I had written a post about the value of entertainment in real estate video. While I think video should be of fairly decent quality so that the consumer can judge the attributes of the home, the product doesn't have to look like it was produced by Steven Spielberg.
Okay- it can't look like the Blair Witch Project, either. Hold your hand steady, don't make the viewer sick by whipping around from side to side, and if you will be speaking, make your voice sound natural. To see my three favorites, check here.
That really got me thinking- about video, about blogging, about online interaction- and off-line as well, I suppose. I have heard people complain about twitter as far as interaction goes. I decided to scout out one of these people and see what they were up to and this was the total of their commentary:
Just posted on ActiveRain...
Just posted on ActiveRain...
Just posted on ActiveRain...
Just posted on ActiveRain... Day after day, THAT WAS IT! Would you watch the station on TV that was all ads?
Which leads me to this morning. I saw a post on twitter by @theRealClint (who is here on Active Rain- Clint Miller of RECR) with the comment "Google is Funny" and a link. Well, okay, I bit that bait, and saw this:
Okay, maybe you might be offended by it, but dang! This is funny- and playful! I checked other words out, and I think Google is doing this intentionally on the broadly used words what, who, and where because I didn't see it for more narrow scopes. You can check it out for yourself if you have time.
But my point is this. If your interaction level on twitter is less than that of a search engine, maybe it is time to step it up before complaining. You have a chance to be seen before potentially thousands of people, and all it costs you is a little time.
Name the companies that use the following tag-lines.
1. The Real Thing 2. The King of Beers 3. Mmm mmm mmm mmm good 4. Good to the last drop
Pretty simple stuff, right?
Coke is the "real" thing. (After all, Coke was first on the scene in the cola world. So, you can either have the real cola, or an imitation, right?) Let's look at Budweiser. Long has it been known that Budweiser is the "king" of beers. (It doesn't get any better than being the king. The king is the top of the heap, the head honcho, the alpha dog. Why would you associate with something that isn't the best??) Campbell's soup is "mmmm mmmm" good. Maxwell House coffee really is "good to the last drop".
Recognize the pattern yet? Did you catch what was being said?
All of these tag lines have been used by these very successful companies for years. Not because they are excellent brand references that people have literally heard for years...although that is certainly true...but because they SELL! Not only do the help sell the product, they sell the brand.
How much more effective could your advertising be if you treated your tag line -- your branding slogan, if you will -- as a sales opportunity rather than a contest to see who can come up with the cutest catch-phrase??
You can immediately improve your own tag line and achieve better results from your advertising by simply changing the words you use to words that actually mean something. For example, what's the more effective tag line....
1. Your (honest, hard-working, professional, friendly...feel free to insert any other adjectives here) real estate expert for life.
Or...
2. Working to deliver the best results for you. Always.
I can tell you from personal experience, if I had a dollar for every time I have seen the first one on a website, business card, flyer, postcard, etc, I could retire. It is probably one of the most over-used and, forgive me for saying so, weakest tag line an agent could use.(Hey, someone has to be honest with those of you that use some form of this line...)
There are a group of words that are used in real estate advertising that just simply don't deliver the punch that the agents thinks they deliver. Here is a list of words you should avoid:
FRIENDLY -- Of course your friendly. You work in a position that requires it. I have never met a single agent ever anywhere that doesn't possess the ability to at least fake his/her way through an appointment appearing to be friendly. Go to an appoint and be an ass and see how far that gets ya...
PROFESSIONAL -- Ummm...duh. I would hope so. Why would you waste valuable advertising space promoting something that the client is already expecting to exist merely by the fact that you hold the position that you do. McDonald's food is safe to eat. Fords will help you get from point A to point B. My service is professional. See the problem??
HONEST -- (See friendly and professional)
HARD-WORKING -- I have met very few agents in this industry that are not working hard. I have met a bunch that don't work very smart, but I think all of them work hard. Do you really want to be measured by how many more hours you will spend working for them versus how many hours your competition will put in? Or, would you rather be measured by how much more effective you are at selling homes?
Pretty much any word that you can use as an adjective about yourself falls into this category including knowledgeable, reliable, trustworthy (dear Lord, please don't use this one!!) etc...
Now, by the same token, there is a group of powerful words that can be used to deliver a better message about your ability and maintain the aspects of your ability that the client is already assuming exist within you. Those are:
RESULTS -- People are buying results when they hire you. It only makes sense to promote that fact in your tag line. You are hired to sell a home. That is a result that your client wanted. Bring that to the forefront so that other clients know you can deliver those results.
DELIVER -- Delivering something is hugely important. You are bringing them something they want. I order a pizza...I don't want to go get it. I want it brought to me. Bring me something I value and I will pay you for it. Do it well, and I will tell other people.
BEST -- Being the best at anything positive will bring you results. Be the best blogger in your area, you will get clients from it. Being the best at any aspect of your job gives the ability for you to leverage this aspect and you will get new clients coming to you because of it.
YOU -- If your advertising is a message to a potential new client, why talk about yourself?? Why not talk about what they want? Using the word 'you' implies that a specific focus on the individual client and will create a connection between you as the agent and them as your customer.
GUARANTEED -- The value of a guarantee is implied by the client, not you. Offering something that is guaranteed implies that you are true to your word; you can produce a desired result and are willing to back it up. Guarantees provide that same feeling of confidence in your clients by removing doubt and potential risk.
LARGEST -- It has long been thought that there is strength in numbers. The size of an organization has typically been thought as being the 'safest' choice merely based on the size. Remember, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. So, whatever you can say about being the largest in your market space will help you. It doesn't have to be the largest brokerage. It could be the largest internet presence, the largest service network, etc.
There are certainly more words that fall into this group, but I think you get the hint. Your tag line isn't about a catchy slogan or a cutesy jingle. It is your very first attempt at selling your client that you are the best choice for them. In order for this to work effectively, you should be talking about what THEY want from you rather than what you want to be seen as in their eyes. Talk about what the client wants...not about patting yourself on the back for possessing those same qualities they automatically assume exist merely based on the fact that you hold the position that you hold. Therefore, choose your words carefully.
Well, its almost a new year...New business plans in the works...new budgets being considered (shoestring, though they may be...). New attitude attributed to a new year.
All good things....
But, none of that will mean diddly if you continue down the same destructive path that a good portion of agents find themselves on currently.
It amazes me on a daily basis how many agents that I deal with actually set themselves up for failure by making simple, yet deadly, mistakes in their business. Some of these mistakes seem to be so simple to overcome. Yet, time and time again, they repeat the same thing expecting a different result. That is the definition of insanity.
So, in the hopes that I can in some small way help YOU avoid making these mistakes, I wanted to summarize an article I found in BrokerAgentPro that lists 5 of the things agents do that hinder their own efforts...and ways to avoid getting caught in these commission killing traps.
Getting ‘Busy Work' confused with actual ‘Work' - Many agents across the country suffer from not having a consistent game plan for their daily activities. There are several things that you should do daily. These include: Lead generation; Contacting prospects that are potential clients; Work and sort out the motivations of existing clients; Negotiate contracts on pending deals; Present findings to your clients. All 5 of those things MUST be done on a daily basis to maintain a consistent level of effort on all aspects of your business. If you are not getting any one of these done, you are attempting to build a business on a weak foundation and you will fail.
Not working a set schedule - Lack of motivation is the biggest cause of not working a set schedule. "I don't feel like it today." Guess what...no one *feels* like it. But, they do it. Successful agents work a set schedule every day whether they ‘feel like it' or not. That set schedule might be any time between 8am and 9pm, but its a schedule none the less. What do you do on days you don't feel like working? See #1 above.
"It's a numbers game" - Well, sort of. But, no, not really. Yes, you need to track your numbers. Yes, those numbers are important. But, in no way will those numbers lead you to making any money! This is a PEOPLE game! If you are not out helping people with or talking to people about real estate, you are doomed to fail. Focus on what you have to offer - your talents and abilities to assist people in buying or selling a house.
Lacking multiple lead streams - That's right. If you do not have multiple streams of leads, you will fail. If your only source of leads is making cold calls, asking for referrals from clients, calling expired listings, etc...You are limiting your ability to get new clients. If you take a day off, you don't make ANY progress. None. What if you lose your phone for a day? What if you lose your voice for a day? No progress. So, having several good lead generation sources is a must in order to keep bringing in new potential clients. Just remember, not every lead will close. But, every lead needs worked. That's what you do!
"Its all about the Benjamins, baby!" - This philosophy will ultimately be your demise in real estate. You should never put earning a commission above your ability to be of service to your client. If you are not out there to help your clients, you will fail. If you don't know how to help your clients, LEARN! The ‘rules' have changed. Make an effort to adapt to those changes and *help* your clients. The money will follow.
I admit, this post has NOTHING to do with real estate...
Car. Pool. Tunnel.
That's what the orthopedic surgeon said I had yesterday...
Well...Its actually "carpal" tunnel syndrome...a compression of the median nerve (one of the two main nerves that drive feeling in your hands) in the center of your wrist at the base of the palm of your hand that causes pain, numbness in the thumb and first two fingers, and loss of muscle mass or control at the base of the thumb.
Fun!! Joy!!
Yeah, not so much...Ive been putting up with this in both hands now for roughly 5 years now...and finally decided to do something about it. Thus the reason for the orthopedic surgeon. (Hey, it's not a carburator. I can't fix this one by myself.)
Who am I trying to kid? I can't fix a carburator either...
Anyway...After having my initial consultation with him, here are 10 things I learned about carpal tunnel syndrome that I didn't know before....
1. In order to determine if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you have to go through a "nerve conduction test".
2. "Nerve conduction test" is a medical term used specifically to hide the fact that they are going to shock the living crap out of your hand not once, not twice....but roughly 20 times PER NERVE (Remember, there is two per my previous statement above)! And, this is on both hands!!
3. Now I know why Frankenstein was so pissed all the time.
4. Faking a heart attack while getting electrocuted a nerve conduction test will cause a medical office to go into full-blown panic mode. For real!
5. My orthopedic surgeon's office staff does not have a sense of humor.
6. Nerve conduction test data is sent via computer to Harvard Medical....Yes, THE Harvard Medical. It takes less time to get the results back from Harvard Medical than it does to do the actual test. So, when the doctor comes in with the results, your fingernails are still smoking just a bit.
7. When an orthopedic surgeon uses the phrase, "...one of the worst cases I have ever seen...", you know you are about to finance something really expensive he has on his Christmas list.
8. You can not do a carpal tunnel surgery on both hands at the same time unless you have some REALLY close personal friends that are willing to do ANYTHING for you. And, I do mean ANYTHING!
9. Opting to do this one hand at a time has given me the ability to say that my wife is incredibly grateful about my decision. (In case you didn't get those last two jokes...We have a 19 month old. She already has one butt she has to wipe during the day. Yeah...now you get it.)
10. "Hand-to-Shoulder" syndrome isn't the same thing as the rubber arm you get when you fall asleep on your arm wrong and cut of the circulation only to realize it when you roll over and try to shut off your alarm clock but your arm is roughly as responsive as a flesh baseball bat. Yeah, it's NOT that.
Comedy aside, carpal tunnel syndrome sucks. It causes pain and numbness, loss of grip, even loss of muscle mass in your hands. And, if left untreated, it can cause permanent damage including loss of feeling, loss of muscle mass or specific movement, even complete breakdowns in moder skill. (How important is typing to you???) From one lucky recipent to another, if this is you, get it checked out.
Oh yeah, if you're curious..."Hand-To-Shoulder" syndrome is a side effect of SEVERE carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a pain transferance from the crushed nerve in the wrist and manifests as stabbing pain in the center of your shoulder joint. Yes, it hurts. No, pain pills dont help. Trust me on this one. I should have stock in Advil.
You will probably hear more about this episodic adventure as my journey continues......
Believe it or not, the human nose can detect and clarify about 10,000 smells. That's right....10,000! We know that the power of smell is one of the strongest senses we, as humans, posess. And recent studies have shown that scent is the strongest of our 5 senses that is tied directly to memory.
In my parent's house, for example, my mother always made fresh peach pies in the late summer. To this day, I can smell a peach pie from a mile away and instantly Im transported to my mom's kitchen as a 7yr old boy in my swimsuit pacing around the table hoping to get a shot at sticking my finger into the peach filling while my mom wasn't looking. (I got caught every time).
Retailers have been using smells to get people to buy their goods with thousands of scents for literally thousands of years. Scents, as a whole, have a power of their own and, depending on the scent, can even have a profound effect on the very psychology of a person.
It is the same when showing a home! Strong smells like cat oders (pet orders in general, really. I just pick on cats because it is the most obvious example of a gross smell that everyone can relate to) or even cooking smells (burnt oil, grease, hard fish smells) can send buyers away faster than any screwed up floor plan or poor staging effort. In fact, you can stage a home perfectly, and have the perfect floor plan, but if the house smells like 50 cats used it for a latrine, you may as well burn it down where it sits because it will probably never sell.
If you are showing a contemporary condo or loft in a hip, upscale urban setting where young singles and urbanistas are buying, you would want your clients to be highly attentive and excited. Putting out scents of rosemary, peppermint or grapefruit will help them make decisions more quickly as these scents improve alertness and stimulation.
If you are showing an older home in the suburbs with numerous rooms and a ‘creative' floor plan, you may want them to feel more calm and relaxed. Lavender is the perfect scent for this. Mixed with citrus smells, you will have a calm, yet mentally alert client that can make calm, rational decisions.
Aside from those, here is a list of scents and their reactions to human behavior:
Chamomile - Calming and soothing; eases anger and anxiety. Clary Sage - Relaxing; euphoric; eases anxiety, tension, and stress. Eucalyptus - Fresh, cooling, and invigorating; promotes alertness. Jasmine - Alleviates anxiety and depression. Lavender - Calming. Lemon - Refreshing and energizing; eases tension, heightens mental clarity. Mandarin - Relaxing and calming; relieves insomnia. Orange blossom - Relieves stress, anxiety and insomnia. Peppermint - Refreshing and stimulating; increases alertness. Rosemary - Promotes mental clarity and alertness. Sandalwood - A warm, sensual aroma that creates seductive and euphoric moods.
This is just a small sample, obviously. But, this sample includes the top scents used by retailers to stimulate buyers. Since you are also assisting buyers, using similar techniques will help move properties faster and put your buyers in the ‘right frame of mind'.
How One Lender Used Social Media to "WOW" a Client Today
We've all experienced delays on closings for one reason or another and they're never fun. But when they happen at the last minute it can cause a lot of stress for all parties involved in the transaction. Well that scenario happened to us this morning.
We had a closing scheduled for 1:00 today with our Buyer who arrived by train at 1:00 a.m. this morning from the East Coast to close on her new home. Her furniture is also scheduled to arrive today.
The sellers of the house she's buying are packed and ready to be out of the house today and are also closing on their new home at the same time.
So needless to say, everyone is counting on the closing to happen as scheduled today.
At 8:15 a.m. this morning we get "The Call" from the Title Company stating that they talked to Quicken Loans (the lender) and it looks like we won't be able to close for a week at least.
As you can imagine, a moment of panic set in along with a lot of other strong emotions and a few *#*#*@@ expletives. We called the Buyer and the Seller's agent to let them know and were met with more strong emotions. The Buyer called the lender immediately.
We use Twitter on a daily basis and have found it to be an invaluable marketing and communications tool in our business. I Tweet about many events so mentioned that
"I'm not impressed with Quicken Loans this Morning" on Twitter.
In less than a minute, I had a response from Kelly @QuickenLoans asking what she could do to help.
She also followed me so I was able to send her a Direct Message and an email about the issue so everything wasn't broadcast publicly. (This is a good strategy by the way - if you have a client issue, try to take it offline).
I sent Kelly at Quicken Loans my client's name by email. Of course my comment generated some discussion on Twitter and I received several responses, including one from my friend Justin McHood who is a loan officer in Arizona.
Within minutes of this tweet, we had an email from a Client Service Specialist and the Loan Officer explaining what she needed. Our client also called and was able to speak to the Loan Officer and was able to request the form Quicken needed from her attorney.
The Loan Officer told us if they received the form they could close today and she would do everything she could to help us close on time. Our client was able to get the document to them but unfortunately, the title company is booked for today. So, we're scheduled to close tomorrow - a slight delay but certainly one we can all live with, and much better than a week's delay.
So of course, I had to update my Twitter status:
In real estate transactions, occasional delays are bound to happen - especially with all of the new guidelines that lenders have to comply with. I have more than one horror story about working with out-of-state lenders who were unresponsive and difficult to work with. Fortunately, QuickenLoans isn't one of those companies and I have to say I'm impressed with their service on the overall transaction, and how quickly the responded when there was an issue.
Service, Results, Peace of Mind
Kevin and Monica Rayare Missoula Real Estate sales and marketing professionals for Access Realty in beautiful Western Montana.
We provide services for Buyers and Sellers in Missoula, Mineral, Ravalli, Sanders, andLake Counties. Contact us at: 406-822-SOLD (7653) or 406-207-1185 You can also Connect with Us On these sites:
You can barely toss a random trade magazine or scan through a blog post without there being some reference to fact that real estate agents should be embracing social media. Whether that be blogging to help market themselves or having a business page on Facebook...just about everyone everywhere is agreeing that this should happen on as many levels as can be handled.
The really funny thing is I think this phenomenon is actually hindering a fundamental issue that has plagued (and continues to plague) the real estate industry as a whole --- the fundamental lack of communication between agents and clients.
This issue is no more prevalent than where I work. I deal with this very thing on a daily basis. And, the number one complaint that I get from the prospects that we send out to our member agents is that they never hear from the agent. Yet, when I go to check on the agent, I can see that they have updated Twitter 14 times during the day and have 12 new Facebook status updates and written 2 new blogs.
Really?? You told me you "didn't have time to speak with that client" I sent you....yet, you had time to play Mafia Wars for 3 hours??
Now, before you start to judge me and my position on this matter, I understand the need for the social media profiles. I get it. I actually created the marketing position I am in at my company because of them. I understand. I don't knock you for that.
But, to apply effort in that direction without taking the required time to speak with your clients is cyber-slashing your own wrists. Sure, you might get an additional client or two...maybe pick up a new listing thanks to that blog you wrote. Awesome.
Here's the real deal -- If you suck at follow-up communication with the clients that you already have, getting more clients isn't going to make it any better for you. AND, if you cant follow up on the people you are working with right now because you feel the need to increase the size of your mafia or play Texas Hold'Em with your college buddies on Facebook, all you are doing is turning another good client into a real esate agent hater. Now that person is going to tell everyone they know what a schmuck you are and to never use you (probably naming your company or brand in the process).
Thus...All you are doing is making your actual job HARDER! And, you are making it harder for everyone else in your office, your company, your brand, and your general line of work.
Nice job. Those agents that are out there busting their tails really appreciate it. (Can you smell the sarcasm yet??)
One of the best things anyone ever told me with regards to sales is to do all your follow-up first. Get the hard stuff out of the way so that you have time for the fun stuff. (That is why we have dessert AFTER dinner!) Calling your mom or your beer-drinking buddies can wait. Call your clients first. Get that handled. After all, they are the ones that will be paying your commissions!
Why in the world would you want to hinder your potential income by pushing them away?? Seems counter-productive to me. Can you afford to just push away money?? Yeah, I didn't think so...
Your clients are expecting to hear from you. Making them wait for information they requested is not smart. In fact, it's rude. Don't push them off. Don't wait until the afternoon or the next day. Making them wait only causes them further frustration and builds up a level of disdain for you and your profession.
Call them. Get it over with...it will relieve them...AND it will relieve you because it has been dealt with -- good or bad.
Social media is a power tool. And with great power comes great responsibility. That responsibility lies right on your shoulders. Don't push away the things that pay your bills -- your clients -- because you have to get a new status update posted about your pedicure or feel the need to tweet about your football team's shoddy performance the night before. That's dessert. Take care of your meat and potatoes first.
Whether you want to admit it or not, you are using something to your advantage to get someone to buy from you.You do it all the time.Sales people are the kings and queens of taking advantage of the things we call “buying signals” and applying leverage in whatever way we can in order to get a deal done.I know I do it all day long here. You may think that you don’t, but you do. And, if you really believe that you dont...you are lieing!
What am I talking about??
I am talking about the fact that we, as salespeople, take advantage of the emotional triggers that every single human uses when making a decision.
There are seven of these triggers in total. And, regardless of whether or not you have been aware of this list in the past, you are keenly aware of how to use them to your advantage.These emotional triggers are the very things that everyone uses in order to make a decision.They include:
The Friendship Trigger – This trigger activates both trust and agreementthrough bonding on a social level. Essentially, this is the trigger that you apply directly to your sphere of influence. You use this on your friends, family, close acquantances, etc, that most sales people rely on as their base clientele. They can also include past clients that you speak with on a regular basis.The application of this trigger is specifically designed to leverage your friendship with them in the hopes that, when needed, they call upon you because you are friends. Social networking to build business fits into this category also.
The Authority Trigger – This trigger activates acceptance through expertise.A perfect example of this is agents that specialize in REO property or in high-end luxury property. That specific specialization makes them an "authority" and those that need this type of specialized help would instinctively choose them as a result.Another example of this is the multiple designations that an agent can get and list behind their name in an attempt to seemingly appear to have more authority or training than another agent by comparison.This trigger is specifically designed to cause someone to choose to work with you because you have the knowledge to be able to help them.
The Consistency Trigger – This trigger motivates potential customers by causing them to recognize consistency with your past actions and repeat contacts. In other words, this is your follow up skills hard at work. (As a smart person once said, it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.) You leverage this trigger every time you follow up with a lead or schedule appointments (and keep them!) with potential customers.You want your potential customers to recognize that you are consistent in your efforts to earn their business and you will be there when they decide to move forward based on your previous attempts to earn their business.
The Reciprocity Trigger – In short, you give, you receive. This trigger is based on the idea that you use the services and businesses that your clients own or work at and they will do the same for you.For example, if you use the services of a mechanic locally, when he needs help with buying a home, he contacts you.This is also the “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” trigger, if you will.If you have a client that needs a roofer, you know who you will recommend because they are good at what they do…AND you know that person will recommend people that they hear about to you when they need your service or expertise.
The Contrast Trigger – This trigger is the one that is used any time you do a side-by-side comparison of options to show that one is more attractive than the other. Any time that you list the pros and cons of given options, you are leveraging this trigger.
The Reason Why Trigger – This trigger is specifically used to invoke emotional reasons to make decisions.Buying is an emotional thing. So, we keep coming up with emotional reasons to say yes.This trigger is based on ‘thinking with your heart’ and not your head.When your clients see things inside a home you are showing that ‘they just love’, this trigger has been tripped.Instictivly, you will remember that and remind them of that, if needed, at a later date in order to leverage this memory to assist in a decision.
The Hope Trigger – This trigger is specifically designed to instill positive expectations to help persuade one side of an argument.In other words, this is the application of positivity.In order to effectively leverage this trigger, you have to get your client to “see the bright side”, as it were.
Whether you know it or not, you are using one of these to your advantage to get someone to buy from you. Chances are, you are using more than one of them at any given time with any one of your potential or current clients.In fact, in some instances, you have probably used all of them in order to get a deal done.
I landed in San Antonio late last night from my trip to BlogWorld 2009. This morning it already feels like it was a long time ago. So much fun had in such a short space of time always seems to make it feel like the distant past a lot quicker. To say it was a blast would be to lie. It was more than a blast. Seeing friends, meeting new ones, listening to some of the best and brightest, and toying with new products for a few days will keep it fresh in my head, but I believe I'm already missing it, as if I've been away too long.
I feel honored to have been there (and thank those who helped get me there) and over the course of the next few days, I'll begin to dump some of this knowledge and thought that's crammed into my head, but first, I wanted to talk about secrets.
Can you keep a secret?
I learned a big secret in Vegas. One I shouldn't share with anyone. One that could change the course of history. One that might just rattle everything you believe in and leave you questioning your faith in everything you've ever stood for.
Can I trust you? Will you swear to secrecy? Can you keep your lips sealed?
The secret isn't as complex as I thought it might be, in fact, it's quite simple. I asked real estate industry vets, social media mavens, and run of the mill bloggers. I phrased the questions so many different ways to be sure I was getting "different" answers and no canned responses. They all lead back to the big secret.
The not-so-secret secret.
There are no secrets anymore.
The one thing everyone told me in different words each time, was just that: "There are no secrets anymore." With social media reaching the masses and becoming more than just a buzzword, we are creating a new reality. One where information flows from source to source, all without regard to "letting the competitor know our secrets." Bloggers I met outside of real estate seemed quite fascinated by our use of social media and loved the idea of us being there not to be gate-keepers like we once were, but instead information desks - ready to dispense our knowledge and expertise on a waiting world. Many of them agreed that when we do so, we only make ourselves more attractive as a viable way to buy and sell homes.
One blogger who I spoke to for awhile outside the convention center told me how he met an agent who was open, honest, and gave information at the drop of a hat. He gave so much information in fact, that the blogger thought "I could do that." The one thing every agent fears - training a FSBO to do it themselves. Instead the blogger contacted the agent and listed his house immediately with the agent. Why? Trust. He knew that the agent was "there for him" and would do his best. He felt that the agent was willing to give up his secret at the risk of losing the business. No longer was the agent there to build his bank account, but instead he was there to build a community.
By giving away the knowledge, the agent took the blogger's fear away. He took out all the years of distrust he had learned from others. He took away all of the negative news stories and bad reports. In an instant, he became a trusted adviser...and as the blogger told me, "a friend."
Enough with the secrets. We must continue to open our industry up to the consumers that patronize it. Will we lose business? Depends on how you look at the word lose. Do you think the FSBO was ever going to list with you? Do you think the person who equates purchasing a home to picking up a pair of socks at Wal-Mart is ever going to see the value you provide? There are people who will always go it alone. And there always will be. This will never change. The secret to our success as an industry lies within the phrase itself - there should be no secret. We may not convince those who don't want to be convinced, but we might just show someone why they can trust us and become our friend.
And that is worth more than any Vegas casino vault's cash reserve.
If Matt had listened to that, he would have missed out on the biggest closing of his career!!
Congratulations on the closing, Matt!!
See…Matt has been a testimonial of mine for the better part of a year. He recently closed the largest transaction of his real estate career thanks to a buyer that he received from Real Estate Client Referrals!! Here is what he had to say in his own words…
I have to say, I’m a skeptic at heart – when anyone promises me more business, I usually laugh and politely tell them “thanks but no thanks.”
I had heard of RECR through various websites I frequent, but wound up talking to Clint Miller one day. We spoke at length and I never got any sort of hard sell, we were just chatting about business. When I asked questions, I got answers. Good solid answers with no run around attached to them. After thinking it over for a few days, I decided to take a shot at it.
Since then, I’ve received a pretty regular stream of referrals. Since the referrals have already had contact with someone at RECR, they know I’m going to be calling and most have been very easy to speak to. The ice has already been broken and they are receptive to what I have to say. Since they’ve already been checked out, I don’t have to try calling “Mickey Mouse” for three weeks at 867-5309.
The best part about RECR is that you can “dispute a referral.” Been trying to contact someone and getting nowhere? Just tell your contact and they work to replace the referral with another one in your account.
If a referral isn’t working out, you’re not chasing your tail all day trying to draw blood from a stone. Because they give you full contact info, you can call, write, or email the referrals too, something most companies I’ve seen don’t offer (they give you email and maybe a phone number) and you already know the basics of what they’re looking for. You just need to contact them and start building the trust and relationship (RECR can’t do everything for you).
With the Gold and Platinum packages you get a guaranteed number of closings – how can you go wrong with that logic? Close on a $100,000 house at 3% and you’ve made a profit already. And because you’re the only agent in a given area, you’re not fighting other agents for the same referrals.
I know there’s plenty of skeptics in this world, as I said, I’m one of them. I’d be more than happy to answer your doubts if you’d like. Just contact Clint Miller and he’ll connect us. I am a firm believer that if something’s worth it, I want other agents to know.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Let's take a quick quiz...
There are a group of words that are used in real estate advertising that just simply don't deliver the punch that the agents thinks they deliver. Here is a list of words you should avoid:
Now, by the same token, there is a group of powerful words that can be used to deliver a better message about your ability and maintain the aspects of your ability that the client is already assuming exist within you. Those are:
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Getting ‘Busy Work' confused with actual ‘Work' - Many agents across the country suffer from not having a consistent game plan for their daily activities. There are several things that you should do daily. These include: Lead generation; Contacting prospects that are potential clients; Work and sort out the motivations of existing clients; Negotiate contracts on pending deals; Present findings to your clients. All 5 of those things MUST be done on a daily basis to maintain a consistent level of effort on all aspects of your business. If you are not getting any one of these done, you are attempting to build a business on a weak foundation and you will fail. 
Comedy aside, carpal tunnel syndrome sucks. It causes pain and numbness, loss of grip, even loss of muscle mass in your hands. And, if left untreated, it can cause permanent damage including loss of feeling, loss of muscle mass or specific movement, even complete breakdowns in moder skill. (How important is typing to you???) From one lucky recipent to another, if this is you, get it checked out. 
Believe it or not, the human nose can detect and clarify about 10,000 smells. That's right....10,000! We know that the power of smell is one of the strongest senses we, as humans, posess. And recent studies have shown that scent is the strongest of our 5 senses that is tied directly to memory. 
If you are showing a contemporary condo or loft in a hip, upscale urban setting where young singles and urbanistas are buying, you would want your clients to be highly attentive and excited. Putting out scents of rosemary, peppermint or grapefruit will help them make decisions more quickly as these scents improve alertness and stimulation.
We've all experienced delays on closings for one reason or another and they're never fun. But when they happen at the last minute it can cause a lot of stress for all parties involved in the transaction. Well that scenario happened to us this morning.
You can barely toss a random trade magazine or scan through a blog post without there being some reference to fact that real estate agents should be embracing social media. Whether that be blogging to help market themselves or having a business page on Facebook...just about everyone everywhere is agreeing that this should happen on as many levels as can be handled.
Here's the real deal -- If you suck at follow-up communication with the clients that you already have, getting more clients isn't going to make it any better for you. AND, if you cant follow up on the people you are working with right now because you feel the need to increase the size of your mafia or play Texas Hold'Em with your college buddies on Facebook, all you are doing is turning another good client into a real esate agent hater. Now that person is going to tell everyone they know what a schmuck you are and to never use you (probably naming your company or brand in the process).
Whether you know it or not, you are using one of these to your advantage to get someone to buy from you. Chances are, you are using more than one of them at any given time with any one of your potential or current clients.
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