Seek Database Independence

Success in the real estate profession, like any other profession, is dependent on sound systems and processes. Unfortunately, sound systems and processes are not part of the training required to obtain your license, so agents start the profession with nothing more than a license to work and a can-do attitude. As a result, many brokerages have found that the best way to attract new agents is to provide a variety of systems to help solve this problem.

This is certainly a nice option as it informs new agents of what types of systems they may need to be successful, and it eliminates the guesswork as to which systems to use from the myriad of options available. The key with all these systems is that they are a database at their heart. Information is captured, is searchable, and is available to be acted upon using the system’s predefined capabilities. Thanks to the Internet, most of today’s systems are accessible from all Web enabled devices such as the computer, phone, and tablet; which is super convenient for the agent on the go.

Unfortunately, the brokerage provided systems are a double-edged sword. It does provide the initial benefit to the agent of not having to choose or pay for their own systems separately. However, the data captured can be used by the brokerage, and when changing brokerages, it may be impossible to get the information out and move into a new system. And, although the company being able to use agent client information for their benefit isn’t great, having to start over with a new database is far worse.

I recognize that many agents start out believing that the brokerage they start with will be the brokerage they stay with forever. But, as someone who has worked in the traditional professional environment for over 20 years and is now on the 5th brokerage can attest, the reality is that affiliation with only one brokerage during an entire real estate career is extremely rare. Agents will change for any number of reasons, many of which may have nothing to do with the quality of the company. For this reason, I strongly advocate database independence.

This simply means that I highly recommend agents have their own systems, systems they pay for, that are separate and apart from any brokerage provided systems. In addition to not having to worry about the impact of a brokerage change on prospect, client, and transaction data, being able to choose the systems based on personal tastes, abilities, and business needs is another major benefit. And, not having to learn a new system will enable any change to be much smoother; eliminating a potentially significant impact on current and future business.

Cost is always a concern, especially for agents just starting out, so paying for a system isn’t something most agents are excited to do. Although I believe the benefits far outweigh the costs, I always keep an eye out for affordable solutions. With over 20 years of professional experience designing, developing, and evaluating business systems, I am happy to report there are quality systems available for all budget levels. Stay tuned for what to look for in a database system and which systems I recommend in future blogs and classes.

Gary Garrison is a well-known and sought-after instructor and mentor. Gary is a valuable asset to the Cindy Bishop Worldwide educational and coaching team. In addition to industry knowledge and experience, his unique technological and consulting background enables him to help his clients filter out irrelevant information and better focus their time and energy to ensure a rewarding experience. Gary's relevant technology knowledge as well as his abundant real estate expertise makes him valuable to the real estate community. 

Internet Marketing Profile Importance

Effective Internet Marketing begins with having an authentic profile that shows your best self and relates to the audience you want to reach.

Let’s consider the importance of creating and maintaining your digital profile. A strong, well written, profile that authentically describes you as a professional and communicates clearly to your best audience why they should do business with you.  This is often called your bio.  69% of people will use Google to do a search for a sales professional they’ve heard about before making the initial contact.  So here is a prospect who picks up their phone, not to call you, but to search for your name on the internet! How dare they?!  You don’t want to miss out on this one! So we are going to take on the important work of making sure that person searching for you not only finds you but has good reason to complete the contact... Right? There are a few things to consider.  Namely communicating with the many websites that have information about you, but it might not be accurate and it likely is out-of-date if it has been a while since you were on these sites.

By the way, when is the last time you Googled yourself? We are going to go into more of the processes in later blogs – but the most important one to start with is writing a strong digital profile.

WHO DO YOU LOVE?

The first and most important step in this process is the clearly define who you want to attract. Know your audience! And coupled with that is to recognize that “Everyone is not your customer” (quoted by Seth Godin – one of the greatest marketers on the planet). Now here is a self-realization that many real estate agents have not yet come to grips with – but it is an important step toward wisdom and sanity in business.  So even though you would like to reach every human who might be in need of a real estate agent there are nearly 2,000,000 other licensed agents in the U.S. who want the same thing.

How would you define your best client? Your best prospect? Your best referral partners? These steps are not easy, I admit, but it is critical to business marketing. It is critical because marketing is not about you – IT’S ABOUT THEM! So, start with defining THEM. What is their demographic make-up? How old? What kind of income? Married? Children? Professions? Where do they live? Are they currently a home-owner? . . . and you know the rest of the many questions that need to be answered to clearly define this audience.

 

WRITING SKILLS

Now you need to take the time to wrestle with this task with pen, pencil, or keyboard in hand.  We have all had the pressure of having someone telling us “Please give me your bio so I can get the information on the company website about you”. Some of you have gotten that pressure from me when we talk about these things in seminars, workshops, consultations, and classes. Even if you succumb to the pressure, know that you can and SHOULD take time to really do this well. And you need to recognize that this process is not a “Set it and forget it” exercise. This is an important part of your marketing that constantly needs tweaking and updating.  And it needs to be carefully and strategically completed – over and over and over.

How to write your profile:

·         When you take the time to write – focus on the audience profile and write so your IDEAL AUDIENCE will enjoy getting to know you through your words.

·         Write so that you don’t sound like every other Real Estate profile – Salesy, “it’s all about me”.

·         Tell YOUR UNIQUE STORY. As I consult with Real Estate Agents I find that every one of you have a part of your story that brought you to this profession that is very unique. Reach down – then tell that story.

·         Tell this story not only to highlight the unique you but tell it so that it appeals to that audience you defined. Make sure it is written to keep them interested.

·         And remember this story is being written to appeal to more than one audience. It is going to be read by the “Search Engine Spiders” – those little electronic impulses that travel faster than light and read through trillions of words and phrases on the internet in seconds to deliver the most relevant internet information to the searcher. So, you need to think about writing to include the keyword phrases that you want to be found for. And the most important keyword is your name.  Also, as you write for search engines know that what is indexed is the beginning two to three sentences of your information. So, the most relevant parts of this profile need to show up early – like your name, that you are a Real Estate Professional, and how you can help those folks who are part of your ideal audience.

THE FIRST DRAFT

Now that it is written – walk away from it for a day or two. Then re-read it with your ideal audience in mind. Will it keep them interested?  Keep in mind, since YOU are writing this, it should be written in first person.  You are speaking directly to your audience, as you should be. This keeps it personal.

Once it is completed you will need to have this edited into three versions:

·         The long version – this is full length and has little limitations for length. It will go on your website, into the Story section of the About information on your Facebook business page, and on your LinkedIn profile. The LinkedIn profile is limited – 2,000 characters. You may have to edit it more to fit here.

·         The medium version –Take the long version and reduce it to a paragraph or two. This is used in places like the agent profile on your broker’s website; on the real estate aggregator sites that you need to make sure you have taken control of – like:

·         Realtor.com

·         Zillow and Trulia (even though this is the same company it is two different sites and needs to be approached that way).

·         There are many more!

·         The short version – This is a sentence. Not more than 160 characters. This is for many of the social sites. Like the About section on the About page of your Facebook page, your profile for Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

 

 

FINAL EDITS (AND THOUGHTS)

Have someone else edit it – other eyes are helpful. Share it with trusted confidants and have them consider the point of view of your ideal audience.  Now consider whether you are compliant with any disclosure regulations for your license.  Now it is time to go live with this. But this never a finished product.  You will need to consistently give it a re-write/update/tweak from time to time.

 

This task may seem a bit daunting. And many find it difficult to write about ourselves. But you will find that the time you invest into creating a powerful, well written profile that speaks directly to the audience you want to reach, will reap great rewards with your marketing.

 

 

How to Get Unlimited Real Estate Sales Leads Using Social Media

Having a social media presence today is critical to all real estate agents who want to improve lead generation. Since social media is all about relationship building, omitting it from your business plan would be like leaving the roof off your house.

 

Making consistent social media postings — posted at least two times weekly — will create meaningful connections. You can then be top-of-mind for these connections any time someone needs to buy or sell their home.

 

Mastering social media to generate leads is easy, and it all starts with a desire to learn from the right teacher. Start with a platform you feel most comfortable with or one you like and master it.

 

The following is a mini “how to” guide on social media marketing for real estate agents to get you started. You will also learn some statistics about social media to keep you motivated and help you understand why it’s so important to be active on it as a real estate agent.

 

Why Social Media Marketing for Real Estate Agents Works So Well

 

To do social media the right way, it helps to keep perspective on why social media marketing works for real estate agents.

 

First of all, everyone’s on social media. Pew Research studies show that 69 percent of all Americans over the age of 18 use it. Looking just at people 18-49, 83 percent of them use social media. That alone is pretty incredible. You will also find plenty of adults over 50 on social media, especially Facebook, with 61 percent of all adults 50 to 64 having a Facebook account.

 

So, posting on social media is bound to get attention for your real estate business, but it also makes you feel like part of the community. Creating social pages gives you a place to put up photos, interact with potential leads, amplify your marketing messages and actively engage online with people in your community.

 

Depending on your business goals and your typical market, you may want to choose some social platforms over others. Learn more about each platform, the benefits they offer and some tips on how to use them in the sections below.

 

Facebook

Being active on Facebook will bring you the biggest returns if your goal is to reach a lot of people in your area. You can expect to find most of your community on Facebook, including local businesses and 38 percent of people over 65 years old. Start by creating a dedicated business page and posting a few images of your recent closed/sold listings. Use your page’s “invite” feature to invite as many friends, family and past clients to like your page as possible. You can import your email list to see if anyone on it is also on Facebook.

 

Facebook’s “Create an Event” feature is perfect for hosting get togethers that can earn you leads. The feature lets you quickly invite a bunch of people, and it reminds them when the event gets close. People in your community also see a post on their timeline every time someone marks that they are “going” to or are “interested” in your event, helping you get more publicity. This feature makes it easier to get people to come to your open houses, appreciation events and anything else you do.

 

Make sure to keep your Facebook page current with any activities you have been doing throughout the week. I always make sure to take pictures with my phone during events or big moments so that I can use them to get more attention on my posts. Nothing gets people clicking on a post like a happy-looking family in their new home! Posting these pictures regularly helps people in the community feel closer to you, especially if you tag someone.

 

I recommend posting at least twice a week, and checking for replies or messages daily. The best posts ask people in the community something like: “Where’s your favorite place in town to get pizza?” or “Tell us a story about your favorite feature from your childhood home.” They’ll generate lots of comments, and each person interacting with your page increases the chance others will see it.

 

If you have had a slow week, you can always share articles about how to make buying or selling a home easier. Writing your own articles is a great idea if you have the time, and if you are short on time you can follow pages like HGTV and Realtor.com and share their posts.

 

Creating a group on Facebook can also help keep people engaged with your page while growing the relationships you create online. Make your page locally focused and valuable to the community. Your page can be focused on your business, like “current homes for sale in town” or it can be something like “[Your Town] Handyman Tips” for homeowners looking to do DIY repairs or find good businesses in their area.

 

Instagram

Instagram is hugely popular with the younger crowd, and a growing number of adults are using it now, too. Real estate agents can benefit because local businesses have found huge success by posting on Instagram. People like seeing news and updates about their area as they scroll through the photos.

 

Making an Instagram profile is super easy, and it can share lots of data from your Facebook page. For instance, you can instantly connect with anyone who follows you on Facebook with the “Find Friends” option.

 

Instagram is 100 percent focused on photos, so use it to post the cream of the crop photos from current listings or your activities. If you have an event coming up or a particular listing you want to highlight, you can add text to photos using an app like “Over” or “Piclab.” Search for these apps on your phone to add them. Make sure all photos look beautiful and interesting since people are more likely to unfollow anyone who posts unattractive or uninteresting photos.

 

Also, make sure you have a contact link on your profile so that people can get in touch with you after seeing your posts. You can switch it to be a link to your email address or your business phone number — whichever you prefer — by going into your Edit Profile settings. Use the text captions on your photos to remind people that if they want more information on your services to use the link in your profile.

 

Twitter

Twitter has fallen off a lot of people’s radar lately, and only 21 percent of the population uses it overall. BUT — and this is important — Twitter posts (“Tweets”) can appear in search results on Google, and they can be embedded in things like news posts. So, even if someone doesn’t follow you on Twitter, they can still see the things you post.

 

For this reason, many marketers recommend that businesses use Twitter as a way to keep track of ongoing news and updates. You can post quick, easy links to listings with headlines talking about their neighborhood or number of beds/baths. You can also post about upcoming events, things people would look forward to in the community and local news, such as new neighborhoods being built. You can also use Twitter to share photos or promote blog content from your website.

 

Not every real estate agent needs a Twitter account, but those that do create one should update it at least three times a week and check back regularly for responses and questions. Twitter users tend to be impatient if they need something from you!

 

YouTube

YouTube doesn’t work the same as other social media platforms, but it still happens to be a great resource for real estate agents who want to host video content. People love watching videos these days, and with mobile phones they can watch them anywhere. According to one source, people spend a third of their time online watching videos.

 

Video production for your YouTube channel requires investment in a camera setup, lighting and a microphone. You can spend most of the video talking in front of the camera, but you can make videos more interesting by cutting in footage of home interiors and exteriors. Hiring a professional videographer for your listings can therefore be a good way to generate footage to use on your channel.

 

So, what kind of videos should you post? Anything informative and helpful. You can give people tips on how to buy or sell their home, such as information on how the closing process works step-by-step. You can also give information about your local area, such as neighborhood profiles or popular local restaurants. Keep videos under the five minute mark to make people more likely to click.

 

Pinterest

Pinterest has a high number of female participants — 26 percent of the U.S. population and 38 percent of all women! The platform lets you upload photos with short captions, kind of like Instagram but in a much busier and more interest-focused layout.

 

Make sure any posts you upload to Pinterest have the most relevant categories possible. Do not be afraid to mark everything as “real estate” since plenty of Pinterest users will have a business focus. Pinterest also makes for a good spot to post infographics or teaser images for your blog with text overlayed on it.

 

Connect your Pinterest to your Facebook and Twitter account to find followers and make cross-posting across platforms easier.

 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn was made for professionals, but even professionals need homes and can become leads! Connecting to other professionals in your area can also help you become top-of-mind for referrals.

 

I personally use LinkedIn as a go-to place to post all my blog articles. People who read them often send me “connect” requests, helping me grow my audience and my leads. You can even pay to promote your articles. Doing so gives them a guaranteed chance of showing up in front of people in your area. You can also filter your ads to show up in front of select people in certain industries, like choosing nurses for a side of town with a big medical community.

 

Mastering Social Media Marketing for Real Estate Agents

No matter what social media platform you use, stay consistent and keep at it to win more leads and referrals.

 

If you post regularly, respond promptly to people who comment. Remember to promote everything you do through your page — you are basically creating a lead generation machine as you interact with everyone in the community.

 

Cindy Bishop is the Managing Director for Cindy Bishop Worldwide a real estate speciality education and training school.

 

 

Events for Business Building

The most important asset in your business is your database.  Your database is the people you know, and should include every single person who fits into that category, including your family and friends.  It should also include your SOI or Sphere of Influence —   if you’re not sure what a Sphere of Influence is, it basically means anyone that you’ve ever “touched” personally or professional in your lifetime.  This can include past clients, current clients, client prospects, and pretty much anyone breathing.  Your babysitter, veterinarian, grocery store clerk, nail technician, garbage man, children’s teacher, and even the guy that washes your car can all be within your sphere of influence. 

 

A lot of agents resist adding people to their database because the person is not looking to buy or sell at this time.  This is a huge mistake.  It doesn’t make a difference if they are buying or selling now or not.  For starters, the majority of your database is not finished with buying property for their entire life.  Most of them will buy or sell something again at some point within their lifetime.  For those who won’t buy and sell, they all know someone who will.  So, to put it another way, 15 % of the people that you know will buy or sell this year, and 100% of the people that you know will know someone else who will buy or sell this year.  Don’t discount anyone’s value or delete them from your list simply because you’re assuming that they don’t have a buyer to bring to you. 

 

 The best way to reach people is in a way that makes them “stick”.  A top way to pull this off is to have events.

 

Events are an amazing way to build your business database.  Here are a few ways to make your event the best business builder possible:

 

Build your Brand —  Do you know what Kleenex is?  How about Ziploc bags?  What about Styrofoam?  What if I told you that every single one of these was a brand name, and not a product name.  For example, most people will say “binder”, “hole-puncher”, “pizza”, or “can opener” because those are products that do not have very strong brand recognition.  But if someone says “Sharpie”, you know that they mean a permanent marker that comes in a variety of colors and sizes.  If they say “Velcro” you know that they mean a type of fastener.  These brands have dominated the market so thoroughly that people reference their name and instantly everyone else knows what they’re talking about.  You need to strengthen the daylights out of your brand so that you’re the “Cindy Bishop” of real estate agents in your market.  I’ll have future posts on how to build your brand if you want to read more about this topic.

 

Invite Everyone -  There are all types of events so you should have no problem picking one that fits your style that a variety of people would want to come to.  You can even have multiple events.  The most important thing is to invite every single person you know and encourage each person to bring guests, so that you can expand your network and meet people you don’t already know. You can also invite local businesses as well.  A friend of mine has “appreciation parties” for people in her area that are often not thanked enough for their jobs and service to the community. She has had events for the military, teachers, nurses, and other such first responders and school and hospital support staff.  These people love to attend her functions because it makes them feel welcomed, appreciated, and important.

 

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff — So many people get so caught up into the details that they sweat the small stuff and don’t plan their party. Don’t become overwhelmed, don’t worry so much about the appeal of the event that you’re unable to start executing it.  Just start doing something, take an hour or so each day to devote to the planning of your event, and the rest will fall into place.  The most important thing is to just make it happen.

 

Make Your Brand Luxury - Your network is going to become a Fan Club if you do this thing right. Whatever events you have need to be top shelf. You shouldn’t spare any expense because this will be how you are remembered (or how you are not remembered).  People will think more highly of you or more poorly of you based on how you made them feel at this event. Plan it out and estimate the cost high, then find sponsors to pay for it. You shouldn’t have to put a dime into it, your contribution is your time that it took to organize and plan each detail of the event. Collect the sponsor fee’s in advance of committing to anything. Make sure you are giving them their money’s worth with a program guide, a displayed banner, or some other kind of mention of their name and services.  Be careful here, if you’re promising someone that they can display or present at your event, that’s all you can do— you cannot promise them that your clients will use them for services, as that is unethical and illegal in many states.  Check with your broker if you have any questions about what you can and cannot do regarding “trades” and “marketing.”

 

The cost for an event can be anything. Some of the events I have had were as little as $500 to upwards of $15,000. Regardless of the cost, I had it paid by sponsors. Plan the event, figure the cost, and get it covered. This is about doing as much as it takes to make the right impact.

Sponsors are your real estate team; title companies, lenders, termite companies, financial planners, etc. 

 

If your event is done well and everything is presented right, you will have the event filled with people instead of having to pull teeth to get people to show up.  The more attendees you have, the more impressed people will be, but the fewer the people that show up, the less impressive you are— and people will remember that when it’s time to find a Realtor® to sell their home.  Because event planning involves much of the same coordination, planning, personality, and determination as real estate does, many people will use your event as an indication of how good of an agent you will be. 

 

Be an Amazing Maestro — To have a good business, you have to be a leader. So, lead your team just as a maestro would lead his orchestra.  Share the event with several agents to cut the cost down and gather their sponsors as well. Do not have more than one sponsor for a particular field. They feel used and the value of the event for them diminishes. You want your sponsors to be excited and want to be active in many of your events. Treat them like royalty.   If you have volunteers or a team helping you throw the event, delegate responsibilities to each person and make sure they pull their own weight.

 

Pick a Fun & Appropriate Event Theme -  Event Themes are endless.  Your party can be held in a local concert hall, arena, bar, reception hall, restaurant, friend’s house, or other venue.  You can have a traditional party where people walk around, drink, and mingle, and try choosing a fun theme.  Some examples would be a garden party, circus party, costume party,   mystery spy party,  roaring 20s party,  holiday party (Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter),  or a masquerade party, just to name a few. 

 

You could also choose a local facility to rent out to capitalize on the theme they already provide.  This could be an amusement park, paintball center, laser tag arena, movie theatre, night club, botanical garden, zoo, park, or even a party bus.

 

Make sure that your theme is appropriate and classy, and reaches the desired demographic of people.  For example, if the majority of your buyers and sellers are young families with children, you may consider having the party at Chuck E. Cheese.  if the majority of your buyers and sellers are elderly folks that are empty nesters and downsizing, you may want to consider having Bingo or Shuffleboard as events, for example.  If you cater to young professionals in the city, a nightclub might not be a bad idea (as long as you don’t pick anything too scandalous),  or if you’re trying to target farmers or rural areas, maybe you’d be better off with a barbecue.

 

Finally, make sure you have some good “activities” planned.  Many people often confuse an event with activities.   You don’t want to have a fabulous party with beautiful costumes and decorations and then nothing for the guests to do!  For example, you would never rent out a movie theatre and not pass out popcorn or play a movie.   Make sure to get some performers for a circus party, horses for a ranch party, or anything else that’s theme appropriate.

 

Here are some more ideas for activities:   Photo booth or holiday specific photos, karaoke, cookie creation, ice sculpting, historic tour, ghost walk, horseshoes, bobbing for apples, or hay rides,

 

And ideas for entertainers:  Jugglers, clowns, princesses, cartoon characters, people in costume, singers, actors, celebrity speakers, and face painters.

 

Activities that can be done in rented spaces are endless.

 

Finally, here are some ideas for “themed” foods:  Popcorn, apple cider, pumpkins, chocolate fountains, ice cream bar, cake, cupcakes, cookies, cake pops or balls, or any other appropriate food (ribs for a barbecue or caramel apples for a Halloween party, for example).

 

 

 Make Sure Your Event is Safe -  Make sure you have a team in place to help you out to screen each attendee at the door (especially if your event is open to the public).  You’ll also want to have whoever is required by the venue or by law.  If it’s a bar, for example, you’ll need to have a legally trained bartender as well as a bouncer.  Most other venues will require that you hire an off-duty police officer or security guard in order to be able to rent their space. Finally, be sure to get a release signed by each and every one of the attendees, and include a photo release on that document as well.  If you don’t have an attorney that can draft this, you can find some amazing (and free) templates online, or through legal subscription sites.

 

Don’t Slack on the Marketing During Your Event - The entire point of this event is to build connections, so don’t blow it.  Make sure you talk to each of the guests and make notes if you have to for who is who. If you need to enlist your team’s help, it might be a good idea to ask them to help you write down each person’s name and keep notes of who everyone is, where they work, the spelling of their name, and their contact information. Get plenty of photos of everyone including you and your sponsors with attendees.  This will also serve as a wonderful thank you and tool for the sponsors to be able to use to share and post and connect with the attendees down the line.  Try to encourage your helpers to get each attendees name right, even if they have to write it down, so that you can post each person’s name with the pictures as well as send out some kind of follow up or thank you.  Also, do a Facebook Live or some other kind of live video so that you can post the crowd’s reaction to show how much fun everyone is having.  Make sure to upload these videos to your page so that the people who did attend will be able to watch them again later, and share with friends.

 

Follow up with your Guests after the Event -   This is the fortune…. the follow up!  The entire point of having this event was to network and add people to your database, so if you miss this step your event was for nothing.

Initially, send a thank you to each and every attendee within 3 days of the event.  Let them know that you’ll be sending something special to them by the end of the year.  A calendar is an amazing idea for a gift, you can use the pictures from the event and caption each picture accordingly.  It’s something that everyone can use, and it will help your guests relive your party all year round. Second, make sure to connect with each guest via all of the social media channels — LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  A lot of people prefer to keep in touch via social media now than through e-mail, as it becomes a digital rolodex. and is an easy way for them to keep track of contacts.  Third, make sure to get the pictures and media from your event up on your personal Facebook page, your business page, and your website. Everyone needs to hear about this fabulous event so they can comment while those that failed to attend will probably never miss another event.

 

This is how you create a fan club. Work hard on your business to build that Fan Club Tribe, then have fun watching it grow and flourish.

 

Cindy Bishop is the Managing Director of Cindy Bishop Worldwide, a real estate education company specializing in Continuing Education and Business Development to the Real Estate Community. Cindy is an active coach specializing in real estate agent business development.
cindybishopworldwide.com
bestrealtortraining.com

 

Securing a listing using Powerful Presentations

Securing listings comes from the ability to present powerful presentations, communicate, and actively listen.
This is the key to your success. 

Let’s talk about how to obtain and securing listings. Since Listing Agents Last, it’s super important to know how to do this.

An assortment of stats is available online for the best sources of leads. By far, regardless of what source you look at, sphere of influence and referrals stand out above the rest usually as high as 85% of the lead generation sources. If this is true, then why do we spend time on anything else?

Now that you know where your leads come from, let’s look at how powerful you can be at securing listings without blowing it.

Too many agents love to hear the sound of their voice. This includes hearing about their designations, clubs, and success stories. While a good referral story or testimonial doesn’t hurt, the prospective client is only interested in their own well-being. Today, there is a lot less talking. Between texts and emails, people are thirsty for personal connection and interaction. This is another reason why leads are plentiful when you are involved in clubs, civic organizations, and other groups that interest you including your family and friends. They already know and trust you.

How do we stand out? Agents have been working on perfecting the art of securing listings for decades. While some have the secret sauce, and walk away with more results than the average agent, others are still waiting for their first listing…AND you want listings because Listing Agents Last…Remember!

So, what IS the Secret Sauce to Success?

I believe the personal emotional connection is the secret. I also think you have to find your own style instead of copying someone else’s. It would be like wearing someone else’s shoes comfortably which isn’t likely. The connection is achieved with a combination of active listening, good communication, and a lot of perceived common interests. All of this results in being singled out as someone to trust.

Planning a listing appointment should be personal. Google the owner of the property to find out as much as you can so you can discover an emotional connection with them. Be sure to listen and respond to what they say. When preparing for the meeting, be sure to ask the prospective client what their expectations are from the presentation. Securing the listing isn’t as much about facts and figures as it is about building or strengthening the relationship so they can feel comfortable with you.

One of the best ways to secure business success is solving problems. “The bigger the problem the bigger the paycheck”. After testing this out, I can tell you it’s true. Consumers want their problems solved and since about 95% of them are followers, that leaves you as one of the 5% that have to be the leader. So lead and solve their problems!

What should you include in your presentation? Definitely what the Seller wants. Here is a list of inclusions we consider important for them to consider you:

1. Pricing Strategy-Pricing is a range of value. While you are the leader at the listing appointment, the Seller needs to retain the power. As such, offering a range of value after carefully going over where that range came from is great for your relationship. This way, they see where the value range came from and are likely to be more reasonable about their selected value through your good education. You will give them the power to select their asking price understanding their decision and taking responsibility for it.
The Price Line is an amazing tool and easy to do. All you need at your presentation is a piece of blank paper and three magic markers: royal blue, green, and black. Draw a black line. Take the Active, under contract, and sold comps. The sold properties are listed on top of the line in value order and the active/under contract below the line in value order. Let the prospective Seller fill in the figures since they are coming right off of the CMA. Be sure to include days on the market (DOM). Ask them to put their house on the line as well and put their DOM with their listing price. You may find fewer issues when you get your Seller involved. I always found this worked like a charm and bonded the relationship with the seller.

Know the inventory-You are the expert in your business and the prospective client should be impressed by your knowledge. If you haven’t already done so, look at each active listing you are using as a comparable for their property. If you can’t see the under contract or sold properties, then let your fingers do the walking and call the listing agents to find out how those properties compare. Take a tour of active listings with your prospective client as part of your presentation. Sims used to say that “an educated consumer is our best customer” and this is very true. Don’t be afraid to thoroughly educate.

2. Presentation/Technology-Most Sellers prefer to avoid being wowed by all of the stuff you are going to do because you are wonderful. It’s best to talk to them with a bulleted summary and hopefully you asked them to gather recommendations about you by calling a list of previous sellers if you have them. It’s always best to provide your prospective client with the ability to obtain a “live” testimonial if possible. Using a technological approach usually encroaches in the relationship building.
Hopefully, you prepped for the presentation by asking them upfront what they expect. It is good to have handouts; such as, the market analysis that you will go over with them, a talking sheet with bullets on what they need to know, etc. Keep the presentation simple and clear to understand.

3. Clients Goals-Finding out what the client goals are is critical. For example, let’s say they are moving to another state because of a job relocation. They have teenage kids and don’t want to move. You need to understand where they are so you can take them to where they are going. Help them with a great agent where they are moving to, point out the positives that are waiting for them in their new location, and listen to keep the communication open for the best experience for everyone.

Often times the agent takes it personally when the Seller seems upset or angry. The agent is rarely the reason. They probably don’t want to move unless it’s for a larger home or closer to family. Ask don’t assume.
That is one example of many. The best way to handle all of your listings is to communicate and be a great listener. Be their advocate and protector.

Securing listings is more important now than ever. Listing agents do last and securing listings are the bread and butter of your real estate business model. You can handle many transactions if they are listings rather than buyers. 

So, get out there and build your business by securing listings.

Cindy Bishop is the Managing Director of Cindy Bishop Worldwide, a real estate education company specializing in Continuing Education and Business Development to the Real Estate Community. Cindy is an educator and active coach specializing in real estate agent business development.

 

How to Plan the Perfect Open House

How to Plan the Perfect Open House

             

Have you ever spent time and energy planning an Open House, just to have less than five people attend?     Have you ever had a ton of people show up at your Open House, and been unable to convert a single one of them into a sale or a future client?  Are you unsure about why your Open House failed?

 

Open Houses are now more important to the real estate agent than ever.  A report in 2015 by the National Association of Realtors Home Buyers and Sellers indicated that 48% of home buyers cited the Open House as an important source for most of their information.   The reasons for this are obvious, for many it’s the first time that they’re getting to smell, see, and feel the home in person.   It’s also a way to see what other people think of the house, which is a powerful push in a person’s perception of a particular home.

 

I’m Cindy Bishop of Cindy Bishop Worldwide. I pride myself not only on being a successful real estate agent with over 28 years of experience, but a knowledgeable and helpful trainer and coach.  I’m committed to making everyone who comes into contact with me succeed, and have compiled the following open house tips for you, both from my own experience, as well as teaching and coaching friends of mine.    Use them to succeed, and contact me if you have any questions at all!

 

Here are the best ways to make your Open House perfect:

 

1.    Pick a unique property, that’s easy to find.

 

We often don’t have control over which property we’re showing, but when we are able to select a house at which to host an Open House event, we should look for properties with the following:

 

*  A direct route to them with very few turns.  Street names are easy, and street signs are visible.

*  Properties that are well kept, and visually pleasing from both the inside and outside.

*  A home with some kind of “conversation starter”.  It has a unique feature, and is not just four walls. It might have an infinity pool, a walk-in closet, or a newly redesigned kitchen.

*  Your signage should be larger than life.  On the event day, you need something to make the signs stand out even more.  Balloons are often used, or you could even try streamers, or pinwheels.  Be creative, just try to find something professional, but that catches the light and people’s attention.

 

2.  Have your Open House event at the right time.

 

*  Don’t have your event after dark.  Plan your event to end at sunset.

*  Consider having a separate open house preview, for neighbors only.  And then an open-to-the-public type of event later.  Neighbors love this preview event concept, because it makes them feel special, and they love suggesting who should live in their neighborhood.  It also allows them to start thinking of friends and family they want nearby, and they become part of your sales force for you, as well as your advertising force for the actual open house.

*  If you do have an event only for neighbors, consider taking out a camera and interviewing and recording them talking about the neighborhood.  This is something you can add to your website, or social media, or have on repeat loop during your Open House.  For example, imagine how powerful it is to have a recorded testimonial from a mother in the area about the school district?

*  Don’t pick a date and time where people are not available, for example, the majority of people work Monday through Fridays from 8am-5pm, and may not be free on a Wednesday at 3pm.   Additionally, people are usually not free on holiday weekends.

 

3.  Make your Open House event the right vibe, and the more exciting, the better!

 

*  Entertaining music is a possibility, but be careful that it’s not distracting and that you avoid certain genres or language that may be offensive.  Music may be seen as a way to cover up noises or mechanical failures in the house.  Make sure that you’re sensitive to how the music is being perceived.

*  Snacks are a must!   Try wine and cheese, or beer and wings.  The most important part about the food is that it needs to match what type of neighborhood you are in.   Fried chicken and hamburgers probably aren’t appropriate at a million-dollar listing, but champagne and caviar probably aren’t appropriate in a first-time homebuyer situation, either.   Just a word of caution; however, if you are serving alcohol, be very careful about who you serve.  You may even want to get someone on your team to help you out with this. The last thing you need is for someone to drink at your open house as a minor, or someone to drive off over intoxicated and get into an accident. If in the right kind of setting, having comfort foods is especially welcoming and makes many visitors feel more at home.   Careful to avoid foods with bad odors or smells, as you don’t want them attributed to the home.

*  Consider leaving a hand-written sign to “Help Yourself” along with a list of ingredients, so that visitors feel like they are able to eat the snacks provided without fear.

*  Consider having a slideshow or interactive photo board featuring the home at various times of year.  You may want to show the home off in summer months, for example, if it’s currently January and the garden and pool are frozen over.

*  Consider making a table, desk, or station with local school information, neighborhood information, etc.  The more resources you can provide, the better.  You want the guest to stop at this station and pour over the resources, and ask as many questions as possible.

*  Make sure to engage each and every visitor so they have are interested, and want to stay longer.

 

4.  Don’t just advertise your Open House, create buzz around it.

*  Create an event on social media, and share it with all of your friends and clients, as well as everyone on your e-mail lists.  Facebook ads have become an amazing resource for reaching a ton of people in your area that wouldn’t have been in your networks otherwise.  And it’s incredibly cost-effective, for what it does.   You should filter the Facebook ad to include only people in targeted zip codes.  You can also un-invite or exclude people who work for other realtors or competing brokerages.

*  Flyer surrounding businesses and schools in the area of the listing.  Knock on as many doors as possible.

*  Visit neighbors’ homes with nice newsletters or invitations.  The nicer the invitation, the higher the chance that they will pop in to see what all of the fuss is about. Some agents even suggest using wedding style invitations.

*  Don’t just advertise on one channel.  You can try Facebook events, Twitter, your own website, your e-mail list, your newsletter, NextDoor.com, and even Craigslist.  Just make sure you follow all of the appropriate advertising and marketing laws as designated by your brokerage and state laws.

 

5.  Logistics, Logistics, Logistics

 

*  Make sure everything is in order so that you look your best, and the house looks it’s best.   it should be clean, lightbulbs should be new, dust should be gone, air fresheners should be working, the climate should be controlled. I’ve even heard of certain agents baking cookies in advance of the big event so that the house feels and smells extra homey.  

*  Consider removing clutter, which makes navigating the home difficult.  You can also remove or hide offensive art, or anything that might make someone feel uncomfortable. But be careful-  make sure the homeowner doesn’t just throw the clutter into closets or cabinets!   People care more and more about storage these days, and if it looks like the cabinets and closets are busting at the seams with junk, they’ll automatically assume that the amount of storage space in the house is not sufficient

*  Use natural light to your advantage.  Make sure all window treatments are open and all curtains are drawn.  All light switches should be turned on, regardless of where they are.  You don’t want someone afraid to go in the basement, or thinking they aren’t allowed to enter the garage.

*  Make sure the home owner is not present.  The last thing you need is them having an emotional breakdown because they are going down memory lane, or answering a question incorrectly. People also feel uncomfortable freeing roaming when the person who owns the property is looking over their shoulder.

*  With that said, valuables, if left in the home, should be secured.  At the very least, you should know what they are and where, and make an inventory of them.  I strongly advise you insist that the home owner take them out of the property before the open house, so you’re not held liable for them in case of damage or theft.

*  Use your team.  If you are alone at an Open House, you may be spread too thin.  If you leave for a minute to check that a sign on the corner hasn’t fallen down, you may miss someone who pops in to find no one there.    Have one person for signage and the guest book, one person on food and drink detail, and that leaves you free to talk to and engage guests.

*  Have a loan agent or lender on hand, in order to answer any potential questions the home buyer may have about the process.

*  Make sure you have the necessary paperwork required.  You can print out a copy of the MLS but it’s strongly suggested that you make a booklet, flyer, or something more personalized to the property, and to yourself.

*  Make sure you know the neighborhood, and have done comparisons of values in the neighborhood. You may lose credibility if someone asks you a question and you’re unfamiliar with this territory, and I’m sure you’d rather look like a pro!

 

6.  Use the Personal Touch

 

*  It’s not enough to have each visitor sign in.  You should take detailed notes on your conversation with each person.  If you can’t remember this, a helpful suggestion is to hide a notebook or tablet inside a kitchen drawer, and make notes as the day goes by.

*  You should remember one thing about each visitor and bring it up at some point during their tour of the home. “Jerry, wouldn’t this be an amazing place to store your golf clubs?”

*  Don’t try to sell anyone.  They will come to you, and request the information they need, when they need it.  This is a time to establish relationships.  Your only objective should be to make this home (and yourself) memorable.

 

7. Follow Up

 

*  Add all visitors to your e-mail list, as well as your newsletter list.   AM Open House is a great app and resource to make sure you’re keeping on task with this.

*  For those visitors who were seriously interested in the home or in you, handwritten cards should be sent out thanking them for coming, and encouraging their business in the future.  Take out that handy notebook you stashed, and make personal notes in each card.   They’re more likely to keep it the more personal it is.   Above all, make sure your contact information is on each card.

*  Some agents even send videos.  You could forward on a Facebook live video of the open house, or send a YouTube video of the listing.   You could even send some kind of greeting card video for a special way to say “thanks for attending!”  BombBomb is a great resource for this type of video.

*  Text message is a wonderful way to contact people, and has a 95% open rate.  It’s less invasive than a phone call, which people may avoid answering if they don’t know a specific caller.  Send a very specific text message with a thank you, the property address, and more information on the property, or a link for more information.

*  Send a follow up to the follow up starting with the subject header “I forgot to tell you…” -  You can then point out a feature you neglected to tell them about on the current property, or even point out other properties that you may have listed, if this one fell short for them.

 

Of course, the best resource for an Open House is a coach, who can suggest strategies unique to your community and clientele.  Not only is this more effective, but a coach should follow up with you to make sure that everything went smoothly, and question each step if it doesn’t.

I’m happy to meet your coaching needs, and can be contacted through either one of our
websites.

 

Cindy Bishop is the Managing Director of Cindy Bishop Worldwide, a real estate education company specializing in Continuing Education and Business Development to the Real Estate Community. Cindy is an active coach specializing in real estate agent business development.
cindybishopworldwide.com
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