Gary Coffey - 7 Seconds to Success: How to Effectively Relate to People in an Instant

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Some Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Some Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Some Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

7 SECONDS TO SUCCESS

Copyright 2010 by Gary Coffey and Bob Phillips

Published 2012 by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Coffey, Gary, 1943

7 seconds to success / Gary Coffey and Bob Phillips.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-7369-4618-6 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4619-3 (eBook)

1. Interpersonal communication. I. Phillips, Bob, 1940. II. Title.

BF637.C45C625 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

To my good friend

Rich Cotton Buhler, 19462012.

Without his encouragement and inspiration this book wouldnt have been written.

Gary Coffey

We would like to thank our family and friends for encouraging us to write this book.

We could not have accomplished this work without God giving us the time and resources to finish.

And I (Gary) would like to give a special thanks to John Slevcove for the use of his cabin at Hume Lake, Californiaa very special place to think and write.

T here was a smile on Scotts face when he sat down in the leather chair. He nodded slightly as he thought about his week. One of his escrows was closing on Monday, and two more were due to close on Friday. He had three new listings coming up by the end of next week. He knew Sarah would be excited at the good news.

His thoughts were interrupted by engine noise. He glanced out the living room window and saw a Dodge Caravan park in front of the house. A tall, thin man and a woman, probably his wife, emerged from the pristine white van. The woman opened the sliding door, and two children got out.

Scott watched as the couple stood in front of the Open House sign. They talked and pointed to various things in the neighborhood. He could see they were serious and a little hesitant. As they came down the walk toward the front door, he noticed that the husbands walk was a little tentative, while the woman was walking casually. Quickly Scott asked two important questions: Up or down? Left or right? Then he decided, This couple looks like a Thinker and a Toucher. He waited until the doorbell rang before he got up.

Good afternoon, folks, Scott said with a big smile after he opened the door. My name is Scott McFadden. Welcome to the open house. He held out his hand, and they all exchanged handshakes.

Hi! My name is Becky. This is my husband, Alan, and our two kids, Joey and Beth.

Observing that the husbands eyes shied away from a direct look and he had a reserved sort of smile, Scott silently confirmed, He is a Thinker. Noticing the husband was looking around, Scott quickly handed him a brochure before turning to the wife. Shall we get started in the kitchen? he asked.

The wife held the hand of one of the children while the husband held the other childs hand.

Where are you folks from? Scott asked.

Were from Simi Valley, replied the wife.

Thats a great area. I have friends who live near the Simi Valley Mall.

Oh, thats close by where we live! Becky said with a big smile.

When they moved toward the living room, Scott asked, What professions are you in?

Im a schoolteacher, and my husband is an engineer.

How many bedrooms are you looking for?

The husband finally spoke. Were looking for four bedrooms. I want to turn one of them into an office.

Do you have a particular price range?

Alan was quick to respond. We cant go any higher than $500,000.

Scott smiled politely. Well, this home is a five bedroom with three baths. Its on the market for $575,000. He sensed their disappointment. However, if you step into the dining room with me, I can show you a few homes in this neighborhood with four bedrooms in your price range.

For the next ten minutes Scott shared the various features of the prospective homes. He then gave the couple printouts on the details of the houses.

I suggest you drive by and see if any of them appeal to you. Scott noticed the husbands body relaxed a little.

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions and help, Becky said.

I appreciate your honesty, Alan added. At the last open house we visited, the salesperson really put pressure on us to buy. We dont have time to look at these other homes today, but wed like to work with you. Do you have time tomorrow?

Scott quickly checked his appointment book and asked how one oclock sounded. After Becky nodded, Scott handed her his business card. We can meet at my office. Its close by. He gave directions and then walked them to the door. Thank you for stopping by. It was sure nice meeting you. After shutting the door, Scott walked to the window and watched as the couple buckled their children into the rear seats of the Dodge Caravan, got into the front seats, and then drove off. He smiled. Then his thoughts turned back to how hed learned to read people so well.

Scott was excited when he graduated from college. He was so ready to enter the workforce. But then the economic downturn hit. The only job he could get was working as a salesclerk in the Electronics Department at Searsa far cry from what hed hoped for as a business major in school. Hed set his sights on the great American dream, but it was becoming more like a nightmare. He and his wife, Sarah, both worked to make ends meet. They wanted to move out of their small apartment and buy their own place someday.

Scott finally decided to take a real estate course in the evenings. He hoped it would be the avenue for them to get ahead. But that road was turning into a dead-end street. Hed been smart enough to keep his job at Sears, so he worked real estate in his off hours and on weekends.

This was his third open house, and few people were showing up. He was bored and discouraged as he sat in the quiet house. Slowly he got up and looked out the living room window. The street was empty. He nervously tucked his sport shirt into his Dockers and adjusted his belt. He rubbed his fingers through his blond hair and let out a long sigh. I wonder if all real estate people experience this? he thought. Then he was reminded what his father had told him before he passed away. Son, remember what Thomas Edison said. I never allow myself to become discouraged under any circumstances...The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.

Scott let out another sigh. To kill some of the wait time, he opened the paper hed purchased that morning. To get his mind off no one coming to his open house, he even resorted to reading the advertisements. Thats when he saw it.