thanks for having me So so David walk us through I mean was this A? You know you know sometimes people that come to my Summits they they have. they make some big commitments, they make some big challenges with each other, they make some promises, sometimes it's over drinks at one of my big Elite parties, tell us what was the moment, what happened and let's unpack it all right? Awesome! So uh I was golfing with Matt bear Robert Mack and Ryan from Robert's team and me and Matt have been talking to each other leading up the summit saying who is going to lose more weight and he beat me He smoked me yes and I was we were talking about and we were talking about video and he was like you know I love your video, Are you committed to it I said yes same with you I like yours and he goes well. why don't we try to do why don't Metro why don't we do 365 days of videos with the idea of by the next Summit maybe we'll be able to be on stage and I was like I was terrified. You know I was 365 days of videos? uh you know Okay I'll do it and I think the reason I agreed to is I I didn't want to lose twice to him and I'd already I just come off of losing a weight loss challenge.

Sure like you know what, let's do this. my I will will pass where he goes and uh, the second day of summer we actually began our quest to 365 videos. So so to be clear, this was like October of 2021. To just give people some context at this point, you are six plus years in real estate.

What does your business look like? Where does your business come from Before we get into this whole video thing so people have context? Sure. Um I really didn't start to hit my flow until 2020 and I was devastated because when covet hit I'd really started to take off and I was like what am I going to do Uh, that year I landed with 42 closed transactions in 2020 at the end of 2021. Last year I did 54 transactions for 15.3 million total units as a solo agent with no admin, no support Just Me Myself and I Wow and and where did that business? Where did that business come from? David Like before we get into this whole video thing, give people context. like were you working your past clients in sphere? Were you doing open houses? Were you calling expired listings? Were you buying leads from some lead portal? What? were you doing Sure.

Um I at one point was in Zillow paying for Premier agent and the lead started to change a little bit. So what I decided to do was instead of paying for leads was to start really going deep and just having phone calls covet really was when you did your pivot series. it really resonated with me like hey, let's call, let's reach out to people, let's see how they're doing, let's build rapport and let's really just start to build relationships And I took that as a banner and it's still a pillar today. I I Strive to make 15 calls every single day.

Um and I think that as a result I just looked at my numbers today. 75 of my current business is from my database. Yeah, not shocked by that. So so with that said, let's now transition to it's October 5th.

You and the Brit bear are like one video every day. How far in were you before you said to yourself something like what have I got myself into what am I going to talk about next Help us understand just the journey, the grind, the wins, the losses, the moments of Despair give it, give us the whole picture. Okay so as you mentioned before, I was on a Summit High right I'm in this I'm in my hotel room telling everyone I'm gonna do a 365 day challenge like be ready and as soon as I shot that first video I was like oh my God what did I just commit to like I felt it in the pit of my stomach and I immediately started thinking like okay I have to have like a perfect story caption I have to start doing like the the entrance screen I started to really try to get an idea of what I wanted and I started to look at people who had done the 30 video Challenge and start to copy their material I mean even word for word at times. sure and I was trying to use like a teleprompter app and I was actually thinking about coming in here for like the first 30 60 days I was trying to be perfect.

it would I would shoot the same content 50 60 times I mean I would spend hours every single day trying to shoot it right. So my hair was good, my lighting was good I don't stutter I don't say um and I was using other people's words because I didn't have the confidence to have my own let alone have an opinion and I want to really stress that to people that getting an opinion on video and putting it out there publicly is one of the most difficult things I found and one of the biggest rewards at the end of The Journey But I'm getting ahead of myself so the first I'd say the first stage of it was about 60 days in and I've been shooting every day I was driving myself crazy I mean I was spending two three hours a day trying to get one video If it wasn't perfect I deleted it Matt fell off maybe three weeks in and then it got to the point where I was like wow like I've already beat him maybe I can stop but I also don't want to let go of the commitment that I made publicly you know I didn't want to embarrass myself and it was kind of like a pride thing. and ironically when I went to Elite Retreat and I got up and you called me on stage out of nowhere. you know you actually like where's David Schwartz get up here man I remember I was like washing my hands and Zach Faust is like dude caught it was crazy.

um something you said to me was really really really powerful and I just want to reiterate it here: I was still disappointed. Now you got to realize by what was that end of January so that was a good 90 days in. I had started to use other people's topics and started to insert my own take, but it was still using people's keywords their their bullet points if you will at the outline of the show right and when you had me look at my audience and my reach right and I was like oh you know I'm only getting a couple hundred views on every video and some. This was probably one of the biggest Aha moments was you're like how long would it take you to make that many phone calls and even now like I sit there and I think about that every time.

From then on when I looked at it it was what does 500 people really translate to in terms of time it would take to have that conversation to get across the point that I could make in a 60 or 90 second video and that's what really opened me up. Then it became more of like how can I really what message do I want to send to people Maybe it's about gratitude. Maybe it's about what's going on in my life. Maybe it's about what's going on in the market.

Maybe it's about what's going on with the sale with this experience with this client and I started to blend my content a lot more with the idea of not trying to get tens of thousands and go viral because realistically that's not as easy to do and it's going to happen when you think at least of it like I would spend all this time to make a perfect video that I thought was amazing and they would get like 200 views yes and before Summit I'd be fairly Retreat I'd be disappointed I'd be like oh my God I spent all this time and energy I thought I was so creative I wrote the perfect you know caption the perfect Vlog about it and once I got to realize that it was the reach that you were having in your community, it changed everything for me. um I'd say that was the beginning of the the third phase right where I was like okay now I'm gonna be a little more intentional with what I'm putting out there trying to stress different topics to people that are looking at it and I found gratitude was a huge part of it. You know from my stories where I would take pictures of my gratitude list every day you know and people would be like oh like you do gratitude lists and I talk about and people would resonate. They talk to me about my chickens, they talked to me about my Bulldog they talked to me about what's going on in the market and it really started to come alive that spring.

also with the spring Market every time I'd go talk to someone about selling their house they'd mentioned my videos and then I started before going to the house directing people to my videos so they could get a feel for who I am and what I'm about. and by the time I showed up, they already felt like they knew me and a lot of the resistance of meeting a stranger or getting in front of someone that I didn't necessarily have a formalized client relationship with had already been overcame. So then it was about them. and I could really spend time focusing on them, their house, their goals, and setting up a strategy that worked for them.

Um, so hold on David There's there's so much to unpack already here. This is. This is exactly what I was hoping for. You are indeed in the beginning.

then you realize yeah, yeah, like that it's not. You didn't say it, but my hallucination was many will try this and do this and it's okay because it's better than doing nothing, but it maybe it lacks the authenticity. When you finally said I don't really care how many views I get I just want to sort of speak my truth or share this message. and whether it's 200 or 3000 or 10 million, it really doesn't make a difference.

It's like can I make an impact with the person that's listening right now or watching right now right? And then you started to see the response. So now can you now go back and say wait a minute. How many times did Tom or Jason pantana say people do business with people that they know, like and Trust and what is the fastest way to scale know like and Trust Wise Video So you started doing experiences. Yeah then I I I I Didn't mean to like rudely interrupt, but it sounds like also now people are getting to know you.

You're going on appointments with quote unquote strangers but they know you. What's that like? It's kind of humbling right when someone asks me about my chickens and I'm like whoa, like I have to tell them they got murdered last week by a fox and then like it's just it's crazy when people start saying oh, I know your wife I know your dog, it's like right and and I and I want to also stress to people that I wasn't get to this day I still haven't gotten tons of online leads and I tried to optimize my profile and ask for referrals and ask for weeds and do the tricks. But what I found was it was like pouring gas on my database through social media. Bingo! So then I really started to be intentional with who are my friends on Facebook What videos.

First off, I did all my videos on Instagram because I found that reels was the easiest way to add captions. Yes, period, right? I could not find a better solution for captioning that was duplicatable and scalable. Yeah! and then instead of sharing every reel to Instagram or LinkedIn I would only share specific ones that reflected that audience or the type of person I was connecting with there always share the listening videos, always share the just Souls the pendings. Yeah, But then be more specific about the blend of what you're sharing.

And it was really like pouring gas on the fire like I would talk to someone or see someone at the store who I hadn't seen in years. They're like oh I watched all your videos I'm like oh, that's pretty, that's pretty. You know it's it's humbling because you don't think you have a voice and then when others start talking about your impact of your voice on them, it starts building that confidence in you to have your own voice. and you know it kind of to not to go back to what I was talking about, but to kind of talk about my final phase.

Yeah please! My final phase came probably in the spring Market when that started to happen because then I realized you know what people care about what I say I don't have to be perfect I just have to be authentic and be sincere with what I'm saying. So that way no matter if someone agrees or disagrees, I can sleep at night because if I'm reading someone else's talking points and I don't believe them, it's hard to really live up to that. and the same thing with saying polarizing content right? Like there's ways to just kind of stay in your lane. Be neutral, right? You can have an opinion without being polarizing.

and in this world, like people, love polarizing content and it's easy to want to do that just like it's easy to swear, right? but by learning how to be kind of Polished in that regards and being kind of dual sided with topics and kind of talking about both sides, it didn't limit audiences and that I think was as I was looking back I didn't realize how much time I really spent thinking about that but preparing for this I started to think about that and it's it's crazy how I also at the end started to Crave the peace and the time that I would have when the challenge was over. So I could be more strategic in my plan going forward now that I found a way to have a voice it was. Then it became okay. How many days do I have left? What am I going to do today and it was more like I'm just flexing the muscle at the gym but I'm not preparing for an event but now going into the new Year people are like oh I haven't seen as many videos like don't worry I have a plan I'm starting January 1.

I'm taking some time off I got married and it it's been such a surreal process because I didn't think it was going to be as validating for me as a person not necessarily as I knew I knew I get benefits as an agent but I thought it would be I'd get tens of thousands of followers and hundreds of leads and that didn't happen. Yeah, but what happened was I found a way to have my own voice, have confidence in myself both on camera and off camera and just find confidence where I was lacking and it's been it was I Highly recommend everyone at least try it because when you stick to doing something every year, that isn't you know. At one point I found out my dad had to have heart surgery and I didn't want to shoot a video that day but I did it anyway. Yeah, you know I had covet after Summit this year you know, a few days after and I still shot a video hey I'm here I'm okay checking in.

Yes, you know and there were so many times I didn't want to do it, but by making myself do it, it's now transitioned to other areas of my life. for example, my health like we talked about before starting this right. you know when you I I always thought I always thought I was a confident person but I didn't realize how insecure I was about really putting my opinion out there publicly, you know and now it's I feel confident about talking about anything with anyone like even this conversation right now I would have been having a panic attack and I'm so grateful you didn't tell me you were pulling me on stage at Elite Retreat because afterwards I sat next to my buddy I'm like dude, did you video that because I don't know what I just said I was panicking I blacked out oh my dude, he's like I did you did well like okay because like I was panicking I didn't even know what to do because I didn't have that confidence that I built by doing those videos and putting them out and getting the validation not just for my friends and family but from people in my community. It's been super rewarding.

So David I what? I also hear for the person listening is when you put in the Reps you become good at it right when you really put in the Reps there's it's it's The Daily Grind of shooting videos. Now someone's gonna say okay, wait a minute. This guy did 54 transactions. Uh, you know a lot of it's coming from his sphere.

He's making his phone calls He, you know he pivoted as so many of us did during that time. I have to assume when David says I was sometimes spending two to three hours shooting one video over and over again. most people are going to assume at his business tanked in the process. What happened? Absolutely not.

Um, Kovid was covered was a blessing and a curse right in. New York when we were in lockdown? Yeah. I was so upset I was so frustrated because I had put in the work. You know when I first got introduced to your ecosystem.

It was years before and someone told me when I was too broke to afford coaching so I wasn't being productive. They said listen to this show that I'm on right now. It's like listen to Tom fairy experience every day. Yes, make your phone calls track your numbers a year from now, sign up for coaching.

Yeah and I was so excited because that April was going to be or that March was gonna be a year from this and I planned on signing up for coaching and I had already gotten a bunch under contract you know I was really starting to feel the accelerant and then the world fell apart and in New York state having a family in the medical industry you know the healthcare I really was like oh my God like my wife's a nurse nurse and she's not going to work as a surgical nurse like this is insane to me. Like we're not allowed to leave our house right? Who's gonna let someone in to my house right? Like who's gonna let me in to sell the house? So from that perspective I was so humbled and for that 30 days that we weren't allowed to really go out and do anything I really had to think about what I would do if I got the opportunity. and thankfully again I'll go back to that pivot series. you did Yes right.

just having those conversations just calling people asking to go get groceries, drop off gloves, ask how you can help their business you'll ask about Ben Yep, that changed my whole idea on prospecting because it became me trying to connect in meaningful ways to sincerely help people. It didn't have to do with me getting business, it was just about me helping and by doing that every day. if I don't do that I get in a funk, you know and the best way to get out of you know. after my wedding I had a little bit of that I'm not gonna lie in October So what did I do I doubled down and started calling 20 people again in November and I pended five deals last month right? because I knew that I was like oh at my wedding my pipeline.

But the one thing that you can bet on is if you do the reps with prospecting, you're never going to have to. It will take a while to build it up. and I tell people this is not a quick game, but by doing it year over year, month after month, you know when I was taking the time shooting those videos I didn't do it first thing in the morning, you know I use my morning routine I got my contacts in I did the stuff I didn't want to do I did the stuff I needed to do then I did the stuff I wanted to do yes yes you know and it's and again that covet man it was. It was that morning routine that we started doing right where it's like you wake up, you, you meditate, you do a gratitude list I started using your gratitude Journal that I still use every day you know and those little things that just you gotta Prime yourself to go to war and now that the you know the pandemic's not over.

but it's different, we've kind of evolved through it. Yeah, I still carry a lot of those things because I like how it makes me feel as a person. whether it's the affirmations, whether it's listening to something positive, not listening to the news you know, only looking at my local news, only looking at my business news for the business review. You know those type of things and you know the reason my business is what it is is because I connect with enough people and I know what my Lane is.

You know if someone isn't an A buyer, I'm not going to drop what I'm doing and go out and spend all my time showing them houses. If someone is an A buyer I will that. But not only that, I'll go Prospect and use a script that I've really been liking where you call another agent like hey Tom I see you sold this house two years ago. one two, three banana Street I would be upset if you cold called my client but I have a client that would be perfect for it instead of cold calling your client.

I Was hoping maybe you wouldn't mind calling him and see if they want to sell. We could do a deal off Market That's the moment I Want on Instagram How's that working? How's it working? Unbelievable. Everyone's like, how do you contract I go because I've been doing this now for a year so not only that, maybe they have. maybe they want to sell.

Maybe they don't if they don't maybe they have, the agent has another listing. maybe they don't But you know what a year from now when that agent has a listing and there's multiple offers and I give them a call saying hey, what's going on like is this when we're going to do a deal? where do I have to be to win? Yep, Will you ask your client where and the trick is you have to say, will you ask your client what they want so that we can give them exactly what they want so we can win? Yep, yes yes. You build up the Rapport over time by not being the person who cold calls someone else's client by giving them the opportunity because most agents don't call their clients and if you call them and say hey I got a golden I got a hot buyer? Will you call them and do your job? Heck yeah they're gonna say fantastic I can save face? Yes Yes! And so we started this. We started this with like the Journey of 365 Days of Video and and how beautiful is it that we blended it back to foundational principles: daily routines, daily habits, being of service, caring more about others doing the right thing with other agents David This is why I wanted you on the show man I'm so proud of you I think of one more thing that I do want to say about the videos because let's Circle this back to the video.

Tell me when you go on a listing appointment and I am not in South Florida I'm not in California I do not have the people that have the millions of followers in my Marketplace but when I go in there and that same 30 days that you made me look at on Elite Retreat and when I did that I realized I'd contacted 30 000 people had seen my Instagram in 30 days like whoa and when I go on a listing appointment I say hey look here's the thing. Millennials are still the biggest purchasing power they are heavy on Instagram and something that I do that makes me special is that I do videos constantly and as a result 30 000 people look at my page every single month. It's kind of hard to lose a listing right? You know it's right and it's that rep every day and I didn't think that was going to be a secret sauce I didn't do it to have that as a secret sauce. but now that with the sales with the reviews with the the making it about them and it's incredible the results man so and I wouldn't I'd be remissing.

I'd be angry at myself I didn't say this. Thank you What? you helped me become the agent I am today the Tom Ferry experience. You know, watching that every single day before I could afford coaching. you know going to a sales Edge signing up for the whole process, the mark the map.

Just thank you thank you and I appreciate you so much DF You got it man! and David and you know what? I also love and and I know every everyone in our ecosystem knows that. There's also it's the relationships inside the community. it's the friendships and the the bond, the accountability and challenging one another like like I'm really convinced that we've created this place to belong for people that want to Excel and be challenged right? and you just like I've like I've like Goosebumps right now even just think about it like you personify that so you didn't answer the question. how many homes are going to sell in the calendar year 2022 and what's your goal for 23.

Sure! So right now at 58 Penny and closed I believe I'm gonna get to 52 close this year units. My goal for next year is to start launching a team and uh, start leveraging myself through others because even now you know I I will be uh embarrassed to admit this. but I still don't have an assistant I Still don't have a TC I still don't have a marketing director I'm still wearing all those hats yeah, but you know, using yeah. So my goal for next year is to hit a pretty crazy volume.

I've been pivoting kind of in commercial so I'm hoping to kind of Leverage in some other ways. but I will always do 50 units. That's just something that's like yes to do 50. but my goal is to do it while having a balanced life and then to help others also achieve that goal.

Outstanding man. I'm so proud of you. Well listen if somebody wants to follow you, uh, David Schwartz sells I was just I was literally on your page right before we started filming the show so remind him what's the best way for them to reach you. You guys can find me on Instagram short Sells Homes I'm all over the place.

you guys can call, text me, email me, DM me. whatever you guys want to do to get in touch, get in touch. I'm happy to help and give you guys the same help that other people in the ecosystem have helped me with over the years. and what's so great is they can literally as I am go right right through and scroll.

you know 400 plus Instagram reels. So David Schwartz I'm proud of you man! Thank you brother, thank you and listen for my friend out there watching. Send this to a friend that's been thinking about doing videos. or maybe send it to a friend that needs to do more videos and also needs to make their phone calls and really take care of their clients.

Lots of nuggets, lots of insights. I'll see you at the next February Elite And for my friend out there watching, we appreciate you. We'll see you soon! Laughs!.