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Friday, December 20, 2024

agent success

    And, find out what trait helps guinea pigs make money (under creativity)

    Success in any endeavor is in the eye and mind of the beholder. My idea of personal success may mean something completely different than yours.

    Some folks use money as a benchmark while others don’t feel successful unless they are fulfilled in what they do for a living.

    In real estate, money has a lot to do with success. Without it, you won’t stay in business for long. The keys to making money – financial success — in the industry involves a combination of certain personality and character traits and ingrained habits.

    Let’s take a look at some of the traits that the most ‘Rock Star’ agents exhibit.

    1. Tenacity

     Successful real estate agents don’t let go. They treat every contact from a potential client with a ferocious tenacity, returning calls and emails immediately and following up relentlessly.

    This doesn’t mean they become the fatal attraction of the local real estate industry, it means that the agents make their leads feel attended to and that they are ready and able to assist.

    The same treatment is given to former clients, with consistent follow-up to ensure they remain top-of-mind when the topic of real estate comes up. Sending a Customer Appreciation Thank You postcard is a great way to stay connected and let your clients know you appreciate them.

    Show your clients you appreciate them (available in the postcards section under Customer Appreciation)
    2. Creativity

    “Best practices.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing that phrase a lot lately. Applied to the real estate industry, the term should make you wary.

    Sure, it sounds quite professional. The problem is, what old-school real estate agents call “best practices” are often nothing more than old, worn-out tactics.

    It means doing the same stuff all the other agents are doing and have done for decades.

    Best practices? Wipe that from your memory chip as the established go-to resource.

    Sure, there are some conventional real estate marketing tactics that still work but to rely on them exclusively in lieu of trying something new is just plain stupid.

    The flip side is that following the herd to every new tactic that comes along is equally silly.

    Once upon a time, there was a real estate agent who decided to do her video blogs from her car on her way to the office in the morning. I’m not absolutely sure who that was, but I have a good idea.

    I often wonder if she resents the fact that thousands of other agents decided to allow her to be the guinea pig with this new technique. And then when they saw it worked, generated revenue, and created new clients, they brazenly stole her idea. It’s to the point now that those agent dashboard video blogs are as trite as some agent taglines and just as ridiculed by the public.

    Help them choose YOU (available in the postcard section under Market Quote postcards)

    Don’t be afraid to be different and to stand out from the rest of the agents in town. Do something new, novel and fun and forget about “best practices.” Don’t rely on any one technique to remain unique for long. Keep on your toes.

     3. Communication

    Successful real estate agents know when to hold em’ and know when to fold ‘em. They walk their clients through every last thing that can possibly be expected to occur in the transaction and then they shut up and listen.

    They gain an understanding of and pay attention to what the client expects out of the relationship. They listen to what the client wants and needs. Then, they act on that, not some supposition of the client’s desires.

    Both sellers and buyers that are dissatisfied with their real estate agents typically claim that their agents didn’t communicate enough. Rich, fulfilled agents keep in contact with their clients at all points during the process, even when there’s nothing new to communicate.

    Clients also expect you to communicate in the manner they prefer. So, text the texters, email the emailers and phone the phoners. And send direct mail when you are after a lasting impact. Even if there is nothing new to talk about, reach out and touch.

    4. Congeniality

    Successful real estate agents are, for the most part, easy to be around. They are network- builders and relationship retainers.

    If the Rolodex were still a staple on every agent’s desk, theirs would be the biggest. Since they understand the value of being pleasant, they have vast networks. They can set a client up with the best trash-out guy in town, the best contractor, plumber, lender, and title company.

    5. Not afraid to spend

    A couple of years ago, real estate social network Active Rain site conducted a survey of 1,758 real estate agents to determine what separates rich real estate agents from poor ones.

    Successful agents understand that they need to spend money to make money.  In fact, according to the study, agents earning more than $100,000 a year spend 10 times more money on marketing than their less successful counterparts.

    They also spend six times more money on technology. Whether spending the money made them a rich agent or it took being rich to be able to spend it, is another question.

    Agents that succeed approach their real estate career as a business. They begin each year with a plan which is updated and tweaked throughout the year.

    Most of all, they are somewhat fearless, willing to take risks and tenaciously devoted to their success.

    Start building good habits today by sending at least 100 Please Allow Me postcards from the Agent Introduction Series to an area where you would like more business.
    Let them know who the neighborhood expert is (available in the postcard section under Agent Introduction)

     

    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

    Dean Jackson takes your game up another notch by disclosing the steps to becoming a “Market-Maker”.  Learn how to differentiate yourself, become the wise insider, and disrupt your market.  Dean Jackson is the founder of GoGoAgent and Listing Agent Lifestyle. 

    Reverse your thinking

    On a fundamental level, the real estate business consists of finding one person who wants to buy a home and finding one person who wants to sell a home and matching those people up.

    Most agents begin focusing on finding a buyer after they get a new listing. In fact, often agents are only focused on getting listings because their belief is they need these listings to be able to find buyers.

    But what if you reversed this thinking? What if instead of matching buyers and sellers, listing by listing, you become a Market-Maker who’s truly controlling your market?

    Bring what the seller REALLY wants

    How powerful would it be to show up at a competitive listing appointment with a buyer who already wants to buy the house or a list of people who are interested in a house like their home?

    There is nothing more powerful than this position because you’ve got the very thing that the seller wants more than anything.

    Even if you brought this buyer to an appointment where the seller was thinking of listing with their mother, if all they had to do was sign with you and their house was sold, mom would be out.

    Yeap, they would sell their mother out in a second because self-interest always wins, and their self-interest is to find a buyer.

    That’s an extreme example but I guarantee you if you line up the four best listing presentations in your marketplace to compete against and you arrive with a buyer who says, “How much would you like for the house?” and “I’ll take it,” nobody’s getting that listing but you.

    When you see listing appointments from this perspective, it makes the most sense to focus on already having buyers whenever possible. It will always give you an advantage on the listings.

    A case study

    As an internal case study, I spent some time running my “Getting Listings Program” with the intent of find lakefront home sellers in Winter Haven (where I live). At the same time, I marketed home and land ads for buyers looking for lakefront homes.

    It wasn’t too long before I received responses from interested parties.

    One of those responses was a phone call from someone who’d seen my marketing about the “new lakefront homes that were coming onto the market”. He told me he sold his house in Stuart and was looking for a lakefront home in Winter Haven.

    Then literally within an hour of getting that call, I received an email from a home seller on Lake Ruby. She stated, “I’ve been getting your marketing pieces for the last few months and we’re ready to sell our house.” This house actually was a perfect fit for my buyer from Stuart. It was such a perfect coincidence I couldn’t have scripted it better.

    Become the insider

    The results of my case study really solidified my understanding that the very best thing you can have in a competitive listing arena is a buyer or access to buyers. While everyone else is talking to sellers about, “Once I list your house we’re going to do this and this, and this to find a buyer”, you are going to set your self apart.

    Your talk track will be, “I started looking for the buyer for your house 180 days ago by doing this, and this, and this, and right now I have a pool of these buyers who are looking for homes just like yours”.

    To be able to match buyers and sellers up in this way, triangulating them, that’s where true “Market-Making” lies. Now, you’ve got insider information and access to people who are thinking about buying a home, and you’ve got insider information on people who are thinking about selling their home.

    All that is left is to match these people up. And that’s where you’re adding value and differentiating yourself because no one else will be attacking a market in this innovative and far-reaching way.

    To learn more about the other incredible tools and resources Dean has available for agents go to GoGoAgent.com  and ListingAgentLifestyle.com.
    Start collecting your pool of buyers now by sending the When Moving Makes Sense postcard from the Move-Up Market Series to at least 100 prospective buyers.

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

    PLUS: When you have time…here are 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

    1. The Free 2018 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

    2. 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

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

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

    Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

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

    MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

    Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero!

    First the essentials

    You may already be familiar with these tools, but are you really making the most of them? When strategically used, not only do they make your work life a lot easier, but they will help you generate new business as well.

    The best smartphone for agents

    Your smartphone is the one tool you’ll use more than any other in your real estate practice.

    Most REALTORS® — more than half – use the Apple iPhone®, according to NAR, second in popularity is Android™. While a smartphone’s features are critical in an agents decision-making process, the types of apps it can run and their ease of use is important to consider as well. Again, the iPhone® gets the award – this time for the sheer number of apps, but the number and variety of Android™ apps are increasing.

    When making your final decision, be sure to compare the audio quality on speakerphone and Bluetooth. This is important since you’ll most likely use the phone a lot while driving (if that’s legal in your area). And the audio quality between phones can vary greatly.

    At the beginning of your career, you’ll probably rely on your phone to take photos and videos, take time to verify the photo and video display and resolution are high-quality. Most newer Apple iPhone® and Android™ phones do an adequate job of capturing images and video with high-quality resolution.

    New smartphone apps that make work easier
    • RPR Mobile – easily search properties, create and send branded reports.
    • BombBomb – send personal video emails to your clients from your phone on the fly.
    • Waze – up-to-the-minute traffic updates by other users, great time-saving while on the road.
    • Open Home Pro – bring your tablet and get digital sign-ins at your next open house. Then follow-up with automated emails and text messages.
    • Videolicious – Make and edit high-quality videos in seconds, including watermarks and logos.
    CRM’S have come a long way

    From day one of your real estate career, you’ll be hitting the ground, drumming up business. Unless you plan on going through piles of scraps of paper to keep track of all the contacts you’ll make, you need a customer relationship management system.

    The CRMs of today are used for a number of tasks – from automating some of your marketing to keeping track of your sphere, your prospects, clients (past and present) and syncing data between multiple platforms. A CRM system has become invaluable.

    These systems are offered by a number of companies but look for one with at least the basics — property blasts, email templates and the ability to monitor client activity on your website.

    If you’re on an extremely tight budget you might want to start with what the NAR calls “no-frills electronic address books,” such as Outlook and Apple Address book. You won’t get the integrated solutions that you will with the higher-end systems, but at the very least, you’ll get your contacts organized. Three CRMs worth investigating further, Contractually, ZOHO, and Apptivo.

    Website & blog solutions made easy

    “My websites are critical to my success,” claims Minnesota’s Kris Lindahl, named one of REAL Trends’ and Trulia’s “America’s Best Real Estate Agents.”

    “While they’re not the only marketing tool we use, they’re certainly the easiest. There’s a lot to be said for effective inbound marketing. It’s painless.”

    Sure, your broker may offer you a page on his or her company website, but you need your own, with your branding.

    You can spend a ton of money on a website, or you can do what many smart agents are doing and use a ready-made solution. One example is setting up a WordPress site, using an attractive, agent-friendly WordPress theme, such as “Curb Appeal Evolved”. This theme runs under $50.00 and offers IDX plugins, which is the most important tool on any real estate site. Or, check the selection of templates available at Theme Forest.

    Additional ready-made, agent-friendly website and blog solutions worth investigating include Placester, Websitebox, Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly.

    Top tech tools growing in 2018

    360 Degree Cameras – These cameras create a feeling of actually being inside the property and are able to capture every angle allowing for deeper exploration. A recent study by Magnifyre showed 25% of video watchers preferred 360 videos over traditional cropped format.

    3D Cameras – places you inside the property as well allowing you the freedom to look around. There is said to be a greater feeling of depth with a 3D camera. However, you are not able to capture every angle with a 3D camera as you will with a 360 camera.

    Chatbots – allow you to streamline communication on your website by answering routine questions before you talk to a client. Provides the client another option for information other than picking up the phone.  A few Chatbots to investigate further include, Automabots, Structurely, Botplan.

    real estate community newsletterMake the most of your CRM, send a Community Newsletter from our Newsletter Series to your Sphere of Influence. Be sure to notate when the postcards went out in your CRM for tracking purposes.

    PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

    1. The Free 2018 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

    2. The 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

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

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

    Also…check these out 🙂

    3 Click Postcards – Just snap, tap, send all from your mobile phone

    MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

     

    direct mail is king

    Annual spending on newspaper circulars, coupons, direct mail, and catalogs hit $76 billion in 2017!

    Need I say more?

    By the way, this was up 85% from 2012, according to a Wallstreet Journal article recently written by Sarah Nassauer.

    “Paper ads that arrive in homes spur more buying than emails or texts”, said Jackson Jeyanayagam, chief marketing officer of Boxed.com.

    “Email is starting to become a sandbox because you get so much”. Boxed spent 80% more on print advertising in 2017 than 2016.

    Emily Frankel, senior director of digital marketing at Jet.com, a Walmart owned company, states, “Jet sent 35 million paper coupons and direct mailers last year”.

    She continued, that the mailers have been effective in reaching new, more urban and affluent customers.

    So, why is direct mail so effective?

    A study commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau discovered that direct mail marketing—leaves a ‘deeper more emotional footprint’ on the brain than digital.

    That difference can be pinpointed on MRI brain scans.

    It produces brain responses that get stored in your memory. The printed piece itself becomes part of the subliminal messaging.

    The following are more reasons for direct mail’s success.

    It’s targeted

    Most advertising is expensive and casts a wide, but not specific net.

    With direct mail, you can match your marketing pieces specifically to your market or niche dramatically increasing your response rates.

    You can target your mailing lists for those you most want to market by taking advantage of our Lifestyle Interest search.

    It’s personal

    Direct mail is your canvas.  You can address your customer by name, share specific offers and communicate information that’s specific to your area.

    And begin to create a top-of-mind awareness and trust.

    By offering calls to action such as Free Reports, lists of homes, a Free Home Market Analysis and more – you create an opportunity for engagement with your audience. 

    It’s flexible  

    From postcards to newsletters to brochures, your direct mail options are extensive. 

    Add direct response offers and timely information and you again increase your response rates. 

    Some agents choose from a specific niche postcard series such as our Expired Series to send each month to develop brand a recognition. expired listing marketing postcards

    Others mix and match their marketing messages – preferring to keep consumers alert and eager to see what they’ll send next.

    It’s tangible

    The truth is, as human beings we are tactile people.

    So, engaging different senses is just smart business.   If I get a message from a professional via email or digital ad, it registers in the moment – but not necessarily long term. 

    When I get a message that’s directed to me and offers something of importance to me and my family – that’s compelling.

    Specifically, when I can feel it, touch it, put it on the refrigerator or tack it to my bulletin board, etc. – that message has a much longer shelf life.

     And a better chance of getting a response – not just once but again and again. 

    It’s measurable 

    Use a unique URL or make a specific offer on a direct response piece and keep tabs on how many people click or call on that offer. Similiar to our Free Offer Series postcards. free offer postcard series

    Then adjust future mailings based on that response rate.  It’s always advised to make a direct response offer on every piece of direct mail.

    As opposed to just a generic, ‘here I am’ mailing. 

    Give people valuable reasons to reach out to you and they will!

    It’s easy and cost-effective

    Direct mail doesn’t have to mean big bucks.

    With Every Door Direct Mail costs are low and market saturation is high.

    Hopefully, this has given you insight into why direct mail is part of so many highly successful agents ongoing marketing plan.

    Start taking advantage of this powerful form of marketing now.

    Get started taking advantage of the power of direct mail. Send the Free Home Market Analysis Offer postcard from the Call to Action Series to your Geographic Farm this month.

    Call our marketing team at 866.405.3638 for assistance. We are here for you! 

    PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

    1. The Free 2018 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

    2. The Online Sphere of Influence Calculator

    Top real estate professionals state 66% of their business comes from their sphere of influence. So how many people do you need in your SOI? Check out our Sphere of Influence Calculator (from your desktop) to find out the answer – 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, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

    Also…check these out 🙂

    3 Click Postcards – Just snap, tap, send all from your mobile phone

    MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

    Take it to the next level

    7 tips to take your real estate business to the next level

    If indications are right, 2018 should be quite the interesting year in real estate.

    If you’ve decided it’s the year you’ll take a giant leap forward in your real estate business, well, I’ve got your back, read on for tips on how to do just that.

    Treat your business as a business

    It is not only a business, but it is one in which you are the CEO. So, act like a CEO.

    Do you have a business plan? If not check out our Free Online Realtor Business Plan.

    “If I asked you to drive from Omaha, Nebraska to San Diego, California what would be the first thing you would do? Probably mapquest and plan out the directions!” suggests Bubba Mills of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching.

    “If I ask you how to do 50 transactions in one year, then shouldn’t you do the same thing?” he continues.

    Those “directions” can be found in a business plan – the roadmap for your real estate business.

    And, if you do have a plan, does it still require the use of outdated strategies? Update your Real Estate Marketing Plan to meet the needs of today’s real estate practice and today’s real estate consumer.

    Next, build a budget, itemizing how much you’ll spend on your car, your dues, desk fees, E&O insurance, your listings and all the other things you spend money on in your business.

    A budget is the only way to ensure you’ll meet your income goals by the end of the year.

    Let the past guide you

    Decide to focus on what has brought you success in the past and do more of it.

    Perhaps choose the one tactic that worked best for you as a new agent and concentrate on that for a time.

    Was it cold calling?

    Sending postcards or newsletters? Door knocking? Whatever it was, resurrect those skills that worked in the past and put them to work helping you jump to the next level.

    Start one new thing this year

    Try your hand at something you haven’t done before such as automating your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcard mailing.

    Free up time from manually handling your Just Listed Just Sold Postcard mailing and automate it instead.

    It’s easy to do, affordable and takes the ongoing stress of getting those cards out in a timely manner off of your shoulders.

    This leaves you more time to focus on other areas of marketing that need your attention.

    How about trying your hand at sending a newsletter?

    Las Vegas agent Debbie Drummond tells the story of how a newsletter helped her snag a client for a luxury high-rise condo after an agent who lived in the building failed miserably.

    The couple ended up calling Debbie after they received her newsletter. “The newsletter has proven to be a money maker,” she tells Tyler Zey at easyagentpro.

    Hire help

    The quickest way to move your real estate business to the next level is to stop doing things that don’t make you money.

    Hire an assistant to do them for you.

    “If I had to touch every single piece in my system myself, I would never be able to produce multiple amounts of volume,” one of Las Vegas’ top producers tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

    “You have to be efficient, and you have to leverage the system (by hiring).”

    Think you can’t afford an assistant? Try going the virtual route first. If you choose a virtual assistant who specializes in real estate you’ll do away with the time and effort involved in training him or her.

    Two to consider are Kim Hughes & Company and Real Support. Both companies specialize in supporting real estate agents.

    Pay tribute

    To truly move your business to the next level, you need to admit that it’s time to stop ignoring your past clients.

    To drive this point home, did you know the cost to acquire a new client is five times higher than pursuing someone you’ve already worked with.

    Ready for another powerful statistic? Nearly 40 percent of home sellers found their agent through a referral (according to the NAR).

    If your website isn’t effective, fix it

    Who in your market ranks organically for your preferred keywords?

    If it isn’t you, maybe you have some website issues. Check out the sites of those who do and vow to beat them at the Google game.

    What are they doing that you aren’t? Typically, it’s the agents who post content consistently that get the best organic rankings, but go through the sites, page-by-page and learn from them.

    Take time off

    Taking time off actually increases our productivity by 80 percent, according to researchers at Alertness Solutions.

    They are a company founded by former NASA scientists that provide fatigue management consulting services.

    Research from Harvard University, however, cautions that unless your vacation is planned (at least one month ahead) and you travel far from your work, you won’t get a good ROI on that time away.

    Unplug – completely – while you’re away and your focus will be stronger when you return to work, according to researchers at Boston College Center for Work and Family.

    Rest and recharge your way to the next level in your real estate business.

    Choose a Newsletter or the Market Dominator to send to 200 homes in your Geographic Farm in the month of January! Make sure they know YOU are their neighborhood expert.

    The ProspectsPLUS! Team are your biggest fans! We are here to help you succeed in 2018. Please reach out to us if there is any way we can help you at  866.405.3638.

    Wednesday Productivity

    “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

    – Walt Disney

     

    Here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

    1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan

    Treating your business like a business is a vital component to succeeding long term in this industry. While some agents put together elaborate business plans, there is something powerful to be said for keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

    2. The Online Sphere of Influence Calculator

    Top real estate professionals state 66% of their business comes from their sphere of influence. So how many people do you need in your SOI? Check out our Sphere of Influence Calculator (from your desktop) to find out the answer – 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, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

    We are here to support your success! Call us if we can do anything for you at 866.405.3638 today!

    “The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.” – Terri Marshall

    What a perfect quote for Realtors.

    You help people discover the place they embrace as home, where they raise children, nurture relationships, and seek comfort and peace – and that help truly makes life better.

    So when you are reflecting on blessings, include the combination of characteristics and skills that you have, that allow you to help people in such a positive, life-changing way.

    Then take some time to reflect on everything you have accomplished in 2017.

    In the daily grind we get so close to what we are doing, the outcome we are after, and the high stakes associated with that outcome, we can lose sight of the bigger picture.

    We forget that little wins throughout the year can add up to meaningful big wins overtime.

    For instance, at ProspectsPLUS! we had an important goal of our own.

    A committment to raising $50,000 for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. We matched contributions on our website, dollar for dollar, and offered 1, 5, & 10 optional donations at check out. With smaller donation levels you might think our goal is a bit too big.

    But we achieved it!

    Little by little, donation by donation, we climbed that hill to an incredible joint success with our amazingly generous customers!

    That’s how goals often are accomplished…

    In small steps – a few forward a few back – all the while keeping an eye on the prize until you get there.

    Now it’s your turn, to take a look back at the goals you set last year and the effort ‘over time’ that went into achieving them.

    It’s a great precursor to deciding what it is you want to accomplish in the new year.

    Once you are done, take a few moments to celebrate your accomplishments!

    …Then prepare your new goals for an explosive 2018!

    Lisa

    PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

    1. The 2018 Online Real Estate Business Plan

    Treating your business like a business is a vital component to succeeding long term in this industry. While some agents put together elaborate business plans, detailing every aspect of their marketing plans, business goals and budget needs, there is something powerful to be said for keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.

    2. The Sphere of Influence Calculator

    Top real estate professionals state 66% of their business comes from their sphere of influence. So how many people do you need in your SOI? Check out our Sphere of Influence Calculator (from your desktop) to find out the answer.

    3. A 12 Month Strategic Marketing Plan

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

    Remember, we are always here to help you in any way we can. Reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 for help with new mailing lists and marketing materials for 2018. 

    What are you thankful for this year?

    We know what we are thankful for.

    We’re thankful that you have placed your trust in us to provide you with the marketing materials, services and content to aid in your success.

    We know you have choices and are grateful you have chosen us.

    Expressing and acknowledging gratitude is an addictive experience. The results of time spent on this wonderful subject are far reaching.

    Did you know…

    ..taking 5 minutes to write down or think about what you are grateful for increases long-term well-being by more than 10 percent?

    The following is a list of the top 10 studied results from expressing gratitude on a regular basis:
    1. Better night’s sleep
    2. Less pain
    3. Reduced stress
    4. Increased self-esteem
    5. Increased physical and mental vitality
    6. Reduced feelings of envy
    7. Helps with relaxation
    8. Helps foster new relationships
    9. Increases goal achievement
    10. Increases productivity

    I think gratitude and giving go hand in hand. And we all know the resulting high that we receive anytime we have an opportunity to give.

    Our Turkey Mission

    Recently the employees of ProspectsPLUS!  were filled to the brim with wonderful feelings. We were on a mission to purchase 50 turkeys from surrounding grocery stores to donate to the Salvation Army and our local Food Bank.

    Finding 50 turkeys 3 days before Thanksgiving was not an easy feat, but we were determined.

    …and, our efforts paid off.
     The Result…

    It was all smiles and warmth on the faces of the ProspectsPLUS! staff as we delivered the turkeys to the Manatee County Food Bank and The Salvation Army of Manatee County.

    The Manatee County Salvation Army has plans to feed over 500 people on Thanksgiving day. They also provide Thanksgiving dinner baskets for families in need to take home and cook.

    The Manatee County Food Bank provides food for over 60 food pantries in Manatee County. They also offer a Meals-on-Wheels program to Manatee County.

     Sharing in the Spirit of Gratitude & Giving

    If you are thinking about catching our high, and sharing in the spirit of giving and gratitude, I have a couple easy ideas for you.

    We currently are conducting a Dollar for Dollar campaign for St Jude Kids. If you donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® through our website we will match your donation.

    Another great way to show your gratitude, that’s really close to home, is to send a hand-written personal note to your past customers. Express your heart-felt gratitude that you were chosen to help them in the past with the important task of buying or selling a home.

    Placing the focus on appreciating the customers you already have served will feed your spirit and do wonders to inspire you to connect with more people in the hope of serving them in the same rewarding way.

    Sending you wishes for a rewarding 2018 full of experiences to be grateful for!

    Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at ProspectsPLUS!

    Remember, if you ever need our assistance? We are here to help you! Call our support team a 866.405.3638. 

    Appraisal Secrets Revealed

    “Overpriced,” thought Ryan Lundquist, a certified residential appraiser in Sacramento, California. He’d just received an appraisal order and, thankfully, his last impression didn’t match his first. In the end the home received top dollar.

    But, he was puzzled. Finding that the property was worth slightly more than the selling price, he wondered why the listing agent offered no information about the property until he asked for it. Didn’t he want to ensure top dollar was received for this home?

    Unfortunately, many agents have been intimidated by, and sadly misinformed about the 2010 Dodd‐Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, assuming that they can’t communicate with an appraiser under any circumstance.

    Let’s bust that myth

    It’s not against the law to contact and converse with the appraiser, unless the goal is to bribe or intimidate him or her.

    In fact, Dodd-Frank specifically states that you or “anyone with an interest in a real estate transaction” can ask an appraiser to:

    1. Consider additional, appropriate property information, including the consideration of additional comparable properties to make or support an appraisal.
    2. Provide further detail, substantiation, or explanation for the appraiser’s value conclusion.
    3. Correct errors in the appraisal report.”

    The law does not, however, provide for a “full-blown conversation or discussion with the appraiser,” cautions Vic Knight, certified general appraiser and former president of the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®.

    “The implication is that the flow of information is essentially one-way,” he continues, “from the broker to the appraiser.”

    How your MLS description can help the appraiser

    Knight offered an often overlooked point brokers can utilize to help the appraisal process. Writing a listing description is considered part of the marketing of a home for sale. What most agents don’t think about when penning the description is the appraiser, who will also be part of the audience reading it.

    Knight recommends that you keep in mind the following tips as you enter the listing into the MLS:

    • Don’t skimp on the photos and include photos of the home’s unique features.
    • Be overly descriptive – this helps with marketing as well.

    Point out the “quality of finish in ‘below-grade’ living areas, attics, bonus rooms, decks, porches, etc.”

    Related: Featuring Your Listing in the Best Light

    Create an appraiser’s package

    Knight suggests that agents compile a package of documents and either leave it at the property for the appraiser to view, or deliver it in person, by meeting the appraiser at the home. Include the following documents in the package:

    • A fully-executed copy of the purchase contract and addenda
    • Comps
    • Deed
    • Floor Plan
    • HOA Docs
    • Inspection reports
    • List of upgrades, including the dates they were performed, with photos
    • Neighborhood information, especially anything that makes homes here more valuable than homes in nearby areas
    • Plat and survey
    • Proof of multiple offers

    The latter is important information for the appraiser, according to appraiser Tom Horn of Birmingham Appraisal Blog. “Providing proof of multiple offers does show them that more than one person is willing to pay a certain price for the home,” he suggests.

    It’s also important that you are very specific in your description of the home’s upgrades. Rather than stating that the bathroom was “completely remodeled,” list what was replaced, what it was replaced with, the date the work was performed and the cost.

    For example, Lundquist suggests, on his Sacramento Appraisal Blog, “Bathroom remodel: new tub; travertine tile work; cherrywood cabinetry; Kohler sink, faucet, etc. …/Installed 2009/$15,000 cost.”

    Or, offer the appraiser a cheat sheet

    Lundquist offers some tips on how to interact with the appraiser within Dodd-Frank guidelines.

    These useful tips help agents avoid the appearance that they are pressuring the appraiser, a violation of federal law. Any statement that can be perceived as an attempt to steer the appraiser to the value you want for the home can get you into hot water.

    Examples of these are frightening because they are so commonly (and innocently) used. Banish them from your interactions with appraisers:

    • “I’ll be happy as long as it appraises for at least the sales price.”
    • “The market has been ‘on fire’. You shouldn’t have any trouble with the appraisal.”
    • “Is it going to come in at ‘value’?
    • “If this doesn’t ‘appraise’, the seller is going to go into foreclosure.”
    • “I would be shocked if it didn’t ‘appraise.”
    • “I really hope this works out. No pressure or anything though.”

    To avoid trouble, keep your opinions, feelings and thoughts to yourself. Communicate only the facts about the home and neighborhood.

    A listing agent’s job entails far more than marketing the home and negotiating with the buyer’s agent. Underlying all of the duties, however, is the duty of “care.” This includes ensuring your client gets the most money possible for the home.

    This article is not intended to serve as legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with an attorney.

    Related: Pricing Makes Perfect 

    Need assistance? Contact our customer support team at 866.405.3638. They’re incredibly knowledgeable, and excited to help get you succeed!

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