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10 Things You Need to Know About Your Book of Business

Jan 16, 2017

Finding the Diamonds in Your Database

By Julie Escobar

As my old friend Floyd Wickman used to say, there are acres of diamonds in your book of business or “sphere” – but the trouble is, most agents are willing to do what it takes to mine for those diamonds.

Many agents don’t even have a ‘book of business’ or a true database. They’re either new to the business or ‘never got around to it’ or for some – they’re so busy working ‘in the business’ to ever work ‘on the business.’ But there’s acres of diamonds in building a sphere of influence client list of people who know you, like you and trust you. Because frankly – those are the people that are going to list and sell their homes with you – buy from you –and refer friends and family to you. First – you’ve got to reach them. Consistently. Effectively. With purpose.

First, look at should be in your book of business. Read last week’s post: The Year of the Sphere.

Secondly, get a handle on your business plan. This is the one-page easy plan shared by Floyd Wickman.

Download a copy for yourself or your team here. Then USE it. Make sure you are reviewing every month so you know when you are are on track — and off!

Next, Invest in these ten strategies for building a powerful base.

Get it all on ‘record.’ Whatever database management system you choose, be sure that you have entered at the very least the basic information such as name, address, phone number, email address, social media addresses if you have them for every past customer, friend, family member and acquaintance that you can think of. Sound like a lot of work? It is – but SO worth it. And I’m not saying you have to do it yourself. Delegate it – that way you can stick to what you do best – getting face to face with the folks in your market.
Fill in the blanks. The more RELEVANT you are – the more REFERRALS you’ll receive. So once you’ve got the basics down – take note of more personal information about the people in your database. What do they do? Where do they live? What makes them unique? What else do you know about them that you can reference? Who’s in their family? You know the old saying – the ‘devil is in the details!’ The more you know the easier it will be for you to connect with them on topics that are relevant and important to them.
Clean up old records. At least twice a year go through your database and cull old contacts, and clean up missed or incorrect information. Connect with your database and let them know that their business is important to you and that you’re just doing a little ‘housekeeping’ so that you can be sure they are always kept in the loop and double check their information. You can even make them a fair trade offer of a free report or certificate of some kind.
Data mine for ‘like’ minded people. One of the best things an agent can do is to really take a good long look at what their ‘best customer’ looks like. Who do you like to work with? Seniors? Singles? First time homebuyers? Expireds? FSBO’s? Once you know that – and can determine who you both like to work with and the type of people you have the most successful relationships with – you can data mine to find more of the same. Find list options for data mining here.
Add new personal contacts. As sales professionals we come into contact with new people every day that are potentially great future clients or customers. Make it a point to add at least one new person per day or five per week to your book of business – more depending on how fast you want your business to grow. Many agents I know make this database building a positive habit by dedicating one hour a week to the health and maintenance of their list. Every time they meet a new person at the local Starbucks, networking meeting, business event, PTA, restaurant – even the grocery store and have an opportunity to collect a business card or information – that person goes into the ‘book’ and the nurturing begins! Some of the best agents spend an hour a week sending a personal note or firing off an email just to say what a pleasure it was to meet and if they need anything – just call. (Making notes on the back of those business cards or in your phone after meeting a new person will help jog your memory for details when you are entering them into your database at a later time.) Think about 10 people THIS WEEK you could add if you tried: Teachers, Bankers, Restaurant Owner/Staff, Accountant, Attorney, Landscaper, Gas Station Owner, Grocery Store Manager…the possibilities are endless! (If you did that EVERY week you’d be adding more than 500 people to your book of business each year!)
Add past lists: If you’ve sent out Just Listed or Just Sold postcards and have purchased a list of homeowners contact information who received those postcards – be sure not to forget those folks. You can add them in and start the process of taking them from ‘prospect’ to ‘member’ of your sphere by building those relationships over time. Think about this – every time you send a Just Listed postcard with a purchased list – you are adding to your database. But most agents only send that one card, the Just Listed to that list. Think one list = unlimited opportunities. Contract Pending. Price Reduced. Just Sold. Listing Inventory. Check out our new ThreeClickPostcards.com – where you can order your Just Listed/Sold/Contract Pending cards — right from your phone!
SHARE with them. Direct mail is a great way to ‘touch’ your book of business at least once a month. From powerful postcards with relevant offers to a monthly newsletter packed with valuable content – staying in TOUCH is the key to staying TOP of mind. We’ll even help you automate the process with a set-and-forget system that allows you to put your marketing plan in motion and then focus on those personal contacts and the three tasks that are most important in your business: prospecting, presenting and CLOSING. Visit www.prospectsplus.com/specials today to learn more about these options or call our team at 866.405.3638 for help deciding what might work best for you, your list and your budget!
Invite them into the conversation. Savvy agents are firing up their social media strategies on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest and inviting their community of followers to join in the conversation. Create a Facebook page for your neighborhood farm and post community information that’s relevant to your buyers and sellers such as school information, local business information, fun facts and more. Agents are breaking out their iPhones and creating video walking tours of area hotspots, news for the week, reviews of local businesses, types of homes to look for in their area and all kinds of fun and interesting information. Pinterest has people pinning and posting all about staging ideas, inspirational quotes, homes in the area, community events, blog posts and more.
Follow up. Break your list up into manageable numbers and commit to follow up calls every week. Most experts recommend scheduling a daily appointment with yourself to prospect. Don’t underestimate the value of face-to-face connecting as well. Community events, school functions, networking opportunities and just being active in the community that you service will help keep you visible, allow you a chance to arrange follow up conversations and ask questions, be the resource people need and you will generate referrals in the process! It can be as simple as letting them know that you are there to help anytime.
Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Well you get the idea. Treating your database as the saleable, valuable resource that it is means not putting it away for 11 months out of the year. Commit to these ten strategies monthly and your career will thrive – and you won’t have to always be wondering where your next commission will come from.

Need help? Call us at 866.405.3638. Our team of marketing professionals can help you put your plan in place for success.

The Real Cost of NOT Staying in Touch…

Dec 27, 2016

(It’s More Than Just Money!)

By Julie Escobar

We frequently share the BENEFITS of building and maintaining a salable book of business or sphere-of-influence such as knowing where your next commission is going to come from, developing long-term friendships and relationships, solid referrals you can count on, etc. What we don’t usually talk about is the flip side of that coin. What is it COSTING you when you DON’T stay in touch and follow up with your sphere or farm?

What if ONE prospective seller or buyer fails to call you when they are ready to sell or buy because they ‘forgot’ you were in real estate since you didn’t stay top of mind? Because you didn’t follow up when you said you would? Because you stayed in stealth mode, waiting for the phone to ring? Because you didn’t create a database to manage your lists, so they simply slipped through the lack of system?

We know that on average, top agents get more 66% of their business (or more) from their sphere. (People who know you, like you, trust you, and you’re top of mind with.) We also know that 1 in 12 will deliver a transaction or referral per year on average. So let’s run SIMPLE numbers using our SOI calculator…

If I wanted to make $200,000 per year in real estate and my average commission was $6,000 that would mean I would need AT LEAST 33 transactions in a year (plus whatever your fall-through rate is) to reach that goal. If 66% of that is coming from my sphere – that means I can count on 22 of those transactions coming from the people I am staying in touch with. If 1 in 12 are sending me that business, then I’ll need at least 264 in my sphere to hit the numbers.

The reverse of that is this…22 commissions LOST. That’s $132,000. But it’s even more than that-right? Because let’s face it, if good news travels fast, bad news travels faster-doesn’t it? So, for every broken promise, lack of follow up, or poor customer experience you provide, that can mean a loss of not just a customer, but every referral they might send your way. Add social media in the mix, “don’t use Agent X because they don’t follow through” – and you’ve got a slippery slope that’s tough to recover from.

Commission loss per seller or buyer? _____________ (Average commission)
Loss of referral? ______________ (Average commission x let’s just say 2 referrals)
Loss of re-list and future sale? _____________ (Average commission x average homeowner moves – lists, sells, and buys new – every 9 years)
Loss of marketing dollars spent on those sellers and buyers not recaptured? ________________

Lastly, loss of reputation as a turn-to, stand-up, get-the-job-done agent. That’s really too much to calculate, isn’t it? And that’s not YOU anyway! You’re the stand-up agent-right? Besides, staying top-of-mind is an easy, and affordable investment. Remember that SEND-CALL-SEE + NETWORK approach I’ve shared in the past.

Start with how many you need in your sphere by heading over to our Sphere of Influence Calculator.

SEND – let’s take our example from above – if I needed to stay in touch with my sphere of 264 customers every 30 days to stay visible, (and help earn that $132,000) – and I wanted to send a standard sized postcard first class, that would be 62¢ per card or $163.68 per month. Or you could choose jumbo cards, or newsletters, our Dominator, or even handwritten cards – or better still a combination of all of the above. See what your budget allows and start somewhere, but be consistent every 30-45 days.

CALL – you should call your customers every three months. If you break down that 264 number over 12 weeks — that means you just have to call 22 per week to reach everyone. Easy peasy!

SEE – you should see your customers at least two times a year. Many agents host open houses, holiday events, or even neighborhood block parties (with sponsors for each) which gives them a chance to see many customers at once. Take that top 20% of your list – the ones who consistently send you business – and be sure to spend some one on one time with them. Take them to lunch. Drop by a gift. Deliver tickets to the movies for their family. Our Master Marketing Schedule has some terrific ways to creatively connect each month.

NETWORK – In today’s hyper-connected world, networking has to be part of the equation. From social media to joining local groups, to developing a mastermind of like-minded people to share with — networking is a key source of knowledge AND referral business.

Don’t lose any more dollars, branding, or reputation to lack of connectivity. You are your business. The connection you have with each and every one in your sphere will determine whether they stay a client (and a referral source) or whether you take a loss.

Need help? Contact our team at 866.405.3638 today.

Preparation and Opportunity

Dec 19, 2016

Steadily Getting Ready for a New Year Ahead

by Julie Escobar

I love the Seneca quote, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Or Floyd Wickman’s quote, “There’s nothing special about special people it’s what they DO that makes them special.” What a great time of year for agents. So many of our friends and clients are deep in preparation for the year ahead. Building marketing strategies, laying out budgets, meeting with mentors, and sharing ideas. These are the folks that will not only finish out this year strong, but hit the ground running with a passion as we enter a new year and keep right on going to make 2017 their best year ever — long before it even starts. How cool is that?

For our part, at ProspectsPLUS!, we are doing the same. From our Master Marketing Schedule, (which you can download directly to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendars), to a line up of great new series, products and services for the year ahead. We know that agents today need every tool they can get to compete in challenging markets, and we’re passionate about delivering those tools.

Now when you’re making your marketing list and business plan for 2017 (and checking it twice), please let us know how we can help you maximize your goals for the new year. Here are just some of the things we can deliver:

Fresh ideas – Our Master Marketing Schedule is a strategic marketing plan specifically for real estate professionals which delivers powerful strategies and solutions every month to connect with your sphere, find cash buyers, work with investors, saturate your geographic farm, automate your just listed or just sold postcards, and even gives you some fun ways to stand out and be noticed in your market area.
Brochures, Flyers and Free Reports — We know how important having the right collateral at the right
time is when you’re prospecting, presenting and closing. These tools lend authority, put stats at your fingertips, spotlight you as the resource, and give additional credibility.
Postcards — We literally have hundreds and hundreds of postcard templates on our site that cover the gamut with over 22 niche marketing categories to choose from.
Newsletters — Done for you newsletters which make a perfect ‘touch’ point for your sphere of influence. You can
customize however you want, or just run with as is. All the copy is ready, timely and perfect for delivering relevant content to your customers.
Market Dominator — Our powerful new system for capturing a 20% market share in a geographic area within a two-year time frame. There’s nothing like it on the market!
Business Cards — From cool new QR Code cards to branded cards — we have a wide selection at a great price to make sure you have what you need.
Door Hangers — These are perfect for your geographic farm or for area FSBOs and Expireds. Easy to
order and use and priced for any budget!
Data — Our MapMyMail system is amazing for finding the right list of prospects for what you need. Investors, first time home buyers, move up market candidates — you name it.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Visit our SPECIALS page today (and bookmark it!) — so you can always keep tabs on the latest promo codes, new marketing tools and fresh insights! We add anywhere from 5-8 new pieces to our site each and every month!

We offer gift cards as well! Thinking about giving the gift of marketing this year or putting it your wish list? See the holiday specials now!

As always, we’re here to help. Our marketing team is experienced and well versed in what today’s real estate professionals NEED, WANT and will make their lives and jobs EASIER. If you’re creating your marketing budget for next year and would like some guidance on which tools might work best for you and what that cost would be, call our team today at 866.405.3638 or email us at pmc@prospectsplus.com!

Finding and Fueling the Right Marketing Lists for Your Business

Oct 24, 2016

Then Putting the Who, What, and When Together

By Julie Escobar

As we head into the final months of the year, a lot of agents are already wisely getting into planning mode. One sticking point that stumps a lot of real estate professionals is building the right marketing lists to fuel their pipeline of business. Let’s take a look at some simple strategies to put into place:

Sphere, Farm, Niche – it’s the real estate agent’s version of lather, rinse, and repeat. Success in this business stems from staying in touch, staying positioned, and top of mind for the folks in all three. I’m often asked by agents, “Where do I start?” The obvious is ‘the sphere’, aka – your sphere of influence or book of business.

Now, if I had a dollar for every agent that said ‘no” when asked if they had ever taken the time to actually put their sphere (those people that already know you, like you, trust you, and would do business with you) into a database, I could buy a very large piece of property – like an island or something! So don’t let yourself fall into THAT category! Savvy agents understand that their best customers, are the ones they’ve built and nurtured relationships with consistently. Who should be in in your sphere? Family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, past clients – and all those folks whose lives you touch and touch yours back.

Sphere: For a list of 250 people that SHOULD be in your book of business, download a pdf of our BusinessBASE^TM at no cost today. Then make THIS the week you make putting YOUR sphere into a working, viable, referral-generating database. Need help inputting all the data? There are lots of college students home for the summer already that would be perfect for that kind of task. Or hire a Virtual Assistant for the project. Your highest and best use of time is prospecting, presenting, and closing – so gather up the data – and delegate it to someone to make it happen.

Four great marketing pieces for your sphere:

Holiday postcards – there’s something every month that can be sent as a friendly hello.
Recipe cards – many agents swear by these as customer ‘keepers’.
Newsletters – these powerful tools are perfect for connecting with your sphere.
Content cards – these are content-rich, consumer-friendly postcards filled to the brim with valuable information that people love.

Farm: Pick an area – but not just ANY area. I asked Coach Todd Robertson for a little how-to advice for agents on choosing the right farm area for them. He shared, “I work with a lot of agents to help them really fine tune what area they want to market. Even if you find a geographic farm that you think works for you location wise with commission-friendly price ranges, you still need to be mindful of two other factors: The turn-over rate, and the competition. Ideally, we want to help position you to receive a 20% market share in a geo farm. If you start in a farm where another agent already has that or higher, you’re going to work much harder and have to be at it longer to see the results you’re seeking. Finding an area where any one agent has less than 10% market share is preferable, or if you see an area where a previously aggressive agent has slowed or stopped their marketing. In terms of turnover rate, ideally you want a one that is at least 10-15%. You can easily determine the turnover rate by dividing the number of homes in the farm by the number of homes which have sold.” That’s a great starting point. So take a snapshot of your market area – look at the neighborhoods that may fit that criteria close to you, then use our MapMyMail^SM system to easily capture mailings lists from those areas. You can choose a radial search by address, or choose to search by zip code or counties. Talk to your broker, look at your options – then map out your marketing list! Once you have that – then remember to stay CONSISTENTLY in touch with these folks – month after month. For a great read and more tips from Todd – read The Smart Scoop on Geographic Farming.

Three great tools for connecting with your farm:

Neighborhood Update/Free Offer series: People want two things: to know the agent they work with can get results – and that they have the resources they need. These cards present you as the agent with both!
Listing Inventory Series: These postcards speak to the mindset of potential sellers with the right questions and direct response offers.
The Market Dominator: For agents serious about dominating a geographic farm and earning a 20% market share. This powerful, direct-response piece is 12×15 and attention grabbing. It also takes advantage of Every Door Direct Mail, so the cost is even more affordable.

Niche: Top agents don’t stop at just marketing to a sphere and farm. They specialize in a demographic that resonates with them.

Here are some ideas for working a niche:

Investors: Use our MapMyMail^SM – choose the demographic search option, then custom, then choose records with a household income of $150,000 or higher. You can also look for REI or REIA websites to learn more about real estate investors. Use our Investor Series postcards to reach out to these lists each month.
FSBOS & Expireds: There are great services such as LandVoice that offer data for FSBOs & Expireds in market areas all across North America. Use our 7 Series for FSBOs or Expireds – send 3-7 postcards in rapid succession (every 3-5 days) as soon as you see a new prospect for these demographics, offer a free report such as 5 Factors That Cause a Property Not to Sell, and follow up after you’ve sent the postcards with a direct response offer. Offer to perform a Merchandising Review to ensure that the home gets sold for the best possible price in the fastest possible time.
First Time Home Buyers: Use the MapMyMail^SM system to find local renters. Offer a variety of free reports such as How to Save for a Down Payment, or Top Ten Checklist for Choosing an Agent. Send our First time home buyer/renter series of postcards monthly with a fair trade offer to connect.
Seniors: You can use that same MapMyMail^SM technology to find Baby Boomers and older. Send our Senior series of postcards to these fine folks!
Get creative: From motorcycle enthusiasts, to local sports team members, to boaters, to farmers, and everything in between. Finding the group of people that you really connect with and would love to serve and work with is a great way to get continuously better as an agent and build a powerful referral network. You can edit our holiday, inspiration, recipe, content cards, or even image series to alter your message for each and every demographic.

We also have powerful Specialty Data Selects Using Nielsen’s PRIZM Codes available on the site to help you tap into incredibly detailed data segments to help make their marketing easier – and more effective. What is PRIZM segmentation? According to Nielsen, “Segmentation links your customer data with household-level and neighborhood-level demographics, syndicated survey and primary research data to reveal exactly what types of consumers are currently using your products or services. Any customer files, lists or survey data with complete addresses or at least a ZIP code can be coded with Nielsen’s segmentation systems. This allows you to identify your best prospect segments with the greatest efficiency for effective marketing strategies that align with marketplace demands.”

Smart, right? So what does that mean to YOU as a real estate professional? It means that marketing just got more interesting. See our Nielsen PRIZM options here.

For all three marketing avenues – your sphere, farm, and niche – be sure to connect every 28-45 days consistently to ensure that you maintain that top-of-mind awareness. Armed with your database and marketing materials, and a reminder system to FOLLOW up with the folks in each will give you the competitive edge in your market that will allow you to develop and maintain a long and prosperous career. Ready, set – GO!

Need help getting started? Contact our marketing professionals today at 866.405.3638. They are an amazing resource – and they truly care about your success. Happy Listing!

Great Customer Care Equals Long Term Results

Oct 10, 2016

An Interview with REALTOR Eric Hardy

by Julie Escobar

As we head into holidays and turn our eyes towards the new year ahead, I was eager to get back to some basics by sharing agents stories of best practices for building solid businesses. Customer care and attention to detail are two factors that are critical keys to success for top performers. To tackle that topic, I touched base with my old friend and awesome agent Eric Hardy who put customer care on the top of his priority list. Here’s an excerpt from our interview:

Q: Hey Eric – thanks for sharing with us today. Before we jump in, can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

A: Yes, I am 45 years old, married, and a father of two. I have been in the wedding business for over twenty years, and recently decided to go back into real estate after a 15 year break. I currently work for Dennis Realty in Lutz, Florida.

Q: You’ve recently re-entered the real estate game. What do you feel is the most important strategy for fast-tracking a successful first year ahead?

A: A positive attitude, a genuine love for what we do. You have to enjoy your wok because it shows to people when you do, and when you don’t. We get to help people with a major event in their life.

Q: How are you building your sphere of influence and staying top of mind with them?

A: Nowadays social media is key, and understanding the power of it. Along with keeping in touch with people with even just a simple phone call to see how they are. I always tell everyone what I do for a living. When they think real estate, I want them to think of me.

Q: What advice would you give other new agents for hitting the ground running?

A: Get as much training and education as you can, knowledge is power. Be humble and listen to advice from people older and younger. And most importantly put the time in, and try new things till you learn what works best for you. Don’t skip on the traditional marketing tools that work either. Just Listed and Just Sold postcards always have been a staple in our industry for a reason — they work. They help market you as an agent, your listings, and your business.

Q: Do you belong to a mentor or networking group in which you can share ideas?

A: I work for a great company. We all sit at a round table once a week and discuss marketing plans, odd questions and different scenario’s agents come across. This way when we see a new situation or issue we are prepared.

Q: You were in the wedding business, are you transitioning those clients and customers into your sphere and do you see a niche market there for yourself as an agent?

A: Yes, absolutely. Most of my couples once they are married their next major life event is usually buying a home. After working with me on their wedding they see that I am competent, intelligent and easy to work with. I want their home buying experience to be a stress free and fun, the same as planning their wedding. There are bumps in the road you may run into, but we are here to help you through that. And thank you for letting me be part of your big day, and part of a major event in your life.

Q: How important is servicing and staying connected with your customer base to you?

A: It is crucial. One thing I really liked about the REALTOR that helped me buy my home, is he still keeps in touch. I get an email at least once a month and every holiday, and occasionally see him around town and he is genuinely happy we love our home. I strive to give that level of customer service everyday. Monthly postcards, phone calls, and social media make it easy to stay in touch in today’s world. Your customer base is going to be your strongest line of referrals. Always take good care of them even when the transaction is completed, stay in touch!

Q: Are you working a geographic farm? If so – what are you doing that’s working?

A: For me I work best face to face with people. I love to knock on doors, talk to people in my area. I get into conversations with them, and have even made friends and have gotten to know some really great people. The person in front of you may not be buying or selling, but if they like you they will put you in touch with anyone they know who is. Treat every person with kindness, people always do business with people they like. We are not just trying to find the next “sale” but building a career helping good people.

Q: How can people reach out to you with referrals?

A: I am always available by phone or email, seven days a week. You can reach me anytime at 813-770-2150 or at Hardysline@verizon.net, if you just have a question I can help you with.

Thanks Eric for your time and your advice for what’s working in your corner of the world! Agents love to learn from other agents. I so appreciate your sharing your experience.

Need help marketing YOUR real estate business? Contact our team at 866.405.3638 today or visit www.prospectsplus.com.

Scare Up a Little Good Will…

Sep 19, 2016

How to Stay Top of Mind All Season Long

By Julie Escobar

Fall is in the air and the holidays will be in full swing before you know it. We’ve entered the season of Pumpkin Spice everything and parties and plans are already in the works. While many agents send Christmas, New Year’s and Calendar cards come December, why not beat the competition to the mailbox and start with our adorable Halloween postcards. They’re fun, charming and perfect for kicking off your fall well wishes to your sphere of influence.

You can then follow up with Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday postcards and stay top of mind all season long.

AWESOME AGENT IDEA: Use the reverse side of the postcard to make special offers to your VIP clients. Here are some ideas that we’ve heard from agents for holiday time:

Invite to a holiday open house or customer appreciation event
Many agents give away pumpkins or pies during October and November, share where you clients can get theirs. (One agent we talked to gets her pies and pumpkins from charity organizations so she’s contributing to good causes and connecting with her sphere.)
Order trick-or-treat bags and let customers know where they can get hold of theirs
Let them know how much you appreciate them and that you are there if they, or someone they know have questions!

Be sure to have some fun this last quarter of the year. Head over to our Master Marketing Schedule to see all the fun and creative ways you can touch base with your sphere and farm this season and make the kind of connections that will get you noticed — and earn you business.

PLUS — From now until October 15th, we will donate 10% of EVERY holiday postcard order (excluding taxes, postage and handling) to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital! Help us help the kids — and stay top of mind all season long! Get started today.

Back to School Strategies for Real Estate Professionals

Jul 25, 2016

Six Lessons for Success

By Julie Escobar

Back to School Real Estate Marketing

You can almost feel it — that anxiousness, excitement and uncertainty that envelopes us around this time year after year. Tens of millions of children headed back to classes, and even those without little ones can get caught up in the thirst for knowledge, need for more certain schedules and the never-too-old-for allure of new notebooks and supplies. All right, maybe that last one is just me, but you’ll have to admit there is something exciting about creating a clean slate, learning to the best of our abilities and growing as a sales professional as well as a person.

Ready to get started? You’ve had a healthy breakfast, donned your uniform (name badges everyone!) put on your thinking caps and you’re ready to learn – right? Here are the “classes” you must master in this market:

1. Direct response. Is your postcard asking your prospects a question? Are you raising their awareness? Are you giving them a reason and means to contact you? Are you just staying in touch or do you need them to take action? When you use your marketing to ask the questions that are already in the minds of your prospects, you create a connection that makes people want to reach back out to you.

Even holiday postcards can effectively raise awareness and include a message to not only have a great holiday but to call you should they need you or have questions. A Just Listed card too – is not just a just listed card. It’s an invitation to see a new listing, to get a list of other homes like it, answer questions or evaluate another potential seller’s ability to sell their home. Content cards offer valuable information consumers are looking for and offer an invitation for buyers and sellers to learn more or get free reports. The Neighborhood Update/Free Offer Series, a popular one for agents, offers free reports, valuable consultation, and other items of value to the consumer — as well as neighborhood stats that appeal to buyers and sellers on a hyper-local level.

2. Consistency. Again and again and again. That’s how often you need to “show up” in their mailbox, on their radar and in the lives of your prospects and customer base. Our market is too competitive and life is too short for one-shot wonders. Plus – it’s just too expensive to waste time, effort and of course, marketing dollars on a one-hit mailing. They don’t work. Never have, never will. And in today’s world – people want to see that you’ve got what it takes to stick with it and get results before they want to work with you. If you give up easily on your marketing – what message does that send to your customer base? Success comes to those who show up not once but over and over again. With the right message, the right attitude and the right promise of service. Show them you’ve got what it takes.

3. List care. Your mailing list is not just “a list.” It’s not just a spreadsheet of names and addresses. It represents the lifeblood of your business. It hosts the people that, if cared for, if catered to, if serviced right, if stayed in touch with, if impacted – will take care of you for the entirety of your career. In fact, studies show that one in twelve will result in a transaction per year of you consistently and effectively stay in touch. That said- how many do you want on your list and how committed are you to taking care of them like the VIPs that they are?

Find a database you’re comfortable with and don’t stop with names, addresses and phone numbers. Fill in the gaps. Who is their spouse? What are their kids’ names? What do they do? What do they like? When did they purchase/sell with you last? What referrals have they sent? What common interests do you have? It’s not easy at first – but once you’ve formed the good habit of contacting your list at least three times a year (not all at once, of course!) you’ll start to be able to feed the details into your database.

Don’t lose those lists you get when you purchase a just listed postcard either! Every time you send a postcard out with us and choose to do a radial or neighborhood search, that list is yours to keep so that you can continue to build your book of business. Add them to your list and start building a relationship with them as well. For more ideas of who should be in your sphere of influence – download our free BusinessBASE – and check out the 150 Questions to Help You Build Your Business Relationships. It’s a great ‘refresher’ course for remembering all the people you SHOULD be building relationships with!

4. Niche Marketing: Niche players fare better, earn more, usually are better at time management and can more quickly define themselves as an expert in their market area. Why? First, it gives you clarity of purpose, so you’re more efficient in the way you conduct your business, in the manner you build your skill sets and your knowledge base and in how you grow your customer base. You don’t need to be all things to all people. You just need to be the best at reaching out to, teaching and building relationships with that core group or niche. That not only builds your business faster, but it gives you a sense of certainty and confidence that you wouldn’t have if you were trying to work with any and all customer types.

So who do YOU want to work with most? Seniors? First time home buyers? FSBOs? Luxury Markets? Boaters? Golfers? Or maybe outside the box ideas like horse enthusiasts, Harley riders, yacht club members, golfers? Find the fit that’s right for you – then be the BEST for that niche! Now with new mailing list options that include specialty lifestyle interest data, or Nielsen Prizm codes you can easily find more the customers you most want to work with.

That’s not to say you ignore your sphere – just keep enhancing it by building niche markets that help it (and your business) to grow!

By the way – one really time-appropriate niche to start is working with your local school communities. The rewards are great – not just in your bottom line, but the experience you get and connections you create and the very real difference you can make in the lives of students and educators. Download our Free Report: 10 Ways to Prospects To and Support Your Local PTAs. (You’ll find it close to the bottom of the free reports page.) While you’re there – download a few more great reports to use in your fall marketing!

5. Leveraging Technology Tools: Leveraging technology and available networking to maximize your potential for lead generation, prospecting and keeping your pipeline of customers filled is crucial to your success. That means learning how to use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and the social networking tools that are available today. It can also mean hosting weekly or monthly conference calls, webinars and workshops for those in your niche, community or sphere of influence. These are great ways to inexpensively and effectively establish and reinforce your niche. Technology allows you to be in many places and in front of many people at one time, which helps you build relationships by using these tools to share information on a regular, consistent basis.

Technology also allows you to put systems in place such as automating the marketing of your listings using systems such as MLSmailings.com, www.GettingListingsSold.com which can take some of the daily, weekly and monthly marketing chores off your to-do list, freeing you up to spend more time at what you do best – getting face-to-face with customers and prospects.

6. Work High Priority Activities First. Real estate agents get paid to build relationships and provide exceptional service. There are plenty of ways to be BUSY in this business- but the activities that matter most are the ones that are directly tied to your bottom line. You need to have absolute focus on scheduling the time to prospect, present, close and build relationships before anything else. That means making and KEEPING that appointment with yourself every day.

The last thing we wanted to cover in our time together is how, as sales professionals, we can create good study habits that will also contribute to our success. Got down time? In the car, on the treadmill, during your commute? Make the most of it by ‘plugging in’ to top speakers, trainers and coaches that you can listen to on the go.

Need help? To learn more about how we can help you fuel your business, streamline your systems and take your career to the next level, call our marketing team today at 866.405.3638 or visit our website www.prospectsplus.com.
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Strategies & Scripts to Get More Listings

Jul 18, 2016

Staying Ahead of Your Competition

By Julie Escobar

The weather and the market are both HOT and agents are asking us for strategies and how to’s for dominating in a geographic farm. To answer that – we turned to Todd Robertson for some tips and ideas that are working for Market Dominator Members across the nation.

Q: Hey Todd, a lot of our readers don’t want to wait for the fall market to work on their competitive edge – do you have some ideas for them?

A: Sure – the year is already more than half over and a lot of agents are looking at the calendar and thinking, “No way am I going to hit my goals.” That’s a little intimidating, right? For some, it’s enough to make them already start to shut down. Don’t. Instead, realize it’s time to dig in. To put a source of accountability into your career – your weekly routine and create a game plan. You know, we’re really glad that we can be a source for agents. The Master Marketing Schedule^TM that you’ve created is a powerful tool to help agents stay on track and put some consistency into their marketing. It takes the “what do I do?” out, which is a big stress for a lot of agents. First step I would say, is to start there, and develop a game plan that will allow you to connect CONSISTENTLY, with your Sphere of Influence, a Geographic Farm, and a niche market. If you can work a campaign for each of those marketing segments without fail, month after month, your results will grow exponentially.

Q: I agree! We share a lot of strategies about staying consistent. How often should agents connect with their sphere, farm, and niche?

A: At least monthly. Those ‘touch’ points are so important in terms of staying top of mind and creating brand awareness. Send something every month to all three, and not necessarily the same thing. For your sphere, many agents choose a postcard campaign such as a holiday series (not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas!), recipe cards, content cards, inspirational postcards, or a newsletter each month. For their geo farms they send our Market Dominator, or Listing Inventory, or the Free Offer/Neighborhood Specialist cards – all are popular. For a niche, they are specific to that group – for example: Expireds, FSBOs, First Time Home Buyers, Investors, etc. Top agents are also diligent about sending out Just Listed/Just Sold postcards with every listing and sale they have. Without exception. Why? They spotlight you as the agent that can generate RESULTS – and they showcase the properties you are marketing. That’s a powerful combo. Then they do that thing that agents desperately steer clear of but shouldn’t if they want to fire up their career on all levels – they FOLLOW UP.

Q: There’s the sticking point, right? The old getting on the phone or walking the farm and knocking on doors part that stops agents in their tracks. Any suggestions?

A: Yes, the first step we just talked about – putting a campaign in place that touches your customers and prospects every month. That makes it way less intimidating when you call them. Why? Because you have a reason to touch base with them. It doesn’t have to be a “SALES call”, it is a follow up call – or visit if you are walking a farm. “Hey there, Todd Robertson here, from Success Realty, just wanted to touch base. We’ve got a LOT of changes in the market, and I just wanted to see if you had any questions.” (Yes or no, doesn’t matter really, you’re just touching base, asking questions.) Or you can do a combination of touching base and letting them know that you have a big goal to hit. “Hey there, Todd Robertson, Success Realty, how are you? You may have seen me in the neighborhood and I hope you’re receiving my mailings. I just wanted to touch base, see if you had any questions about our market or what homes are selling for right now? By the way, I am committed to helping as many clients as I can take advantage of this market. Who do you know who might be interested in buying or selling in the next 90 days? Maybe someone from work? Or your kids’ sport team? Or church? If you think of someone, I sure hope you’ll remember my name and pass it along. Thanks so much.”

This month we shared a great listing strategy one of our Dominator members uses — and that’s to take the extra 20 Market Dominators that he gets each month and bring them with him when he is walking his farm or going on listing appointments. He lets people know that he is the only one in that market that is willing to consistently show up in a big way (12×15!) each month and that when they list with him – he will dedicate an entire 1/3rd panel of his Dominator to market that listing until it sells. That’s helped him close for the signature again and again. You may want to give that a try as well!

Here’s a quick video I did for our members on the topic:

Q: Awesome — lastly, what about those agents who need the extra push or accountability?

A: For a lot of agents coaching is a good investment, but it can be out of the budget for many. Instead, perhaps consider starting or joining a Mastermind group in your area. Think and Grow Rich has an entire chapter on this topic that is still incredibly relevant and powerful today. Participating in a group like this costs you zero – but your return will be extraordinary. You’re involved with like-minded people, all with the goal of lifting each other up, cheering each other on, and holding each other accountable. That’s the missing link for many agents. If there’s not one in your area that you want to join – start one. Your career, customers, and bank balance will all be the better for it!

We’re hosting a new webinar next week, Wednesday, Jul 27, 2016 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT How to Own More Market Share & End the Year WIth 5 Extra Closings — we hope you’ll join us!

Click here to register.

Thanks Todd. Great stuff. If you’d like to learn more about the kind of tools that we have to help keep YOU on track and ready for the fall market and beyond, head over to our Master Marketing Schedule^TM or main site today. If you’re interested in dominating a geographic farm and would like to speak with Todd about that directly, click here to learn more. Our team is here to help you with all your marketing needs, call us today at 866-405-3638!

Four Tips and Tools For Building Your Listing Inventory

Jun 27, 2016

Positioning Yourself to Be the Go-To Agent

By Julie Escobar

It’s certainly a whole new ball game out there isn’t it? The buyers are out in force and agents are now fast and furiously competing to both find and market new listing inventory. If EVER there’s been a time where listings are the name of the game? It’s right now. We recently did a poll to see what people were most interested in this month in terms of their marketing — the number one choice? HOW TO GET MORE LISTINGS. Enter this week’s topic!

Let’s look at four tips and tools you can use to position yourself as the go-to agent for listings in your market.

Systematically work For Sale By Owners and Expired listings. Make this on the top of your to-do list each week. Send them something. Get voice-to-voice. Go see them. Since they’re already motivated sellers-make sure they know how motivated you are to help them achieve the results you want!
Include a PDF. Another strategy came from one of our top agent customers who, before every listing appointment, creates a pdf version of a Just Listed postcard with a picture of the potential seller’s house and all listing details and includes it in every listing presentation as an example of the marketing that she will get started immediately upon getting their signature! (Very clever!) Click here to see a selection of Just Listed Postcards you can download.
Host an Open House to generate listing leads. In areas where homes are just starting to turn over, you’ll more than likely shake out the 3-4 (or more) other homeowners in the neighborhood who have been thinking about selling. Be sure to do your homework – canvas the neighborhood well in advance of your open house. Advertise it well. Send open house cards, use door hangers or flyers to your existing sphere of influence or farm areas as well. Some agents create an open house field day – where they’ll advertise 3-6 open houses all on the same day, one right after the other. While it makes for a long day, it does showcase you as an agent who has a lot going on and knows how to get things done. I always recommend having powerful collateral pieces at your open houses as well. Like 6 Pitfalls to Overpricing Your Home, Saving for a Down Payment and the Cash Buyer Checklist. When you have more creative collateral than just the home listing flyer you present yourself at a higher level of service and resource.
Saturate Your Target Neighborhood. Working an area or areas where you know turnover is starting to happen? Blanket those areas with a powerful inventory-needed campaign that speaks to the mindset of potential sellers and spotlights you as the agent to call when they are thinking of selling now or in the near future. Our Listing Inventory Series is great for getting attention. Or, if you really want to turn up the heat, learn more about our Market Dominator System which takes saturation mailing and direct response marketing to a whole new level! Then be sure to follow up on that saturation mailing and make the most of your marketing efforts.

Good luck getting those listings, and remember if you need help – call our marketing team at 866.405.3638! Be sure to check out our Specials Page this month as well if you haven’t already and see what’s new and get your budget-saving promo codes!

Staying Top of Mind Year Around

Apr 11, 2016

8 Tips for Using Seasonal Marketing

by Julie Escobar

While a lot of sales pros send out holiday greetings for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’re finding that lots of top agents stay in touch with seasonal messages for the sphere of influence all year around.

Great idea as staying in touch and top of mind never goes out of season. Before you buy a card, stick a stamp of figure out where your mailing list is — consider these eight tips for sending seasonal marketing.

Be clear about your message. Even when you’re sending holiday postcards, you can use the reverse side to send a great message to your customer base. If you are sending to both your sphere and farm, you may want to consider altering the message slightly for each. Make it personal and heart-felt, with a note of thanks for allowing you the opportunity to serve them as customers — or in the case of your farm – the community.
Serve two purposes. Are you having a holiday open house? Customer event? Charity drive? Looking for a good time to stop by with a small gift? You can include that information on the cards as well.
Don’t be salesy. Holiday greetings are not about the sale – they are about the connection. Keep it warm and personable.
Don’t wait for just Christmas. Many top agents send a holiday message once a month to their sphere. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Back to School, and Halloween are all favorites. There’s something to celebrate all year round, and it’s a fun way to stay connected and stand out as someone who is “there” more than just in the month of December.
Have some fun with it. Got a great team? Or just a great personality? Take some fun pictures and opt for a photocard rather than a more traditional card and don’t be afraid to get a little creative with your photos. Create a fun message and send out each quarter.
Don’t leave anyone out! You know all those mailing lists you’ve been collecting throughout the year? For Just Listed postcards, or the stack of business cards that have been sitting on the corner of your desk collecting dust?
Order early. We suggest sending your holiday cards out at LEAST two weeks in advance of the holiday every month — and sending first class as opposed to standard-class to ensure timely delivery.
Follow up. Sending cards is a great way to easily stay in touch. Pick a postcard, edit your message, add a list – and you’re done! In a matter of minutes you’ve created a connection. However to really get the full impact of ANY mailing (holiday and otherwise) — be sure to follow up – at least with the top 25% of your list. There is no substitution for this step. Imagine if you made it a point each year, every year, to speak with every single person in your sphere at least twice a year? Touch base, see if they have questions, thank them for being great customers, and say hello. Here’s what happens when you do: they remember you. They don’t list with another agent because your name wasn’t on the radar. They are grateful that you take the time to call. And one out of 12? Statistically will do business with you or refer business to you.

Here’s to staying in touch with your sphere and farm!

If you’re new to ProspectsPLUS!, watch this quick video to learn how fast and easy it is to register for your free membership, and place a postcard order in ten minutes or less!

Need help? We’re here for you! Call our team at 866.405.3638 today. We’ll help get your holidays started and save you money at the same time! Have a great one!

There’s Never Been a Better Time to Get Back to the Basics

Mar 28, 2016

Insights from the Front Line with Ramona Williams

By Julie Escobar

When it comes to knowing EXACTLY what real estate professionals, and specifically our ProspectsPLUS!
customers want and need to grow their businesses in today’s market, I knew that there was one person who would be perfect to interview. My closest friend and always one of the smartest people in the room, our Director of Business Development, Ramona Williams. With both an MBA and more thirty years of experience working with real estate agents and brokers, she’s the go-to resource for insights and ideas.

Here’s what we learned:

Q: You are on the phones with customers every day, where do you think agents are needing the most help in terms of marketing their businesses and their listings?

A: Consistency – hands down. That’s honestly where most agent’s marketing breaks down. One and done marketing doesn’t work, never has and never will. Secondly, what hurts agents is having no strategy at all. That’s not a new problem of course. That’s historically where agents fail to grow their businesses, and why so many don’t make it. Unfortunately, the majority of agents try lots of little things, including whatever the “shiny new idea” is in the office at the moment and never commit to anything consistently. The result is they end up all over the place in terms of the message they are sending out into their market, and they’ll actually spend considerably more money trying every new thing that comes along than they would if they just put a solid, strategic plan of tested direct marketing that works in place and stuck to it. Consistently sending branded, direct response marketing every 21-45 days to a sphere and farm is still the best means of driving results in our industry.

Q: We’re seeing a huge rise in agents using EDDM^® as a means to strategically market for less – what is your take on that and what advice do you have for others eager to do the same?

A: I think Every Door Direct Mail^® is a terrific way for agents to cover a large geographic area because of the lower postage costs. It makes it really affordable for agents to get back to those basics like working a geographic farm. What I really like about seeing agents return to geo-farming is that it helps them focus their marketing efforts. For a long while we saw agents just chasing the next deal. They’d follow internet leads wherever they took them – sometimes driving hours to take a listing. EDDM helps them to find a geographic market area that makes sense for them and literally get in every door. When used consistently, it creates a much more predictive business and income model than constantly chasing new business. Here’s what else I can tell you – the great agents get that. They know that it’s not only OK to be in control of their marketing and business, it’s a must if you want to create a consistently growing business with commissions and referrals you can count on. I think so much of the time you see agents who look at the business of real estate as risky to start with or unpredictable because it’s commission based. So their mindset is that their business is supposed to be all over the place, or unpredictable as well. Savvy agents know that real estate is a business and can be a very lucrative one if they treat is like it is and work a plan.

Q: What product do you see the most demand for in today’s market?

A: I’d say in most areas of the country inventory is still historically low, so agents are looking for any vehicle that can help them get listings. So we’re seeing a lot of EDDM, Just Listed postcards and Just Sold postcards (which are great for pulling double duty – marketing the listing and the agent), our Market Dominator, Listing Inventory cards, FSBO and Expired tools, and our Neighborhood Update/Free Offer cards. The last take a little more work to input the listing data, but it’s what consumers want to see, and they make direct response offers, so they work. Again, it’s getting back to taking control of your marketing.

We are also seeing an uptick in agents struggling with pricing listings correctly and that’s where your eBook 21 Ways to Get Your Listing Priced Right the First Time (Despite the Seller’s Objections) is a terrific tool that’s really affordable and filled with the kind of objection handlers agents need today.

Q: You and I go way back in this business – we won’t say how far! How do you think the market has changed and what do you think agents can do to best get in front of those changes and be competitive?

A: You know, surprisingly, it really hasn’t changed all that much. Our business is and always be cyclical. What is different, of course, are the amount of technology options agents have and how many different organizations are selling to them. Many of which are amazing and game-changing solutions for agents, no doubt. It does, however, make it really easy for agents to take their eye off the ball and look for that “magic pill” that will skyrocket them to success. While that’s understandably tempting, the keys to being the top in your field is the stay focused, build inventory, price listing right, have a strategic plan, and find areas you really enjoy working and stay the course.

Q: Excellent advice! You work with top producers and high volume teams quite a bit as our Director of Business Development. What are some factors from a marketing perspective do you think they deploy that allow them to continuously rise to the top?

A: Much like we just talked about, top teams and top agents don’t roll the dice with their results. They build their businesses exponentially by putting systems in place so things don’t fall through the cracks and understand and implement the power of consistent marketing. In other words, they don’t wait and they don’t shy away from marketing at high levels. They prioritize immediate lead generation, but they also have systems that allow them to build their brand and their businesses long term. They are also typically service-minded professionals. They take excellent care of their customer base, and communicate effectively and often with their sphere and farm. That’s smart business.

Q: Awesome. Any last words of wisdom for the readers?

A: Well I guess I would say that this is truly a great industry where people can make an excellent, lucrative living that is relatively affordable to get into with a strong return on investment. I would tell them to be strategic, consistent and be mindful of who you model yourself after. You and I have both seen, countless times, agents who have been in this business 3, 4, 5 – even 10 years or more in this industry and have never put a sphere of influence database together. While some may do all right at that, it makes you really wonder where COULD their business be if they had put that basic but so important piece in place? That’s a lot of missed opportunity and money left on the table. I’d challenge agents to not do the same. Get back to the basics. Have a plan. Use strategic, consistent marketing (both in terms of timing and branding) to build your inventory, price them right, follow up, and take care of your book of business and your farm.

As always, you’re a tremendous source of advice for today’s professionals. What’s great for our customers to know is that you’ve done such an amazing job of both training and managing our support and marketing teams that they have incredible skills and insights as well and are wonderfully adept at helping agents and brokers figure out the best plans for them, and helping them strategically implement those plans every day. Kudos to you for that! Thanks for sharing!

If you’d like to connect with a member of Ramona’s team, you can call them at 866-405-3638 or email us at pmc@prospectsplus.com. They are eager to help make your job – and your life a whole lot easier!

Notes

May 25, 2015

In a world where we are all swimming in technology from our smartphones to TVs in every room, to watches that do everything but the dishes — sometimes it’s the old school ideas and strategies that gets the most notice. Like hand-written notes. They are back in a big way and helping agents connect with those superstars in their sphere of influence in an extremely personal way. In fact, studies show a personalized note can increase response to a marketing campaign by 30-50% – certainly not a figure to ignore.

Time critical for busy agents, there is no doubt – so we have things like direct response postcards that we send en masse to our sphere and farms, automated just listed and just sold postcards that can relay our success rate and skill to the neighborhoods we are working, and email marketing that goes out in a blink of an eye. Those are all marketing staples that keep our businesses humming along.

You know what they say though about going the extra mile and it never being crowded? It’s true! Each week choose 5-10 people to send a hand written note on branded note cards, and a business card enclosed. This one little ‘extra effort’ idea could mean an extra closing or two (or 10) in your year.

Send to:

People in your sphere of influence
Referring agents
Co-broking agents
Open House visitors
People in your network
New businesses in the area

Ideas for messages:

Thank you (for business, referral, professionalism, being a client, kind gesture)
Thinking of you (anniversary, birthday, anniversary of closing, general message)
Congratulations (life event – new job, graduation, baby), great transaction, award, special recognition)
Just Because (Have some fun with our Master Marketing Schedule suggestions for almost every day of the month!)
Saw this and thought of you (article, picture, cartoon, recipe)
Appreciation Gift (movie tickets, gift card, restaurant gift certificate)

Little things mean a lot in today’s hurried and harried world. Taking 20-30 minutes per week to personally reach out to the VIPs in your sphere, farm, and network will have a big impact on your career and these vital referral relationships!

See all twelve designs for our branded real estate notecards here. Need help? Call our team today at 866.405.3638.

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