Posts Tagged ‘new agents’

Thanks for visiting! Welcome back!
Real Estate Client Referrals recommends you sign in with Facebook
and become a fan of our Page

Sweet! You got a lead from your website…or anywhere, really.

You call them up and establish a quick relationship. You provide them with a list of property or set them up on an email drip campaign……………………And then, it seems like they just fall off the planet.

“Why?!?! Why dont the clients call me back??”

Well…. 1. It’s not their job to call you back. That is YOUR job. If you want to continue to attempt to do business with this client, then follow-up is a must!

And 2. Not to put too fine of a point on the subject, but the reason they aren’t calling you back is probably because your follow-up phone call sucked. (Hey, someone has to be honest with you…)

Give them a reason to call you back!

With so many people doing their best to set themselves up for a better year in 2010, I thought I would share a post I wrote a while back that seems to be more pertinent now…

I recently read an article that really sparked my interest.  The article was simply a basic list of the ways that someone could re-invent themselves by investing time and effort into the one asset that all agents have – Themselves.

The key principle to this article was the fact that, despite this uncertain market, there are people that appear to be striving to make their own abilities better and five ways to do so.  Below is the list that was in the article…and a good healthy dose of my own explanations as to why this is so important in this uncertain market.

IMAGE: You chose a career in real estate to be an independent business person.  So, do you carry yourself in a professional manner?  Do you “look the part”? Do you have your business cards on you?  Are you showing that you are proud of whom you work for or what you do?  Whether you want to believe it or not, your image IS your first impression.  Make sure that the impression you are making is the on that you actually want to make.  There are some places where you can get away with blue jeans and a nice shirt.  There are other places where a suit is more appropriate.  Dress the part! Maintain your personal image.  Get your hair cut or styled.  Ladies…get your nails done.  Guys…shave every day.  (Believe me, I realize that sucks …I’m a guy…I understand.  But, its 2 or 3 minutes…and it makes a ton of difference to those around you.)  I actually know of one agent that wears a tuxedo to all of his closings.  That is part of his image.  It is what sets him apart from the rest.  (His name is Todd Waller out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and he works for RealEstateOne.  But, you can get more info on him and his Team366 at www.blog.team366.net.)

TRAINING: Aside from the mandatory requirements involved, you should try to find as many different options to better your ability as you can.  Take the time to sit down with your broker to discuss some in-house training options.  If you know of any free options for training, jump on it.  Any training you involve yourself in will only re-emphasize the skill set you already have developed.  So, it will not be wasted time or effort.  You never know, you may learn something.  (Also, anything that you can learn about social networking…that is a must!  Trust me on this…this is a skill that does require some time to master, but you will not regret it!)

NETWORKING: Making yourself known in the community by getting involved with community events is a great way of networking with some of the more influential people in your market.  Get involved with the community. Start working with the Chamber of Commerce.  Go to PTA meetings.  Join Toastmasters.  Get involved in your local neighborhood activities.  Surrounding yourself with such innovative, like-minded people will help you with both your image and your over-all success.  Most people do business with people that they know on a social level.  So, networking like this is a key to success in a troubled market.

MENTORING: They say that the teacher will always learn something from the student.  Become a mentor for younger agents.  Help them be successful.  This will cause you to make sure that what you are doing is what you SHOULD be doing.  It will help you cross your ‘T’s and dot your ‘I’s, as it were.  Besides…there are times when you can actually team up and work together for the success of each.

YOU: Seems weird that I have to add this since this entire post is about you.  But, if you are not taking good care of yourself, you will not have the energy or the will to commit to the rest of this list.  Take care of your own body and mind. Get sleep.  It is probably more important than anything else you can do for yourself.  Make sure you get some exercise.  (In this industry with showing property and running from one location to another, that usually isn’t hard…but you should do 30 minutes of cardio every day.)  Eat right.  (Did you know that eating an apple will actually wake you up better than a cup of coffee??)  Bring fresh fruits with you on your appointments and eat them when you can.  Avoid the drive-thrus.  If you don’t know where else to start in your investments in you…look in the mirror and start there.

If you would like information on how to get more clients, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.  Or, visit www.recr.com.  Or, follow Clint on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheRealClint.

I have been in some form of sales since I was 10 years old working in my mom’s craft store selling yarn and bobbins to her quilting and knitting friends. And, since that time, I have always tried to establish myself as a leader in any sales position that I have held…and I also have noticed that there are some really good sales people out there.

The kicker is…a good portion of those people aren’t good at sales. What they are good at is avoiding the things that cause sales people to falter.

Now, before we get into this…lets establish a quick and simple truth: Knowing what NOT to do is just as important when talking about sales as knowing what TO do. Make sense?

Knowing that, here is a quick “Top 10” of mistakes I have seen sales people make that are guaranteed to derail the very efforts that are being put forth by a salesperson.

1. They refuse to learn. — I have seen more than one ‘newb’ burst onto the scene and run huge numbers in a very short period of time…and then just disappear into obscurity. Why is that? It is because they refused to continue to learn. It is vital to be a student of your game. Make sure you are continually learning about your product/service/industry. Read the new books that come out. Go to the seminars that are being held about your industry. Listen to audio, watch video, read blogs (like mine! hint hint) about sales and how to be better at what you do for a living. Reinvigorate yourself.

Did you know that Tiger Woods spends $1 million a year for a swing coach? He is constantly looking to be better at what he does…

2. They stay generalized. — “Narrowcasting” is the specialization into a specific segment or part of the market. Staying generalized eliminates the ability to be considered an expert in any one specific area. Think about that for a second….Medical specialists get paid more than medical generalists. A specialist has narrowed his/her field of vision to ensure success in mastering that specific part of the market or product. They become known as specialists and people recognize that and come to them when they need that expertise.

3. They dont position themselves properly. — The way people position themselves is the primary determining factor in how they are seen by prospects and clients. People pay attention to people they THINK are in a position of importance. Blogging, engagement and interaction with prospects and others via social media are all ways to help position yourself accordingly. The best way to sell is not to position yourself as a salesperson…but to position yourself as an expert in your field. And, one of the best ways to do that is to offer up information and assistance to those that are in need. (A Realtor might do a class on being a first time home buyer, for example. A guy that sells referrals to Realtors might write a bunch of blogs that help the agents do their jobs better…) The goal of these sessions isn’t to sell anything, but to establish yourself as an expert in the field so that, as the need arises, those seeking your service automatically think of asking you.

4. They dont prospect. — This is HUGE! The largest cause of failure in a sales position is having a lack of potential customers. You should always have multiple streams of inbound leads to work. You should never be out of people to pitch to even if that means you spend more money to get them. Take advantage of the technology that exists and use it to your advantage. Don’t have anyone to pitch? Start thinking about a new career.

5. They pitch the wrong people. — You cant get rich selling to the wrong people. You had better be in front of people that can make a decision, have a need for your services, and are willing to listen to you. If anyone you are pitching your services to doesn’t meet that criteria, you are spinning your wheels. Remember, not everyone is a good prospect. Spend the time required to find good prospects and work with them rather than trying to peddle your wares to those that don’t need them, can’t decide if the need is there, or are not willing to listen to you.

6. They listen to their peers. — Listening to your peers usually means you get an earful of negative input. “This isn’t the way that you sell houses.” “Blogging doesn’t bring any clients.” “Social media is a huge waste of time.” Yeah…You’ve heard that before, right? And, it goes on and on and on and on…ad infinitum.

Instead, listen to positive, upbeat stuff that makes you feel good and allows you to think clearly. For me, thats music. Some use motivational speech, etc. And remember…most of your peers suck at their job.

7. They don’t understand economics. — Would you sell something you bought for $1.50 for $1?? Painfully obvious, right? Yet, that is what a good portion of sales people do because they don’t understand the ‘back-end’ costs that should be added into the equation. For example, if you spend $750 marketing a home, $300 in gas showing a home, $200 in food wining and dining clients, and then only make $1000 on the sale of a home…what have you gained?? Here is a quick lesson in Economics 101 — If you are losing money on your deals, you can NEVER make that up regardless of how many deals you complete.

8. They spend money before they make it. — I had a sales manager who said to me, “Clint…a sale is never done until you are eating the steak that you paid for with the money you got when your commission check cleared the bank.” Why think this way??? Look at all the things that can happen that can derail a sale in today’s market…if you are out buying a new TV on credit because you have a closing happening on Tuesday, you are going to lose your butt in this business. Just because you have a signed contract doesn’t mean you are going to get paid anytime soon.

9. The fail to ask questions. — More importantly, they fail to ask the RIGHT questions. And, when they do ask them, they fail to actually listen to the answers given. A prospect will always tell you what it is that they need to hear come out of your mouth. Asking the right questions based on their feedback will, more often than not, lead to a sale for you. You have two ears and only one mouth. Use them accordingly.

10. They are hindered digitally. — “Hindered”, in this instance, means they are either digitally compulsive or digitally impaired. Both are a hindrance. You can be so addicted to the technology available (Internet, sales force automation, blackberries, iphones, etc) that they are completely paralyzed when it is not available. Or, the mere thought of being surrounded by that much technology has them so scared, they refuse to adapt to any of it. Both are career-killing impairments. In truth, it is those that have the ability to take on the technology without losing the human aspect of their jobs that will be the ultimate winners. Find your happy medium.

Sales people are a curious breed. “Experts” rarely have the open-mindedness required to accept criticism and adapt to make themselves more successful. Yet, it is exactly that which will set you up for a stellar sales career. Pay attention to the pitfalls that you can fall into that will slow your momentum and focus on those things that will increase it. Do this, and you will be just fine regardless of the market.

Fan us on Facebook! And, follow Clint on Twitter! And, if you would like more information on how Real Estate Client Referrals can help you increase your bottom line, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

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!

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.