The voices on your side are for the most part only in print. You can give out books like Bought, Not Sold or show the quotes from authors, consumer advocates, and other authorities who recommend true exclusive agency and condemn those using counterfeit "exclusive" labels. However, that does not counter the persistant problem that these allies of yours are simply not a real presence in the physical experience of your prospects. They do not relate as "real people." They can not measure up against the personalities who repeatedly call your prospect by his/her name, answer questions, and point out that you, after all, are in business as an EBA and should be expected to say an EBA is the only way to go.

But there is someone you can call upon. A pilot program has been openly and above-board putting consumers into direct contact with a credentialed authority as a third-party reference explaining true agency and answering direct questions. Author Ray Wilson, whose credentials can be easily checked out by consumers, has been talking with one EBA's prospective clients -- not promoting the firm, but explaining the social reality and practical dynamics of "agency" in the consumer's interest.

The direct consequences for the sponsoring agency have been fivefold:

• increase in the rate of prospects becoming clients;
• increase in understanding and acceptance of agency contracts;
• increase in time available to serve clients, rather than consumed
  in turning prospects into clients;
• increase in informed clients willing and able to cooperate with
  their agent in their own behalf;
• increase in revenue.

Again, the approach to consumers is open and above-board. Here is how it works. The sponsor tells the buyer (direct or via email) to expect a call from Mr. Wilson. The buyer understands that the author is "retained" by the sponsoring EBA, but to talk about agency and the real estate industry, and to answer questions and provide access to information that will help the buyer know what is really going on. The major point the buyers by-and-large do understand is that Wilson's book and many articles were not written to serve the interests of one local real estate firm. They then can see and appreciate this as a true third-party reference -- overcoming the reservations they have about hearing an EBA telling them how they need an EBA (Wilson is not an EBA).

There are no pretentions about either the author's or the sponsoring EBA's interests. The buyer knows the author is compensated for the call, but knows also that what the author says can be checked against what the author wrote for a national audience. Moreover, his book and more than a dozen articles are of genuine educational benefit for the buyer. The outreach to the buyer is structured as legitimate education -- addressing industry dynamics in light of buyer needs. No "pitch" is made on behalf of the sponsoring agency; no recommendation is given for the agency over other agencies. However, the buyer does know that the agency has sponsored the outreach. They tend to appreciate that, and the fact an agency investing in expanding consumer awareness is one with nothing to hide, no deceptions to cover. As indicated above, evidence is that the firm does indeed benefit.

Significantly, the logic works even when phone contact isn't made. When the call reaches an answering machine, a simple message is left with a toll-free phone number for the buyer to call back. A message also promises an email loaded with information (and the promise is kept). Often, the email alone motivates the buyer to contact the agent. The outreach itself is that effective.

Success is of course highly dependent on the credibility of the person making the call. Ray Wilson is a consumer writer with a real estate book on amazon.com and several consumer advice articles on the International Real Estate Digest -- the buyer can check him out almost instantly on the Internet. The buyers are always those who have been in contact with the sponsoring firm. The contact list includes all buyers and potential buyers who have initiated contact with the agency as house hunters. It includes those who readily sign on as clients, as well as those making the most casual inquiries. It would be neither appropriate nor wise to omit clients from a consumer information service provided to others.

This service will not be provided indiscriminately to any firm willing to pay for it. Eligible are only those who provide true exclusive buyer agency, are ethically driven, and are devoted to client service. The number of firms accepted into this program will not exceed that which can be fully served on a timely basis. Eligible firms will be able to talk with firms already in the program. This of course includes the specific EBA firm served by the pilot program.

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