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REALTORS… Google Your Name. What Do You See?

Wade Webb on October 21, 2020

Imagine… A homeowner sees your signs in her neighborhood. Maybe she’s seen your ads in her mailbox on online. Then she decides to sell. If she doesn’t have an agent already in mind, what do you think is her next step? She’ll likely do her due diligence and conduct her own research about YOUR NAME she keeps seeing. And where does she go to do that? One place: Google. Now comes the scary part… What does she find when she Googles your name? Are you confident, or will she see a hodgepodge of half-baked marketing ideas you’ve used over the years that create no cohesive vision and make no strong impression?

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 1:

Control the First Impression – You need to buy Google keywords of your name so you can control the first impression and send these prospective clients exactly where you want to send them. Maybe it’s a landing page specifically built to introduce people to your unique way of doing business. Maybe it’s just the home page of your website, or your “About Me” page. Whatever the case, make sure you own those keywords so you can control the narrative… right from the start!

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 2:

Over-Index on “Google My Business” – You’ve probably searched for a business before, and alongside the results a box pops up with all sorts of pertinent information about their hours of operation, their phone number, website, reviews, etc. Right? That’s all controlled through “Google My Business,” and it’s something you should be paying attention to! This is a great opportunity to add all of your information AND ALSO add photos of yourself, your team, and recent “Just Sold” properties. PRO TIP: Create a standard for formatting your name, address, phone and domains so it’s easy for Google to recognize you’re the same person wherever they see that same information.

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 3:

Max Out Your Off-Page SEO – It’s likely you have profiles all over the Internet – from Facebook to Zillow to Realtor.com and beyond. Agree? Here’s the big question: Is there consistency among all of them? Would consumers instantly recognize you from one platform to the next? Or more importantly, does Google itself recognize you as the same person to make sure they know exactly who you are? Be sure to use the most accurate and appropriate keywords in all your profiles to make it happen.

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 4:

Get All Matchy-Matchy – Take that SEO concept we were just talking about, and now apply it to your brand. Does your profile look the same on all the different platforms? Would consumers instantly know that it’s you, or do you use different photos, typefaces and colors from one site to the next? Your job is to make it “dumb and easy” for someone to recognize you immediately. This is how you tap into the power of multi-channel marketing and gain top-of-mind awareness, where people start telling you, “I see your stuff everywhere!” PRO TIP: This includes usernames… always try to use the same usernames on all your social platforms.

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 5:

Tools, Apps & Gizmos – Here are three tools you should be aware of and use in your marketing: Whitespark.ca – This allows you to audit what shows up in your search results. Namechk.com – Type in your name, see all social profiles and domains that show up using your name. Google Search Console – This service from Google tells you what people searched that led them to your site. What did they click through to get there? Go find out!

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 6:

Be YouTube Ready – Google and YouTube are practically siblings, both owned by Alphabet. YouTube is the second-most utilized website and search engine on the planet, which means being “Google Ready” also means being YouTube ready. Step up your game with these tips: Thumbnails – Don’t underestimate the importance. This is what attracts people to click play on your video. Use Canva, or hire someone on Fiverr to create something eye-catching. Titles and keywords – When posting a video, you need to think in terms of SEO. What’s the keyword you want to rank against? Titles and keywords are not the place to be clever or cute. Keywords need to be based on how people search. Make it obvious what your video is about. Watch time – YouTube loves when people watch longer. Do whatever possible to keep people interested and engaged. Channel Subscribe-able? YouTube wants to keep people on the platform, so make sure you make your channel subscribe-able so they can recommend channels and videos to increase watch time.

Let us know in the comments where your business needs the most help becoming “Google Ready.”

Strength and courage,
Wade

Why Real Estate Agents Fail In This Business…

Wade Webb on October 7, 2020

Why do nearly nine out of every 10 agents fail and quit the real estate business? I’ve worked with and studied real estate professionals for 3 decades, and this week I am sharing some of the biggest reasons why agents fail. Avoiding these pitfalls will help you join that elusive “Club 13” — the 13 percent of agents who actually survive and truly succeed in this business.

Being Interested vs. Committed. Just being interested in your real estate career isn’t enough. Liking houses and liking people isn’t enough. When you’re interested, you do things when they’re convenient. Success in real estate is all about being fully committed, which means doing whatever it takes as long as it takes to achieve your goals. Are you all in? If you’re not fully committed, it’s time to reassess your career choice. It is too easy to get in and even easier to get out.
Being Strategic. Can you explain your market trends easily? Do you truly know your market? What’s selling? What’s not? To survive in real estate, you need to look at your marketplace from a strategic standpoint. You must look at the hot sheets every day, the stats every month and know what is trending every quarter. You have to own that knowledge and become the knowledge broker in your market. It’s not enough to simply like houses and enjoy working with people. Take a step back, analyze your market and make sure you know it, and you know your place in it. Now the numbers, trends and truth about your local market and share it!
Fear of Making Mistakes & Desire to Look Good. There’s a lot of vanity in real estate, which can lead to people shying away from anything that might paint them in unflattering light. But you can’t be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are how wisdom is gained. Mistakes are how we learn and grow. Accept it’s okay to make mistakes or not know the answers to everything. Try new things, see what works, learn from what doesn’t, and always keep moving forward. The more mistakes you make, the more you’ll bridge the gap between knowing and not knowing.
No (or Wrong) Role Model. Having someone to look up to, to aspire to, to model your behaviors on is a hugely critical step to help you reach that “next level” in real estate. Far too many agents have no role model for their business. Or they have the wrong one. To accelerate your ascent in this business, find someone who is successful in both life and business and model your behaviors on theirs. We all smell like those we rub up against.
Your Gas Station is Only Open One Day a Week for an Hour. Once a week you try something once and can’t figure out why nothing is working. As a real estate agent, your No. 1 priority is attracting customers. It’s not a part-time pursuit. Don’t get me wrong it is not 7 days a week 24 hours a day. Far too many agents do just a little bit of marketing once a week and hope for the best. Lead generation and lead conversion need to be your primary focus. If there was a way to teach every new agent this philosophy and force them to live up to it, that 87% failure rate would decrease dramatically. Focus on the “Core 4″… Database. Open Houses. Geographic Farming. Online Presence.
Job vs. Business Owner. Monday-Friday, 9:00-6:00 Mentality. Being a real estate agent isn’t a job. It’s a business. It’s YOUR business. You need to become and act like a business owner. You’ll get out of it what you put into it. Especially if you’re new, you absolutely must put in the time and effort. All the money is made before 9:00am and after 6:00pm. If that doesn’t work for you, you might be in the wrong business.
No Sales Swagger. Long ago NAR released a report that said the vast majority of new agents come into real estate with no sales experience, no marketing experience and no negotiation experience. What are the essential skills of succeeding in real estate? Sales. Marketing. Negotiations. Hmmm. If you haven’t mastered these three skills, you need to be working on them constantly. Put yourself in situations where you learn the objections, get hung up on and gain that experience. Putting yourself in those situations repeatedly will break down those fears of calling FSBOs, expired and the like. I often encourage brand new agents to work with FSBOs and expired to break them in with “the most challenging” clients. When you know what to say, everything becomes easier.
It’s Math. No Goals Broken Into Numbers That Get Measured. When you know your numbers, you put yourself in control. On average, how many leads does it take you to convert one sale? 30? Great! 162? Great! “I dunno.” Not great! As long as you know your numbers, you know what you have to do. If you don’t know your numbers, you’re just hoping for that winning lottery ticket. Knowing your numbers makes your business predictable. Being predictable leads to success. Know your numbers!
No Schedule, Weak Habits and Routines. If you’ve followed me for a long time, you’ve heard me say it a million times: “Show me your routines and I can predict your future.” If your schedule isn’t aligned with your goals, instead of achieving your goals, you’ll end up wherever your schedule takes you. The key is figuring out the specific activities that will lead to the achievement of your goals. Then you schedule those activities. The role of discipline in your success cannot be underestimated. Schedule everything and find a way to hold yourself accountable.
Lack of Financial Management. Lots of people get into real estate thinking it’s a low overhead business with an opportunity to make big, giant paychecks. Those days are long gone. This business is so competitive, you need a funding plan not only to survive, but to invest in your business and build it in an efficient way. Make sure you’re managing your money smartly in order to avoid that 87% failure rate. Profit is not a bad word.

Now that you have a better idea of the causes for failure the next decision is what are you going to do with this information? What action are you going to take? Feel free to comment below what you plan on doing next to ensure you’re a member of the 13% Club!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Secrets To The Ultimate Real Estate Customer Experience

Wade Webb on September 23, 2020

Every business, whether it’s large or small, wants to be known for the stellar real estate experience they provide, but it’s not as simple as just providing a great product or service. Giving people the ultimate experience requires you to look at the entire customer journey as part of your product or service, and meld them together in somewhat of a symphony. For REALTORS®, conducting this orchestra is actually a lot easier than it sounds when you consider what it’s like from a buyer or seller’s point of view. Most people will only go through the real estate transaction process a few times in their life, and as someone who has been through it countless times, you’ll probably see the ideal transaction experience quite differently than almost all of your clients will. Setting expectations early on with clients is absolutely critical to providing excellent service, but today let’s focus on 3 incredibly simple things you can do to create the ultimate experience for your clients, above and beyond the high level of service you already provide.

#1 SEEK – Where nearly every service experience falls apart is the lack of continuity between what a client needs and wants, and what can actually be done in reality. We’ve covered how to set expectations with clients in depth before, but the most important thing you can do for yourself and your clients, is to make sure you understand the specific differences between their wants and their needs. A need is a non-negotiable point, and if you don’t satisfy it, nothing you do will meet the client’s service expectations. A want however, is a much more flexible point where compromises can be made without impacting the perception of service. Basically, you need to make sure you are asking lots of questions, actively listening to their answers, and clarifying when you’re not sure if something is a want or a need. Don’t be afraid to ask “is this something you need – and why?” Getting the client to discuss their preferences out loud will prompt them to really think it through and flush out their ideas. Just do yourself (and everyone) a favor and never make any assumptions, you cannot possibly anticipate where someone will be willing to make compromises.

#2 ADVISE – Now you don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, but as we’ve established, you’ve been through the process of buying and selling a home a few times. As the trusted professional, your clients will expect you to educate them on the known pitfalls in a transaction, but you can also use your experience and opinions to guide them towards the best decisions, and make suggestions where you think compromises might be necessary. Obviously, you’ll always want to take their needs into consideration first, but good advice really goes a long way with a purchase of this magnitude, potentially saving time, money, easing stress and making all their decision points more fluid.

#3 CHECK IN – You might spend a week working with a buyer or seller, or you could spend months. In either case, lots of things can happen that affect the client’s experience in the time it takes to see a transaction through to the end. A good rule of thumb is to check in before, during and after the transaction takes place, making sure people are satisfied at each point. Now here’s the tough part, you have to actually ask your clients directly if they are satisfied with the way things are going, and be open to the fact that you might be out of line with their expectations… but also willing to fix the situation. The good news is that by collecting this information, you now have the opportunity to remedy any service deficiency before it impacts the likelihood of that client doing business with you in the future, or of them sending you referrals. If you can’t remedy the deficiency, or your clients expectations don’t match up with the services you provide, do the next best thing for your business by referring them to someone more fitting for them. You can’t save them all, but by acting in a professional manner and providing them resources, you will still be able to maintain a positive experience.

It’s All in the Details. Overall there’s one thing to consider in all this, and it’s that small inconsistencies can add up to large deficiencies very quickly, so the details really do matter. When you SEEK, ADVISE and CHECK IN along the way, you gather the information you need to really understand what each individual client needs, ensuring every single person has the ultimate experience working with you.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Winning The Multiple Offer Game For Your Real Estate Buyer…..

Wade Webb on September 16, 2020

All over North America the demand for properties is a little crazy right now. Pocket listings, multiple offers, bidding wars in so many market areas. So even when you find that “dream house” for a buyer, there’s no guarantee they’ll get it. And losing out is painful – for everyone involved. That’s why I want to help make it more likely that you and your buyers emerge victorious and get your offers accepted. Because here’s the thing: When you master this, everything gets better… More money in your pocket. More time to work with other people. Better perception in the eye of your clients who you helped find and secure their dream house. More referrals. Let’s jump right in…

Tip No. 1: What makes a good Negotiator? They avoid over confidence; they understand, they don’t “know it all.” They are quick to identify and understand the concerns and position of others. They know that all negotiating parties have a strong desire to complete a negotiation and say, “I got a good deal!” They are constantly improving their skills and are very CREATIVE.

Tip No. 2: Make It Personal. Anything you can do to humanize or differentiate your offer from others is a step in the right direction. With that in mind, one of the first things you should do is reach out to the listing agent to try and find out if there’s anything special the seller is looking for or will respond to. Ask the question “What’s important to them?” Now, not every listing agent will respond, but some will, and at least you made that effort. You may also consider including a letter and/or photo providing some insight about your prospective buyers. All things being equal, sellers might be swayed by an emotional story or choosing someone who was at a similar stage in their lives to inhabit their cherished home. Tugging at the sellers’ heartstrings might just do the trick to get your buyers stand out.

Tip No. 3: Offer Unique Benefits. Sometimes it takes some outside-the-box thinking to get two sides to agree on a negotiation. Make sure you’re exploring all your options and including any unique benefits your buyers can offer. (Within all laws and local regulations, of course.) Such as: Paying the seller’s taxes, Free “rent back” to give the sellers time to move on, Cover the seller’s moving costs, Pay the title fees

With a little brainstorming, I’m sure you can come up with additional benefits that won’t increase your buyer’s monthly payment and will give them the advantage.

Tip No. 4: Maximize Your Buyer’s Price Ceiling. Getting offers accepted in today’s uber-competitive marketplace sometimes boils down to getting your buyers to increase their price more than they initially expected. I like the “ladder up” approach to see where the actual breaking point is, and that’s a discussion you need to have. Repeatedly ask this question to make that conversation easier: “Are you willing to lose this house at $XXX,XXX?” When they say no, ramp it up a little bit and ask it again. Taking those “baby steps” can get your buyers to stretch a little further than they might have originally indicated to you, and ultimately, will give you more leverage to make a compelling offer.

Tip No. 5: Back up Offer (When Possible). Confirm the collapse date of the first accepted offer prior to writing your back up offer. Make sure you put “Subject to the seller not being obligated to the previously accepted offer on or before (Date). For the sole benefit of the seller. Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to grant any extensions to the first accepted offer.” Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to notify the first party of the existence of the back-up offer.” Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to disclose any details including price, terms and time of the back-up offer to the first party.” Add the term “If buyer finds another suitable property they will give written notice to seller and the back-up agreement will be null and void.”

There you have a couple of higher level multiple and back up strategies to help you compete at a higher level. I have also attached an Multiple Offers Strategies Visual Tool for you to download and use as a great visual when advising with your buyers and educate them to really help you both in understanding what it takes to get a in demand property in a crazy market time. I trust this will be a helpful tool for you and your business today!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Realtors©… Are You Living The Life You Deserve?

Wade Webb on September 9, 2020

When you’ve spent almost 3 decades of your life in the real estate profession like I have, you tend to identify some disturbing patterns of human behavior. Like the little (or big) hurdles people place in their own path. One of the biggest challenges I see time and time again might surprise you… Many, many people in this world don’t believe they deserve success. Am I talking to you? Let’s have a look at this… With everything going on in the world, you might be feeling down lately. But that doesn’t discount your self-worth. You’ve been given an amazing opportunity to live life on the planet Earth here in the 21st century.

You deserve a life filled with wealth, prosperity, happiness, freedom and whatever else you desire. The question is “Do you believe that?” Because here’s what I see when people don’t believe they deserve greatness… They develop a personal narrative that says they are “less than” and undeserving of life’s gifts. The trouble is telling yourself negative thoughts like that creates a dangerous cycle: You adopt this negative narrative. You project it to those around you. The more you do so, the more others reinforce it. Before you know it, it becomes “real” because you and everyone else acts like it is.

Again… am I talking to you here? Does this sound familiar? I hope not, but if it does, be sure to keep reading. Here are five steps that likely won’t give you every answer you seek, but they will provide a fantastic framework on which you can build the life you desire.

Step 1: You Must Know What You Want. Do you want to earn as much money as possible, working 100-hour weeks? Do you want to earn a comfortable living and have time to devote to your family and personal pursuits? Do you want to specialize in some unique property type that is your passion? What do you want from life? Gaining clarity on this question is the first step toward achieving it.

Step 2: You Need To Know WHY You Want It. If you didn’t catch last week’s blog, I shared a fantastic exercise to define your “Why.” Doing so is a critical step toward the necessary drive and initiative required to achieve whatever you determined in Step 1. Without a compelling “Why,” you will not be able to maintain momentum and motivation. Because… what’s the point? Figure yours out and thank me later.

Step 3: Develop and Act On A Plan. Think of your business plan as the road map that leads you where you want to go in life. Without a plan, you’re wandering. You’re guessing. You’re experimenting. The more your plan can break down your actions into small, actionable steps like your daily number, the more effective you and your plan will be. The last step of creating a plan? Follow it! Too many people create their business plan and then stick in a a drawer or in a filing cabinet, never to be seen again. Which brings us to…

Step 4: Find Some Accountability. Be honest… Left to your own devices, how well would you follow your plan? I’m not saying it can’t be done. But it takes A LOT of discipline. That’s why having someone to hold you accountable is a key step in your journey to greatness. A coach. Your broker. A colleague. A family member. As a solo entrepreneur, you need someone in your life who you answer to. Until you find the right accountability partner, you’ll never know exactly what you’re capable of in life. It’s that simple.

Step 5: Celebrate. Honor Yourself. Repeat. Look at what you have done and stop looking at what you have not done yet. When you achieve a goal, make sure to celebrate it. Then adjust your sights and establish new, loftier goals. Then get to work and start the whole process over again. You DO Deserve It. Now Go Make It Happen. To reiterate: None of these five steps will work without a strong belief that you deserve success. I believe in you. I believe you have something special inside you to share with the world, and by doing so, you’ll earn everything you want from life. Find what that thing is, believe in yourself, and go get it!

Strength and courage,
Wade

REALTORS© It’s Time To Finish 2020 Strong….

Wade Webb on September 2, 2020

I don’t know about you but the first few months of Covid19 seemed to just slowly drag on for me and then my summer seemed to just fly by and I cannot believe it is September 2020 already. We are beginning the last quarter of the year and for real estate sales professionals there are only two outcomes for us all. Will you finish in the red, or finish in the black? Will you finish strong or will you miss your targets and goals? Winning near the end of a game, final quarter or the year is a trait of all the best sales people I’ve ever met. Closing out strong is primarily the effect of a consistent quarter, there are still a handful of things you can do to strike off checkboxes in the win column to finish Q4 and your 2020 strong.

1. Be Active – There’s no substitute for being pleasantly persistent and respectfully blunt. Get out there and be straightforward. Taking action and getting after it is a choice and work on the high quality leads and not the low quality leads. Ask yourself “If you were me, would you forecast this listing or buyer prospect to buy or sell this month or in the next 90 days?” Remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Being direct will help you get real with your buying and selling customers and align yourself with the true sales cycle. It might also enable you to pull out a quick win.

2. Be Relational – For more than two decades now I have heard from thousands of top producing agents and almost 60% of their business comes from repeat and referral business. Focusing first on the people we already know, like and trust is working effectively and efficiently in this business. If you don’t have enough people that know, like and trust you then get out there and “S.T.P. – See The People” If you have a list of relationships in place that have not “felt the love” then get out there and see them and find ways to add value to them. Give them a call, email, text, handwritten note, small gift or even a coffee and just watch and see what happens with your last quarter.

3. Be Face to Face – Sales is a contact sport and we need to be belly to belly. Anyone of us making a large buying decision needs to know the person we deal with is someone we like and can trust. The only way we can sense if we like or trust someone is meeting them in person. Commit to the final quarter on sales activities that are primarily face to face and belly to belly activities like Open house, door to door, kiosk, networking, office duty, coffee, lunch, pop by, volunteer, client appreciation event or convention. This is a relationships business so get out there to create and deepen those relationships.

4. Stack-Rank Your Leads – We will never be able to manufacture more time, but we can manufacture more focus. I recommend looking at your pipeline and grading each opportunity on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being “highly closeable by the end of the quarter.” Then, focus your closing efforts on the 3’s and 4’s ONLY. You don’t have time to waste. If you don’t have enough 3 and 4 prospects in the funnel then take action and increase your marketing plan and daily prospecting, lead generation with planned marketing, activities that bring the level 3 and 4 prospects into your pipeline to finish Q3 strong.

5. Purge Your People – Almost every sales pro has them. They’re those big opportunities in the pipeline you’ve been working for months. The one deal that constantly disrupts your focus or the need to take action. The buyer or seller who is the time and energy vampire but you let them suck the life out of you because you don’t have anyone else to work with. Every time you think about punting them, you get a glimmer of hope from them. It’s time……Remove them!! They don’t deserve to be on your radar right now. Coming clean with yourself will open new vistas and invigorate you to add more productive opportunities to your pipeline.

6. Start Planning for 2021 – How much revenue do you plan to book in Q1 2021? Exactly how many new deals do you need to earn that amount? Knowing exactly what you plan to earn acts like a magnet to attract business your way. Having this exact number also allows you to project your required activities into month one of the new quarter. If you’re accurately measuring your deal metrics, you’ll be able to predict with some certainty how many calls, emails, appointments, presentations or opportunities you’ll need to make it rain. Ask for a review by management. Knowing your numbers is one thing, but to positively affect the business, it’s equally vital to understand your “why”, purpose and goals and have someone hold you accountable to them.

Bonus Tips: What NOT to Do in the last Quarter Of 2020

1. Don’t Work With Any Clients Just to Make your Numbers – Any client outside of your ideal customer profile will complicate servicing, produce a higher likelihood of churn or failure, and ultimately cost you more time and resources than it will be worth. Instead, focus on filling the pipeline with high quality leads for next quarter. It’s never too early to start filling the funnel.

2. Never Give Away More Than You Should – It’s just not worth it. You only have one reputation for your brand and offering, treat it respectfully. Concessions can quickly become a crutch that hides other issues. Sell on value, not on price. Don’t cut your commissions, offer cash backs or any other silly incentives just to get something before the year is done.

The key to closing out your quarter strong is to keep up the momentum that got you to where you are now. If you’re struggling to meet your numbers, it’s a time to embrace new sales insights and start building effective rhythm. Take the last minute shots on goal listed above, but remember to always be thinking about the bigger picture: Your reputation is the product of your past actions. Sales that allow you to produce predictable revenue are the future. Finish the last quarter and your year strong. I dare you!!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Improving Our Self-Confidence

Wade Webb on August 5, 2020

Remember Remy? The little rat turned gourmet cook from the movie Ratatouille? Despite his circumstances, Remy didn’t let anything stop him from following his seemingly impossible dream of becoming a great chef. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have the kind of self-confidence embodied in that little character? The good news is self-confidence can be developed over time. But to build it you have to practice it. Once you understand how to foster it, you can boost your real estate career and other aspects of your life. To truly construct a foundation of self-confidence, it takes a lot more than just “dressing for success” or “faking it til you make it.” You need to dig deeper and take positive, deliberate steps. By investing in these five strategies, you’ll be able to not only build unshakable self-confidence but also sustain it over time.

1. Conquer your inner critic:

You know that little voice in your head saying things like,” I’m not qualified for that job, what’s the point of interviewing for it,” or “I keep getting passed over for a promotion, there must be something wrong with me.” Those nagging thoughts telling you you’re not good enough come from your inner critic (or critical inner voice). Dr. Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., author of Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, suggests following this 4-step process to conquer your inner critic: Try to identify what your critical inner voice is telling you. Acknowledge this thought process is separate from your real point of view.

Write these thoughts down in the second person (as “you” statements). For example, a thought like “I can’t get anything right. I’ll never be successful” should be written as “You can’t get anything right. You’ll never be successful.” This will help you see these ideas as an outside point of view and not as true statements. Respond to your inner critic by writing down a more realistic and compassionate evaluation of yourself. Write these responses in the first person (as “I” statements). In response to a thought like, “You’re such an idiot,” you could write, “I may struggle at times, but I am smart and competent in many ways.” Remember not to act on the directives of your inner critic. Take actions that represent your own point of view, whom you want to be, and what you aim to achieve.

2. Reflect on accomplishments:

Remembering events in which you felt proud or recognized can help strengthen self-confidence. These types of thoughts can also act as natural counters to the inner critic. Think about your life and list the ten best things you’ve achieved. Maybe you speak five languages, graduated first in your high school class, or climbed The Nose route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in record time. They don’t necessarily need to be major events—perhaps a time you were acknowledged for helping a friend or overcoming a fear. Put this list somewhere where you can see it often. Then spend a few minutes daily reflecting on the success you’ve already had. Allow these memories to make you feel good and remind you who you really are. As the best-selling author and motivational speaker Denis Waitley asserts, “To establish true self-confidence, we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.”

3. Maintain good posture:

According to research conducted at Ohio State University, sitting up straight isn’t just good for your posture. It also gives you more confidence in your thoughts. Researchers found that people who sat up straight were more likely to believe ideas they wrote down concerning whether they were qualified for a job. In contrast, those who were slumped over their desks were less likely to accept these feelings about their own qualifications. Another more recent study looked at how posture influenced students’ feelings about their performance. The study tested the effects of students’ posture during simple math exercises. Students who were anxious about math maintained that slouching made them feel less capable of calculation. Hunching down inhibited their thinking while sitting up straight gave them more confidence. So, by maintaining good posture, you not only appear more confident, you are more confident.

4. Develop an equality mentality:

People with low self-confidence tend to view others as better or more deserving than themselves. Instead of carrying this perception, view yourself as being equal to everyone. While it can be challenging to feel equal when we’re constantly comparing ourselves to the latest influencer on Instagram, it can be done. Recognize that those Instagram photos aren’t based in reality. They are a perfectly curated, over-filtered version of someone’s life. Make a mental shift to an equality mentality, and you will quickly see an improvement in your self-confidence. After all, as Marilyn Monroe pointed out, “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”

5. Try things that make you uncomfortable:

Stepping outside your comfort zone is a great way to build self-confidence. According to Charlie Houpert, the author of Charisma on Command, “Confidence is ultimately about being comfortable in a wide variety of situations that would make most people feel uncomfortable. So, if you stretch your comfort zone every day, very quickly, you’ll have a large comfort zone and be able to feel more comfortable even when outside of it.” This can involve subtle changes like striking up a conversation with someone at a cocktail party or trying a new sport. The most important thing is to take small, daily steps. Becoming more self-confident is readily achievable if you have focus and determination. As author Barrie Davenport, author of Confidence Hacks, says, “Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered—just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.”

Strength and courage,
Wade

Summer Seller Listing & Lead Strategies 2020

Wade Webb on July 22, 2020

We have all heard the unwritten rule in real estate “List to Last.” N.A.R. reports state it takes four times the effort servicing a buyer than servicing a seller. Everyone wants to know the secret to working smarter and not working harder and in our business it’s Listings! Here are the top ways agents are getting listings and setting themselves up for a fantastic Q3 in real estate.

1. Your Database – you always start with the people you already know, like and trust. Small talk with them first and check in to see how they are doing, don’t jump right into business please. Just before you hang up almost like an after-thought. Ask them this question….“Of all the people you know, who would be moving next?” and watch what happens for you.

2. If we don’t ask then we don’t get. Ask your database by Emails, Post Cards, Texts, Video emails or Social Media Posts “Wade Is Now Taking New Listings” inventory levels and competition for selling is low and now it the time to List! Thinking of selling Call Now!

3. Take the time to prepare unsolicited CMA packages for your database, which include a snapshot of comparables to give them an idea what their home is worth, but don’t put the range or estimated sale price in your package. Then hand deliver or mail them to all your past clients. Call them 3 days later and ask them. “Did they get it? Any questions? Any other properties I can evaluate? Reason for the CMA was to ensure your insurance coverage was high enough, tax purposes and retirement planning. Any other people you know I could provide this valuable service for?

4. Geographic Farming – find a building or neighborhood that has more than a 6% annual turn-over rate. Then you find all the mailing addresses of the residents so you can direct mail ( not unaddressed mail ) each resident 3 times a year. Create a branded newsletter for the farm area that contains every important statistic for the residents like sales, listings, days on market, absorption rate, cost per square foot, etc. Personally mail them the newsletter. Create a landing page website that matches your newsletter to reinforce your perception of being the expert.

5. Expired Listings – If your marketplace allows you to do expireds. Check with your broker first. They already own a home, want to sell, want to work with an agent and pay our fees. Does it get any better than this?! Everyone is mailing and calling. I am a huge believer and say go knock on their door and go see them! They need to see me to decide whether they like or trust me first!

6. Door knock – Using a bona fide buyer or a just sold and have buyers still looking in your area. Both of these methods work because they trigger some sense of urgency with people when they know we have a buyer for their home or someone just sold for a significant amount of money and you may have another buyer for their home.

7. Open house – Another great way to connect with people who want to buy but they have something else to sell before they can buy. I love the face to face activity because it is where we all are at our best.

8. Direct mail – Using a bona fide buyer or a just sold but have buyers still looking. Just like the door knock approach this is the most effective way to get listing appointments. The direct mail and then follow up door knock is a fantastic one two punch for generating listing appointments!

9. FSBO – They already own a home, they want to sell. They don’t want to pay the fees but if they can’t sell they tend to list with an agent after 10 weeks of trying themselves.

10. B2B – Creating value and interacting with other business owners and other service providers in our community is such an untapped area for most agents. Do a business video shout out with the owners and encourage to buy local. Run a gift card giveaway with a small business owner to your people and that businesses people. So many agents don’t go after the B2B and focus only on the P2P.

11. Online Ads – What’s my home worth? Or curious of how much equity you have in your home?? (FB, Google PPC) running ad campaigns targeting consumers with click ads to get their value of their home has been something we have used the last number of years now. Hire a VA on www.fiverr.com create FB, Instagram ads for you. Have the ad click to go to a landing page from www.carrd.co then the form send their contact info to your email.

So there you have what I think are the best of the best for agents to ramp up their listing inventory. Please comment below any other powerful listing generating activities you might use with us below!

Strength and courage,
Wade

TOP WAYS TO SUCCEED WITH ZERO TALENT

Wade Webb on July 15, 2020

You don’t need to be the smartest or most talented person to achieve success in life. Often it’s the seemingly simple things that can make a significant difference. These things are things anyone can do. They don’t cost money but they do require intentionality and effort.

1. Be On Time – Honor others by respecting their time. Earning respect starts by giving it.

2. Show Up and Do the Work – If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way.

3. Give Your Best In All That You Do – It doesn’t matter what everyone else is or isn’t doing. Focus on your contribution every day. When you give your best, you’ll inspire others to give their best too.

4. Be Positively Contagious – Your attitude is contagious. Choose to be Vitamin C today. Look for opportunities to encourage and uplift those around you.

5. Have an Attitude of Gratitude – Every day we have a choice. We can choose to be grateful and see the good in all that we have or we can let anger, fear, doubt, and insecurities rob us of our joy and the life we’re meant to live. The choice is yours today.

6. Seek Solutions vs. Dwelling on Problems – How you see the world determines the world you see. When you seek solutions you see a world of possibilities and are able to overcome challenges.

7. Have Passion – Passion fuels your purpose. The strongest may survive but it is the passionate that will thrive. Get excited today!

8. Be Coachable – Stay humble and hungry and be a lifelong learner. The best of the best are always striving to get better and so should you.

9. Do More Than What’s Required – Average effort generates average results. If you want more, do more. Even a little extra each day can create big results over time.

10. Believe in Yourself – Stop listening to the self-sabotaging voices in your mind. Talk to yourself and feed the positive instead of listening to negative. You matter. You are capable. You can do great things. You are here for a reason.

What would you add to this list?

Strength and courage,
Wade

Social Media That Keeps Our Mental Health In Check

Wade Webb on July 8, 2020

This week I am going to get really personal and vulnerable and share with you all that for a few years now our family has experienced first-hand the affects of mental health. It is still today something that is not spoken about and just finding its voice in the world but the struggle is real. A handful of studies have shown a negative correlation between social media use and conditions like anxiety and depression. These studies are still in the nascent stages, meaning we don’t fully understand the impact social media has on our mental health quite yet. Despite the imminent warnings, most people still have active social media accounts. If you’re still on social media, you might as well get an emotional boost from the content you follow. These five Instagram accounts can all provide a healthy perspective when it comes to mental health:

@SelfCareIsForEveryone

As its name implies, this account is all about the importance of prioritizing self-care, especially for those who struggle with anxiety and depression. They also sell super-cute tees and hoodies with some of their graphics printed on them.

@SunnyBloomInspiration

If you need a boost of positivity each day, Sunny Bloom Inspiration is for you. This Instagram account aggregates the best of the best when it comes to inspirational, motivational content on the ’gram.

@LisaOliveraTherapy

Therapist and author Lisa Olivera shares insightful quotes related to therapy and mental health on calm, pastel-colored backgrounds. Some are short and sweet, like “let the small things count,” while others are more in-depth.

@DLCAnxietySupport

Catering specifically to those with anxiety, DLC Anxiety Support offers tangible tips for going through life as an anxious person. From how to survive a panic attack to stopping overthinking in its tracks, this page is ideal for those who need actionable advice.

@LizAndMollie

With calming blue backgrounds in nearly every image, these funny and insightful comics will make you feel more at ease about any situation you’re facing, whether it’s catastrophizing your thoughts or speaking up at work. You’re guaranteed to smile and think, I’ve been there, every time a Liz and Mollie drawing pops up on your feed.

There you have it five social media tools that would be helpful versus a hindrance to your mental health. I trust they make a difference for you or someone else you know in need.

Strength and courage,
Wade