1. Coaching Agents to Success Workbook

 Table of Contents What is Business Coaching? .................................................................................................................. 4 Asking for Help ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Rapport – the Key to Building Trust & Influence ......................................................................... 4 Rapport is established by matching & mirroring .................................................................... 5 Master these Key Coaching Skills ........................................................................................................ 6 Ask Effective Questions ...................................................................................................................... 6 Active Listening and Observation .................................................................................................. 7 Verbal Techniques of Active Listening ......................................................................................... 8 Non-­‐Verbal Techniques of Active Listening .............................................................................. 8 Provide insightful feedback, guidance, and advice ................................................................. 8 Empowerment through accountability ....................................................................................... 9 Coaching Agreement, Setting Expectations and Accountability ............................................ 9 Coaching Resources ............................................................................................................................... 10 Coaching Resources – What to Expect ...................................................................................... 11 Coaching Resources -­‐ Draft Coach Agreement ..................................................................... 12 Recommended Reading List ............................................................................................................... 13 Business Development / Real Estate / Productivity ...................................................... 13 Personal Growth ............................................................................................................................ 13 Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) ................................................................................. 14 Conducting the Coach Intake Session – Real Estate Business Assessment .................... 14 Handling Resistance and Challenges during Coaching ...................................................... 14 Begin with the End in Mind: Creating a Saleable Asset & Exit Strategy .......................... 15 Coaching the Primary Real Estate Business Systems .............................................................. 16 Coach Tip ............................................................................................................................................... 16 The E-­‐Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber ..................................................................................... 17 Basic E-­‐Myth Concepts and Principles ...................................................................................... 17 Business Plan & Goals ........................................................................................................................... 18 Creating Your Unique Value Proposition ...................................................................................... 20 Personal Marketing/Branding .......................................................................................................... 20 Past Client/Referral System ............................................................................................................... 20 2 Listing System .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Buyer System ............................................................................................................................................ 26 Escrow System ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Social Media Marketing & Internet Strategy ............................................................................... 27 Social Media Strategies .................................................................................................................... 27 Listing Portals ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Steps for Internet Success .............................................................................................................. 30 Lead Generation Systems .................................................................................................................... 34 Hiring an Assistant ................................................................................................................................. 37 Coaching Approach to Attracting (Recruiting) Agents ........................................................... 38 Phone call for Co-­‐op agents ........................................................................................................... 38 Cold call to specific agent and office .......................................................................................... 38 Experienced Agent Interview Questions ................................................................................. 39 3 What is Business Coaching? Business coaching is the process of engaging in regular, structured conversation with an individual or team whereby the primary goal is to enhance the “client’s” awareness and behavior so as to achieve business outcomes for both the client and their organization. Business coaching empowers the client to understand and take responsibility for their role in achieving business success, and to enhance that role in ways that are measurable and sustainable. The coaching process may take different forms (e.g., individual or team coaching) and involve different goals (e.g., problem solving, implementing effective business systems, increasing business and profitability, career and exit strategy, leadership/executive development, creation of high-­‐
performing teams). Asking for Help You can’t help (coach) someone who hasn’t first asked for help! You must decide in the initial meeting if the agent is coachable and committed to the coaching and accountability process. Effectively using the skills and suggestions outlined below will assist you in making that determination. Coaching helps the one asking for help by: • Identifying and maximizing business ideas and opportunities • Gaining clarity and more self-­‐awareness • Setting obtainable goals and outcomes • Increasing productivity and performance • Staying focused and keeping on track • Enjoying the journey to success and results! Rapport – the Key to Building Trust & Influence Rapport is a process of building a sustaining relationship of mutual trust, harmony and understanding. It is essentially meeting individuals in their model of the world. This happens through matching the accessing cues from words, eye movements and body language. Rapport is achieved when two people can see the other person's viewpoint, appreciate each other's feelings, and be on the same wavelength. We all have 4 different maps of reality – ways in which we perceive the world – and we tend to really trust people who look at the world the way we do. If we feel understood, we give people our trust and open up to them more easily. Taking the other person's perceptual position will help you achieve rapport and build trust. To create rapport, it is important to mirror, match, and pace the person or persons with whom you are communicating. In order to do so, it is important for you to open your sensory channels. You can train yourself to build and refine this skill. Opening your sensory channels provides you with the ability to see, hear, and sense external changes (minimal cues, both verbal and nonverbal) presented by individuals with whom you are communicating. Rapport is established by matching & mirroring Physiology 55% – Posture – Gesture – Facial expression & blinking – Breathing Tonality 38% – Tone (pitch) – Tempo (speed) – Timbre (quality) – Volume (loudness) Words 7% – Predicates (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) – Key words – Common experiences & associations – Content chunks (big picture or detailed people) 5 Master these Key Coaching Skills Ask Effective Questions “Questions Attract – Statements Repel” Benefits of asking versus telling: 1. Establishing rapport: don't try to impress people with your ideas, rather establish rapport and trust by eliciting ideas from them and thus expressing how much you care about them 2. Better listening, deeper understanding: all too often, while you are talking, your prospect is not listening but thinking about what he/she is going to say. When you ask questions, you make your prospect think in the direction you propose. 3. Higher motivation, better follow-­‐up: the right answer will not be imposed by you, it will be found and owned by your client, who will be more motivated to follow it up 6 Types of Questions • Open: Question does not invite any particular answer, but opens up discussion or elicit a wide range of answers for creative problem solving. • Closed: Question is specific and must be answered with a yes or no, or with details as appropriate. • Fact-­‐Finding: Question is aimed at getting information on a particular subject. • Follow-­‐Up: Question is intended to get more information or to elicit an opinion. • Feedback: Question is aimed at finding the difference that makes the difference. Active Listening and Observation Active listening is a communication technique used in coaching, training and conflict resolution, which requires the listener to effectively reflect back what they hear to the speaker, to confirm understanding of both parties. Keys to active listening include: • Listen for ideas, not facts – ask yourself what do they mean • Judge content, not delivery, i.e. what they say, not how they say it • Listen optimistically – don't lose interest straight away • Do not jump to conclusions • Be flexible, adjust your note-­‐taking to the speaker • Concentrate – don't start dreaming – and keep eye contact • Do not think ahead of the speaker – Avoid the tendency to think about what you will say after they stop talking • Work at listening – be alert and alive • Limit the time you speak • Keep emotions under control when listening • Open your mind – practice accepting new information • Relax physically, get comfortable; breathe slowly and deeply 7 Verbal Techniques of Active Listening •
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Repeat key words as an encouragement and confirmation that you have heard and understood. Paraphrase: Briefly play back what has been said but in your own words to confirm you’re listening and check your understanding. Encourage: Use simple phrases to encourage. 'Go on,' 'And then what?' Ask for clarification: Stop the speaker when you lose the thread of the argument or not understand and ask for clarification. Express sympathy: Reflect the speaker's feelings; show that you understand them without necessarily agreeing with them. Summarize the main points and any discussions taken at the end of a topic. This is more than paraphrasing as you are providing a summary of a section. Non-­‐Verbal Techniques of Active Listening •
Send open body language signals: Use nods and smiles to signal encouragement or agreement. Have a relaxed body posture. Lean forward slightly but do not invade the speaker's personal space. •
Use the right amount of eye contact: Avoiding eye contact suggests you are uninterested. Staring is threatening. Focus around the area between their eyes and bridge of the nose. •
Listen to emotions: Listen to the tone and how things are said, not just what is said. The tone conveys more message than words. •
Use silence: Allow the speaker time to think. Let him or her end the silence most times. This also prevents you from rushing in with inappropriate reactions just to fill the silence. Provide insightful feedback, guidance, and advice Feedback is more likely to be acted on when: • Strong relationship of trust and goodwill exists between you and the receiver. • It is given with passion (from the heart), as from one loving friend to another – someone who cares a lot about you and the organization in which you work. • It is asked for by the recipient or offered and only given if the other assents. 8 •
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The timing is right. As immediate as possible but when the other feels receptive. The balance is right, i.e. much more appreciation is given than criticism. The form is right, i.e. it is phrased in a non-­‐evaluative way – concise, accurate and descriptive. Empowerment through accountability In this stage of the coaching process, the coach’s intention is to gain commitment to action. Coach and client select the most appropriate options, commit to action, define the action plan, the next steps and a timeframe for their objectives and identify how to overcome any obstacles. Coaching Agreement, Setting Expectations and Accountability It is imperative that you set clear expectations with the agent you are coaching from the beginning. The best time to explain your coaching process, any guidelines and discuss what they can expect from you and what you expect from them in during the initial coaching intake session. Coaching Agreement. If you choose to use a formal coaching agreement, take a look at the “Coaching Resources” on the following pages for some content you could revise to suit your needs. Accountability. One of the coach’s primary roles is to hold the client responsible and accountable. The client is responsible for their actions and results. The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-­‐provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach's responsibility is to: • Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve • Encourage client self-­‐discovery • Elicit client-­‐generated solutions and strategies • Hold the client responsible and accountable 9 Coaching Resources There is no failure….only feedback! How do you react when, in your opinion, things go wrong? Do you: • persist in doing the same thing over and over until, if ever, you get it right? or • think it over and decide what you can do differently for a better result next time? Don't wait for others to change – start change with yourself. If what you're doing isn't working, do something different. Learning from feedback means that you are more likely to be flexible rather than rigid in your dealings with yourself and others. Three Guiding Principles for Constructing Your Success Being creatures of pattern and habit, we unknowingly achieve success and construct our failures. Taken together, the three NLP guiding principles – 1. failure is not an accident 2. feedback is the foundation of success; and 3. success has a structure – can help you change old habits of thinking and your success rate. Once you have taken these three guiding principles on board, you will have at hand a valuable source of information -­‐ an effective prescription for exactly the progress you desire. These three principles make it possible to turn what we used to think of as setbacks into success, get the feedback we need in order to know what to do next, and figure out the key factors we need to get right if we are to succeed. 10 Coaching Resources – What to Expect Business coaching is proven to work when there are two factors present: 1. You are willing to make changes in your professional or personal life, and 2. There is a gap between where you are now and where you want to be. That is all that is necessary for the coach and client to solve professional or personal challenges, turn a business around, and/or design and implement a plan of action. Through an interactive and developmental process, I will help you pursue strategies and solutions designed to move you towards the rapid and satisfying attainment of your professional and personal goals. I respect, acknowledge, and protect the vulnerability and confidentiality of each client, while constructively holding clients to high standards of self-­‐responsibility and self-­‐accountability. What to Expect From Your Coach • Honesty -­‐ an accurate reflection of where you are in the process. • Encouragement -­‐ reminding you of your own power. • Challenge -­‐ an invitation to realize your highest self. • Understanding -­‐ the foundation to every relationship. • Follow-­‐up and Accountability -­‐ tracking success through action steps 11 Coaching Resources -­‐ Draft Coach Agreement I, _______________________________ take full responsibility for all actions that I take as a result of coaching. I agree to: * Take action daily toward my goals * Be present and prepared for my coaching sessions * Be honest about my challenges and what I want to achieve * Generate my own solutions * Speak up immediately if anything bothers me about my coaching * Strongly request what I need for coaching to be effective for me The coach undertakes: 1. I will not solve your problems. 2. I will work to help you make the changes that you choose. 3. I will help you develop the skills you wish to master. 4. I will treat you with respect and consideration. 5. I will regularly review your progress. 6. I will not disclose information about you. The client undertakes: 1. I take full responsibility for my results and resolving my own problems. 2. I will be punctual for sessions and give notice of cancellation. 3. I will complete assigned exercises and action items. 4. I will show up to my coach session with an open mind and prepared – mentally and physically. 5. I will talk openly and honestly about any challenges I may be facing. 6. If I do not complete my work or cancel/no-­‐show appointments, my coaching may be terminated. 12 Recommended Reading List Business Development / Real Estate / Productivity eMyth Revisited Michael Gerber Eat That Frog Brian Tracy Getting Things Done: David Allen The Art of Stress-­‐Free Productivity Millionaire Real Estate Agent Gary Keller, Dave Jenks, Jay Papasan The ONE Thing Gary Keller, Jay Papasan The Power of Full Engagement Jim Loehr, Tony Schwartz The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing Al Ries, Jack Trout Peoplework: Chris Smith, Austin Allison, Chong-­‐You How to run a people-­‐first business in a digital-­‐first world Good to Great Jim Collins Personal Growth Think and Grow Rich Napoleon Hill Awaken The Giant Within/Unlimited Power Anthony Robbins DISC Profile http://www.tonyrobbins.com/disc-­‐profile/ Man’s Search for Ultimate Meaning Viktor Frankl Loving What Is: Byron Katie Four Questions That Can Change Your Life The Four Agreements Don Miguel Ruiz The Power of Now Eckhart Tolle. 13 Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Products: CD, Books, DVD NLP Training https://www.tadjames.com/ http://www.nlpcoaching.com/ Get the Life You Want Richard Bandler Conducting the Coach Intake Session – Real Estate Business Assessment The primary objectives in the initial coaching session are: 1. Discover and assess where the agent currently stands in regards to their business systems and their production 2. Have the agent decide on initial priorities – which systems to work on first 3. Set the expectations of coaching with you and explain the process 4. Gain agreement and commitment to the coaching process Handling Resistance and Challenges during Coaching Most people are uncomfortable with change – getting out of comfort zone Resistance – objection handling Problems – Procrastination -­‐ Excuses 14 Begin with the End in Mind: Creating a Saleable Asset & Exit Strategy The primary focus of the coaching we want to deliver with real estate professionals is how to set-­‐up, operate and ultimately exit from their successful real estate business. It will amaze you how many top-­‐producing agents are unbelievable rainmakers and not always the best at managing their finances, setting up and utilizing effective systems and running their business like a business. As an industry, training is primarily focused on basic sales skills, prospecting and how to generate and convert those leads or build referral business. Of course, all these skills are critical to a successful real estate career. What’s missing is effective training and coaching on the basic and advanced business / financial structure and systems that any successful organization uses on a daily basis. Use the 5 page Real Estate Business Systems -­‐ Coach Intake Form to conduct the initial discovery session. 15 Coaching the Primary Real Estate Business Systems After you have completed the initial Coach Intake Form, reviewed the status of current business systems and production and established the priorities with the agent, you are ready to start conducting follow-­‐up coaching sessions. It is highly recommended to always start with the Business Plan & Goals. You will find that, most agents don’t actually have a written plan or goals! Everything will naturally build from assisting the agent with developing clarity around their goals and the target areas for business generation. Your coaching sessions should always result in a commitment from the agent to complete 3-­‐5 specific action items towards whatever priority or system you are working on with them. In each of the major real estate business systems below, you will find Prep/Homework tasks, if applicable followed by In Session coaching notes to assist you with guiding the agent to set-­‐up the applicable business system. Generally, you will be covering a lot of the same material, recommendations and action items with the agents you coach. Of course, each agent has individual needs, goals, strengths and weaknesses that will require you to modify and customize your approach. Coach Tip Use these real estate business sytem notes as the basis for a document you customize and expand upon based on your unique experience and recommendations. This base systems document will allow you to easily “cut and paste” then modify for the specific needs of the agent in your Action Plan/Follow-­‐up/ Accountability. 16 The E-­‐Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Coach Resources: Book Summary; Audio Files of the Book The E-­‐Myth, or Entrepreneurial Myth, says that most new businesses are not started by entrepreneurs who set out to build a strong business but by technicians who enjoy the hands-­‐on work themselves. Because of that natural bias, most business owners focus on working in their business when really they should be working on their business. There is, however, a simple and effective way to offset the E-­‐Myth tendency. Instead of looking at the business as a one-­‐off operation, the owner should consider the business to be a prototype for a large number of franchises that will be added at a later stage. By adopting that mindset, the business owner will not only participate in the business as a technician but will also act as a manager (putting systems in place and controls) and as an entrepreneur (having a vision of how the business can create sustainable added-­‐value for all key stakeholders). A business that is built and managed by someone who combines the approach of the technician, the manager and the entrepreneur will have a far greater chance of future success than one guided by someone thinking like a technician alone. Basic E-­‐Myth Concepts and Principles The key principles which form the foundation for the E-­‐Myth approach to business are: 1. Most new businesses are started by technicians – people who are skilled at what they enjoy doing, and who figure they’d rather work for themselves than for someone else. 2. Almost all new business owners assume that because they understand the technical work of the business, they understand how a technical business works. In reality, these are two completely different issues, and blurring the distinction between the two is a fatal error. 3. Building a business actually takes three unique skill sets: a. The entrepreneur -­‐-­‐ supplies the vision. b. The manager -­‐-­‐ supplies order and systems. c. The technician -­‐-­‐ supplies the output. 4. Most businesses go through three phases of growth: a. Infancy -­‐-­‐ when the technician is to the fore. 17 b. Expansion -­‐-­‐ when better management skills are required. c. Maturity -­‐-­‐ an entrepreneurial perspective is needed. Business Plan & Goals Prep/Homework: o Read or listen to the audio book The E-­‐Myth Revisited o Give them the Real Estate Business Plan & Goals Packet to complete o Or…Instruct them to download the Business Plan docs & Spreadsheet on MYROG Library o Watch the Tutorial on Library for completing Business Plan o Give them the UVP Booklet to complete In Session: o Review of the Business Plan / Goals – all of the supporting documents in the package o Why Write Down Your Goals (Outcomes)? o To clarify what it is you truly desire. Writing down your goals forces you to select something specific and decide what you want and when you want to attain it. o To motivate and inspire you to take action. Writing your goals down is only the first step. It is also important to review them regularly which encourages you to take the next most important action toward your goal. o To help you overcome resistance. Every meaningful intention, dream, or goal encounters resistance. From the moment you set a goal, you will begin to feel it. Resist the temptation to focus on that resistance and instead focus on what you want to accomplish. o To enable you to see—and celebrate—your success and progress. Written goals are like mile-­‐markers on a highway. They enable you to see how far you have come and how far you need to go. They also provide an opportunity for celebration when you attain them. o Identify clear, concise, SMART goals and know your WHY for each of them. Specific/Simple Measurable/Meaningful to you 18 Attainable/As if Now/All areas of your life Realistic/Responsible Timeframe/Toward what you want o Keys to an Achievable Outcome – see document in business planning packet o Create Action Plans – break the goal down into steps and next actions. Take action every day! A basic mantra or affirmation for your consideration and real estate success could simply be: “I make one qualified appointment daily!” Create an Action Plan that works for you – it may consist of some of the following activities: Make ______ contacts daily Send ______ personal notes weekly Add _______ people to your database weekly or monthly Contact _____ FSBOs weekly Contact ______ Expireds weekly Hold ______ effective open houses weekly/ monthly Mail or email to your SOI/Past clients valuable market information monthly o Mail or email to your designated farm of ______ properties monthly o Door knock/ door drop _________ houses monthly o Take ____ past client to lunch monthly o Network with ____ business to business referrals monthly o Hand out 5-­‐10 business cards, 5 days/week and actively ask for business or for permission to add them to your database o Based on desired target markets and sources of business – commit to the best income-­‐producing tactics and strategies to implement for lead generation and increased production o Measure and track your progress – you can’t improve what you don’t measure. o Celebrate your successes along the way – make any necessary course corrections. o
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19 Creating Your Unique Value Proposition Prep/Homework: • Bring in any materials related to mission, vision, core values or UVP • Complete the VMV and UVP workbook In Session: • Review the workbook pages with the agent • Provide feedback and coaching as needed to fine-­‐tune Personal Marketing/Branding Prep/Homework: Bring in all marketing materials to coaching session In Session: o Review of all current marketing materials o Define Marketing Budget § Hire qualified graphic designer o Develop cohesive marketing materials across all platforms § Print § Online § Personal Marketing Materials Past Client/Referral System Prep/Homework: Bring in any materials currently sending to past clients or as referral thank you In Session: • Define what specific actions steps agent needs to take to implement an effective referral and past client follow-­‐up system. 20 There are 3 basic reasons why many agents fail to conquer the most important real estate system to implement – your Sphere of Influence (SOI) and Past Client Referral System. 1. They never decide on a contact management or software solution. 2. If they have a solution, they don’t enter the contacts, sort and categorize them. 3. They over-­‐analyze or never decide what to do or send out each month – thus, ultimately doing nothing for months on end. So, let’s break it down step-­‐by-­‐step, get this critical system in place and generating business and referrals immediately. The key to implementing this system is to commit to the process and set a deadline to complete each action step, one at a time. Action Step 1 -­‐ Create your list of past clients and sphere of influence. If you have started a list or have it scattered in 2 or 3 places (MLS client, Outlook, other email program, scraps of paper, transaction folders, etc.) get it all together in one place. Make sure you have all the vital information on your contacts – names, address, emails, phone numbers, IM names or other social networking contact info. Try these two tools to help you with creating or adding to your SOI list: o Discover Your Sphere o Do You Know? Set deadline for completion: __________ Action Step 2 -­‐ Decide on a contact management /real estate transaction system. You can choose a program like Outlook to get started and always upgrade to a more comprehensive, real estate-­‐specific program. The important thing is to choose something and just get started! When researching and deciding on the right Customer Relationship Management software for you… consider these features to compare… Accessibility (Mobile access, cloud-­‐based, desktop) Ease of use Price (One time cost vs. monthly subscription) Import/Export capability Auto drip email campaigns Transaction management Listing management Contact/Client management • REST – Real Estate Success Tracker (www.GetRESTnow.com ) ($399 for single user license) 21 •
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o http://www.realestatesuccesstools.com o Easy to use, more intuitive, not as complicated as many programs. o Single and multi-­‐user options available. You install REST on your desktop/laptop but you can also remotely access from your PDA or another computer. o REST_Assured, hosted option for $34.98/mth Top Producer, http://www/topproducer.com ($ 39.95/mth) Top Producer is a cloud-­‐based CRM (Customer Relationship Management), real estate transaction management system. Realty Juggler, http://www.realtyjuggler.com ($99/yr Free 90 day trial) Cloud-­‐based CRM, transaction management, mobile access, real estate letters and flyers, activity/task plans, team support Wise Agent, http://wiseagent.com/ ($24.95/mth – 30 day free trial) Cloud-­‐based CRM, contact and transaction management, drip marketing, document storage, marketing tools •
Real Estate Website – Back Office may have a CRM component Email newsletters and email list management options: If you chose this route for email marketing, be aware your list must be opt-­‐in • Constant Contact http://www.constantcontact.com • Mail Chimp http://mailchimp.com • Aweber http://www.aweber.com • Happy Grasshopper https://happygrasshopper.com/ Research the solutions and make a decision. Set deadline for purchase, installation and familiarization/training: _____________ Action Step 3 -­‐ Input all contact information into selected program. Set aside a few hours and get this task done! If you aren’t going to get to this task any time soon -­‐ hire someone to get this job done for you. Computer-­‐savvy people (teenagers, family members, your colleagues’ family members, agents in your office, 22 local high school or community college students) are everywhere – find someone and hire them for this project. Set your deadline: ________________ Action Step 4 -­‐ Sort and categorize your database. Optimally, complete this step simultaneously with the data entry of Step 3. I recommend using the technique taught by Brian Buffini (www.buffiniandcompany.com )to sort your database: o A+ Multiple transactions or multiple referrals o A Referred at least one client o B Haven’t referred yet – probably will when you remind them/show them how o C You know them/just met them – haven’t sold them a home yet o D Delete -­‐ Not going to mail to them You can also group your database by other specific categories or contact types (sellers, buyers, farm, past clients, newsletter, prospects, vendors, B2B, etc). Action Step 5 -­‐ Create an Introduction or Reconnect letter with a deadline to mail out. • Write an introduction or reconnect letter: Download ConfessionLetter.doc -­‐ Brian Buffini calls it a “confession” letter. • If you are a New Agent, ask your broker for an endorsement letter from your Broker – company. The concept here is the SOI member knows that the agent is new and may not have a high level of confidence in their ability or experience yet. The letter reassures the potential client that not only do you get the agent but a team of professionals and support staff. • The letter should outline what the recipient can expect from this point forward; what services you provide; your client appreciation program; local market updates; annual market analysis of their property; business to business resources to name some possibilities. Bonus Action Step: Call the people in your database and ask this qualifying and sorting question (Mayor Campaign from Brian Buffini program): “Oh by the way, if you were buying or selling a home or had a friend or family member who was, am I the Realtor you would refer them to?” “Who is the next person you know who is interested in investing in real estate? …could benefit from a foreclosure alternatives consultation? 23 This one extra step will help you immediately sort your database and the major side benefit…you will more than likely generate business either directly or by referral from the activity of all the calls you make. Action Step 6 -­‐ Decide on what you are going to mail or email each month. This is the step many agents get stuck on. They can’t decide on what to send or procrastinate about it or waste time creating their own newsletter or mailout. Here are some suggestions to get you started. Just pick one and do it. You can always modify and refine later. o Current Market Data. o Local or State REALTOR Association § GLVAR has a Consumer Newsletter § CAR has Client Direct – online newsletter o Most local Title Companies provide excellent market condition reports. This is the information people are most interested in – what is happening in your local market. Be the provider of that information! o Altos Research http://www.altosresearch.com o Market Snapshot http://www.topproducer.com/products/market-­‐
snapshot.aspx o Referral Systems o Brian Buffini http://buffiniandcompany.com/ o Joe Stumpf http://www.byreferralonly.com o Other Resources o Lowe’s REALTOR Benefits https://www.lowesrealtorbenefits.com/Default.aspx o NAR House Logic http://members.houselogic.com/start/ o Send Out Cards https://www.sendoutcards.com/ o XpressDocs http://www.xpressdocs.com/ o Prospects Plus http://www.prospectsplus.com/ o eNeighborhoods http://www.eneighborhoods.com/ o Personal Marketing Company http://www.tpmco.com o Real Estate Marketing Products http://www.reamark.com/ o Realty Times http://realtytimes.com/ o TMA Farmnet http://www.tmafarmnet.com/ o Quantum Marketing http://quantumdigital.com/real-­‐estate-­‐
marketing-­‐printing 24 Action Step 7 – Systemize it! This is the final step and a key to the overall success of the system. It simply means deciding on a day or week of the month that you will actually prepare and send out your monthly mailer or email. Schedule it. Place it on a visible calendar and make it happen. Hire someone to get this task complete for you if you don’t want to do it yourself. SOI / Referral System – Build your Database Tips Build a habit of sending personal notes o Commit to a certain number of personal, hand-­‐written notes daily o Write the note in the moment – when the reason for sending the note occurs o Have a supply of blank note cards and envelopes with you – in your car – at home – in the office. o Ideas for personal notes: o Open house visitors o After client contact (call or visit) o Co-­‐op agent on a transaction o Business vendors and partners Reward Referrals o Key is to have the item available/on-­‐hand (Gift card/movie tickets) and send a personal note immediately after receiving the referral o Consider having a perishable item (i.e. flowers, cookies) sent to the referring client’s workplace Commit to adding 5 people a week to your database. o 10 business cards 5 days a week (Everywhere – standing in line, restaurants, interacting with businesses daily, o Open Houses o Active prospecting o Networking and business events o Get involved in community events or groups Other SOI ideas: o Design client profile sheet (to gather key info) to be used at escrow closing o Annual HUD-­‐1 (January) o Home Anniversary card o Annual CMA – Nov/Dec o Mail Just Listed/Just Solds (Success Mailer) o Send to your SOI every time you list or sell a property o Send one monthly with all your Listings, Pendings, Solds 25 Listing System Prep/Homework: Bring in all any seller-­‐related In Session: o Provide guidance and instruction on refining and/or developing: • Seller Lead Form • Seller Intake/Consultation Form • Pre-­‐Listing Package or Video • Customized Listing Presentation o Shows them how to “price their home to sell?” o Differentiates you from your competition? o Demonstrates how you add value to your seller? What is your “Wow!?” o Shows at least 5 things that you and your company do for the seller that your competitors don’t • Seller Marketing / Service Commitment • Seller follow-­‐up program Buyer System Prep/Homework: Bring in all any buyer-­‐related In Session: o Provide guidance and instruction on refining and/or developing: • Buyer Info sheet (Wants/Needs/Qualifier) • Buyer Intake/Consultation Form • Buyer Service Agreement • Buyer follow-­‐up program Escrow System Prep/Homework: Bring in any escrow-­‐related materials, checklists, etc In Session: • Is the agent leveraging the company transaction coordinator? 26 •
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Escrow flow chart (dry-­‐erase board/online version) Define each step of the escrow process Client Follow-­‐up during escrow Social Media Marketing & Internet Strategy Prep/Homework: • Provide links to existing websites, blogs, social networks • Complete the Questions section of the Real Estate Social Media & Online Reputation Management Resource Guide • Watch “You Are Being Googled” Webinar and implement specific strategies In Session: • Review and provide feedback on existing sites. • Based on agents desired outcomes for Internet and Social Media, provide guidance on implementing system Social Media Strategies Considerations for Online Personal Branding ¨
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Should you separate business & personal lives? Does your offline personality match your online brand? Does your online content match your brand? Does your brand relate to your audience? Social Profile Tips ¨ Be consistent with your User Name ¨ Use a professional photo (head shot) ¨ For Listing Portals – Use same email you use for MLS ¨ Create a Word Doc with all the common profile content (use your completed LinkedIn profile) ¨ Get testimonials and recommendations What to post, share, upload? What do you like, share, retweet ? •
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Photos and images Ask questions Educational/informative Minimize real estate promotion Market updates, newsworthy real estate content Local news Lifestyle content Facebook Daily 5 1. Check-­‐in/status updates 2. Comment on a post 3. Send Direct message 4. Share good content from your newsfeed 5. Post a link, photo, video Post as your page not profile Paid options: Boost a post from your page; ADS Hootsuite or TweetDeck to manage and schedule posts Other Social Sites to Consider: • LinkedIn •
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Pinterest 28 Listing Portals Setup Your FREE Profiles on key Listing Portal Sites Zillow.com Trulia.com Realtor.com (http://solutioncenter.realtor.com) Homes.com Cultivate Leads for Free •
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100% complete profile with excellent photo Get testimonials and ratings from clients All of the main real estate portals have Q&A area to answer consumer questions Leverage the free tools (blogs, widgets for your website or blog) Paid Advertising Zillow Premier Agent http://www.zillow.com/advertising/agent-­‐advertising/ •
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price varies by zip code for buyer leads Premier Gold and Silver – to feature listings, agent website Trulia.com http://www.trulia.com/truliapro • Plans start at @ $29.99/mth Homes.com http://connect.homes.com/agents/ Local Ads. High visibility banner ads target your local market area for maximum exposure and lead generation and conversion. • Buyer Connect. Target buyers in your local zip codes, and receive fresh buyer inquiries directly in your Lead Manager. Realtor.com http://solutioncenter.realtor.com/ControlPanel/Login.aspx •
29 Steps for Internet Success A successful Website Marketing Plan must have: • Compelling reason (s) for prospects to contact you over other agents • Benefits and value for prospects • Excellent Calls to Action (CTAs) • Lead capture and follow-­‐up capability • Measurement and tracking functionality 1. Create & maintain a great “destination” Web or Blog site • Customer-­‐centric not Agent-­‐centric o People don’t want to be sold, they want information – HOME SEARCH o Internet = immediate access and information o Mobile Ready and Responsive – Your website should display well across all devices (PC, Tablets, Smart phones) o Offer what the consumer wants § Easy & accessible Search for listings (IDX) § Lots of Photos & virtual / video tour § Reports, local market data § Neighborhood, community, school information § Lifestyle search – walk score, amenities § Foreclosure, short sale, loan modification information 30 Compelling content o In addition to the list above, consider adding: § Buyer/Seller process & tips § Relocation info, guides § Testimonials § Your niche, target markets, specialties • Good domain name (Your name vs. keyword terms) o Older domain name better o Your Name if goal is to brand you o Niche keywords for better SEO and focusing on your niche/area/target market 2. Effective Lead Generation & Lead Capture •
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Calls to Action that lead to capturing prospect info o IDX search – allow access to a point and then a sign-­‐up form o Property Watch – email alerts – allows the consumer to receive the listing information they want when it becomes available o Free reports – consumer completes a contact form to receive the report or offer o Free Relocation Guide o Free Home Market Valuation Offline Marketing Plan o Energize Your Database to Search for Homes -­‐ Import or add your SOI, past client database and send them a welcome email o Add contacts daily – use your website to close prospects for their information and set them up as a User on your site for full access § Open Houses § Ad & Sign Calls o Change Your Voice Mail message to include a CTA to visit your site and Search homes for sale o Add a compelling call to action on everything: § Business cards § Letterhead § Marketing Flyers § Email signature § Postcards § Print advertising 31 §
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Online Marketing Plan o Build your Profiles (which includes a link to your website and other social media sites): § Realtor.com http://solutioncenter.realtor.com § Trulia.com § Zillow.com § Homes.com § Google Local (Places) § ActiveRain.com (Blogging & Networking) § Real Estate Directories o Social Media Sites – Add links to your main website on: § LinkedIn.com § Facebook.com § Google + § YouTube.com – for video tours & consumer videos § Twitter.com § Instagram.com § Pinterest.com o Paid Advertising Options § Realtor.com § Trulia Pro § Zillow Première Agent § Homes.com § Facebook Ads § Craigslist Ads § Local online magazine & newspapers § Pay Per Click (PPC) – Google Ad Words o Strategic Linking – Build Your Back Links § Comment on other blogs (you can add a link back to your website) § Business partners and vendors – reciprocal links o Search Engine Optimization § Optimizing your website and pages for search engines 32 Title tags (Use Targeted Keywords/Phrases) Keywords & Description Keyword research Tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolE
xternal Write quality content that matches your selected keywords Submit Your site to directories and search engines Consider websites using blog platform or adding a blog to maximize SEO SEO Tips • http://searchengineland.com/21-­‐essential-­‐seo-­‐tips-­‐
techniques-­‐11580 • http://www.seobook.com/ • http://www.seomoz.org/ •
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3. Convert the Lead • Connect o Immediate response (less than 15 mins) increases your chances of converting that lead – text and email alerts for leads o Make the call ASAP when you have a contact number o Initial welcome emailed out o Get the prospect searching on your website and off the other sites! • Cultivate o Automated, drip email campaigns o Setup Specific Property Searches (MLS or your site) o CTAs in the email (Search properties now!) o Phone calls = qualify, build rapport • Close o Use the visitor search profile information o Refine searches – use property watch o Close for appointments • Build Referrals o Client for life email campaigns – Ask for referral CTA § eNewsletters § Holiday – seasonal emails § Market condition reports 33 Lead Generation Systems Prep/Homework: Bring in any current lead generation material, systems In Session: Build a Solid Referral System: Your Sphere of Influence (your database – past clients) For most real estate agents, the number one source of leads and clients is referrals. But how can you influence how many referrals you get? •
Ask for referrals. Don’t assume that people will automatically think to refer you–to get maximum referrals, you need to ASK FOR THEM. It’s always a good idea to set the stage early in a relationship, by casually mentioning the importance of referrals to your business, or commenting on a referral you just received. Then when the time is right, come right out and ask for it. “Who is the next person you know… “Who do you know… Referral language after your email signature •
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Reward the referral, not the deal. You want to encourage your friends, family and clients to refer people to you – but whether or not the referral actually ends up buying or selling a home isn’t your referral’s job, that’s your job. So get into the habit of saying thank you at the time the referral happens, not at the time they sign a contract. Mail a hand-­‐written note and Starbucks gift card, tickets to the movies, restaurant gift card Create Raving Fans. Client lunches. Client appreciation party or event. Cross-­‐
promote businesses or services. Create a WOW experience when working with your clients. Go the extra mile. Exceed their expectations. Select and use an excellent client relationship manager (CRM) o Top Producer o Realty Juggler o Wise Agent o Contactually o Real Estate Success Tracker (GetRestNow.com) Develop a network of REALTORS who can refer leads to you. Our world has shrunk considerably in the last 5 years and it’s now easy to connect and develop 34 •
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relationships with REALTORS outside of your city, state or province, and even your country. A great way to connect with other agents is via Facebook and LinkedIn groups, ActiveRain.com, Twitter. Work the Leads you Already Have. Going back and re-­‐contacting cold leads can be a great way to revive your relationship with them. Admit it…you have some people you’ve been ignoring. Make Talking to Leads a Priority in Your Day. It’s not just about contacting 5, 10 or 15 people every day. It’s about making relationship-­‐building a priority: literally setting aside a few hours to make phone calls, return e-­‐mails and send hand-­‐written cards – EVERY single day. Stop Thinking of Leads as Leads and Start Thinking of Them as People. Leads aren’t just names in a spreadsheet, they are real people. Treat them how you’d be wanted to treated. If you hate getting cold calls, then don’t cold call. If you hate getting spam e-­‐mail, then stop spamming people. If you hate getting a birthday card from the insurance agent you haven’t spoken to in 5 years, don’t send cards to people you don’t have a real relationship with. At the end of the day, you need to be true to yourself and your brand. And being you and being authentic will make people want to work with you. http://www.thesociableagent.com/25-­‐lead-­‐generation-­‐ideas-­‐to-­‐start-­‐2013-­‐right/ Open Houses – see separate Open House document Farming (geographical; niche; professional) Door Knocking In conjunction with Farming Renters Expireds and FSBOs Short Sales Target market NOD and default lists Marketing (offline) – targeted mailers; Just Listed/Just Sold postcards Purchase leads (MarketLeader.com; HomeGain.com; TheRedx.com; HouseValues.com; TigerLead.com; mostlikelytolist.com; Zurple.com) 35 Networking (Join groups; attorneys; accountants; other business professionals) Optimize your Listing Advertising -­‐ Leverage all the listing tools and portals available: •
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Listhub Featured/enhanced listings on Trulia, Zillow, Homes, Realtor.com Single property website Craigslist Mobile Real Estate App ALL LEADS, RealtyONEGroup or not, go directly to the agent. Visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com/myApp to learn more A PDF version of the webinar is attached. Please encourage your agents to attend the weekly webinars hosted by Smarter Agent. home.smarteragent.com/webinar Pay-­‐Per-­‐Click Ads Pay-­‐per-­‐click ads (ads that appear online that you only pay for when someone clicks on it) provide an easy traffic source to your website. Google ads. True, only 30% of 36 internet users click on Google ads, but that’s better than not generating any traffic from Google yourself. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter also have advertising options. Video Marketing And with the innovations in mobile tablet and smartphone cameras, real estate agents can easily – and inexpensively – create videos. Create a YouTube channel as the hub for your video content. Then populate your other online locations – website, blog, social networks – with your real estate videos. Make sure you always include your contact information in your videos, and when possible, link back to a lead-­‐
capturing form. Using online video as real estate lead generation tool is an easy and smart way to find new buyers and sellers in today’s real estate market. Video Content Ideas: •
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Client Testimonials Evergreen content on the home buying and selling process Video tours of listings Neighborhood tours Lifestyle content Market updates Hiring an Assistant •
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Leverage company TC first When is agent ready for an assistant? How to recruit, interview, assess and hire HR considerations, payroll Job description, duties and delegation 37 Coaching Approach to Attracting (Recruiting) Agents Phone call for Co-­‐op agents Hi this is _________________ with Realty One Group, have I caught you at a bad time, do you have a few seconds? Good, I just wanted to call and congratulate you on the closing of _______________. _________ (Our agent ) really thought highly of you and enjoyed working with you. He/she thought you would be a great asset to our team. We value __________opinion on recognizing another great agent and I would love to be able to speak with about why our agents are able to make more money by working smarter. I know that you're not thinking about making a move right now, but as a good business man/woman, wouldn’t you agree that it's always good to know what your options are out there in the market place? Good, If I could show you a few systems or techniques that would increase your business, all that I would ask is if you ever did think about making a move, you would consider us first-­‐-­‐would that be fair? Good, when could we get together for 20 or 30 minutes, would tomorrow or the next day be better? Cold call to specific agent and office Hi, my name is _______________ and I've been speaking (or meeting) with a few agents in your office about how they can take their business to the next level. I know that you're not thinking about making a move right now, correct? But I'm sure as a good businessman/woman, you know it's always a good business practice to know what your options are in the market place-­‐right? Agent response-­‐-­‐I'm happy where I'm at. I understand and I really respect that, but as a good businessman/woman, if I could show you some competitive tips that would generate more revenue for you and that would increase your business right now whether you were with us or stayed where you're at-­‐-­‐would that be worth your time? Once again, I'm not asking you to make a move-­‐-­‐just in the future if you ever decided to, that you would consider us first-­‐-­‐is that fair? 38 Great would tomorrow at 10am... Experienced Agent Interview Questions Thank you _________________ for taking your valuable time and coming today to meet with me, I'd like to take this opportunity to learn a little bit about each other. My goal today is to find out by the end of our meeting if we can help each other. I would love to know a little more about your business and find out what is important to you. Would that be okay? Good let’s get started, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a few notes, and ask you a couple of real quick questions. 1. How long have you been in the business? 2. What was your income (GCI) last year? 3. What is your projected GCI for this year? 2. Why did you go into Real Estate? 3. What do you see as the biggest challenge in your business today? 4. How are you dealing with those challenges? 5. How is your current Broker helping you deal with those challenges? 6. What do you like best about your office? 7. What do you like least? 8. Are you on track for your income goal? 9. Why is reaching your goal important to you? 10. What support systems or coaching does your current company offer you that you use? 11. What are you going to do differently to get different results? Ok, good, let me tell you a little bit about our company and how I think we can support and help your business grow. off script.... find at least one or two benefits that you can offer, ask them if they see value, and quantify conservatively how many additional transactions they see doing in the next 12 months 39 Closing dialogues: Those 10 transactions based on your average sales price of _________ would give you and additional $$$_________ this year. You can't afford not to join our team, it sounds like it's costing you money by not being here-­‐-­‐wouldn't you agree? Tell me____ what do we need to do to have you join our family? "I'm not ready" I understand, I wouldn't want you to do something you're not ready for. Tell me, if you were ready, what would have to happen for you to make the move now? "I have too much business" That's exactly why we are actively recruiting you-­‐you're a successful agent. So knowing that in the long run you will drive more revenue and keep more money in your pocket, wouldn't you agree that there is never going to be a perfect time to make a move? In fact, most agents actually slow down their business before they make a move -­‐ potentially costing themselves thousands of dollars. Why don't we put together a transition plan for marketing so that you can hit the floor running when you come aboard-­‐-­‐possibly do even more business by picking up extra transactions? Shall we set an appointment for tomorrow to get started? 40