Posts Tagged ‘success’
Become a Real Estate Icon with These 5 Tips!
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
As a real estate agent, you may not automatically think of yourself as an entrepreneur, but really, that’s what you are! You’re building your brand, clientele and entire livelihood from the ground up. While your business is similar to others in the real estate field, it’s up to you to establish yourself as a legit business and bring growth and success; and that’s a large task!
So, what are some of the key steps you can take to really set yourself up as a solid business, a real estate expert or even an icon in the field?
Now, you may think, “Okay, I can see myself as an entrepreneur, but an icon? I’m not so sure…” We’re all aware that to have a dynamic business means to constantly be pushing yourself to continual growth; so aiming for the status of icon in your real estate market or even on a national level can be just the thing to urge you to constantly strive for more.
Does this seem overwhelming yet? Well, take a deep breath. Becoming an icon doesn’t happen overnight and will take consistency and a daily committment to provide the best and most innovative service to your clients.
Recently, entrepreneur.com gave five great tips that will help boost you to that iconic level. Of course, I’ve modified them to make them real estate specific, so take a few minutes to review how you can take your business to the next level!
1. Start blogging- Blogging is a great way to establish yourself as an expert. You can easily provide pertinent information about your real estate market, your listings, home buying or selling tips and even community events. Giving people the information they want about the real estate market, their home and the community will keep them coming back for more. The more you blog on a consistent basis, the more people will begin to see you as a trusted expert in your field and in your community.
Not a writer? Delegate the copywriting to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant!
2. Market yourself- In being your own brand, marketing is key to your success. While you may not feel comfortable with self-promotion; it’s really the only way to market your business since you are your business. Marketing your services, your field of expertise, even your awards or recognitions allows others to get to know you, your values and what you will be able to do for them. This is just another way to establish yourself as an expert and give an open door to becoming an icon. Exposure brings recognition, which breeds familiarity and establishes trust. It’s just how our minds work!
A great way for real estate agents to do this is through a one sheet marketing approach. We’ve created this for a few of our clients and its been a huge success! A one sheet is simply a sheet of paper that gives a brief synopsis of who you are, your certifications, area of service, expertise or anything else you want to highlight about you and your business. They’re perfect for leaving at an open house, giving to potential clients and handing out with your marketing presentation. Check out this example of a one sheet we did for our North of Boston client, Sven Andersen.
3. Create Compelling Content- Whether you’re blogging, writing a buyer or seller page for your website or creating your print marketing material; your content should be compelling. That means sentence structure and grammar should be impeccable, and the topics or advice you are presenting should be up to date and interesting. Visitors to your website or blog will know when something’s just been thrown on a page, and that will send the message that you are okay with doing the minimum just to get it done. Why not show how much you care about your business and your customer service ethics through great content? It will help set the tone for your entire business.
4. Create Products- Did you know that real estate agents can have products too? While you’re not trying to sell them to make a profit, having products or tools to provide for your clients can help set you apart. It can be anything from a free monthly market report, to an e-booklet on 365 things to do in your community, an informational guide to short sales, a drip email campaign that delivers great tips or market news to their inbox, or a brochure you’ve created about your city. Giving your client or potential clients something extra is unexpected, sets you apart and establishes yourself even more as an expert.
5. Take it to the Next Level- Now that you’re seen as an expert in your community, boost yourself to icon by taking it to the next level. If you’re passionate about selling homes or helping people avoid foreclosure; do all you can to grow in your area of expertise. Begin to register yourself as an expert on real estate sites or other marketing avenues and network, network, network! Real estate conventions are always looking for speakers in a specific field and the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to have opportunities on a national level. Imagine how sought after you’ll be in your community after receiving national recognition!
Phew! This is may seem like a lot to take in and a lot of hard work; and it is! Reaching your goals will take time, dedication and a focus on the end results. Remember, taking it a day at a time is key! You won’t become an icon, or even seen as a real estate expert overnight, but you’ll be encouraged by those daily “wins” and as you see your business begin to grow.
Contact Carrie
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Outrageous!
Sunday, September 18th, 2011
Have you ever felt “stuck” in your business or life? If so (and frankly, most currently do on both counts) perhaps it is time to be, well… outrageous.
Outrageous is not about being goofy or tastelessly offensive for the sake of eliciting the biggest reaction from others. On the contrary, being outrageous is all about letting who we really are come out and shine for all the world to see —without concern or attachment to how others (even close others) see you.
It is no accident that some of the most successful people in the world are considered outrageous. My personal hero is Richard Branson of the Virgin group of companies. I can’t imagine anyone having more fun, while making more money, while changing the world for the better than him. Another favorite of mine is Rush Limbaugh. Regardless of your political leanings, you’ve got to admit that this guy (who I believe never finished college) does and says exactly what he wants and as a result attracts the largest radio audience in the U.S. and “Has more fun than a human being should be allowed to have!”
You see that’s the beauty of being your outrageous self. Doing so will attract far more people to you than any other way. Human beings are almost preternaturally attracted to those who have discovered the secret of just allowing the entirety of who they already are shine through —like moths to a bright flame.
For most people, being outrageous is the purest form of who they are, who they “be”. The jaw-dropping reaction we normally equate with “outrageous” is because almost everyone is so constrained in the way they live and interact that when someone does allow their true “outrageousness” to show, it is a shock to those who witness it.
I have Dalinian thought: the one thing the world will never have enough of is the outrageous.
~ Salvador Dali
Being truly outrageous in the manner described here takes tremendous courage and a willingness and faith to let go of all pretenses. Few are currently willing to do this which is the primary reason being outrageous will cause you to stand out incredibly. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. When you are ready to truly be outrageous, the world will unfold like a beautiful flower and you will surely wonder why you waited so long to be who you already are.
Beat the Clock: 3 Tips for Managing Your Time
Friday, September 16th, 2011
As a real estate agent, you’re fully aware that time is of the essence! In fact, the saying, time is money, certainly rings true as you deal on a daily basis with this ever-changing market. Oftentimes, your schedule is filled with back-to-back appointments with buyers and sellers and, if you’re constantly having to move appointments around or aren’t giving the time needed to your clients; a deal could fall through.
So how can you free yourself up to focus on the areas in your day that are most important to you? How can you avoid being overwhelmed by endless tasks that you don’t have time to get done? How can you better manage your time?
Here are three key tips that will help you approach each day with a sense of being in complete control of your time. Which can, in turn, result in a more organized approach to your business and further growth!
1. Plan your schedule the night before and hit the ground running- When you’re not in control of your schedule, you invite stress to fill the void. Set and prioritize meaningful tasks to be accomplished. Whether it’s an appointment calendar or a software program, the critical first step to properly managing your time is to organize and schedule your day.
Be careful not to confuse activity with productivity. For example, don’t just block off a couple of hours to make calls. Instead, set measurable activity goals to be accomplished, such as those 15 necessary phone calls you need to make that day.
2. Identify your time bandits- Once you’ve scheduled your day, the next step in managing your time is to recognize and modify old behavioral patterns regarding the improper use of time. Avoid procrastination in all of its attractive forms.
Having a planned schedule helps you say no to time wasters such as online surfing, personal phone calls, long lunches and chatty coworkers. An open door invites continuous distractions. Effective real estate professionals focus on task achievement rather than tension relieving diversions.
3. Delegate- Don’t feel that you have to take on every aspect of your business! Focus on doing the things only you can do and delegate things like your social media maintenance, listing marketing and real estate blogging to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant. This will give you more time to focus on your clients.
Although these steps seem basic, it’s sometimes hard to put them into practice. Yet taking control of your time will be refreshing for you and your business!
Contact Carrie
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Unscripted Scripting- The Importance of Establishing Your Company’s Language
Friday, September 9th, 2011
At some point, we’ve all probably experienced watching a movie with bad acting. Every line the actor speaks becomes painful as you feel like you’re simply hearing the lines that are supposed to be said. You become uninterested and the actor, who’s supposed to be “selling” their character, has left you empty-handed.
While scripts in movies are necessary, it takes the actor to bring the character to life and make the lines believable. It’s the same in business.
Now, this may not seem apparent at first glance. You may simply think that scripting anything you do in business is a either a faux-pas, or you may be one who relies heavily on this tool. It could be that this is also something you’ve never considered; so let’s take a closer look.
Unscripted scripting is the art of using your company’s language while still allowing your personality and your methods of work to come through.
If you own your real estate company; you’ll want to establish this language to be used in a variety of ways throughout your business. Creating this “script” for your company is imperative for your growth and success. Yet, it has to be believable. The minute the language being used sounds rehearsed or forced is the point you lose interest and possibly a client. No one wants to feel like they’re being sold something; people want to have a genuine interaction that builds trust and confidence.
So, how can you begin to put unscripted scripting into practice?
1. Establish Your Language- Make a list of key words or phrases that describe your company such as: the services you provide, your goals for your clients, your vision of customer service, your mission statement, etc…
2. Team Up- Gather your team together and pass out the list. Talk with your team about each of the key words and phrases and walk through your mission statement. Oftentimes, team members know their job, but a thorough understanding of the company has not been established. Make sure each team member knows the mission, overall goal and culture of the company.
3. Get Creative- Let everyone know that, while these are key words and phrases that they should be using on a daily basis, you want them to use the language in a way that’s comfortable to their personality. The goal is not to have a word for word script, but an idea and sense of foundation that they can then build upon.
What’s the purpose?
There are two main advantages of creating a script for your company.
1. Consistency- Having the same language used across every aspect of your company ensures a consistency with your focus, execution of daily tasks and how you interact with your clients. It’s branding for your words!
2. Vision- Not only with each team member have a more clear vision of the company, but your clients will begin to see it as well!
Where can the unscripted script be used?
Again, the script doesn’t have to be full sentences that everyone memorizes, but can be as simple as a key word or phrase! Here’s a few ideas to help get you started on where you can use the unscripted script:
- Daily interaction with current clients
- Pre-Listing Presentations
- Hosting open houses
- Talking with new leads
Basically, you can begin to use the unscripted script anywhere! The goal is to incorporate your company’s vision, mission and culture into your everyday language. It’s these core values that will help set your company apart from others and will build trust and, ultimately, the growth that you desire!
For example, here at RealSupport, one of our core values as Real Estate Virtual Assistants is to go “above and beyond” for our clients. When we complete a task for a client, we oftentimes get responses that what was done was more than the client anticipated. Not only do we work with “above and beyond” in mind, but when we get these types of responses, we love to let our clients know that “we enjoy going above and beyond” for them. Using this language consistently and following through with this value in our tasks has established trust and confidence in who we are as a company!
I hope you can begin to establish your language if you haven’t already done so and put it to work for you! The freedom of unscripted scripting will allow the fabric of your company to come through in a way that is completely personal. And, who knows? With such natural, compelling language, you may end up winning an Oscar!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
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Look Over Your Website Visitor’s Shoulders for Greater Profits
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Ever wonder what prospects did when they visited your Website? What if you had the ability to “stand over their shoulders” and see exactly what they clicked on (whether actually clickable or not), the path their mouse took, etc. With this kind of insight chances are you would have a much better idea as to what’s working on your site, what’s not and what to do about it. Seem too good to be true? It was, until now…
Measuring Your Visitor Behavior
Website analytics (e.g. Google Analytics) provides extensive statistical data about where your visitors came from, how long they stayed, links they clicked on etc. While a powerful and necessary tool for any Web marketer, it’s not enough. Since most Websites are not static, it’s crucial that you also see how visitors react to and interact with your Website. This is called behavioral metrics and there are now a number of easy to use (and inexpensive) tools that provide detailed insights on how visitors behave on your site.
In one of my previous articles I mentioned an online service called CrazyEgg which provides “heat maps” of what your visitors view and click on in aggregate, on your site (see example heat map below —the brighter the spot, the more people clicked).
While very useful, another recent startup company, LuckyOrange, has taken behavioral metrics to a whole new level. In addition to heat maps, LuckyOrange also gives you the ability to record (like a video) what visitors do on your Website, including how they move their mouse, where they scroll, what they click on, etc. This innovative service even lets you “spy” on visitors as they are on your Website in real time!
Now before your brain starts screaming “That’s an invasion of privacy!”, it’s really not, well… in most cases anyway. The reason is that you don’t know who they are, just that they are an anonymous visitor. There is one exception however, and that’s if they start filling out a form on your Website and then decide not to hit the “Submit” button. LuckyOrange will record what they typed into the fields, whether or not they decided to follow through.
The only way to really get a feel for the full scope of what is possible with LuckyOrange is to visit their site and click the “Watch the Live Demo” button near the top. Be ready to have your mind blown as you watch recordings of actual Website visitors move their mouse, scroll, click, fill out forms and so on.
Best Practices
Like any kind of tool, LuckyOrange has no value unless used and used properly. With this in mind here are some best practices to help you get the most out of this one:
- Don’t Initiate Chat – while in real-time “spy” mode you have the ability to initiate a chat session with your visitor, ostensibly for the purpose of helping them find what they are looking for. Avoid that temptation unless you want to scare them away from your site.
- Watch what they click on (and don’t) – use the heat map feature to determine what most visitors find attractive as they vote with their mouse clicks. If they are not clicking on various parts of your site consider changing them to something more compelling.
- Watch their mouse movements – by viewing the recordings of individual visitors you will gain insight as to how engaged (or not) they are with your Website. You will find that most people move their mouse as they read, almost like using a finger to underline text as a book is read. Do they appear to be focused and engaged, or distracted? You may need to change some of your site copy to keep them on the edge of their seat.
- Watch for any hesitancy in when completing forms – you may consider redesigning your forms, adding privacy language etc. if your LuckyOrange recordings indicate visitor hesitancy to completing your all-important Website forms. Abandoned forms cost you immediate business.
As of this writing you can try LuckyOrange for two weeks free and after that it is $7/mo per Website. To get started, you (or your Web master) simply put a bit of code on each page you want to record. After that, it’s just a matter of visiting your own site and pressing CTRL + SHIFT + 1 on your keyboard to bring up your site’s LuckyOrange dashboard (after entering your email and password one time).
The more you understand your Website visitors’ behavior, the better you will be able to tweak your site to help convert them into closed transactions. And I know of no other behavioral metrics tool that does a better job of this than LuckyOrange.
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He’s dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.OnlineDominance.com and Facebook page at Facebook.com/OnlineDominance
This article is reprinted in its entirety from the August 2011 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright © 2011. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark of RUSSER Communications.
Celebrate Turning Your Job Into a Business
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011
Ah Labor Day, the last hurrah at the end of Summer typically featuring beach, buns and BBQ —all in the name of having… a “job”! Given that over 14 million in the U.S. alone don’t have one, that should be something to celebrate. Personally I would be in a much more excited about celebrating a “Business Day” or “Entrepreneur Day” holiday. Unfortunately most people who think they own a business really just have a job. Here’s how you tell the difference.
The amount of money you make doesn’t determine whether you have a business or job, it’s how you make your money that does. For example, you really only have a job if you:
- don’t get paid unless you do the work yourself;
- are the only one that knows how everything gets done;
- built your book of business around your own name (i.e. created the brand of “you”);
- constantly run around putting out fires;
- have trouble handling the work you already have, much less grow it;
- are a “jack of all trades” doing most, if not all, that needs to get done by yourself.
Now really, does the above seem like something you want to celebrate?
Whereas when you truly have a business it works for you, not the other way around. Things get done and money is made whether you are there or not. And, you have something to sell because it’s not about you and the operations side has been fully documented which essentially means you’ve made your business “turnkey” for any buyer.
So as you chomp down on that burger, swill your beer and fry you skin in Summer’s dwindling sun think carefully about what you really have. And perhaps more importantly, what you could have if you only chose to.
How to Surrender to Success
Sunday, August 28th, 2011
Have you ever felt that the more you push forward, the more life and business pushes back? If so, (and most have) then perhaps it’s time to surrender. Now I didn’t say “give up” which is completely different. Here’s why “surrendering” can be your E-ticket to moving forward and achieving what you really want.
If you have enjoyed any measure of success chances are you feel it is due to your grit, drive and determination that got you there, in spite of all set backs. And to a large part that is probably true. Here’s the thing, just because pushing hard worked before, doesn’t mean it’s the appropriate strategy all the time. In fact, there will be times when pushing hard is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Live and business is a lot like surfing. The power of the ocean waves dwarf’s any attempt on our part to control them. Yet if we learn when to take off, how to stand and steer we are in for one hell-of-a thrilling ride. And the best part is, the wave itself does most of the work. Sure, you will fall and occasionally be pummeled, but that’s just part of learning. Surfers don’t master the wave, they master how to ride it’s immense power.
The key here is don’t let your ego trick you into thinking that you can drive forward at any speed any time you want. All this leads to is exhaustion and frustration (and probably a lot of pissed off friends and family).
Life and business is a journey, one where we travel on our own unique path (or wave, if you prefer). Surrender to the subtleties of the one you are on and you will know when to push hard and when to back off. Trust me, you will enjoy it much more and go a lot further using much less energy. For what it’s worth, the ability to “surrender” is the very essence of coachability…
Generate Business NOW —Even As the World Crumbles
Monday, August 22nd, 2011
The news from Wall Street and Main Street (i.e. the housing market) could hardly be less encouraging. And to put a cherry on that sundae, the “experts” are now saying we will likely be entering another recession (like when did we stop having the first one?). This all begs the question: How are you going to generate new business when everything seems to be falling apart?
The first thing to remember is that no matter how bad the economy gets, people will still be buying and selling real estate. I remember being in the business (actively buying investment properties) when interest rates on 30 year loans were around 17% – 18%. The key is to help those who need to sell –right now! This means aggressively courting the FSBO’s and Expireds of the world. The majority of these folks need to sell, no other option available, which means they need YOU.
I made a lot of money during another recession (in the mid 1970′s) specializing in FSBOs. Here are some proven tips to help you turn these market opportunities (FSBO’s and Expired’s) into cash:
- Sell the appointment, not your service - you have to get “belly to belly” with these folks if you want to list their home. Many agents make the mistake of selling their services over the phone. The only thing you want to use the phone for is to get that in-person appointment. So get good, real good at selling the appointment.
- Be their advocate - FSBO’s and Expired’s tend to be stressed out and just a little bit cynical about Realtors. Make it clear that you are there to help them achieve all of their goals, whether or not you get the listing.
- Have an irresistible marketing plan - you better have something that will make them go “Wow!” when it comes to selling their property. Something that most other agents in your area are not likely to offer. For an incredible example of this review the 2/8/11 GUEST EXPERT “How to Win Every Listing and Have Sellers Pay You Upfront!“ Live Group Coaching archive.
There will always be business. And in times like these when it seems everything has been made that much more difficult, you may just be open to doing things that are proven to work, in any market. And that my friend is the gift of troubled times.
How to Pace Yourself For Success
Saturday, August 13th, 2011
Does it ever feel like you are going straight up hill with your business with no end in sight? Everyone runs into these kinds of challenges from time to time. The good news is that there is a proven way to conquer them and turn them into your advantage.
This became abundantly clear to me as I recently hiked to the summit of Mt. Shasta (elevation 14,160′) with a group of eight friends. Here’s what I learned from the most difficult hike I’ve ever been on that also applies to business:
- Pace yourself - when the challenge is very difficult (read: steep), you will quickly burn out if you don’t pace yourself. On the seemingly endless 45° slopes of Mt. Shasta we could maintain a pace of 20 steps, rest; 20 steps, rest; and so on. Anything faster and we would actually fall behind and become more exhausted. For maximum advancement, find your pace, then stick with it.
- It’s better to not look at the whole mountain - for our final assault on the summit, we left at 4:00am using head lamps to see our way up the vast snow field. Seeing only a few feet at a time was a good thing. It would have been too demoralizing to be constantly reminded on how much further we’d have to go with every step.
- You will reach the summit, eventually - there is always a point where you no longer will struggle with the up hill slog. It’s called being at the top, the summit and the view is incredible.
- Once you are at the top you can enjoy the ride back down - there is nothing sweeter than knowing you achieved your hard won goal and can now enjoy the fruits of your efforts. For us it meant having thrills (and some spills) glissading down the mountain (i.e. sliding down our butts in the snow).
- You now have greater confidence - the experience of conquering a difficult challenge gives you the confidence and experience to it again, or even something greater. (BTW, Mt. Kilimanjaro – elev. 19,341′ is on my bucket list)
Human beings were designed to be challenged. It’s the only way we grow, get stronger and get better. So next time you run into a wall with your business, just remember that it’s just a really, really steep hill. And with the right approach you can conquer it and turn it into your advantage.
NOTE: to see some HD videos of our Mt. Shasta adventure taken with my “helmet-cam” just go tohttp://vimeo.com/mrusser/videos/sort:oldest. These include attempts at glissading by me and our team and some breath-taking scenery.
The Tweak That Will Double Your Business
Saturday, July 30th, 2011
Why did one top producing agent suddenly lose four listings in a row when he’s used to about a 98% listing presentation closing rate? He has since fixed this problem, but it’s the same one that most agents have and don’t even know it.
The top producer in question has a nearly unbeatable value proposition for his potential sellers. The reason it stopped working for him is that he “went off script” as he put it. He fell back into the lazy habit of focusing on “features” of what he will do for sellers, rather than the benefits. We witnessed this same proclivity during our recent “Why should I choose you?” listing presentation contest. Nearly every contestant proudly presented the features of what they would do and make them stand out instead of the benefits that would be important to a seller.
The reason it is so easy for salespeople to sell features is that we are so familiar with our services that we “collapse” the benefits with their respective features. In fact, it is hard to imagine why anyone doesn’t immediate “get” the benefits of those wonderful features we so readily and excitedly expound upon. The problem is that most prospects won’t get it, and in fact may feel intimidated by not understanding why those features are supposed to be so valuable.
People buy with their emotions and justify it with their intellect. Benefits are the shortest distance to the heart of the prospect, features are the roadway that support that journey. If benefits are even mentioned in a presentation, they usually follow the feature (the old “features / benefits” selling script). This is ass-backwards. Always, always, always share the benefit first, then justify how it will be delivered via the feature.
High-powered selling is not magic or even hard if you understand and apply basic human behavioral principles. Prospects are only interested in what you can do for them from a benefit perspective. They don’t want to know about the drill, they just want the hole. Learn this well and have the discipline to apply it to every sales situation and watch your closing ratio shoot skyward.
