Friday, March 29, 2024

And Make a Difference for You Bothraf gift card

By Julie Escobar

Referrals as real estate professionals are a lifeblood of your business, we know.  They can make all the difference in expanding your sphere, increasing your productivity, and of course, turn into valuable commissions throughout the year.  In that, we are very much alike.  Your business is not just about real estate (buying and selling of homes) – it’s about PEOPLE.  Our business not just about real estate marketing tools – it’s about PEOPLE as well.  So it seems, we’ve got some common ground.  That’s why we recently implemented a new Refer-a-Friend system so that our valued customers can benefit from those referrals, as well as share the kind of tools that you know will make your friends’ lives a little easier in the process.

Let’s take a look of eight reasons to refer a friend today!

  1. You get $25! Each time you refer a friend to our ProspectsPLUS.com site and they register and make a purchase of any kind, we’ll send you a $25 gift card code use towards your own real estate marketing.
  2. Your friend gets $25! We know trying new things isn’t always easy so we will give your referral friend a $25 gift card code so they can try the site without trying their budget!
  3. No limits! You can refer as many friends as you like, and they can do the same!
  4. 100% satisfaction guarantee. Here’s our promise:  We’re so committed to continuously raising the bar and delivering the very best products and service possible for our customers. With that – should you (or your friend) have a problem with any order, please simply let us know within 30 days of placing that order. We will then work with you to the best of our ability to ensure that the problem is solved quickly and efficiently. If necessary, we will refund your order up to 100% or resend your order without any hassles or headaches for you.
  5. The right marketing tools for the right people at the right time. When you refer a friend to ProspectsPLUS.com – you can rest assured that you are sharing a site that is focused on delivering the tools that are specifically designed and written for real estate professionals, by real estate professionals.  The bulk of our creative team, like you, have been out there in the trenches listing and selling.  So we get you and your business in a way that many companies can’t.  And our customers tell us that is the differentiator they appreciate.
  6. New tools, strategies, and training opportunities each and every month. Our industry is constantly changing, and the marketing needs of our customers and the way they need to speak to their customers is in a constant state of change as well.  That’s why you’ll find new done-for-you tools available on our site each month.  From postcards, to flyers, to brochures and blog posts – all are designed to help you continuously move your business forward without having to ever reinvent any wheel.  We know that creating is hard – so we make it our business to do all the homework for you.  We keep tabs on what is trending in the market so you always have what you need to connect with your customers.  Check out our Specials page each month to see what’s new.
  7. Savings doesn’t end with your gift card. Our specials page always has the latest promo codes posted so that you can save additional marketing dollars on any order, and you can use these in conjunction with your gift cards.  Click here to see what this month’s codes are now.
  8. Customer service is at your fingertips. You never have to go it alone when choosing or ordering the marketing materials that are right for you. Simply call our team at 866.405.3638 or use our chat option to connect with our support team.

We hope you’ll take advantage of our new Refer-a-Friend program, earning gift card dollars for both you and your friends and enjoying marketing materials that are designed to help you grow your business with fewer headaches and greater success.  Click here to get started!  

Need help? Call us today at 866.405.3638.

by Julie Escobar

Do you know the biggest difference between the agents who not only survived but thrived during the market downturn? They had a book of business. A solid one. A database of people that they consistently connected with month-after-month. Year-after-year.  Why does that make such a difference? Because we know that statistically one in twelve of those people — the ones who already know you, trust you, and like you — will send business your way each year.  So, it SHOULD be on the top of every agent’s to do list – but it is not.

First, build it! If you’ve not yet put your sphere of influence database together, there’s no time like the present to start.

  • 20 Year Value of a Real Estate CustomerInclude every one of your past buyers or sellers. (Unless there are people you would truly never want to work with again, and we’ve all had those!) This is a top tier in your book of business.
  • Add friends, family and colleagues.
  • Get creative!  Start adding all the people that you connect with on a regular basis such as your children’s coaches, doctors, dentists, optometrist, car salesman, insurance salesman, hairdresser, mechanic, electrician, plumber, etc. Anyone you do business with, is a great candidate for referrals. You can find a list of the 250 people who should be in your sphere here. 

Next, grow it! As we head into a new month, remember to make an appointment with yourself every month to review for at least one hour where you are in terms of your book of business.  Ask yourself these four questions:

  1. How many past clients will I contact this month? 
  2. What is my focus? 
  3. Who can I add to my database?
  4. What’s working and what’s not? 

Lastly, nurture it!  Some of the best ways to nurture your list are…

  • Send: monthly postcards or newsletters.  Our Community News is very popular and agents love the done-for-you content. The Content Cards and Listing Inventory Series are also top performers.
  • Call: Connect with everyone in your book of business twice a year. Most agents break their lists down into weekly and daily increments, then hit the phones as part of their daily to-do list.
  • See: Host a customer appreciation event once a year. An end-of-summer picnic might be perfect for getting face-to-face with past customers and thanking them for their business (and referrals).

Building your book of business, for some, isn’t the exciting part of the business. But when your get the 20-year value of everyone on that list, you can start to see it as a priority! Look to our Master Marketing Calendar for some fun reasons to stay connected with your sphere and keep your conversations interesting!

You may also want to check out our Specials page which changes monthly as we add new content, tools and budget-saving promo codes! 

Need help? Contact our team today at 866.405.3638! 

 

 

Six Answers You Need to Know

By Julie Escobar

With markets and competition heating up this summer, geographic farming is more relevant, and results-producing than ever. It’s what is differentiating top agents from lower producers, and what is setting some apart as leaders in both their marketplace – and in market share.

To learn more, we asked Todd Robertson about what he is seeing trend across North America right now. Here’s an excerpt from our interview:

Q:  Todd – there was a time when agents got away from geographic farming but now it’s back stronger than ever – can you shed some light on that?

A:  Here’s what we’ve found:  With all the ‘noise’ out there now, social media, Zillow, Trulia, email, spam filters, online ads – a lot of home buyers and sellers aren’t responding to the noise. Yet, a LOT of agents are still hiding behind their computers. We know that 95% of people check their mail every day – and direct mail is standing out from the ‘online’ noise.  It used to be that farming was expensive. Mailings were expensive. Now with technology and new USPS tools, it’s much less so, and with most agents still not in that space – those who do jump in – WIN.

Q:  We’ve all seen agents who get frustrated because they want instant results – and farming just isn’t that kind of marketing.  What do you say to agents who want instant gratification?

A:  The truth is we are in an instant gratification mode. We’re looking to the lottery for a quick million, fast food for an instant meal, and whatever ‘golden ticket’ it might take to unlock the key to right-now success.  But what I like to share with agents is the hunter vs. farmer mindsets.  The hunter is great at getting on the phone, shaking the trees, finding those expireds, FSBOs, SOI leads, anything that will generate business today or this week.  Where the farmer isn’t crazy about all that possible rejection, so they slowly and surely cultivate an area with direct mail and email marketing.  After 25 years in this business we do know two things though:  Patience and persistence will always win and combining the two skills of hunting and farming are your best means of generating long term success at a whole other level. You do have to be “all-in” – but it is so worth it.

Q:  In your talks and webinars you speak about putting ALL the pieces in place – can you share more about what you mean by that?

A:  Well this kind of goes back to my last answer.  You really CAN dominate a market area and out-pace any competition if you are willing to streamline your practices – and do it all.  Not one thing. Not the easy things. But all of it.  Direct mail. Just Listed. Just Sold. Door knocking. Aggressive open houses. All of it – and not just once but really adhere to that 3-7-27 rule of marketing I’ve shared in the past where you’re continuously making impressions and staying top of mind because the competition, for the most part, is not going to be as committed to doing it all. If you are? You win.

Q:  Follow up is a critical part of marketing, but so many agents are reluctant to walk their farm or pick up the phone.  What’s your best advice to get over that hurdle?  

A:  Well, the tough advice is that if your mindset is ‘I’m afraid or unwilling to prospect’ then perhaps this is not the profession for you.  If we look at the old 80/20 rule which says that 20% of the agents do 80% of the business, we know that those numbers are now outdated. In today’s world it’s 93/7.  7% of the agents are doing 93% of the business.  The reason lies right here – prospecting. Following up.  I like to tell my audiences, “If the game is scheduled, and you’ve chosen to play – you might as well win.”  So if you are in this business to help people – then remember, you are paid in direct proportion to how many people you help, and how good you are at that help. So don’t just put your toe in the pool – jump in.  Don’t be that agent who tried something once, or twice, or three times and throws up their hands and says, ‘this doesn’t work’.  Stick with it. The year is half over.  Don’t fall into that – it is what it is mindset where it is all right to be average, or less than your goals.  You get paid in proportion to how many you help. Get out there and play hard.  If you get a no, pick up the phone again, and again.  It’s a numbers game, but more than that, it’s a people game. Find the next person to help.

Q:  This is a busy time for agents – and many are so busy working IN the business, they don’t stop to work ON their business.  What can you share with our readers regarding blocking time so that nothing falls through the cracks?

A:  It’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae, I know. The feel-good work. The paper shuffling. The non-confrontational. Top agents though know that the highest and best use of their time is doing three things: prospecting, presenting, and closing.  The rest they find solutions for. Automated marketing. Virtual Assistants. Database management systems. Marketing systems.  They are effective time managers – that’s the level you need to strive for.

Q:  The Market Dominator is hard to ignore when homeowners get it in their mailbox – can you tell us a little about the science of its size, content, and calls to action?

A:  Well it’s the largest piece allowed legally through the USPS system.  It’s got 100% impression rate. It’s coated on one side, full color and on great paper.  Most importantly, it’s filled with the kind of content people want to read.  Not salesy – hyped commercial stuff. But real world content. And real world calls to action.  It’s relevant and fun and ‘share-able’ for people.  And it gets the job done.  I just heard from one of our customers who has done 16 transactions this year so far, three directly as a result of the Dominator.  Take a look and let me know if you have questions. It’s a powerful tool for agents who are really interested in dominating their own geographic farm.

Thanks so much for your time Todd.  For those interested in learning more about the Market Dominator, you can watch Todd’s informative video here.  For questions, give Todd a call at 866-405-3638.  Now, go out there and dominate in YOUR favorite geographic farm!  

Left in the Year — How Will You Spend Them?

by Julie Escobar

We are more than halfway through the year. Just better than two hundred days left. What you do now will determine what kind of holidays you’ll have. Whether you’ll hit those goals you set in January. Whether you’ll finish strong and kick off the new year with ease. So, what’s it going to be? Let’s take a look at some ways you can get back on track or keep on track:

  1. Review your SMART goals weekly. Create a means to measure where you are in relation to your goal. Use a chart, a checklist, or an integrity partnership to review your progress. When you wait months or an entire year to review – it’s impossible to know whether you are on track or off. Top agents always know their numbers, always have a visual of the goals that they are passionate about and are always re-calibrating their time, tools, training and activities to ensure they achieve the goals they set.
    • Specific
    • Measurable
    • Achievable
    • Relevant 
    • Time bound
  2. Get out of stealth mode. The idea that the business will just come to you in today’s market is false. There is considerable competition so get out from behind the desk or computer and get out into the markets in which you want to build market share. Knock on doors. Meet the neighbors. Leave branded collateral pieces at local professional offices and waiting rooms where possible. (Think doctor’s offices, car dealerships, etc.)  Host events. Ask questions. Sponsor sports teams. Donate the bounce house at the neighborhood event. Show that you are the face of real estate in your area.
  3. Reach out to your sphere. If you’re not touching base with everyone in your sphere at least twice a year, then you are leaving money on the table. We know statistically that one in twelve will result in business or referral every year. But NOT if you don’t stay in touch. Many agents use holiday cards every month with a message on the back to keep connected. Others choose newsletters or content cards as a monthly “touch”. Whatever you choose, be sure you are consistent. It’s one of the best things you can do to build and grow your referral base.
  4. Never neglect your neighborhood farm.  Your competition won’t be and they’ll take market share wherever they can find it.  If you’ve got an area that you want to dominate in, consider our Market Dominator system, or using the Listing Inventory Series to stay in touch every month. Top of mind awareness is crucial in today’s market. Attend every neighborhood function and be sure you are walking your farm with content-rich collateral at least twice per year.
  5. Add at least five people to your marketing list per week.  Always be in networking mode and always look for ways to grow your database and sphere. Committing to adding five people per week means you’ll add 260 to your sphere. To help you put that in context, I used our SOI calculator to show you what that looks like. I entered $200,000 as an annual goal, and an average commission of $6,000 – which told me that to realize that goal I’d need 33 transactions. Using the national stats that 66% of business comes from an agent’s SOI, I calculated that I needed 264 people in my SOI to realize my goal.  You can calculate how many you need here. 
  6. Be consistent. I can’t stress this one enough. One and done marketing has never, ever earned anyone a good living. If you’re not touching base monthly or at least quarterly, you are leaving the door open for your competition to create the top of mind awareness that you could be earning. That’s like handing away future commissions to other agents. To succeed at high levels, you’ve got to stay on top of your marketing game and stay present in your market place. Using smart time management and done-for-you marketing tools can help.

Remember we are here to help. Our company is steeped in real estate experience and we train our marketing team to know exactly what agents just like you need to succeed and excel. We want to help you make the most of the last 200 days of the year — and every day after that as well. Visit www.prospectsplus.com today or call our team at 866.405.3638 to learn more.