What is one mistake you commonly see brokers make when they’re just starting out?

Peter Laville: I can’t really speak to other brokers and their mistakes, but I can tell you the mistakes I made when I was first starting out. Two big ones: When I was cold calling, I wasn’t asking the right questions. I would ask questions, but they weren’t good qualifying questions until I’d get off the phone and be like, “Great, now how do I log that call or follow up with him?” Then I’d realize, “Oh, we talked for five minutes, but I didn’t really know or learn anything more about his business, what his needs were, or how I could help him.” So I had to readjust and find ways to ask the right questions.

And then the second thing is, you’re never busy enough. Just because you have a couple of deals in the pipeline, keep working—they’ll dry up.