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Written by Jason Gelios
I am a top producing REALTOR in South East Michigan who loves to educate people on the home buying/selling process. I am also the Author of the book ‘Think Like a Realtor’; A book about the buying and selling of residential real estate through the eyes of a Realtor.
Sharing Real World Knowledge
One of the things that I noticed about my industry is that many people lacked real-world knowledge when it came to buying or selling a home. This inspired me to write my book. Plus, I have a love for books so I decided to create my own book that provides the advice and real world stories I’ve been involved in. Once I started the project, I never looked back. Even in our digital age, I find that many people still have a preference for printed books. I wanted to reach those who are into books and the benefit that they can provide.
My hope in creating my book is that the readers will take the advice and tips that I provide and implement them in the real world to potentially save thousands on the home buying/selling process. I also hope that they gain an understanding of the real estate agent’s role through the real-world situations I share. There is more to real estate than just putting a home on the MLS, or sticking a sign in the yard. My goal was to convey that in my book.
Writing The Book
When I was writing my book, I was using Evernote to capture my thoughts and ideas from wherever I was. I would get a good thought, or something I wanted to share and I would add that in the app. I would fine-tune the words further when I was in front of my computer.
When the time came to self-publish my book, I utilized a local printer for the first run. I also took advantage of the publishing program that Ingram Spark and Amazon have to offer. These services allow you to publish your book through print on demand with distribution on major and minor websites.
One of the mistakes I made during the process of creating my book was taking too long to create it. I sought out perfection and felt like I was chasing a dangling carrot. I’m currently working on my second book and implementing tighter deadlines to adhere to. I had initially struggled with sitting down to write the book. I have always had a hard time sitting in one place for too long. To be focused for a large amount of time on things such as formatting the book and working on the design, was a struggle for me. When creating the rough draft, you start off with many pages only to have it condensed once it’s revised. Looking back, I’m glad I made it through the process, and I’m looking forward to doing it again.
Distribution
One of the things I wish I knew before I started writing my book is the potential that it would have in terms of distribution. I had no idea that my book would reach as many people that it has. I’ve had books purchased from all over the globe. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to have your work recognized like that. With that in mind, I recommend everyone to think bigger and to realize that it’s possible to reach a whole other audience you may not have considered or thought possible.Â
One of the biggest benefits of the book is the hyper-local effect it has on those I meet. Many professionals simply hand out a business card or brochure when they meet with a potential client. When I hand out a copy of my book, I get a much better response from the gesture. I feel people will keep a copy of a book they received, verses a marketing piece.
Another benefit is how I use it as an ice breaker. When you have an industry as crowded as real estate, you need to find ways to stand out from your competition. My printed book is like a soldier that fights for me to gain attention.Â
Promoting Think Like A Realtor
Many people have asked me what I do to promote my book. I mostly focus on the local area and social media. I have also offered a couple of free copies to local libraries for their local author section. While this effort may not drum up many sales, it helps me build my local brand.Â
From someone looking to build their brand, to authors looking to share a story with others, it’s important to think of creating a book as something of value that can take you to a whole other level. When my book was completed, it was one of the most satisfying projects that I have come across. I’m proud that I took the time to create a book from scratch. My book was a project that started as a thought and ended up a printed piece I can share with others.Â
How To Be An Author
I’ve had others ask me how they can start writing a book and what techniques I used to complete my book. I feel aspiring authors should create an outline of the topics they want to cover in their book and work from there. They should also realize that it takes time to write a book.
On that same note, they should not focus too much on perfection. Authors should also have a system to capture thoughts and ideas that come up no matter where you are, because you never know where or when, a good idea will hit.
Find More From Jason Gelios:
www.ItsAllAboutTheRealEstate.com and www.JasonGelios.com .
Purchase a copy of my book Think Like a Realtor here:
On Amazon- https://www.pinterest.com/jasongelios/_saved/
On Barnes and Nobles-Â https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/think-like-a-realtor-jason-gelios/1131000728?ean=9780578448862
Social Media:
On Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongelios/
On Twitter-Â https://twitter.com/jasongelios
On YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/ItsAllAboutTheRealEstate
On FB- https://www.facebook.com/jasongeliosrealtor/
On Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/jasongeliosrealtor/
On Pinterest-Â https://www.pinterest.com/jasongelios/_saved/
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