Elena Malfi - Behind Every Agent!

RE/MAX Agents - Utilize what you're paying for!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:48:44 -0800

I am a virtual assistant working almost exclusively for RE/MAX agents. I feel compelled to post to the RE/MAX groups her on Active Rain because I am trying to reach as many RE/MAX agents as I can about an important topic, especially in economic times like this. Too many of you are not utilizing what you're already paying for! Belonging to RE/MAX puts a whole world of marketing tools at your disposal! Your Lead Street website can be customized in many different, attractive ways...and allows your web visitors to register, search the MLS, and contact you for more information. Do you have your "Ping" call-me-now button working on your website? Do you have "campaigns turned on" - that means emails are automatically sent to your web clients, at intervals that you specify. Did you know that you don't have to use pre-written emails, you can customize or completely create them yourself? Did you know that you can easily choose keywords from your website and submit them for search engine optimization? Do you utilize RE/MAX Main Street? There are videos you can put in your website. Belonging to RE/MAX allows you to quote many impressive statistics that have already been compiled for you. In your newsletters, do you denote which properties were listed and/or sold by RE/MAX? If you do, you will wind up with an impressive statistic to print, something like "70% of the homes sold in your area in the past 12 months were listed and/or sold by RE/MAX." Even if you're new, or conservative when it comes to spending, many of you have Agent Office and don't utitlize it. Even the older versions have much to offer. You probably know there are letters you can choose from, and plans to choose from, that you can launch for a particular client. Did you know that you can easily create your own customized plans, letters, reminders, etc. and Agent Office will put them on your calendar for you? Many of the agents I work for don't have any routine way of doing anything. They got to used to business being so good that it just came to them. Now they have to seek it a little more actively, and they're lost! Whether or not you're a Brian Buffini devotee, certain things are just common sense and I know you all will agree with certain fundamentals: If there are ways to get your name out there inexpensively or even for free, it should be done! Agents are competing for business today, bring a listing presentation with you when you meet with a prospective seller - there's one on Main Street that can be customized in less than a half hour! Whatever it is you feel is important to do for a seller, and the various points at which you like to keep in touch, needs to be DONE! That's where the "plans" and calendar reminders come in. Newsletters can be sent on a regular basis for the price of some paper, ink, and postage! You need to keep in touch after the closing. Reward those who refer business to you! I could go on and on, but you get the idea... Now here come the excuses...I know I should, but I don't have the time/money/organizational skills/attention to detail, etc. etc. The typical comeback from a virtual assistant is "Hey, pay me to do the things you know you should but don't have the time for, and you will make more money by spending more time with your clients." You might agree with that, but there could be several obstacles you have to overcome. Some Realtors are simply uncomfortable with change. Some don't understand the value of certain things, especially when it comes to the Internet. And the big obstacle can be...money. You all know you have to spend money to make money, even in a market like we have today. That doesn't mean that money is easy to come by, or that it's clear or easy to choose how much to spend and what to spend it on. I have started doing evaluations for RE/MAX agents...I review your website and anything else I can, and you explain to me all the things you routinely do - to get business, to sell houses, and to get referrals. I will tell you what you may be missing that other successful agents are doing. Where I am different than other virtual assistants is what comes next - I will tell you how to get the marketing pieces that you're missing done and what it will cost, but if you prefer I can show you how to do it yourself. Everything I do for Realtors they can do themselves. In a good economy it makes sense for them to hire me to do the administrative things so they can concentrate on the personal aspect of their business. But if resources are limited, there are many ways around that. I'm talking a one or two hour meeting or phone call at an AFFORDABLE price. My goal really is to help Realtors, so much so that if I get enough constructive comments on this post my next post will be The Ultimate Newbie Marketing Plan, Start to Finish...which, again, will be something you can do entirely by yourself if you so choose. I hope I raised an eyebrow or two here and that someone somewhere will go talk to their RE/MAX manager and find out how to do a little more on Lead Street or Design Center...good luck to all!

You MUST choose 1 of these 3 plans!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:46:32 -0700

Among my clients right now I have the perfect cross-section of Real Estate Agents: a new agent who happens to be unorganized; a seasoned agent who is not disciplined with her schedule because of listings being so easy to get for much of her career; and a consistent top producing agent. I think all agents can identify with one of these "types" or maybe fall somewhere in between... All 3 agents are doing well compared to where they were last year because they realize 2 things. The first thing is that they have to have a plan, and the second thing is they know where their own individual weaknesses lie. That is where I come in! My Champion Chess Players Plan is for the consistent top producer. This woman pays me on a regular basis to work her database. Her clients receive handwritten notes, anniversary and birthday cards and gifts, and frequent mailings containing "items of value." She herself creates and delivers pop bys. When she gets a new listing I design and implement all of the Internet marketing, and she uses her many years of Real Estate experience to work with the sellers about getting them home ready to show. She has delayed listings because the home was not ready to show the way she wanted it to. She gives very specific advice and has items the sellers can borrow to display in their home. My Team Plan is for the Agent who needs more Discipline and Organization. This agent know what she does best - personal visits, pop bys, meetings, phone calls. She also knows her weaknesses: allowing constant interruptions, both personal and business related, and she does not stick to a daily schedule or routine of any kind. One day she's writing personal notes in the morning and checking her email, and then she may do none of that for 2 or 3 days! I meet with her once every 2 weeks and insist the cell phone is turned off. We look at her email, her website, her listings, and map out a 2 week plan. I do the Internet marketing of her listings and I check her email daily. I notify her when something needs her attention immediately. I implement her keep in touch by mail plans. I design pop bys for her. I give her a list of names and addresses to keep in her car, along with the gifts, and throughout the 2 weeks she gets them delivered. My Construction Plan is for the New Agent. She initially gave me every bit of contact information she had, some of it scribbled on restaurant napkins. We created a database in a fairly inexpensive system that she and I can both have access to. She is great with phone calls and personal emails, so she can easily access her information to call, email, or drop a line to someone. What I do for her is implement Home Anniversary, Birthday, and Holiday mail plans. I also do her Internet marketing and have advised her about where to do this marketing. What is free, what is not, my experience as to which sites are worthwhile to use, etc. She is not good at keeping things organized but she's great with people - never forgets a name or face or detail. When she meets someone new or visits with someone she already knows, she will call or email me with all the details of the encounter. I get this information stored in her database and schedule appropriate follow up. Wherever you may fall within these three types of styles, you have to PICK A PLAN, DO IT, OR GET HELP TO DO IT. Business isn't looking for us anymore, we have to look for it. The Agent with a plan WHO STICKS TO IT improves their odds of getting business, simple as that. You all know that already. What you may not realize is that it is vital to take a day - quiet, uninterrupted- to focus on choosing that plan and being honest with yourself. What will you do? You know in your heart where you need to improve. If certain things just don't come naturally to you, don't beat yourself up over it. Pay someone to do that which you can't or won't, and you'll be paid back by the time you gain to do the particular things that you're better at. I happen to be an experienced Virtual Assistant, but there are many avenues from which you can choose. You can hire an in-house part-time assistant, a Virtual Assistant, or a friend or relative who you know is good at the things you need done. If you know where your business plan is lacking you can train someone to do those things for you. If you're confused about where to concentrate, then hire a coach or assistant. Can't afford it? Hire someone experienced for a day! Get a plan designed specifically for you and your unique situation, then find ways to implement it: yourself, a fancy expensive assistant, your teenager (they're great with the technical stuff), or someone somewhere in between! Pick a budget, and make the first expense getting your plan designed. Then allocate your budget in whatever way you can that gets the job done! It is not easy for anyone right now, but I am personally seeing many agents "weather the storm"...I'd like you all to be one of them!

You MUST follow 1 of these 3 plans!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:10:45 -0700

You MUST follow 1 of these 3 plans!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:08:59 -0700

Do you Want to be a Top Producer or a Wise Agent?

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:06:28 -0700

I have worked for Agents with different incomes and experience and have managed databases using a variety of systems. I'd like to let anyone who could use a database system for $25 a month know about The Wise Agent! I love this database because it can be accessed from any computer. Your Virtual Assistant can have access to it at any time, as can you! The Wise Agent offers COMPLETE client/vendor contact info storage, allows you to create and save letters, emails, and various plans; and offers templates for letters, forms, and newsletters. They have areas for lock box information, calendar management, and transaction management. As with any good product there is a 30 day FREE TRIAL. There are no gimmicks - the trial is FREE, and you don't start getting billed unless you specifically enter your credit card info. It is not required for the free trial. A relatively new Agent who I am working for likes Wise Agent a lot. She feels that even as a beginner she can understand the site and how to use it. They also offer online classes via GoToMeeting that the Agent or I can take. I hope this site is helpful to some of you!

Do you Want to be a Top Producer or a Wise Agent?

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:03:03 -0700

Agents - How to Get Business in ANY Economy!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:49:46 -0700

As a Virtual Assistant for the past 6 years, I believe that the philosophies about getting business do not change with the changing of the housing market or the state of the economy. We all know the basic prinicples involved, but what happens is that during a period of prosperity agents get away from the fundamentals. Some agents are making a good living, right? Some homes are still selling, some buyers are getting approved for loans and buying. So how do you GET that business that is out there? Put your down time into the basic building blocks of prospecting and referral building. If you aren't computer savvy, if you aren't organized, LEARN to be or HIRE someone to implement a plan for you. What plan? ANY plan that you will stick to! (See my post The ONLY sphere of influence plan that works!) If your marketing budget isn't what it used to be, consider this: you can learn, inexpensively, to implement a good plan yourself, or you can consult with a virtual assistant to create a plan that fits your budget. Consistency will be the key that gets results, not cost. Remember the basics? Website Is your website up to date? Is there relevant information that shows potential clients you are an experienced expert in some area or areas that will make them want to choose you? Leads If you're getting leads, do you follow-up? You have GOT to devote a portion of each day to checking leads and offering some kind of PERSONAL follow up. If you're not getting leads, maybe you need to blog more on Active Rain! Listings Listings need an attention grabbing description, virtual tour, and heavy Internet advertising. The Internet advertising, much like an Open House, makes the client happy while benefitting the Realtor with increased exposure. Keep in Touch Plans Do you have Keep in Touch Plans? Are they being implemented? You need to keep in touch with areas you are farming or prospecting with direct mail or card campaigns and newsletters. You need to keep in touch with past clients so they will use you again and so that they will REFER you. If you are a real people-person, POP BYs are a great idea! There are seasonal pop by ideas for any budget, and many of them are discussed right here on Active Rain. Do you favor EXPIRED plans or FSBO plans? If so, great! But it's like the lottery, you gotta be in it to win it! If you bought some expensive plan with a timeline and letters or emails that you can customize, put it to use! It's not making you any money sitting in a binder on a shelf somewhere! I hope this motivated some of you to get back to basics, to devote a part of each day to remaining consistent to this part of the job. I'd be happy to help anyone with any advice I can, and I hope agents will comment about any ideas that are working for their business right now.

Agents - How to Get Business in ANY Economy!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:16:03 -0700

Community Day This Weekend!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:23:47 -0700

Rain date is this Sunday...come on out, there's always a lot to see and do, plenty of parking...

Community Day

Date:		Saturday September 27, 2008
Time:		11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location:		Green Acres Park on Old York Road.
Notes:		Rain date for this event is Sunday, September 28, 2008.The police department is seeking assistance with their first annual food drive title, "Operation Helping Hands". Donations of canned goods and nonperishable products will be accepted and distributed to local food banks and churches to help area residents in need of everyday food supplies.Everyone attending is asked to bring a canned good or nonperishable item. In return for your donation, you will be given a raffle ticket for a change to win donated items throughout the day.

Simple Answers: Curious Agents' Questions for Virtual Assistants

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:47:01 -0700

What do you do? Anything you can hire an in-house assistant to do! How do we work together "virtually"? Much of what an in-house assistant does for you is online. Uploading listing photos and descriptions, designing virtual tours, posting listings to online sites, and maintaining your website are just a few examples. There are also simple, inexpensive ways to share database information online. This allows a virtual assistant access to your sphere of influence. Any designing, printing, or direct mailing that could be done from your real estate office can also be done remotely by a VA! What do you charge? I have read many posts and comments on this subject with great interest. Virtual assistants will tell you, truthfully, that they charge more than you would pay someone for data entry alone. Virtual assistants collaborate with you; we see ourselves as partners in your business, because the growth and success of our own businesses depends on your success. We pride ourselves on keeping abreast of the latest trends in real estate and Internet advertising and we will advise you of anything we feel would benefit you and your business. But - what do you charge? The important thing to remember about hiring a VA is that you pay us only when you need us. You do not have to guarantee a minimum number of hours of work per week or month (unless you want to, and you may get a discounted rate for this). You do not have to deal with any payroll/tax hassles. You do not have to worry about providing us with a desk, computer, or any other equipment in your office. You do not have to worry about our calling in sick or taking a vacation. You do not have to pay us for holidays or at times when your own business may be in a slump (unless you want to invest a little to revitalize your business!) Okay, but what do you charge? VAs often charge an hourly fee for standard work, with a higher hourly fee for very technical or otherwise specialized work. Many VAs have special package pricing available. Many VAs offer a discounted hourly rate if you contract for a minimum number of hours each month. How much is that minimum? That depends on which VA you are working with. All right, all right...WHAT IS THE HOURLY RATE? Many virtual assistants will caution you, rightly so, against hiring someone who charges much less than what you see is the average. It could indicate that they are not experienced. That being said: I have seen hourly rates on VA websites that range from $20 an hour to $50 an hour. How can I quickly ascertain pricing from a VA - I'm not sure if I even want to hire one, and the first thing I want to know is what I should expect to pay... Most VAs on Active Rain have their own websites you can easily link to. Oftentimes pricing will be indicated on the site. You can get a general idea of services offered and pricing by the website or by emailing or calling the VA directly. We're not trying to pressure you; it is just not as simple to answer a pricing question about our services as it is to get a price quote on photocopying 100 newsletters, front and back, full color, at Kinko's. Think about a conversation with us along the same lines as the conversations you may often have with your own potential clients, detailing the services you provide that warrant your commission of 6% (or whatever rate you may choose to negotiate.) Okay, I'll call...but WHO do I call? Take a moment to think about what you want and check out the VAs on Active Rain. Is there a particular type of work you want done, or are you looking for someone to suggest specific ways of increasing your business? Do you have a set budget in mind or a set amount of work that you need done each month? Does it matter to you, for any reason, if the VA is located within your home state or local area? Nothing will help you make a better decision than speaking directly to the Virtual Assistant (or assistants) you are interested in hiring. However, I highly recommend checking out several VA websites, reading their blogs, and contacting their references. Ask the Realtors they've worked for how their businesses have been impacted by their choice to work with that particular VA. One mor thung - read psots an blogs, mmake sur that the Va you use prroofreads an spellcheks to yur satisfaction! Happy Hunting!

Simple Answers: Curious Agents' Questions About Virtual Assistance

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:10:50 -0700

The ONLY Sphere of Influence Plan That Works!

Elena Malfi (Behind Every Agent) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:07:34 -0700

The ONLY Sphere of Influence/Farming/Referral/PopBy/Keep in Touch/Database/Newsletter plan that WORKS...is the one you USE!! MIND BLANK? READ ON! Brian Buffini has outlined wonderful programs for us all, most notably the popular combination of sending automated mail, personal notes, and personal visits. His plans are awesome, but if you are struggling to follow his, or anyone's plan, take heart: Implement whatever kind of plan appeals to you and you will be successful! One Realtor I work for is in her car most of the day, and on nights off she enjoys scrapbooking and crafting. After attending a Buffini seminar I helped her come up with a plan that is working for her. She is not good at personal notes - never makes the time to write them, says she can't think of anything to write...BUT she is very spontaneous and has no problem stopping by someone's house to say hello. (You have to know your clients, though, as some of them like this and some may not.) I developed a plan for her that is working - she is staying in people's minds and getting referrals, which she ASKS for. She has hundreds of past clients. I listed all those that have given her referrals in the past and I give her 10 or 15 names a month, on a rotating basis. She creates some kind of a pop by gift each month, puts them in the trunk of her car, and drives around with the gifts and the list of names and addresses. Whenever she is near one of those clients she stops by. If they're not home she leaves the gift with a note. By the end of the month she has "popped by" 10 or 15 clients homes. The part of the plan she doesn't like is recording the visits and scheduling the next one, so I do that. This card was attached to a pretty pot of mums...simple! Another Realtor I work for likes to plan who and when to visit, but can't come up with good gift ideas. She and I work together on the list and I make suggestions for the gifts. She chooses what she likes and I make them for her. This particular Realtor is very intersted in statistics and making sure her clients get so many pieces of mail or items of value from her per season...so I implement what she wants. A third Realtor I work for likes to buy Brian Buffini's items of value - she thinks they look great and people like to get and keep them. However, she does not have a detailed mind for Internet advertising. I created a listing plan for her that utilizes her website and another website that she already pays for, and I added what I think comprises a thorough Internet presence for her listings, all utilizing FREE sites. She knows this needs to be done for maximum exposure but she doesn't have a head for this kind of work, so that's what I do for her. We all know what experienced Realtors need to be doing right now: Keep in touch with past clients, advertise listings with maximum Internet exposure and an eye on the searche engines, offer feedback throughout the life of the listing, be there for the closing and move, and initiate post-closing plans. Most Realtors I've met are very good at some of these things, and are either not as good or just don't enjoy some of these tasks. A virtual assistant (or an interested sibling or spouse if you're lucky) can help you formulate a plan and STICK TO IT. You do what you do best, and those other tasks - which you know in your heart will increase business - delegate to someone else! PS This is a wonderful example of a personal mail campaign...this photo of my eleven-year old, Maria, about to ascend some death-defying ride at Six Flags turned into a card campaign for my Number 1 Client..."Having second thoughts? Let Pam and Tony give you a FREE home analysis to find out where you stand in today's market!"