Archive for the ‘At Real Estate Coach Radio this week’ Category

Facebook Group or Facebook Business Page? Which Is Best for Your Business?

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

The name of the game today when it comes to the social media is getting face-to-face with potential clients and engaging them in such a way that they will want to do business with you. One of the interesting changes that has resulted from web marketing and social networking is that it can take 12-18 months from the time that someone finds you online to the time they reach out to you to do business. The question is how do you keep them engaged during that 12-18 month period?

There are two very powerful ways to do this using Facebook. The first is a Facebook business page. A good Facebook business page is highly niched to a specific market area and a specific lifestyle. On your page, you can post information about the market, whether prices are appreciating, flat, or declining. You can also post mortgage information, fun things to do, videos of historical houses, or a host of other great information.

It’s the information piece that makes this valuable to consumers. One of the best examples of this is ?365 Things to Do in Austin??that has over 190,000 likes.

The challenge, however, is that this is only informational. It doesn’t promote conversations the way that a Facebook Group does.

To set up a Facebook Group for your area, you will want to invite people from your local market area that you know and trust to make regular comments on the group. To begin the process, go to your Facebook home page and look directly below the “Favorites” in the left tool bar.

Facebook will list all the groups to which you belong. At the bottom of that area, you will see an option “Create Group.” All you have to do is click on that, fill out the appropriate information, and you are ready to start inviting people to your group.

The difference between a group and a business page is that a group is really designed for people to share ideas and be in conversation. The business page is more like a billboard advertising your services. Your goal as the moderator of a group is to ask engaging questions that will motivate your group members to comment. For example:

1. Where’s the best place to see a panoramic view of downtown Austin?

2. It’s a 100+–where’s the best shaved ice in the city?

3. What’s your perception of the houses in your area–are they selling quickly or sitting on the market?

The idea is to engage people in discussion so that you don’t have to spend your time creating content. This means you will have to moderate the group to make sure nothing inappropriate is being post.

If you would like to know more about Facebook Groups, check out Jimmy Mackin’s post?on Inman Next for a very interesting perspective on why having a Facebook group is so critical.

Posted by Bernice Ross.

Don’t miss this week on RealEstateCoachRadio as Terri Murphy joins us for a five part series called, “The Power of a Red Hot Pre-Appointment System. Here’s what Terri will be covering: Monday: How to Stand Out from the Competition; Tuesday: Creative Ways to Deliver Your Pre-List Package; Wednesday: The Power of Strategic Alliances; Thursday: What to Include in Your Pre-List Package; Friday, Special Marketing Tools to Set You Apart

 

Solve Your Real Estate Business Problems an “Ounce” at a Time

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

A few days ago I hit a weight that was 1.5 pounds higher than I ever weighed. Too many desserts and heavy meals on the road coupled with my husband’s fantastic cooking have made me happy and content, but alas too heavy. I finally decided to bite the bullet and ordered one of those diets that sends you their pre-packaged food.

My husband totally supports me to “have my own experience.” I have to agree that eating pre-packaged food doesn’t hold a candle to the wonderful meals he prepares. On the other hand, I didn’t get here overnight. It was, as he put it, “an ounce at a time.”

His comment, “an ounce at  a time” really describes a powerful process of how we get into trouble in terms of our weight, our relationships, or our businesses, as well as the path that we need to follow to get out of trouble.

For example, you may be tempted not to tell your clients something that seems inconsequential such as the fact you noticed quite a few bees buzzing around one of the vent openings to the house. It doesn’t seem like a big thing until the buyers move in, one of their children is stung, and the child has a life-threatening reaction.

The more meticulous you can be about watching out for the little things, the easier it will be for you in the long run. To illustrate, I had some minor pain in one of my teeth. I was worried about it and my dentist couldn’t find the issue until I asked him to look again. Sure enough, one of my crowns had a leak. That was a $1,600 bill, however, if I had waited, the tooth would have abscessed, and it would have been another $1,400 to have had a root canal plus all the pain and inconvenience.

If you are having challenges in your business or personal life, the way out is “an ounce at a time.” Focus on taking one, easy simple step today in addressing the problem. Take another step tomorrow, and another step after that. It’s this slow and steady progress that ultimately wins the day. Conversely, it can be a slow, steady stream of little things that can cause great havoc as well.

There are two sayings that sum this up quite well, one from Ben Franklin and the other from Lao Tzu.

“A stitch in time saves nine” (Franklin)

“A journey of 10,000 miles begins with a single step.”

Be vigilant about watching for the “ounces” and remember major change starts with simple steps.

Posted by Bernice Ross, Join us this week at RealEstateCoachRadio.com to hear Len Elder of Course Creators with great tips on The Art of Engagement.

Real Estate Coaching Results that Rock: Put on a Happy Face

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

The idea that your body position influences your mood comes from Neurolinguistic programming (NLP). A great example is looking straight up and raising your hands over your head and waving them at the ceiling. This is an instant mood improver. I’ve done this exercise for years in groups and virtually everyone who does it smiles.

The reason, according to the NLP folks, is that different body positions become anchored with different emotions. When we were children, we would reach up to our mothers to pick us up. Assuming you had someone who picked you up and held you, this is anchored as a positive emotion. We also use this same movement when our favorite team scores and we cheer. Many dances also involve waving your hands above your head. In each case, these movements express good feelings. Consequently, you can tap into this “good feeling” move simply by looking up at the ceiling and waving your heads back and forth.

Some new research shows some other ways to achieve this same goal. Do you remember someone telling you when you were a kid, that if you would stop crying and smile, you’ll feel better? The research actually supports the fact that changing the expression on your face can actually change your mood.

One of the most surprising studies supporting this fact comes from a study of Botox users who had their frown lines eliminated. They tested as happier than those who can still frown.

Another study showed that people who were suffering from pain actually experienced greater degrees of pain than those who smiled or kept their faces neutral.

Consequently, if you’re having a tough day, one of the best things that you can do is to find something that makes you smile. Here are some suggestions:

1. Take a break from work during the middle of the day and see a funny movie.

2. Have a favorite treat (chocolate comes to mind) that makes you smile. In fact, the research actually does show that chocolate raises endorphins which is tied to happiness.

3. Call your biggest fan or a favorite loved one to bask in how much they care for you.

4. Ask for and give a hug–this is another way that good feelings from childhood are anchored.

5. Exercise, like chocolate, also raises endorphin levels and will improve your mood.

Posted by Bernice Ross, Join us this week on RealEstateCoachRadio.com to hear some really great positive news about what’s happening in the real estate market from Steve Cook, the Managing Editor of Real Estate Economic Watch. Believe it or not, even with all the awful news about the stock market and the U.S. credit downgrade, there is truly good news on the real estate front in many places.

Real Estate Coaching Results that Rock: Make Prospecting Fun

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Let’s face it. Most real estate professionals work really hard, often grab food on the run, and don’t take time to exercise. Recently, one of our coaching clients challenged us to “make prospecting fun.” Here are three ways you can enjoy life more, have fun, stay healthy, and perhaps even do some business along the way.

1. Take well-timed breaks

Do you believe that you have to jog daily and eat perfectly to limit your risk of heart disease? Surprisingly, you can dramatically reduce your risk of heart attack by taking regular breaks from work. Well timed breaks (a true change in activity, not a diversion like playing Angry Birds or other video games), actually increase productivity. This means that you will perform better when you prospect, go on listing appointments, or negotiate offers.

Dr. Paul Pearsall, in his book The Heart’s Code, describes the factors leading to heart attacks as well as the factors that support your heart’s health. One of the best things you can do to support heart health is to spend time with your loved ones, whether it’s family or close friends. Specifically, eating five leisurely evening meals a week with your loved ones dramatically reduces the incidence of heart attacks.

2. No jogging required

Pearsall’s research on jogging vs. not jogging is surprising. According the Pearsall, you’re better off sitting on the curb having a 100 hearty laughs a day than you are jogging. (Have you seen any joggers who laugh and smile while they run?) Laughter reduces your risk of heart attack and strengthens your overall immune response as well.

In terms of your business, clients love working with agents who are positive and upbeat. When you know how to make people laugh, it reduces the stress and makes your transactions go more smoothly. Furthermore, clients are more likely to refer an agent to their friends if that agent is fun to be with and gets the job done.

3. Have pet, will prospect

Interested in taking a break and prospecting at the same time? Research shows that owning a pet reduces blood pressure while also dramatically improving our sense of well-being. If you own a dog (or cat or pig) that can be walked on a leash, here’s a great way to take a break and prospect at the same time.

You can prospect by taking your pet for a walk at a local park, busy neighborhood, or other public area. . Another great alternative is to sit down with your pet outside a supermarket or department store. People will generally come up to talk to you and your pet. The key here is to make sure you’re wearing something that identifies you as being in real estate such as a name badge, company polo, company sweat shirt, etc. In fact, if you really want to grab some attention, you can always put the shirt on the dog—it’s a definite eye catcher! Your pet can help you meet new prospects in a much more friendly atmosphere as well helping increase your name recognition in your service area.

Posted by Bernice Ross. Join us on RealEstateCoachRadio.com to hear Blogger Extraordinaire Jim Cronin of the RealEstateTomato.com on “Essential Blog Tips for Real Estate.” Jim will be covering the following topics the week of 7-25-11: Why Blogging Is a Great Match for Real Estate;  Where Do I Get Content Ideas; Create Your Own Blog or Blog on ActiveRain, Trulia, or Zillow? Use Your Listings as a Teachable Moment; and Help! I’m Not a Good Writer.

Real Estate Coaching Results that Rock: Stop Feeling You’re Not Good Enough

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

One of the biggest challenges that we see in our coaching practices is how agents struggle with the issue, “I’m not good enough at…” or “This is simply too hard for me–I can’t do it.”

One of the things that makes us feel bad about ourselves and also undermines our self confidence, is a feeling of lack. We experience lack when we feel we don’t have enough.

Advertising overwhelms us with all the things we don’t have. The goal is to get us to open our pocketbooks and buy their product. There’s no regard to whether or not we need it, can afford it, or even if it’s good for us. As a consequence, most of us end up feeling not “good enough” because we “lack” all the things we see on television or that other people have.

The first step in feeling great about who you are is to begin by identifying your strengths. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, look at what you can do to expand the strengths that you have. As fellow coach Joeann Fossland says, “No one ever got to the top by working on their weaknesses.”

In terms of your real estate business, every agent has their own unique talents and approaches. What this means is that your path to real estate career success will be different from everyone else.

What works for almost everyone, however, is to build your business on the two or three core activities that you do well AND that you enjoy doing. (If you can’t figure this out, look at your production for the last 12 months, identify where each lead came through, and then focus on the top three lead sources. Discard everything else for at least 30 days.)

The second component is to identify what is absolutely essential to your life. These items are your needs. Needs are fundamental things such as food, shelter, love, etc. Almost everything else falls into the category of wants. “Wants” are what we would like to have, but are not essential to our well-being and happiness. To overcome the “psychology of lack,” focus on what you need and don’t get hooked into chasing “wants” that aren’t essential.

Third, express gratitude for what you already have. A simple technique is to write down five different things each day for which you are thankful. It can be something as simple as good health, healthy food, clean water, a roof over. Gratitude is a powerful way to put yourself on the road to having a better business and a personal life where you can say, “I feel great!”

Posted by Bernice Ross. Join us the Week of June 13, 2011 on RealEstateCoachRadio.com as we Welcome Saul Klein, co-founder of RealTown.com. Saul shares with us how listing syndication can help you convert more listing appointments into signed business, understand buyer behavior, and get price reductions as well.

Coaching Results that Rock: Is Being the “Parent” Hurting Your Real Estate Business?

Monday, June 6th, 2011

When you meet a client for the first time, how do you approach them? Even though you may be an expert when it comes to real estate, is this the best way to attract today’s clients?

The answer to this question is a big whopping “NO!”

The problem with being an expert is that it is incredibly easy to step into the role of being a parent. In fact, it makes be cringe when I see high profile “experts” in the industry making statements like this blog post:

“I’ve studied for 15 years to become an expert. I know what I’m talking about.”

Is this really the way to connect using the social media? I think not.

Recently one of our private coaching clients had me look at his listing presentations. Peppered throughout the presentation was lots of “I” language illustrating how expert he was in the marketplace and at doing volumes of business. The message to the clients was “I am the expert and you should listen to me,” much like the other example above.

While the older generations value expertise, Gen X has no use for it and wants to do things themselves. Gen Y wants to check with their peer group. They prefer the wisdom of crowds rather than an “expert.”

Regardless of a person’s age, however, no one wants to be parented by their Realtor. The Parent/Expert feels like this:

“You should listen to me because I know what is best for you.”

The trap here is twofold: first, the parent/expert experiences an increase in their self worth when someone else follows their advice. Second, what’s in back of the “I’m right-you’re wrong” story is a need to be in control and a need not to be wrong.

To release the “parent/expert” two steps are necessary. First, let go of the “should.” Replace it with, “What worked for another client in this situation was X,” or “When my last buyers were confronted with X, this is how they handled it.”

This allows your client to formulate their own response and avoids “making you wrong” when they choose an option different from the one you recommend.

Second, each situation has different players and different circumstances. Just as in a football game a “forward pass” may work in one situation, in can be disastrous in another.

Consequently, one of the smartest strategies that you can use with any client is this: first, lay out the various option available to them. Next, ask, “Are there any other options that you can think of?” Then ask, “Of these options, which one is the best fit for you?” If the client tries to force your hand, respond by saying, “It’s your house and it’s your decision.”

By the way–our client who let go of the “I” language and having to be the expert/parent has doubled his listing volume in the last 60 days.

Posted by Bernice Ross, Join us at RealEstateCoachRadio.com this week to hear Michael Krisa on “Your Five Part Plan for Creating a Killer Video.” Video is where it’s at for 2011, so don’t wait–Listen Now.

Real Estate Coaching Results that Rock: Five Ways to Keep Your Self-Confidence High

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Have you ever experienced a loss of self-confidence? At one time or another, almost everyone bumps into this. The truth of the matter is that self-confidence isn’t really lost. Instead, it often becomes a victim to the other things in your environment that you can change if you know how. If you want to maintain a high level of self-confidence, these tips from one of Byron’s real estate coaching sessions can really help.

1. How becoming overwhelmed undermines your self confidence: First, overwhelm occurs when you attempt to handle more than your internal or external systems can handle. Having challenges can be both stimulating and rewarding. What is critical is the degree. Too many challenges or too many unfinished projects overpowers your self-confidence and buries it. What stops you is not a lack of ability; it’s merely a lack of space and/or time.

If you’re experiencing overwhelm, look at your life—do you have lots of unfinished projects? If so, try handling some of these projects and see what happens to your self-confidence. (BTW, starting with something that is simple and easy. This helps you to gradually rebuild your “lost” self-confidence.) Remember, too many unfinished projects is one of the primary ways to “mask” your self-confidence.

2. Restore your self-confidence: A powerful strategy that reduces overwhelm and that gradually restores your self-confidence is to break up tasks into bite sized chunks. Leep track as you complete each chunk. This will give you a feeling of making progress even though the complete project is finished. Be sure to celebrate along the way!

3. If it’s not complete after six months, dump it! If you have any project (or clients who haven’t transacted after a good solid six months), declare them finished regardless of what state they are in. Most projects we agree to are done out of obligation, guilt, and/or shame, etc. Hanging on to an overpriced listing or a buyer who won’t buy diminishes your self-confidence. Dump them!

4. Make a list of any unfinished projects: Another strategy to increase your self confidence is to make a list of unfinished projects. (Note: For some people this may increase their sense of overwhelm.) Once you have your list, then work step by step. If just looking at the list makes you dizzy, take the smallest, easiest project and take one step towards completing it. The size of the step is unimportant. What matters most is that you are taking action. As you take action, the process becomes easier and more comfortable. Now tackle the toughest project. Once you’ve handled the toughest one, you’ll be amazed at your increased sense of energy and confidence!

5. Delegate: Another great strategy for reducing overwhelm and building self-confidence is to delegate. For perfectionists, this may be a challenge. The question to consider here is which is more important to you: having forward motion in your business or having to do it all yourself to make sure it’s done right? People who delegate easily favor the motion forward. In contrast, perfectionists value completing all the work themselves. Having to do it all is one of the quickest ways to get trapped in the quicksand of overwhelm and to destroy your self confidence.

Posted by Bernice Ross and Byron Van Arsdale.

Don’t miss this week’s shows on RealEstateCoachRadio.com. Our guest is Stacy Spickes providing us with great tips on how to navigate the short sale market. My portion of the show covers five sure-fire scripts to defend your commission. You don’t want to miss this!

Real Estate Coaching Results that Rock: Beating the Competition at the Listing Game

Monday, February 14th, 2011

This week’s Results that Rock comes from a long time friend and client who is having problems with an agent who is not delivering on what he promises and is making sellers sign 12 month listings. Here’s how she described the situation.

“There is a Realtor in my neighborhood that is hitting me below the belt with his marketing promises.  Basically, he is getting standard listings and for the first time, I may have to follow suit because sellers do not want to pay 5% or 6% in this market.  Granted, he sold only three homes last year but he is a developer and could loose everything.  The neighbors do not know this. However, the people in my market area are following me on the social media. He is getting them with a standard sheet of paper.  I have figured out his method but I need to fight fire with fire because he is getting the listings for 12 months!”
What would you have done in this situation. Here were my recommendations:
Go to Real Estate Dough and Who’s the Best Person to Sell My House and use the chart as a guideline to create the services you provide. (The image below is a screen capture of this information from Who’s the Best Person to Sell My House.)
I highly recommend adding the United Laneproduct http://www.unitedlane.com/landing-page/realestatecoach/ as a great differentiator as well as a single property website.
Second, get testimonials (preferably video) for every transaction you closed. Post them on line, but also have an email version that you can resend to prospective sellers. If possible, include phone numbers of people who are your raving fans. In your listing materials make sure that include the following statement:
To make sure that you get the best agent to sell your property, be sure to do the following:
1. Interview three agents
2. Ask for at least five references and contact those references to see how well the agent did in marketing their home.
3. Ask for a list of closed transactions for the last 12 months and verify that the agent actually was the listing agent.
The secret here is to blow the competition out with the unique services you provide. Give them two or three things that are different and they should hire you. The United Lane product gives you a real wow factor.
Also, are you using SMS and QR codes–a little trendy, but again, it’s a way to differentiate yourself.
Posted by Bernice Ross,
Are you overwhelmed by the thought of blogging? There’s a very simple solution–do a video blog. Just point, press the record button, and then upload the video to your blog. The only writing you have to do is a one sentence description. To learn more, check out this week’s RealEstateCoachRadio.com with Patrick Birdsong on the topic of Video Blogging Simplified

Two Great Google Apps to Help Your Online Real Estate Marketing Campaigns

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Would you like to get higher search engine ranking? Need some help figuring out what to discuss on your blog? If you answered yes to either of these questions, here are two great Google apps that can help to you easily achieve those goals.

Improve your search engine ranking with Google’s “Wonder Wheel.” A challenge that anyone who owns a website faces is to identify the key words that will drive the most traffic to their site. Google offers a tool called “Wonder Wheel” that allows you to see the major keywords that cause ranking on a specific Google search term. To use this tool, begin by typing in the search term upon which you want to improve your ranking. Let’s assume that term is “real estate Austin.” Once you do your search, look at the toolbar on the left of your machine and click on the link that says, “Show Search Tools.”

When you click on that link, the toolbar expands. Click on “Wonder wheel” under the category of “standard view.” This provides you with the terms that are responsible for most searches for “real estate Austin.” To improve your search engine ranking, use the terms that match your market often on your home page.

The example above illustrates the search terms that generate the most leads for “Las Vegas foreclosures.”

Check out the historical homes in your area. If you’re looking for interesting information to post on your website, blog, or newsletter, you can use Google’s timeline. To reach the timeline feature, follow the same steps outlined above. “Timeline” appears directly below the “Wonder wheel” link. Timeline posts properties and other data based upon their historical date. This is a quick way to identify some of the oldest properties in your area as well as historical information about various people and when they lived.

Posted by Bernice Ross. Have you tuned into RealEstateCoachRadio.com? If not, you’re missing many of real estate’s leading speakers including Matt Ferry, Allen Hainge, Darryl Davis, and Michael Krisa. Tune in today to get the best five minutes of training in the real estate industry, five days a week, five minutes a day, available 24-7.

Three “Best of Class” Real Estate Prospecting Strategies

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

Are you struggling with getting good, qualified leads for your real estate business? If so, here are three “best of class” strategies that can help you generate more qualified leads for your business now!

1.  Best strategy for locating a virtually untapped source of repeat buyers
Prospect “for rent” expireds. This strategy has several components. For example, if a single family residence is available for lease, track when it was leased and then contact both the lessee and the lessor about nine months later. (This assumes a one-year lease). This may yield both a listing and a buyer sale. For the lessee, point out the financial advantages of purchasing rather than renting, especially with today’s low interest rates. For the lessor, provide information on the present market conditions as well as comparable sales information. Also, check the public records to determine what other properties the lessor may own. This year, an estimated 1.65 million investment properties will sell as compared to approximately 5 million single family homes. The typical investor buys two properties per year as compared to most homeowners who move once every 5 to 6 years. In other words, the typical investor purchases 10 to 12 times more property than those who purchase only a primary residence.

2. Best lead generation marketing pieces for past clients
For clients who sold or purchased with you this year, personally deliver a fresh copy of their closing statement. This eliminates the hassle of having to make copies for their CPA or having to obtain copies from the closing agent if they misplaced the documents. It also opens the door for you to obtain a testimonial or a referral.

For your entire referral database, drop off an Annual Report in person. To create an Annual Report, place a color photo of a distinctive landmark from the community or a picture of your client’s home. Then provide the listing and sales data for the past 12 months as well as an estimate of their property value. If values have decreased, your client may be eligible for a property tax reduction. Have them contact you to obtain the forms. Offer to provide the same service for their friends, family, and acquaintances.

3.  Best strategy to generate new leads from your referral database
The script, “If you know of anyone who is thinking about buying or selling a home, I’m never too busy for your referral,” has been used so often that it has lost much of its effectiveness, especially for Gen X and Gen Y. A better approach for lead generation is to shift to social networking. For example, approach the service providers that you use (i.e. mortgage officers, inspectors, contractors, etc.) and invite them to join your network on LinkedIn.com. Then, when you meet a new client, invite them to join your LinkedIn network so that they can access your “preferred vendor” list—the people you use when you have your own home repaired. The beauty of this approach is that LinkedIn allows you to see your new client’s sphere of influence. It’s also a great way to reconnect with past clients.

If you’re ready to kick up your business in the second half of this year, try any of these techniques–they’re bound to help!

Posted by Bernice Ross, author of the #1 Best Selling Real Estate Book at NAR–Real Estate Dough, Your Recipe for Real Estate Success

Join us this week on Real Estate Coach Radio for a very special guest–Allen Hainge shares top tips from his Cyberstar network with Michael Krisa. You don’t want to miss these five content rich shows that can help take your business to the top. Discover why iTunes named us “new and notable!”