We start with how to handlebuyers making a low dollar offer on a million-dollar listing, andJosh explained that he’s learned to remove the emotion from thedeal. It’s all about the numbers and taking every offer seriously,even ones that seem insulting at first. Then we answer a questionon how to use CRM systems to text prospects, Josh shared how histeam uses Big Purple Dot to send 600 video texts per day, and howhis team texts through the CRM so everything is tracked and linkedto the prospects.
Then we dig into how Josh run his Facebook lead generationsystem, from the overall process from the user’s perspective, tothe creative that goes into his ads to create curiosity and get aprospect to take action. Josh finds about 10% of people that clickthrough from Facebook will opt-in on his site, which he considers a“lead.”
You’ll also learn:
Then we go over Josh’s Mega OpenHouse strategy, which they use to sell 30 homes per month, almost50% of their business. “You must learn to become brilliant at thethings you can control,” Josh explained, “the marketplace will notaccept average.” So Josh focused on the factors of an Open Housethat he controls:
Josh also shared how he handles the knee-jerkobjection from Open House visitors that they already have an agent.He explained that most agents don’t follow up, so he doesn’t handlethese visitors any differently than if they don’t have an agent. Hetours them through the home, attempts to collect their informationat registration and then puts them into his funnel. Superior followup over time will beat virtually every other agent.
Resources & Tools
Big Purple Dot - Real Estate CRMsystem Josh and his team currently use
LionDesk - Another real estateCRM Josh recommends http://www.liondesk.com/
PerfectStormNow.com - JoshuaSmith’s CRM product http://perfectstormnow.com/
If you’re looking to take yourbusiness to a new level, Facebook and Open Houses are leadgeneration sources you have absolute control over and can master atlittle to no cost. Then you can add paid Facebook ads to the mix toreally put your lead gen into overdrive. Be brilliant at the thingsyou control!
Joshua Smith is thefounder/owner of Revisto Real Estate Group in the greater Phoenixarea. A serial entrepreneur and one of the top 30 Realtors in thecountry, Josh has built a powerhouse team by coaching agents tomaximize their production. Josh is also part-owner of the upcomingreal estate lead gen system Perfect Storm. Connect with Josh andsend referrals to his team in Phoenix by emailing Joshua@revistorealestate.comand learn about Perfect Stormat http://perfectstormnow.com/.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’sFavorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller leadfollow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and muchmore.
We start with a question about dealing with low inventory markets, and Greg explained how they actively go after FSBO’s, Zillow Make Me Moves, 6 month old Expired’s and circle prospecting to expose homes that are currently off-market.
Marti explained that their track record and lead gen efforts allows them to focus on taking listings without much adjustment. Marti explained, “We are a listing house. We are the best listing team, we sell more pre-owned homes than any other agent in our market. You gotta have a really big ego to do this. You have to believe that you’re the best.”
Once listed, their priority is then to probe each offer and make sure their seller client is getting the best offer, with the best terms, from the best-qualified and positioned buyer.
Marti shared how her team gives back and builds relationships with local agents with cash giveaway drawings to any agent who does a deal with their team every 3 months.
Then we dive into Marti’s story, beginning with her start in real estate as a single mother of three, to her shifting focus to listings and starting to build her team. Marti explained that she started to invest in herself with training and coaching which helped position her for the next jump.
What really exploded her listings and allowed her to dominate her market was the addition of radio advertising. Marti became a member of RATE group which helps agents leverage radio to generate listings. Marti runs a combination of One Minute Real Estate Updates, short spots and testimonials on country and talk radio stations that have loyal listeners. Marti shared, “We keep up on our success stories and we try to promote them everywhere. I think 5 years from now people will decide if they’re going to do business with you based on your reviews.”
We also cover how Marti’s team uses personal gift and videos to position the seller before the listing appointment. Marti and her team have shot 20+ videos on varying topics for sellers and about their team, and her listing agents choose the most applicable for each potential seller client, which takes the place of a pre-listing packet.
We finish up by going into how Marti developed her Coming Soon Homes platform and how she uses it in her market to build demand for Open Houses and set herself apart from every other agent. This platform allows both agents and buyers to see homes that Marti’s team is about to bring to market, and captures leads for her team as well. Marti is about to open up her local site to other agent’s listings, making her site the main destination for this information in her market, further entrenching her team as the dominant listing team.
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If you’re looking to separate your team and
dominate the listings in your market, this is a must-listen
episode. Marti has set the standard and continues to innovate with
her Coming Soon Homes platform, which may evolve into a way for
sellers to find their listing agent online.
Marti Hampton is the broker/owner of one of the top RE/MAX teams in the world, finishing #5 worldwide. Marti is also the founder of Coming Soon Homes, an online service that provides pre-market information to both agents and buyers on homes prior to hitting the MLS. To send referrals to Marti’s team in Raleigh/Durham area, contact her via email at marti@martihampton.com and learn more about Coming Soon Homes at http://comingsoonhomes.com/.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We start with a few pointers on Facebook Live, which Greg is experimenting with in his local area with good success. One great tip is to choose a time to consistently broadcast live, then let people know when you’ll be broadcasting so they can join you.
Next Jeff kicks off our segment on Craigslist posts, currently their #2 top-producing source of online leads. Jeff shared how they outsource Craigslist posting for only $175/mo and it generates hundreds of leads and 60 deals for their team in 2015. As strange as it may sound, even though Craigslist took away the option to put live, clickable links in a post, this strategy still works. Simply direct people to the plain-text link, and people will copy/paste it into a browser. The result is eye-popping 18% conversion of click-to-lead ratio. In other words, if you’re willing to copy and paste a link into a new browser, you’re more likely to register to continue searching.
As Jeff points out, stay ethical and only post in the Offered-by-Broker section of real estate. His team treats Craigslist leads the same as any other buyer lead and converts them at the same rate.
Next we go into Facebook boosted posts, which has become one of the team’s lowest cost source of leads, and among the top 4 lead sources overall. Jeff’s agents post their new listings, fun searches or neighborhood-searches as posts, then boosts the posts with $5, $10 or $20 to Friends-of-Friends or demographic groups they want to target. The posts are dead simple, sending people to Jeff’s Boomtown site where they register to continue searching for homes. Jeff’s agents then follow up like any other lead.
Jeff shared his Boomtown dashboard showing his lead sources for the past 30 days, in which Facebook accounted for 2500 website visits and over 100 leads.
We finish up by talking about Jeff’s highest-dollar value activity, going on listing appointments, and how he structures it so he passes the listing off to an agent and keeps 75%. Jeff also shares how he keeps in touch with his database through video marketing, and how he keeps an eye on what other agents are talking about to get ideas for his videos.
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Hopefully these tips inspire and equip you to try things like Craigslist posts, boosting posts on Facebook and publishing your own video blog. Just remember, nothing substitutes for real follow up, both by phone and in person!
Jeff Cohn is the founder of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, Nebraska’s #1 selling team, and President of Elite Real Estate Systems, which has expansion teams in 4 cities around the country. Click here to learn more about Jeff’s Team Building Workshops or connect with Elite Real Estate Systems on Facebook.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We start with a quick question on Zestimates and how Todd got into a Twitter war with Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff. Todd pointed out that the Zestimate was about 60% high on Rascoff’s own house in Seattle, which recently sold for 700,000 below the Zestimate. Todd also answered the question of how a buyer agent should look out for in a short sale situation, explaining that patience and short sale experience is the key.
Then Todd shared how he stumbled onto the short sale/foreclosure market through a chance opportunity to be an expert witness. He gave a Broker Price Opinion in a bankruptcy case. Todd asked who would get the listing, and the attorney explained that banks have lists of preferred agents, so Todd doubled down and spent 6 months finding every bank in the US and getting on their lists. Todd also cold called agents who sold REO, went to every conference and joined every group, so he was ready when the REO market exploded.
The growth was so quick that Todd scrambled to create the systems to handle this growth, eventually growing to over 600 listings and 120 agents working the leads and listings. Those systems also helped get more systematic and more experienced, so even as the REO market declined, Todd’s team can head off problems before they come up. “It was nice to have 60, 70 closings a month, but payroll was over $100k a month,” Todd explained. “I was very fortunate, I was in the right place at the right time, but I did the right things to put myself there.”
Next we dug into Todd’s background in video blogging. Todd was one of the first to use a Flip cam to record educational videos for his database. He shared where he gets his topic ideas, how he systematized the process, and the results of video blogging. Todd can directly attribute over 130 deals to leads coming from his video blog, which now has over 500 videos.
Then we dive into the app Todd has created in conjunction with Kristian Peter, another former REO mega-agent (and former guest of the show). HomingIn is a crowdsourced home valuation tool consumers use to request real home value estimates from real agents. Consumers request an estimate, which then pings all agents in the area, allowing them to submit a home value estimate with reasons, request pictures from the homeowner, and set themselves apart for other agents.
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HomingIn is in the early stages, so get in on the ground floor and try it out. It has great potetial to take off and become a go-to platform for sellers to find listing agents online. And when you spot an opportunity, double down and put everything you have to establish yourself in that niche.
Todd Miller is a top listing agent in Las Vegas specializing in Fannie Mae properties, and together Todd and his wife have sold over 3000 homes. Todd is a former #1 worldwide agent for KW, at one point carrying 600+ listings and working with 120 agents. Todd also runs a popular real estate video blog to which he directly attributes at least 130 transactions. Connect with Tood and check out his video blog at toddmillertv.com. Be sure to download the HomingIn app on the Apple App Store, or learn more about the app at homingin.co.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We start with a question on the ethics and pros/cons of “coming soon’ listings. Both Greg and Preston agree that there’s nothing wrong morally or ethically in promoting the listing in advance. As long as you’re doing your fiduciary duty of attempting to get the seller the highest price and best terms in the shortest amount of time, there should be no issue with coming soon marketing.
Then we dive into the elements of a great headshot, including:
Timeliness
No obstruction of the eyes
Smile with teeth
Clothing
Preston tested his own headshot using an app called PhotoFeeler, where the public votes on profile photos and gives real feedback you can use to choose your best photos. Check out the app at https://www.photofeeler.com/.
Some of the more surprising results of Preston’s headshot testing were the fact that squinting your eyes helps convey likeability and confidence, and that full body shots were voted very low compared to head-and-shoulders shots. Preston also noted that if you use the PhotoFeeler app, it’s important to wait till you get at least 40 votes before drawing any conclusions.
Preston also shared the early results of interviews he’s conducted with executives and founders of 4 different virtual reality startups. Some of the possibilities include “virtual home tours” where you can view properties in full 3d, tour multiple properties and even make offers without ever setting foot in the home. At the very least it limits the amount of homes an agent has to show in person. However, it also affects the perception of the value of a Realtor, forcing us to explain how our value is in the negotiation and transaction management, not the opening of doors.
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With all the changes coming soon in virtual reality, live video and our entire existence being documented online, it’s important to put your best foot forward. Get comfortable with video, get high quality and effective headshots that convey the right qualities. This allows prospective clients to get comfortable with you in the online world so they’re more likely to contact you and work with you in the real world.
Preston Zeller is a real estate broker in Vancouver, WA in the greater Portland area. Preston comes from a family of real estate entrepreneurs, including builders, developers and investors. Prior to his real estate career, Preston started his own digital marketing consultancy, offering web design, branding and video production. Learn more about Preston at http://prestonzeller.com/ and send referrals to him via email at Broker@PrestonZeller.com.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We start with a question on how to demonstrate value and maintain your commission with luxury listings. Greg explained how listing presentations need to be customized for luxury clients, how to research them in advance so you know what type of person you’re dealing with. Danny agreed and pointed out an app called Charlie that gives you intelligence on anyone coming up on your calendar to give you common interests and key points from their social media profiles.
Next Danny shared the story of how he transitioned from real estate attorney to licensed agent and how he built his team by continuously getting low value activities off his plate. “That’s the biggest misconception people have is they don’t realize you are a salesperson first, a real estate agent second. So I dove into sales hardcore. I bought every sales book imaginable,” Danny explained. “I know a lot of agents who have the contract memorized but are broke because they have no clients.”
Danny shared why he treats luxury clients the same as any other client, “I think the skills are the same. It’s all about asking great questions.” Danny also explained that some of the best high-dollar referrals have come from lower-end clients.
The systems Danny and his team have built allow them to provide very high levels of client service. “At the end of the day, a system is just a good checklist. So now we have all these 5-star Yelp reviews, and it’s all because our admin people follow the checklist that’s there, and we know that those things work.”
Then we dive into how Danny uses Vyral Marketing, and the Open-and-Click reports from their video emails to their database. Danny’s ISA team makes “customer service” calls to his database based on the response to their emails, looking for people in their database who are thinking of making a move.
We finish by covering Danny’s approach to team building, management and recruiting, and why it’s so important to hire self-managing, self-motivating people.
Resources:
Rocket Fuel -Gino Wickman - Influential book on Danny’s systems-based approach
Basecamp - For running your systems and checklists with your team
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Whether you’re looking to build a dominant real estate team or just want to attract one more client per month, the key is skills and systems. Focus on building your skills, both sales and management, and then create systems so things get done the right way every time.
Danny Batsalkin is the CEO and co-founder of TBG Homes, one of the most successful teams in the Keller Williams network. Danny hosts The Real Estate Zone, a weekly radio show that airs at 7 am on Saturdays on Talk Radio 790 KABC. Danny also trains and coaches real estate agents and is a Certified Trainer for the national bestselling book, The ONE Thing, by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. Learn more about Danny’s team at https://tbghomes.com/ and send referrals in Bevery Hills or Calabasas via email at dannyb@kw.com or call 310-432-5755 .
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We started with a question on verbiage for listing appointment/consultation. Greg explained why he uses “listing appointment” with himself and his staff, and “listing consultation” with the seller. This helps him think of the appointment as immovable, but less threatening to the seller. Melinda shared why she uses “listing presentation” which sets up the expectations for a sales presentation. We also covered some ideas for marketing a home with a small plane hangar on the property.
Melinda explained some of the keys to her success in 2015, starting with script practice. “One of the things I really focused on this last year was increasing my presentation skills. Really working on my scripts, my objection handlers, knowing the inventory, getting out and previewing properties so I know what I’m presenting. It really makes a difference when you really sound like you know what you’re doing..” She shared her schedule for daily and weekly role play and listing presentation script practice.
“When I first started in this business, I was role playing 2 hours every day,” Melinda said. “I was also practicing all day long on the people I was talking to. They didn’t know I was practicing but I was. In the beginning my closing ratio was maybe 25%, now it’s 85%.”
We also dig into the mechanics of Melinda’s schedule, how she previews 5 homes in an hour, why she still works 10-12 hours a day during the week, and why she raised her minimum buyer standards. She also shared some great tips for door knocking and scheduling. “The key to getting more done is scheduling.” Melinda shared how she holds herself accountable to focus on work during work hours, “I just ask myself, would my client be happy if they knew what I was spending my time on right now?”
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Melinda’s business is a great example of a streamlined rainmaker model, with a support team that plays to her strengths and allows her to focus on new business. In a rainmaker model, increasing your skills, knowledge and client standards are the keys to making more profit. So learn from Melinda’s example, put in the work and you’ll see the results in your business just like Melinda.
Melinda Elmer is ranked among the top 1% of agents in today’s market and works out of Long Beach, CA.. Melinda has consistently been awarded the designation of top buyers agent and top listing agent and she has been recognized for her outstanding achievements by the Women’s Council of Realtors. She is a multi-year recipient of the prestigious Los Angeles Magazine’s Five Star rating. Send referrals in the Long Beach area to melinda@theelmerteam.com or call 562-316-2915.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We start with the basics of Instagram, including what types of content is most popular, why you should stick with very short videos even though IG raised it’s limit to 60 seconds, and how to find your Facebook friends on IG.
Sarah shared the top three ways Instagram has changed her business:
Sarah explained her strategy behind hashtags, which she breaks into two groups: Hashtags she uses often and funny hashtags. Sarah uses local hashtags to put her posts in front of people looking for real estate, finding the hashtags people are already using and then adding them to your posts.
Focusing on local events and commenting on them using hashtags is a great way to attract more followers. Tagging yourself in specific locations around your city also helps put your posts in front of new potential followers.
On Instagram, interaction is key. Sarah explained that anytime she posts on Instagram, typically once a day, she sets aside the next 15 minutes to interact with people she follows and people using the hashtags she follows. Basically she’s starting conversations with people, who will then check out her profile. Sarah is also careful not to fake-like all people’s recent posts when she starts following them, she prefers a more authentic approach of liking just a few posts.
Then Sarah shared her strategy for mixing personal and business content, why you shouldn’t pay for likes on Instagram, and how to link your IG acct to your Facebook Business page, and why she only boosts non-business posts on Facebook.
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Gary Vaynerchuk says, “One piece of content can change your life” and Sarah is a great example. One short video clip caused her IG account to take off, getting tons of comments and shares from agents around North America. So start sharing pictures and short video clips, interact with people based on local hashtags, and be yourself. You never know when one of your posts will go viral and attract hundreds or thousands of new followers!
Guest Bio- Sarah Johnston is a 10-year veteran Realtor with Maxwell Canyon Creek in Calgary, Alberta. Sarah is a Certified Negotiation Expert, Condominium Specialist, Country Residential and Buyers Representative. To send referrals to Sarah in Calgary, email her at sarah@sarahjohnston.ca or DM her on Instagram, adventuresinrealestateyyc.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
What are the pillars of your business? In our latest interview episode, Justin Woodall shares how he nearly left the business during the recession, why he decided to double down on lead generation, and how he’s built a thriving team on prospecting and referrals.
Takeaways + Tactics
Be client-minded, not commission-minded
Systems are the key to growing your business - every deal is different but your activities are usually the same
Education and follow up the key to converting Expireds - Help them understand the market and their options and then follow up consistently
You have to know that when you do the right thing, when you put the clients first and serve them, that everything will work out just fine. - Justin Woodall
We start with a question from a newer agent on whether they should join a team or stay independent. Justin and Greg agreed that joining a team has advantages but you’re giving up commission, and it’s crucial to understand your niche and what you’re good at.
Next, Justin shared the importance of systems and how they allow him to do 150 deals without sacrificing client service. He explained how he tracks information for listing presentations and has his asst put together a file with all the information he needs for that appointment. Justin also shared his backstory and the structure of his team, including why he hired a second assistant rather than hiring a buyer’s agent as he started to get busier.
Justin explained why he’s hired an ISA to help follow up with leads, the qualities of a successful ISA and how he compensates her. That led Justin to share of his biggest challenges in building a team, “I think hiring the right people is a skill that’s kind of hard to develop. And if you haven’t done it, you don’t have a clue... I’m become a lot more selective on who I bring on my team.”
Then we dive into how Justin holds agents accountable, rewards success, and the metrics they track. Rather than holding a weekly meeting, Justin meets with his team for a 15 minute Daily Huddle and then a larger meeting once a month, which keeps them on track without taking up too much time.
Justin also answered the question, What would you do if you were starting out in the business today? “Get really clear on where you want to be. Do you want to grow your own team, be on a team, what kind of quality of life do you want to have?” We finished by covering how Justin goes after Expired listings and why they are still a pillar of his business.
Justin’s story is a great example of perseverance, investing in yourself through coaching and education, and succeeding through experiments. You’re going to make some mistakes, hire the wrong people, send out the wrong marketing pieces. Focus on giving the best service possible, stay in touch with your database and adjust to the market and you’ll be successful over the long run.
Guest Bio
Justin Woodall is the owner of the Justin Woodall Group with Keller Williams in Athens, GA. Justin’s team consistently ranked in the top 10 teams for the entire Keller Williams Southeast Region for several months in 2015 and continues to grow, selling over 150 homes last year. To send referrals to Justin in the Athens area, email justin@justinwoodall.com and learn more about his team at thejustinwoodallgroup.com.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Power prospector and listing pro Susan Heller joins us to share her weekly structure for prospecting, how her Closing Negotiator helps her give great service, and why phone prospecting is her default setting.
Takeaways + Tactics
Start your week off strong with a Money Monday full of highly focused prospecting
Make follow-up calls from 9-11am on Saturday morning - people will be impressed with your diligence and you have less competition
Spend 30min role playing in the morning with a partner to sharpen your scripts
We started with a simple objection handler for Open Houses, “Why don’t you just give me your business card and I’ll get in contact with you.” Susan and Greg agreed that questions are key to both engaging them in conversation and qualifying them to see if you can help them. This also builds comfort and makes it more likely that they’ll actually reach out to you rather than “lose” your card.
Then we cover Susan’s background, including her stint as a telephone interviewer that removed much of her fear of hearing NO, and how that experience prepared her to be a great prospector.
Susan shared how she brought on an experienced agent, who brought her own database, to join her team as a “Closing Negotiator.” This team member actually negotiates many of Susan’s contracts in addition to transaction coordination. This very unique combination gives Susan a lot of freedom to bring in new business and still provide a very high level of client service. Susan explained “As we know, with today’s technology, we can be anywhere and still be listing and selling property.”
Then we dive into how Susan generates her leads, including networking with other agents for nationwide referrals and online leads, and her prospecting structure. Susan outlined her Money Monday, “I prospect Monday from 8am to 8pm. I start every morning with Expired’s, then some follow-up and I’ve been doing some probate. I’ll take maybe a 2 hour break in the middle of the day. Then I go back on the phone, typically from 4-8pm and then the massage therapist arrives at the house around 8:15pm.”
Susan also invests 8am-noon every other day prospecting, 2 hours every Sat morning for extra follow up, and if she doesn’t have appointments in the afternoon, she hops back on the phones.
Want to inject a shot of adrenaline into your real estate business? Hit the phones and hustle for appointments. It’s the fastest, most direct path to more business.
Guest Bio
Susan Heller is an award-winning 20-year veteran broker and real estate team leader based in Naples, FL. As a longtime coaching client of Mike Ferry, Susan is a top listing agent and strong prospector. Her team structure and attention to detail allow Susan to provide excellent client service without losing focus on bringing in new business. To send Susan referrals in Naples, call 239-248-8000 or email susan@susanheller.com.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
How do you systematically grow a business without falling victim to Shiny Object Syndrome? Mega agent and business consultant Lars Hedenborg joins us to share his story and his approach to scaling up, focusing on your highest value activities, and installing the systems that build momentum in your business.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Schedule your two 90-minute prospecting blocks every day and ruthlessly guard them
2. If you want to exit the buy side of your business, set a date and turn the leads over. More than anything, it’s a decision to be OK with someone else performing at 80% of your ability.
3. Build systems and checklists for everything - systems are the key to scaling and exiting your business
It takes a lot of effort to get the momentum going. Once we got it going, it didn’t take much for me to go from 120 to 500 sides this year. -Lars Hedenborg
We started by asking Lars about his Referral Cards, which he distributes around his office, and how his team asks for referrals 4 times during the process. This has helped his team generate 35% of their business through referrals. We also covered Lars background in M&A’s evaluating businesses and how that set him up for success in real estate by giving him a good business foundation and understanding of business systems.
Then we go into the buyer side of real estate, and Lars explained that one of the key skills he built in his 1st year was mastering buyer side scripts. Timeblocking, discipline and holding yourself accountable were key to building his buyer side business. “I didn’t like prospecting, it was the worst thing in the world. But I knew nobody was going to call me,” Lars explained.
In terms of scaling your buyer business, Lars explained that the best buyer leads are yard sign calls, so exclusively working with buyers isn’t a sustainable business model. If you do choose to remain a buyers agent, you can focus on internet leads, Open Houses or even join a team that allows you to focus on buyers while passing off listing leads to a listing agent. Lars also shared that even on the buyer side, you need two focused 90-minute prospecting sessions in the morning in order to generate the leads you need.
If you’re looking to become a top listing agent, Lars explained, “I don’t think there’s a more highly leveraged activity than marketing; designing an Expired piece or a FSBO piece or putting a FSBO system into your CRM. That’s how I build my listing inventory initially. I never was much of a smile-and-dial to Expireds guy. I was always good at creating direct response pieces that got people to call me.” He also shared that weekly communication with your sellers is so critical, and how he dropped the ball in that area early in his career.
Then we covered the challenge of focusing on listings and giving your buyer leads to other agents or hiring your first buyer agents. Lars explained that if you want any freedom in your life, it’s very difficult to keep working with buyers, and you must set a date to delegate this part of your business and establish good systems for your buyer agents. The key is that Lars personally worked his Boomtown buyer leads for a full year before he brought on a buyer agent, so he had systems in place that he could teach his buyer agent (who is still with his team).
On scaling up and out of the listing side, Lars shared his process to building your systems and processes for taking listings, and finding the right person to replace you. “Not having the systems in place is where it tends to fail,” Lars said. He also shared how he would enter the business today with 1) internet buyer leads and 2) Database. Those two things could take you to 50-75 deals. Just by working yard sign calls and adding some direct response marketing could take you to over 100 deals per year. Then it becomes much more about systems, vision and leadership.
Finally, we talked about how Lars gets clarity, how he chooses which systems to install next in his business, and how he goes about installing those systems. Lars recommended a book called Traction, that really helped give him an overview of the 4 pillars of a business: marketing, sales, operations and finance. To that Lars has added vision and leadership to come up with 6 total drivers he teaches agents to implement in their business. “People drive the systems and your business is a reflection of you, but it really is a systems-based approach to business...It’s a little checklist for everything.”
So whether you’re looking to scale and exit your real estate business, or you’re just starting out in the business, taking a systems-based approach will give you a huge advantage. There’s a pattern you can follow, one that many other agents have proven to work, and they key is to put in the effort to build the momentum. Great systems are the key to scaling your business and getting big or even exiting daily production.
Guest Bio
Lars Hedenborg is a top agent in Charlotte, NC whose team sells over 400 homes a year while Lars works in the business one day per week. Lars is also the founder of Real Estate B-School, where he teach top producing agents and team leaders the exact same mindsets, systems, tools and strategies behind his success. Learn more about Lars and the B-School at rebsstrategysession.com.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Be very careful about partnering with another agent in your business - in most cases you’re better off paying referral fees or hiring staff
2. Leverage your time with Showing Assistants and pay them a flat fee per houses shown
3. Submit an “Our Story” writeup for your buyers with every offer - pull on the heartstrings by including pictures (with your client’s permission)
In our latest episode, our scheduled guest was unable to join us so we answered a range of sales and marketing questions from real estate Facebook Groups.
We covered:
*Objection handlers for seller prospects who want to go with an agent who has listings in the neighborhood
*Why you may bring on a partner in your real estate business
*How to follow up with a seller after not getting the listing signed at the list consultation
*Having buyers write an “Our Story” letter to submit with their offer
*How to use and pay Showing Assistants
*Services you can use to collect and publish reviews and testimonials
If you’d like YOUR question answered on the show, post it on the Real Estate Uncensored Facebook Fan Page. You’ll get your question answered on one of our shows the same week!
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Notaries often have incredibly valuable and timely market information, but agents don’t tap into that source of intelligence. In our latest episode, Bay area notary and agent Brian Gillman shares how notaries pick up patterns and see market developments before they become statistics. He also explains how to build relationships with notaries and other related professionals so you have an intelligence network feeding you up-to-the-minute market information, and how to use that information to attract new clients.
Takeaways + Tactics
Build relationships with the best notaries in your market - Your title/escrow reps will know exactly who they are
Observe where buyers are coming from and moving to, and how demographics affect these changes
Use this on-the-ground intelligence to run targeted ad campaigns to reach potential clients with a very targeted, local-specific message
I see numbers before they become statistics. So when the county aggregates and releases numbers for January, that’s old news to me, because I saw it last week or if not today. -Brian Gillman
We started by answering an objection from a homeowner you might encounter while circle prospecting. Greg explained how to handle both on the phone and on the doors, including how to bring up something personal about their home or their vehicle that you genuinely like to shift the conversation away from real estate and build rapport.
Next we dove into Brian’s role as a notary, which goes far beyond getting loan documents signed and into being a translator that helps both buyers and sellers at the closing table. Then we get into how Brian conducts 4-5 “exit interviews” with buyers and sellers to get a feel for where the market is going, and how he tried to share that information with agents (unsuccessfully). Brian gave some great examples in the Bay area of how specific types of people are moving, why they move in and out of specific areas, demographics and work situations that are driving those changes.
Brian shared how to use small bits of market information to build infographics for social media that will attract the attention of specific types of clients. Brian explained how he would go about building relationships with someone in his position and how you can send them business.
Clients come and go. Strategic partners can send you both clients and valuable market information for decades to come. So reach out to your title and escrow people, your notaries, your loan officers and other related professionals. Build real relationships and look for ways to help grow their business, and you’ll lay a solid foundation for your real estate business.
Guest Bio
Brian Gillman is an experienced notary and licensed agent with Intero Log Gatos. Brian serves the entire 680 corridor in the Bay area, from Danville to Los Gatos. Contact him at brian@briankgillman.com or call/text 925-895-5300.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
When you’re already selling 350 homes a year in a smaller market, where do you look for growth? For Charlotte the answer is her sphere of influence, which she believes can yield another 100 transactions a year. But it’s not just about growth. By strengthening relationships with her database of past clients, referral partners and sphere, Charlotte is building a saleable asset. We’ll break down exactly how she built her team and how she’s restructuring it to give her the freedom to leave production, retire or even sell her team.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Select your testimonials carefully and maximize those that speak to -and attract - your ideal clients
2. Radio is one of the best sources of listing leads for top agents around the country - you could also run a podcast to get a similar effect on a smaller scale
3. Build your team with the end goal in mind- whether it’s to actively manage the tea, retire from daily operations or sell your business
We’re projecting we can add at least another 100 transaction this year just by doing that (reconnecting with database). All we’re changing is bringing in ISA’s to really tackle that database. -Charlotte Mabry
We kicked off this episode by answering the question, “How do you deal with a seller who’s being unrealistic on price?” Greg and Charlotte both use similar scripting and emphasized how important it is to ask questions and go three deep to get the seller’s true motivation. We also went over the scripting for presenting your team’s value to seller clients, which include marketing prowess, communication and client service.
We started with Charlotte’s story and the key skills to develop as a new agent. Charlotte explained that the best way to get into the business is work with buyers and ask for the listing opportunities when they arise. Then do everything it takes to get those first listings sold while learning the market and learning how to price homes correctly.
Then we dive into how Charlotte runs her team and provides value to her agents, including weekly team meetings, book clubs and lead generation. After focusing primarily on referrals, Charlotte began expanding and generating leads online, then 8 years ago expanded into a live radio show, which now accounts for about 30% of all her leads. As a result, her agents often get ‘Come List Me’ leads because of the credibility built through the radio show.
Charlotte uses very targeted testimonials, which are read by on-air radio talent during commercial slots, to attract the exact type of client she wants. As a result, her team’s average sale price is well above the average sale price for the area. We also covered the admin staff and why they are salaried without bonuses.
Next we covered the changes Charlotte is making to structure her team to allow her to completely step out of production, and her plans to hire a CEO/GM role that will allow her to retire or even sell her team. Charlotte is working on cutting costs and using ISA’s to strengthen relationships with her database, which is the core, saleable value of her real estate business. These ISA’s are young, local guys who know the area rather than overseas VA’s like other teams use.
“If we didn’t get another single lead, it wouldn’t matter for probably 6 months.” Charlotte pointed out that despite having this thousands of leads, they’re always looking to get better and build better relationships with their sphere because that’s the real value in her business. We hope you learn from her example and stay in touch with your database to build your career (or your team) on a solid, sustainable foundation.
Guest Bio
Charlotte Mabry is the founder of the Charlotte Mabry Team, Chattanooga’s #1 selling team, which sold over 350 homes in 2015. Charlotte appears every Saturday morning on her own live radio show, Chattanooga Real Estate Doctor on 102.3 WGOW. To send referrals to Charlotte, email her at charlotte@charlottemabryteam.com and check out her Chattanooga real estate video blog at http://charlottemabry.blogspot.com/.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Keeping touch with your database is so important we couldn’t cover it in one episode! In our second installment we dive into the tech tools and services you can use to leverage your time and easily keep in touch with your database.
Takeaways + Tactics
Pull old Expired’s and market to them via Facebook ads (if the list is large enough)
Pop-by your database with a CMA or even a printed Zestimate page w/handwritten note advising them to contact you if they’re curious about the true value of their home
Look for helpful content online and share it with your database via social media - and add your opinion
Trust is created by promises fulfilled over time. You could do live videos whenever you feel like it, or you could build trust with your audience and your database by setting a specific time and doing it consistently. -Matt Johnson
We started by answering a couple questions, including where to get information on foreclosures and FSBO’s such as Zillow and ReboGateway. Greg also explained how to go a company like TheRedX to find old expired’s and run Facebook ads to that group, Matt expanded on this to explain the concept of custom audiences and how to upload them to Facebook Ads Manager.
Then we dove into how Greg’s team uses email and video to keep in touch with their database, including HomeActions for email newsletters and Vyral Marketing for video updates, email and social media posts. We discuss some options for doing these things yourself, including BombBomb, KW Video and Happy Grasshopper.
We covered some of the topic ideas Greg covers in his update videos, where he gets ideas for content (RealtyTimes for example), and Matt explained the value of consistency and choosing a set time and schedule for your live videos. Matt also shared how Vine/YouTube superstar Logan Paul is switching to Facebook Live to record all his videos and then re-formatting and editing the video down for Instagram and Vine.
Next we talked about events with your database, the three types of events you should be running, and how to incorporate some high-tech elements like hashtags into your events to maximize your exposure.
We finished by talking about follow up, the challenge of lead identification versus lead generation, and why people need to be beat over the head with your message in order to remember you and what you do.
When people aren’t actively buying or selling real estate, it’s often the furthest thing from their mind. So it’s critical to keep in contact with your database by bringing value, communicating with them through every channel, including social media, and talk about topics outside of real estate.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Mega-agent and broker Greg Harrelson recently said, “It’s not about lead generation, that’s old news. It’s about lead identification.” In other words, you probably have enough people in your database to make a great living in real estate, so the challenge isn’t more “leads.” The challenge now is identifying the people in your database most likely to make a move soon. In our latest episode we share some strategies for keeping in touch with your database to identify those people early.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. A CRM with a thousand features that sits unused is a waste of your money - Find a CRM that is so simple you’ll actually USE it
2. Use a 10 Days of Pain follow up sequence to warm up new leads before putting them on a long-term follow up plan
3. Don’t stress out about reconnecting with your database - a simple phone call or pop-by with a simple script is all you need
Consistently make sure you are adding value to their life every time you’re around them. -Greg McDaniel
We started with Greg ranting about how much he hates brokerage award ceremonies (sensitive ears may want to skip this section). Then we took a question from the Lead Gen Facebook Group about how to get a buyer focused on properties that are on the MLS versus Zillow. Greg explained that your job as a buyer agent is to help your clients find the right product even if it’s on Zillow as a FSBO or Make Me Move. If you’re showing too many homes it’s up to you to set expectations and refocus them on MLS properties first then move to the off-market properties as the next step.
So what if you don’t have your database put together yet? There are some great CRM options out there, and you can export all your contacts from Gmail, Facebook, LinkedIn and lead gen programs to put them in one CRM system.
We also talked briefly about delegation, why you should know your hourly value and look for ways to get anything worth less off your plate. Matt explained how he works with virtual assistants and how to find the value you as the agent bring to any part of the value chain.
Then we go into lead follow up so that people are properly put into your database to start with, including how Greg expanded on Ben Kinney’s 10 Days of Pain sequence into 26 Days of Pain. Greg also shared a basic script for following up via phone after your initial follow up sequence ends.
A big challenge we hear from agents is how to reconnect with their database after months or even years of neglect. Greg and Matt both shared scripts and ideas for this situation, including phone follow up and pop-by’s.
Just as Chris Angell pointed out on a previous episode, our industry has changed from a sales industry to a consulting industry. That means focusing on relationships over cold prospecting. Compiling and reconnecting with your database is the first step in building solid relationships that will form the foundation of your business for years to come.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
What does it take to sell multi-million dollar homes and work with high-end clientele such as pro athletes, entrepreneurs and executives? Chicago luxury agent Michael LaFido joins us to share his tactics and techniques; from taking your first luxury listing and creating lifestyle marketing to attract luxury buyers, to attracting high-end clients through networking and referrals.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Develop networks and relationships with referral partners who work with high-end clientele
2. Offer different packages of services and don’t be afraid to charge more than other agents
3. Know your metrics - both local housing and economic stats and your own sale stats
Many luxury sellers, they have a lot of money, they’re smarter, they’re business owner, CEO-types. They’re going to do their due diligence and vet you out. They’re going to ask tough questions. -Michael LaFido
We start by answering a couple questions from the Facebook Group on how to prep buyers to compete in a seller’s market. Greg shared what he’s doing, and we contrast that with Michael’s market in Chicago which is heavily in favor of the buyer, with few luxury homes selling. Michael also shared how estate sales can be a good lead source and how he developed a referral relationship with estate sale company. Michael and Greg riff on how they used moving trucks to generate referrals and use them as a local billboard.
Then we dive into how the economy and political climate is affecting luxury home sales in Chicago, how he listed the 8th highest priced home in the state (ranking just behind Michael Jordan’s home). Michael shared the motivations he sees with luxury sellers, which include more downsizing and 2nd home activity, and what he’s seeing with overseas affluent buyers.
With luxury homes taking so long to sell, we talk about how Michael pushes for 1-year listings and sets seller expectations, and some of his best sources of client leads and referrals. He explained that in order to go head-to-head with established luxury agents you must have a track record of success and the ability to demonstrate superior marketing to differentiate yourself.
Michael explained how creating lifestyle videos for his own listings led to starting his own consulting company to help agents and homeowners market their luxury listings. But where do you start if you’ve never sold a luxury home? Michael pointed out that you must be in your database and sphere of influence, you must demonstrate expertise and connect high-level people to position yourself as a leading source of knowledge. For example, Michael created a networking/referral group with companies and services that deal with affluent homeowners.
Commission is always an interesting subject in the luxury market, and Greg pointed out that the typical commission in his area is 5%. Michael challenged Greg that this may be a limiting belief, and explained that he has multiple packages, including 10% packages, that add more and more value. Michael shared a bit of his scripting, including how he explains right up front that he probably charges more than either other agent they work with. It’s an approach inspired by Dan Kennedy, a marketing expert Michael has followed for years. Check out the book No BS Marketing to the Affluent for more details on this approach.
We finish up by talking about the DISC profile, how to adjust your approach to different client types, how to deal with spouses who are radically different DISC profiles from each other, and why he tracks the listings he didn’t take to see how they performed.
Michael’s approach - mixing direct-response marketing with a deep knowledge of local stats and metrics - is very effective for working with high-end clientele. So whether you’re looking to work with pro athletes and executives to sell the most exclusive properties in the world, or you simply want to raise your average price point, there’s some great tactics and strategies you can implement in your business right away.
Why make the real estate business harder on yourself? In our latest episode we share some of our favorite hacks for real estate, business and email. You’ll come away with some ideas and resources for getting more out of your time, leveraging yourself with outsourcing, getting multiple things done at once, and simplifying the way you manage projects, email, calendar and social media.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Know your hourly value and delegate everything that’s worth less
2. Look for ways to get multiple things done at once with no more effort
3. Use tools like SaneBox and FollowUp.cc to prioritize your email inbox and simplify your life
We start with a couple questions from the Lead Gen Scripts & Objections FB Group on circle prospecting, whether to leave a message and how to respond when someone asks how you got their number. Greg pointed out that he always leaves messages, and is completely honest about how he got their number and then redirects the conversation to how companies sell people’s contact information.
We start with a hack that agents often overlook - delegation and outsourcing. We discuss Eileen’s role on Greg’s team as Team Manager/Transaction Coordinator and how to use outsourcing sites like Upwork, 99Designs, Fiverr and TaskRabbit. As Greg explained, you must know your hourly value and outsource or delegate everything that’s worth less. Matt touched on the options for hiring an overseas VA/TC either through MyOutDesk or directly through job boards in the Philippines. We also covered some ways to get work done in public while marketing yourself at the same time.
Next we dive into the tech side of hacking your time. Facebook Live is a great opportunity to get leverage your time by saving the video, uploading it to YouTube, having it transcribed through a service called Rev.com for $1/min, then spinning that written content into your YouTube description, blog articles and social media posts. Keep in mind your overseas VA could handle every part of this process except for shooting the actual live video.
We also shared ways to use IFTTT, Trello, Trimetrade, Sanebox and Followup.cc to save time managing email, calendar, projects and social media accounts. With programs like Amazon Prime and Subscribe & Save there are some great options to have items shipped directly to you to avoid random, time-sucking trips to the grocery store or pharmacy.
Upwork - https://www.upwork.com/
99Designs - http://99designs.com/
Fiverr - https://www.fiverr.com/
TaskRabbit - https://www.taskrabbit.com/
Hootesuite - https://hootsuite.com/
Buffer - https://buffer.com/
MyOutDesk - http://www.myoutdesk.com.ph/
Rev.com transcription service - https://www.rev.com/
OnlineJobs.ph - http://www.onlinejobs.ph/
OFTTT.com
Trello - https://trello.com/
SaneBox - http://www.sanebox.com/
Followup.cc - https://followup.cc/
Contacually - http://www.contactually.com/
Timetrade - http://www.timetrade.com/
Amazon Prime and Subscribe & Save - https://www.amazon.com/gp/subscribe-a...
With the rise of outsourcing companies, subscription services and tech tools, there are so many great options for hacking your time and getting more done with less effort. Once you get into the hacking mindset, you'll start to see even more ways. We'd love to hear your favorite hacks! So leave us a comment on YouTube or Facebook and we'll share them on a future episode.
Click here download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Call internet leads back within 5 minutes - you’re throwing away money if you don’t
2. Have a follow up system in place before paying for any lead generation
3. When meeting buyers for the first time, bring MLS sheets of other potential homes
We started by answering a couple questions from the Facebook Group on how to use email to locate a prospect’s Facebook profile and how to respond to a seller’s question on how many sales or listings you have in their area. We also debated the merits of going after sellers versus buyers, which requires more work, and why Greg has enjoyed working with buyers more than sellers in his career.
Then we go deep into lead follow up, Matt shared the lead follow up system Jeff Cohn’s team uses to convert internet leads at 2.5-3% predictably. Jeff’s agents are required to call every lead within the first 5 minutes, this is the biggest factor in lead conversion. The agents (and calling assistants) continue to follow up with the lead with 8 calls in the first 14 days, plus texts, emails and Facebook messages.
Greg then shared his approach to lead follow up, including role playing through the script he uses for buyer leads, how he avoids sounding overly scripted and polished, and why this is important for building a relationship with people over the phone.
We went through Greg’s process for meeting buyer’s for the first time, why he usually meets them outside the office first and why he never shows up to a buyer meeting empty handed. Greg shared his trick for getting a buyer to eliminate one home they didn’t like and never bring it up again, critical for getting buyers to make a decision. Matt shared where you can get a free 8x8 email follow up campaign and how you can use that with a program like Constant Contact to load up the entire sequence and add new “met” contacts to that follow up sequence.
If you generate internet leads or get buyer calls from yard signs, the best way to convert them is call them within 5 minutes and have a follow up system, especially for the first couple weeks. Hit them from every angle; phone calls, texts, emails, voicemails and social media, until you reach them and start building a relationship.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
What does it take to knock on doors and have great conversations that turn into closed business? Door knocking master Bryan Casella joins us, and together Bryan and Greg share their best tips and tricks for doors.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Don’t be afraid to door knock in luxury areas - Homeowners tend to be home more often and are more friendly and open than in blue collar neighborhoods
2. When you’re at the door, stand 8-10 feet away and keep very open body language with open palms
3. Use a false time constraint right up front to put homeowners at ease
I’ve learned to not be abrasive when I push...When I door knock an expired or FSBO especially I’m gunning for the appointment even on the first contact...It’s like I’m putting on my hard hat, I got my lunch pail and I’m going to work. -Bryan Casella
We start with a question from the Facebook Group on how to handle the objection that your prospect has a friend or family member in the business. Both Greg and Bryan use the same basic script, and agree that offering to pay a referral fee is the best shot you have at working with that prospect.
Then we dive into Bryan’s background, which included door knocking 4-5 hours a day, his experience door knocking in Beverly Hills, and his overall approach to doors. Bryan shared his introduction script, including his two “false time constraint scripts” he uses right up front so homeowners know he doesn’t plan on sticking around.
Bryan explained the importance of body language and big, ear-to-ear smiles, how he uses market updates to give value and start the conversation, and captures contact info so he can follow up. Greg and Bryan compared notes on how many doors they can hit in an hour (which vary by lot sizes) and how Bryan hustles at and between each door to maximize each door knocking session.
We finished up by discussing the difference between door knocking FSBO’s/Expireds versus general door knocking, and how you can be more aggressive when you know there’s a need. Bryan also shared how he developed his mindset and how he uses YouTube videos to motivate himself prior to hitting the doors.
Door knocking is a great way to generate leads without investing anything but a little gas in your car and some shoe leather. Just as Bryan personally experienced, one successful door could lead to multiple transactions and tens of thousands in commission. So use the tips and tricks from today’s episode and start hitting those doors. The hardest door you’ll ever encounter is your own car door!
Guest Bio
Bryan Casella is a top producing listing agent based in Rowland Heights, CA. To send Bryan referrals or check out his Door Knocking Mastery product, visit his website, www.bryancasella.com. Bryan also puts out excellent motivational and eduacational videos on YouTube, check out his channel here: BryanArgentina Youtube Channel.
Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
We’re back with Part 2, finishing up our commentary on the 25 Nuggets of Essential Social Media Wisdom. We talk about not boring people to tears, short versus long-form content, consistency over time and bringing value through your platform. What’s a platform? A place where you show up and publish content that delivers value well in advance of asking for something.
You’ve got to be out there, have a personality, have backbone, have an opinion... Just go be you. -Greg McDaniel
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Show your personality on social media - no one pays attention to people who are as boring as wet cardboard
2. Find a small niche and focus on building an audience there first before expanding
3. When you publish content and deliver value to the world, the value may come back to you from a completely different group of people
First we answer a question from the Facebook Group on how to follow up with FSBO’s after dropping off an info packet. Greg would focus on building the relationship and bringing something of value. Matt agreed but added that you need a plan to communicate with them over time, a FSBO system, and if you set up that system first it will keep you from wasting time flying by the seat of your pants.
Then we dive into social media wisdom, from being yourself and showing your personality, to finding your niche. Remember, it’s better to build an audience in a small niche first and then expand.
If your platform is blogging, bullet points and lists are your friend, keep things direct and clear. Clear is always better than clever. For inspiration on headlines, check out viral content sites like Buzzfeed and Upworthy.
If your platform is audio or video, you may need to amplify your energy level a little bit to come across and be entertaining. For length of video or audio, a great rule of thumb is to make your content as long as it needs to be, but as short as you can.
No matter what your platform is - audio, video, blogging, photo-sharing, tweeting - people are scanners. Just get started, put out content and then keep an eye out for ways to create impactful content that “punches people in the nose.”
Free download Call-to-Action - Click here to download your free PDF, Greg’s Favorite Scripts, featuring scripts for buyer and seller lead follow up, price reduction and objection handler scripts and much more.
How do you avoid Shiny Object Syndrome in a world that pressures you to be on every social media platform all the time? Join us as we break down a recent article on social media and explain how it applies (or doesn’t apply) to real estate.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. If you don’t understand marketing, you’re probably going to waste a lot of time on social media
2. You don’t have to be everywhere - focus on finding your best platform and stick with it
3. It’s hard to track expert status or celebrity status back to specific deals, but that status is so powerful it’s worth investing time to create
You don’t have to do everything or be everywhere. Find what works for you, build your audience there, and relax. Don’t fall victim to Shiny Object Syndrome!
It’s very difficult to innovate in real estate, so the real innovation is to your fingerprint and your voice to the business. In one of the most content-packed interviews, real estate trainer and consultant Chris Angell shares his strategies for farming, building a tribe around common interests, finding your format and adding value to your farm so you OWN your farm.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Don’t focus on the technology - focus on yourself first
2. There are only three ways to capture content - writing, audio and video
3. Stop talking about real estate - nobody cares
Because of the information age, our industry has shifted from a sales industry to a consulting industry. -Chris Angell
Resources & Links:
25 Nugget of Essential Social Media Wisdom
High-Tech / High-Touch Farming - Our complete farming video training course, 10 modules covering all aspects of picking your farm, cold and warm prospecting, with 2 bonus videos on little-known ways to use Zillow and working events in your farm.
6 Steps to Picking The Best Farm- Free resources including a Farm Decision Matrix, B2B Visibility Campaign and a 30 Day Launch Plan
Chris started by sharing one of the most important insights we’ve ever heard - That the information age has transformed real estate from a sales industry to a consulting industry. Unfortunately, almost all the real estate training out there is sales-focused: scripts, closing techniques, persuasion, overcoming objections, etc. Nobody is training agents on how to behave and attract people like a consultant.
Then Chris shared the only question you’ll ever need as a consultant - “What’s important to you about that?” and explained why you must have lead gen systems turned on so you can be a consultant instead of a salesman. “Your consistency is what makes something work,” Chris explained. “What’s important to keeping lead gen turned on is having a format that you can sustain.”
So how do you decide how to market yourself, especially to a farm? Instead of copying, look first at who you are, not the technology. Are you task-oriented or people-oriented, do you need immediate results, or do you like endless tweaking of mechanics to get a result, etc. Then you can look at the format to capture the best way you produce content, whether it’s writing, audio or video.
Next, look at the content you put out into the world. Is it valuable? Would people miss it if you stopped putting it out there? Is it so good people would be willing to pay for it?
“Stop talking about real estate - nobody cares - you must speak to people in terms of a common interest that has nothing to do with real estate.” Chris added, “We have to get upstream from the transaction and start building real relationships with real people about things we both like.”
Finally, Chris outlined some of his strategies for owning the visibility in your farm and creating the story in those homeowner’s minds that you’re the hardest working agent in their area. Summing up his approach, Chris explained, “A lot of people get into real estate to help people, and they’re made to feel stupid - we are not speaking to people based on how they’re wired.”
There were too many great quotes from this interview to pull them all out, so go back and listen to this interview over and over. Chris’ approach can completely revolutionize how you think of farming (and marketing in general), allowing you to build your business based on how you’re wired. Stop listening to traditional real estate coaching. Find your voice, find your format and start building your tribe!
Show Highlights
3:00 Chris’ background in real estate and transition out of managing 200+ agents to consulting
6:25 Q&A: How to respond to an objection for a Zillow Make Me Move seller who thinks they’ll make more by waiting till next year
10:40 How the information age has changed the industry from sales to consulting, and why consulting is focused on questions - not persuading clients to buy or sell
13:05 Why overcoming objections creates resistance - it’s better to open up clients with great questions and honest conversation
15:00 It’s hard to be a consultant when you’re hungry - put lead gen systems in place so your basic needs are met - how this frees you to have higher level conversations with clients
16:32 The only question you ever need as a consultant
19:30 Why most people fail by copying what works for others - why real estate isn’t as hard as we make it
22:55 Why your farming and marketing must start with who you are - rather than starting outside of yourself
24:31 You don’t have to create custom content for every platform - find your platform, then just repurpose the content after you’ve created it
26:10 “Your consistency is what makes something work. What’s important to keeping lead gen turned on is having a format that you can sustain.”
27:40 First, think about who you are, not the technology. 31:30 Three ways to capture content - writing, audio or video - and how to reach people by building a tribe around an idea completely outside of real estate
33:30 Stop talking about real estate and get upstream from the transaction
34:38 Your database is too small - why you need to build a larger tribe around your common interest to sustain your business - why you can’t build engagement around real estate - The Engagement Algorhythm (E= L.I.S.T)
38:55 Agents are looking for gimmicky and cheesy ways to let people know we’re in real estate because we haven’t been taught a better way to connect with people
41:20 Why your marketing efforts must add value to the space - the litmus test for your marketing and farming materials
50:33 How to OWN the visibility in your geo-farm - why you should hold 3 one-hour Open Houses during the week rather than just one on the weekend - the difference between layered farming vs linear farming
52:45 Rules of thumb for number of homes and turnover rates in your geo-farm
57:02 Traditional real estate caoching is advice from high D’s that only works for other high D’s - we are not speaking to people based on how they’re wired
58:11 It’s very difficult to innovate around real estate - the real opportunity for innovation is in how you bring your fingerprint and your voice to the business
Guest Bio
Chris Angell is a real estate consultant and trainer based in Spokane, WA. Chris sold real estate himself for 6 years, ran a KW office for over 5 years, overseeing 200+ agents before founding his consulting firm. Chris also has a farming training product called Groundswell, you can learn more and get his 6 Steps to Picking the Right Farm at Farmchecklist.
52% of your communication has nothing to do with your words or tone of voice, it’s body language. Improving your body language can have a massive impact on your ability to communicate, influence and persuade.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Improve your first impression by smiling with your eyes and adding an eyebrow bump
2. Attraction to you is created when there is more demand for you than supply - having an energy of need or lack can sabotage you before you ever show up for a meeting
3. Spend a few minutes before appointments going through power poses to put yourself in a powerful and confident mental state
We kick things off with a question squarely within Greg’s wheelhouse on serving beer at an open house. Greg explained why you should never, ever, ever serve alcohol at an open house, and how that differs from client parties or other events where you control the environment and access.
Greg then shared a tip on how he uses body language to greet people at an open house, blocking off certain avenues so they go through the house in a certain way and opening up your body language so you make the best first impression.
Then we dive into body language basics, starting with 4 initial responses every human has to other humans: 1) Friend, 2) Threat, 3) Sexual partner or 4) Indifferent. Each of us is sending and receiving these signals from other people all the time, and it’s possible to give off the wrong signal without realizing it.
Next we covered how to smile naturally, using your eyes and not just your mouth, and incorporate an eyebrow pop to make people feel comfortable. Greg also shared the ideal handshake, and the origin of the phrase “over the top.”
Then we get into posture, alignment, protective versus open posture, expanding, taking up space, power poses and peacocking. Greg explained how he’s used the power poses to put himeself in a great mental state for client appointments. Matt shared how much of the body language issues can be solved by 1) Dealing with the underlying insecurities that leak out in your body language, and 2) Asking yourself are you being open or are you being protective, as a shortcut to getting into better body language.
Lastly, Matt shared some body language No-No’s, how to immediately boost your appearance of confidence in appointments by slowing down your movements and breathing, letting go of tension. Matt also explained how important energy is to body language, how it affects other people, and how to channel nervous energy into movement during public speaking.
You can improve your body language in two ways:
1) Paying attention to and changing your physical posture and mannerisms, or
2) Work on the underlying issues that cause your poor body language. Start by taking practical steps, like slowing down, smiling more and staying in an open posture.
“You just have to get your name out there!” That’s the best marketing advice most people have to offer. Sadly for most people, it’s also wildly ineffective. What good is your spreading the word about you if you give people no compelling reason to trust you or contact you? Where’s the attraction? In this special Marketing Q&A episode, we tackle some common (and not so common) real estate marketing questions.
Takeaways + Tactics
1. Slogans are usually cheesy and have no compelling reason for prospects to trust you or contact you
2. Direct mail is coming back- especially in a world of social media and email
3. Get out there and start serving clients - your marketing message or slogan should come organically from the actual work you do for clients
It’s much better to be clear than clever. -Anonymous
We started by answering a question about solar panels from the Lead Gen Facebook Group, Greg recommends solar panels only in cases where you plan on staying in the house for decades to come. We also answered a question about direct mail versus email newsletters and shared why direct mail is an option to seriously consider if you have the right demographic market.
Then we tackle the common question: What’s a good slogan for an agent? Assuming you don’t want to use the winner, “We very rarely kick puppies” it also begs the question, Why do you need a slogan in the first place?
Greg shared some slogans from his team’s history, and Matt accidentally mocked the slogan Greg wrote himself, “Treating every client like family.” Both Greg and Matt agree you’re better off figuring out your ideal client and your unique way of serving them and allow your marketing message to come together naturally. Remember, it’s much better to be clear than clever.
So if you’re looking to attract more clients, it’s going to take more than getting your name out there. People need a compelling reason to take a step toward you, and it’s your responsibility to figure out exactly who your ideal client is and adjust your message and marketing materials to attract your ideal clients.