"Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy
like Norman Einstein."
- Joe Theismann, NFL quarterback and analyst
"A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business."
- Henry Ford
"I'm not against blacks, and a lot of the good blacks will attest to
that."
- Evan Mecham, as governor of Arizona
The first
female parrot I ever adopted...
Was a handful.
We used to call her - and
still do - "CB", the 'C' stands for Crazy.
She would attack anything that
came near her cage, she wouldn't let anybody touch her, she would almost
never would leave her sleep spot - and she would rarely talk.
I never knew -
How
hard a parrot could bit until I met her.
One day I thought she broke my finger, Stephanie has had to get stitches
and Millie thought she was a missing a piece of ear (we called her
Tyson after that) and all because CB...
Was, contradictory to what we were told, raised without human positive
human contact; she was NOT handfed, she was NOT spoke to, but she
WAS shocked by an electric-cage apparatus if she didn't behave - in
short she
Didn't trust humans
And that's
an understatement.
That
mistrust was so strong it led to pure hatred.
She didn't
just bite, attack and try to intimidate because she was defending,
she proactively hated us and wanted to cause pain.
I won't get into everything that we did to eventually win her trust, but
I will say that it took almost a full year for her to believe that I
wasn't going to hurt her when I tried to feed her from my hand...
a full year.
And this is also what prompted us to start our own Parrot Adoption
Agency and clean up that industry by putting the liars out of
business - including the group that worked with CB. Her real
names is Zazu by the way, you may remember the name from The Lion
King.
She also goes by Pretty Girl
But
she says "Pretty Pretty Girl" for some reason she says 'pretty'
twice.
Anyway - she is one of the most inspiring, Badass individuals I've
ever met.
I've been
so inspired and moved by her, I'm crazy about my babies - but she is
special and just watching her really touches me.
How Badass is she?
Whenever
wolves or coyotes howl (the house I'm referring to is actually "the
last house on the left" with a similar backyard) and the other
babies all freak out and fly away -
She will
fly at them, stand at the edge of the porch and start howling back.
She will
try an intimidate deer and raccoons that get to close, she showers
upside down (I have no idea why, but if that's not Badass then I
don't know what is) if the TV is too loud she will stand on it and
crack her beak through the screen -
She once
fractured her ankle and we were told she wouldn't walk on it or fly
for at least six weeks... the next she was resting solely on it
(parrots often sit on one foot and curl the other to rest) meaning
she was standing and putting all her weight on the "bad" one -
We got her
wings clipped which handicaps flight for at least two to three
months (it has with every other parrot we've had) but less than a
week a later she was back in action -
She never
plays with anything and when she sees her reflection in the mirror
she doesn't play or talk like every other parrot does - instead she
will sit there motionless staring at herself for hours... it'd kind
of crazy, like -
Michael Myers or something
It used to
concern me, but from what I'm being told she is learning to love.
And she
has learned volumes about that.
As of
right now, she is the most loving parrot we have. Whenever
somebody is sick or not feeling well, she will fly on their head and
start talking in a really sweet voice - or she won't say anything
and she'll just stare at you until you get up and start moving
around.
One time I
was under the weather and fell asleep on the couch. When I got
up about two hours later she was resting on my chest - where she
stayed - for the entire time, as soon as my eyes opened she asked
"Are you okay?"
I love
that girl, oh yeah...
She will eat anything
She will go through cupboards, open cabinets and even open car doors
(I told you she's a Badass) - she will do whatever it takes to get
more food.
Her
favorite thing to eat is... whatever you're eating.
So I have
to keep her out of the kitchen area, and to do that I use a -
Giant screen door
It rests
on the stairs and nearly blocks of all access to go up the stairs -
so even if you wanted to walk up or down them you would have to move
it or be really thin to squeeze yourself around it.
As soon as
the first screen got put up, she would sit in front of it and
strategize how to get around.
Here's why I'm telling you this
Not that I
need an excuse - I love talking about her - but if I have a point or
a "take away" about her today then this is it.
Every
screen blockade that we have used... has eventually failed.
It may
take her a few hours, a few days or even a few weeks - but she will
stand down, intimidate, peck and fly at every door we use. I
used to think she just wanted to get upstairs but -
That's not it!
I realized
this after she got upstairs and then came back down without even
hunting for anything.
She just
wants to know she can.
She just
wants me to know I won't stop her.
She just
wants to do it, to rise to - and beat - the challenge.
This isn't easy
To her,
these doors must weigh a ton - and four vets have told me that for
to move one is "impossible".
They
didn't know her very well.
She has
flown right through a door - and left a slit in it - she torn
through another door from the ground up, she flew into one seven
times before it got knocked over and then she flew upstairs -
She will NOT stop -
I just
slow her down - but I've never stopped her.
Right now
she is pacing back and forth, plotting her next move.
I love it.
She will
NOT tire
She will
NOT settle
She will
NOT give in
She will
NOT complain
She
absolutely will NOT stop -
And, eventually, she will get upstairs
If, for no
other reason, than to prove to me she can.
How can
you not love this girl?
Action takers:
Just today,
I posted 19 signs in 3 hours. (at 5pm)
Received 11 voice mails, 5 missed calls.
Signs read:
*Desperate House Wife*
Muse Sell Home
Move in Friday
555-555-5555 (local #)
24 Hours
Google Maps only showed traffic congestion on highways.
I used my intuition on the density of the city streets I posted my signs in.
I have studied all the comments and videos diligently.
Question 1) Before we have a relationship with my lender,
do I call back the prospects myself?
What do we say to them?
What information do we need from them?
Question 2) Why are we passing prospects directly to a mortgage lender?
Aren’t they just shopping around for prices and details?
Dear all: thank you for opening up my eyes to endless possibilities!
Jordan,
Great to hear from you – and great work taking action,
very few will actually do that and you did – good going.
Your questions have been covered I think but the key
is to interview them until you find an artist – keep your
ambition up and it won’t take long.
Love to hear you clear 20 grand this month…
Thanks again for the support!
– Azam
Everyone needs to get over to walmart and pick us some posterboards. In Oklahoma city they’ve got ten packs of white and flourescent posterboard for 4 bucks! Are you kidding me? My signs right now cost me $0.80 to make. Who gives a shit if they come down!!! Where else can you get buyers for a cost per lead of $.10 per client? Talk about leverage…
Garrett,
I just got mine at Wal-Mart in Baltimore for 97cents a pop, and I thought that was a good deal.
Are yours the flimsy poster board or the hard backs that can withstand the wind?
Can I email you with some key questions?
my email is jkrizman at gmaildotcom
Garrett,
Great, I love getting signs at Wal-Mart, if you order them online
they can ship anywhere…
Thanks for sharing –
Thanks again for the support!
– Azam
Hey Azam,
Long term reader, first time “blogger!”
Regarding signs, I’ve had a lot of success
getting people to call in from signs I put at
intersections.
Getting someone to hold one out at a busy
intersection sounded great, and before I’d
pay someone to do it, I figure I’d try it myself,
besides, it seems fun!
I spent 4 hours one day, 2 during morning
rush hour, and 2 during evening rush hour,
morning for short sale leads, evening for
buyers, phone number going to a voice mail.
Out of the 4 hours, I didn’t get any calls.
I’m sure because it doesn’t work in my area!
Just kidding, what I do know, is what I did,
did not work, so I need to refine it.
By the way, can I post pics here?
Reason is, as you talked about standing
naked with a sign, well, I was close,
I was wearing the sign, covering my shorts,
no shirt, (so it looked like I had nothing
behind the sign!) and a beanie with
a propeller on my head!
I DID get quite a few stares, honks,
and lots of laughs from the people
driving by.
And looked a bit like the Star Wars
Kid swinging my sign around!
Here is what I basically put
on the signs
******** For Buyers *************
* MUST SELL *
CAN MOVE IN FRIDAY
4/2 1800 ft
480-xxx-xxxx
24 Hours
**********************************
****** For Short Sales **********
LOSING YOUR HOUSE????
Don’t LOSE Your SHIRT!!
Free Special Report
602-xxx-xxxx
24 hours
***********************************
Any ideas on what numbers should
be when you have a “crazy naked”
guy on the street corner wearing,
and waving a sign?
Have a happy. . .
Vin
Freakin badass awesome Azam!!
Patrick from We Build Empires sent me to this Episode as an answer to a question I asked him. Answer found…along with some other great ideas!
As soon as my car comes home, I’m heading to the local tar-jay for neon yellow poster board. In the meantime,
I’ll find lender and agent phone #’s to connect with.
Thanks to all the other comment-ers. My other questions were then answered as well.
I am ecstatically happy to have found you and We Build Empires…I’m starting mine now!
Hi Azam
After seeing the first five minutes of one of your videos I knew you were the real deal, and after reading so much about your crazy birds I respect you even more.
Me and my Mum raise baby birds too, and as I speak there is a robin pecking at the mouse pointer on the screen! And my desk is covered in bird poo, nice!
Anyhowsss, I got really geared up by watching this video again, I dno’t have the money for yellow signs just yet so I ran into my garage, found a piece of wood, cut up a cardboard box and nailed it to the wood and wrote my first sign.
Me and my friend took the big piece of wood to a roundabout near my house (UK) and stuck it facing the lane with most traffic, it read:
*DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE*
NEED TO SELL HOME
CALL 123 456
GOING CHEAP. 24 HRS ONLY!
I got the idea from Jordan above!
After I had put up my first sign I felt gooood for taking action, even if my sign looks like a used “will work for food” sign lol
Anyway, I stayed at my girlfriends house last night, and this morning she had a voicemail from my MUM. She was shouting down the phone, I couldn’t quite make out exactly what she was saying but I did hear her mention something about a desperate housewife lol
Maybe I should have asked if I could use her number for the sign, but that just wouldn’t be badass would it.
Well so far in under 24 hours I’ve had 3 calls asking about the house, and my Mum has finally seen the funny side to it.
I now know I can get the phone ringing, so now I’m going to expand.
I’m going to be calling up my leads and finding out what kind of property they are after, then I’ll start hitting the estate agents.
Thanks for the great idea, and the motivation
I’ll report back soon,
THANKS
Carl
Wow! Amazing vid! I had no idea little signs could be so effective in finding home buyers…and sellers.
Do you guys think this sign method would work just as well for other non-real estate related businesses?
My sister is fresh out of college and is starting a dog walking/pet sitting business and needs ways to get the phone ringing with NEW CUSTOMERS in the market for such services.
Since there is obviously a ton of expertise in those who comment, what do you suggest she do? What verbiage would spark the phone ringing with LEGITIMATE, BONA FIDE prospective customers with a need for either dog walking or pet sitting services and WITHOUT it coming down to ‘price’ as the deciding factor. There are some high school kid who post on craigslist ‘Dog Walks $5’. However, $5 would barely cover the gas to get to the house to walk the dog.
Based on what I’ve read in Azam’s posts and learned thus far is that she’ll need to create the ‘standard’ for dog waking/pet sitting in her town.
I would really value your input here.
Thank you so much!
And Mr. Meo, thank YOU for posting such valuable info for the benefit of others.
Lovin it Azam!
My only question is once people call, do you just forward their information to the lender? Or do you have to gather other information, such as what they are looking for, how much, etc. What would the convo look like?
Keep up the AWESOME work!
Hello Guys,
I put out about 15 signs with the following on them”
3bed 2 bath
Divorce
*phone number*
Got 9 voice mails in 2 days. I have used bandit signs in the past so I know that they work. I am use to using them for other transactions such as wholesale deals.
From what I understand is this, we get the potential prospects over the the mortgage broker, if they either qualify for a loan, or already have one situated, they are not passed on to the Realtor.
Are you guys pre – screening them before you send them to the mortgage broker?, or are you sending them flat out? What should they say to my leads?
I worked with mortgage brokers in the past so i have a couple of winners that will be getting these leads, I just want to make sure they are saying the right things to these warm leads.
I am not a newbie at all when it comes to real estate marketing / investing, I just would like a little more direction when it comes to making sure my Realtor or mortgage brokers don’t spoil the lead.
Cheers,
Dee
Dee I agree completely. I am curious if anyone has any input as to the pre-screening process. Also, I found out that getting any sort of referral fee from a realtor in Arizona is illegal unless you have a realtor license yourself.
Hey guys, after being in the trenches today, this is what I’ve found out. Here in GA lenders are screaming that it is illegal for them to pay out on the back end of the loans that close. I had no clue about that. Its ok though, I found out that they are willing to pay for leads. They are a little hesitant about buying them because what I am hearing from them is the leads that they have purchased in the past have been mostly junk leads. I am sure that there is a way to work them anyway.
Azam! Wake up man we need your help here. I am sure you are busy, but even if I have to pay for some more info about how to work these leads, I will. Bandit signs have been proven to work for me for years in the real estate field.
I figure that I take a shot at other markets with this way of marketing. I mean there is plenty of space in my city to get eyes on my signs. Never thought about how easy it is to get homeowners to let you post in their yards. Brilliant *
Looking forward to this thread getting fired back up.
Cheers*
Dee
I’m happy to see you guys are still rocking it! I’m in a better place. Oz, thanks for you’re patience and guidence. Millie, thanks for the push! Love and miss U all! Tommy