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Monday, May 5, 2025

    Content is the cornerstone of your online presence and your brand’s biggest ambassador. Done right and shared frequently, it will deliver visitors to your website where you can work your conversion magic.

    Writing isn’t easy for those who don’t do it every day. But you don’t need to bend it like Dostoevsky or Shakespeare. Once you realize that, you free yourself of that little nag in your head that tells you that you suck at writing.

    Let’s take a look at some of the basics, as applied to your blog posts but transferrable to most website content.

    1. Know your audience

    It’s crazy to try to target every conceivable real estate consumer in one blog post. You won’t succeed.

    Before setting fingers to keyboard, take the time to think about to whom your topic will appeal. That is your audience for this particular post.

    That’s the person you’ll imagine as you write. For instance, when writing a post on downsizing, your audience is most likely:

    • A homeowner
    • A member of the baby boomer generation
    • Someone who owns a large home
    • Someone who needs help both selling and buying

    Draw an imaginary picture of this person, sitting at his or her computer reading your article. Keep that picture top-of-mind while writing.

    1. Remain focused on the topic

    Nothing will tick your readers off more than a snappy title luring them into reading a post that ends up having little to do with the title. The anger will be worse if your post offers no solutions and few answers.

    Their anger toward you is well deserved; you’ve effectively ripped off their time.

    It’s a common problem with folks who don’t write for a living. A solution to this is to create the title of your piece last.

    Free Report for Real Estate Marketing to sellers
    available under the Free Report tab on our website.

    Then, when you’re finished writing and you proofread it, determine your main theme, come up with a brilliant title and remove anything in the post that strays from it.

    1. Short and simple

    This rule applies to sentences as well as paragraphs and even words.

    Don’t use a $5 million word when a $2 word will suffice

    For example:

    • We will accompany you – We will go with you
    • When you relocate to – When you move to
    • The optimum time to buy (or sell) – The best time to buy (or sell)
    • Obtain a mortgage – get a home loan
    • Purchase a home – Buy a home

    The same holds true for sentences and paragraphs; keep them short and easy to read.

    1. Looks matter

    When a visitor lands on your blog post, it’s the visual appeal that he or she will notice first. If your post appears too wordy, too challenging to read, the chances are good your visitor will leave.

    Aside from that snappy title, one of the best ways to “trick” them into staying is by making the post appear to be a quick, easy read. Use the following in each post:

    • Lots of white space. You can get this by keeping your paragraphs short – no longer than five sentences, but shorter is better.
    • Bullet points
    • Numbered lists
    • Stand-alone quotes
    1. Proof and edit – a couple of times

    Congratulations! You’ve got yourself a first draft. Keep in mind that

    “The first draft of anything is sh#$”

    According to the late Ernest Hemmingway.

    Now, you need to hone that blog post. Read through it, looking for spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. Then, check it for factual and logical errors. Ensure that claims you make are backed up by facts.

    We found the perfect example of a logical error on a New Jersey luxury agent’s blog. He opens it with a question, asking the reader if he or she is considering “knocking down the walls of an existing property.”

    As opposed to a non-existing property? Hopefully, had the agent proofed his post, he would’ve caught this. Obviously, he didn’t proof.

    After making your edits, read the post once more for flow. Organize the information so that each thought leads logically to the next.

    Then, set it aside for a few hours and repeat the process. You may be surprised how many mistakes you missed on the first-read.

    available under the Free Report tab on our website.

    Your final task is to share your content — in as many places as possible.

    Offer the Free Report, “Five Ways Waiting to Sell Can Cost You Thousands” as an opt in our your blog in exchange for email addresses.

    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 killer tools to help your success this year!

    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

      If you’re of a certain age you may recall when the personal computer was brand spanking new to the world and all the promises it held out to us.

      It would usher in a paperless society, they said. It will transform our work environment, saving tons of time and making us more productive, they promised.

      Sure, personal computers have caused the demise of the video store and we no longer have to stand in line at the bank, but many of us still deal with piles of paper and spend way too much time online.

      Both of those (paperwork and the internet) are major time thieves, but they aren’t the only ones you may routinely face during the work day.

      Email is supposed to be a tool

      A recent Michigan State University study found that we spend more than 90 minutes a day – “or seven-and-a-half hours every week – recovering from email interruptions.”

      Have you ever figured out what your time is worth? Take your annual commission amount and divide it by 2,000 (the average number of hours most people work each year, with two weeks deducted for vacation time).

      That’s a rough estimate of your hourly rate. That is how much money you lose, per day, by allowing yourself to be a slave to your email. Multiply that out over the course of a year – shocking, isn’t it?

      Think about how much more productive you would be with an extra hour and a half each day. Then, stop being reactive when it comes to email. Turn off email notifications and only check for new emails during specific times.

      Or, assign email-checking to your assistant. No assistant? Why not?

      Social media marketing as a rabbit hole

      Yes, social media marketing is important. But it is entirely too easy to stop by Facebook to share your latest blog post and end up chasing shiny objects. Minutes can easily turn into an hour, or more.

      In fact, studies by eMarketer claim that we spend 40 minutes a day on Facebook. Add that 40 minutes (if it’s not spent solely on business marketing) to the 90 you lose checking email and you’ve lost more than 2 hours a day to non-income-producing distractions.

      Use Free Reports as opt ins and sellers calling you (available under our Free Report tab).

      If the shiny objects are far too attractive to you, plan on saving your social media marketing for the end of the day. Then, discipline yourself to save the socializing for after you take care of the marketing stuff.

      Temptations in the home office

      You can’t beat working from home. Wear whatever you want, eat lunch whenever you want and take breaks whenever you please.

      It’s a blessing, yes, but it’s also a curse. There are so many distractions when working from home—distractions that can ruin your productivity.

      Not only does the pile of clean laundry call out to you to be folded and put away, but other household chores suddenly seem more interesting than the work at hand. Besides, it’ll only take a few minutes, right?

      Staying focused on your work can be challenging. If it is for you, try the “rule of 52 and 17.” John Rampton at Inc.com says.

      The study apparently found that “the most productive people take a 17-minute break every 52 minutes.” Rampton adjusted the rule to fit his attention span and works “in shorter, 30-minute sprints,” breaking for 5 to 7 minutes.

      Set a timer or ask Alexa to remind you when your time is up, but vow to remain focused during the work period. Then you can fold that laundry.

      But, there’s more

      Home office workers don’t know this but they have a sign on their backs that says “I’m at home so I’m not really working. Feel free to ask me to pick up your dry-cleaning, run your daughter to ballet class or drop your dog at the vet.”

      Find a local professional errand runner and keep his or her phone number handy. Every time your sister calls with an errand for you to run, give her the number.

      Setting boundaries is actually the key to success. It may take time, but the more often you meet these requests by reminding the people making them that you are working, the less it will happen.

      These time-wasters only scratch the surface of what a real estate agent may face during the work day. Add time-wasting clients, disorganized work spaces and cars and working without a plan to the list.

      Learning how to be more self-disciplined isn’t easy but it’s critical to the success of your real estate business. Plus, it makes you happy, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality.

      “Exerting self-control can make you happier not only in the long run, but also in the moment,” Time.com’s Maia Szalavitz says, citing the study.

      Apparently, “managing conflicting goals” successfully makes us feel good. In real estate, it also helps you make more money.

      Get hands raising with an attention-getting free report (available under the Free Report tabe on our website).
      Educate your target market and get them leaning forward to work with you by adding the Free Report, “9 Ways to Get More Money, Less Time, With Less Headaches“ as an opt in to all of your marketing.

       

      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 killer tools to help your success this year!

      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

        We have two winners!

        A first place $250 Gift Card winner & a second place $100 Gift Card winner!

        1.Congratulations Joanne Gillet on winning our 1st Prize $250 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card!

        Joanne shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!

        “Fast and easy, or if you have any questions a representative is there to help with custom cards or to get a quick automatic postcard sent out! Love it!”

        Joanne’s latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – A Just Listed postcard and a Upload Your Own design postcard.

        Send out Just Listed and Just Sold postcards to multiply your results (Available in the postcard section)

        2. Congratulations Phyllis Staines on winning the 2nd Prize $100 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card

        Phyllis shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!,

        “Easy to use, prices are affordable and delivery is fast!”

        Phyllis’ latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – The Call To Action postcard and the Neighborhood Update postcard.

        Send the Call To Action Series or Neighborhood Update Series and get them excited to call you (available in the postcards section)

        Take the lead from Joanne and Phyllis and send at least 100 marketing pieces to an area where you want more buyers or sellers!

        You might also like to read:

        How to Harness the 5 Key Traits of ‘Rock Star’ Agents

        Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

        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!

          Even in the fastest-moving real estate markets, some homes just don’t sell. You know the reasons this happens and chief among them is that the home is overpriced. When a listing is priced right, however, it’s usually the home’s condition that keeps buyers from swooning over it.

          If investors are swooping in on your homeowner with rock-bottom offers to purchase, perhaps it’s time for you to step in and politely demand that the homeowner make some changes.

          Even basic fixes can help move a home. But perception drives value, so consider some of the psychological aspects of staging a home.

          Take a cue from the retail and restaurant industries

          In fine dining restaurants, presentation of the meal is critically important. It has, in fact, been elevated to a culinary art form.

          When plating a meal, a fine dining chef combines color, texture and even space to make the meal attractive to the diner. Compelling plating has other benefits too:

          • It adds value to the dining experience
          • Increases the restaurant’s profits by making it easier to upsell
          • Helps build the restaurant’s reputation

          Retailers have also long valued the benefits of presentation. More than two-thirds of consumers interviewed in a Morpace Omnibus survey said that they’ve avoided a retailer based solely on how it appeared from the exterior.

          Get there attention with content that matters to them (available in the postcard section under the Content Card Series)

          Curb appeal apparently is just as important in retail as it is in real estate

          Even once they’re inside the store, the retailer isn’t safe from consumers’ negative perceptions. A couple of years ago, Harris Interactive surveyed 1,000 Americans about what features of a store most negatively impact their perceptions of the store.

          “A surprisingly high 86 percent of those surveyed pointed to the floor,” according to Daniel Frimmel, at CSNews.com.

          He explains that “a store with soiled or poorly maintained floors would definitely be a factor in their decision to revisit that store again.”

          Remind you of any other consumers? How many times has ratty carpet or holes in vinyl turned a homebuyer off even when everything else about the home is ideal?

          Curb appeal, staging and cosmetic repairs are all visual cues for homebuyers. But they aren’t the only ones.

          If you have a difficult listing, it may be time to dig deeper into the arsenal.

          The nose knows

          To compete with online retailers, the brick-and-mortar guys (and gals) are using something the online shopper just isn’t provided: a sensory experience.

          “Sensory marketing targets a consumer’s basic senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell,” explains David Anzel at RetailCustomerService.com.

          After sight, the next most commonly used of our five senses when viewing homes for sale is scent. When the front door opens, what do your clients smell? Yeah, there are some pretty nasty smells out there.

          But, it doesn’t have to stink.

          Related: Three Common Myths About Things That Impact a Home’s Value

          If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas you know that cigarette smoking is prevalent in the casinos. In fact, a study done a few years ago found that more than half of casino patrons smoke cigarettes.

          Unless you’re sitting next to a smoker, however, the air smells surprisingly smoke-free. That’s because almost two decades ago, casino owners brought in experts in air filtrations systems who provided devices that were attached to the ventilation system and pumped out “highly aromatic and shockingly expensive oils into the ducts,” according to PaceVegas.com’s Pesach “Pace” Lattin.

          While the cost of these devices is a bit more than the average homeowner or real estate agent would be willing to pay, there are other ways to rid homes of pet, baby, cooking, smoking and other stenches.

          It all starts with a thorough cleaning, paying special attention to those items that attract and cling to odors”

          • Range hood filter
          • Draperies and curtains
          • Bedspreads
          • Carpet
          • HVAC filters

          Then, have your client paint the entire home. If they smoke in the home, tell them to grab a can of KILZ Primer when they buy their paint.

          As the paint dries, look around the home for common items that many homeowners use for odor control. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension offers a list that includes the usual baking soda, vanilla extract and fabric softener sheets, but it also offers some you may have not heard of before:

          • Listerine for cleaning
          • A solution of citronella oil and a half cup of rubbing alcohol in a gallon of water for cleaning the bathroom.
          • Hang DIY sachets of cat box filler or potpourri in the closets to rid them of stale smells.

          Suggest that when your clients install the new HVAC filter, they sprinkle a few drops of a lightly-scented essential oil on it. Apparently, the scent only lasts for a week, so reapplication may be necessary.

          Remember that even the most heavenly scent to one person may be downright disgusting to another so caution your clients to keep cover-up smells light.

          Open the lines of communication with valuable content (available in the postcard section under the Content Card Series)

           

          Ready to spread the word on curb appeal?
          Send at least 100 Making the Most of Curb Appeal postcards from the Content Card Series to an area where you want more listings.
          You might also like:

          Master the Art of Writing Listing Descriptions That Sell

          Downsizing: How to Help Your Older Real Estate Clients

          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 killer tools to help your success this year!

          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

            Welcome to real estate, rookie! Those world’s-most-boring-classes and the licensing exam were the prelude to what may just turn out to be a very lucrative and fulfilling business.

            But only if you get off to a good start and that’s just what we hope to help you with today. So, forget about sitting in a cubby, staring at a blank wall or a quiet phone and the background conversations that sound like a foreign language.

            You’ve got work to do!

            1. Choose your broker carefully

            You’ll need to “hang” your license with a real estate broker and, depending on the size of your town you may have slim pickin’s or so many you have no idea where to start.

            First, decide if you want to work for one of the big national companies, such as RE/MAX or Keller Williams, or if you prefer the small, boutique-style local brokerages. They both have their pluses and minuses.

            Since we advocate that you interview more than one broker, why not interview a couple of each of the above?

            Here are some questions you’ll want answers to:

            What split are you offering?

            This refers to your commission split. For each transaction (unless the broker represents both the buyer and the seller), the commission paid by the seller is split two ways. This means that the listing broker and the selling broker each get half the commission.

            Then, each broker pays their listing/buyer agent their agreed-upon share. Splits vary, but the typical rookie agent is offered around 50 percent.

            Is there a desk fee?

            This is basically rent for the space you use at the office. Not all brokers charge this fee.

            Do you offer floor time to agents?

            Floor time is a predetermined amount of time that you agree to be in the office to field calls (some questions can’t be legally answered by the receptionist, unless he or she is licensed) and to speak with walk-ins.

            Yes, it’s a hassle. But it may result in generating a lead or two and maybe even a buying client. It’s worth it if for no other reason that you’ll become accustomed to speaking with real estate consumers.

            Related: 5 Ways Agents Sabotage Their Careers
            What type of marketing are you doing?

            While you will definitely want to come up with a plan to market your business, marketing the company is the broker’s job. The more exposure the company gets, the better for each agent.

            Finally, ask about the broker’s training program for new agents. My first broker didn’t have a program but he spent lots of time with new agents weekly, teaching us everything from how to read the contract upside down and compiling fake CMAs to some scripts and dialogs he felt were effective.

            Once you’re with a broker you can join the NAR and the local association, so be prepared to shell out some significant bucks.

            1. Get business cards

            Many new agents order business cards through their broker, which is fine in the beginning. You will soon grow out of those, however, so don’t order too many.

            Get the word out and stay connected with a personalized business card (available under the Business Card tab)

            Once you’ve settled into the daily real estate business routine you’ll want to work on your branding and, most important, get your own website set up. Once this is finished, order new, Business Cards, complete with your website’s URL. 

            1. Purchase CRM software

            Customer relation management will be one of the more critical tasks in your real estate business and, thankfully, there are software solutions to help streamline the process.

            Ask around the office to get a feel for the best CRM solutions and you’ll find the same names pop up repeatedly.

            • LionDesk
            • pipedrive
            • Market Leader
            • Wise Agent
            • Follow Up Boss
            • realvolve
            • Top Producer

            When you’ve found one or two that sound right, run your choices by your broker to help you decide. He or she has worked with enough rookies to understand what they need in a CRM and how to choose one that will grow with you.

            Get the software up and running and start populating it with the contact information of family, friends and close acquaintances. This is your sphere of influence, and they’ll be important in your efforts to harness the power of referrals.

            1. Contact everyone you know who lives in the area

            You know a lot more people than you may think:

            • Doctor
            • Dentist
            • Veterinarian
            • Dog Groomer
            • Dry Cleaner
            • Barista
            • Hair Stylist or Barber
            • Nail Technician
            • Folks at the gym where you work out
            • Landlord/lady and former landlords/ladies
            • Your kids’ friends’ parents
            • Teachers
            • Former colleagues

            This list represents just a small fraction of groups of people that you may know; use it to brainstorm additional sources.

            It doesn’t matter how you contact these people – call, email, snail mail – but reach out to them and let them all know that you’re now in real estate.

            Consider sending an Agent Introduction postcard to those people you won’t be calling on the phone. And be sure to mention, whether in person, by phone, email or snail mail, that you’re happy to help anyone they know who may be thinking of buying or selling a home. 

            1. Create a business and marketing plan

            It’s a rare rookie who prepares a business and marketing plan. Hey, we get it, it’s a complete hassle and other parts of the new business which are more attractive, beckon.

            Every successful agent we know, however, has a plan, even if rudimentary and written on post-it notes.

            Check out the Real Estate Marketing Planner for 12 months of strategic marketing ideas. This Planner is a free resource provided by us for you.

            Our One Page Real Estate Business Plan is another free resource that we have made available for you. It’s simple, yet gives you a direct path to achieving your business goals.

            Watch this space next month for Part 2 of How to Spend your First 30 Days as a new real estate agent. See you then!

            Let everyone know how to find you when they are looking for real estate help (available in the postcard section under Agent Introduction Series)
            Send out Agent Introduction postcards to your newly created Sphere of Influence.
            Make sure they know who to call when they are ready.
            You might also like:

            The Biggest Client Complaint and How Not to Be That Agent

            Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

            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 killer tools to help your success this year!

            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

              There’s one thing I don’t get about the real estate industry: If it’s true that “When you list, you last,” why is the vast majority of real estate advice addressed to homebuyers?

              From how to get a mortgage to down payment assistance programs and explanations of every step in the buying process, buyers seem to be every agent’s holy grail. The poor seller is left in the dust.

              In a quick tour of real estate blog posts, most of the seller stuff I read had to do with how to choose a listing agent and admonitions to “clean, declutter and stage” their homes.

              Agents seem to have forgotten that there are also first-time sellers who have just as many questions about their part in the process as first-time buyers have. They lose just as much sleep at night worrying about what they don’t know and how they’ll learn it.

              Sadly, the same can’t be said for first-time seller advice. Because of this, these clients are filled with anxiety and have plenty of questions they may be too embarrassed to ask.

              Even worse, the number of posts I found centered around how they can get “top dollar” for their homes vastly outnumbered the posts about what is truly of concern to them. 

              You can’t be of service to someone when you make assumptions

              How many blog posts and articles have you read that claim some variation of “Your home may be your largest financial asset?”

              First, do agents think that homeowners don’t know this? Second, do agents think this is a home seller’s biggest concern?

              Guess what? Getting the home sold “fast and for top dollar” is far down on the list of home seller concerns. At least according to a recent survey by Homes.com.

              If you truly want to attract listing leads, help home sellers understand the pre-listing projects they should undertake. In fact, according to the previously mentioned survey, the vast majority of sellers crave information about which repairs and home renovations they should perform.

              Of course, somewhere in the back of their minds they are most likely hoping to get “top dollar” by undertaking these projects. But when asked what concerned them the most, getting the home ready for the market was twice as concerning as any financial aspect.

              Related: How to Help Divorcing Couples Sell Their Homes

               They’re also concerned about the emotional aspects of the sale

              Next on the list of home seller concerns is “the stress and anxiety of moving,” according to a press release of Home.com’s survey results.

              More than a quarter of the respondents skipped right over the selling process and closing to thinking about the move.

              When was the last time you offered valuable information about moving? Moving with kids, moving with pets, moving in winter or a moving checklist? DIY or hire a moving company? How to find the best moving company.

              Sellers are concerned about how to ease their young children into a new school and a new neighborhood. Older Americans voice concerns about leaving a neighborhood in which they’ve lived for decades and leaving behind neighbors who have become longtime friends.

              As a potential listing agent, offering solutions to ease these concerns gives you a leg up on other agents in your market who are too busy catering to buyers to dig deep into topics that attract sellers.

              Yes, money is a concern

              All of the above doesn’t mean that home sellers don’t have financial concerns. Indeed, they do; they just don’t happen to be at the top of the list of what worries them.

              The Homes.com study found that two aspects of the selling process were the most troubling when asked about financial concerns:

              • Nearly a third worry about how they will coordinate the timing of selling their current home and buying their next one.
              • Almost as many home sellers are confused about the tax implications of selling.

              The latter isn’t easy to address. With all of the recent tax code changes it’ll take some research. And, don’t forget the admonition for readers to “always consult your tax advisor.”

              The key to laser-focused marketing is to know – not make assumptions about — your audience. That so many of your colleagues seem focused on following assumptions offers you a leg up.

              Get your phone ringing with interest with this Free Report (available under the Free Reports section of our website).

              Take it.

              Order the Top Ten Renovations That Reap Returns Free Report and add it as an opt in on all of your marketing (email, website, direct mail).
              You might also like:

              The Biggest Client Complaint and How Not to Be That Agent

              Downsizing: How to Help Your Older Real Estate Clients

              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 killer tools to help your success this year!

              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

                Although it depends upon whom you ask, estimates vary about the average length of time a real estate agent stays in their career. Trainer Tom Ferry says that 87 percent wash out within five years and others say that the churn rate is around 95 percent.

                If you’re a new agent who hopes to be in it for the long haul or an established one who is facing challenges, read on to understand some of the stumbling blocks you may face and how to overcome them.

                Let complacency take hold

                When that sense of security settles over you, when you decide that being average is good enough – wake up!

                NAR’s member survey claims that fewer than one-fourth of real estate agents earn more than $100,000 annually. The median earnings, at least according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $44,090.

                What’s interesting, is how the business behaviors of the lowest and highest earners differ. Rich agents, for instance, aren’t afraid to spend money. And, no, it isn’t because they have more of it to spend. Most claim that they started their careers with the mindset that “it takes money to make money.”

                An Active Rain survey of these agents finds that they spend more of their incomes on tech upgrades and 10 times more on marketing than the poorer agents.

                 Refuse to spend money

                Remember the NAR member survey we mentioned above? Ever wonder what separates the two groups of earners (aside from experience)?

                Those who earn more aren’t afraid to spend the money necessary to set them apart from the rest of the agent-pack in their area.

                The wealthier agents spend their money on their websites, their CRM, and email marketing. In fact, this group of agents spends 10 times more on marketing than the lower-earning agents.

                Keep hanging on to every last nickel and you’ll fail. It’s as simple as that.

                Related: How to Harness the 5 Key Traits of ‘Rock Star’ Agents

                Don’t grasp “When you list, you last”

                The holy grail in academia is to publish. It’s one of the few ways to promote yourself as an authority and, thus, further a career. In fact, the admonishment is “Publish or Perish.”

                We have one of those in real estate: “When you list, you last.” When you consider that your listings will generate far more clients than your buyers will (if you work them properly), you understand the dictum.

                Servicing a listing is also a lot less labor-intensive than working with a buyer. Focusing on listings “will allow you to get what you want a lot faster and allow you to have a life,” according to real estate trainer Knolly Williams.

                In his book “Millionaire Real Estate Agent,” Gary Keller claims that listings are vital if you hope to build your business to its highest level, “with the lowest costs and highest net.”

                Finally, Matt Williams at Realtor.org challenges agents to walk into any real estate broker’s office and ask to meet their most successful agent. The chances are pretty good, he says, that “you’ll soon be shaking the hand of someone whose income comes mostly from listing.”

                How much is “mostly?” The experts recommend that 60 percent of your business should be listings.

                 Ignore past clients

                One of the most amazing real estate statistics to come out of the NAR is that the majority of real estate consumers (85 percent, according to the latest survey) loved their agent so much that they promised to use them again in the future.

                Yet, fewer than 25 percent actually do use the same agent

                This is a direct result of a failure to follow up on the agent’s part. The most awesome closing gift ever given won’t make these people remember you five years down the line when it’s time to sell their home. Especially if another agent has been farming them or otherwise getting their name in front of them more often than you do yours.

                Inconsistent or non-existent follow-up is like throwing money away and a surefire way to sabotage your business.

                Consider this: a 5 percent increase in your client retention rate can bump your income as much as 95 percent, according to research by Harvard Business School.

                Don’t neglect others in your sphere of influence, either. According to NAR, as much as 65 percent of your business can come from that pool if you consistently reach out to them.

                Don’t worry about how to keep in touch. Put these people on a drip campaign and send out postcards, newsletters, market updates, free reports and anything else that will keep you top-of-mind.

                Fail to plan for success

                It’s difficult to remain focused on your goals if you lack a plan. Guessing or hoping that you meet your objectives isn’t smart. An assumption of where you stand at any given moment is about as accurate as a Zestimate of a property’s value.

                Avoid the hit-or-miss chaos and make a business plan. Yes, it’s boring and yes, it’s time-consuming. There are lots of guides online to help you, but we’re rather partial to the Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan.

                Don’t accept being an average agent, spend the money it takes to market your business, chase listings instead of buyers, send past clients lots of love, and create and follow a business plan.

                Answer their burning question and get them reaching out (available in the postcard section under the Get More Listing Series)

                THAT is how to ensure your success and tenure in real estate.

                Send at least 100 Should I Stay or Should I Go postcard from the Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more listings.

                You might also like:

                The Biggest Client Complaint and How Not to Be That Agent

                Professional Agent Behavior: 101 

                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 killer tools to help your success this year!

                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

                 

                  The reality is, there is never enough time in the day to get all of your necessary work done, including marketing.

                  And certain important aspects of your work can only be done by YOU. This forces you to make hard choices about where to dedicate your time.

                  But what happens to the rest of the work?

                  Go from overwhelmed to an opportunity multiplier

                  Lets look at marketing activities.

                  The success of direct response marketing for branding and generating new clients is well known. This is especially true for Just Listed and Just Sold postcards.

                  However, the effort involved in uploading home photos, adding copy, and creating a targeted mailing list can drain you of valuable time.

                  We know the importance of getting Just Listed and Just Sold postcards out with every listing and sold. It’s the road map top agents follow to maximize each opportunity and ensure no money is left on the table.

                  And we also understand that you can’t stop in the middle of an already over-booked day to send out a Just Listed or Just Sold postcard.

                  Which means, very often, these postcards just don’t go out…and money gets left behind.

                  Related: Find out your marketing ROI. Try our Free ROI Calculator

                  Therefore, automating this important area of your business plays a big role in cultivating ongoing business success…and growth.

                  Meet your problem solver – MSLmailings.com.

                  It’s the answer that frees you from this time-consuming work, yet provides you with the desired results.

                  You continue doing the work most important to your business – prospecting and going on appointments. MLSMailings.com takes care of sending out your Just Listed and Just Sold postcards – ensuring no money is left behind.

                  MLSMailings.com is like your own “invisible marketing assistant”.

                  It really is easy to maximize your opportunities

                  You may be thinking, “but I’m so busy, I don’t even have time to execute a process like this”.

                  Not so, using MLSMailings.com is easy.

                  Here’s how it works.

                  MLSMailings.com automatically generates postcards for your listings when they are active and sold. The data is received directly from your MLS and a postcard is generated automatically.

                  You receive an email 24 hours prior to printing, giving you the option to opt out. If you want the postcard to go out, you do nothing and the postcard is mailed to surrounding home owners of the property address.

                  That’s it!

                  There is no commitment for you to use this service and you can stop using it when ever you want.

                  However, it’s doubtful you’ll stop.

                  Once you’ve been freed of a time consuming activity and able to focus all of your attention on growing your business there will be no turning back.

                  There’s no longer a reason to leave money on the table. Your opportunity multiplying Just Listed and Just Sold postcards can go out EVERY TIME.

                  Go Now to MLSMailings.com and start freeing up time for the important tasks ONLY YOU can do for your business!

                  Order Free printed sample postcards from MLSMailings.com, here.
                  You might also like:

                  Creative Marketing: Be Daring, Be Memorable

                  Avoid These 4 Common Real Estate Agent Marketing Mistakes

                  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 killer tools to help your success this year!

                  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

                    We have two winners!

                    A first place $250 Gift Card winner & a second place $100 Gift Card winner!

                    1.Congratulations Stacey Severn on winning our 1st Prize $250 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card!

                    Stacey shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!

                    “I like the flexibility in the templates, the ability to target accurately, and the fact that I don’t have to print labels or buy stamps, or take the time to put my mailings together.”

                    “It’s all done for me!”

                    Stacey’s latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – Just Sold, Fence Sitters, and Just Closed postcards.

                    Just Sold, Fence Sitter, and Just Closed postcards (all available in the postcard section)

                    2. Congratulations Edna Wilson on winning the 2nd Prize $100 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card

                    Edna shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!,

                    “This has been a game changer for me and my business!!!” I highly recommend them for all your postcard and printing needs“.

                    Edna’s latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – Get More Listings, Agent Introduction, and Up Load Your Own postcards.

                    Get More Listings, Agent Introduction, and Open House postcards (all available in the postcard section).

                    Take the lead from Stacey and Edna and send at least 100 marketing pieces to an area where you want more buyers or sellers!

                    You might also like to read:

                    How to Harness the 5 Key Traits of ‘Rock Star’ Agents

                    Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

                    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!

                      Ditch that stage fright

                      One thing I learned during my time in sales is you don’t have to be on a stage to experience “stage fright” door knocking is just as intimidating.

                      The heart-pounding, parched mouth, tight throat, trembling, sweating and nausea can happen when doing something as simple as merely contemplating making a cold call.

                      Worse, it comes on in spades when considering knocking on a stranger’s door to ask about his plans for the future.

                      Professionals in psychology and psychiatry call this “performance anxiety,” an aspect of social anxiety, and claim that the malady is “ … fairly common, occurring in as much as 13% of the population,” according to James W. Jefferson, MD, at the National Institutes of Health.

                      Stage fright can be overcome and you can be knocking your way to real estate riches. 

                      1. Overcoming the jitters

                      According to the pros, the best cure for the jitters is preparation, so practice your door-knocking approach until it becomes second nature.

                      “Don’t focus on what could go wrong,” suggests the professionals at WebMD.com. “Instead focus on the positive. Visualize your success.”

                      They also suggest concentrating on connecting with your audience. When Mrs. Homeowner opens the door, smile, make eye contact with her and don’t think of her as the enemy.

                      Tony Robbins says that to become successful at anything, “model someone who is already getting the results that you want.” In fact, he credits this technique with being “the number one secret for the things in my life that I’ve mastered.”

                      We watched a lot of agent-advice videos on scripts and other approaches to door-knocking and, by far, we feel that Borino (former rags-to-riches agent and current real estate coach), does a brilliant job. He’s definitely someone you can learn from, and copy. 

                      2. Make a game out of it

                      Instead of approaching a day of door-knocking as drudgery, make a game out of it. Don’t concentrate on how many leads you need to pick up from the session but go for the no’s instead. Investor Sal Williams walks you through his game of “I need 39 ‘no’s’ in his YouTube video. 

                      Related: Score Big with Door Hangers

                      3. Don’t go empty-handed

                      No, leaving a business card with the homeowner isn’t enough.

                      Rachel Adams Lee began her mega-agent career by knocking on 200 doors per week. She shares some tips on creating a handout that offers value to the homeowner in her YouTube video.

                      But, really, anything that offers value to the homeowner will be welcome. This might include a neighborhood market update on one side of a postcard or flyer and general homeowner information on the other. Valuable info for homeowners includes:

                      • How to take an insurance inventory of their home’s contents.
                      • How to solve the “should I buy first or sell first” dilemma.
                      • A story about how much equity local homeowners have regained since the recession ended.
                      • Which remodeling projects add value to a home and which to avoid.

                      One very successful agent we know commissioned a freelance writer to ghostwrite a seller’s handbook that walks homeowners through the entire selling process.

                      Handing an actual paperback book to a potential client, with the agent as an author, not only offers value to the homeowner but establishes her as an expert in real estate. 

                      4. One ingenious tip for the chronically shy

                      Despite knowing the scripts verbatim and watching the videos of the masters, some agents just can’t bring themselves to shake the “Ew, I’m a slimy salesperson” feeling by knocking on strangers’ doors.

                      We learned a tip from Minneapolis agent Shannon Brooks that we think you’ll love. In fall and spring, Shannon door-knocks, but not for the reasons other agents do.  She’s collecting non-perishable food donations for local food banks.

                      And, she takes it a step further by branding the bags she leaves with homeowners.

                      It started off with basic paper bags,” Brooks tells smartzip.com’s Gina Thelemann. “but now it has evolved into a branded bag with my name and brand, and my lender and title partner’s brands, too!”

                      It also started with the aim of helping the community but she quickly learned what an amazing strategy it could be for the chronically shy agent. The initial conversation is easier to start, it’s non-threatening to the homeowner and it allows you to follow-up when you return to pick up the donated items.

                      5. Which doors to knock on

                      Good for you if you already have a geo farm. If you don’t, now is the time to choose one. But, choose intelligently.

                      First, check the tenure of current homeowners in your chosen area. In 2017, the average home seller had lived in her home for 10 years, according to the NAR. So, seek out a farming area in which the homeowners have lived there at least 8 or 9 years.

                      Then, consider your income goals and narrow down your choice of neighborhoods to those at the right price point to help you meet your goals.

                      Coach Tom Ferry says to start with between 250 and 500 homes and then expand “as saturation and ROI is accomplished,” according to coach Kay Fairchild.

                      Another approach, as explained by coach Kevin Ward, is to target certain homeowners, not neighborhoods. Ward calls these homeowners “turbo leads” and they include FSBOs, expired listings, and homeowners who’ve received notice of defaults.

                      “They have already exhibited a need or a desire to sell their property,” he explains. In his video, he walks you through how to approach the homeowner in a way that lessens the chance of resistance.

                      Like all marketing methods, it takes time and requires keeping organized records of your contacts and following-up.

                      Time to dive in and order at least 100 door hangers to attract more buyers, more sellers or advertise your  open house or new listing!
                      Remember to also keep FSBO and Expired Door Hangers in your car for that spontaneous drive by.

                      You might also like:

                      How to Overcome First Phone Call Fears

                      Three Ways to Prove Your Neighborhood Expertise

                      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 killer tools to help your success this year!

                      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

                        In the words of the ultimate real estate marketer, Dean Jackson, “If you have one listing, you actually have an opportunity for at least five transactions.” Dean Jackson is the founder of GoGoAgent and Listing Agent Lifestyle. The following is his breakdown of how to turn one listing into 5 or more transactions using his listing multiplier method.

                        What money are you leaving on the table?

                        To understand your current ability to multiply your listings you need a measurement tool that defines where you stand and what you are leaving on the table. Enter the Listing Multiplier Index, a tool created just for this purpose.

                        Before you figure out where you stand, let’s review the 5 transactions available to you that all stem from that one, initial listing.

                        Listing Opportunity One: Your first opportunity is selling your initial listing, which  most agents focus their attention, right? You do your job, launch a property, a buyer came along and purchased it and now you celebrate smiling in content at your commission.

                        Listing Opportunity Two: Hold on, don’t walk away so happy. You missed the opportunity to find the buyer. The person who bought the house you listed. It’s a great way to make twice as much money – find the buyer to buy the house you list.

                        Listing Opportunity Three: So you are now on the hunt for the perfect buyer for your listing, guess what, you have just opened up another opportunity. That buyer, if not interested in your listing, may buy another house through you, cha-ching, that’s the sound of opportunity number three.

                        Listing Opportunity Four: From marketing in the neighborhood of your listing, you create an opportunity to get another listing in this same neighborhood. Time to make sure everyone knows who that neighborhood’s expert agent is.

                        Listing Opportunity Five: The most important opportunity to orchestrate at the time you are setting up your listing is your referral from the seller. Start to plant this seed early on with your seller, so it is a natural occurrence for them to provide you with referrals by the end of their experience.

                        Related: The Secret to Converting Leads

                        Let’s check your current listing score

                        To determine your score, use your last 10 listings. You get one point for selling your listing, one for finding the buyer, one for finding additional buyers to work with, one for getting another listing in the neighborhood, and one for your referral. You have the ability to achieve 5 points for each listing, that’s 50 points total.

                        How many points out of 50 did you have? The score I find most agents fall into is between 8 and 15. Maybe you ended up with 10 points total, meaning all of your listings sold, but nothing more.

                        You achieved those 10 listings because your current “system” is set up to get a property on the MLS, stage it, price it right, promote it to other agents and get the property sold quickly.

                        In the past, you may have celebrated your average 7 to 10 days on market or your 98% of the asking price or 99% or 102% or whatever it is. But the reality is you likely lost a lot of money as well.

                        What money have you left behind?

                        Let’s take another look at your initial listing and say that each side of those transactions is worth $10,000. If you’re in an area of $300,000 homes or $350,000 homes, you’re looking at a $10,000 commission times 10 listings, which means you would have made $100,000. But what you missed out on was the $400,000 that you could have had if you had created a systematic way of multiplying your listings.

                        Just focusing on this fact can make a difference for you going forward. Even simple awareness can change things. Knowing that you’ve lost $400,000 on the last 10 listings that you had is an interesting place to start over from.

                        How many transactions are YOU missing out on?

                        Take the score you ended up with above, we’ll use 15 as an example, and divide it by 10 to get an index. 15 divided by 10 gives you an index of 1.5. This means every listing that you take is worth 1.5 transactions. You currently are missing out on three or more possible transactions from that listing.

                        Now you can see why being focused on this ” listing multiplier” approach is the answer. Rather than focusing on, “I don’t need to do Just Listed/Just Sold cards, infoboxes, or open houses because all of my listings sell so quickly”.

                        Focus on what NOT doing these things is costing you. Specifically, if your goal is to maximize the dollars you get out of every listing you touch.

                        The future success of your business

                        By applying this method, I’ve seen agents go from a 1.0 on the Listing Multiplier Index to a 3.5, with some simple changes and attention to detail. They went from making $10,000 in commission to  $35,000 from one initial listing! That’s working smarter at its finest.

                        Imagine what it will be like to turn every listing that you take into multiple transactions. Imagine what kind of effect that will have if every time you take a listing, instead of getting one transaction, you get three or more.

                        What kind of impact will that have on your business going forward?

                        To learn more about the incredible tools and resources Dean has available for agents go to GoGoAgent.com and ListingAgentLifestyle.com.

                        You might also like:

                        Become a Market-Maker

                        More Referrals the Easy 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 Free killer tools to help your success this year!

                        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

                          Get a head start on this booming market

                          Statistics suggest that soon we’ll start seeing more older clients, looking to downsize.

                          A Trulia study published late last summer found that, in recent years, boomers weren’t downsizing mainly because of a “lack of affordable options” and “a shortage in starter home inventory,” according to HousingWire.com’s Jessica Guerin.

                          The market, however, is changing, presenting what just may be perfect conditions for what is being called the “Silver Tsunami.”

                          In fact, in early May, Housing Wire published “The 55+ housing market is booming,” and an article about “builder confidence in this sector” reaching an all-time high.

                          This year, the youngest baby boomers turn 55 and the oldest in the cohort will celebrate their 73rd birthday.

                          If you want to work with boomers, understand them

                          It’s a great-big generation with a 20-year spread between the youngest and the oldest. Mention Rod Stewart or McFadden & Whitehead to younger boomers and they’ll flash back to platform shoes and balls of mirrors.

                          That’s stuff that is foreign to older boomers. To them, the only music worth listening to came from Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon and, of course, Elvis.

                          Then, there are those in the middle of the generation who grooved to the sounds of the Beach Boys, Beatles, Sam Cooke and the Supremes.

                          There’s also a difference in how they view home ownership. The rate for Americans between the ages of 62 and 67 is three times that of those younger, age 56 to 61, according to a Fannie Mae study, citing U.S. Census Bureau statistics.

                          Get to know this generation and you’ll not only have a better feel for how to market to them, but how to assist them when it’s time to sell the family home for something smaller.

                          Related: Capture the Baby Boomer Market, Here’s How

                          Helping them choose their next home

                          Emptying their home—divvying up decades of belongings to children and friends—is a lot to think about. In fact, many older home buyers are so focused on the move that they pay far too little attention to the choice of the new home.

                          Even if they’re on the younger end of the boomer generation, they’ll need to consider the future and how the home and the location will fit their needs 10 to 20 years from now.

                          That’s where you come in. Now is not the time to be Mr. or Ms. Super Agreeable. If you think they’re not considering what they should be, say something.

                          For instance, if their preferred location is 50 miles from the nearest hospital or urgent care facility, speak up. Though their health may be fine right now, the chances are good that it won’t be as they age.

                          If they’re insisting on a multi-story home, do everything you can to dissuade them. Stairs are brutal on old knees and muscles. And, since we start losing our sense of balance as we age, stairs can also present a terrifying danger.

                          Some of the things you, as their agent, should look for when showing them homes include:

                          • At least one exterior entry to the home should have no steps.
                          • Doorways that are wide enough to accommodate a wheel chair (at least 32 inches), or the ability to widen them.
                          • Wide hallways. The National Association of Home builders suggests that, to age in place, the home’s hallways should be a minimum of 36 inches wide.
                          • Lots of windows for natural light.

                          Sure, there are lots of other things to consider and your clients may need to make changes in the years after moving in.

                          Empathize as they empty the nest

                          Baby boomers own and occupy 32 million homes. The previously-mentioned Fannie Mae study hints that your most likely downsizing client will be between the ages of 65 and 85. Again, this is a huge, diverse group of people.

                          Many, however, will be leaving the home in which they raised their families; a home that is full of memories. The decision to do so must be gut-wrenching for them. Empathy will go a long way when working with these sellers.

                          Remember the advantages the move presents:

                          • They’ll spend less on home maintenance
                          • They’ll spend less on heating and cooling the new home
                          • They may end up with a smaller property tax bill, less expensive insurance and lower mortgage payments.

                          These are the money-saving and therefore exciting aspects of downsizing that should be reiterated as often as possible to keep the seller looking forward.

                          Help make it easier on them

                          Remind your downsizing clients that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” If they’re having trouble sorting through belongings, suggest that they tackle one room at a time. Even one part of a room, such as the closet, will speed up the job.

                          Another variation of the “eat-the-elephant-one-bite-at-a-time” theme would be to suggest that they start with paperwork or their collections (books, photos, vacation tchotchkes). If it’s still too overwhelming, point them at the kitchen or bathroom.

                          These rooms rarely hold items of sentimental value and they’ll feel as if they’re accomplishing something when they successfully finish.

                          Check in with them by phone frequently to find out how they’re getting along and to offer encouragement.

                          Specializing in helping older homeowners downsize is the real estate niche of the future. Jump in now to get a head start on the competition.

                          Let your downsizing clients know you’re ready to help (available in the postcard section under the Life Event Series)
                          Send at least 100 Too Much House postcards from the Life Event Series to an area where you want more listings.
                          You might also like:

                          Direct Mail Real Estate Marketing Trends for 2019

                          A Refresher Course in Attracting New Clients

                          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!

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