Make Those Face-to-Face Connections

Agent Success

Nov 2, 2017

In Step with Broker Lisa DiBernardo

By Julie Escobar

Some brokers have a knack for touching on the really important strategies that agents need to utilize to stay at the top of their game. One of our amazing customers, broker Lisa DiBernardo is an extraordinary example of that kind of broker. We caught up with her to learn what she is doing to thrive in her market and what you may want to do to get the same kind of great results she is getting.

Here’s what we learned in our interview:

Q: Thanks for sharing your ideas with us! Can you first tell our readers a little about yourself?

A: You’re welcome. I became licensed and started working as a full-time real estate agent in 2004. Before that, I worked in the computer industry for about 24 years, the last dozen or so years managing network engineering and desktop support units. I think my background and my education, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in business, has helped me succeed and get where I am today. My experience with project management and logistics has been incredibly helpful. Three years ago, I opened my own brokerage and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I love it! I work in both residential and commercial real estate and have completed the sale and/or leasing of a wide variety of properties; single family homes, multi-families, condos, town homes and vacant land, as well as office, industrial and retail transactions. On the personal side I am a New Hampshire native, I have one daughter, a fiancé and a naughty cat named Rondo. I love New England and the beautiful seasons we are blessed with, even though it gets mighty chilly in the winter!

Q: From your Master Marketing Schedule entry – I love that the Just Listed/Just Sold postcards are your go-to marketing tool. They are a time-tested favorite! Tell me why they work for you?

A: I send them out for every single listing I take on. I think it shows my farm areas that I am not only active in their neighborhood but that I am successful at getting property sold. I supplement with other types of postcards too. Sometimes I’ll send out Under Contract or Pending cards and last month I sent out the football schedule cards for the first time. I also use traditional advertising to help build name recognition in my market area.

Q: You also use the Listing Inventory postcards, which are another favorite for agents. What drew you to them?

A: I want to keep sending out “something” each month, whether I have new listings in my farm areas or not. So, I supplement with the listing inventory cards and other types in-between listings to keep my name and company in the front of their minds each month.

Q: What are some strategies you use to stay top of mind with your sphere and farm?

A: I stay in touch with my sphere by calling and/or emailing at least once a quarter and as I mentioned above, I send something to my farm areas every month. I’ve been contemplating starting up a newsletter for my sphere and sending that out quarterly. I’ve just been waiting for the market to cool off a bit, so I can figure out the best way to do that and maybe utilize a new technology that I haven’t used yet; maybe a mailing service or social media.

Q: One of the hardest things for agents to do is to follow up on their marketing. Do you have any words of wisdom for those agents?

A: Well, it is a tough thing for most people. It’s tough for me too! But getting out there in the neighborhoods you farm and making face-to-face connections is the best way for them to remember you and it makes it personal. I know some people make cold calls, but I don’t. I only call the people in my sphere or people they refer to me. It’s too time-consuming to try to figure out who is and isn’t on the do-not-call list for cold calls. I’d rather pick a nice day and walk around the neighborhood with door hangers.

Q: What sets you apart from your competition?

A: Well I like to think it’s my ability to follow-up in a timely manner and my professionalism. I have a personal rule that no call or email goes unanswered for more than an hour, even if it’s just to say, “Hi, I received your message but I’m at an appointment right now. I’ll be back in touch soon.” I also think it’s my use of technology; it’s a strength of mine from my past career so I find it easy to develop and manipulate documents electronically and I’m able to use my phone for the majority of my work.

Q: It’s a busy time in our business. Any advice for agents in regard to finding some balance in life?

A: You have to carve out down time or maybe it would be better described as offline time. I try not to answer the phone or do work after 8pm and I don’t work Sundays unless I absolutely have to. Of course, if there’s a negotiation in play, I’ll work all night long! But I need to have at least one day off each week to unwind and to spend with my fiancé and family or I don’t feel balanced at all.

Q: If agents have a referral for you, how can they reach you?

A: They can call me directly at 603-809-3399, email me at lisa@dibernardorealestate.com, use my contact page on my website, www.dibernardorealestate.com or stop by my office at 100 Derry Street, Hudson, NH 03051. Thank you!

Awesome Lisa! Thank you so much for sharing your strategies with our readers!

If you’d like to learn more about Lisa – visit her website and connect! If you’d like to learn more about the marketing tools she’s using to stay ahead of her competition – connect with our marketing team at 866.405.3638 today!

Be like Lisa! Jump into the contest!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN WIN $10,000.

Why 90% of Agents Fail

Agent Success

Oct 23, 2017

How You Can Beat the Odds

By Real Estate Speaker and Trainer Todd Robertson

There are many factors that lead to success in this business, and of course, many that can stop an agent in their tracks. This week, I wanted to share some of the biggest factors agents face when trying to dominate in a geographic farm, why 90% of agents fail and what they can do differently than their competitors to come out on top.

1. Fear and Uncertainty. In today’s world, fear is unfortunately an all too common and powerful headline that garners attention thanks to mass media. HOWEVER, in the real world of listing and selling real estate, consumers don’t want fear and they don’t want uncertainty. They want and need an agent who comes from a place of 100% clarity and certainty. They want an agent who is respectful, responsible, competent and CONFIDENT. They need to know that the person handling this big transaction in their life has everything it takes to ensure their best interests are cared for. Be that agent for them by ensuring that you have the right tools, systems, training and marketing plan in place.

2. Money. The old adage is true, it takes money to make money and marketing effectively costs money.
Consistently. And that’s not something everyone is ready, willing, or able to sign on for. However, to brand yourself as the turn to agent in your geographic farm, there’s really no way to get around spending marketing dollars. Fortunately, you can spend smarter by using systems that are designed to capture market share while utilizing budget-saving tools such as Every Door Direct Mail. Our Market Dominator System does just that – and it allows you to send the very largest possible marketing piece acceptable for EDDM – 12×15, and puts you literally in every door in the geo farm of your choice for just $1 each. That’s smart marketing.

3. Impatience. One thing that seems to stop many agents from developing a successful farm is their inability to hang in there for the duration. When they don’t get instant results from their marketing, they give up. I get it. I walked in those shoes as an agent as well. But one and done mailings or marketing is never ever going to result in establishing a dominant position as a competitor. What does that? Consistency. Repetition. Showing up month after month after month. That’s the winning formula.

4. Becoming a “Victim”. You know the drill. The ones who get sucked into the market doom and gloom around the office coffee pot and buy into other agents’ ideas of why your marketing or theirs just “doesn’t work”. Stop. Stay in your own lane in terms of mindset. There will always, always, always be people who want to drag you down, tell you that you can’t accomplish something, or root you in negativity.

It’s up to YOU to stay focused on your WINNING formula of skill building, market-savvy tools and systems, and consistent, repetitive follow up and let others worry about their own track to success.

5. Not Having a Campaign. What’s the old Ben Franklin saying? “Fail to plan and you’re planning to fail?” It’s true. Without a viable marketing campaign plan in place, you have no way to gain traction in a market area. That’s why our Dominator Members commit to sending their 12×15 Market Dominators every month for two years – because they know that’s what it takes to truly own a market. To become THE brand in a geographic farm. They also know that if left to their own devices, most agents would have a tough time consistently researching, creating, and producing a powerful, direct-response marketing piece all on their own every single month. So they work smarter, not harder, and tap into a system like the where it’s all done for them.

6. Bogged Down in Busywork. Top agents know the highest and best use of their time is prospecting, presenting, and closing – not all the minutiae of busy work that can easily, and effectively be delegated to a virtual assistant or admin. It’s easy to be super busy being busy and not making any money. I know, it’s less intimidating to spend a day trying to design your own postcard than it is to pick up the phone and call until you get a listing appointment – but which one will get closer to those goals you just set faster? Delegate. Use systems. Use pre-designed, time-tested tools that are done for you. And yes – pick up the phone!

Give yourself your best shot at developing a geographic farm. Lean into a powerful mindset of certainty and confidence and put a strong campaign that works in place so that you can effectively brand yourself in that farm as the agent to call. If you need help with that, I’m happy to share some additional strategies. Email me (todd.robertson@prospectsplus.com) and let’s talk.

Need help? Contact our marketing team at 866.405.3638. They’re incredibly knowledgeable, and ready to help get your geo farming and all your marketing on track to close out this year stronger than ever!