This one may go over your head if you are not a Dodgers baseball fan – but have you ever seen the Dodgers players shake/tremble their hands in the air towards the dugout after a base hit?

While the players are not explicitly saying it after every base hit, they are implying that “barrels are overrated.” You’re probably asking yourself what does that even mean and how does it relate to real estate? Well…give me some time. I will explain.

What Are Barrels?

In order to win a baseball game, you want to score more runs than your opponent. And to do that, you want to hit the ball with the barrel (thick part of the bat) of the bat so that you can get on base. As easy as it may sound, it is difficult to swing at baseballs being thrown close to 100 MPH.

As a result, some players will unintentionally hit the ball with the part of the bat that is not the thickest part. When a player does this, he/she gets this vibration sensation on the hands from the impact of the bat hitting the ball. That hit may end up being a homerun for some players, but often, it will be a single, double, or a triple.

Barrels Are Overrated

So, what the Dodgers players are implying by shaking their hands towards the dugout is that “barrels are overrated.” People put too much importance and priority into hitting the ball hard – but what matters most is getting on base. Get the single, get the double, get the triple. Do whatever it takes to get on base. While home runs may be sexy, getting on base, scoring runs, and winning the ball game is sexier.

With that in mind, this is the same philosophy that I teach everyone on our team. You are not going to get an exclusive listing to sell an apartment building on the first call you make to that landlord. You must add value into your call and nurture that relationship. Take on an advisory role and eventually become the first person the landlord thinks about when it comes time to selling his/her building.

The Secret to Commercial Real Estate - Get on Base

While it may be sexy and cool to get a listing agreement signed on the first call/meeting…it is nearly impossible. An agent must cultivate the relationship and ultimately prove his or her worth throughout the conversations/meetings that occur prior to selling the building. If you tell a landlord that you are going to email him/her after the phone call, then you best believe you should do it.

Get on base! Because ultimately, with each base hit, you are going to move one base closer to scoring!