Selling team Selby Kaiser and Linda McMorrow have a long history of partnership. In fact, it’s one that began at conception — they are identical twins.
Kaiser and McMorrow have been able to use this special relationship to develop a successful business as sales professionals with Prudential Network Realty in Jacksonville.
McMorrow says, “It was only natural that we became partners. We think alike and very often answer each others questions before being asked.”
As partners, they split all production 50/50 with no regard for who worked on the transaction. McMorrow says, “I may have done all the work on one transaction and Selby hasn’t even met the person, but that doesn’t matter. We sell quite a few of our own listings, so there are also some transactions that require both of our involvement. It works out very well for us.”
They generally work with their own buyers and sellers. Kaiser adds, “We learned very early on in our partnership that if we hold hands and go about this together, we will be effectively producing as one person. So we have to go our separate ways in going after business.” However, she says, they know without fail they can depend on one another to pitch in to help each other’s clients.
Kaiser says, “If I have an obligation that prevents me from assisting my clients, I know that Linda will take care of them as well or probably better than I would have - and our clients really appreciate that. This past year, that aspect of our relationship really made the difference when my duties as President of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors kept me busy with six out of town conferences and many local meetings throughout the year. In spite of this, our production of over 46 million in volume gave us our best year yet!”
They admit that being identical twins is a great marketing tactic, but they know that’s not what sells houses. It’s hard work.
McMorrow says, “We go to work everyday. We’re out of our houses by 8:30 a.m. and it’s not unusual to get home after 9:00 p.m. You have to work at your business. That includes getting out and meeting and interacting with people.”
Her sister Kaiser agrees, “We are fortunate that much of our business comes from referrals. We stay on the phone all the time. I would say 70 percent of calls are from people calling us because they have a friend coming to town or a brother selling a house. Referrals are an increasingly valuable aspect of our business since we cannot depend upon cold calling, especially in light of the Do Not Call Registry.
Besides referrals from past clients and people they do business with, the sisters credit their upscale personal marketing program for their success.
“Everything we do is consistent,” says McMorrow. “If you see an ad, brochure, television commercial, flyer or postcard, you know before you pick it up and read our name that it is from us because of our ‘Selling Legends ...’ logo. It’s very effective. People recognize us all the time. Strangers will come up and call us by name.”
Kaiser and McMorrow also say that the reputation and image of Prudential Network Realty brings business to them. McMorrow says, “The smartest thing we ever did was going to work for Linda Sherrer. There’s not another broker in town we would work for because we are with the best.”
They both agree that the real success in their partnership comes from their special bond as identical twins. Kaiser says, “We don’t ever get bored with each other. Never fuss or fight. I think that would be hard for a random team. When you love each other like we do, it makes it that much easier to have a successful partnership and business.”