The last year and a half have definitely been some challenging times. Remember in uncertain times you can still control your own environment, be proactive and come out a winner. My personal friend and mentor Brian Buffini always reminded us to consider all areas of your personal and business life are in check. Consider your spiritual, family, business, financial and personal and ensure your 5 Circle fit. The 5 circle fit check can help you stay motivated and energized no matter what life throws your way. As a real estate professional, it’s helpful to hone your focus on the business circle. Here’s how:
Stick to a Schedule
If we don’t take control of our own time someone or something else will Working for yourself gives great freedom – you get to set your own hours and be in charge of your own calendar. However, with great freedom comes great responsibility! As a business owner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer multitude of the tasks you have to complete every day. This is why a schedule to keep you on track is vital. Start and end your day at set hours. Also, designate special periods for dealing with administration, checking email and running errands so you don’t get distracted by non-lead generating activities that waste time.
Invest in Relationships
We are in the relationships business and have missed that connection and face to face time so much the last year and a half. Strong relationships are at the heart of every good business, so you have to make building them your business! Calls, notes and a drop by gift, coffee or lunches are powerful ways to consistently reach out and connect with your clients and others in your sphere of influence. When you go above and beyond to serve your customers and prove your trustworthiness, they will become megaphones for you in the marketplace, eager to refer you to others. This way, the stream of referrals will never dry up!
Stay Motivated
If it’s meant to be, then it’s up to me! In difficult and demanding times, it can be hard to stay upbeat and motivated. To remain positive, be careful what you watch, read and listen to. Tune into educational and informative podcasts. Avoid people that drain you and seek out resources that provide facts-based knowledge and encourage growth and personal development! I can’t emphasize the importance of guarding yourself it really is about energy management versus time management.
Track Finances
Tracking, measuring and shifting along the way is key! When you’re running your own business, finances are a serious matter. To know exactly where your money is going, you need to create a spending plan for your business and yourself. Separate your business and your personal accounts, pay yourself a salary based on your budget and remember to factor in rainy-day reserves and a retirement fund. By conducting a financial overhaul and getting your business on the right track, you’ll outlast your competition and be able to live the good life.
Get a Real Estate Mentor/Coach
When it comes to achieving goals, accountability is key. We all do better when we have to answer to someone! The best real estate mentor will help, encourage and celebrate you, but he or she will also hold your feet to the fire and make sure that you do what you promised to! Who is mentoring you? Who is encouraging you? Who is holding you accountable? It has been an honour to be able to serve so many over the many years and never take that lightly.
I trust some of these reminders will help you get on track or back on track this next few weeks and be able to really finish 2021.
Over the last several years I have had the privilege of having Focus coach and author Les Hewitt speak into my life as a personal and professional coach, to co-present together and also become good friends. Les co-authored the extremely popular business building and life changing book The Power of Focus along with Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, which has to date sold over a million copies.
I remember when Les and I began working together in coaching he said eventually you will just spend your time playing and focus on your strengths and what you enjoy best, and do best and focus only on the activities where you are at your best and the rest we will automate, delegate or remove from my schedule. At the time I thought that was impossible but over the years thanks to his lesson my time, energy and efforts are spent on what I am gifted at and enjoy doing the most.
This week I want to share one of the most important lessons I learned from Les which was the four foundational truths proven to radically change your personal life and real estate business forever. As a business coach, author and professional speaker I’m often asked, “Why is it some people do so well in life—professionally, personally and financially—and yet so many seem to constantly struggle?” It’s a valid and important question. Based on my 30 years business experience and the opportunity to work with literally thousands of clients from a wide variety of industries, the most practical answer I can provide is this. Truly successful people focus on The 4 Fundamentals.
These fundamentals are: GOALS, PRIORITIES, RELATIONSHIPS and HABITS. This is powerful. It’s also simple. Fundamentals, as the name suggests, are time-tested truths that don’t erode when a new “flavor of the month” idea is launched by some self-styled management guru! These principles are thousands of years old; they’re obviously built to last. Any time one of our clients is faced with a crisis, for example, a financial crunch or a new competitor, we have always—and I do mean always— found a solution by focusing on the 4 Fundamentals. Let’s have a look at each of them….
FUNDAMENTAL #1
Focus on your most important GOALS. Question: Do you have a crystal clear picture of what you want and why you want it? The answer is simple, Yes or No. Sadly, for the vast majority of the population, the answer is No—97% by actual survey! Goals provide clarity. If you don’t have an exciting big picture vision for your life, then you may end up in your senior years regretting the life you never had, simply because you never took the time to design it. With the number one challenge for businesspeople today being time pressure, then it would also seem obvious that your goals should be well-balanced. At The Power of Focus Inc. we’ve developed a unique system that guarantees excellent balance. There are 7 areas you as a businessperson needs to find balance in if you want unusual clarity, less stress, more confidence and the excitement of achieving meaningful goals consistently. In no particular order of importance, these are: Business, Financial, Fun-Time, Health and Fitness, Relationships, Personal and Contribution.
FUNDAMENTAL #2
Focus on your most important PRIORITIES. What this really means is, focus on what you do best and let go of the rest. In one of our coaching workshops we have an activity called, Calculating your current level of focus. This means the amount of time you spend in a typical week focused on your strengths, those activities that produce the greatest results. Question: What are the 3 things you do best at work, that give you energy, momentum and most of all, create measurable results? If you can’t answer that question in ten seconds flat, you need to take some time away and really ponder this. Here’s why. Most business leaders (CEO’s, presidents, V.P.’s, Managers and Supervisors) have a level of focus that’s less than 50%. For a significant number of people it’s more like 10-20%! In other words, people in leadership roles allow themselves to be constantly interrupted and distracted, or micro-manage everything so much that the greater portion of their time is wasted every week. Putting out fires and reacting to other peoples “emergencies” is not good leadership.
FUNDAMENTAL #3
Focus on your most important RELATIONSHIPS. To enjoy significant success in life you will need the help of other people. In business we call these Core Clients—people who love your product or service so much they become cheerleaders for you in the process. You may have internal or external core clients, or both, depending on your role in the organization. Focusing on building strategic relationships creates great leverage. Question: Can you name, right now, the five most important relationships you need to cultivate in your business that will create the best opportunity for future success? Again the answer is, Yes or No. Excellent relationships thrive in a win-win environment. This occurs when you constantly add more value and when people trust, respect and genuinely like you. This requires a high level of integrity. It also means you focus on helping others achieve their most important goals. Suspend your own self-interest and you will be handsomely rewarded down the road. Sadly, we observe companies using cut-throat negotiating tactics, providing minimal training or that of the “quick-fix” variety. Well trained people are a company’s greatest asset, especially if the rewards and recognition are shared when victory is achieved.
FUNDAMENTAL #4
Focus on SUCCESSFUL HABITS. The bottom line? Better habits guarantee better results. And results are the name of the game, in business and in life. It’s not what you say, it’s what you DO that counts! Question: Do you have any bad habits? More important question; do you realize the consequences that those bad habits may be creating? Not today or next week, but maybe years down the road, when life hits you like a two by four—wham!! And suddenly you’re facing a financial meltdown, a health crisis or a marriage breakdown. Yes, bad habits have a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it—we’ve seen it with so many people. A lack of awareness, not paying attention to the warning signals or being “too busy” to reflect, are major contributors to their misfortune. Understand, habits are a big deal—they will determine your future. Just creating three or four successful new habits every year can dramatically improve your business, provide financial freedom and ensure excellent health and long lasting relationships. Many thanks to Les Hewitt for sharing these extremely valuable lessons to apply to our personal life, relationships and to catapult our real estate business to the next level.
I cannot believe how quickly time flies and the first half of 2021 has come and gone already. It’s an excellent time of year to reflect and look back on the first half of the year and assess what we did well, what we can do better and more importantly what’s next for us and the second half of 2021. I strongly encourage you to set aside an hour or so – on a weekend or during your normal weekly planning time – and do a mid-year review on your real estate business. Use this time to reflect back on the first six months of the year and make adjustments to your real estate goals for the remainder of the year.
10 Questions to Ask During Your Mid-Year Performance Review:
Looking Back…
1. Key Accomplishments. What are all of the great things I got done over the past six months? What goals did I achieve? What things am I most proud of accomplishing? Which of my goals did I really miss the mark on?
2. Relationship Development. What new relationships did I develop? Which of my existing relationships did I significantly strengthen? Which relationships may I have overlooked or not given enough attention to?
3. Learning. What opportunities to learn new things did I take advantage of? What were the things I learned most about myself? What were the things I learned most about my business?
4. Mistakes. What mistakes did I make? What mistakes could I have avoided? What mistakes provided me with the most significant development and learning opportunities?
5. Time Management. How well did I manage my time? Have I been focusing my time on the most important things in my life? Are there any significant “time wasters” I need to reduce or eliminate from my life? When am I most productive? When am I least productive?
Looking Ahead…
6. Top 3 Work-Related Goals. What are my top three work-related goals for the remainder of the year? Why are those goals important to me? What habits and processes do I need to adopt to support those goals?
7. Top 3 Personal Goals. What are my top three personal goals for the remainder of the year? Why are those goals important to me? Who can I share these goals with to help hold me accountable to achieving them?
8. Relationship Development. Which relationships will I focus on strengthening and developing during the second half of the year? Who do I want to meet and get to know? Who can most help me achieve my work-related and personal goals?
9. Learning and Knowledge. What areas of learning do I most need to focus on? What new skills do I need to develop? What skills do I need to strengthen? What things do I need to “keep current” on? What one skill, if mastered, would have the greatest impact on the achievement of my goals?
10. Habits. What time management habits do I need to develop and strengthen? What three habits, if developed and sustained, would have the greatest positive impact on my work life and personal life? What habits do I know I need to drop or replace?
Set yourself up for ending your year strong and run through the above questions and review them regularly the balance of the year to remind yourself of what you want out of your life and what you want out of your business. Have you done too much and burned out? Am I out of balance? Am I out of motivation? Have I fallen short? The exciting news is that we have the choice when things weren’t what we hoped in the first half of the year to choose to make this the first day of the rest of the year of what you really want in business and life. I dare you!
Last week for the first time in way too long, I was able to unplug and literally get off the grid and completely get out of cell phone reception for a good 4 days and I didn’t realize how badly I needed that time away from the business and the toll it has taken not only on me but on so many others as well in the real estate industry. They say, “Strike while the iron is hot.” In real estate, the iron has most certainly been hot for some time. At a certain point, you’ve got to ask: How many times can you keep striking until you strike out? For the last nine months or so, many agents have been operating at warp speed, and when you’re moving that quickly, hitting a wall isn’t pretty.
So how do you keep your energy up to maximize this market without burning yourself out? I’ve got some strategies this week for you.
1: Delegate, Automate, Systemize & Outsource. We’ve talked about this before… There’s no reason why you should be doing everything yourself in this business. Leverage is so important to a business owner like ourselves. Even if you’re relatively new and not quite ready to bring on an assistant, you can outsource tasks to Virtual Assistants, your company’s transaction coordinator or others. Put simply, you’ve got to be willing to trade some dollars to buy back your freedom. Why? Because digging yourself out of burnout mode is much more difficult than simply avoiding it in the first place. If you’re doing it all yourself and feel that wall approaching quickly, act now to delegate or outsource tasks.
2: Earners Are Learners. I’m a firm believer that new ideas create inspiration. So if you’re always learning something new, it keeps you on your toes and keeps your business fresh. When you’re knee deep in transactions, it might seem difficult to find the time to learn new things. But the impact it will have on your mindset – the promise of working toward better days – is worth devoting 20-30 minutes a day to that effort. Remember, small steps taken repeatedly will get you where you want to go. Learn a little every day, and I bet you’ll feel a difference in your energy.
Burnout Avoidance Tip No.
3: Train Something New. Instead of learning something new, teaching others something new can have the same energizing effect. Maybe you’ve recently hired a new team member who you can transfer some of your skills to… This is a powerful way to keep yourself engaged while also freeing yourself up in the future. The more you teach others to do things you handled previously, the more you can focus on your HABU – highest and best use of your time.
4: Reflect On Your Successes. When you’re super busy, it’s all too easy to slip into “grind” mode where you complete one transaction and move directly into the next one. But if that’s what you’re doing, you’re missing a crucial element in the process…
Celebrating your wins! There’s huge value in stopping for a bit to recognize your hard work and how it paid off. Maybe it’s a nice dinner out. Maybe it’s “treating yourself” to something you’ve wanted. Maybe it’s an impromptu “happy hour” celebration with your team. Or maybe it’s contributing to a cause that’s meaningful to you. Whatever you do, take the time to reflect and recognize your achievements. Because if you don’t, you’re depriving yourself of the joy you work so hard for – and headed toward eventual burnout.
No. 5: Live a Life Outside Your Work. If you read this tip and it stings a little, you probably need to work on this. There’s a tendency among some real estate agents to almost take pride in working 24/7. But you and I both know that’s not a recipe for long-term success. If all you do and think about is real estate from the moment you wake up to when your head hits the pillow, your days in this industry are numbered. And you’re likely not living a truly fulfilling life. Instead, maybe you start your day with a meditation. Or exercising. Doing something like that – anything other than diving head-first into more real estate – will actually bring you greater clarity and energy as you proceed through your day. (While we’re at it, don’t forget the other two elements of taking your M.E.D.S. – Meditate, Exercise, Diet and Sleep – to avoid burnout.) Also, make sure you’re scheduling your life before your business. Whether it’s your kid’s soccer game or dance recital or just a few hours of quality time at home, block out that time on your calendar to make sure it happens. Then get your work done in the time remaining. Remember, work expands to fill the time we allow for its completion, so you can get the same amount done in less time as long as you establish the right boundaries.
No. 6: Attitude Of Gratitude. You probably know I’m a huge fan of practicing gratitude as part of my morning routine. The simple act of writing down the things and people you’re thankful for is transformative. If you struggle to identify what you’re grateful for, here are some great questions to ask yourself:
What do I love about my job?
What do I love about the people I help on a daily basis?
What do I love about my colleagues I work with?
Who do I love?
Who loves me?
Ask yourself these and other similar questions every day. Then watch the impact it has on your mindset.
No. 7: Time For A Holiday! I miss travel so much the past 15 months and cannot wait to book the next experience. For many people, 2020 was a year of crazy ups and downs. It started strong, then the pandemic hit and agents all wondered if they’d ever sell another house, and then the market came roaring back and hasn’t slowed down since. And here’s what I suspect happened to a lot of people… They now find themselves in late May early June 2021, and they haven’t taken any time off since they returned from that initial lockdown. As a result, you’ve been working for months on end with no break. With life returning to normal, it’s time for you to take a vacation. Simply scheduling something will get you excited and help prevent burnout. And we all know how productive you get when you’re in those final few days before departure. So here’s my advice to you: Book your trip, buy your tickets, and make it happen!
If you’re on the cusp of burnout, choose a few of these tips and implement them immediately! Like I said above, it’s a lot easier to avoid burnout altogether than it is to pull yourself out of it once it’s too late. Make the wise choice, honor your work-life balance, and give yourself the fulfilling life you deserve!
A mentor of mine always said that it was better to know to lose a buyer on Tuesday instead of them not buying and dragging you around and not buying on Saturday. In the buyer charged market the ability to qualify, educate and empower a buyer is a critical skill for the buyer agent and their buyers success. This week we want to look at the new and improved buyer qualifying process that will help you win and your buyer win in this crazy buyer market. Let’s assume we have converted our buyer to a meeting on zoom and here are the steps we can take next with our session.
Step 1 – The FORD technique– ask them about their Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams in order for you to build their trust, likability, connection and for you both to discover commonalities.
Step 2 – The Safe Island ( always let them know up front what will be talking about and what will happen before it happens to really make them relax.
Step 3 – Educate them on the market by showing them stats, graphs and of sales activity for buyers already purchased in their property search criteria so they are prepared and see others paying well over the asking prices and not just them.
Step 4 – Review the appropriate agency forms like DORTS, PRIVACY, FINTRAC, and provide them with a blank contract of purchase and sale to review on their own time in advance of making an offer.
Step 5 – Ask them pre planned open ended questions – Who, what, where, when, why, how (cash or credit) ? Then….Who? If they say credit.
Step 6 – Having our financial house in order to compete. Meaning we have a lender that is providing us with a physical approval letter. Willing to take a reference phone call on our behalf from seller or seller’s agent during presentation of offers. Give us the ability to make a cash offer. I then ask their permission to call my financial person and set appointment with them to ensure this all happens for them.
Step 7 – Conditional or Subject Free Offer conversation with the buyers and risk and reward for each situation.
Step 8 – Deposits discussion whether the deposit goes with the offer right up front and send a photo of the deposit to give you some leverage with your offers.
Step 9 – The appraisal dilemma and if the appraisal comes up lower than the purchase price and what would we do then.
Step 10 – Bully showing strategies on properties with tenants or sellers making it difficult to get in to viewing the property.
Step 11 – Bully or Pre-Emptive offer strategy and try to avoid the multiple offer situation and we keep re submitting offers until we get response from the seller and their agent or our budget runs out.
Step 12 – The Multiple Strategies you will be using to compete in the multiple offer situation and what are you willing to do to compete against the other bids.
Step 13 – Paying for the property inspection to be done during viewing appointment to avoid the contingency of a home inspection condition in the offer.
Step 14 – The Escalation, Preferential offer clause ( contractually not enforceable ) Starting purchase price included and add following term….“The purchase price is $10,000 above the price offered in the nearest competing bona fide offer acceptable to the seller. Upon acceptance of this offer, the seller will provide a copy of page 1 of the competing offer with the names struck out or removed for privacy purposes.” Contact listing agent and advise them of the term and ask them just to stroke out the above term and counter at the appropriate purchase price and give you and your buyer 5 minutes to respond to their counter offer price. We accept or decline and the seller returns quickly to the next highest offer.
Step 15 – You create and find versus sit and wait for a listing plan in place to find off market properties for the buyers.
Step 16 – Closing questions – Maybe this isn’t the right market for us? Maybe now is not the right time for you? How do we play the game? What would you be willing to do to buy in this market and compete?
Step 17 – You the agent sign off on your bully offer, multiple offer, finding off market property plan and escalation clause strategy and then ask them to sign off in return a buyers agreement.
So there you have it a step by step informative, strategic process to identify your quality of buyer and know what your chances of competing in this market will be for them and you. Then you make a decision whether to move forward or to wait until the market winds change. Feel free to share any steps or strategies that you may want to add to the process with myself and the rest of our readers!
When I began my real estate career at only 21 years of age my father and partner at the time was an amazing mentor to me on money management early in my career. Those lessons I learned were so valuable for me and still guide me 29 years later. What are your money saving practices? What are you financial goals for 2021? “I want to save more money this year.” “I want to become debt-free.” “I want to start saving for retirement.” These are all worthy goals, but that doesn’t mean they’re effective. Perhaps, like countless other people, you set goals like these year after year, but you make little or no progress. Strive to make 2021 the year you finally achieve your financial goals by keeping these do’s and don’ts in mind.
DO rely on systems, DON’T rely on willpower. – Many of us rely on willpower to bridge the gap between the goals we set and the things we want to accomplish. But this isn’t always effective. Instead of relying on your willpower alone, set up systems to help you actually achieve your financial goals. Instead of just “trying harder” to stay on top of your bill payments and set money aside for savings, for example, set up automatic bill pay and weekly automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account. Systems like these help ensure your financially responsible intentions don’t become an afterthought.
DO focus on habits, DON’T focus on outcomes. – Refocusing your money goals on specific daily, weekly and monthly habits—rather than distant, vague outcomes—could help you follow through. For example, instead of setting a goal to save up for a family vacation this year, turn your focus to the habit that will help make it happen, like transferring $50 to a dedicated vacation savings account at the start of each week. Clearly defined habits are essential in helping us make real progress.
DO stay flexible, DON’T be rigid. – Another common pitfall is failing to update our goals as we experience changes to our circumstances throughout the year. Goals are dynamic, and therefore our approach to them must be flexible. It’s perfectly fine if some of your past goals are no longer relevant. And it’s normal for new goals to take precedence over previous priorities. But as that happens, it’s important to update your financial systems to reflect those changes. Schedule time on your calendar once a month to review your financial goals.
DO stay committed, DON’T try to be perfect. – Rather than giving up for failing to be perfect when you make money mistakes, give yourself credit for staying committed in spite of your missteps and the challenges you face. You don’t have to be perfect to achieve your money goals, but you do need to remain committed to the process. Recognizing the positive progress you have made can help you do just that.
Here are a few of my recommended reads for those looking to learn more with their money habits:
Speed, contactless connectivity, and safety are the major challenges for the real estate industry. This week we are sharing with you everything from high-tech smart masks to ultra-mobile laptops and even more connected smart-home gear. What’s going to matter for your business moving forward in 2021 and tech? Here, we highlight some of the tech products that could be useful to real estate professionals in 2021.
1. Clear the air. Several companies debuted wearable and portable air purifiers that can be used in the car and office or during showings and open houses. LUFT Duo showed off a portable purifier that uses photocatalytic technology to filter out dust, pollen, cigarette smoke, mold, VOCs, and pathogens. The company’s research also suggests the coronavirus can’t survive for more than one hour in a room with a LUFT Duo compared to the virus’s usual 21-hour airborne lifespan. The device draws air from all angles and has a washable filter. LUFT Duo includes a USB Type-C charging cable and a cup holder for your car. $149/Luftqi.com
2. Keep an open ear as you talk. Keep your ear to your phone while going about your workday. AfterShokz debuted the wireless OpenComm Bone Conduction Stereo Bluetooth Headset, which streams audio through your cheekbone, leaving your ears open to your surroundings. The lightweight open-ear design eliminates a physical in-ear sound barrier. The device also features a DSP noise-canceling boom microphone to eliminate background noise in loud areas. A one-hour charge allows for 16 hours of talk time, and a five-minute “quick charge” feature allows for up to two hours of talk time in a pinch. $159.95/Aftershokz.com
3.Take in case of emergencies. The Portable 5-in-1 Emergency Hub from BodyGuardz can slide in your pocket for use in case of an emergency. It features five emergency tools, such as to help solve power outages or alert authorities when there’s a threat to your personal safety. It includes a power bank, personalized emergency notifications, one-touch alert and siren, flashlight, and emergency radio. It also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. $99.95/Bodyguardz.com
4. Smarten your mask with Bluetooth. Here’s an easier way to talk while masked: Binatone’s MaskFone is a wireless headphone and mask in one. It includes a built-in microphone with a medical-grade N95 filter. The mask includes built-in wireless earbuds that have environmental noise cancelation features to block out background noise and project your voice. It also enables you take a phone call without having to remove your mask. It features washable twill fabric and a disposable interchangeable N95 filter for 95% virus filtration. It’s compatible with Amazon’s Alexa. $49.99/Maskfone.com
5. Send in a robot to investigate. This compact robot can scout around in tough-to-reach places inside a home for security. Moorebot debuted Scout, an autonomous artificial intelligence robot that helps you or your clients more closely monitor key areas in a home. It features a 1080P FHD mobile camera—which includes night vision—that can be used for better surveillance. With its small size (2.8 inches x 4 inches), Scout can be used to autonomously monitor different spaces and perform inspections in areas that may be difficult to reach. It can integrate with Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. You can remotely guide Scout, whose batteries will last more than 2 hours between recharges. $179 (available March/April)/Moorebot.com
6. Strengthen your signal. Poor Wi-Fi performance in a remote office can derail your workday. Your home network may be overtaxed if you have multiple smart devices competing for the same bandwidth. CommScope’s SURFboard mAX and SURFboard mAX Express offer hotspot boosts through a mesh Wi-Fi 6 system to help remove dead spots in a home. It’s also compatible with many internet plans. The SURFboard mAX system offers two routers that each deliver 6.6 Gbps speeds and provide coverage for areas up to 5,500 square feet. Starting at $249.99 (available first quarter of 2021)/Commscope.com
7. Flip a switch for the smart lights. Smart plugs can be overridden when someone flips the light switch. Lutron aims to solve that issue with its Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer, which can be installed over light switches on the wall and lock the toggle switch in position. You’ll be able to turn your smart bulbs on, off, or dim them directly from the wall. You can also use an app on your smartphone for voice control. The dimmer will still work even if the Wi-Fi goes out. The device is compatible with Philips Hue bulbs and other Zigbee-certified smart bulbs. $49.95/Lutron.com/aurora
8. Lighten your laptop. Razor-thin at just a half-inch thick, Lenovo’s ThinkBook 13x is an ultra-portable option for those who work on the go. Weighing just 2.65 pounds, it includes a 13.3-inch touchscreen display, high resolution, 90% screen-to-body ratio, 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, and 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It offers up to 15 hours of battery life. Lenovo is a REALTOR Benefits® Partner. $1,199 (available first quarter of 2021)/Lenovo.com/NAR
9. Upgrade with a smarter webcam, 5G capabilities. Dell Technologies showcased its new Latitude 9420 notebook, which can be purchased as a two-in-one or clamshell model. The notebook includes a 14-inch display, optional support for high-speed 5G or LTE, a built-in speakerphone, and an enhanced webcam (including capabilities for background blur and automatic light correction). It also has ExpressSign-in to enable faster auto-wake and auto-lock. Dell is a REALTOR Benefits® Partner. $1,949 (spring 2021)/Dell.com
10. Try sanitized marketing. Here’s a different way to market your company around town: Bastiyali Inventions’ Smart Sanitizer kiosk allows passersby to sanitize their hands and electronic devices while viewing your digital marketing messages. You can also sell extra video or digital advertising space on the kiosk’s 22-inch LED display. The kiosk can be customized with your logo. It features a UV light tool to disinfect items like cellphones, wallets, and keys within 15 seconds. It also has a body temperature check area and hand sanitizer station. Contact company for pricing/SmartSanitizer.com
11. Ensure better mobile sound. Not everything is handled over video. Sound quality still matters when talking over a phone, particularly in your mobile office. Beyerdynamic’s PHONUM Bluetooth/UCB-C Speakerphone can be used for the home, office, and while on the go. Choose from one of three mic positions: omnidirectional, cardioid, and beamforming (which automatically adjusts to the direction of the person speaking). It operates through Bluetooth with a PC, laptop, or smartphone. It also features noise canceling to eliminate echoes and noisy backgrounds. Powered by a lithium ion battery, it can last up to 12 hours and can be charged through a USB port. $199/Beyerdynamic.com
12. Let there be light. Secure your listings with some added light—no extra wiring needed. MAXSA’s new Linked Motion Activated Anywhere Lights use standard batteries to add light to dark corners around a property. The lights communicate with one another, so when the first light is triggered, all the others activate, too. The lights only come on when they detect motion. If an intruder comes near the house, for example, all the connected lights will automatically flood the yard with light. The lights are powered by 4D cell batteries. The lights can communicate with other MAXSA lights up to 150 feet away. $39.95 per light/MaxsaInnovations.com
There you have some of the latest and newest technology to hit the market this year to assist you with your business during these unprecedented times. Feel free to email me any other great tech tools that you see in 2021. I would be glad to hear from you all about your latest and coolest tech tool.
Wow! Welcome to Q2. Three months of the new year have already flown by……And the next nine aren’t likely to slow down. So my question for you is… How are you doing? Have you achieved 25 percent of your 2021 goals yet? Are you on track? Or do you need to reevaluate your behaviors to catch up? Let’s examine these questions as a “progress report” and make sure you do what’s needed to achieve everything you set out to in 2021.
Appointments are the Lifeblood of Real Estate Success. Every real estate agent should know – and live by – this progression: Calls > Conversations > Appointments > Clients > Closings. Your 2021 business plan should have included how many of each of these you need to achieve your year-end goal. You also need to be tracking all these numbers on a daily basis. So get out your business plan, multiply your year-end target number by 0.25 and see where you’re at with your:
Calls made
Conversations
Appointments booked
Appointments won (turned the prospect into a client)
Closings (break it down to sellers/buyers)
Whether you like it or not, this business is all about prospecting and following up.
If you’re behind pace, follow the 5-5-4 plan every day. Make your calls until you’ve achieved:
5 conversations with people from your database
5 conversations with new people you’ve never talked to before
4 follow-up conversations
Here’s the thing: This stuff won’t happen if you just “hope” to get around to it. You’ve got to make it a priority. Schedule your prospecting block in your calendar and honor that time as sacred.
Now Let’s Talk Lead Generation. While we’re in the “review” mode, now it’s time to examine your lead generation efforts. Analyze each of your individual lead pillars to determine what’s working, what’s not, and what you can or should do about them.
Are any methods excelling so much that you should double down on them?
Can you identify pillars that are significantly underperforming or aren’t producing at all?
What new lead pillars might you consider adding to your mix?
How about social media: Are you sticking to a consistent posting schedule?
Are you generating engagement with your posts? If not, how are you going to shake things up to drive engagement?
Finally, Examine Your Bottom Line. Your business plan should include line items such as total number of closed transactions, your GCI, expenses and your expected profits. Are you 25 percent of the way toward these goals? If you’re falling short of your GCI goal and feel like you’re already maxed out on time, you may be in the “stuck” category I wrote about a few weeks ago. If that’s the case, it’s time to invest in yourself by hiring help or outsourcing some of the admin work that’s keeping you “busy” but not “productive.” Are your expenses higher than you expected? How about transaction volume – are you above or below your target? Bottom line… are you on course to reach your profit goal for 2021, or do you need to rethink your behaviors?
What Do You Need to Succeed? In closing, I hope you found this helpful. If this was difficult for you, I’d encourage you to stop sticking your head in the sand and start confronting whatever is preventing you from achieving your goals. Tracking and measuring your numbers is what will keep you on pace for greatness, so make it a habit or find someone who will hold you accountable. Go get it in Q2 – with so much existing activity on top of the regular Spring market, it’s probably going to be crazy! Now is the time to put your head down and make things happen.
What if I told you that there was an unlimited, free source of brand new Buyer and Seller leads out there that you could tap into at any time? And I’m not talking about a list you already have, or getting referrals from your existing sphere. I’m talking about using a platform with as many viewers as Zillow – or even Netflix – that you’ve probably heard of, but aren’t using to generate new deals on a consistent basis… sound too good to be true?
I’d like to introduce you to Craigslist – and before you write this off just let me show you why it’s one of the most under-utilized opportunities for real estate agents today. Yes….Craigslist. As I alluded to above, Craigslist is one of the top 15 most-viewed websites in the United States – going back and forth with Zillow currently sitting at #14, and far above Netflix positioned at #17. This is because communities throughout the United States and Canada still primarily rely on Craigslist to find professional services, jobs, goods for sale, community events and yes… even Real Estate. Also, did I mention it’s FREE? If you use Craigslist to your advantage, it can become a fantastic source of fresh leads to grow your Power List and generate deals. However, I’ll warn you – some of the methods we’re going to discuss in this article, and over the coming weeks, might seem unconventional… but they’re used with great success by agents across the country.
The Method is split into three parts:
1. Create “Listing+” Ads
2. Set Up a “2nd Opportunity” Email Auto Responder
3. Be Safe With Online Leads
Let’s break them down for you….
1. Create “Listing+” Ads. Craigslist is a great place to post active listings (for free!) and gain exposure for a property. However, you don’t need to have listings of your own to implement this strategy. As a side note, many agents who are already posting their listings to Craigslist aren’t structuring them correctly, so people don’t respond and they’re not getting the value they could. So, what do I mean by “Listing+”?
Posting a listing to get exposure for a property is great, but the real value of the posting is in the opportunity to generate new leads from it. That’s why if you don’t currently have any listings – or even if you do, but they’re not going to attract the type of buyers and sellers you’re looking to work with, it’s totally acceptable to promote another agent’s active listings. Sometimes you might even get better results than with your own.
You’ll need to talk to the listing agent before promoting their property, however it’s usually somewhat easy to find a colleague who would appreciate the extra exposure for their listing – think of it like sitting in on an open house for another agent. Once you have a property to promote, it’s all about giving people a “Dual Call To Action”. Normally, marketing experts recommend focusing on only one thing, but I told you we’d be covering some unconventional methods! To meet Craigslist’s Terms, and gain maximum exposure, your primary call to action needs to relate to the property. However, it seems you can add a secondary call to action with related information which often turns out to be more effective at generating leads than the property itself.
2. Set Up An Auto Responder. So far I’ve covered all of the value you can get directly from a Craigslist Cash™ Listing+ Ad, but that’s just one of many opportunities you’ll have to offer value and convert a client from a Craigslist posting. When viewers “Reply” to your post you’ll receive an email which you’ll want to respond to immediately. The best way to do this is to use an auto-responder which gives people information about the property, but don’t stop there! Present your lead with valuable information and a reason to contact you. The trick is picking the correct offer to go along with the listing you’re promoting and using the correct Direct Response Language to get people to work with you.
3. Be Safe With Online Leads. No strategy to meet new people is complete without considering your safety a #1 priority. I had to add this third part because I want to stress how important it is to be safe with any – and all – of your online prospecting activities. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that you and your clients stay safe out there: Verify any new lead is a real person by having a conversation over the phone before any in-person meetings are to take place. If you can arrange a video meeting, that’s even better!
Google the lead to verify that their social profiles, or professional profiles, match up with who they say they are. Always meet in public for the first time. Whether it’s at your office or a coffee shop, hosting a meeting in public will give you a good opportunity to assess the situation before moving ahead with a client. Another option is to find a “showing buddy” (another agent) who will show properties to online lead sources with you – obviously you returning the favor works wonders for the relationship.
Finally – Trust your gut 100% – if it doesn’t feel right for any reason or no reason at all, you don’t have to work with anyone. No deal is worth your safety.
Let me know if you are using this already and the success you’re having with it in the comments below.
One of my personal favorite books of all time is Phil M Jones’s book “Exactly What To Say” and he shares some of the most powerful words for agents to know and understand in their sales careers and this week we want to share some of these fantastic insights and phrases with all our readers and a shout out to Phil Jones and his book as well. The forgotten art of spoken communication and the power of choosing the right words at the right time and how to say them will mean you getting chosen between others in the industry. The agents that continue to get the business is purely based on their ability with their word choices. These magic words speak directly to the humans subconscious brain and the part of the brain that makes yes or no decisions and avoids the maybes.
1. I’m not sure this is for you, but ……
The customer hears I’m not sure this is for you and gets a sense that there’s no pressure and also increases their intrigue what it is that may not be for them and fires an internal decision needs to be made.
The real magic is in the 3 letter word BUT and should be avoided in all conversations. This magic word negates anything prior to it and is forgotten by the other persons. So when using these set of words be certain to speak in rejection free manner.
I am not sure this is for you but do you happen to know someone that would be?!
I am not sure this is for you but this property could generate a positive monthly cash flow of $450 (share the benefits to them)
I am not sure this is for you but this property will most likely not last long on the market.
Two things will happen… they will lean in and ask for more details or the will say they will give it some thoughts. Rejection to you averted! No negation on words that you spoke by them!
2. Open Minded. How Open Minded Are You…..
If you ask a large number of people if they are open minded I am sure they would say yes. The reason is nobody wants to seem themselves as closed minded.
When introducing a brand new idea to someone open with How Open Minded Are You and then follow up that with the scenario you want them to opt into. Odds increase from 50/50 to more like 90/10
Natural attracts people to the ideas you want them to buy into.
-How open minded would you be
Giving this a chance?
-Increasing your living space and having more room for the family?
Seeing if we could work together?
This set of words makes someone feel obligated to explore the opportunity or uncomfortable rejecting you. It seems like you are giving them a choice but your actually heavily weighting the one option to them. Everybody wants to be open minded.
3. What Do You Know About…
How often do we find ourselves speaking with someone that leads to a debate of someone that knows more than us. To be a person of influence we need to be able to move someone’s position of certainty to one of doubt. Don’t do this by challenging them…. not creating an argument or walk away. Just question their knowledge and allow them to save face.
What do you know about the Sales per square foot in the building?! Share what you know after you question their knowledge. Arguments always end with losers regardless who the loser is. Don’t go there.
4. How would you feel if ….
Motivation – a reason to move or a reason to do. Avoidance of pain or loss or to the move to pleasure or gain. People will work far harder to avoid pain or loss
People base decisions on emotion and logic. Decisions are made on emotion first therefore make their decision feel right first so it makes sense to them and then they will take action.
If the reason is big enough then you can get anyone to do anything. Create a truth for them worth changing for.
How would you feel if…. helping them travelling into the future and get them excited. Greater the contrast the greater the response.
How would you feel if….
you had that $2,200 suite income helping with paying down your personal debt?
You were able you have the space to care for your struggling mother in your home?
5. Just Imagine…
Every decision that a human makes is made at least twice. First in your mind hypothetically then second in reality.
If you can’t see yourself doing something then it doesn’t get done. Being able to place pictures in peoples minds will all then to see them doing something first and then act on it. TELL STORIES!
When you hear the words Just Imagine….. sets the stage for them to picture and drive them to act
Just imagine how things will be in six months time when you are moved in here. The smiles on your mothers face.
6. When Would Be A Good Time?
Overcome the biggest challenge someone telling us they just don’t have the time……
These set of words also preps someone the preface that their will be a good time for them in the future now. That no is not an option and it is just confirming that point in time.
When would be a good time to take proper look at this?
When would be a good time to get this started?
When would be a good time to speak next?
7. I Am Guessing That You Haven’t Got Around To?
Perfect set of words for following up with people. When following up allow the other person to save face and prevent them from using any excuses they might have which these words already elude to and take it away from them. Prefacing the question
I am guessing you haven’t got around to speaking with your partner about listing your home?
I am guessing you haven’t got around to looking at the documents yet?
I am guessing your haven’t made a decision on this yet? Opens you up to the negotiation again.
By pushing them to the negative scenario your get them to rush to the positive scenario quickly or tell you how they are going to fix the thing they said they haven’t got around to yet.
8. Simple Swaps (swap what you say and how you say it)
Simple psychological technique turning an open question into a closed question. Swap the outcome out of your control to into your control.
Do you have any questions? versus
What questions do you have for me?
The biggest mistake where we suggest that they should have questions for us and making them feel stupid they don’t so to save face they ask for more time to think about it and move you away from the decision.
Easy for them to respond I don’t have any questions and avoid the dreaded response I need to think about it.
When we want to get a little more information from someone.
Can I have your phone number?
Stop using “can I have your?” Feels like an invasion of privacy and creates an awkward permission base response. Versus
“what’s the best number I can reach you at?” “What’s the best address I can send this to?”
Makes a huge difference.
9. The Way I See It you Have Three Options…
When someone wants to feel like they have the final decision and not be manipulated. Make it easy for them to pick and keep them empowered.
You are not sure what to do…. as I see it you have three options.
1.
2.
3.
of those three options what’s going to be easier for you?!
The only option is the easy one which is the one that you wanted them to choose.
10. Two Types Of People
Be decision catalysts and professional mind maker upper. The final moment to decide and take action is the hardest task. Help people to choose by removing options and making the decision easy. Make statement that gives them a choice. There are two types of people in this world….. Instantly wonder which one they’re are…… options are stacked in favor of what you want them to choose. Those who learn and do nothing and those that learn change and take action.
I trust you found these magic words as helpful and insightful as I did. Check out his book and learn the 14 more magical words he shares and then really take the time to internalize these words and see the impact on your business. Let me know which one’s you like the best. Would love to hear from you all!
The last year and a half have definitely been some challenging times. Remember in uncertain times you can still control your own environment, be proactive and come out a winner. My personal friend and mentor Brian Buffini always reminded us to consider all areas of your personal and business life are in check. Consider your spiritual, family, business, financial and personal and ensure your 5 Circle fit. The 5 circle fit check can help you stay motivated and energized no matter what life throws your way. As a real estate professional, it’s helpful to hone your focus on the business circle. Here’s how:
