Archive for 2009

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It’s a new year!

Well, its almost a new year…New business plans in the works…new budgets being considered (shoestring, though they may be…). New attitude attributed to a new year.

All good things….

But, none of that will mean diddly if you continue down the same destructive path that a good portion of agents find themselves on currently.

It amazes me on a daily basis how many agents that I deal with actually set themselves up for failure by making simple, yet deadly, mistakes in their business.  Some of these mistakes seem to be so simple to overcome.  Yet, time and time again, they repeat the same thing expecting a different result.  That is the definition of insanity.

So, in the hopes that I can in some small way help YOU avoid making these mistakes, I wanted to summarize an article I found in BrokerAgentPro that lists 5 of the things agents do that hinder their own efforts…and ways to avoid getting caught in these commission killing traps.

Getting ‘Busy Work’ confused with actual ‘Work’ – Many agents across the country suffer from not having a consistent game plan for their daily activities.  There are several things that you should do daily.  These include: Lead generation; Contacting prospects that are potential clients; Work and sort out the motivations of existing clients; Negotiate contracts on pending deals; Present findings to your clients.  All 5 of those things MUST be done on a daily basis to maintain a consistent level of effort on all aspects of your business.  If you are not getting any one of these done, you are attempting to build a business on a weak foundation and you will fail.

Not working a set schedule – Lack of motivation is the biggest cause of not working a set schedule.  “I don’t feel like it today.”  Guess what…no one *feels* like it.  But, they do it.  Successful agents work a set schedule every day whether they ‘feel like it’ or not.  That set schedule might be any time between 8am and 9pm, but its a schedule none the less.  What do you do on days you don’t feel like working?  See #1 above.

“It’s a numbers game” – Well, sort of.  But, no, not really.  Yes, you need to track your numbers.  Yes, those numbers are important.  But, in no way will those numbers lead you to making any money!  This is a PEOPLE game!  If you are not out helping people with or talking to people about real estate, you are doomed to fail.  Focus on what you have to offer – your talents and abilities to assist people in buying or selling a house.

Lacking multiple lead streams – That’s right.  If you do not have multiple streams of leads, you will fail.  If your only source of leads is making cold calls, asking for referrals from clients, calling expired listings, etc…You are limiting your ability to get new clients.  If you take a day off, you don’t make ANY progress.  None.  What if you lose your phone for a day?  What if you lose your voice for a day?  No progress.  So, having several good lead generation sources is a must in order to keep bringing in new potential clients.  Just remember, not every lead will close.  But, every lead needs worked. That’s what you do!

“Its all about the Benjamins, baby!” – This philosophy will ultimately be your demise in real estate.  You should never put earning a commission above your ability to be of service to your client.  If you are not out there to help your clients, you will fail.  If you don’t know how to help your clients, LEARN!  The ‘rules’ have changed.  Make an effort to adapt to those changes and *help* your clients. The money will follow.

Looking to add to your client base? Contact Clint at 800-977-7058 and ask about how he can help you. Or, follow him on Twitter. Dont forget to fan us on Facebook!

Believe it or not, the human nose can detect and clarify about 10,000 smells.  That’s right….10,000!  We know that the power of smell is one of the strongest senses we, as humans, posess.  And recent studies have shown that scent is the strongest of our 5 senses that is tied directly to memory.

In my parent’s house, for example, my mother always made fresh peach pies in the late summer.  To this day, I can smell a peach pie from a mile away and instantly Im transported to my mom’s kitchen as a 7yr old boy in my swimsuit pacing around the table hoping to get a shot at sticking my finger into the peach filling while my mom wasn’t looking.  (I got caught every time).

Retailers have been using smells to get people to buy their goods with thousands of scents for literally thousands of years.  Scents, as a whole, have a power of their own and, depending on the scent, can even have a profound effect on the very psychology of a person.

It is the same when showing a home!  Strong smells like cat oders (pet orders in general, really.  I just pick on cats because it is the most obvious example of a gross smell that everyone can relate to) or even cooking smells (burnt oil, grease, hard fish smells) can send buyers away faster than any screwed up floor plan or poor staging effort.  In fact, you can stage a home perfectly, and have the perfect floor plan, but if the house smells like 50 cats used it for a latrine, you may as well burn it down where it sits because it will probably never sell.

If you are showing a modern condo or loft in a hip, upscale urban setting where young singles and urbanistas are buying, you would want your clients to be highly attentive and excited.  Putting out scents of rosemary, peppermint or grapefruit will help them make decisions more quickly as these scents improve alertness and stimulation.

If you are showing an older home in the suburbs with numerous rooms and a ‘creative’ floor plan, you may want them to feel more calm and relaxed.  Lavender is the perfect scent for this.  Mixed with citrus smells, you will have a calm, yet mentally alert client that can make calm, rational decisions.

Aside from those, here is a list of scents and their reactions to human behavior:

Chamomile – Calming and soothing; eases anger and anxiety.
Clary Sage – Relaxing; euphoric; eases anxiety, tension, and stress.
Eucalyptus – Fresh, cooling, and invigorating; promotes alertness.
Jasmine – Alleviates anxiety and depression.
Lavender – Calming.
Lemon – Refreshing and energizing; eases tension, heightens mental clarity.
Mandarin – Relaxing and calming; relieves insomnia.
Orange blossom – Relieves stress, anxiety and insomnia.
Peppermint – Refreshing and stimulating; increases alertness.
Rosemary – Promotes mental clarity and alertness.
Sandalwood – A warm, sensual aroma that creates seductive and euphoric moods.

This is just a small sample, obviously.  But, this sample includes the top scents used by retailers to stimulate buyers.  Since you are also assisting buyers, using similar techniques will help move properties faster and put your buyers in the ‘right frame of mind’.

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How does Real Estate Client Referrals get all of these clients??

Well, to be honest, the answer is quite simple — the internet.

It is no secret that 87% of all home buyers start their search online. We simply have a network of websites we use to attract those buyers at the time they are searching for homes.

For example, if you were to go to Google and type in the phrase “just listed homes”, our website shows up in the very first slot on the search results. (It also appears as the #1 natural search and in the #1 position on the sponsored links on the right.) And, it is the first site listed out of 148,000,000 other websites that use this same search term.

But, this is just the start…(More on the info we gather and the verification process later!)

If you would like information on how you can take advantage of our ability to get more clients, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.  Also, fan us on Facebook!

DO NOT USE Real Estate Client Referrals???

If Matt had listened to that, he would have missed out on the biggest closing of his career!!

Congratulations on the closing of your career, Matt!!

See…Matt has been a testimonial of mine for the better part of a year. He recently closed the largest transaction of his real estate career thanks to a buyer that he received from Real Estate Client Referrals!! Here is what he had to say in his own words…

I have to say, I’m a skeptic at heart – when anyone promises me more business, I usually laugh and politely tell them “thanks but no thanks.”

I had heard of RECR through various websites I frequent, but wound up talking to Clint Miller one day. We spoke at length and I never got any sort of hard sell, we were just chatting about business. When I asked questions, I got answers. Good solid answers with no run around attached to them. After thinking it over for a few days, I decided to take a shot at it.

Since then, I’ve received a pretty regular stream of referrals. Since the referrals have already had contact with someone at RECR, they know I’m going to be calling and most have been very easy to speak to. The ice has already been broken and they are receptive to what I have to say. Since they’ve already been checked out, I don’t have to try calling “Mickey Mouse” for three weeks at 867-5309.

The best part about RECR is that you can “dispute a referral.” Been trying to contact someone and getting nowhere? Just tell your contact and they work to replace the referral with another one in your account.

If a referral isn’t working out, you’re not chasing your tail all day trying to draw blood from a stone. Because they give you full contact info, you can call, write, or email the referrals too, something most companies I’ve seen don’t offer (they give you email and maybe a phone number) and you already know the basics of what they’re looking for.  You just need to contact them and start building the trust and relationship (RECR can’t do everything for you).

With the Gold and Platinum packages you get a guaranteed number of closings – how can you go wrong with that logic? Close on a $100,000 house at 3% and you’ve made a profit already. And because you’re the only agent in a given area, you’re not fighting other agents for the same referrals.

I know there’s plenty of skeptics in this world, as I said, I’m one of them. I’d be more than happy to answer your doubts if you’d like. Just contact Clint Miller and he’ll connect us. I am a firm believer that if something’s worth it, I want other agents to know.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor®
RE/MAX – San Antonio

As he said…if you want to talk with him, let me know! Or, call me directly at 800-977-7058. Better yet…if you are on Facebook, fan us at www.facebook.com/realestateclientreferrals or follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheRealClint

DO NOT USE Real Estate Client Referrals?? I don’t think so!!

Suchita Kahlon was skeptical. Very skeptical!!

After doing a little research online and finding a few posts telling her not to sign up, she questioned as to whether or not it would be good idea to give Real Estate Client Referrals a try…

But, after speaking with a couple of other agents that had been using RECR to great success, she decided to give it a try and signed up for a minimum package of referrals.

The rest you can read for yourself in her own words:

I have been with Real Estate Client Referrals since March 2009. I have already closed a number of deals from the leads that I have received!! RECR is an amazing and reliable referral system and, even when the market was slow, RECR was consistant in sending me solid leads. It’s worth every single penny that I have invested!! RECR is the best investment that Realtors could do for themselves.

Suchita has purchased additional referrals from RECR since her initial success!! If you would like more information on Real Estate Client Referrals, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058 or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheRealClint