Desert Pete

Written and Posted Dec 31, 2003; BUT STILL APPLIES!

Desert Pete

Artist: The Kingston Trio (peak Billboard position # 33 in 1963)
Words and Music by Billy Edd Wheeler

Article by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, December 31, 2003

I was travellin’ West a Buckskin on my way to a cattle run,
Cross a little cactus desert under a hot blisterin’ sun.
I was thirsty down to my toenails, stopped to rest me on a stump.
But I tell ya I just couldn’t believe it when I saw that water pump!
I took it to be a mirage at first; it’ll fool a thirsty man.
Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin’ powder can,
“This pump is old”, the note began, “but she works so give’r a try”
“I put a new sucker washer in ‘er, you may find the leather dry.”

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe,”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive!”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet,”
“But leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete.”

“Yeah, you’ll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there’s a fire,”
“Under that rock you’ll find some water I left in a bitters jar.”
“Now there’s just enough to prime it with, so dontcha go drinkin’ fust,”
“You just pour it in and pump like mad, bud; you’ll quench your thirst.”

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe,”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive.”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet,”
“But leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete.”

Well I found that jar and I tell ya nothin’ was ever prettier to my eye,
I was tempted strong to drink it, cuz that pump looked mighty dry.
But the note went on “have faith my friend, there’s water down below,”
“You got to give until you get—I’m the one who ought to know!”
So I poured in the jar and I started pumpin’ and I heard a beautiful sound,
Of water bubblin’ and splashin’ up outta that hole in the ground.
I took off my shoes and I drunk my fill of that cool refreshing treat,
I thanked the Lord and thanked the pump and I thanked old Desert Pete!

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe.”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive/”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet.”
“But leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WUf-SUSzhQ

Desert Pete must have been a successful Real Estate Consultant because he had a firm grip on reality –

YOU MUST PRIME AND WORK THE PUMP TO REAP THE REWARDS!

If you are familiar with the water pumps of old, you know they had a spout and a pumping handle.  You would pump and pump on the handle and eventually water would appear at the spout.  Because the water came from so deep in the ground, two things occurred.  First the water that did appear was unusually cool, kept so by its earthen container.  Second, it did not appear at first, it took time to create enough suction to literally pull the water to the surface.  The deeper the well, the longer it took.  Many a men would pump and pump and give up in desperation thinking the well to be dry.  Fewer men kept pumping and were rewarded with the “water bubblin’ and splashin’ up outta that hole in the ground”

In real estate, the EARTH is your database or reservoir of potential buyers and sellers.  The PUMP represents the tools you have to tap into that reservoir.  The WATER you use to moisten the gasket represents the sacrifices you must make to obtain your desired results.  And the HANDLE, oh yes, the HANDLE represents both your efforts and more importantly, your persistence.

Far too many good intentioned people come to real estate thinking the business literally falls into your lap.  Some are led to believe that the “company” will generate the business for you.  But only a few truly understand, “You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive”.  You must prime and work the pump!

We can learn a lot from Desert Pete.  Pete must have been a disciple of Zig Ziglar because he lived the phrase, “to get what you want, help someone else get what they want”.  Pete could have drunk his fill of water and simply left.  He choose to help others by not only leaving enough water to prime the pump but to also give instructions on how to do it in case the thirsty traveler did not understand the workings of a pump.  Desert Pete understood “relationships” as he left a trail to himself for others to follow and above all else he was a teacher.   “Give and you shall receive!”

There are literally thousands of books and articles that have been published showing you a “tried and proven” method to be successful in real estate.  I don’t portend to know it all but I can assure you there is no deep secret to being a success at real estate sales.  If you truly want to be successful, here is the recipe:

·         Build a Database of people you know and hope to know (the Earth)

·         Build a Relationship with the people in your database.  Before you can sell them, you must first get them to KNOW you, LIKE you, and most importantly, TRUST you, (moisten the gasket).

·         Obtain the tools of the trade and learn how to use them like computers, database software and the Internet (the pump).

·         Then simply maintain contact (pump the handle until it produces). 

Here is the “Golden Rule” of being a successful Real Estate Consultant:

When the people you know or want to know, think of real estate,

you want them to think of you!

They will not and cannot do it without your guidance!