I asked my consulting client to end our contract
At the first cold call, I realized she was ready
This morning, I went on cold calls to welfare-related offices around Honmachi with President Takahashi of Mari Real Estate, whom I am consulting for. President Takahashi launched her real estate brokerage firm in February of last year with no prior experience in real estate brokerage. At that time, her husband was transferred to a post away from home, and she has been running the business while raising three children on her own. I had been consulting with her for about a year before she launched as a friend, but since I wanted to be involved responsibly, I have been charging a fee since she went independent. However, she has been taking on so many challenges lately, and because she is truly committed, she is constantly facing things she cannot do yet, but she is overcoming them. I felt that it was no longer a matter of teaching her, so I made a request to her last month.
"I would like to end our consulting contract by the end of October."
I told her that I would pass on everything I have as know-how by then. Today was one of those instances. However, since she was speaking quite confidently from the very first cold call, I told her at the end of that first visit that I thought she was ready. From now on, I want to challenge myself just as much as she does, and I hope we can continue to push each other to improve. By the way, for some reason, in this heat, I will be accompanying someone else on cold calls to welfare offices this coming Friday. The person on Friday is a president who has read all of my past daily reports. I think this Friday will be the last time I accompany someone on cold calls. I wonder if there might be one more time somewhere. I am no longer accepting this kind of consulting work.
What is a "surviving top salesperson"?
In the afternoon, I had a meeting for a real estate event where I have been asked to appear as a moderator next month. Usually, most of the people I appear with are acquaintances, but this time everyone is someone I am meeting for the first time. The person in charge of operations said, "I have a rough idea of the title and theme, but I'd like you to handle the rest, Kimura-san," and asked me what I thought. I thought, "Wait, you want me to handle the meeting too?! Even though I don't know anyone?!" but since it was a good opportunity, I asked various questions about AI in this industry, which is also part of the theme. It was quite lively, and I am very much looking forward to the day of the event.
During that discussion, the topic of "won't only top salespeople survive in the future?" came up. I have heard and read in the news that the productivity of capable people will continue to rise, that those people will run the world, and that others will live on basic income. What is a "surviving top salesperson" in this context? Is it simply the person who sells the most in the company? Even among top salespeople, there are those who sell by listening thoroughly to customers, those who sell aggressively, those who sell using the company's name, and those who sell through sheer volume of action. Other factors like personality might also be included. I find it hard to believe that there is a single answer for a top salesperson image that applies to all real estate and housing companies. I think it is necessary for each company to clarify its own "image of a surviving top salesperson." I don't know how much I will be able to ask on the day, but I would like to hear the thoughts of everyone I am appearing with in their own words. I threw out a little jab to get things started.