There is an old story of two lumberjacks who had a competition to see who could saw the most wood in a day. The first man was young and strong and no doubt had the greatest endurance. The second was not as young and not as strong, but had years of wisdom on his side. As the two began at the break of day, it was obvious that both were intent on winning the competition. The only real surprise was that the older lumberjack would stop and while he rested, he would casually sharpen his saw blade. At the end of the day, the young man had done an impressive amount of work, but the older lumberjack had clearly won the contest. The loser had worked harder, but had not worked smarter. By keeping his blade sharp, the experienced man was able to be much more effective.
As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power” and you must believe that no truer words have been spoken. Obtaining the skills and maintaining a superior level of proficiency within the field of real estate will take you from the rank of unremarkable to the sought after accolades of excellence, extraordinary, and exceptional. Becoming a professional that fits that bill really is quite simple. All you need do is adapt the one element that separates those two categories, expertise. Yes, knowledge is the key! It will unlock every ounce of potential that the business has to offer including the ability to elevate one’s self to the very top echelons the real estate ladder of success.
As with any business or occupation, one of the key elements of success is to utilize the tools of the trade. If the elements of success are not used in a proficient manner there is no way anyone can hope to successfully execute the fundamentals of the profession. As a result, the question to be answered has to be, what tools would benefit most on the quest to excellence?
1. Attitude
Above all else, create an atmosphere of succeeding. This is mandatory in order to excel. If you do not enter the room with positive thoughts of your own capabilities, all else will be for naught. You must believe that you can!
2. Education
Armed with the strength of your ability, you must gain every bit of information and knowledge about the industry. The real estate field is growing and changing and you must know your product inside and out. Research the areas in which you plan to sell. Become acquainted with the neighborhoods, secure information on the school systems, and on taxes. Make yourself aware of trends, good and bad. Become a specialist on every aspect of the field. You must be an expert from beginning to end; this includes current mortgage facts and data, government issued rebates and incentive programs and anything else that will invite the potential buyer to close the deal.
3. Consistency Counts
In order to master your craft you must deal with it daily. Each day peruse the new listings. After all you cannot sell that million dollar property if you don’t know that it’s for sale. Your “hotsheets” from your MLS are your best friends. Besides the new arrivals they will also inform you on listings that have expired and closed. If you begin each day with the practice of reading them, you will close each day with a better handle on your sphere of influence.
4. Construct a Consortium
The term networking has been tossed around as long as you can remember and may have lost some of its bang, but not for you. It is your bread and butter. Selling a home is a group effort, so elect yourself the group leader! Assemble trustworthy professionals that will serve to simplify the process for your potential homeowner. Begin with the end in mind and add representatives from each aspect of a home purchase. Mortgage lenders, real estate attorneys, and appraisers will be part of your team. Don’t forget the pest control experts (those radon and termite clearances are important), electricians, plumbers and other repair technicians. Lastly don’t forget the movers to help get the new owners settled into their new home.
Just like the wise woodcutter, we need to stay sharp by increasing our knowledge and education. Your skill and preparedness will be the vehicle that drives you to the top of your field. Each satisfied new homeowner will be the source of your next potential client. Your level of professionalism and knowledge of the field will draw to you the income and satisfaction of a job well done. Work smarter, not harder.
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
Simple Habits…Lasting Results
-Cynthia Hill is the Founder of BluePrint by iGetSales. Blueprint by iGetSales is an effective CRM specifically designed for real estate agents and managers to build and maintain strong relationships while dramatically increasing sales and agent count.
Quote for the Week:
"Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience." –Denis Waitley
Finally, the temperatures are rising and the sun is shining. Once again you feel alive, refreshed and rejuvenated. You are ready to conquer the world. Spring has got you in its grasp. “Bring on the spring fever” you shout, “I am so ready!” Well here is a word of precautionary nature, do not let spring get you sprung! In other words do not become so excited that you lose your focus.
The key to presiding over spring fever is focus. Become focused on what needs to be done in your Real Estate business, then follow through and do it. Here are three tips on fine tuning your focus:
1. Become Organized
You will never get anything accomplished if you do not know what needs to be done. Now is the time to review your CRM database and identify who is ready to make a real estate move. It is also a good time to make sure you have all the necessary information in your database to keep close to your clients. To stay close to them, make sure you have their phone number, email address, home address, birthday, anniversary (if it applies), along with any hobbies, friends, etc. The more you know about your clients the more interested they will know you are in them. So, go ahead and do some Spring cleaning on your database.
2 .Prioritize
Before bed each night make a list consisting of the six most important things to do for the next day. In the event that you do not complete all tasks, do not become discouraged. Place them on the top of tomorrow’s list and begin again. Be sure to include any open houses, buyer appointments, listing appointments, continuing education, daily phone calls and hand written notes that apply. If you do not use BluePrint by iGetSales or a similar real estate CRM program, to track your daily activities, employ a planning sheet so you will know what you are doing at a glance.
3. Be Realistic
Do not aspire to be a “Jack of all trades but master of none”. You cannot effectively be a buyer’s agent, listing agent, administrative assistant, closing coordinator, and a marketing expert all on the same day, so be realistic in planning your day. The quickest way to lose focus is to become overwhelmed. You can’t do everything and everything isn’t always the most important or immediate. A wise person once said about getting things accomplished, make three lists and then divide the “must do’s” amongst them. Title each list with the following phrases: Do It, Dump It and Delegate It. The toughest of the three is delegating so if you have something important and you cannot accomplish it, assign the task to someone you trust and move on to something more immediate.
If you get organized, prioritize, stay realistic and accomplish all that has to be done you will have a successful Spring and pave the way for a winning Summer.
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
Simple Habits…Lasting Results
-Cynthia Hill is the Founder of BluePrint by iGetSales. Blueprint by iGetSales is an effective CRM specifically designed for real estate agents and managers to build and maintain strong relationships while dramatically increasing sales and agent count.
Quote for the Week:
"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." -Alexander Graham Bell
Setting Boundaries with Clients
Have you ever had a real estate client who was a whiner? In my experience, whiners have two effects on us…and they’re both negative! Either they can be really annoying with their constant whining- stripping us of our joy, or even worse, sucking positive energy from us and distracting us from being productive. As the saying goes- misery loves company so that’s why I would like to share two very important ways to deal (or not to deal) with whiners.
1) Forget trying to please the chronic whiner. A chronic whiner is almost impossible to please. Every time you help them solve a problem that address and stop their whining, they find something new to whine about! So, why waste your valuable time and energy? When they start to see that their whining doesn’t work on you, they will find a new approach. I am certainly not saying to ignore your clients’ concerns or needs. You be the judge of what is a truly legitimate complaint and, if it is legitimate, by all means do your very best to make life happy again.
2) Do not allow yourself to be controlled by the whiner. The whiner likes to be in control by making high demands and complaining about everything. They like to see you jump and squirm which gives the whiner a sense of control over you. Somewhere along the line, they must have come across someone with whom whining worked and they enjoyed being “catered” to. Now they think it will work with you too – don’t let it happen. I know it is hard to do, but with kindness and firmness state your boundaries to them. Take the emotion out and be very business-like, using all your professional finesse while holding true to yourself.
This all reminds me of the biggest whiner client I ever had. This client felt very strongly that he was doing me a big favor by giving me two waterfront listings and, because of that, I should be at his beckon call. Please, do not get me wrong, I was very appreciative for these listings. However, there is a significant cost in dealing with someone that unnecessarily absorbs so much of your time especially on matters that are not a priority towards your mutual end goal.
In the beginning of our relationship, it was not uncommon for the client to start calling me at 7:00 in the morning, then several more times during the day and as late as 9:00 at night. He would also come by my office and make himself at home by using my office equipment if he was in the neighborhood. It didn’t occur to him that he might be stepping over professional boundaries. It wasn’t long, at all, before I had to have a very serious talk to explain to him that he was not my only client and if he was, he might want to consider hiring someone else with more experience. I made it very clear that I would not be taking his calls before 8:30 in the morning and not after 6:00 in the evening. I even gave him the choice to end our relationship right then and there (and I had the paper work with me to do it), if that was not acceptable to him. Once I made the boundaries and expectations between us clear, to my delight, he made a 180 degree turn around. We grew to have a mutually respectful relationship and we are still doing business together to this day.
It is amazing how fast people understand boundaries when you clearly present them and how much they respect you for presenting them. It is also very amazing once the boundaries are set how the whining decreases and/or completely goes away. Establishing and sticking to these boundaries will only help you become more affective at what you do and in turn, being able to be more affective to all of your clients.
Do you have a whiner client that needs you to remind them of your boundaries and standards? Do you have more than one? It might be a good idea to sift through your database, whether you use BluePrint by iGetSales or any other CRM system, to identify who your whiners are. Once identified, then develop the boundaries you need to set and the game plan to share these new and firm boundaries with them. This may seem a bit daunting, but just be respectful, firm and polite. Remind them that these new boundaries will only make your professional relationship with them that much more productive and successful.
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
Simple Habits…Lasting Results
-Cynthia Hill is the Founder of BluePrint by iGetSales. Blueprint by iGetSales is an effective CRM specifically designed for real estate agents and managers to build and maintain strong relationships while dramatically increasing sales and agent count.
Quote for the Week:
“No" is a complete sentence.” ― Anne Lamott
What does it mean to be "on purpose" or to be purposeful? To be “on-purpose” means to have clarity and direction about where you are taking your real estate business and to be able to make conscious decisions and choices rather than randomly going about your day.
Being “on purpose” means being laser focused and determined to accomplish the goals you have set for your real estate business. Being “on purpose” requires working a well-defined business plan and staying with it until the mission is accomplished. Being “on purpose” is being in action with a specific purpose or outcome to achieve.
Let’s picture what the person “on purpose” looks like. I am not sure about you, but when I think of someone who is “on purpose”, I think of someone who knows exactly what they want, where they are going, and someone who is continuously taking action to accomplish his/her goals. I think of someone who does not give up and is very consistent. I think of someone who gives 100% focus to whatever it is he/she is doing, at that moment. I think of a person who is working from a clearly defined business plan and is in control of his/her destiny.
There are many reasons why conducting your real estate business “on purpose” is important. For starters, being “on purpose” helps you meet or exceed your business goals in the least amount of time with the least amount of resistance. Another important reason for being “on purpose” is to create discipline and perseverance in order to get the job done. It is also important to be “on purpose” because it helps you to spend your time, energy, and finances on the things that matter the most. And lastly, another very important reason to be “on purpose” is to drive your real estate business to the highest level of success possible.
A great way to run your real estate business “on purpose” is by using the software product BluePrint or something similar. BluePrint is the GPS for real estate professionals including those who sell and those who recruit. It allows an agent or a recruiter to map out a well-defined road map or business plan with clear objectives on how to reach that final destination.
The visual dashboard in BluePrint will even show you when you need to make a course correction. With BluePrint, you no longer have to randomly go through your day wondering where you will end up. By logging on to BluePrint each day, you will know exactly which clients and prospects to call, to write a note to, or get face-to-face with. Your daily “trip” will be mapped out for you. By using BluePrint you will create simple habits for lasting results and will be a person who conducts business “on purpose.”
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
“Simple habits…lasting results”
Quote for the Week:
“For things to change you’ve got to change, otherwise, nothing much will change – Jim Rohn
Real estate is an industry which, at its core, is all about building and maintaining strong relationships with your clients and prospects. It is far too easy to get caught up in day-to-day activities and neglect simple and proven techniques that increase profitability in your real estate business. The following list examines five ways to increase your productivity and achieve positive results.
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Invest in a real estate CRM system that will allow you to keep track of all of your clients and prospects. Choose a system that is user friendly with busy professionals in mind.
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Train yourself to use a system committed to increasing your productivity. With the right system it will be like an exercise routine, being difficult at times, but when consistently worked, will yield outstanding results.
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Follow up with clients and prospects daily so you will not fall prey to the world of procrastination letting leads fall through the cracks. Regular follow up decreases the chance of missed opportunities for new and/or repeat business.
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Forecast and follow real estate trends for your clients and prospects. Be the expert so you'll be able to, very quickly and accurately, assess what your clients and prospects need and when it is the best time for them to make a move.
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Get twice the business from your clients. Contact them today and ask them how you can help them with their real estate needs and if they can recommend someone to you that may also have a real estate need.
If you do not have a real estate CRM system that is working for you, please give BluePrint by iGetSales a try. BluePrint at www.igetsales.net is currently offering a 14-day free trial and is one of the most highly innovative and easy-to-use systems available to meet your real estate business planning needs.
Whether you use BluePrint or another program, remember that staying in contact with your clients and prospects is the number one way to increase productivity and profitability in your real estate business.
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
“Simple habits…lasting results”
1. First impressions count. It takes just a few seconds for someone to form their opinion of you and a lot longer to change it. Be on time, be yourself, be confident, dress appropriately for the situation and, most of all, be prepared. Don’t waste a person’s time. Many of the things you should do to create a good first impression are common sense. Putting a little extra thought and preparation into a relationship can go a long way and turn a good first impression into a great one.
2. Look for common ground. Like any relationship, a business relationship must be cultivated. Ask questions and be sure to listen to the answers with interest. Practice listening more than you talk and never interrupt. Find common ground with your clients and prospects. This will make them feel more connected to you and, in turn, can create the desire for them to want to work with you. Never assume closeness- nothing sends people running faster. You need to work at it. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. And once you get those relationships, don’t forget to look for ways to strengthen and maintain them.
3. The right way is not always the easy way. Don’t try to take the easy way out. Even if it’s harder or more complicated, you will gain respect by doing the right thing. Also, remember that every relationship should be made up of give and take. If one party is doing all the taking, the other will feel taken advantage of. One of the quickest ways to lose respect is to make someone feel like you don’t appreciate them.
4. Trust and respect are two way streets. Even with the best service and the best business practices, a strong relationship doesn’t just happen. Respect and trust are at the center of any relationship- the glue that holds it together. It is not only important that you trust and respect the people you work for, but that you handle yourself in a manner so that they will do the same. People are more willing to give referrals for those they trust. Not only will your relationship prosper, but your business will prosper.
5. Communication, communication, communication. Remember, everybody communicates differently. It is important to learn what method works best for your clients and prospects. Don’t avoid phone calls or emails just because you feel unprepared or you don’t have much to report. Lies and avoidance can destroy not only your relationship, but your reputation. A bad reputation means no referrals. The safe choice is to just fess up and tell the truth- it’s guaranteed to gain you respect and get that courage to make that contact even when there isn’t much to report. If the truth ruins your relationship, then at least you are still left with you reputation intact.
6. When a sweet thing goes sour- stay professional. It happens in every kind of relationship. Sometimes things just go bad. It’s what you do with that that’s really going to count. If you find that your business relationship is not working out, then end it and surprise them by offering to find someone else to help them. Don’t leave them “hanging.” Sometimes relationships just weren’t meant to be. Take it as a lesson learned and move on.
7. You get what you give. This one should be a no brainer. If you put little into your relationship, you will most likely get little in return. It is important to show how invested you are in others if you want them to become invested in you. Remember, what you put into your relationships is what you will get in return from them.
Would you ever take a road trip to a new destination without a plan on how to get there?
Picture this: you’re packing up and getting ready to head out on a road trip. You’re going to a new place- you may have an idea of where your destination is or which direction you should head, but without a clear plan, you’ll surely get lost. So, what is the one thing you are not going to leave home without? Directions, a roadmap or your GPS. Much is the same in the journey of your business. If you would never leave home without a tool to get you where you’re going, why would you ever venture into something as big as your business without the same thing? That’s where the roadmap for your business, your business plan, comes into play.
So, how can your business roadmap get you where you need to go? All too often, we have great ideas, but lack on the follow-through. A business plan keeps you on track, organizes your thoughts and forces you to contemplate ALL aspects of your business- even the ones you tend to pay little attention to. A business plan also acts as tool to convince others that your concept can be successful and that you possess the expertise to assure that it will be. Your investors will see your vision through your business plan.
A business plan helps you determine what you want to achieve, where you want to go with your business and how you’ll get there… BUT, it is also important to remember that your business plan is not the end all, be all. Even with a map or GPS, you can still get lost. However, if you get off track you can always find an alternate route and still end up at the same destination. The same is true for your business plan. Finding the balance between flexibility and stability is the key. Your business plan should not be carved in stone, but rather etched in sand.
A business plan is the road map for your business. If you embark on the journey of your business without a plan…you will get lost.
I attended a technology conference last week in Atlanta and was reminded, once again, of how alluring technology can be. I was reminded of how quickly folks latch on to the trendiest new tech thingies, thinking they have finally found the answer that is going to take their business to that highly, profitable place they have been dreaming of. Most of all though, I was reminded of how complicated our lives can become when we abandon simple things that have been proven to work over and over again.
As I sat there listening to speaker after speaker, I found these questions swirling around in my head.
- How much time are these “hot new” programs taking from an agent’s work day?
- How are agents tracking their ROI when using these programs?
- Are these programs bringing agents closer to their goals or further away?
- Is the use of this stuff dollar-productive or a just distraction?
As it turns out, I was not the only person thinking this way. One speaker, who happens to be an owner of a very reputable technology company, gave a presentation titled, “Manage your business and not your tools.” He stressed the power of simplicity and emphasized the point that while he believes in technology, he also suggested that if it is not making life easier for you and helping to produce more income, then it’s really an obstacle and not a tool.
It was refreshing to hear a leader of a technology company publicly embrace the principles on which we founded ours. Technology represents no more magic to our businesses than do our shoes or a ballpoint pen. They all have their place and can potentially add value, but none are a substitute for timeless best practices.
Remember Occam’s Razor. It’s the belief that all other things being equal, the simplest solution is usually the correct one. If you can accomplish the same or more with less “overhead”, why wouldn’t you.
Simplicity…
- enables us to achieve more by staying focused on the core things that matter most in our businesses.
- breeds clarity, taking the stress out of not knowing what’s most important for us to be doing at any point in time.
- enhances profitability because complicated tools and systems generally cost either more money, more time, or both.
- enhances creativity by keeping our minds uncluttered and free from the burdens of ambiguity and worry.
- keeps us out of the unnecessary “muck” that slows us down, allowing us to more nimbly react when opportunities present themselves.
So the next time you find your self bedazzled by high technology, ask yourself whether it’s truly going to take you where you want to go. And be particularly suspicious of anything that claims to solve all of your problems or run your business on auto-pilot. If such things really existed, everyone would be sipping mixed drinks on a faraway beach while their businesses ran themselves.
Quick…which would you rather do: Business planning or stick a fork in your eye. Come on now. I know a bunch of you had to hesitate for just a minute. The reality for most of us is that we gravitate to what we like and we don our invisibility cloaks to hide from the things we don’t.
This “do what’s fun” approach wouldn’t be so harmful if what we always wanted to do were more in alignment with what really needs to get done. Remember the saying “Successful people do what unsuccessful people aren’t willing to”? There’s a very good reason it doesn’t say “Successful people always do what’s the most fun”.
Generically speaking, planning is one of those things that correlates very well with success. While it’s awfully easy to find people who don’t reach their potential and who never plan anything, it’s nearly impossible to find people in any field of endeavor who have become the very best at what they do and who have done so in the absence of a coherent and well-thought-out plan.
Now, don’t misunderstand…planning doesn’t have to be a month-long endeavor, the by products of which are reams of documented goal sheets, charts, metrics, and to-do lists. To have planned anything just means that you’ve invested some quiet time to consider what it is you want to accomplish and what’s the surest path to get you there.
I will say this though: I know from experience that investing a little more time on the front end of any process worthy of planning typically pays off many times over. Why do you think carpenters say “measure twice, cut once”.
Planning in the real estate business typically centers around either an income goal or an intermediate metric that correlates very well with income (like listings taken or pending volume or contracts written).
But for most agents, that’s the easy part. Knowing how much money you want to make is probably top-of-mind for you. It’s charting a course that will predictably get you there that can be elusive.
While this article doesn’t aim to tell you what specifically needs to be in your business plan, I do want to share with you a tactic that I’ve found universal success with. That tactic could be thought of as relative specificity. But that sounds a little highfalutin (yes, that’s a real word), so I’m just gonna call it Planning Rule #1.
The rule is simply this. When you struggle with anything at all, get more specific. What? Don’t believe that’s a real nugget of wisdom? Let me prove it to you by way of an example.
An agent has a goal to earn $12,000 in the next 3 months and she’ll do this by doubling her listing inventory, with an emphasis on well-priced homes. But 2 months into the plan, she’s no further along than where she started. Fortunately for her, she remembers Planning Rule #1.
Rather than trying to go straight to doubling her listing inventory, she gets more specific. Her new action goal is to speak with 20 people per day and for 5 of those to be new people she has never met. To meet the 5 new people, she’ll attend at least two networking events per week and will canvass local businesses in the area to meet small business owners.
Now, by using the power of specificity, what she’s effectively done is drive action. If she’s chosen the right actions (and trust me, she has), results will follow. And if she feels lost, she can re-apply the rule and get even more specific. She can list every networking opportunity she can find and put them on her calendar. She can also list the businesses in the order that she’ll visit them along with the approximate dates and times.
Try it out. Anytime you feel yourself stuck in a rut or uncertain about the path ahead, get more specific and drill down until you arrive at an action that ultimately supports your big goals.
Just remember not to call it the rule of relative specificity. Trust me…people will laugh at you.
Have you ever felt like an unpaid chauffeur when your buyer clients just ask you to show them more and more homes and just can’t quite seem to narrow their search down?
As inventory increased in the years following the “sub-prime meltdown” and we switched from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market, many buyers experienced MORE DIFFICULTY in making a purchasing decision.
(OK, hold it, wasn’t it supposed to be easier, now that there are more choices available…??)
The fact is that having MANY options sometimes OVERWHELMS our buyer clients and causes them to experience BUYER PARALYSIS!
Buyers are comparing different types of homes (private sales, short sales, lender-owned, foreclosure auctions) that have different advantages or disadvantages. In addition they must compare homes and value propositions to make up their mind. This process can be trying for some buyers…
To keep the buying process organized and prevent confusion, try this technique: Tell your buyer clients that the process of finding their perfect home will be like taking a city-tour in a helicopter:
1. Have them imagine they are flying HIGH ABOVE THE CITY – tell them they’ll be choosing their PREFERRED AREAS first! They can use criteria such as commute time, property taxes, school districts, etc. Help them eliminate areas of the city that would not be ideal according to their own criteria.
2. Once they have chosen preferred areas, tell them that you’ll now fly at a lower level where they can better choose their PREFERRED NEIGHBORHOODS within the selected areas. This process may include riding around at different times of the day, researching demographic and crime statistics, engaging in conversations with neighbors, asking people they know, etc.
3. Once they have chosen their SELECT NEIGHBORHOODS (not more than 5 or 6) then and only then should you focus on picking the right home for them! This may involve comparing size, curb appeal, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, age, construction, style, upgrades, price, condition, lot, taxes, etc.
By following this simple 3-step process you will find that your buyer clients can select the right property among available homes, and avoid confusion and paralysis.
Remind them that they can always change the roof, repaint the walls or fix the air conditioning…but they will never be able to change the location, the character of the neighborhood or the driving distance to work.
By focusing on the BIG DECISIONS first, your clients will be able to compare one home to another more effectively, knowing that the BASICS (area, neighborhood, schools, crime, etc.) are all taken care of…!
In order to be a successful Buyer’s Agent it is essential to consistently add high value to all of your buyer clients. To help you achieve that consistency, we invite you to try BluePrint, our easy-to-use, web-based relationship management tool for real estate agents, managers, coaches, and offices.
Try BluePrint for FREE (for 30 days) by clicking here and using the promo code “blog”.
