132: Ron Koenigsberg – Watch, Do, Teach

Guest: Ron Koenigsberg

 

Guest Bio:

Ron Koenigsberg is an award-winning commercial real estate broker with over three decades of experience and the founder of American Investment Properties, Inc.

Recognized as a top-performing broker nationwide, Ron has successfully navigated countless transactions, establishing himself as an industry leader and trusted advisor. As the author of "Power Broker: How to Succeed in Life and Business", Ron shares his proven insights into sales excellence, relationship-building, and personal growth. Known for his engaging style and practical advice, Ron leverages humor, warmth, and real-world experience to empower others to achieve greater professional success and personal fulfillment.

 

Key Points:

Dyslexia and Overcoming Challenges:

Ron shares his experience of being born with dyslexia, a condition that went undiagnosed during his childhood. Despite struggling with reading and comprehension, he found his strength in "human engineering," which led him to sales. His father's influence, especially through Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People, helped him realize that 85% of success is due to people skills, not technical knowledge.

 

Sales and Human Connection:

Ron emphasizes that sales success relies on building relationships, not just knowledge. He shares that the key to success is understanding people and communication, which is more important than expertise in a specific field. He mentions that 85% of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders start their careers in sales because it builds essential people skills.

 

Teaching Sales to His Team:

Ron adopts a "watch, do, teach" approach with his sales team. He emphasizes leading by example and actively teaching his team, building their skills through practical experience. He fosters a supportive environment, always looking to guide and encourage his salespeople, focusing on making them better rather than criticizing them.

 

Streamlining the Prospecting Process:

Originally, Ron tried to contact a large number of property owners (around 10,000), but eventually realized that focusing on a smaller group of 800 key individuals worked better. This "narrowing down" approach allowed for deeper, more meaningful connections, and ultimately led to more successful relationships.

 

Persistence in Sales:

Ron emphasizes the importance of persistence in sales. He shares that 80% of sales happen after the fourth ask and encourages his team to keep pushing and not be discouraged by rejection. He uses a CRM to manage and track relationships, remembering personal details about prospects, as he believes in the power of personalization.

 

Building Resilience:

Ron believes resilience is crucial for sales success and business leadership. Despite setbacks and rejections, resilience helps maintain motivation and drive. He practices what he preaches by remaining calm in tough situations and sharing his own experiences with his team to help them develop emotional resilience.

 

Hiring Challenges and Social Media:

Ron admits that recruiting talent has been his biggest challenge in growing his business. He has recently focused more on social media, growing his LinkedIn following from 1,000 to 14,000 in a year, using it to attract talent and build his brand.

 

His Book, Power Broker:

Ron wrote a book titled Power Broker, focusing on success in sales and business. It’s particularly aimed at aspiring commercial real estate brokers. The book was written with his sons in mind, sharing his knowledge and lessons for them to use in their lives. The book has resonated with a wider audience and is available in various formats, including Audible and Amazon.

 

Family and Legacy:

He shares his desire for his children to be involved in his business, though they are still young. He wants to build a successful company that attracts his sons to work with him in the future.

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