Diana Cussen | Barfoot & Thompson Pukekohe
Agent of Excellence FY2020
Starting in the workforce selling encyclopedias, our Agent of Excellence, Diana Cussen, has had her head in the sales game from very early in her career. Hear about her key influencers and more here.
What are your morning rituals?
I usually try and get up around 6 or 6.30. We put the news on - TV 3 is our favourite, and we sit with a cuppa. While doing this, I’ll check my listings and let any buyers know if something hot has come through. Some mornings I’ll have a sauna and listen to a podcast or go for a walk, and then three times a week, we go swimming. We sneak in a sleep in now and then too.
What was your first sales job?
I worked with Merit Incorporated selling encyclopedias. As a new recruit, you listen to a spiel about how great encyclopedias are and how much money you will make. We had a script we needed to learn then we had to door knock in new sub-divisions. My manager told me that if the lights are on, people inside have had a long day, and they’ll just be thinking about paying their mortgage, and they’ll welcome anyone in to come and chat. The biggest perk was, was once you secured an appointment, you got a cut of the commission if they bought. One sales rep was a surfer bloke, and he would nail selling, so you’d always try and get your appointments with him.
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve been given?
Follow up, follow up, follow up. The fortune is in the follow up.
Who inspires you?
The most influential person in my life is Doctor John Demartini. He’s a master and teaches that the biggest thing is that everyone wants to be loved for their own reasons and appreciated for who they are. Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, and no matter what you do, there is always support and challenge. If you can balance the challenges and your support in life, creating an equilibrium, then life is good.
What do you love about being a real estate agent?
Finding family homes that home families. Nothing is more important in your life than having a home; it’s the most precious thing in life.
What is your biggest career fail?
Locking my keys in a house and locking the lockbox, then realizing I’d locked my phone in there too, I was stuck for ages and missed a listing appointment. Never going to do that again!
Why do you love working with realestate.co.nz?
Number one is the people, the great support staff. People check in and ring to see how things are going. There are also lots of new products coming out. The new website is intuitive and super easy for buyers to use – click and request a viewing, or ring or text. I get double the amount of real estate enquiries coming from realestate.co.nz than any other website. Mainly because of the really easy interface.
The photography is great; it makes the most of the Barfoot & Thomson Diakit – the photos pop. The Showcasing is fantastic too, as soon as you open the website and the client’s property is there, it means you get the business! It’s a great site.