Let’s take a quick quiz…

Name the companies that use the following tag-lines.

1. The Real Thing
2. The King of Beers
3. Mmm mmm mmm mmm good
4. Good to the last drop

Pretty simple stuff, right?

Coke is the “real” thing. (After all, Coke was first on the scene in the cola world. So, you can either have the real cola, or an imitation, right?) Let’s look at Budweiser. Long has it been known that Budweiser is the “king” of beers. (It doesn’t get any better than being the king. The king is the top of the heap, the head honcho, the alpha dog. Why would you associate with something that isn’t the best??) Campbell’s soup is “mmmm mmmm” good. Maxwell House coffee really is “good to the last drop“.

Recognize the pattern yet? Did you catch what was being said?

All of these tag lines have been used by these very successful companies for years. Not because they are excellent brand references that people have literally heard for years…although that is certainly true…but because they SELL! Not only do the help sell the product, they sell the brand.

How much more effective could your advertising be if you treated your tag line — your branding slogan, if you will — as a sales opportunity rather than a contest to see who can come up with the cutest catch-phrase??

You can immediately improve your own tag line and achieve better results from your advertising by simply changing the words you use to words that actually mean something.  For example, what’s the more effective tag line….

1. Your (honest, hard-working, professional, friendly…feel free to insert any other adjectives here) real estate expert for life.

Or…

2. Working to deliver the best results for you. Always.

I can tell you from personal experience, if I had a dollar for every time I have seen the first one on a website, business card, flyer, postcard, etc, I could retire. It is probably one of the most over-used and, forgive me for saying so, weakest tag line an agent could use.(Hey, someone has to be honest with those of you that use some form of this line…)

There are a group of words that are used in real estate advertising that just simply don’t deliver the punch that the agents thinks they deliver. Here is a list of words you should avoid:

FRIENDLY — Of course your friendly. You work in a position that requires it. I have never met a single agent ever anywhere that doesn’t possess the ability to at least fake his/her way through an appointment appearing to be friendly. Go to an appoint and be an ass and see how far that gets ya…

PROFESSIONAL — Ummm…duh. I would hope so. Why would you waste valuable advertising space promoting something that the client is already expecting to exist merely by the fact that you hold the position that you do. McDonald’s food is safe to eat. Fords will help you get from point A to point B. My service is professional. See the problem??

HONEST — (See friendly and professional)

HARD-WORKING — I have met very few agents in this industry that are not working hard. I have met a bunch that don’t work very smart, but I think all of them work hard. Do you really want to be measured by how many more hours you will spend working for them versus how many hours your competition will put in? Or, would you rather be measured by how much more effective you are at selling homes?

Pretty much any word that you can use as an adjective about yourself falls into this category including knowledgeable, reliable, trustworthy (dear Lord, please don’t use this one!!) etc…

Now, by the same token, there is a group of powerful words that can be used to deliver a better message about your ability and maintain the aspects of your ability that the client is already assuming exist within you. Those are:

RESULTS — People are buying results when they hire you. It only makes sense to promote that fact in your tag line. You are hired to sell a home. That is a result that your client wanted. Bring that to the forefront so that other clients know you can deliver those results.

DELIVER — Delivering something is hugely important. You are bringing them something they want. I order a pizza…I don’t want to go get it. I want it brought to me. Bring me something I value and I will pay you for it. Do it well, and I will tell other people.

BEST — Being the best at anything positive will bring you results. Be the best blogger in your area, you will get clients from it. Being the best at any aspect of your job gives the ability for you to leverage this aspect and you will get new clients coming to you because of it.

YOU — If your advertising is a message to a potential new client, why talk about yourself?? Why not talk about what they want? Using the word ‘you’ implies that a specific focus on the individual client and will create a connection between you as the agent and them as your customer.

GUARANTEED — The value of a guarantee is implied by the client, not you. Offering something that is guaranteed implies that you are true to your word; you can produce a desired result and are willing to back it up. Guarantees provide that same feeling of confidence in your clients by removing doubt and potential risk.

LARGEST — It has long been thought that there is strength in numbers. The size of an organization has typically been thought as being the ’safest’ choice merely based on the size. Remember, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. So, whatever you can say about being the largest in your market space will help you. It doesn’t have to be the largest brokerage. It could be the largest internet presence, the largest service network, etc.

There are certainly more words that fall into this group, but I think you get the hint. Your tag line isn’t about a catchy slogan or a cutesy jingle. It is your very first attempt at selling your client that you are the best choice for them. In order for this to work effectively, you should be talking about what THEY want from you rather than what you want to be seen as in their eyes. Talk about what the client wants…not about patting yourself on the back for possessing those same qualities they automatically assume exist merely based on the fact that you hold the position that you hold. Therefore, choose your words carefully.

Need more clients?? Real Estate Client Referrals can help you!! Fan us on Facebook; Follow Clint on Twitter; Call 800-977-7058 for more information on how we can help you make more money!

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’.

Fan us up on Facebook! Or, follow me on Twitter!

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

DO NOT USE Real Estate Client Referrals?? Are you kidding me??

I’d like you to meet Beverly Hicks. Like many of the skeptics out there, Bev had “no intention of ever buying leads”, as she put it. And, like any other potential agent, she did some research on Real Estate Client Referrals and was told that she shouldn’t use RECR.

“DO NOT USE Real Estate Client Referrals!” they all said.

But, Bev didn’t listen…and has been incredibly thankful that she didn’t!! Check it out in her own words…

“I have been with Real Estate Client Referrals for the better part of 4 years now…and I think they are fantastic!!  I had two closings last month (August, 2009) from RECR and I have two more this month!! One of my leads generated 4 closings, 1 listing, and two more potential buyers!!  In this market, where it is so hard to get deals to the table, it is great to have a company like Real Estate Client Referrals as a lead generating tool.  They screen the clients so you don’t get bogus people and the referrals are receptive to you.  I have never had any person get upset with me for calling.  For the record, I am a REAL real estate agent …you can look me up.  This company is so great!! I really believe in the referral system and in RECR!  I won’t use any other referral company!! Their program is fantastic!! It is the best marketing investment that you can make!!”

Beverly Hicks,  Re/Max Alliance Longmont, CO.

Every once in a while, we here at Real Estate Client Referrals gets an email from a member agent that just makes us smile.  And, lucky for us, it happened twice at the end of this last week.

RECR does not solicit testimonials. We feel that the best way for us to get a testimonial from anyone that uses our services is to provide a superior product and superior service and support. If we do our jobs right, we will get people commenting on it and receive testimonials.  And, so far, this theory remains true.

Suchita Kahlon in British Columbia writes:

“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, was consistent 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. ”

Beverly Hicks in Colorado wrote us and says:

“I have been with Real Estate Client Referrals for the better part of 4 years now…and I think they are fantastic!!  I had two closings last month (August, 2009) from RECR and I have two more this month (Septemeber, 2009)!!  One of my leads generated 4 closings, 1 listing, and two more potential buyers!!  In this market, where it is so hard to get deals to the table, it is great to have a company like Real Estate Client Referrals as a lead generating tool.  They screen the clients so you don’t get bogus people and the referrals are receptive to you.  I have never had any person get upset with me for calling.  For the record, I am a REAL real estate agent …you can look me up.  This company is so great!! I really believe in the referral system and in RECR!  I won’t use any other referral company!!  Their program is fantastic!! It is the best marketing investment that you can make!!”

If you would like more information about Real Estate Client Referrals and how we can help you have the same success, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058. Or, if you prefer, email to clintmiller@recr.com. Or, follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/recr or www.twitter.com/TheRealClint.

We apologize for the mess!! Please proceed with caution!

Real Estate Client Referrals is currently remodeling!

We are in the process of updating all of our website pages and improving the ‘Member’s Area‘ for our member agents.

We are also making updates to the ‘Learn & Earn‘ course, all of our static pages, and our blog platform. (Those of you that are working with RECR already have probably noticed the changes…And, there will be more coming in the near future.)

Please watch were you step…and proceed with caution as we continue to remodel.

If you would like anything explained along the way, please do not hesitate to ask us! We would be happy to help you along the way to make sure everything is simple and the transition as easy for you as possible! Feel free to call 800-977-7058 for any additional information you might need.

Congratulations to Real Estate Client Referrals (RECR) for absolutely rocking their Facebook Business Page!

Disclosure: I create custom designed Facebook Business Pages. Each is different and represents the flavor of the business it represents. As I find interesting pages or tabs I’ll highlight them in this series even if it’s not my own work. This page is my personal Facebook Business Page of the Week.

How Real Estate Client Referrals Rocks their page

It’s very simple really. Clint Miller ( their Internet Marketing / Sales Manager) is the workhorse behind the page and the head contact at the website regularly puts out engaging content on it’s wall. He’s answering questions, he’s posing questions, he’s offering Facebook only specials. He checks in a couple times a day. Check out the wall and you may find an interesting video, personal (yet professional) notes about the daily happenings, a blog post or who knows what.

In short you can quickly tell that there is a real person behind this site that is actively engaging others. Think about that. How warm and fuzzy do you feel about a corporation website. Not very. Yet this approach yields plenty of warm and fuzzy. Maybe that’s why their Fan numbers literally zoomed this last month.

Real Estate Client Referrals - Needed 3 tabs to best illustrate what it is they do and how they do it. Each page starts with the same banner image as their website. The Landing Page is set to the “How it Works” Tab. After a number of clickable bullet points we’ve added a clickable map to see if the Agent’s area is available. Tab 2 (”Does it Work?”) has various client testimonials and the FAQ has immediate answers to the top 14 questions an agent might have. Become a Fan if you haven’t already!

Need a Custom Designed Facebook Business Page? START HERE