Here I am on my first open house filling in for my fellow agent Mary. This is all new to me, not knowing what to expect I decided to take along some reading material. I brought my newspaper and my latest Rotarian magazine I had just received in the mail. Sitting there waiting for my first potential buyer to walk in, I got through the newspaper and was on to my magazine. Well… I had time the herd of buyers weren’t charging the door just yet. What got my attention right away was the title on the front of the magazine “The Four-Way Test still ticking after 75 years”. Been a Rotarian I knew all about the four-way test so I went straight to the article and began reading. I realize I did not know the history of this powerful code of ethics, that we recite at the end of every meeting. Apparently Charles R. Walgreen Jr. used it as a compass to run his business and insisted on having it in the office of all his stores.Pump the breaks! you’re saying, what is this four-way test? just wait a minute we’ll get to that later. The four-way test was written and put into practice by Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when his business was facing bankruptcy during the depression. Mr Taylor thought that if he could convince his workers to do the right thing in every situation, they could possibly win sales from their competitors. Did it work? According to the article five years later his business was back in the black. Now, the skeptics may say those 24 words had nothing to do with saving his business, who knows! Rotary International adopted the test in 1943 and Mr Taylor became president in 1954. The article made reference that a real estate broker suggested the test is more appropriate than the nine-page ethics statement used to govern our industry.As I relay what I read… hold on! I think someone coming, Nope! It’s not a buyer, only the neighbor, I thought I had my first sale! Back to the four-way test. As a Rotarian it’s the code we live by, does it sell real estate or save businesses from going bankrupt?No one knows for sure. I do know it helps to build goodwill and better friendship in my life. Sad to say on my first open house I didn’t have a visitor or a buyer, but it was four hour well spent. Come tomorrow I’ll do it again, hoping I get my chance to use the four-way test.The four-way test:Of the things we say and do1. Is it the truth?2. Is it fair to all concerned?3. Will it built goodwill and better friendship?4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
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