Friday, March 29, 2024

Lisa Gray

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Lisa is an accomplished marketer with years of expertise in direct response marketing, digital marketing, data analytics and business development working with both B2C and B2B.

    Every year when  2023 RealTrends + Tom Ferry “The Thousand” list comes out, it’s topped by an agent who holds the Guinness World Record for home sales. 

    “He only sells new-construction residential properties and he works with volume builders only,” according to Katie Warner at BusinessInsider.com.

    On 2023’s list, Ben Caballero, had 6178 sides, resulting in $3,060,878,784 in volume – nearly double the volume of the agent in second place.

    Surprisingly, new construction isn’t a particularly popular niche. With numbers like Caballero’s however, it should be.

    If you’d like to get in on some of this impressive income, you may want to give new home sales a whirl. 

    Do you have what it takes?

    John Rymer at ProBuilder.com lists traits to look for when hiring a “New-Home Sales Superstar.”

    • Avid goal setter
    • Ask the right questions
    • Financing expert
    • Passionate about new-home sales
    • Exudes enthusiasm
    • Takes responsibility for results
    • First into the office, last to leave
    • Perfected the follow-up process
    • Always showing value
    • Persistent and fearless closer

    If this list sounds like you, selling new construction may just be your dream career.

    First, the cons

    Let’s get the bad news out of the way up front.

    Just as with the broker under which you choose to hang your license, so goes the builder. Some value ethics and high standards. Others, not so much.

    So, choosing the right builder may be challenging.

    Then, there is the commission structure and, no, you may not be making the percentage you are accustomed to.

    More often than not, when you sign on to become a new home sales consultant, you are no longer an independent contractor, but an employee of the builder. 

    Naturally, there are other cons, but these are the ones that agents should carefully consider.

    The Move Up Market Series is shown above. To learn more, click here.

    The pros of working with a builder

    The obvious plus of becoming a new home sales consultant is that prospects come to you. No more cold calling and chasing after business. 

    As an employee, you’ll most likely receive benefits, such as medical and dental. 

    If being a business owner doesn’t agree with you, but you hope to remain in the industry, becoming a new-home sales consultant may just be a smart move for you.

    How to get your foot in the door

    Your best bet is to visit a few sites, introduce yourself and get to know the reps. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions. Everybody has to start somewhere so they may be sympathetic to what you’re going through. 

    Do some research on your own. Learn all you can about:

    • The different architectural home styles
    • Blueprints (and how to read them)
    • Home construction methods and materials
    • Site layout and design

    “All it takes is a little bit of time for an agent to understand builders — why they do what they do — to reap the rewards the new-home market can deliver,” according to Caballero.


    When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card!Click Here

    2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

    3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

    The Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your financial goals.   – Click Here

    4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here


      Deveisha recently sent out a Spring Begins Postcard (shown above). To learn more, Click Here.

      Congratulations, Deveisha on winning this week’s contest!

      Deveisha had the following words to say about her success sending marketing out from ProspectsPLUS!,

      “My Real Estate business has grown tremendously since using ProspectsPLUS!. Thank you for helping me to market myself in this industry.”

      -Deveisha Shedden-Brown

      Deveisha, thank you for your review. We truly appreciate you and your support!


      Don’t Forget to Enter For Your Chance to Win a $125 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card! (see how below)*

      HOW TO ENTER: Just leave feedback regarding how using marketing from ProspectsPLUS! has impacted your business, and you’re automatically entered into our next contest.

      Leave feedback on Google HERE.
      Leave feedback on Facebook, HERE.

      *If you’ve already entered our drawing in the past and haven’t won, you don’t need to enter again. Your entry remains valid, and you still have a chance to win.

      Don’t forget to watch for next Friday’s email announcing the weekly winner!


      PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card!Click Here

      2. The Free 6-Month Strategic Marketing Planner

      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

      3. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

      The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

      4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

        Roxane recently sent out a Recipe Series Postcard (shown above). To learn more, Click Here.

        Congratulations, Roxane on winning this week’s contest!

        Roxane had the following words to say about her success sending marketing out from ProspectsPLUS!,

        “I have been using Recipe postcards for my SOI for almost two years now. I have received many positive comments from this list about how they look forward to receiving the cards each month and have tried some of the recipes.”

        -Roxane Morrison

        Roxane, thank you for your review. We truly appreciate you and your support!


        Don’t Forget to Enter For Your Chance to Win a $125 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card! (see how below)*

        HOW TO ENTER: Just leave feedback regarding how using marketing from ProspectsPLUS! has impacted your business, and you’re automatically entered into our next contest.

        Leave feedback on Google HERE.
        Leave feedback on Facebook, HERE.

        *If you’ve already entered our drawing in the past and haven’t won, you don’t need to enter again. Your entry remains valid, and you still have a chance to win.

        Don’t forget to watch for next Friday’s email announcing the weekly winner!


        PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

        1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

        Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card!Click Here

        2. The Free 6-Month Strategic Marketing Planner

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

        3. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

        The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

        4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

          “I think I’ll send my new patient a $50 Macy’s gift certificate to thank her for allowing me to perform her annual physical,” said no doctor, ever. Come to think of it, my hairdresser, accountant, and lawyer have never gifted me either.

          Yet real estate agents, somewhere along the line, came up with this notion that they absolutely must provide a closing gift to their clients. 

          Obviously, the agent who first gifted a client must’ve found the practice successful because it was quickly copied and has now become standard practice.

          Does giving a gift to a client make you memorable? If that were the case, more service industries would take up the practice, don’t you think? I don’t know about you, but I return to my hair stylist every month because I love the way she cuts my hair.

          My accountant saves me money on my taxes. So, is it the gift that makes them remember you, or was it your performance?

          Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of giving closing gifts, to real estate clients.

          Pros

          I’m not a tax expert or an accountant, but the IRS says agents can deduct up to $25 for each person they gift during the year. No, that’s not a whole lot of money and if you make the big bucks, you’ll need to buy a whole lot of gifts throughout the year to even put a dent in your tax bill.

          If you feel you must give a gift, consider handing your clients the keys to their new home on a quality (meaning, not plastic) keychain. With your branding on it, you’ll be able to deduct it as a marketing expense and possibly get a larger deduction. Talk to your tax professional.

          A swanky annual client appreciation event, on the other hand, will give you a bigger tax deduction as well as put you right back there at the top of their mind.

          The Content Card Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

          Cons

          Since referrals are the lifeblood of a successful real estate practice, and keeping them coming in requires remaining top-of-mind with former clients, it would have to be a major gift to make you memorable throughout the years.

          What will make you memorable is frequent contact throughout the year — the birthday cards, the client appreciation events, and the ongoing direct mail campaigns.

          Here’s something else to consider: you are a buyer’s agent. You have been at your client’s beck and call, spending weeks or even months driving your clients to house after house before they finally found one they wanted. 

          You submitted the offer, you coordinated your client’s end of the transaction, and you smoothly paved the way to a successful close. All parties are satisfied with the outcome. In return, you are paid a percentage of the sales price of the home.

          You did your job and you got paid. Shake hands, as business people do, thank them for their business, and move on to your next client. 

          The subject of closing gifts, as you know, is a point of contention among agents. How about you?  Do you gift?


          PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

          1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

          Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card!Click Here

          2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

          The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

          3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

          The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals.   – Click Here

          4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

          Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here