Real Estate Systems Blog

Multiple Email Contacts for Top Producer Mass Emails - Do it Right...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:39:12 -0400

Most people we talk to have more than one email address they like to receive emails to or have a significant other/family member that wants to be included. Up until recently I was copying pasting email addresses for other family members/spouses into the "To:" category in Top Producer. This was both time consuming and inefficient. Another agent in our office showed me a better way. In Top Producer 8i, there is a box you can check when composing a Mass Email - when you click the "To:" box and do a search for the contacts you want to send your mass email out to, at the very bottom there is a box you can check:

I just sent out a weekly update this morning to all of our seller clients (about 25) and it took me a matter of 15-20 minutes to contact them all with the use of merge codes and the mass email function. What a great tool to help become more efficient!

If you have any other Top Producer tricks - please do share!

Failure is NOT an Option...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:32:50 -0400

Have you ever meet a certain type of person that failure seems to not even be in there vocabulary? Everything they do seems to lead to the right type of results. Why is that? I believe there are 3 major characteristics that can be found in these people (I know that you probably have better ideas than this so please share in the comments).

Work Ethic: Having the right attitude and work ethic can bring you a long way. Being able to give 100% on a day to day basis is the foundation in which success is built on. I meet with an agent a couple weeks ago and he was just getting started in Real Estate. He was coming from another Real Estate related field, but new to the game none the less. He said something that stuck with me: "Travis, whenever I am faced with a problem, I always tell myself that this problem would have gotten 5 people out of the business." Meaning the challenges he faced, he knew they were hard, but he appreciated the challenge and others would have failed with a lesser work ethic.
Balance: Being able balance your faith, family and business has proven to be my toughest challenge by far (as well as many of you). Today in our team meeting we talked about Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich and the Fifty-Five Famous Alibis by Old man IF. It was eye opening for me to think about and talk about my alibis - "if only I didn't have a family I would have more time." The realty is that millions of people are successful with families. How to they do it? They live in the moment. When they are working, they truly are working. When they are with their family, work does not take away from that. We can only red line so long before burnout will catch up with us. Make sure you have the recharge time needed.
Desire/Passion: You have to enjoy what you are doing. Work/Business will take up a significant portion of your waking hours and to dislike what you do is insanity. Passion and desire allow you to focus on the important parts of the job/business and nurture it and watch it grow. Going through the motions will lead to burnout and fatigue quickly.

I would love to hear your thoughts too. It has been a little while since I posted a blog article and maybe I am way off base tonight :) Thanks for reading!

Time Saving Tips with Top Producer 8i - Think Efficancy...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:57:10 -0500

How many times do you think you type the same email just to a different person? This dawned on me as I was sending an email to a loan officer checking in on the status for underwriting for a loan. I basically type the same email to every loan officer and title company with only a couple variances (closing date and property address). Why not use Merge Codes in Top Producer and build templates???

This has saved me a tremendous amount of time since implimenting and I want to share it with you. Start by creating your own email content in Top Producer.

Step 1: In Top Producer 8i you will have to go into the email library to edit/create your own emails. Once the emails are created - we will use merge codes to fill in the data needed to complete the email with the closing.

Here is what the email above says in case you cannot read it:

Hi ,

I hope you are having a wonderful day! I wanted to check in and see how the file was coming along for . We have the closing date coming up on and I just want to make sure we are on pace.

When you get a moment - please let me know. Thanks in advance!

You can see from the screen shot that I have put in a Merge Code for "Contact.first_name", "Closing.address" and "Closing.closing_date." These merge codes will fill in information for the contact (in this example the loan officer) and the closing address and date. All information will need to be put into Top Producer as a closing to have the merge codes sent out.

Step #2: All parties to the transaction you want to be able to send emails to will need to be associated to the closing. I thought this would be a pain at first but I actually found it to be very useful having loan officers, agents, and title companies for both sides in the database.

Step #3: Send email to all parties. In Top Producer 7i you were able to send out an individual email to any of the parties but for some reason with 8i you have to send to all parties (if anyone else knows a way - please do share). When I send out the email to the group - I just make note of the email addresses I do not want to send to and then delete them from the email. I simply just set a reminder in my Top Producer Closing Plan to contact for example, the loan officer 7 and 14 days prior to closing.

(I blocked out the names and phone numbers of this particular closing)

If you have any additional Top Producer tips, we would love to hear! Please feel free to comment and if you are looking for some more Top Producer tricks and tips you can check out free Practical Top Producer Training Videos.

The 3 C's for 2010...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:44:33 -0500

I fall into the classic category of the New Years Resolution group that "promises" to get fit. I know, I know - 90% drop off in the 1st month - I used to be a Personal Trainer and saw it year after year. In preparation for the new, healthy Travis in 2010, I re-read Body for Life by Bill Phillips. I am not going to get into concepts of weight training and diet but I will touch on something that jumped off the page at me.

Here is the text:

"Clarity, Control and Confidence"

Those 3 C's are not only prevalent in healthy living but in all that we do. Lets look a little closer at each one:

Clarity: When we are clear on the objective, the objective is obtainable. What is easier to visualize? I am going to have a GREAT 2010 or I am going to sell 60 homes in 2010. When we bring Clarity to our goals/life we know when and where to focus.

Control: What do we need to take most Control of in our lives to be successful? Time? Money? Relationships? If we do not Control the fore mentioned they Control us. Think about the last time you walked into work with an agenda on what you wanted to accomplish, but to only have that completely derailed with others agendas. Take Control of your Business and Personal Life.

Confidence: How many people get hired because they are timid? Confidence in Business is a must if you want to lead. Confidence is more than just walking around with a certain "swagger." Confidence is believing you are the BEST choice for the task. Confidence comes with experience and expertise.

I am looking forward to another TERRIFIC year in 2010! Hopefully your Business and Personal Life is moving in the direction of Clarity, Control and Confidence!

A Great Testimonial Never gets Old!!!

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:38:05 -0500

Have you ever had a client write just a lights out testimonial? Does that just send your day soaring? I recently had a client I was working with send one of the nicest, most thought out testimonials I have ever seen and I am still on Cloud 9.

"I recently had the pleasure of working with Travis Olson on Top Producer 8i. From the first point of contact Travis was professional and offered options for the set up of Top Producer. I immediately took the option that Travis's group would do everything. I was officially up and running within 24 hours. We then planned out a training process of a 4 week time frame.

Travis presents himself as a very seasoned and confident representative of Top Producer. Travis was a joy to work with. He was thorough through the entire process. Travis detailed everything out step-by-step and always made sure I had a full understanding of the system before we moved on to the next item. He is an excellent teacher! Travis made me want to work hard to impress him and show my knowledge of what I learned. He made it fun and easy to understand. Travis displays the following characteristics -- great product knowledge; exceptional follow through; dedication; pride and confidence in himself and the product; professionalism and a warm smile.

Travis is an asset to anyone starting a business in Real Estate. I strongly recommend Top Producer being one of the first things you invest in as an agent. Or if you're an agent that needs organization and systems in place then contact Travis and he will set you up.

Given my high expectations, one might consider myself to be a very challenging client. Travis exceeded my expectations and I can assure you he will do the same for you. I thought it prudent to share with you my experience. I'm so appreciative and grateful that I had such a wonderful teacher."

Kind regards,

-Kim Ziton

So what do you do with something like this? Well you obviously want others to be able to see it. Do you have a testimonial page on your website? Is this something you could include with some of your marketing or maybe with your prelist. It is funny how we start to form very strong opinions about someone or something by hearing what "strangers" have to say about it.

If you would like to read more www.AgentBreakthrough.com testimonials Click Here.

Internal System Solutions for Price Adjustments using Top Producer...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:13:30 -0500

Have you ever forgot to change the price on a website or on a flyer? Something that I have done to help me remember all the places we need to change with a price adjustment is making a custom action plan in Top Producer. The action plan is very simple and would looks something like this:

Change Price in MLS
Change Price on Website
Order New Flyers
Contact All Showing Agents about Price Change

Those are a few examples to get an idea of what that plan may look like. There is nothing worse than having a seller calling up and asking if you have "new flyers" for them or why the "price isn't changed on your website." Using a few simple action plans in Top Producer will help prevent some of these time consuming "Fire Fighting."

Another idea to would be use an action plan for open houses or Realtor opens...

Systems will Set You Free!

Success Leaves Clues...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:57:08 -0400

Have you ever heard the saying "Success Leaves Clues." I was down in Austin about a month ago for Keller Williams Mega Camp and had the privilege to hear Gary Keller speak. Gary talked about success leaving clues over and over again throughout the 2 days I was down there. Sure does sound catchy - but what does that really mean?

Here is how I have come to interpret it. Success is not synomis with business - success can be found in all areas of life. Be it in personal, physical, spiritual, relationships, parenting and so on. Success does however share a couple (but not limited to) universal principals.

Commitment - All success starts with some level of commitment and dedication. To be in a successful relationship - you have to invest the time and energy to do so...Likewise with business.
Action - To continue to grow and move on in life, action must be taken. Without action, there are no results.

Mastering these principals will help you become the master of your life - both professionally and personally. Success leaves clues as long as you are looking for it.

If you would like a free copy of all the notes I took from Mega Camp - PLEASE CLICK HERE

A Systematic Approach to Real Estate

Your very BEST...I want your VERY BEST!

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:28:21 -0400

How often do we fall short of our goals? How often to wish push ourselves beyond our own ability? In our team meeting this past week I shared a great clip of a young man giving his very best on the football field (we are all very excited about football season).

Here is the video from Facing the Giants

Now here are the questions that I had asked our team members.

Describe a time when you have given your VERY BEST - what did that feel like?
What would your business look like if you gave your VERY BEST daily?
How can you stay focused on being your VERY BEST?

There is a lot more to saying you are going to give your VERY BEST and taking part in the action of BEING the VERY BEST. You have to want it and you have to plan it and live it.

Please feel free to share success stories and success stratagies you use to give your VERY BEST!

Save time with Notes...Not Post It Notes

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:59:40 -0400

I have lost more notes than I care to admit. It took me a while to change my habits of paper and post it notes but I cannot tell you how good it feels to have a clean desk and organized business. I started using Top Producer about 3.5 years ago and wanted to share one of the most useful tools I have found - the notes tab.

In Top Producer as soon as you go to add a new note (blue arrow), Top Producer will date and time stamp the note. This works real nice when sending out emails and having to go back through the the "Completed Activities" to find a specific email. I may note something real simple like:

emailed seller asking about opens this weekend for 7/31

I can always go back and look at that exact email if need be by checking the completed activities and cross referencing with the notes I entered into Top Producer.

The other tool that is spectacular in Top Producer with notes is the listing/closing notes tabs.

Once I create a listing or a closing - I can then link more than one contact to that property (example: title company, loan officer, coop agent). Once linked each contact than creates a "tab" (green arrow) that you can enter notes on. Once notes are entered it will share with all other parties to the transaction.

This comes in real handy when you work with specific vendors on more than one occasion. We have a closer we use that has at least 100 different properties that are attached to her contact in the notes section.

If you have any questions about Top Producer 8i or would like to learn more about getting started with Top Producer 8i - feel free to email or call anytime.

If you are ready to order Top Producer 8i and would like to receive a FREE Copy of The Automated Agent eBook, please click here for the order form and send back to Travis@AgentBreakthrough.com. Once order is confirmed I will send you a FREE eBook of The Automated Agent.

I am too affraid to "TWEET"

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:29:58 -0400

I set up an account in Twitter a long time ago and have yet to make my first "Tweet." I know with my OCD in full force, it would only be a matter of time before I am dropping 20-30 Tweets per day. Is that good to do? I don't even know!

I have even heard a story on a local radio station as I was driving into work the other day saying that a man was out on a morning jog through his neighborhood and ran head first into a low level branch hanging over the sidewalk...Because he was face down in his Blackberry making his latest Tweet :)

Has the Tweet replaced the blog? It seems like more and more people are gravitating in that direction. Maybe it is time I check it out. I always like to post something to see what others have done before me. Anyone that would like to leave a comment about what success they have had with Twitter and what seems to be most effective would be greatly appreciated.

What does your DANCE look like...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:22:01 -0400

I often tell a story of what my 30lb Pug - Pork does each morning. We call it his food dance - I know, bare with me... Every morning I wake up and head for the bathroom to start my day with a shower and what not. Our dog, Pork, sleeps in our bed every night - since our 1 year old daughter was born (Pork was my wife's 1st baby).

Pork will nestle in under the covers and be sound asleep, snoring mind you until he hears me get up. He will wait to hear the bathroom door open and than BAM he is on the floor watching me very intently. As soon as I get dressed he will then scurry over to the couch at the end of the living room and stand and wait for me there. Once I get a certain distance, he then will jump to the floor and run over to his dish and spin in circles until I feed him. The real fun part is when I tell him to sit and stay with the food in the dish - he actually will start to drool rather large amounts onto the floor.

Pork does the same routine day in and day out. He knows that if he follows this method it will get him to the end result - food. He doesn't even bother to think there may be a better way to do this. So my question to you is what does your dance look like? What do you do consistently to get that end result with each person you come in contact with?

Habits over time become your system - good or bad. Being consistant in your actions will begin to net the results over time.

Are there any dance moves you should be working on?

Short Sale Success...Notice the Small Things...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:33:48 -0400

I had been working on a Short Sale for over 4.5 months only to learn from the 1st mortgage company (WellsFargo) had closed the file over $3,800 that the 2nd mortgage (WellsFargo) had been requesting. Let me back up - here is the info on the deal. We have a 100% cash buyer ready to close. I had an approval from the 1st and the 2nd said they needed to net 10% of what they were owed ($6,800). The 1st said they would only give $3,000 - "not a penny more." So we had a good old fashion stand off.

When I called the 1st mortgage negotiator for at least the 8th time (following my Top Producer systems of course) looking for some answers on what they wanted to do after about a month stand off- I was told the file had been closed. I could have turned my desk over - all that hard work to end without any notification of the file being closed...Grrrrrrrr...

Instead I received a pep-talk from another agent on our team and we resubmitted the entire short sale packet again. Low and behold we were assigned to the same negotiator. I sent a rather frustrated email to the 1st mortgage negotiator just explaining the frustrations from the agent view and what we needed to do to get the job done. Much to my surprise, I received a phone call that same day from the negotiator. She said that the "investor needed to see someone else contribute to the 2nd mortgage."

I asked if we could counter back to the buyer for the difference and she said that the 1st mortgage would want all of that money then too. She than said if the agents would contribute "maybe like $2,000" she could get it to work. I then said if we contribute $2,000 she can have approval today? She then confirmed.

I then asked what if we contributed $1,000 - would that work? Again, much to my surprise she said yes! We then called the coop agent and agreed to split the $1,000. As much as I hate having to contribute any of the commission to a short sale $500 was not a bad deal on a 6% payout.

I truly believe that the short sale could have been approved sooner if I would have been able to have that same conversation with the negotiator. They all have rules to follow and she was just following procedure, but I now know how I will approach any similar matter in the future.

Hope it helps you as well!!!

Do you Webinar???

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:00:21 -0400

I have been mulling over the idea of creating a Webinar to expand the reach of potential class attendance but have not pulled the trigger yet. I wanted to come to ActiveRain community with a question - do you Webinar?

I am curious on feedback of what some of the best Webinars have been and what some of the worst have been and why? It seems that more and more people are plugged into Webinars and we see them all over the place (even as I type, I see an ad on the right side of the screen) but what are your thoughts.

I am currently teaching 4 week class called: A Sytematic Approach to Real Estate - 4 Weeks to a Better Business. I cover a large range of topics in the class including some of the following:

Never Miss a Lead Again (8x8's and 33 Touch)
Leverage Technology to Develop Your Business
Automate Custom Email Drip Campaigns
Create and Implement Custom Action Plans
Manage Contacts and Your Database at a High Level
Manage Multiple Buyers and Sellers Clients
Manage Your Transactions from Contract to Close
Mass Email Updates to Your Database
Correctly Categorize Your Contacts

I think this would make a lot of sense to do but would love any feedback. By the way, if you are interested in taking a sneak peak at the eBook that would accompany the Webinar - click here.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your feedback!

Custom Top Producer Closing Action Plans can do more than Manage a Closing...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:26:16 -0400

Custom built action plans in Top Producer can be one of the best ways to customize your business. But have you ever run into activities that need to be date specific vs. starting from a certain date. The custom closing plans in Top Producer 8i can help. You can have activites happen prior to a specific date or after a specific date - all you need is a little creativity. An example that I often use is for when I am teaching a class and want to do specific things prior to that class.

Here is a quick video on using Top Producer to manage events:

Interested in seeing more videos on Top Producer? Click Here.

Check out the FREE 15 page download of The Automated Agent eBook

Change your Top Producer 8i Backround :)

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:08:19 -0400

You may or may not know about this already but you can change your Top Producer backround in 8i now. It is pretty neat to have a few more options to look at. Here is a step by step guide:

Click on the "Preferences" tab in the upper right hand side of your screen.

Then click on the "Theme"

From there, you should be able to select from a drop down menu a list of different backrounds.

There is nothing to earth shattering about this post or changing the color but sometimes we need a little change up :)

Looking for some more Top Producer help - Check out my FREE Top Producer videos below:

How to Build Your Own Custom Action Plans in Top Producer

How to Source Your Leads Using Top Producer

How to Create an Automated Email Follow Up Campaign

How to Create a Mass Email in Top Producer

How to Auto Apply Plans in Top Producer

Listing Tip - Create a Weekly CMA - AUTOMATED...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:02:25 -0400

Sellers always want to know what is going on in their area and what the "competition" is doing. Taking some time to build these systems on the front end can save you countless hours on the back end with not having to return phone calls and emails and so forth. I have been setting all of our sellers up on what we call a "Weekly Market Watch."

The Weekly Market Watch is an automated search set up through the MLS (stay tuned as I met with a company today that has an absolutely phenomenal tool) or Market Snapshot (through Top Producer) to alert the seller once a week with all active, pending and sold properties in a 1 mile radius of their home. We work in a pretty dense area in St. Paul so a 1 mile radius is plenty but you could always extend it out further if needed.

With the automatic search set up, your clients will then get a weekly report of what is going on in the area and help them see the market - real time. Some well times phone calls can also land some price adjustments if needed as well. Now you are not just telling what is going on in the market - you can actually show them.

If you are looking for more tips and ideas on how to make your Real Estate Business more systematized - please click here for a FREE 15 page download of my eBook, The Automated Agent.

One Skill you NEED to Master or you can kiss SUCCESS goodbye...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:28:36 -0400

The beginning of the year a made a commitment to read 2 books a month - much to my surprise I am actually really liking my New Year's Resolution (how often does that happen?). The latest book I have been reading is a classic from the master, Dale Carnagie - The Leader in You. The Leader in You is similar to How to Win Friends and Influence People, but I can never hear enough of a great message!

I am about half way done and the one chapter that has stuck with me is listening. Being an attentive listener, taking an active role in conversation, slow to speak your thoughts. I know I often have about 500 things running through my head while have a conversation with someone and it is a good reminder they should have my full focus. How important do you feel when someone is not making eye contact with you, starring off into space or my personal favorite texting or answering the phone.

Business comes down to respect and integrity. Being respectful of what someone has to say even if you disagree is worth the effort. It is very easy to take for granted some of the most important people in our lives (business and family) by not listening.

Two basic principals with listening that were noted in the book:

Listening is still the best way to learn.
People respond to those that listen to them.

THANKS FOR LISTENING ;)

Do you STRUGGLE with SYSTEMS??? 3 Challenges that you MAY be Facing...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:29:06 -0400

Chances are if you are reading this blog post the answer is "Yes." What makes a system so hard to create? In my experience, there are 3 challenges in creating a system a system that works...

Details- Details are the lifeblood of systems. There is a fine line between too many details and not enough. There is an old saying in sports that goes like this - "Paralysis by analysis." That can hold true with systems as well. If you have too many tasks/steps the system may seem a bit overwhelming and will fail before it even gets a chance. My suggestion would be to write out all details you can think of on a list. Go back through the list and cross off any items that may seem redundant or intuitive. Take the remaining and put them in some sort of order (most likely chronological). No system is ever perfect right out of the gate - so be prepared to tweak.
Implementation- We are such creatures of habit and it is hard for us to change. Change is a gradual process and becomes more and more doable with small successes. I would suggest giving yourself the 30 day challenge. If the system seems to fail over the next 30 days or it seems to be a total bust - scrap it and start over. The key thing to keep in mind is keeping the right mindset during change.
Appeal- Systems are not sexy, but they are however consistent if used correctly. You probably get bombarded with 1,000's of emails and 100's of phone calls a month with the latest and greatest tools/systems to take your business to the next level...Here is the truth - hard work, integrity, smart planning and basic systems will outlast any and all sales pitches in Real Estate. You are the most important asset in your business - make sure you use it. Stay the course and results will happen over time.

I have spent the past 3+ years developing systems and models for Real Estate Agents/Teams. This is my million dollar listing and there is nothing that is more satisfying than seeing a business run like a well oiled machine.

The Automated Agent is not a get rich quick or some sort of Real Estate pipe dream. The Automated Agent is about automating your business using sound systems to handle more volume and more clients. Take a systematic approach to Real Estate.

If you would like to take a FREE Sneak Peak at The Automated Agent eBook - click here.

If you would like to order a copy of The Automated Agent eBook - click here.

Don't have a Contact Management System? Click here.

3 things that TEACHING has taught me in REAL ESTATE...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:26:04 -0400

I love to teach! My major was in Physical Education but ended up in Real Estate - go figure? The neat thing about Real Estate is that there is an unlimited amount of ways you can use your talents. I have put a lot of time into developing my teaching skills over the past several months and I have realized there are a 3 key areas to focus on to make your classes great.

Passion. This seems to be the biggest factor in being successful in what you do. Without passion - the challenge then becomes being motivated to continue to work towards your goals. Have you ever listened to someone with passion? You can tell instantly if they are real or fake. Students, consumers, clients and colleagues can see right through this if you do not have passion. To me the definition of passion is loving what you do and being determined to be the best you can be at what you do. I build and manage systems for a real estate team as well as teach agents how to build and implement their own systems. This is what I love to do - I do not feel like I am working :)
Consistency. Being consistent is a very broad term. Consistence can be interpreted in many ways, such as - consistent lead generation, consistent time blocking, consistent blogging, consistent follow up, consistent transaction management, etc. The list can go on for ever - the one thing I keep in mind is being consistent with the actions that produce results. Consistency takes hard work and a powerful mental mind set. Once you can program yourself to take action constantly - you will be unstoppable.
Balance. Teaching and Real Estate can swallow up your entire day in one big gulp, you can see her on the right on my facebook link) and I need to constantly remind myself that she will never be 11.5 months old again. I need to spend time with her because I will regret it later if I do not. I have had to set boundaries with my personal and business times to maintain some sort of balance. Although it is not easy to manage - it is so important to a healthy mind and body.

If you would like more info on any upcoming classes I have - please click here.

If you would like to download a FREE sample of The Automated Agent eBook - please click here.

Sometimes the small things matter the most...True Story!

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:16:42 -0400

Have you ever been blown away with a seemingly small gesture? Something that may seem easily overlooked by another... Here is the scenario that happened to me a couple weeks ago. I had an appointment set to meet with someone to talk about The Automated Agent eBook and discuss some ideas on how it can help her business. I had to call the night before the appointment to cancel asmy Grandpa passed away and had to leave out of state for the funeral. I hate canceling appointments, but she was very understanding and took time to listen.

She did more than listen though - she proactively listened to details. About a week went by and I received a letter in the mail from a local hospital. I honestly thought it was junk mail or some sort of fund-raising mail piece. I opened up the letter and it was a letter from a local hospital stating that a donation was made in my Grandfather's name...The donation was made by this woman...She asked what my Grandfather's name was once on the phone...She is good!

That was such a touching gesture to have someone actually really listen. I put two and two together after I re-read the card and realized why she asked what my Grandfather's name was. What a special way to pay attention and make someone feel special!

Do you think we have opportunities to do this very same thing in real estate? Absolutely! We come in contact with so many people everyday - we just need to listen more attentively. This is much easier to do when talking on the phone, because you can take notes. The biggest step is to go from note to action. Contact Management Software can help you set reminders for important dates (birthdays, anniversary, job offers, etc). Just make sure you are listening for the right details and you can easily make someones day!

Click here to check out Top Producer

Gary Keller was in MN last week - Top 3 things I took from his presentation...

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:32:05 -0400

Gary Keller visited us in MN last week for what was to be my first encounter with the face of the Keller Williams Company. A very soft spoken (Gary had lost his voice) and tactful presentation began to resonate with me. Here were the top 3 nuggets I walked away with:

Mind Set - How many times have you heard this one? If you have been in Real Estate for any amount of time, probably at least 30 times. How many times have your seen it? Maybe a few. Gary brought in a musician named Billy McLaughlin. Billy had been a guitarist all of his life and then suffered a major set back, he developed a rare muscle disorder in his right hand - thought to end his musical career...Billy, spent years in denial and then - amazing learned how to play with the other hand! Can you imagine the humility involved in going from Great to Crap...The only comparison I would have is being a pitcher and having to learn to throw as hard and fast with the other hand. Billy had the mindset to be great! He could have very easily quit - but he did not. Pretty amazing what you are capable with your mindset!

2. Master the basics - Gary talked about becoming great at one thing - lead generation/prospecting. He said this was the major reason his business exploded. Almost every agent is great when they get the chance to work with clients, but without the chance - they never get to show how great they are. Stay in front of prospects and your contacts day in and day out (click here if you struggle with that).

3. Be the professional- Balance and Real Estate are not thought to go hand in hand. Gary talked about early in his business people would assume he would amass 100's of hours per week and he would let them assume. He said his family spells LOVE, T-I-M-E. Once that time is gone, you can never get it back. Setting yourself up for success with time blocking and boundaries can allow you a glance of balance in an otherwise hectic career.

I could listen to Gary for hours - voice or no voice. Gary has one of the best business minds I have ever been able learn from.

To take A Systematic Approach to Real Estate and Build a Business worth Owning - Download the first 15 pages for FREE!

Campfire Musing - Is building a business like building a fire?

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:25:16 -0400

Sitting around a campfire and enjoying the peace that only smoky air and golden embers can provide this weekend I reflected on how so much of the issues we face professionally should be handled like how you build a great fire.

The first step of building a great fire is to gather kindling and newspaper to gently feed the fire when it is first ignited. The small branches and twigs provide the fuel necessary to build a fire, without smothering the flames. Isn't this true in our professional lives? The way to build a great business is to take those small, seemingly insignificant tasks, and create a system to handle them. Systems for closings, listings, prospecting and serving past clients are the "twigs" that can get a great fire roaring.

Have you ever noticed that once a bed of embers have been created you can throw a twig in and it is engulfed within minutes? It is similar to adding a new system to a business with a clear foundation and vision for the future. When you do the difficult work up front, adding a new system is much easier because you both know how to do it, and the existing ones help free up the time you necessary to plan and implement.

The larger pieces of wood that are added to a fire are the more complex issues that each business must face. Time management, knowing your numbers, delegating are just a few of the questions that must have solutions if a business is to be successful. Much like a fire, when these challenges are faced and addressed, your business becomes more stable. The foundation is laid with failures and triumphs like a bed of embers that can take on any issue, even the "3 am log."

The 3 am log is that huge knotted piece of tree trunk that takes until dawn to burn down. In business it is those gigantic issues that can only be handled with determination, know how and experience in working towards solutions. Going out on your own, growing beyond your wildest dreams, changing your business model are just a few of the 3 am logs that you may be facing. Business is like building a fire, it takes time and a well laid foundation to handle the 3 am log.

A campfire of course is not complete without smores. The chocolate, gram, marshmellow goodness that often prompts starting it in the first place. You don't get to enjoy this treat when the fire first starts, but after good cooking coals have fallen to the ground. The work put in at the beginning is not always enjoyable, but it does allow for the sweeter moments to follow.

As you begin to enjoy your summer sitting around the fire, take some time to reflect on how your business has grown. Did you master the kindling stage? Are you building a bed of embers? Are smores a part of your daily life? When ready, can you throw on the 3 am log?

If you need help getting the fire started, check out the first 15 pages of my ebook The Automated Agent. It is a systematic approach to using your Top Producer Account to get a great bed of coals.

Birthdays Cards, Anniversary Emails, Form Letters ... Is it all worth it?

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:05:34 -0400

After the closing is done and a former client settles into their new home, how long do you stay in touch and how do you do it? Many agents generate business for a lifetime from past clients who were served well in their transactions. To secure referrals and return clients you must have a system in place to keep ahead of your past business. There are the typical ways of contacting through sending out anniversary emails and birthday cards with an enclosed business card which is great, but is it really enough?

Know Your Numbers - What you don't know, you can't fix, or repeat! In order to grow your business you must figure out what is working, and the only way to do that is to follow the trail of business generated and the cost involved in each marketing strategy. This includes birthday cards, automated emails and mailings. Create a spreadsheet which takes a snapshot of the different touches for a contact and the appointments that are generated.

Consider automating emails to make the cheapest form of communication the most effective. By creating a 10 Year Action Plan - (Yes 10 Years!) you can put in the work up front and reap the rewards of keeping in touch even when you get busy for free. In my ebook The Automated Agent there are 10 Year Plans for both Past and Prospect Contacts, as well as email contact systems for Current Buyers & Listings, Current Prospects (both Sellers and Buyers) and a 8-Week Follow Up plan.

It does feel good to keep in touch with past clients but we also have to be realists. Figure out what works and repeat. Decide what doesn't and delete.

Have you ever toured your childhood home?

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:10:59 -0400

This week my sister was outside when the neighbor girl mentioned that her friend was over who used to live in her house. Jenny (my sister) offered Jessy (former resident) a chance to tour the home and both of them had a blast. The teenager was shocked to see all the changes that had been made to the house in the five years since she and her family had moved, and also surprised to see the things that had remained the same like her footprint made in the cement when she was one year old. Jenny loved hearing the stories about where Jessy used to play, and the memories she created as a child. Jen called me to tell me about the experience and I could tell it was something out of the ordinary and pretty special for her.

It got me thinking about the old houses that I have lived in and made me want to revisit them to see how they have changed, and how they have stayed the same. Has anyone ever got the chance to show a home you used to live in? Has anyone just gone and knocked at the door and asked if they could take a peek? I would love to hear any stories you have to share.

Have a happy Memorial Day weekend!

www.AgentBreakthrough.com

A Systematic Approach to Real Estate

How do YOU close your day?

Travis Olson (Agent Breakthrough Consulting) — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:33:58 -0400

Some of you may be thinking, "Close my day...I'm in real estate...I never close my day. And if I did, I'd be setting someone else up for the business that looks elsewhere while I'm closed." There are many great postings about finding balance in your work/family life. This blog is focusing on how do you transition from work to family. What you're willing to take on once at home is up to you and those closest to you.

The variety of demands in real estate gives you a chance to rewrite your daily schedule 31 (30, 29 or 28) days a year. Most agents can start the day with a plan and completely shift course and cross off to-dos that you didn't write on your list in the morning. I find that "closing my day" in a similar way each afternoon offers me the consistency and organization that I crave in a business that can be so unpredictable. Here's a couple of tips:

Final Email Check - Before leaving work and "closing for the day" I click "check email" one last time and respond to as many emails as I can in 10 minutes. The rest I flag with the level of importance, file or delete. It doesn't stop the email onslaught that will be awaiting me the next time I open my account, but it does make it a little more possible.

Track Conversations, Appointments and Calls in Top Producer - I try to do this throughout the day, and a final time before I leave the office. I try to walk through my day in my head and jot down any notes in the contacts page.

Check Off What's Complete - It feel so great to cross things off your list at the end of the day. Go to the Calendar Page on Top Producer 8i for the full run down of your to-dos. This also plants the seeds for your game plan the next day.

Schedule Car Ride Home Call - I want to devote my time to my family when I get home so I try to make the most of my commute. This isn't new information, but a good reminder to be proactive about how you spend your time in the car.

Straighten Up - It sounds like I'm a bit OCD (and maybe I am) but I know that I am much happier when I begin the day with a clean desk. The only way to make this happen is to straighten things up before I walk out the door.

Obviously you don't want to spend all of your day in the process of closing down shop, so make sure you chip away at these tasks throughout the day (i.e. track each phone call, check off tasks etc.). Creating a routine will help your transition to your personal life become more smooth... at least until your phone rings during dinner.

www.AgentBreakthrough.com

A Systematic Approach to Real Estate