Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®
Inauguration 2009 ~ SPAAR-di Gras!!!
This incredible event is being held on Thursday, January 15th at 6:00PM at the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® office. Besides indulging in vibrant beverages and inspired hors d’oeuvres, there will be Black Jack, Palm Readers, and a Live Auction. Come mingle with your fellow REALTORS®, and participate in the installation of our new President and Board of Directors. Dress is business casual, registration is required, and cost is $20 per person.
Orientation for New Members!
Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, January 22 and Thursday, February 19 from 9:00AM – 12:45PM at the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® office. Please contact the Association office at 651.776.6000 to register for this event. Orientation is required for all new members and it includes Ethics and 3.75 Continuing Education Credits.
SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) Designation:
March 12 & 13 9:00AM – 4:30PM. Cost is $399 and includes 13 hours of continuing education credits. Class will be held at SPAAR. To register, please contact SPAAR at 651.776.6000.MLS Matrix Classes are also offered at SPAAR ~ Call us for classes, days and times.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
How to Make Your Competition Irrelevant
Phil reveals five concepts to obliterate the competition in any market conditions.
By Coach Phil Lamb, September 2008
Would you like to set yourself apart? Would you feel better about your local market if you owned it? By now everyone has heard of Michael Phelps and his Olympic gold medals. How did he win? Was it the training, the mental game, or did he compete on another level?
Have you thought about your competition like an Olympic swimmer or gymnast thinks about his or hers? When a market is going down or up, most agents will consider the market to be the reason for their success or failure. Few will take notice of the number of closed transactions in their local market and even fewer will get the bigger picture of how to capture it. My assertion would be that agents should be inspired to know that in reality, you control your destiny.
Your competition is will always be other agents. If you sit by trying to figure out where the market is going, then you are in for a wild ride. Good news, bad news, or no news will keep you guessing and hoping. Consider the idea that you only have a few competitors. It has very little to do with the interest rate or the foreclosure market. When you grasp the concept of your real competition, you are on your way up. Let's get started.
Concept #1:
Reach beyond your limits.
Write out 3 things to begin this exercise. 1. How much would you like to make in the next 12 months?2. What was your average income over the past 4 years?3. What was the most you have ever made in 12 months?
Now you can reach! The income for 12 months is often limited by the agent based on past experience and the market. I like to think that your personal best is only a benchmark instead of a ceiling. If you were to do things that you have never done before or become more than you have ever become, what would change in your professional and personal life? I can tell you that you would not get up the same the next day. New hopes and dreams would change the way you work. You would find your workday exciting because you were stretching and not just trying to get things done. What would be a stretch for you? Take some time and reach! Write it out. Instantly you are on the road to making your competition irrelevant. Most agents will get through the day and you will be creating your day.
Concept #2:
Study the top 3 agents in your area. Don't worry about their flaws and never lose time belittling the competition. Learn from them. What do they do well? Do it better! Where do they show an advantage? Improve in that area! What sets them apart? Step up! These are simple areas that will allow you to make them irrelevant. Most of these successful agents will not improve on their strengths because they already have the market share. This is to your advantage. No one goes to battle without an idea of the competitor unless they are planning on defeat.
Concept #3:
Make the commitment. Most agents want to be successful. Not many wake up in the morning saying, "What a great day to be defeated." However, you will make most irrelevant by simply making a strong commitment. But a word of warning: commitment comes with a price! Maybe for you it is not to work longer hours but simply to be more productive in the hours that you do work. Does the commitment that you made to yourself move you closer to the desires that you have for your real estate career? Hoping that the market will be better only leads to more frustration because it is out of your influence. Taking two steps today toward a greater commitment will ensure success. Make a list of where you want to be more committed to your business. Ask yourself what it would do for you if you were to accomplish the two steps that you have proposed.
Concept #4:
Manifest a greater cause. When we think of people in the past that lived with a cause, we are inspired. That doesn't mean that we agreed with the cause, but the audacity and fight to accomplish it left us wondering how they did it. Agents that live without a cause will normally burn out or go with the winds of change. The excitement of rising in the morning with purpose is like fuel to a car. It is not the only thing that is important but try getting somewhere without it.
Terry Morse, an agent from Ellsworth, Maine discovered that he has MS about 3 years ago. He could have given up. He could have been discouraged with all the pain. Not Terry. He decided to push to greater heights and even a deeper commitment to working his database. In the last 12 months, he has been able to only work half the hours because of the disease but has had great success even in a down market. What made the difference? His commitment to work smarter in the few hours each day he has been given. He manifested a greater cause.
Concept #5:
Find the one extra degree. Recently Mac Anderson, CEO of SimpleTruths.com, released a wonderful book titled 212° - The Extra Degree. The concept is simple - at 211 degrees, water is hot; at 212 degrees, it boils. That is right. One more degree and the steam can move a locomotive. Where are you right now? What could you improve to move your business? I suggest that you get this book. Read it again and again. Send me an e-mail to coach@hobbsherder.com and I will tell you how to get a discount on the book. One thing we know for certain is that you have the one degree within you. Everyone was born with the degrees necessary to succeed but most will just settle in the hot water.
You can make your competition irrelevant by adding one degree. One degree with your listing presentation will set you apart. One degree in the preparation for your next open house will reap great rewards. One degree with your mental attitude will add the steam to move the locomotive.
These five powerful concepts will move you to the head of the competition. They have been planned carefully and need to be executed with the same planning. I know that you want to succeed. Join the crowd. I know that you will follow the steps and therefore make your competition irrelevant.
For the love of the game,Phil
Send your feedback to Phil.Lamb@HobbsHerder.com
By Coach Phil Lamb, September 2008
Would you like to set yourself apart? Would you feel better about your local market if you owned it? By now everyone has heard of Michael Phelps and his Olympic gold medals. How did he win? Was it the training, the mental game, or did he compete on another level?
Have you thought about your competition like an Olympic swimmer or gymnast thinks about his or hers? When a market is going down or up, most agents will consider the market to be the reason for their success or failure. Few will take notice of the number of closed transactions in their local market and even fewer will get the bigger picture of how to capture it. My assertion would be that agents should be inspired to know that in reality, you control your destiny.
Your competition is will always be other agents. If you sit by trying to figure out where the market is going, then you are in for a wild ride. Good news, bad news, or no news will keep you guessing and hoping. Consider the idea that you only have a few competitors. It has very little to do with the interest rate or the foreclosure market. When you grasp the concept of your real competition, you are on your way up. Let's get started.
Concept #1:
Reach beyond your limits.
Write out 3 things to begin this exercise. 1. How much would you like to make in the next 12 months?2. What was your average income over the past 4 years?3. What was the most you have ever made in 12 months?
Now you can reach! The income for 12 months is often limited by the agent based on past experience and the market. I like to think that your personal best is only a benchmark instead of a ceiling. If you were to do things that you have never done before or become more than you have ever become, what would change in your professional and personal life? I can tell you that you would not get up the same the next day. New hopes and dreams would change the way you work. You would find your workday exciting because you were stretching and not just trying to get things done. What would be a stretch for you? Take some time and reach! Write it out. Instantly you are on the road to making your competition irrelevant. Most agents will get through the day and you will be creating your day.
Concept #2:
Study the top 3 agents in your area. Don't worry about their flaws and never lose time belittling the competition. Learn from them. What do they do well? Do it better! Where do they show an advantage? Improve in that area! What sets them apart? Step up! These are simple areas that will allow you to make them irrelevant. Most of these successful agents will not improve on their strengths because they already have the market share. This is to your advantage. No one goes to battle without an idea of the competitor unless they are planning on defeat.
Concept #3:
Make the commitment. Most agents want to be successful. Not many wake up in the morning saying, "What a great day to be defeated." However, you will make most irrelevant by simply making a strong commitment. But a word of warning: commitment comes with a price! Maybe for you it is not to work longer hours but simply to be more productive in the hours that you do work. Does the commitment that you made to yourself move you closer to the desires that you have for your real estate career? Hoping that the market will be better only leads to more frustration because it is out of your influence. Taking two steps today toward a greater commitment will ensure success. Make a list of where you want to be more committed to your business. Ask yourself what it would do for you if you were to accomplish the two steps that you have proposed.
Concept #4:
Manifest a greater cause. When we think of people in the past that lived with a cause, we are inspired. That doesn't mean that we agreed with the cause, but the audacity and fight to accomplish it left us wondering how they did it. Agents that live without a cause will normally burn out or go with the winds of change. The excitement of rising in the morning with purpose is like fuel to a car. It is not the only thing that is important but try getting somewhere without it.
Terry Morse, an agent from Ellsworth, Maine discovered that he has MS about 3 years ago. He could have given up. He could have been discouraged with all the pain. Not Terry. He decided to push to greater heights and even a deeper commitment to working his database. In the last 12 months, he has been able to only work half the hours because of the disease but has had great success even in a down market. What made the difference? His commitment to work smarter in the few hours each day he has been given. He manifested a greater cause.
Concept #5:
Find the one extra degree. Recently Mac Anderson, CEO of SimpleTruths.com, released a wonderful book titled 212° - The Extra Degree. The concept is simple - at 211 degrees, water is hot; at 212 degrees, it boils. That is right. One more degree and the steam can move a locomotive. Where are you right now? What could you improve to move your business? I suggest that you get this book. Read it again and again. Send me an e-mail to coach@hobbsherder.com and I will tell you how to get a discount on the book. One thing we know for certain is that you have the one degree within you. Everyone was born with the degrees necessary to succeed but most will just settle in the hot water.
You can make your competition irrelevant by adding one degree. One degree with your listing presentation will set you apart. One degree in the preparation for your next open house will reap great rewards. One degree with your mental attitude will add the steam to move the locomotive.
These five powerful concepts will move you to the head of the competition. They have been planned carefully and need to be executed with the same planning. I know that you want to succeed. Join the crowd. I know that you will follow the steps and therefore make your competition irrelevant.
For the love of the game,Phil
Send your feedback to Phil.Lamb@HobbsHerder.com
Approaching "2005" Production Numbers in a "2008" Market
How Mark and Patricia Fuchs are defying market conditions and building the business of their dreams. An E-News Featured Article, September 2008
It's simple human nature: once we grow accustomed to a certain quality of life, it becomes very disconcerting to take a step backward. Patricia Fuchs couldn't agree more.
For nearly 35 years, Patricia was a top salesperson negotiating multi-million dollar contracts in the telecommunications industry. She was earning six figures plus commission every year. But in 2002, she decided to pursue a change in her life and saw real estate as an incredible opportunity to maintain her lofty income while being her own boss. She took a leap of faith and by 2003 had begun building a little momentum. Then 2004 came, and like many regions, real estate in South Carolina got a whole lot easier. 2004 and 2005 were banner years for Patricia, and she couldn't have been happier with her new career. In fact, it was around 2005 when her husband, Mark, began considering following her lead and joining her as a team. Eventually, he, too, left his job in telecommunications behind in hopes of greener pastures in real estate.
The Market Shifts Downward
Then 2006 arrived. Mark and Patricia found themselves with no salary and a real estate forecast growing darker every day. Along with most agents, Mark and Patricia struggled into 2007. They had their core business working with past clients and referrals, but they were stuck and unable to generate enough business from those means to achieve the numbers they'd like to hit. To their credit, it was at that point that they realized a change had to be made. Having known a few agents in their office who had successfully used Hobbs/Herder systems in the past, Mark and Patricia attended a two-day MegaMarketing seminar in August 2007. They took the ideas they heard and committed to launching a personal marketing campaign. But the decision wasn't quite that simple.
"I had reservations because I felt we didn't have the money to spend," Patricia says. "Business was so slow, I figured we had to save the money."
It was only because of Mark's strong belief that personal marketing would be their salvation that Patricia agreed to make the investment in their careers. "I gave in to Mark," she says. "But I told him, 'If this doesn't work, we need to go get jobs again.' It was one of those really hard conversations you have. I told him I was doing this because he felt so strongly about it. It wasn't an ultimatum, but just the truth of the situation."
Backs to the Wall
One year after attending MegaMarketing, Mark and Patricia's real estate dream is back on track. Thanks to the success of their marketing campaign, their 2008 production numbers will almost rival the highs they achieved in the halcyon days of 2005, even though South Carolina's market conditions remain stuck in neutral. They nearly recouped their entire investment in personal marketing in the first deal they closed, and they have more transactions in the pipeline that will more than double the profits they attribute directly to their campaign by the end of September.
"It feels great," Patricia says. "It's affirmed that if you set goals and objectives and spend time on lead generating, and if you truly believe you will get results out of that, you will. There might have been a time when we were on the edge of believing, but now we know that we would not have gotten this business if we weren't doing what we are doing."
They Almost Pulled the Plug
What Patricia is alluding to is the skepticism she and Mark felt several months after they launched their campaign. After attending MegaMarketing last August, they spent the next few months "scrubbing their database" in order to launch their marketing campaign in January '08. When the New Year arrived, they began sending out their personal brochure and the corresponding follow-up letters and postcards according to the direct mail plan they received at the MegaMarketing seminar. Their database included a farm of 450 homes and then another 100-150 names in their sphere of influence.
After four months of mailing three pieces a month to nearly 600 addresses with no response, Mark and Patricia were nervous. But to their credit, where many agents would have given up or sought out a new "silver bullet" (see last month's article), Mark and Patricia stuck to their plan and continued believing that their efforts would eventually bear fruit.
"There was a point where it was hard to keep mailing, but we were committed to doing it," Patricia says. "We had invested so much time, energy and money into the process, and even six months in we hadn't recouped anything yet. But we knew we couldn't stop yet."
Patience Pays OffThen one day, Mark and Patricia got a call out of the blue. It was a homeowner in their farm area looking to sell her house. They went on the listing presentation, listened to the homeowner tell them how impressed she was by their marketing, and took the listing at $885,000. They soon sold it for $875,000. The downsizing client then bought a house on the same street through Mark and Patricia for $650,000.
After those transactions closed, Mark and Patricia publicized them with a Just Sold message overprinted on their Powerkard. Suddenly they landed three more listings as a result of their combined efforts. Within a few weeks time, they went from fearful their marketing wasn't working to having paid for itself completely. They currently have more listings under contract that will make 2008 one of their best years ever. And as if that's not enough, they've also increased their average sales price from around $525,000 to nearly $725,000. This spike in production is business they never would have seen had they not been marketing themselves. And when you factor in their increased sales price and additional business with their core business generated from past clients and referrals, Mark and Patricia reduced the number of homes they need to sell to hit their annual target from 36 to 20.
Success Breeds SuccessWith their business looking up, Mark and Patricia have noted a secondary effect of their success in the form of a renewed focus and clarity in their careers. Patricia says that despite the fact they're still "working their butts off," suddenly their entire business seems easier.
"When all of a sudden it starts working, it just keeps working," Patricia says. "When you feel successful, you're more thorough in your work and you don't overlook any opportunities. When things aren't humming along, it's easy to lose momentum on your lead-generating activities."
Patricia offers another analogy to make sense of this phenomenon:
"I started working out with weights six to eight months ago, and it's the same thing there," she says. "It's really hard to go lift weights until you see the results. But after a while, I noticed that every day I went to the gym, I was able to sleep through the night with no interruptions. When you see that tangible result and you start to see things and do things in your life that you couldn't do before, it reinforces the behavior to continue. I try to live my whole life that way."
Looking Forward
Thanks to the spike in their average sales price, Mark and Patricia can meet their annual income goal by selling 20 homes a year. Their immediate goal, which probably won't occur until 2009, is to hire an assistant to free them from the tedious tasks of inputting all their own listings, updating their web site and managing their direct mail campaign. For the long term, they aim to keep increasing the size of their direct mail farm and building their brand in anticipation for the market getting hot again.
"When we have another market like 2005, just think what our business will be like when we have a huge database of people who think of us every time someone mentions real estate," Patricia says.
She says she's known since the time she got her first job at the age of 16 that sales are built on relationships. It's that approach that proved successful for decades in telecommunications sales, and it's the key to success in her marketing. With every direct mail piece that lands in a homeowners' mailbox, she and Mark are building stronger relationships with those prospective clients. Her real long-term goal envisions their brand making business a breeze.
"It's such a thrill to take 'come list me' calls," she says. "I envision a day where our entire farm knows us and we continue getting these great calls out of the blue." If 2008 is any indication, they're off to a great start.
It's simple human nature: once we grow accustomed to a certain quality of life, it becomes very disconcerting to take a step backward. Patricia Fuchs couldn't agree more.
For nearly 35 years, Patricia was a top salesperson negotiating multi-million dollar contracts in the telecommunications industry. She was earning six figures plus commission every year. But in 2002, she decided to pursue a change in her life and saw real estate as an incredible opportunity to maintain her lofty income while being her own boss. She took a leap of faith and by 2003 had begun building a little momentum. Then 2004 came, and like many regions, real estate in South Carolina got a whole lot easier. 2004 and 2005 were banner years for Patricia, and she couldn't have been happier with her new career. In fact, it was around 2005 when her husband, Mark, began considering following her lead and joining her as a team. Eventually, he, too, left his job in telecommunications behind in hopes of greener pastures in real estate.
The Market Shifts Downward
Then 2006 arrived. Mark and Patricia found themselves with no salary and a real estate forecast growing darker every day. Along with most agents, Mark and Patricia struggled into 2007. They had their core business working with past clients and referrals, but they were stuck and unable to generate enough business from those means to achieve the numbers they'd like to hit. To their credit, it was at that point that they realized a change had to be made. Having known a few agents in their office who had successfully used Hobbs/Herder systems in the past, Mark and Patricia attended a two-day MegaMarketing seminar in August 2007. They took the ideas they heard and committed to launching a personal marketing campaign. But the decision wasn't quite that simple.
"I had reservations because I felt we didn't have the money to spend," Patricia says. "Business was so slow, I figured we had to save the money."
It was only because of Mark's strong belief that personal marketing would be their salvation that Patricia agreed to make the investment in their careers. "I gave in to Mark," she says. "But I told him, 'If this doesn't work, we need to go get jobs again.' It was one of those really hard conversations you have. I told him I was doing this because he felt so strongly about it. It wasn't an ultimatum, but just the truth of the situation."
Backs to the Wall
One year after attending MegaMarketing, Mark and Patricia's real estate dream is back on track. Thanks to the success of their marketing campaign, their 2008 production numbers will almost rival the highs they achieved in the halcyon days of 2005, even though South Carolina's market conditions remain stuck in neutral. They nearly recouped their entire investment in personal marketing in the first deal they closed, and they have more transactions in the pipeline that will more than double the profits they attribute directly to their campaign by the end of September.
"It feels great," Patricia says. "It's affirmed that if you set goals and objectives and spend time on lead generating, and if you truly believe you will get results out of that, you will. There might have been a time when we were on the edge of believing, but now we know that we would not have gotten this business if we weren't doing what we are doing."
They Almost Pulled the Plug
What Patricia is alluding to is the skepticism she and Mark felt several months after they launched their campaign. After attending MegaMarketing last August, they spent the next few months "scrubbing their database" in order to launch their marketing campaign in January '08. When the New Year arrived, they began sending out their personal brochure and the corresponding follow-up letters and postcards according to the direct mail plan they received at the MegaMarketing seminar. Their database included a farm of 450 homes and then another 100-150 names in their sphere of influence.
After four months of mailing three pieces a month to nearly 600 addresses with no response, Mark and Patricia were nervous. But to their credit, where many agents would have given up or sought out a new "silver bullet" (see last month's article), Mark and Patricia stuck to their plan and continued believing that their efforts would eventually bear fruit.
"There was a point where it was hard to keep mailing, but we were committed to doing it," Patricia says. "We had invested so much time, energy and money into the process, and even six months in we hadn't recouped anything yet. But we knew we couldn't stop yet."
Patience Pays OffThen one day, Mark and Patricia got a call out of the blue. It was a homeowner in their farm area looking to sell her house. They went on the listing presentation, listened to the homeowner tell them how impressed she was by their marketing, and took the listing at $885,000. They soon sold it for $875,000. The downsizing client then bought a house on the same street through Mark and Patricia for $650,000.
After those transactions closed, Mark and Patricia publicized them with a Just Sold message overprinted on their Powerkard. Suddenly they landed three more listings as a result of their combined efforts. Within a few weeks time, they went from fearful their marketing wasn't working to having paid for itself completely. They currently have more listings under contract that will make 2008 one of their best years ever. And as if that's not enough, they've also increased their average sales price from around $525,000 to nearly $725,000. This spike in production is business they never would have seen had they not been marketing themselves. And when you factor in their increased sales price and additional business with their core business generated from past clients and referrals, Mark and Patricia reduced the number of homes they need to sell to hit their annual target from 36 to 20.
Success Breeds SuccessWith their business looking up, Mark and Patricia have noted a secondary effect of their success in the form of a renewed focus and clarity in their careers. Patricia says that despite the fact they're still "working their butts off," suddenly their entire business seems easier.
"When all of a sudden it starts working, it just keeps working," Patricia says. "When you feel successful, you're more thorough in your work and you don't overlook any opportunities. When things aren't humming along, it's easy to lose momentum on your lead-generating activities."
Patricia offers another analogy to make sense of this phenomenon:
"I started working out with weights six to eight months ago, and it's the same thing there," she says. "It's really hard to go lift weights until you see the results. But after a while, I noticed that every day I went to the gym, I was able to sleep through the night with no interruptions. When you see that tangible result and you start to see things and do things in your life that you couldn't do before, it reinforces the behavior to continue. I try to live my whole life that way."
Looking Forward
Thanks to the spike in their average sales price, Mark and Patricia can meet their annual income goal by selling 20 homes a year. Their immediate goal, which probably won't occur until 2009, is to hire an assistant to free them from the tedious tasks of inputting all their own listings, updating their web site and managing their direct mail campaign. For the long term, they aim to keep increasing the size of their direct mail farm and building their brand in anticipation for the market getting hot again.
"When we have another market like 2005, just think what our business will be like when we have a huge database of people who think of us every time someone mentions real estate," Patricia says.
She says she's known since the time she got her first job at the age of 16 that sales are built on relationships. It's that approach that proved successful for decades in telecommunications sales, and it's the key to success in her marketing. With every direct mail piece that lands in a homeowners' mailbox, she and Mark are building stronger relationships with those prospective clients. Her real long-term goal envisions their brand making business a breeze.
"It's such a thrill to take 'come list me' calls," she says. "I envision a day where our entire farm knows us and we continue getting these great calls out of the blue." If 2008 is any indication, they're off to a great start.
When it Comes to Your Bio, Make Sure You Go for the Gold!
Your personal story can be a powerful thing. The only problem is that it's obvious most agents don't have the first clue how to tell their own story. Don explains in this month's tip of the month. By Don Hobbs, September 2008
As I was pondering what to write about in my monthly eNews article, I came across an ActiveRain blog post titled, "How Do You Write Your Agent Bio? Put Your Best Foot Forward & Write Something Unique (Lose the Boilerplate!)." In the post, the writer notes how she came across a bio of a relatively new agent, and how the bio seemed very "reminiscent" of something she'd seen before. She goes on to explain how she Googled one particular phrase and found 1,030 exact matches on the Internet! Ouch. Hardly original, right?
Deja Vu
I scanned some of the comments and feedback from other agents. There were quite a few. Some remarked how hard it is to write one's own bio. Others commented on how important it is to differentiate oneself from other agents, and ironically, many others complained about copycat agents who perform wholesale lifting of bios, slogans and taglines from others. All this talk felt familiar to me — and for good reason.
A Long 'Personal' Journey
It was more than 22 years ago that Greg Herder and I embarked on our long journey of teaching agents all about the power of Personal Marketing. Over those two decades we logged a collective seven-plus million frequent flyer miles and spent countless hours in airports across North America. In the beginning, our message was pure heresy and one angry broker literally chased us out of his office. But an early strategic component of our message was how important it is for agents to differentiate themselves, to brand themselves, and to do it by telling their unique story.
Making An Impact
Now, reflecting back two decades later and reading the comments in ActiveRain, I had mixed emotions. The fact that agents are talking about writing "bios" and "differentiating" themselves warms my heart and makes me feel good about Greg's and my contributions to spreading this message for over 22 years. It feels like we've come a long way and we made an impact.
Defining What a Bio Is
But a tinge of sadness came over me that made me feel like we haven't accomplished that much progress after all. I realize that for many of these agents who are blogging about the importance of having a bio, their definition of what a bio is falls way short. For many of them, a bio is still comprised only of "how many years they've been in the business," or "what their service philosophy is," or trotting out the "infamous real estate designations." That is NOT your bio. You need to tell Your Story. That's how you differentiate yourself.
An Example of Olympian Proportions
Let me give you the perfect example of the power of one's "story." Just as it probably was for many of you, the splendor of the Olympics had been in full swing on my television during much of August. I enjoyed watching the competition and seeing so many records being broken. But if you had been watching, you probably noticed that every once in a while, they'll do a "back story" on some of these athletes. These short vignettes or stories are great. You learn about trials and tribulations the athletes went through to get to the Olympics. You learn about all the odds they overcame. You learn about their families, what inspires them.
"Hi Mom!"
As a viewer, you meet Michael Phelps' mom and you learn about her sacrifices, you see the obvious pride she has for her son. You hear the NBC commentator mention how Shawn Johnson's parents mortgaged their house twice to finance her training and keep her dream alive. You see the athletes' mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters beaming in the stands. These "glimpses" of their private lives, these "pieces" of the entire fabric of their story intrigues us and the athletes become more human, more likeable.
Transformation!
Suddenly, you aren't just watching someone run on a track, swim across a pool or perform a routine on a balance beam; you are rooting for a person you care about, someone you feel connected to. Emotions enter into the mix. You feel their pain and you can almost feel their same exhilaration as they cross the finish line. You want them to win even more because you like them and understand what has gone into that win.
Who Do You Root For?
You can see how the stories behind the athletes make them unique. After all, except for some slight color variations, they all wear the same type of state-of-the-art aerodynamic tracksuits and streamlined swimsuits; they all look the same at the starting line. The stories differentiate the athletes, and make you root for that one racer over all the others. The stories make the events richer, more dramatic, much more powerful.
Taking it One Race at a Time
Think about it: if you only were shown the racer's stats and times from his or her last 10 races, or were read a list of how many trophies or ribbons that swimmer won in college, or if you were only told that this gymnast's training philosophy is to "work real hard," you wouldn't have the same experience. Why? All those things are similar for most athletes. What makes them different aren't race results, winning times, past medals and trophies or sports cliches about being dedicated and taking it "one race at a time." What makes them different is their story. Their unique set of life experiences that forged their character that are different from all others' life experiences. Learning about these unique stories forms an emotional connection with us. "I am rooting for the swimmer in lane 5!"
As You Stand in the Starting Gate
The same applies to your real estate career. As you line up at the starting gate with hundreds of agents who look and act the same, how do you stand out and get consumers to connect with you, to make them root for you — and most importantly — call you instead of all the other agents at the starting gate to come list their houses?
The answer is branding. It's personal marketing and differentiating yourself by telling your story. Your unique story. Your story cannot be copied because it is uniquely yours. It will make prospects notice you, care about you and connect with you. It will make them feel comfortable picking up the phone and dialing your number instead of one of the agents from the office across the street.
A Message as Timely as Ever!
Twenty-two years ago, Greg and I hit the road to preach this message. Now, probably more than ever, it's a timely message. Buyers and sellers are gun shy. They are unsure of this market and what it holds for them. They don't know if it's a good time to buy. They are wary of what they're hearing on the news about less than ethical behavior in the mortgage industry. Many sellers are still in denial holding on to prices that are not reflective of the current market. How do you not only stand out from the pack, but also gain their confidence and trust so that they will pick you and trust your advice?
Go for the Gold
You do it by branding yourself with a unique story presented in a quality format. That's how you stand out, get noticed and get called. It's how you get consumers to connect with you and WANT to do business with you. So if you're pondering what you should write in your bio, make sure you tell your unique emotional story, don't copy anyone, and even better — consider giving Hobbs/Herder a call. We are the original Storytellers and we'll find your story and get it communicated. We'll help you Go for the Gold!
What do you think? I want your feedback. Send any comments or questions to Don.Hobbs@HobbsHerder.com.
As I was pondering what to write about in my monthly eNews article, I came across an ActiveRain blog post titled, "How Do You Write Your Agent Bio? Put Your Best Foot Forward & Write Something Unique (Lose the Boilerplate!)." In the post, the writer notes how she came across a bio of a relatively new agent, and how the bio seemed very "reminiscent" of something she'd seen before. She goes on to explain how she Googled one particular phrase and found 1,030 exact matches on the Internet! Ouch. Hardly original, right?
Deja Vu
I scanned some of the comments and feedback from other agents. There were quite a few. Some remarked how hard it is to write one's own bio. Others commented on how important it is to differentiate oneself from other agents, and ironically, many others complained about copycat agents who perform wholesale lifting of bios, slogans and taglines from others. All this talk felt familiar to me — and for good reason.
A Long 'Personal' Journey
It was more than 22 years ago that Greg Herder and I embarked on our long journey of teaching agents all about the power of Personal Marketing. Over those two decades we logged a collective seven-plus million frequent flyer miles and spent countless hours in airports across North America. In the beginning, our message was pure heresy and one angry broker literally chased us out of his office. But an early strategic component of our message was how important it is for agents to differentiate themselves, to brand themselves, and to do it by telling their unique story.
Making An Impact
Now, reflecting back two decades later and reading the comments in ActiveRain, I had mixed emotions. The fact that agents are talking about writing "bios" and "differentiating" themselves warms my heart and makes me feel good about Greg's and my contributions to spreading this message for over 22 years. It feels like we've come a long way and we made an impact.
Defining What a Bio Is
But a tinge of sadness came over me that made me feel like we haven't accomplished that much progress after all. I realize that for many of these agents who are blogging about the importance of having a bio, their definition of what a bio is falls way short. For many of them, a bio is still comprised only of "how many years they've been in the business," or "what their service philosophy is," or trotting out the "infamous real estate designations." That is NOT your bio. You need to tell Your Story. That's how you differentiate yourself.
An Example of Olympian Proportions
Let me give you the perfect example of the power of one's "story." Just as it probably was for many of you, the splendor of the Olympics had been in full swing on my television during much of August. I enjoyed watching the competition and seeing so many records being broken. But if you had been watching, you probably noticed that every once in a while, they'll do a "back story" on some of these athletes. These short vignettes or stories are great. You learn about trials and tribulations the athletes went through to get to the Olympics. You learn about all the odds they overcame. You learn about their families, what inspires them.
"Hi Mom!"
As a viewer, you meet Michael Phelps' mom and you learn about her sacrifices, you see the obvious pride she has for her son. You hear the NBC commentator mention how Shawn Johnson's parents mortgaged their house twice to finance her training and keep her dream alive. You see the athletes' mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters beaming in the stands. These "glimpses" of their private lives, these "pieces" of the entire fabric of their story intrigues us and the athletes become more human, more likeable.
Transformation!
Suddenly, you aren't just watching someone run on a track, swim across a pool or perform a routine on a balance beam; you are rooting for a person you care about, someone you feel connected to. Emotions enter into the mix. You feel their pain and you can almost feel their same exhilaration as they cross the finish line. You want them to win even more because you like them and understand what has gone into that win.
Who Do You Root For?
You can see how the stories behind the athletes make them unique. After all, except for some slight color variations, they all wear the same type of state-of-the-art aerodynamic tracksuits and streamlined swimsuits; they all look the same at the starting line. The stories differentiate the athletes, and make you root for that one racer over all the others. The stories make the events richer, more dramatic, much more powerful.
Taking it One Race at a Time
Think about it: if you only were shown the racer's stats and times from his or her last 10 races, or were read a list of how many trophies or ribbons that swimmer won in college, or if you were only told that this gymnast's training philosophy is to "work real hard," you wouldn't have the same experience. Why? All those things are similar for most athletes. What makes them different aren't race results, winning times, past medals and trophies or sports cliches about being dedicated and taking it "one race at a time." What makes them different is their story. Their unique set of life experiences that forged their character that are different from all others' life experiences. Learning about these unique stories forms an emotional connection with us. "I am rooting for the swimmer in lane 5!"
As You Stand in the Starting Gate
The same applies to your real estate career. As you line up at the starting gate with hundreds of agents who look and act the same, how do you stand out and get consumers to connect with you, to make them root for you — and most importantly — call you instead of all the other agents at the starting gate to come list their houses?
The answer is branding. It's personal marketing and differentiating yourself by telling your story. Your unique story. Your story cannot be copied because it is uniquely yours. It will make prospects notice you, care about you and connect with you. It will make them feel comfortable picking up the phone and dialing your number instead of one of the agents from the office across the street.
A Message as Timely as Ever!
Twenty-two years ago, Greg and I hit the road to preach this message. Now, probably more than ever, it's a timely message. Buyers and sellers are gun shy. They are unsure of this market and what it holds for them. They don't know if it's a good time to buy. They are wary of what they're hearing on the news about less than ethical behavior in the mortgage industry. Many sellers are still in denial holding on to prices that are not reflective of the current market. How do you not only stand out from the pack, but also gain their confidence and trust so that they will pick you and trust your advice?
Go for the Gold
You do it by branding yourself with a unique story presented in a quality format. That's how you stand out, get noticed and get called. It's how you get consumers to connect with you and WANT to do business with you. So if you're pondering what you should write in your bio, make sure you tell your unique emotional story, don't copy anyone, and even better — consider giving Hobbs/Herder a call. We are the original Storytellers and we'll find your story and get it communicated. We'll help you Go for the Gold!
What do you think? I want your feedback. Send any comments or questions to Don.Hobbs@HobbsHerder.com.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
WOMEN CONNECTION'S NETWORK
Women Anticipate a New Brand of Networking!
Women in business have unique requirements when it comes to their networking strategies. To women, it is about developing relationships, making connections along with creating business alliances they share common interest with, like and trust. Women Connection’s network is looking for women who want to develop personally and professionally by joining a group of like minded women.
Women Connection’s network is a unique system for building business relationships. With a twice a month meeting format, the emphasis is on mentoring, sharing resources, education and social activities. We offer monthly educational speakers sharing business tips for increased income and solutions for challenges unique to professional women, like work/life balance, stress management, or aging parents.
Women Connection’s Elk River pilot chapter has grown to over 70 members strong, and the successful enterprise is expanding to offer other communities the learning, leadership, relationship building and, of course, business connections that are vital to women in business.
We are looking for women interested in joining women focused networking, as well as women who would like to begin their own chapter. The benefits of beginning a chapter include building your business though relationships as well as a earning a part time income.
The new locations for Women Connection network sites are projected to take place in Anoka, Blaine, Andover, St Michael, and Buffalo. If you are interested in a Women Connections chapter in your area, please let us know.
We invite you to check out the website for additional information and by visiting http://www.womenconnectionsnetwork.com/ or by calling 612-219-3062.
Women in business have unique requirements when it comes to their networking strategies. To women, it is about developing relationships, making connections along with creating business alliances they share common interest with, like and trust. Women Connection’s network is looking for women who want to develop personally and professionally by joining a group of like minded women.
Women Connection’s network is a unique system for building business relationships. With a twice a month meeting format, the emphasis is on mentoring, sharing resources, education and social activities. We offer monthly educational speakers sharing business tips for increased income and solutions for challenges unique to professional women, like work/life balance, stress management, or aging parents.
Women Connection’s Elk River pilot chapter has grown to over 70 members strong, and the successful enterprise is expanding to offer other communities the learning, leadership, relationship building and, of course, business connections that are vital to women in business.
We are looking for women interested in joining women focused networking, as well as women who would like to begin their own chapter. The benefits of beginning a chapter include building your business though relationships as well as a earning a part time income.
The new locations for Women Connection network sites are projected to take place in Anoka, Blaine, Andover, St Michael, and Buffalo. If you are interested in a Women Connections chapter in your area, please let us know.
We invite you to check out the website for additional information and by visiting http://www.womenconnectionsnetwork.com/ or by calling 612-219-3062.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Industry Profile: Nancy Scott
Nancy Scott
Education and Professional Development Director
Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®
Q: Share a little bit about your family
Oldest of three…next time coming back as #2…they have more fun! Proud mother of two amazing daughters, Amy and Molly, and grandmother of Cole Joseph, Delaney McLaughlin, Robert Brent Teele, and his soon to be born sister.
Q. Where were you born and raised?
Small town America…everyone knew everyone’s parents…we couldn’t get away with anything as kids! Loved the band shell in the middle of town and playing in the marching band for community holidays.
Q. How long have you been with the association? How long have you been in the real estate industry?
My real estate career began in 1984…yes, I am older than dirt. My tenure at the Minneapolis Area Association began in 1999.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the real estate industry?
The cast of characters I get to work with …no two days are the same. Enjoy most… supporting the career committed REALTOR® accomplish their dreams.
Q. Why did you choose this career?
It gave me the opportunity to grow my business in an ever changing industry with other courageous colleagues.
Q. Did you have a mentor or people that influenced you or helped you along the way?
I have been blessed to know many “he”roes and “she”roes during my real estate career. When getting started it was Bob Scott, my late husband and best friend. As a hero and mentor, he helped me understand real estate was a people business and relationships are to be treasured. Betty Tarr, a superstar manager and sales power woman, was an incredible career inspiration and role model who became my chosen sister. And there are so many others…
Compass Academy has become a source of positive energy and opportunity to learn from current and soon-to-be industry leaders (see http://www.mplsrealtor.com/member_networking_compass.aspx for a complete list of participants!).
Q. What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned during your career?
Be prepared to be surprised, there’s never a dull moment in our business, and to roll with the punches!
Q. What awards or special designations have you earned?
As a lifelong learning junkie, I am a proud graduate of St. Mary’s Human Development Master’s program. I was able to write my own program and meet so many inspiring, motivating, and amazing adult learners.
Most recently, I was awarded “favorite gramma” from Cole Joseph McLaughlin, 4 years wise!
Q. What new technology or tools have helped you perform your job better?
I have a love-hate relationship with e-mail! Love it that I can send messages 24/7 and keep in touch quicker, faster, better. Hate…spammers, hackers and phishers.
Q. Share a success story that you have experienced in the last year or two?
It has been gratifying to be part of the expansion of our education initiatives at MAAR that better serve REALTOR® members who value personal growth and professional growth.
Q. What are ways that you give back to the community and what do you enjoy being involved in?
During my years at MAAR, I have had the privilege to work with many volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. Most memorable were the Toys for Tots “commandos” who worked very hard to make Christmas special for kids who otherwise may not have had a memorable day. Also, Habitat for Humanity volunteers who climbed ladders used staple guns on soffits that were two stories off the ground and many more valuable contributions to helping others know the joy of home ownership. Also, I’m a member of St. Joan of Arc, a catholic community of social justice activists.
Q. How do you balance work and family given the demands of the real estate industry?
I am still working on that skill. My grandchildren are motivating me to play more and work less.
Q. What industry challenges are you experiencing right now?
Tough to pick just one…REALTORS® who have less income due to a down market that unfortunately view continuing education as an expense not an investment in themselves and their business.
Q. What change in the real estate market has surprised you over the last few years?
Working with the Department of Commerce has become increasingly difficult and restrictive. Although I can appreciate their focus on consumer protection; well-trained agents with accurate information and solid skills can do more for today’s real estate consumer than the alternative.
Q. What advice would you have for those considering real estate as a career?
Considering a career in real estate requires a good understanding of the financial demands of starting your own business. Pockets need to be deep to sustain roller coaster ride. Be open to learning and finding resources that will help you learn how to run a business. Include family in career transition plans and changes in daily schedules. Most importantly, a passion for home ownership for all and business savvy to pay the bills.
Q. Talk about the importance of a strong moral compass and high integrity.
I feel that this is such an important piece of being a great REALTOR®. The Department of Commerce and Minnesota Legislature must realize the impact and importance of increasing the “minimum” requirements to become and remain a real estate professional. The legislature, specifically, must see that education, criminal history, and licensure requirements all need to improve drastically!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Being There: Make Social Networking Work for You
Being There: Make Social Networking Work for You
Success in real estate comes from finding customers and referrals and, perhaps more importantly, making it as easy as possible for them to find you. As communications channels have evolved over the decades, industry professionals have quickly incorporated them into their marketing strategies, from newspaper display ads to direct mail, from televised “home showcases” to websites.
The 21st Century has brought perhaps the most exciting — and sometimes intimidating — collection of communication tools yet. Known generally as “Web 2.0” or “social networking,” these technologies tap the power of Internet search engines, interactive blogs, discussion forums, maps, and near-infinite server and broadband capacity. Agents can not only share information with prospective buyers and sellers, but also establish a “Web presence” and forge productive professional relationships among people they may otherwise never even see or speak with.
While real estate-oriented Web 2.0 applications take many forms (see sidebar), they all share a common goal—to help real estate professionals sell homes by connecting them with the widest possible network of customers and colleagues. The only fundamental difference from traditional marketing and networking efforts is that it takes place in cyberspace rather than in the mail, in the media or in person.
“More than 80% of buyers use the Web as the starting point for researching new homes and markets,” says Robert Jenson, CEO of The Jenson Group, Las Vegas. “Even buyers who are working with an agent are still going to websites to get additional information.”
And it’s not just computer-literate Generation Xers and Millenials who are making social networking so popular. “You’d expect them to embrace these sites, but use is growing among other demographics too,” notes Mitch Levinson, owner of MLC New Home Marketing, Atlanta.
Open for Opinion
One of the fastest growing Web 2.0 tools for real estate professionals are blogs—online journals maintained on their own websites, or at industry-wide sites such as ActiveRain, Zillow and many others. Through blogs, an agent can share information about…well, anything—local or neighborhood information, general and market-specific buying trends and considerations, architectural styles, amenities, and even personal opinions and experiences.
Along with talking to each other, blogs allow real estate professionals to communicate to customers and prospects either through their own entries, or by responding to a question on one of the growing number of blogs and forums dedicated to assisting consumers.
“Blogs also help get answers to your questions with a quick turnaround,” says Sabrina Kizzie, owner of SKL Properties of New York, LLC, whose recently launched blog, “NYC Short Sales Expert,” assists real estate professionals with questions about short sales techniques. “They are uncensored and unedited, and unlike other mediums, there is no real limitation on space.”
Of course, knowledge matters in the blogosphere. But the true “secret weapon” that makes them so valuable as marketing tools are search engines such as Google and Yahoo! Because a search engine user can plug in an infinite range of keywords, nearly any topic stands a fair chance of being picked up for the results list.
“Search engines eat blog entries up,” observes Jay Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Realty, Phoenix, who maintains his blog, “The Phoenix Real Estate Guy,” and contributes to several others. “I can do a post and within five minutes, Google will find it.”
It’s that effectiveness in driving traffic to an agent’s website that makes social networking so popular. Thompson can attest to that, noting that his three-year-old blog accounts for 90% of his business. “It has eclipsed the traffic on my website because it’s marketing for 24/7,” he says. Blogging has also helped Thompson network with other real estate agents around the country. “I know blogging agents in most every city and state who I’d be comfortable referring customers to, and they’re comfortable referring people to me.”
Thompson started his blog to complement his existing website, and provide an outlet for his interest in writing. “When I first started, there very few other real estate blogs,” he says. “Then about 18 months ago, they exploded to the point where there are hundreds being added every week.”
A blog also helped real estate author/trainer Jennifer Allen resume her career as an agent last fall. Having heard other success stories about real estate bloggers, she dedicated her blog, “Charming Old Denver,” to reach buyers, sellers and referrals for properties in the city’s central neighborhoods.
“I received a call on February 1st—the same day my real estate license was activated,” marvels Jennifer. “Over time, referrals started to come in from other agents and from the blogs I maintain on ActiveRain.”
Whether customers find the agent first through the blog or his/her home offerings is a “chicken-egg” question that’s not easily answered. While Thompson’s blog includes forms for visitors to submit questions via email, “they usually just say that they ‘found me on the Internet,’” he says. “They don’t remember exactly where, which attests to just how many sites they’re visiting while doing research.”
Prep Work
Of course, nothing good comes easy. As with any other marketing tactic, successful blogs and social networking don’t happen on their own.
“Lots of agents are jumping on the blog bandwagon thinking it’s the perfect answer,” Thompson agrees. “It’s not; it takes a lot of work.”
According to Mary Kurek, an Atlantic Beach, NC-based real estate visibility consultant, one of the first concerns agents express is the amount of time involved to learn how to create and maintain a successful blog.
“Realtors are comfortable with traditional marketing methods such as ads and postcards, and this is something new that they have to get used to,” she says, adding that despite the seeming immediacy of the Internet, “it takes time to develop a successful online presence, which goes against many people’s desire to get an instant response.”
Jenson agrees, calling blogs a “breadcrumb approach.” “People keep coming back and recognizing you as a valuable source,” he says. “Once they get to know and trust you, they’ll hire you.” The time required to prepare and post entries, and respond to questions is also a concern for many, Kurek says, but it’s really no different from putting stamps and labels on postcards, “which are likely not generating a lot of responses these days.”
Then, of course, there’s the matter of what to blog about. A good place to start is the customer’s point of view.
“Think about information that other Realtors and customers may be looking for about a particular area, current issues or things related to the buying and selling process,” Kurek advises. “Make sure the content includes the keywords and browser titles that will catch search engine’s attention.”
Sincerity and individuality are important ingredients to a successful blog, which is why writers should simply be themselves rather than adopting false personas. “If you don’t like writing, you shouldn’t blog,” Allen says. “Otherwise, it’s a matter of getting into the habit of doing it. Write for yourself, and your audience will find you. Don’t feel like it has to be perfect. What one reader may consider dull may appeal to someone else.”
There are some obvious blogging don’ts as well, such as plagiarizing other sources without credit, consistently running long (briefer is better, but four to five paragraphs is a good limit) and misrepresentation.
However, writing on non-real estate topics is acceptable and, often, beneficial.
“Real estate is still a people business,” Thompson says. “People pick agents because they connect with them at some level, and blogs are a powerful tool for doing just that. Several customers have hired us to sell their homes without the need for a presentation. They simply got to know us by reading the blog.”
Starting Points
With literally thousands of real estate blogs and industry forums already online, agents who are considering putting in their two cyber-cents on a regular basis have plenty of models to draw on.
“Look at agent sites in your marketplace, and nationally, as well as the blogs on ActiveRain and Trulia and see what other people write about,” Levinson advises.
Thompson adds that while technical expertise is helpful for blogging, many sites are available to help newcomers get started for little or no cost. “You can be up and running in five minutes,” he says. “While the ultimate goal is to have a self-hosted blog with distinctive style and content, these sites are a good way to see if the concept is for you.”
Could the ease and popularity of social networking squeeze out more conventional forms of real estate marketing? Kizzie thinks so.
“Printing materials have become costly and have a limited distribution, whereas the Web and social networking sites allow for a much more cost-effective way of marketing your company while reaching an endless amount of potential clients,” she says. “People want immediate access to information, and that type of need can only be served using websites and social networking tools.”
Others feel that ads, direct mail and—most importantly—face-to-face opportunities still have a place in the real estate professional’s marketing toolbox. Each needs to choose the mix that works best for his or her target market.
“Social networking is like any other type of marketing—part science and part art,” Levinson says. “It’s up to each person to find the right balance.”
Are there consequences to not making the most of social networks?
“You’re not doomed if you don’t,” Thompson says, “but you had better watch and understand what’s happening with them, because they’re going to change this business.”
Jenson agrees that social networking will only increase, particularly among the next generations of homebuyers. “They’re the ones who’ll be using these tools,” he says. “Wherever they are, that’s where I want to be too.”
BIO:
Jim Parsons is a freelance writer based in Bristow, VA. Reach him at jim@parsonage.net.
SIDEBAR:
It’s Not Called “The Web” for Nothing
What can you do with real estate-oriented online tools? The answer is simple: What do you want to do?
With every iteration and enhancement in search engine, mapping and communication technology, it now takes real estate professionals a matter of seconds to gather and share information that once took innumerable hours, phone calls and library visits to compile—not counting time used for dead-ends, other business responsibilities, and that wonderful invention called sleep.
Users have their choice of listing sites such as Craigslist, Rehablist, MyHouseDeals and SubmitTheOffer to so-called aggregator sites such as Trulia, Zillow, eneighborhoods and Propsmart that consolidate listings from several sources. These sites also serve as IT convergence zones of sorts, using mapping technology to display regional, citywide and even neighborhood-level demographics, home values and pricing trends.
Then there are the real estate networking sites such as ActiveRain, Inman’s Real Estate Connect and Zillow’s Home Q&A section where real estate professionals can exchange information, opinions and trends.
And for every one of these sites, there seems to be an infinite number of success stories. Vicki Lobo, an agent from Realty and Lending Concierge, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, is an enthusiastic user of RealtyTrac, a national listing of home foreclosures.
“We realized that almost everything a person wanted to know about the market and available properties was on that site,” she says. “People interested in a particular property email us for help in putting in an offer. We don’t have enough agents to handle all the leads that come in on a daily basis.”
Sabrina Kizzie adds that the most rewarding part of using these sites is, “the opportunity to reach national and international markets, which I never thought possible before Internet marketing became such a powerful tool.”
Kizzie adds that while these online marketing tools allow her to sell more properties in a shorter amount of time, not every site works for everyone.
“It is important to research the sites or even try them out a few times to be sure they fit your market needs,” she says.
John Ha, sales manager for the Weichert Realtors team that’s marketing the Residences at Dixon Mills in Jersey City, NJ, has found Craigslist to be an ideal way to reach the development’s 25- to 35-year-old target market.
“This demographic is extremely Web-savvy and utilizes Craigslist when making other purchases,” Ha says. “When we list open houses, we’ll get at least four to five leads a weekend.”
Despite the obvious impact of these online tools, Ha isn’t ready to abandon print media. “You can’t rely on a single vehicle to drive traffic,” he says. “You have to develop a market plan and use all the tools available. Doing print and the Internet collaboratively has been a strong point in our marketing plan.” It’s worked very well, he adds, noting that “both feed off of and leverage each other.”
Success in real estate comes from finding customers and referrals and, perhaps more importantly, making it as easy as possible for them to find you. As communications channels have evolved over the decades, industry professionals have quickly incorporated them into their marketing strategies, from newspaper display ads to direct mail, from televised “home showcases” to websites.
The 21st Century has brought perhaps the most exciting — and sometimes intimidating — collection of communication tools yet. Known generally as “Web 2.0” or “social networking,” these technologies tap the power of Internet search engines, interactive blogs, discussion forums, maps, and near-infinite server and broadband capacity. Agents can not only share information with prospective buyers and sellers, but also establish a “Web presence” and forge productive professional relationships among people they may otherwise never even see or speak with.
While real estate-oriented Web 2.0 applications take many forms (see sidebar), they all share a common goal—to help real estate professionals sell homes by connecting them with the widest possible network of customers and colleagues. The only fundamental difference from traditional marketing and networking efforts is that it takes place in cyberspace rather than in the mail, in the media or in person.
“More than 80% of buyers use the Web as the starting point for researching new homes and markets,” says Robert Jenson, CEO of The Jenson Group, Las Vegas. “Even buyers who are working with an agent are still going to websites to get additional information.”
And it’s not just computer-literate Generation Xers and Millenials who are making social networking so popular. “You’d expect them to embrace these sites, but use is growing among other demographics too,” notes Mitch Levinson, owner of MLC New Home Marketing, Atlanta.
Open for Opinion
One of the fastest growing Web 2.0 tools for real estate professionals are blogs—online journals maintained on their own websites, or at industry-wide sites such as ActiveRain, Zillow and many others. Through blogs, an agent can share information about…well, anything—local or neighborhood information, general and market-specific buying trends and considerations, architectural styles, amenities, and even personal opinions and experiences.
Along with talking to each other, blogs allow real estate professionals to communicate to customers and prospects either through their own entries, or by responding to a question on one of the growing number of blogs and forums dedicated to assisting consumers.
“Blogs also help get answers to your questions with a quick turnaround,” says Sabrina Kizzie, owner of SKL Properties of New York, LLC, whose recently launched blog, “NYC Short Sales Expert,” assists real estate professionals with questions about short sales techniques. “They are uncensored and unedited, and unlike other mediums, there is no real limitation on space.”
Of course, knowledge matters in the blogosphere. But the true “secret weapon” that makes them so valuable as marketing tools are search engines such as Google and Yahoo! Because a search engine user can plug in an infinite range of keywords, nearly any topic stands a fair chance of being picked up for the results list.
“Search engines eat blog entries up,” observes Jay Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Realty, Phoenix, who maintains his blog, “The Phoenix Real Estate Guy,” and contributes to several others. “I can do a post and within five minutes, Google will find it.”
It’s that effectiveness in driving traffic to an agent’s website that makes social networking so popular. Thompson can attest to that, noting that his three-year-old blog accounts for 90% of his business. “It has eclipsed the traffic on my website because it’s marketing for 24/7,” he says. Blogging has also helped Thompson network with other real estate agents around the country. “I know blogging agents in most every city and state who I’d be comfortable referring customers to, and they’re comfortable referring people to me.”
Thompson started his blog to complement his existing website, and provide an outlet for his interest in writing. “When I first started, there very few other real estate blogs,” he says. “Then about 18 months ago, they exploded to the point where there are hundreds being added every week.”
A blog also helped real estate author/trainer Jennifer Allen resume her career as an agent last fall. Having heard other success stories about real estate bloggers, she dedicated her blog, “Charming Old Denver,” to reach buyers, sellers and referrals for properties in the city’s central neighborhoods.
“I received a call on February 1st—the same day my real estate license was activated,” marvels Jennifer. “Over time, referrals started to come in from other agents and from the blogs I maintain on ActiveRain.”
Whether customers find the agent first through the blog or his/her home offerings is a “chicken-egg” question that’s not easily answered. While Thompson’s blog includes forms for visitors to submit questions via email, “they usually just say that they ‘found me on the Internet,’” he says. “They don’t remember exactly where, which attests to just how many sites they’re visiting while doing research.”
Prep Work
Of course, nothing good comes easy. As with any other marketing tactic, successful blogs and social networking don’t happen on their own.
“Lots of agents are jumping on the blog bandwagon thinking it’s the perfect answer,” Thompson agrees. “It’s not; it takes a lot of work.”
According to Mary Kurek, an Atlantic Beach, NC-based real estate visibility consultant, one of the first concerns agents express is the amount of time involved to learn how to create and maintain a successful blog.
“Realtors are comfortable with traditional marketing methods such as ads and postcards, and this is something new that they have to get used to,” she says, adding that despite the seeming immediacy of the Internet, “it takes time to develop a successful online presence, which goes against many people’s desire to get an instant response.”
Jenson agrees, calling blogs a “breadcrumb approach.” “People keep coming back and recognizing you as a valuable source,” he says. “Once they get to know and trust you, they’ll hire you.” The time required to prepare and post entries, and respond to questions is also a concern for many, Kurek says, but it’s really no different from putting stamps and labels on postcards, “which are likely not generating a lot of responses these days.”
Then, of course, there’s the matter of what to blog about. A good place to start is the customer’s point of view.
“Think about information that other Realtors and customers may be looking for about a particular area, current issues or things related to the buying and selling process,” Kurek advises. “Make sure the content includes the keywords and browser titles that will catch search engine’s attention.”
Sincerity and individuality are important ingredients to a successful blog, which is why writers should simply be themselves rather than adopting false personas. “If you don’t like writing, you shouldn’t blog,” Allen says. “Otherwise, it’s a matter of getting into the habit of doing it. Write for yourself, and your audience will find you. Don’t feel like it has to be perfect. What one reader may consider dull may appeal to someone else.”
There are some obvious blogging don’ts as well, such as plagiarizing other sources without credit, consistently running long (briefer is better, but four to five paragraphs is a good limit) and misrepresentation.
However, writing on non-real estate topics is acceptable and, often, beneficial.
“Real estate is still a people business,” Thompson says. “People pick agents because they connect with them at some level, and blogs are a powerful tool for doing just that. Several customers have hired us to sell their homes without the need for a presentation. They simply got to know us by reading the blog.”
Starting Points
With literally thousands of real estate blogs and industry forums already online, agents who are considering putting in their two cyber-cents on a regular basis have plenty of models to draw on.
“Look at agent sites in your marketplace, and nationally, as well as the blogs on ActiveRain and Trulia and see what other people write about,” Levinson advises.
Thompson adds that while technical expertise is helpful for blogging, many sites are available to help newcomers get started for little or no cost. “You can be up and running in five minutes,” he says. “While the ultimate goal is to have a self-hosted blog with distinctive style and content, these sites are a good way to see if the concept is for you.”
Could the ease and popularity of social networking squeeze out more conventional forms of real estate marketing? Kizzie thinks so.
“Printing materials have become costly and have a limited distribution, whereas the Web and social networking sites allow for a much more cost-effective way of marketing your company while reaching an endless amount of potential clients,” she says. “People want immediate access to information, and that type of need can only be served using websites and social networking tools.”
Others feel that ads, direct mail and—most importantly—face-to-face opportunities still have a place in the real estate professional’s marketing toolbox. Each needs to choose the mix that works best for his or her target market.
“Social networking is like any other type of marketing—part science and part art,” Levinson says. “It’s up to each person to find the right balance.”
Are there consequences to not making the most of social networks?
“You’re not doomed if you don’t,” Thompson says, “but you had better watch and understand what’s happening with them, because they’re going to change this business.”
Jenson agrees that social networking will only increase, particularly among the next generations of homebuyers. “They’re the ones who’ll be using these tools,” he says. “Wherever they are, that’s where I want to be too.”
BIO:
Jim Parsons is a freelance writer based in Bristow, VA. Reach him at jim@parsonage.net.
SIDEBAR:
It’s Not Called “The Web” for Nothing
What can you do with real estate-oriented online tools? The answer is simple: What do you want to do?
With every iteration and enhancement in search engine, mapping and communication technology, it now takes real estate professionals a matter of seconds to gather and share information that once took innumerable hours, phone calls and library visits to compile—not counting time used for dead-ends, other business responsibilities, and that wonderful invention called sleep.
Users have their choice of listing sites such as Craigslist, Rehablist, MyHouseDeals and SubmitTheOffer to so-called aggregator sites such as Trulia, Zillow, eneighborhoods and Propsmart that consolidate listings from several sources. These sites also serve as IT convergence zones of sorts, using mapping technology to display regional, citywide and even neighborhood-level demographics, home values and pricing trends.
Then there are the real estate networking sites such as ActiveRain, Inman’s Real Estate Connect and Zillow’s Home Q&A section where real estate professionals can exchange information, opinions and trends.
And for every one of these sites, there seems to be an infinite number of success stories. Vicki Lobo, an agent from Realty and Lending Concierge, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, is an enthusiastic user of RealtyTrac, a national listing of home foreclosures.
“We realized that almost everything a person wanted to know about the market and available properties was on that site,” she says. “People interested in a particular property email us for help in putting in an offer. We don’t have enough agents to handle all the leads that come in on a daily basis.”
Sabrina Kizzie adds that the most rewarding part of using these sites is, “the opportunity to reach national and international markets, which I never thought possible before Internet marketing became such a powerful tool.”
Kizzie adds that while these online marketing tools allow her to sell more properties in a shorter amount of time, not every site works for everyone.
“It is important to research the sites or even try them out a few times to be sure they fit your market needs,” she says.
John Ha, sales manager for the Weichert Realtors team that’s marketing the Residences at Dixon Mills in Jersey City, NJ, has found Craigslist to be an ideal way to reach the development’s 25- to 35-year-old target market.
“More than 80% of buyers use the Web as the starting point for researching new homes and markets,” says Robert Jenson, CEO of The Jenson Group, Las Vegas.
“This demographic is extremely Web-savvy and utilizes Craigslist when making other purchases,” Ha says. “When we list open houses, we’ll get at least four to five leads a weekend.”
Despite the obvious impact of these online tools, Ha isn’t ready to abandon print media. “You can’t rely on a single vehicle to drive traffic,” he says. “You have to develop a market plan and use all the tools available. Doing print and the Internet collaboratively has been a strong point in our marketing plan.” It’s worked very well, he adds, noting that “both feed off of and leverage each other.”
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