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.

3 ideas to help you stay motivated until the market heats up

motivation

Mar 13, 2019

That period from winter into mid-spring is typically akin to a drought followed by a raging storm for real estate professionals.

It’s just as the drought is ending, however, that our fingers ache from clinging to our wits and our wallets.

Yes, it will end. Business will pick up, if it hasn’t by the time you read this.

We have some suggestions to consider if you’re still dealing with a snail’s pace real estate market.

1. Take action

Regardless of how few clients you have right now, there are actions you can take to advance your business that don’t involve showing homes or chasing listings.

In fact, taking just one action each day can get you out of the doldrums and into motivation.

A good first action to take is getting away from your desk. A change of scenery is an excellent way to get your brain moving in another direction.

Take a walk (in a different location every day). Take a few hours off just to think. Or, work from your favorite coffee shop that offers Wi-Fi.

Make lunch or coffee dates with former clients or vow to meet colleagues after work for cocktails.

If you must remain tied to your desk, get back to the basics that have kept you in business. Think back: which activities have delivered the most successes?

If you once did well with door-knocking but ditched it for the next shiny object, pick it up again, dust off your skills and start knocking for dollars.

2. Get help from the great motivators

Some of the world’s greatest motivational speakers are just a book, DVD or CD away.

If you prefer reading, check out some of our favorites:

“Shift: How Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times” Gary Keller
“The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure” Grant Cardone
“Better than Good: Creating a Life you can’t wait to Live,” Zig Ziglar

Turn off the radio in the car and pop in a CD or listen on Audible. Here’s a few we think you might like:

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement. Tony Robbins

Ditch the TV for one night a week and watch a motivational video instead:

Denzel Washington
Eric Thomas
Motiversity’s videos (here’s one to start you off)
Engage your audience with Free Reports (available under the Free Report tab)

3. About that stuff you’ve let fall through the cracks

As a small business owner, you know that even when you’re not working directly with clients or on ways to do so, there is still work to be done. When you’re busy, those are the things that typically fall through the cracks.

Website – how are those neighborhood pages coming? Is it time to localize your home page and feature a testimonial or two? Also, don’t forget to add a Free Report offer on your website in exchange for an email address.

Testimonials — Do you have a system to generate them? Agents use various methods, from hiring a company who specializes in collecting your testimonials to putting together a questionnaire that you offer your clients at closing.

While the latter is a good way to collect testimonials for your website and other marketing materials, aim to convince them to leave you one at the online review sites.

Then, consider reaching out to past clients who didn’t leave a review. This contact also serves to put you back on the front burner of their memories.

Buyers’ consultation – Does yours need some work? Update any area that needs it. Anything you can do to add value to your consultations helps boost your customer service.

The key to pricing your listings right (available under our Objection Handling Flyers tab)

Listing presentation – If your listing presentation is hit-or-miss, consider taking some time to fine-tune it. Don’t know where to start? You’ll find a goldmine of ideas online, from coach websites to YouTube videos to social media groups where other agents hang out.

Don’t forget the magic of using a Merchandise Review at your listing appointment to help get your listings priced right the first time. Download the Merchandise Review now and keep copies on hand to use as part of your listing presentation.

Get involved – In case you haven’t heard, the generations aging into the real estate market say they check a business’ level of social responsibility before deciding to work with them. What are you doing to better the community at large?

Start small if you need to. Find a cause you can put your heart into and volunteer your time. Plan on promoting your cause on your website, social media and anywhere else you can.

The market is changing from what we’ve grown accustomed to over the past few years. Who knows what the spring and summer market will bring? At least now you won’t be at wits’ end should you experience a lull in business.

Free offers drive interest (available in the postcard section under Free Offer Series)

Start stirring up activity by sending at least 100 Free List of Homes postcards from the Free Offer Series to an area where you want more listings.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

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

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

“Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. – Click Here

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

Master the Art of Writing Listing Descriptions That Sell

Listing description success

Feb 27, 2019

Wanna hear a secret? Few potential home buyers actually read agent descriptions when viewing a listing online – at least according to a university study that tracked their eye movements.

Home buyers take in the photo first and then they view the property’s statistics. This leaves the listing description for last, according to a study by researchers at Old Dominion University.

In fact, more than 40 percent of study participants didn’t even get past the photo to look at the agent remarks. This lead the authors to question “In an actual setting, we wonder if the agent remarks ever get read if the home searcher doesn’t like the initial home photos.”

Key takeaway? Ensure your photos are impeccable.

Once that’s done, it’s time to write a brilliant description for that listing. Start here.

Who is the likely buyer?

When you understand which pool the likely buyer will come from, you can write a more focused description.

For instance, if the home is larger-than-entry-level (a move-up home), your most likely buyer in 2018 will come from Generation X.

Do some research and you’ll learn that these buyers crave a home close to good schools and within a reasonable commute time to work.

Compel them with a Free report offer (Available in the Free Report Section)

They need extra square footage for the kids and a bit of privacy for Mom and Dad. In addition, their lifestyle includes keeping fit (parks and trails are worth a mention) and time spent with friends and family (that outdoor deck is great for entertaining).

Remember the law

Later, I’ll show you an example of a common problem I see in listing descriptions. If the mention of the “family neighborhood” doesn’t set off your Equal Housing alarm, perhaps you should brush up on the laws before diving into an explanation of your listing.

While proofing your listing description, ensure that nothing you say can be construed as steering (describe the property, not the neighborhood). Although you should know who the buyer may be for the home, resist describing the ideal candidate (family, young couples, etc.).

And, although the rules about “forbidden” words are common-sense, refresh your memory with a quick glance over a list. The State of Massachusetts Department of Consumer and Business Affairs offers a list on its website.

Don’t waste valuable space

A whole section of the typical MLS listing is devoted to a home’s basic features, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, lot size, the number of fireplaces and more.

Remember, by the time the viewer gets to your carefully-written description, he or she already knows the basics of the home.

Don’t waste valuable description space by repeating what the buyer can find elsewhere on the page. For instance, here’s an actual description I found today:

“Remodeled 4 bedroom house with 2 Full Bathrooms, Approximately 1,739 square feet of living space, with Separate Family Room, Formal Dining Room, and Formal Living Room in an excellent family neighborhood.”

Let them know you’re thinking of them with a St Patrick’s wish (Available in the postcard section under the Holiday Series)

Thirty of the thirty-one words in that sentence are wasted. The fact that the home has been remodeled is a huge selling point. The agent could have done better by replacing that redundant information by describing the upgrades.

Speaking of descriptions

While I haven’t space here to teach you how to channel Hemmingway, I can offer some bits of advice on how to craft the one piece of prose that confounds most listing agents.

Take a look at the listing description I mentioned earlier as an example.

By ridding it of the redundancies, there’s room to describe the home’s fresh landscaping in both the front and backyards. Plus, the laminate and tile flooring that blends seamlessly with the existing hardwood and the new granite counter-tops and stove in the open-concept kitchen.

Plus, there would be room left over to let potential buyers know that shopping and schools are within walking distance to the home. And, in addition, that the park and golf course is a less-than 5-minute drive.

Think back to when you took the listing – do you recall any positive words or concepts that popped into your mind? Chances are good that buyers will feel the same way, so use these in your description.

Then, let your reader see what you’re describing by using rich, descriptive imagery. But, don’t go overboard.

Proof and then proof again

Gone are the days when the only people to ever see your listing descriptions are other agents and appraisers. Today, they are available to the entire world, so spelling and grammar are important.

And, no, that’s not just the writer in me waving her red pen. A Redfin/Grammarly study finds that 45 percent of home buyers would think twice about touring a home if its description contained spelling and grammar errors.

Yes, they will notice that you think the home has a thankless water heater, a walking closet or a remolded bathroom.

If you’re selling a $1 million or higher home, be extra careful with the listing description. A similar study from a few years ago found that high-end home buyers and sellers don’t trust descriptions with spelling and grammar errors.

In fact, this group of listings takes longer to sell and “have the lowest percentage of homes that sell over list price,” according to the Wall Street Journal’s Sanette Tanaka.

There may be several reasons behind this statistic. The chief among them is that many of us believe that taking the time to check spelling, punctuation, and grammar shows an ability to attend to small details.

When proofreading your descriptions, fix the following:

Spelling errors
Grammar errors
Punctuation – watch your commas. “Let’s eat, Gramma” becomes sinister without the comma – “Let’s eat Gramma.” Avoid the use of exclamation points.
Never use all caps to describe a home.
Don’t be boring.
Stay on their mind by sending Holiday wishes (Available in the postcard section under Holiday Series)

Send at least 100 St Patrick’s Day postcards from the Holiday Series to your Sphere, Farm and anyone else you want to make sure knows you’re there for them.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Breaking up With a Difficult Client

Client Relations

Feb 20, 2019

Think back to your rookie agent days. If you’re like most of us, you would have done anything for that first client. That first closed deal.

You would have, and probably did, put up with anything a client threw your way.

As time goes by, every client remains valuable, but we learn that sometimes what they cost us in angst (and money) just isn’t worth the effort of keeping them.

Sometimes, walking away from a client is best for both of you.

The dishonest client

It’s interesting how buyers have the bad rep of being “liars.” Maybe it’s because “sellers” and “liars” don’t rhyme? Whatever the reason, the label applies to some sellers as much, if not more, than some buyers.

You know where I’m going with this, right? The transfer disclosure statement, or whatever it’s called in your neck of the woods.

If ever there was a document more accommodating to the liar, it’s the TDS. And, although the vast majority of sellers are honest when filling it out (I’m pretty optimistic about my fellow humans), there are those who just can’t resist fibbing.

Update them on important information (Available in the postcard section under the Holiday Series)

When the form asks if the seller is aware of any “alterations or repairs made without necessary permits,” your client, Joe, casually circles “No.”

While sitting on a deck he built without permits

You may not know he didn’t go through the proper channels when he added the deck. You may not even know that he added the deck.

A good listing agent will counsel his or her client on the importance of honesty throughout the transaction. We know all too well that not only can the homeowner be held liable if the lies are revealed, but the agent and broker as well.

Some sellers, however, don’t just lie to the buyer but also to their agents.

It’s easy to understand the temptation. The type of glaring honesty you’re asking of them is hard to swallow when it comes to selling something as expensive as a home. Telling the truth about the home’s flaws seems counter-intuitive.

But, if you happen to know that he built that deck (and did so without permits) and you’ve pointed out his “mistake” and he insists on allowing it to remain, it’s time to part ways.

Some clients are almost begging to be ditched

Also known as the “toxic client,” this is the guy or gal who treats you like a servant. Or, he thinks everyone is out to get him and constantly treats you with suspicion. Or he’s a professional time waster.

“I fired a $6 million client once,” Sandi Klein, author and real estate agent told the Chicago Tribune’s Mary Umberger. One of those always-the-smartest-in-the-room-guys, he ignored all of her advice about bidding on homes.

He insisted on low-ball offers, despite Klein’s objections. Not only was this a waste of his time, but also Klein’s, the listing agent’s, and the sellers’.

Do you really want to work with the client who tells you that he doesn’t trust anyone and that “you can expect that every single thing you do will be subject to a microscopic evaluation?”

Those words were directed at Michael Hausam, an agent in California. He recalled the incident to Realtor Mag’s Danielle Braff.

“I don’t trust you, nor anyone else, and as a result, I’m going to make this entire process of working together an absolute nightmare,” his client promised.

Keep in Touch With Your Sphere (Available in the postcard section under the Holiday Series)

Whether it’s a time hog, an advice-ignorer or a client who is outright rude, ditching these clients protects not only your bottom line, but your sense of self-esteem and sanity as well.

Don’t be a tarrier

To tarry is to hang around way longer than you should.

Years ago, I interviewed Ken DeLeon, Silicon Valley mega-agent. During our chat he mentioned that he frequently turns down listings and isn’t at all hesitant to fire a client.

Yeah, I was surprised too. Many agents go their entire careers taking every listing that comes their way and wouldn’t dream of kicking a client to the curb.

The problem, he said is that agents are “too overly eager.” We continue working with the client who stubbornly insists his house is worth more than it is, the client that you’ve shown homes to for more than 6 months who still can’t make up her mind and the one that you know is secretly working with other agents.

DeLeon insists that agents don’t put a premium on their time. Taking the overpriced listing hoping you can eventually talk the client into reality sets you up for a huge time suck.

And that buyer who can’t make up her mind? Think of the wear and tear on your car, the gas you use and tack on what your time is worth and to tarry is truly foolish.

The key is in knowing what your time is worth, according to DeLeon. A lawyer-turned-real estate agent, he is well aware of the value of an hour’s worth of his time and you should be too.

Then, calculate the time it will take you to talk down that low-ball bidder, the overpricing homeowner or the buyer who loves to look at homes, for months on end.

If the costs outweigh the benefits, it’s time to bid the client aloha.

There must be 50 ways to leave your client

The first time you part ways with a client will be the most difficult. When it’s over, however, you’ll never forget that feeling of relief, of freedom. It’s like leaving a toxic love relationship in which you stayed far too long.

Believe it or not, there are certain steps to take when you need to relieve yourself of a lousy client. Before you utter that goodbye, run the situation by your broker and, possibly, your attorney or lawyer.

The latter may be especially important if there is a buyer’s agreement or listing contract involved. Your broker should be able to counsel you on whether or not professional legal advice is necessary.

Then, you’ll need to figure out how you’ll tell your client that “it’s not you, it’s me” and “I hope we can still be friends.”

It’s best to stick to the facts and don’t make it personal. Larry Easto, coach and author, recommends that you offer your client options as well.

He suggests something along the line of “May I have my broker assign this to another agent in our office or would you prefer to find a new agent on your own?”

I don’t know that I’d foist these clients on a colleague though.

Become top of mind with your target market (Available in the postcard section under Holiday Series)

Breaking free of exhausting, unprofitable, dishonest or emotionally draining client relationships may, in the end, be a blessing to your bottom line.

Send at least 100 Daylight Savings Time postcards from the Holiday Series to an area where you want more listings.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

2. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. – Click Here

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

Social Media Strategies

Feb 13, 2019

Your Facebook business page is useless for lead generation if you insist on using your posts to sell listings and advertise open houses to the exclusion of being, well, social.

Rule number one: Be of value

Use “value” as your cornerstone. Here’s an example.

I love LinkedIn for real estate agent marketing. Its users fall under the ideal demographics for the average home buyer and seller. But it’s one place you do NOT want to be salesy. People use the platform to network, not be sold to.

Which is why I stopped following a certain virtual assistant service. Everything she posted was an ad for her company. And, I mean, everything.

Demonstrate your expert knowledge (Available in the Postcard section under Content Cards).

Ads aren’t of value to me. At least not at LinkedIn. Not at Facebook, either, come to think of it.

To be of value to a Facebook follower, your posts need to be, above all, social.

They don’t need to always be real estate-related, just interesting, surprising or helpful.

Chicago’s Dream Town Realty nails it in the “interesting” and “helpful” categories. All posts (at least the ones we saw) are locally-oriented and full of pride for their city. The recently had a post on “Where to Go Sledding in Chicago” with a great photo of kids sledding at a local hill. This is a post that’s highly shareable and ultra-local.

Yes, they share open houses and the occasional listing, but “occasional” is the operative word. And, they don’t use the typical “salesy” jargon when they do share these items.

Where do you find these hot social media topics? Start with your hometown newspaper, your city’s magazine (such as Dream Town Realty did), or another local source.

Scour the internet to see if your town or city made it onto the many “best places to retire,” “best places to raise kids,” or “best places to live” lists. Just enter into Google, with the quotation marks, “best places,” “best neighborhoods or “best cities.”

Trulia recently put out a list of the “best” neighborhoods in the country, broken down as best for kids, best for friendliness, etc. Maybe your market made it onto the list.

Compile your own, like the Dream Town Realty list. Here are some ideas:

The best yoga studios
Top spots to watch the sun set
The best dog parks
Best restaurant patio dining
Top hiking, biking, walking trails
Do a series on day trips from your town
Best restaurants for date night
Top staycation ideas

Provide valuable information (Available in the Postcard section under Content Cards)

The list of local topics is just about endless when you start brainstorming. And, people love local topics.

Rule number two: Engagement is key

Real estate pros, by and large, do an admirable job posting to Facebook. Sadly, most aren’t engaging their followers.

So, why do non-profits on Facebook have such a high rate of engagement with their posts? This is just my opinion, but non-profits, because they aren’t selling anything, are non-threatening. But, the top organizations are also posting the right content.

The number one non-profit on Facebook is Ted, an organization “devoted to spreading ideas”. It’s a place you can find answers to your most burning questions.

Which makes for excellent Facebook fodder. A recent Ted Talk video post showing ‘how to do math in your head’ received a decent amount of engagement (nearly 700 comments, so far), it was shared more than 3,000 times. It was viewed 387,000 times.

Who knew so many people wanted to learn how to add and subtract in their heads?

When you’re stuck for content, share a post from Ted, or NPR, number 3 on the list of most popular non-profit Facebook pages.

Don’t make every post all about you. Nobody cares that you’re willing to help them “buy or sell a home.” Few care that you’re holding an open house or that you took a new listing.

Keep them informed of what’s important (Available in the Postcard section, under Content Cards).

Think about what makes you interact with a Facebook post and head in that direction with your real estate page.

Engage your audience by sending at least 100 Demand High, Inventory Low postcards from the Content Card Series to an area where you want more listings.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

2. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Creative Marketing: Be Daring, Be Memorable

Marketing Success

Feb 11, 2019

Quick! What’s the one thing all home sellers expect their listing agent to do for them?

You got it – market the home so it sells for the most money the market will allow.

They expect, and sure sometimes they receive, the services of an ace marketer. Most of the time, however, they’re getting someone who has had to learn marketing on the fly.

The truth is, how effectively you market yourself is an indicator to consumers of how well you’ll market their home.

Gain their interest with a Free Offer. (Available in the Postcard section of our site, under the Call to Action Series.)

It’s tough to find the time to figure out creative new ways to promote yourself and your business. However, the tail-end of the so-called “winter slowdown” that’s upon us right now, may just provide you with the time necessary to enter the spring market with guns blazing.

A born extrovert?

When someone is considered “bold,” she exhibits confidence, courage and a willingness to take risks, according to the dictionary.

If this even partially describes you, the world is your proverbial oyster when it comes to ways to market yourself in the real estate industry.

Unlike many of us, you aren’t afraid to step away from the pack, you aren’t concerned that one potential client might be alienated and your biggest fear is being lumped into the rest of your town’s “pack” of real estate agents.

Instead of running from the spotlight, you run, headlong, smack-dab into the middle of it.

Before Silicon Valley’s Ken DeLeon became Wall Street Journal’s number one agent in the country, he did some deep thinking about what would set him apart from the masses.

Now, this is a guy who, if he likes the song the DJ is playing, thinks nothing of getting up on the dance floor at the local dance club without a partner. And, he’s not even that great of a dancer, according to his own admission (“but I am the fastest” he boasts).

Naturally, his personality fought to be featured in any marketing he did for his brand. “I did some pretty crazy ads,” in the beginning, he admits, “such as a two-page spread in the local newspaper with me dressed as the Village People.”

“Instead of ‘Y-M-C-A,’ I was singing ‘S-O-L–D.’” A little Orphan Black-esque, It got the phone ringing and, when last we heard (which was a couple of years ago), DeLeon sold about 12 percent of the available homes in his market.

He’s not always crazy in his marketing, but he meets his goal of standing out from the crowd. Instead of a one-page market analysis, the former attorney beefs his up to 200 pages which includes neighborhood guides along with current market statistics.

Then, there are the spotlight-driven brokerages, agents and teams who shine best in the YouTube realm, with branded videos. One of our favorites is, “Teach me How to Dougie” from The Smith Group in Newport Beach, California and Santa Clarita, California’s Real Estate Rockstars.

Show off their property with style (Available in the Postcard section under Property Showcase Series).

Grab some inspiration and hog that real estate spotlight!

For the less-outrageous agent

OK, so you’re not outrageous. You’re not alone. And, thankfully, there are understated yet wildly effective ways to stand out from the other agents in your market.

In fact, to some, nothing is funnier or more entertaining than not taking yourself seriously. Self-deprecation, dry wit and irony, if you can pull it off, can be your key to uniqueness.

When People magazine dubs a video “the most inventive video advertisement the real estate world has ever seen,” you understand that people get this type of humor.

They’re referring to the brilliant work of New York City agent Brian Keith Lewis. You may have seen Lewis on stage at a past Inman Connect. If not, get inspired by more of his videos on his YouTube channel.

If real estate videos (even the understated variety) are a bit elaborate for your budget, there are other easy and inexpensive ways to promote your brand.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses,” claimed the late French journalist and novelist Alphonse Karr.

It’s all in how you look at things, right? Try looking at those “things” through a new or different lens.

Use that lens to check out tasks that you can perform in your real estate business better than any other agent in town. Open house? Make yours different. Or, focus on broker’s opens and make them the talk of the local MLS meetings and tours.

Something as simple as returning phone calls within minutes of receiving them sets you apart from the masses.

Become amazing at one thing that’s important to real estate consumers. Brag about it, become amazing at it and you’ll be known for it.

Offer them something they value (Available in the Postcard section under the Call to Action Series)

Refuse to be average

Successful people, according to Zen Habits’ Leo Babauta, harbor one similar trait, “the willingness to challenge mainstream ideas … the ability to not only question what others do, but the courage to try new ideas, different ideas.”

So, what if a tactic doesn’t work? Try another. Push the boundaries, be brave, be bold and vow to be successful in promoting your brand.

Send at least 100 Free Market Analysis postcards from the Free Offer Series to an area where you want more listings.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

3. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Professional Agent Behavior: 101

Business Etiquette

Jan 30, 2019

Do This, Not This

Reading the news every day it’s easy to assume that manners are a thing of the past – some dusty old idea that few feel the need to adhere to. Our whole sense of what is and isn’t appropriate has been turned upside down to the point where bad behavior is so revered, there are TV shows on the topic.

Unfortunately, this lack of dignity carries over into the business world and the real estate industry as well. Poorly behaving agents is a subject that is becoming more prevalent in the real estate industry.

“Real Estate is a reputation business. Practicing sound business etiquette and consistent professional courtesies will enhance your reputation both inside and outside the real estate arena,” claims the Austin Board of REALTORS®.

And, truer words have never been spoken.

This is a great time of year to reach out to past clients and say thank you. (Available in the Customer Appreciation section under “Postcards”)

“When we asked agents to tell their experiences with poorly behaving agents, we heard horror stories.”

Professional showing behavior

“How about when the listing instructions say to call the listing agent for an appointment to show the house and the agent doesn’t answer the phone?” asks Realty Billings’ Amber Uhren.

“In addition, the agent doesn’t have anyone else answering the phone and doesn’t return your calls.”

How much does a listing client pay for high-quality service? Everyone is trying to make money – the seller, the buyer’s agent and, hopefully, the listing agent as well.

To not do all you can to make it easy for other agents to show the home is not only a breach of your duties to your client, but it’s frustrating for other agents – agents you may need to deal with in the future.

Even if the house has a recently-accepted offer, answer the phone, return the calls and update the listing in the MLS to reflect the change in status.

It’s professional business behavior 101.

Then, there’s the flip side. Most homeowners go through hoops to keep their homes in showing condition. Imagine the frenzy of cleaning and tidying they must go through when they’re expecting a potential buyer.

Then, having to leave the house before the buyers show up is another huge inconvenience. But they do it because they want their homes to sell.

As a listing agent, have you ever faced a ticked off homeowner when, after going through the hoops, the showing agent didn’t show? “Either show the home you made the appointment for, or call the homeowner and cancel,” Uhren continues.

One issue we heard repeatedly is that so many agents don’t leave feedback about the listings they show their buyers.

This may be an old-school custom, but isn’t obtaining feedback the listing agent’s job?

In the past, it was up to the listing agent to gather up all those business cards agents toss on the kitchen counter and make the calls to get the feedback.

Today, the onus not only seems to be on the buyer’s agent, but those that don’t take the time to reach out to the listing agent are considered rude.

Show your past clients your gratitude by saying thank you (Available in the Customer Appreciation section under “Postcards”)

Sure, it’s good etiquette for the buyer’s agent to offer up feedback, but if it isn’t forthcoming, call, text or email him or her.

Professional communication behavior

This may sound crazy, but please check your email more often than once a week.

We spoke with one agent recently, that was in the midst of a deal with an agent across town who, when asked if she got her email, said: “I only check my emails once a week.”

It’s 2019 – time to check your emails daily, at least.

Then, there are the agents who are so busy, their texts look like shorthand. The problem is, not a lot of us understand abbreviations and symbols. If the information you need to communicate doesn’t fit into a text, use email or pick up the phone.

Business communication, especially when we’re dealing with contracts pertaining to someone’s largest investment, need to be clean and clear. No emojis, no emoticons, and no text-speak.

Professional client etiquette

Then, there’s the agent who told us a story about a particular listing presentation. We’ll call her “Agent 2.”

Agent 1 did her listing presentation just prior to Agent 2 giving hers. When Agent 2 arrived for hers, the homeowner shared Agent 1’s trash talk about her. Not only is this a violation of article 15 of NAR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, but Agent 1’s unprofessional behavior handed the listing to Agent 2.

The homeowner told her she would NEVER work with anyone who would stoop so low as to insult a colleague just to get her business.

Unprofessional agent behavior isn’t just harmful to a transaction; it is also seriously damaging the real estate industry’s reputation as a whole. Professional agent behavior boils down to what you learned in scouting.

Be polite, be respectful and be considerate.

Remind your past clients where to turn for help (Available in the Customer Appreciation section under “Postcards”)

And, although you didn’t learn this in scouting, please don’t EVER leave a listing until you check that all the doors are locked.

Send at least 100 Customer Appreciation postcards to past clients and referrals.

Show them you’re thinking of them and get them thinking of you, again.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations (similar to yours). We truly appreciate when you leave a review – Review us here

Don’t let a low VA home appraisal derail your deal

Appraisal Success

Jan 23, 2019

4 Steps to challenging the appraisal

In September of 2012, one in three real estate deals had appraisal problems. It was post-recession and we hit the bottom of the housing market in the early months of the year.

Although home prices rose slowly (at least in the beginning), stringent mortgage lending requirements and “appraisal frictions,” as NAR’s Lawrence Yun called them, caused many a real estate deal to fall apart.

We’re currently in a period of flux with the housing market with signs pointing to a buyers’ market, but nobody is truly certain of what’s to come. What we do know is that, while they won’t be as difficult as those in 2012, there may be more appraisal challenges on the horizon.

As a new agent dealing with VA clients, getting up to speed on the VA loan process is challenging enough. Dealing with a low VA appraisal takes a special kind of finesse, so let’s walk through the process.

Thankfully, you have options

When your clients are dealt a low appraisal from a conventional lender’s appraiser, there is little that can be done aside from asking for another appraisal or challenging the appraiser.

Loans guaranteed by the VA, however, are a different breed. Borrowers have the leverage provided by a process called the Reconsideration of Value (ROV).

Stay top of mind (Valentine’s Day postcards available in the Holiday postcard section)

It takes a team to request a ROV, so you’ll need to enlist the other side’s real estate agent and the sellers.

Step 1: Nit-pick the appraisal

The first step relies heavily on both the listing agent and his or her clients. Nobody involved in the deal knows more about the neighborhood than these parties, and their knowledge is critical in the ROV process.

Ask them to go over the appraisal, looking for errors and omissions. Even the tiniest of mistakes can make a difference, so request that they be as picky as possible.

Check to ensure the appraiser got the home and the lot square footage correct.
Is the age of the home accurate? How does it compare to those of the comps the appraiser used?
Were the home’s upgrades considered? Energy efficient improvements are especially important in the VA appraisal.
How does the home’s location compare to that of the comps?

While the sellers and their agent are doing their part, you should go into the MLS and ensure that every bit of information about the comps that the appraiser used is accurate.

Take your time and be methodical. Finding mistakes may just save the deal.

Step 2: You’ll need to pick the seller’s brains

Actually, you’ll need to ask their agent to pick their brains. Ask them to think back to any conversations they’ve had with neighbors about home sales in the area. Anything that caused the sale to be more or less than market value is important.

For instance, Joe down the street got a job in Boston and his new employer needed him there immediately. He had to sell his home and, in his rush to relocate, he took a rock-bottom offer.

A death in a family, selling to a family member and a tough divorce are a few other reasons that homes sometimes sell for less than market value.

Also, ask if there were any recent FSBO sales in the area and learn as much as you can about those situations as well.

Show them you’re thinking of them (Valentine’s Day postcards available in the Holiday postcard section)

Finally, run a CMA on the property to see if there are more relevant sales that the appraiser missed.

Step 3: Organize your supporting information

The VA has specific demands when submitting information for a ROV. Some lenders will handle this for you, but to be safe, thorough and professional, submit the information to the lender in the required format.

Comparable sales should be submitted on a grid. See the grid form the lender is required to submit at eprmg.net.

Ensure that the comps are truly “superior” to those used by the appraiser, such as comps that are more recent, closer in proximity to the subject property or more similar.
These comps must have a closing date earlier than the date on which the VA appraisal was reported and the VA will accept no more than three.
Include the MLS printouts (with closed status) for each comp.
Also, include a written narrative on why you think the comps are superior to the ones used by the appraiser. This is where you’ll mention any special circumstances, such as those listed in Step 2.

If the request for ROV is based on a disagreement with how the appraiser analyzed data, you’ll need to approach the lender with different materials:

Submit a narrative outlining which aspects of the appraisal you disagree with and why you think they’re incorrect. “Disagreement(s) with items such as grid adjustments, or subject square footage measurement should be explained and any documentation available to support these disagreement(s) should also be provided,” according to the VA.

Step 4: It’s time to approach the lender

The lender is the middle man or woman in a VA transaction – between the VA appraiser and the buyers and sellers.

He is the person you’ll want to speak with about the ROV and he is the person who will transmit all the supporting documents you come up with.

He’ll supply the appraiser with those documents and the appraiser will have five days to go over everything, reevaluate the original appraisal and notify the lender and the VA of her results.

Let them know you care (Valentine’s Day postcards available in the Holiday postcard section)

Your job at this point is to wait for the VA review process to conclude. Hopefully, all will go in your client’s favor because the results of the VA ROV are final.

Valentine’s Day is on its way (already) and right now is the perfect time to get those Valentine’s postcards in the mail.

Send at least 100 Valentine’s postcards from the Holiday Series to your Sphere of Influence.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations (similar to yours). We truly appreciate when you leave a review – Review us here

Avoid these 4 common real estate agent marketing mistakes

Marketing Success

Jan 21, 2019

Turn on the marketing “light bulb”

It’s a safe bet that the percentage of real estate agents who come from a background in marketing is quite small. Therefore, it’s understandable that marketing can be a challenge.

Fortunately, learning by example is an effective way to overcome this lack of knowledge. Let’s take a look at the following four common real estate marketing blunders so that you can avoid making them in the future.

Marketing Mistake 1: The lack of a plan

Planning isn’t as interesting or fulfilling as doing almost all things in life. So, we get it that creating a marketing plan isn’t something you put at the top of your to-do list.

But, that’s marketing mistake number one. Just as you caution your buying clients to enter the process prepared, with a plan, so too should you, when marketing your business.

Even a rudimentary plan can help keep you on track and on budget, but the more detailed the plan, the better it will perform.

The Real Estate Marketing Planner Free Download

A powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when is our Free Real Estate Marketing Planner. It includes weekly strategies for Four key market segments including, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence.

Please take advantage of this Free 12-month Marketing Planner, go here to download.

Marketing Mistake 2: Not understanding where the money is

One of the biggest myths about homebuyers is that the largest group of them are first-time buyers.

You’ll find this misinformation online on agent websites, sites trying to sell stuff to agents and even news stories.

“ … the majority of people looking to purchase a new home are first-time buyers.”

NAR tells us that first-timers make up only 33 percent of all homebuyers (and that number is down from the previous year). Therefore, diversify your marketing dollars to include target markets in addition to first-time home buyers. Some of the other top target markets include Baby Boomers, Move-Up Market, Lifestyle & Interests, Empty Nesters, High-Income Consumers, and Investors.

Notify the move-up market to turn to you for help. (Available in the Move-Up Market postcards section)

Marketing Mistake 3: And who are they?

NAR breaks buyers and sellers into generations and Gen X (born 1965 to 1976), according to the association, makes up the largest home seller pool at 27 percent.

In reality, baby boomers (between the ages of 54 and 72) in the market far exceed that number, at 43 percent. NAR, however, cuts the generation in half, making it appear to be a smaller group of consumers.

But, since both generations own homes and are likely to move, a smart agent will target both.

When you understand where the money is, and vow to strategically target those with it, everything else marketing-related, from the social media platforms you utilize to your content, falls into place.

Marketing Mistake 4: Going it alone

Assist an Empty Nester Achieve an Important Transition (Available in the Life Event postcard section)

Marketing involves a whole host of talents that most real estate agents don’t possess. Sure, you may be an ace photographer or may have studied graphic arts in college, but an agent who has all of what it takes to market his or her business would be a rarity, indeed.

There’s not a thing wrong with outsourcing your marketing needs, be it from the creative side (writing, photographing, videography, etc.) or the hands-on side (managing bulk or email lists, website work and social media management) or the design side by trusting in an industry marketing expert like ProspectsPLUS! for all of your real estate marketing materials.

Your job is to generate the leads required to make deals. Save time and frustration by hiring experts for the rest of the work including turning to industry expert marketers, such as ourselves, for marketing materials that speak specifically to the market you are targeting.

We understand the possible fear of committing the appropriate budget for this important area of your business. First, outsourcing marketing tasks is tax deductible (as are marketing materials). Second, it frees up more of your time which, in turn, means you’ll be working more on the money-making activities.

Offer decision-making assistance to baby boomers (Available in the Life Event postcards section)

Time for you to go after the “current” largest target market, Baby Boomers!

Send at least 100 Downsizing, Retiring Soon postcards from the Life Event Series to an area where you want more listings.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations (similar to yours). We truly appreciate when you leave a review – Review us here

The Right Stager Turns Ho-Hum Homes into SOLD

Staging

Jan 16, 2019

Work smarter instead of harder

Working hard to get a listing is the first step toward a commission check. In some markets, you may work just as hard to get the listing sold. (By the way, if you’re in need of more listings, send out postcards from our Get More Listings Series they’re great at driving new listings).

In reference to getting your current listings sold, did you know you have 8 seconds to make a great first impression on a potential buyer who has just stepped foot into your listing? This is according to Barbara Corcoran.

Counseling your clients on how to prepare the home for the market is a given. But we all know that many homes need more than a good cleaning and thorough decluttering.

This is when the home stager is worth his or her weight in gold. Taking a home from ho-hum to drop-dead appealing is the magic that sells homes for the most money the market will bear.

Notify Them The Time is NOW (Available in “Get More Listings” postcard section)

Read on to learn how to find this magician and the important questions to ask before recommending a stager to your listing clients.

Where to find stagers

Seems like a no-brainer, right? Just enter “home stagers in [your city] into your favorite search engine’s search box.

But there’s more to it than that. Just as you hope your real estate clients will interview more than one agent, you should have at least three stagers (more is better) to compare. And, the best place to look for them is right there in your office – your colleagues.

Find out which agents in your office use stagers in their real estate business and then make note of who they use. The beauty of this type of referral is that your colleagues did the heavy lifting when vetting the stagers.

All that’s left for you to do is a bit of sleuthing and then interview them to determine if they’re a good fit for your business.

Stalk that stager

Visit each stager’s website to find their portfolios. Remember, if they’ve posted something on their site for all the world to see, they are most likely presenting what they consider their best work.

Try to determine if each stager has a preferred niche. For instance, some specialize in staging vacant homes or condos. Others may have a preferred part of town.

Then, check each candidate’s ranking at Yelp.com and their information at the Better Business Bureau.

Get Them Calling YOU (Available in “Get More Listings” postcard section)

Interview time

When you’ve come up with a list of promising prospects, give each one a call to set up an interview. Here are some ideas of what to ask during the interview:

Ask about rates, especially whether or not the stager requires a consultation fee.
Ask for the address of one or two of their currently staged properties so that you can visit before the interview.
Get a list of the names of other agents they’ve worked with.
Does the stager have a niche? If you, as an agent, practice in a niche, this question is quite important. Luxury agents, for instance, should look for luxury home stagers.
Ask the stagers which areas of town they primarily work in. This is important information since knowledge of the neighborhood’s target audience is critical.
Does the stager use the homeowner’s existing furniture or does he or she have a warehouse with everything needed?
How long does the average staging job take?
What is required of the homeowner pre-staging?
What is the average DOM for the stager’s clients? Is this over or under the average for the market? And, the average list-to-sales price ratio of the company’s staged homes?
Ask if the stager is insured and if you decide to hire him or her, get a copy of the insurance certificate.

Regardless of the incredible customer service you provide your clients, regardless of your impeccable reputation, it takes only one lazy, shoddy, or dishonest vendor to ruin it. Not only is it important to take your time when interviewing vendors, but to consistently follow up on their work.

Call your clients to find out how the job is going. Follow up after completion to get an idea of how it was working with your vendor. Never remain loyal to a vendor after receiving negative feedback.

It’s your reputation on the line.

Let Them Know You’re the Area Expert Agent (Available in “Get More Listings” postcard section)

Send at least 100 Activity in Your Neighborhood postcards from our Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more listings.

Then get your stager lined up and ready for the flow of new listings coming your way.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations (similar to yours). We truly appreciate when you leave a review – Review us here

How to help divorcing couples sell their homes

niche marketing

Jan 9, 2019

The Ins & Outs of the Divorce Niche

Leaving her husband was the most gut-wrenching decision Louise would make in her adult life.

Or, so she thought.

What to do with the family’s home as they separated soon rivaled the decision to leave.

Images of the kids being ripped from their friends in the neighborhood, sleeping in strange bedrooms and trying to settle into a new school made her question whether divorce was the right answer.

Then, there was the house.

The one she and her husband shopped for, fought for, fixed up to meet their needs, loved, maintained and in which they built memories.

Man, giving that up is a hard concept to deal with.

With the help of her attorney and a dedicated, empathic real estate agent, Louise overcame the turmoil and was able to move on with her life.

Yes, divorce rates seem to be on the decline in the U.S. yet 40 to 50 percent of American marriages still end in divorce.

Furthermore, divorcing couples sell homes and, often, purchase another. Although it sounds a bit mercenary, the divorce niche in real estate can be quite lucrative.

Someone needs to help couples going through this challenge.

At the risk of sounding like we’re objectifying living, breathing human beings (humans who are in emotional pain), you won’t find a more motivated home seller than someone going through a divorce.

Whether it’s because of a court order or simple logistics, most (but not all) divorcing couples choose to include the home when liquidating their assets.

You don’t necessarily need to have personal marital break-up experience to effectively pursue divorce leads, but agents who do are one-step ahead of you.

What you need to know to work with divorcing couples

Working with divorced or divorcing couples isn’t easy. It isn’t for those who lack empathy, tact, diplomacy or patience.

It’s for the counselors among the agent ranks, the educators, those who truly want to help and aren’t in it for the quick commission.

Agent Scott Weeda, for instance, tells NPR’s Sara Lerner about just one of the strategies he’s found effective when working with divorcing couples:

“I never try to force them to communicate together, which means a lot of separate and duplicate communication, so that neither ever has the impression that I’m trying to force the agenda of one on the other,” he says.

This may mean coordinating separate meetings for everything from signing the listing agreement to acknowledging contingency releases, presenting offers and closing.

But that is one strategy in a process full of them.

How to generate divorce listing leads

You have several options when it comes to finding divorce leads. One of the easiest is, of course, to buy a list. Companies such as ReboGateway (started and run by former agents and brokers) offer lists that they obtain from mining court records.

We offer postcards that speak specifically to divorcing couples selling their home in our Life Event Postcard Series. These postcards integrate with ReboGateway. To learn more about how to export a divorced homeowners mailing list from Rebogateway into your ProspectsPLUS! account click here (from a desktop computer).

Or, consider mailing to quit claim deed filers. A real estate investor who specializes in divorce listings claims, in a thread at bigger pockets.com, that about 20 percent of responses to his quitclaim deed ads come from divorcing couples.

“Most of the time I am contacted from the person who decided to keep the house and now they understand they can no longer afford it,” he explains.

He also advertises in a local grade school’s parent newsletter. The ad directs the reader to a landing page he designed specifically for couples going through a divorce.

If you think that sending a divorce focused postcard is too direct send a postcard from our Get More Listings Series instead. This series is targeted at driving more listings. As long as you get your name in front of these couples you’re one step ahead of everyone else.

Get referrals

If you decide to make divorce real estate your sole niche, consider a program that teaches you how to work with the family law community to earn their referrals.

Laurel Starks, divorce agent and author of “The House Matters in Divorce” offers classes in how to get divorce leads and how to work with divorcing couples.

She is the founder of the Divorce Real Estate Institute and teaches agents about the “two paths to successfully serving divorcing clients.”

Since the 2019 real estate market remains up in the air right now, choosing the divorce niche may just mean the success of your business this year.

Send our Divorce: Curve Ball postcard from our Life Event Series to your list of divorced homeowners.

Remember to export your Rebogateway list of divorced homeowner into your ProspectsPLUS! account, click here to learn more (From a desktop computer).

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations just like yours and we truly appreciate your review of our products and services – Review us here

Achieve Killer Listing Presentation Skills

Presentation Skills

Jan 7, 2019

Presentations that close

You can blink your eye three times in the time it takes a person to judge your trustworthiness and competence just by looking at your face, according to research conducted by Princeton University.

Yet, the real estate industry is confounded that most real estate consumers go with the first agent they meet and that so many homeowners spend only one day choosing a listing agent.

As with all things real estate, time is of the essence during the listing appointment, so let’s take a look at how you can ensure the homeowner’s first impression is a winning one.

It starts with fact gathering

Whether it’s a cold call or a response to a Free Offer postcard, how you handle that first contact with a potential seller will pave the way to a successful listing presentation. In fact, this is the time to gather as much information as possible about the home and the owner.

The National Association of Realtors offers a list of questions to have ready for your next listing appointment:

Why are you selling your home?
How soon do you need to sell?
Do you have a ballpark price in mind?
Tell me about your home – how long you’ve lived there, what you like best about it and whether you’ve performed any renovations or major repairs.
In your opinion, what makes your home different from others in the neighborhood?

When you set the appointment, let the homeowner know that all decision-makers should be present.

Before compiling the CMA, take a tour of every home currently for sale in the seller’s neighborhood and a drive-by of sold comps.

As most listing agents know, potential home sellers are keenly aware of current listings in the area and will many times bring them up during a listing appointment. Rather than being embarrassed that the homeowner knows the local market better than you do, be the agent who is completely up-to-date on the local market.

Now you have the information necessary to put together the CMA. For the rookies out there, here is a list of quick tips to help you out with that:

Generics won’t make you stand out. Every home and every seller is different. Customize your presentation to a specific home and neighborhood.
Even if you use a digital presentation, ensure that everything in your hard copy is professionally printed. Your competition won’t bother using the color printer, which is why you must. From your branding to the graphics and photos, color grabs attention and gives the impression that marketing is your forte.

Powerful first impressions

Remember how quickly we form first impressions? One of the best ways to ruin your chances is by being late for the listing appointment. No excuse on earth will work just show up on time. Before you leave your car, turn off your phone, take a deep breath and relax. Remind yourself to smile and make eye contact as the homeowner opens the door.

Steer the participants to a place where it will be easier to maintain eye contact with everyone who is present. A round dining table is ideal. Then, break the ice with a statement such as, “Driving over here, I was thinking about how excited I am about this meeting,” this lets them know that you’re confident and have exciting things to share.

Another suggested ice-breaker is to ask a question. Engaging the homeowners immediately will help you make a quick connection. While every listing agent is different in how they conduct a listing presentation, most that we’ve spoken with share the following:

Homeowners want to know that you’re truly listening to them. Making eye contact conveys that and taking notes as they speak shows you are serious about remembering what they’re saying.

Assume the close

While some agents we’ve spoken with wait until the end of the presentation to assume the close, others do so throughout the presentation.

Here’s a brilliant example we read about at ActiveRain. Draw up two lists of services – one the basics, and one with the extra services you offer your listing clients.

Then, when explaining your services during the presentation, start with the basics – the stuff that is standard in your area. Then, whip out the second list and, as you tick them off, stop occasionally to ask if this is a service they want you to provide.

For instance, “Will you want aerial photography as well as the 3-D home tour?” Or “Do you want me to hold open houses?”

Although we don’t expect these tips to be everything required to beat the listing presentation willies, they offer ideas on how to prepare. And, knowing you’re prepared is calming. And, when you’re calm, you’re confident and unbeatable!

Send out at least 100 Free Market Statistics postcards from the Call to Action Series to an area where you would like more listings and get that killer presentation ready.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Also…check out these game-changing tools!

Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

Our business flourishes from recommendations just like yours and we truly appreciate your review of our products and services – Review us here