Paul Sweeney's Blog

Generating Leads

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:23:29 -0800

Prospecting in 2010 will be a lot different. With today's leads comes an extended incubation period. These days the Internet Empowered Consumer (IEC) is taking a second, and third look at available data before hitting the "Realtor" button.

Technology is our friend as the means to occupy the space between thinking and acting. It is shaping up like this: those agents making use of organized databases and drip campaigns will close those curious about tax credits and fire sales, those who are adding their prospecting efforts to these lists will close those transactions generated as the result of a rebounding economy.

Patience and planning will rule 2010 ... are you all in?

Thank You Everyone

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:26:31 -0800

I am so thankful to the many Brokers and Agents who have helped me this year. We have made it through a very challenging year and are more learned and prepared for the future.

Thank you all for your collective spirit and generosity of knowledge.

Thank You Everyone,

Happy New Year!

Relicensed and Feeling Good

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:18:11 -0700

If you've been keeping up with me, I set a 2009 goal. The goal was to retest and become a Realtor in Las Vegas. Well I'm happy to say that I did go through pre-licensing, tested, and passed and am ready to become a Realtor once again!

This perspective is very interseting. I get all of the email, and snail mail that agents get, and am setting up goals and accomplishments again to see the new hurdles and challenges first hand.

My written goals include more social blogging, and more person-to-person visits to Century 21 agents in my large territory. My 2010 zone will include Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

One thing is for sure. The daily task is still getting cutomers, keeping customers, and growing my business (borrowed from Top Kunz, President and CEO of Century 21 LLC).

It's difficult to contain the excitement!

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:44:05 -0700

If you are like me, a Real Estate trainer you are shouting "The Time To Prospect Is Now!"!

With the upturn in many of our markets projected for early 2010 ... and knowing that nine to twelve contacts are necessary before recognition solidifies ... AND assuming the early bird does get the worm ... it is definitely time to make your claim on market share.

As usual, it will be those who practice Real Estate as a business and change WITH future trends that will be rewarded first.

So what do you do ... go grab a trainer, sign a commitment form with them to prospect ... do whatever they tell you to do every day. Take this commitment form to your Broker, show it to your spouse, put it on the refrigerator to see every day.

Start to measure how many people will talk to you about Real Estate every day, and collect data i.e. names, phone numbers, email addresses and personal notes, then spend time designing an incubation campaign that touches everyone often.

I'll see many of you on the other side!

Where did your last client come from?

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:45:52 -0700

Great insite as to what has happened, and how it has happened. Now the key is to focus on those relationships by keeping information relevant, and not overwhelming.

Via René Fabre IT Marketing (Ticor Title Company):

I’m a curious fellow. A question I always ask my real estate associates when a transaction comes into play is, “Where did your client come from?” Traditionally it was most often one of three ways.

1. They know someone I know.

They ride the bus to work with my neighbor. They socialize with a friend. It was a recommendation based on my good treatment of a prior client. It was someone from church, volunteering, a relative, a friend.

2. It was through my marketing.

“I’ve been working this ‘area’ diligently for sometime now and they gave me a call because they saw my flyer, postcard, ad, sign, or open house.”

3. They found me online.

They found me via my company, read my blog, or found my open house online. They see me on ActiveRain, Facebook, LinkedIn, or at a Biznik event. We’re in an online networking group and share an interest in cooking, cars, golf, or travel.

Once upon a time #1 was very different from #2, and #3 didn’t exist. In fact #3 is rather recent and it has only really come into play in earnest over the past five years or so (even though it’s been around for more).

#1 happened because you lived and participated in a community, neighborhood, school, or fraternal organization. You were known and real estate is what you do. If someone had a need, chances were good (or at least hopeful) that they came to you, or were recommended to you. That’s passive.

#2 came about because you had vision and a plan and you worked it faithfully. You had a goal in mind. You intentionally made yourself visible while prospecting for those that had a real estate need. If you did your job well you found the 1% or 2% that had a real estate need and they chose you (instead of your competition) because you were there, had the right message, style, personality, and presence. You are proactive.

Time went by (along with a lot of blood sweat and tears) and you stayed committed and learned your craft. You practiced great customer service day in, day out, even when you didn’t feel like it. You noticed clients and prospects moving from group #2 to group #1 and your referral base began to grow.

A great achievement for any professional, right?

So what happened? Did something change?

Yes, very much so. The lines of distinction between #1 and #2 not only blurred they melded and fused together. #1 and #2 didn’t go away (and don’t forget that realtors!). But #1 and #2 are now super influenced by #3. In fact most consumers no longer make the distinction where one begins and the other ends.

Why?

Because we all changed.

#3 is the number new #1 influencer because the consumer (and that includes us) adopted search (online) as our primary first or second action step towards goal/life fulfillment. We also broadened our social net to include more people into our lives and our decision making process than every before known on the planet in any time that ever existed before now.

I use the term ‘consumer’ loosely, thinking people use online search for many things other than purchase… We also look for answers. We look for facts, love, friendship, ancestors, religion, science, art, music, and history. We seek out people with common interests. It’s not always just about the purchase. Yet, in almost every single case it leads to, or is tied directly to, something to buy.

What happened?

The internet not only redefined local, (a monumental and wonderful accident), but as searchers (surfers) we are engaged in the pursuit of knowledge. We’re looking for stuff… real estate, coffee pots, a new car, a great vacation. We’re self educating.

The consumer is driving the market. They’re fed up and tired (just like us) with the old methods that we see crumbling around us daily. It matters far less where we are on the planet and so much more about what we have to offer and share. Distance is no longer a barrier. The old platitudes fall away. It’s not about control, domination, scarcity, hording and controlling. It’s about abundance.

Because we’re actively engaged and in pursuit, we do not want to be sold anything. Yet the result of our search is often about the want or need to buy something. When you Google anything you get at least 1,798,354 unique hits. So what do we do? We immediately begin to eliminate. Not you, not you, not you, nor you. Searchers want a reason to be pulled in. They do not want to be pushed. That’s why internet marketing is passive.

I’ve talked to about 700 realtors through lectures, presentations, roundtables, and networking events since the first of February. I asked them, “Where did your last client come from?”

In short and overwhelmingly so the verdict is…

The answers included #1, #2, and were dominated by #3 (and profoundly so)… The internet was inextricably involved at every point along the way. It didn’t matter if they knew you, knew someone who knows you, they were your neighbor, a relative, or friends of friends. Every conversation we had, we could not separate the internet from the equation. Even from the non believers.

I'm asking you to help me with my research… “Where did your last client come from?”

I'd like to know... thanks...

René

What a beautiful day in Las Vegas Nevada!

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:03:11 -0800

I know what you may be thinking ... Las Vegas the "empty city" ... lots of foreclosures, lots of empty houses, but it's a wonderfully sunny day, and I'm getting ready to talk to local Century 21 agents about social marketing.

with so many people on the Internet looking at pictures of EVERYTHING, I'm here to encourage them to get out and take some pictures, and start blogging.

This is my second blog on active Rain, and yes, it is still a little uncomfortable, but so is everything that we try for the first time. the good news is that more and more people are "checking me out". Now the hard part ... commitment ... scary.

So I have committed to blogging these random thoughts at first just to develop the habit of going to the site. what I find myself doing is really starting to think about what I would say to anyone about what it is that I do ... in my case training.

In a little while, I'll be showing about 50 Internet connections, 10 of them that I've singled out to a group of Realtors at CENTRY21 JR Realty, in Henderson, NV. I will ask them to pick one or two, and get involved.

My guess is that by getting involved in our community, we can really get to know the people who make it tick, and get included in the ticking on a regular basis.

This office has a great story to tell. The Broker, Rosa Herrick is the President of our local Brokers council, and also is the regional representative in the Century 21 National Brokers Communication Congress held twice each year ... very prestigious!

Stay tuned and please help me to be a better blogger with your suggestions :-)

The Desert West ... the best franchise support TEAM anywhere!

Paul Sweeney (Century21 LLC) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:16:55 -0800

That's right, I like my team! I like my job! I'm having a great life! I've never been more excited about Real Estate!

Crazy, ehh? Maybe ... or maybe I am among the best group of people to ever enter the business!

I'm a trainer for Century21 LLC, specifically the Desert West. Our states include Nevada, my home, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas.

With me in the field is a team of Business Consultants and a seasoned vice President. We feed into our support staff at international headquarters. It's exciting to be a part of real change. Every day we are tasked with making our customer feel better that they are with us.

My job is online and live onsite. I'm hoping to get some ideas from you to stay relevant.

Why are you a trainer?