How To Get Clients Picking You Through All The Noise

Wade Webb on July 17, 2019

pick realtorWhen potential clients are looking for a Realtor, they’re probably meeting with several before they decide on one. Because this is one of the biggest transactions people deal with in their lives, it’s no wonder they stress over choosing the right professional to stand by their side and help make sure everything goes smoothly. Plus they want to LIKE you, and have a great and fun consumer experience. So how do you help them make it easy to choose YOU as their agent?

Simply put, it’s by focusing on THEM rather than yourself. Most agents they interview are going to talk mostly about themselves, their sales, their competence, blah blah blah. Any presentations or meetings with agents the buyer/seller attends is going to run together in their minds- what is there to set them apart? When you focus on the client, talking to them mainly about their own wants and needs, they will immediately get the feeling you’re there to help rather than to sell them. And that interaction lays the basis for a consumer experience they’ll want to repeat, or refer others to.

Tip #1 Focus on the client. Before you meet with your potential buyer or seller, you should know something about their motivations and what they’re looking for. You’re not there to cram all your successes down their throats, or talk about how you’re the best agent in town – you’re there to show you have their wants and needs in mind.

For Sellers… How do you make sure sellers know you are paying attention to them and their needs? Before meeting with them:

Pull tax records for the home

  • Check MLS for past sales
  • Drive by the home and take a photo- show you went the extra mile
  • Ask if they’re interviewing other agents- ask to be their final interview if possible (you want to be their last, best impression)
  • What YOU want from a seller is a client who is motivated to sell. Ask questions like “When do you need to move?” and “Do you need funds from this sale to move?” You want to qualify the seller during this meeting.

For Buyers It’s important to qualify buyers to make sure they’re serious about buying, but once you’ve done so, how do you set yourself apart to make sure they want to work with you? It’s the same tactic as working with sellers, above- LISTEN to what they’re asking you for. Ask leading questions, take notes, and find out what problems they’re trying to solve by moving. Focus your meeting on how you can help them fix those problems. See Tips #2 and #3, below.

Tip #2 Extreme Differentiation. Many agents naturally think their advertising or promotions should be centered around their services — who they are. This is a big mistake.  Your business is about fulfilling desires or solving problems of your client. This is the entire reason for creating your Unique Selling Proposition.  Your USP is a simple, yet powerful concept that forces your mindset into becoming client centered – what you will DO FOR THEM.  It answers the question every prospect asks of you:  “Why should I do business with YOU, instead of any other Agent, or any other option, including doing nothing at all, or what I’m doing now?” Your Unique Selling Proposition is the answer to that question.

Here are the elements of a great USP:

First, your USP must answer the question: “Why should I do business with YOU over any other options?”  Or, “Why should I buy this home vs. any others on the market?” Or, “Why Should I consider this financing package over every other option?”  Do you see that your USP can be applied anywhere in your practice where you want to influence people? People want to know what’s in it for them!

Second, your USP must be very SPECIFIC and MEANINGFUL to your targeted audience.  By specific, I mean: is it meant for them and them alone? And by meaningful, are you offering something important to them?  Don’t use vague generalities, like “multi-million dollar producer,” or “quality,” or “excellence.” They mean nothing to your audience.

Third, your USP must say something UNIQUE about you or your offer – something you do different from others.  Something that sets you apart in a meaningful way, and be above and beyond your prospect’s normal expectations of service from a Realtor. That’s why words like “experienced,” is fluff that doesn’t work.  Who doesn’t expect you to be experienced? There’s nothing Unique about that term. The same is true for the designations you think are so important but the average person has no clue what they mean or how they benefit from you having them.

Fourth, if you want to know if you have a really great USP, it must evoke the question from your audience….

“Oh really? How do you do that?”

Here are some great examples of Unique Selling Propositions:

  • When Showing Homes:  “The 22 point perimeter security system means you will feel safe and secure during those nights when your husband/wife is away.” (Turning a feature into a benefit)
  • When Helping Buyers:  “This financing package will save you over $2,000 in normal closing costs, and reduce your payment by $95 each month”
  • When Making A Listing Presentation:  “My exclusive 28 point marketing plan sells the average home for 97% of listing price, and in only 42 days”

Tip #3 Set Expectations and then EXCEED Them. Setting expectations with a client, and their great consumer experience, starts at the very first contact. Take detailed notes when talking to a prospective client (always keep a notepad handy), and follow-up with them immediately. They may have reached out to other agents, who took time to get back to them or maybe won’t remember much about the conversation they had with them at first. Be prepared with 3 important pieces of your toolset: Success Book, Marketing Plan, and a great listing presentation. End the presentation by talking about how you’ll communicate during the sales process, and what to expect as next steps. This period is key in helping your clients to understand what will happen next, when you’ll communicate, and every piece of the process. Then, work on exceeding those steps by going the extra mile. If you didn’t get the listing, it’s ok to ask why so you can improve for next time. If it’s not a mutual fit, that’s ok too.

Tip # 4: Follow up!! Here’s where MANY agents fail. Once the sale is over, they let the relationship drop away. You’ve gotten what you wanted- why bother working a completed transaction? WRONG. Your past clients are your most important source of referrals – they’ll even bring you repeat business if you maintain your contact with them. What do you usually do after a sale? Do you send a gift, like Steve Vaught? (click here to read Steve’s idea) Do you send a follow-up letter asking for your client’s testimonial or for referrals? You probably should be doing all of those things, but MOST importantly you’ll need to keep in touch with previous clients on at least a monthly basis.

Commit to monthly or don’t even start. The Direct Marketing Association reports that the optimum contact time is every 21 days. There have also been studies out there that say for every month you forget about your house list/clients, you lose 10% of them – another reason for monthly contact. Finally, the NAR reports the “average” contact program takes between 8 and 12 months to “start” working. We’ve cut that time in half with Service For Life!, but even if it takes 10 months to start the “market share engine” producing, that’s still a great deal, considering most agents never get it going.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Secrets To Keeping Yourself Encouraged

Wade Webb on July 10, 2019

realtor encouragementHere is a familiar scenario for all of us: You have an exciting goal in mind for your real estate business, you’ve done your homework, you think you’re amply prepared… and things just don’t work out. You’ve probably had times when you thought you were doing what you were supposed to do, but you were misinformed. You thought you had it all laid out, and it just didn’t work. You burned the midnight oil day after day, and it didn’t help. You couldn’t seem to change the end result. These are times when you have to be your own best cheerleader. There are two ways to keep yourself encouraged.

1. Take responsibility for the missed opportunity or the misrepresentation.

Learn from the fact that though you made the best presentation possible, your client wanted it a different way. Be prepared for the letdowns that happen every so often. Know this lost opportunity just sets you up to take advantage of the next one. Realize you can make the necessary alterations next time. Make the changes that will make the difference. Study your mistakes, and learn from them. Instead of dwelling on your mistakes, simply acknowledge them. Remind yourself you’re smarter than your bank account leads you to believe.

2. Remind yourself you’re bound to get better.

Don’t get down on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s the next opportunity that matters, not the last one. The last one matters only in that you must learn from it, but the next one gives you the opportunity to show you have learned from your mistakes. You can do it better next time. You just have to practice. Keep trying until you’ve got it down pat. If you’ve figured out what went wrong last time, then you know how to make it right next time. If you’ve figured out what it was in your presentation that didn’t work, don’t say those same words next time. If you’ve figured out the reason you didn’t close the deal this time was because you didn’t have all the facts and figures in place, have all the facts and figures in place next time. Don’t beat yourself up for messing up. Pat yourself on the back for figuring it out.

When you miss an opportunity, are unprepared for an opportunity or suffer a setback while realizing your goals, you need to encourage yourself by immediately getting back into line. You need to encourage yourself. You need to pump yourself up. You need to be your own cheerleader. Why? Because you can’t wait and hope someone else will come along and cheer you up. You have to rely on yourself. You have to have faith in yourself and your ability to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

You’ll have to encourage yourself with future successes. When you miss an opportunity, are unprepared for an opportunity or suffer a setback while realizing your goals, you need to encourage yourself by immediately getting back into line. There’s an old cowboy saying that goes, “Fall off a horse seven times, and you’re a real cowboy.” If you fall off a horse, get right back on. If you fall off track, get right back on. If you fall away from your disciplines, get right back to them. If you fall out of habit, get right back into it. It might be hard. It might be a bit frightening. But get back on the horse. Keep your resolve alive, active and well. Cheer yourself on to victory.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Are You Willing To Take A Beating?

Wade Webb on June 12, 2019

realtor take beatingIf you’ve been to a tourist hotspot like Venice Beach or Downtown Las Vegas in the last couple years, among all the sunglass vendors and street performers, you might have witnessed a weird new phenomenon: People who are willing to be punched or kicked in exchange for money. Yep, you give a complete stranger $20 or so, and he grants you the right to hit him. Sound crazy? Of course it does. But here’s an even crazier thought: I’d contend you – as a real estate salesperson – have more in common with these people than you might expect. You might not subject your body to physical punishment in exchange for money, but let there be no doubt about it… …If you want the monetary rewards associated with a successful career in real estate, you need to be willing to get punched in the face. Repeatedly.

All the Money is In Follow Up. So in your case, I’m not talking about literally getting punched in the face. But figuratively? Yes, most definitely. The statistics show only 5.6 percent of conversions happen upon first contact with a lead. That basically means for every 20 calls you make, one will achieve your desired outcome and 19 others will feel like a right hook landing squarely on your jawline. So here’s the big question for you: Can you handle that type of rejection? Can your psyche deal with that kind of punishment day in and day out? If not, you basically have two choices: Find a foolproof lead generation source that brings business to you automatically (Marketing Edge will help you there), or ask yourself if you’re in the right line of work. Or… you can adapt to accept the rejection and roll with it. Here’s how…

Remove the Emotion. Follow the Data. Here’s some more fun research based on numbers from our coaching members: 68 percent of conversions came after 8-12 conversations with a prospect.

Not one call. Not two. Not three. Not four. Not five. Not six. Not seven. EIGHT or more!

Are you following up with every one of your leads eight times? How about twelve times? (If not, you’re leaving money on the table. Piles of it.) Becoming relentless in your follow up is a matter of expecting to be punched in the face and knowing that each time you get “hit,” you’re one step closer to that next “Yes.” Conversion is purely a numbers game. The more you understand that and the more you look at it from that vantage point, the more you can eliminate the emotion from it and accept it as a reality of doing business.

3 Steps to Highly Effective Follow Up. To dramatically improve your conversion skills, follow these three steps:

Select and commit to a follow-up platform/CRM. Don’t get hung up on which one it is. Just get a tool in place that will help you set up your follow-up cadence and remind you when it needs to happen.

Create your formula. This really has two elements to it: Deciding the tools you’ll use to touch base with people: Phone call, text, email, in person, social media, etc. and the schedule you’ll follow with each of those methods.

DAY 1 A.M.

When a lead comes in, send automated email

Call within 5 minutes!

Send a text if you don’t reach them

DAY 1 P.M.

Call again

Send an email

DAY 2 A.M.

Call again

Send a text

DAY 2 P.M.

Call again

Send Market Snapshot

DAY 3-28

Call every 5 days via Mojo dialer

Send a text after the 5th attempt/28th day

DAY 29+

Call every 30 days until they “buy or die”

Track and measure your own numbers!

Don’t rely on the 8-12 calls statistic mentioned above when your own business is at stake. The better you track and measure your own results, the more predictability you can bring to your business.

So, what’s your verdict? Are you willing to (figuratively) get punched in the face? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below…

Strength and courage,
Wade

5 Steps To Converting The Incoming Calls

Wade Webb on June 5, 2019

convert incoming calls real estate agentI would estimate the average real estate agent loses between $20,000 and $80,000 a year because they don’t know how to handle sign calls, ad calls, or any other inquiries from buyers or sellers.  And chances are, YOU are losing money too.  Even many veteran agents, who think they knew how to work a call, are making costly mistakes. If you simply master the art of handling inquiry calls, you will see a strong increase in your income…and you’ll stop letting money run through your hands when you prepare correctly and know what you’ll say even before someone picks up the phone to call you.

5-Step Process for Realtors© to Convert Incoming Calls

STEP 1 – Understand Your Primary GOAL.  Most agents think when they receive a call, their job is to sell real estate.  It’s not, and this could be the very first mistake you’re making.  People don’t buy real estate from a stranger over the phone.  The primary goal of your conversation over the phone is to…

Get A Name, Phone Number, And Face-To-Face Meeting!

STEP 2 –  Be Prepared Beforehand!  Your success will be related to how well you prepare for the calls you’ll get. PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT IF YOU’LL JUST ASK. You need to think through the questions you’ll get from prospect calls, and have a prepared, straight-forward answer for them in a way that sells your services.

For example: If you have a listing in a resort subdivision, you better know about dues for joining the club, complete market values, EVERYTHING about the home you’ve listed, and other benefits of living in the area (schools, shopping, transportation, community services, etc.).

You also need to think through the questions you’ll ask your buyers to do 2 things:
1) Qualify them as real buyers/sellers (their motivation), and
2) Motivate them to meet with you.

STEP 3 – Know Your Inventory So You Can Motivate A Phone Number and A Meeting.  If you have a listing in the $250,000 price range, you need to know at least 5 additional GREAT homes in that price range.  The chances of a caller buying your home can be thin, but the chances of selling them “A HOME” are good – if you know what you’re doing.  Here’s the approach you use to motivate a phone number and a meeting. No one will want to meet with you without a specific, irresistible, self-serving reason. No one  wants to get sold!  They simply want their problems solved. So, what will you DO for them?  For example, if you get a sign call, you know a lot about them because they called you regarding a listing or other property. You also know what they’re looking for because they answered your questions above.  What do you think will motivate a meeting?  The perfect HOME!

Mr./Ms. Prospect, I have  2 homes – and perhaps one more if it’s still on the market – that perfectly match what you’re looking for.  Let me pull out my information on them and I’ll call you back with details.  Are you going to be around in the next 15 minutes?  What’s your phone number?

You now have a lead…now it’s time to find the exact home they described to you from your questions above.  CALL THEM BACK EXACTLY WHEN YOU TOLD THEM…NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES! When you call them back, you need to tease them with features and benefits of the homes – to perfectly match the ones they gave you earlier. Then you need to set-up a meeting to look at those homes.

STEP 4 – Take Detailed Notes.  Don’t rely on your memory.  I know this sounds simple, but you could get 20 calls a day, and you need to keep track of details.  So, go out and buy a set of 5 X 7 inch cards.  And on each card, get down as much information as possible on your prospect’s desires.  Also get as much personal information as possible.  And work your cards diligently, or put them into your online contact manager for regular follow-up.

STEP 5 – Get Your Head Straight. 90% of working prospect calls is YOUR mental state and preparedness.  Here’s what I suggest you do to close your calls to clients:

Get prepared mentally.  When your phone rings, tell yourself, “I’m going to meet with these callers.”  That’s your single goal.

Create a script of items or QUESTIONS you need to use during your prospect calls.  Don’t rely on your memory to come through during a tense situation.

ASK FOR THE APPOINTMENT.  “Ask and you shall receive.”  I can’t tell you how many agents I meet who simply don’t ask for the meeting…or the sale.  Many agents lack the confidence to ask for the business.  Don’t expect to be successful in real estate if you can’t ask for the business.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Spring. The Season Of Opportunity.

Wade Webb on May 29, 2019

realtor springtime 2019I know the following things to be true: Life is about constant, predictable patterns of change. The only constant factor is our feelings and attitudes toward life. We have the power of attitude, and attitude determines choice, and choice determines results. You cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself. I am convinced that, as human beings, it is our natural destiny to grow, to succeed, to prosper and to find happiness while we are here. That we must make a constant and conscious effort to improve ourselves in the face of changing circumstances.

Let’s talk about spring. Spring is the season of activity and opportunity that follows the turbulence of winter. It’s the season for entering the fertile fields of life with seed, knowledge, commitment and a determined effort. However, the mere arrival of spring is no sign that things are going to look good in the fall. You must do something with the spring. Everyone has to get good at one of two things: planting in the spring or begging in the fall. Take advantage of the day and the opportunities spring can bring.

Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you’ve signed up for a season, see it through. You don’t have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through. It is the promise of spring that as we sow, so shall we also reap. For every disciplined human effort, we will receive a multiple reward. For each cup planted, a bushel reaped. For every good idea given to another, many shall be given to us in return. For every act of love given, a life of love in return.

Just remember, it is a natural characteristic of springtime to present itself ever so briefly, or to lull us into inactivity with its bounteous beauty. Do not pause too long to soak in the aroma of the blossoming flowers, lest you awaken to find springtime gone with your seed still in your sack. With the intelligence, wisdom and freedom of choice given to us as humans, exercise the discipline to plant in spite of the rocks, weeds or other obstacles before you. The rocks, weeds and thorns of the world cannot destroy all your seeds if you plant massively enough and intelligently enough.

Choose action, not rest. Choose truth, not fantasy. Choose a smile, not a frown. Choose love, not animosity. Choose the good in life in all things, and choose the opportunity as well as the chance to work when springtime smiles on your life. Spring shows us life is truly a constant beginning, a constant opportunity and a constant springtime. We need only to learn to look once again at life as we did as children, letting fascination and curiosity give us welcome cause to look for the miraculous hidden among the common. Get busy quickly on your springs—your opportunities. There are just a handful of springs that have been handed to each of us. Life is brief, even at its longest. Whatever you are going to do with your life, get at it. Don’t just let the seasons pass by.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Not Remembering Is Costing You A Lot Of Money

Wade Webb on May 22, 2019

krebs cycle memory boost realtorEvery single one of us has a limitless memory capacity. I don’t know about you but my memory is fantastic but I find it’s just too short! For most of us storage isn’t the issue, as our brains can hold everything and then some. It’s recall—accessing the information in our memories—that’s the sticking point. Not only is recall difficult, but it also affects how our peers perceive us. Think about it: The person who remembers details, dates, names, specifications—we think of that person as smart, organized and someone we want to do business with. The person who constantly apologizes for never remembering a name or recalls information incorrectly—we think of that person as less smart, or at least not as desirable a work partner as the person with the great memory. Memory matters in business. A lot. If your memory could use a boost, you’re in luck. With some effort, you can improve it. Try these eight ways to enhance your total recall:

8 Strategies for Remembering

1. Become interested in what you’re learning. We’re all better remembering what interests us. Few people, for example, have a difficult time remembering the names of people they find attractive. If you’re not intrinsically interested in what you’re learning or trying to remember, you must find a way to become so. I have to admit I wasn’t so good at this in medical school—the Krebs cycle (I provide the link only to prove how immensely boring it is) just didn’t excite me or relate to anything I found even remotely exciting.

2. Find a way to leverage your visual memory. You’ll be astounded by how much more this will enable you to remember. For example, imagine you’re at a party and are introduced to five people in quick succession. How can you quickly memorize their names? Pick out a single defining visual characteristic of each person and connect it to a visual representation of their name, preferably through an action of some kind. For example, you can remember Mike who has large ears by creating a mental picture of a microphone (a “mike”) clearing those big ears of wax (gross, I know—but all the more effective because of it). It requires mental effort to do this, but if you practice you’ll be surprised how quickly you can come up with creative ways to generate these images. Here’s another example: How often do you forget where you left your keys, your sunglasses, or your wallet? The next time you put something down somewhere, pause a moment to notice where you’ve placed it, and then in your mind blow it up. If you visualize the explosion in enough detail, you won’t forget where you put it. Remember: Memory is predominantly visual.

3. Create a mental memory tree. If you’re trying to memorize a large number of facts, find a way to relate them in your mind visually with a memory tree. Construct big branches first, then leaves. Branches and leaves should carry labels that are personally meaningful to you in some way, and the organization of the facts (“leaves”) should be logical. It’s been well recognized since the 1950’s we remember “bits” of information better if we chunk them. For example, it’s easier to remember 467890 as “467” and “890” than as six individual digits.

4. Associate what you’re trying to learn with what you already know. It seems the more mental connections we have to a piece of information, the more successful we’ll be in remembering it. This is why using mnemonics actually improves recall.

5. Write out the items to be memorized over and over and over. Among other things, this is how I learned the names of bacteria, what infections they cause, and what antibiotics treat them. Writing out facts in lists improves recall if you make yourself learn the lists actively instead of passively. In other words, don’t just copy the list of facts you’re trying to learn but actively recall each item you wish to learn and then write it down again and again and again. In doing this, you are, in effect, teaching yourself what you’re trying to learn—and as all teachers know, the best way to ensure you know something is to have to teach it. This method has the added benefit of immediately showing you exactly which facts haven’t made it into your long-term memory so you can focus more attention on learning them rather than wasting time reinforcing facts you already know.

6. When reading for retention, summarize each paragraph in the margin. This requires you to think about what you’re reading, recycle it, and teach it to yourself again. Even take the concepts you’re learning and reason forward with them; apply them to imagined novel situations, which creates more neural connections to reinforce the memory.

7. Do most of your studying in the afternoon. Though you may identify yourself as a “morning person” or “evening person” at least one study suggests your ability to memorize isn’t influenced as much by what time of day you perceive yourself to be most alert but by the time of day you actually study—afternoon appearing to be the best.

8. Get adequate sleep to consolidate and retain memories. Not just at night after you’ve studied but the day before you study as well. Far better to do this than to stay up cramming all night for an exam.

To memorize an idea, a fact, a date, or a name, you need to repeat the information to yourself until it sticks in your head. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Here are several ways to do this: Read the information. Then look away and try to repeat it. Read the information again. Then look away and try to write it. Practice repeating. Go over the information more than once. Practice at the breakfast table. Practice on the way to work. Check yourself. Ask a friend or relative to test you. You need to be sure you truly remember what you’ve been working on! Overlearn. To remember information for a long time, review many times. Review on different days. Practice until it’s easy to recall.

More Things You Can Do… Here are some tricks to try if you need to memorize a series of things or some complex ideas or dates:

Rhymes Try creating a rhyme to help you remember very specific information. For example, students over the years have learned the dates that Columbus sailed to the Americas by remembering this rhyme: Fourteen hundred and ninety-two,        Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Fourteen hundred and ninety-three, Columbus sailed the bright blue sea!

Memory Devices You can also make up special memory devices to help you remember. For example, to remember the order of the planets, students sometimes create a silly sentence to help them. Each word in the sentence starts with the letter of the name of the planet. Like this: My Very Early Mother Just Saw Us Near Paris. This stands for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Try this for information that you need to remember in sequence.

I hope that one or two of these ideas will help you personally and professionally in the coming months.

Strength and courage,
Wade

12 Habits Of Genuine People

Wade Webb on May 8, 2019

genuine realtorGenuine people have a profound impact upon everyone they encounter. There’s an enormous amount of research suggesting that emotional intelligence (EQ) is critical to your performance at work. TalentSmart has tested the EQ of more than a million people and found that it explains 58% of success in all types of jobs. People with high EQs make $29,000 more annually than people with low EQs. Ninety percent of top performers have high EQs, and a single-point increase in your EQ adds $1,300 to your salary. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, emotional intelligence is a powerful way to focus your energy in one direction with tremendous results. But there’s a catch. Emotional intelligence won’t do a thing for you if you aren’t genuine.

A recent study from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington found that people don’t accept demonstrations of emotional intelligence at face value. They’re too skeptical for that. They don’t just want to see signs of emotional intelligence. They want to know that it’s genuine—that your emotions are authentic. According to lead researcher Christina Fong, when it comes to your co-workers, “They are not just mindless automatons. They think about the emotions they see and care whether they are sincere or manipulative.” The same study found that sincere leaders are far more effective at motivating people because they inspire trust and admiration through their actions, not just their words. Many leaders say authenticity is important to them, but genuine leaders walk their talk every day. It’s not enough to just go through the motions, trying to demonstrate qualities that are associated with emotional intelligence. You have to be genuine.

You can do a gut check to find out how genuine you are by comparing your own behavior to that of people who are highly genuine. Consider the hallmarks of genuine people and see how you stack up. “Authenticity requires a certain measure of vulnerability, transparency and integrity.” –Janet Louise Stephenson

1. Genuine people don’t try to make people like them.

Genuine people are who they are. They know some people will like them, and some won’t. And they’re OK with that. It’s not that they don’t care whether or not other people will like them but simply they’re not going to let that get in the way of doing the right thing. They’re willing to make unpopular decisions and to take unpopular positions if that’s what needs to be done.

Since genuine people aren’t desperate for attention, they don’t try to show off. They know when they speak in a friendly, confident and concise manner, people are much more attentive to and interested in what they have to say than if they try to show they’re important. People catch on to your attitude quickly and are more attracted to the right attitude than what or how many people you know.

2. They don’t pass judgment.

Genuine people are open-minded, which makes them approachable and interesting to others. No one wants to have a conversation with someone who has already formed an opinion and is not willing to listen.

Having an open mind is crucial in the workplace, as approachability means access to new ideas and help. To eliminate preconceived notions and judgment, you need to see the world through other people’s eyes. This doesn’t require you to believe what they believe or condone their behavior; it simply means you quit passing judgment long enough to truly understand what makes them tick. Only then can you let them be who they are.

3. They forge their own paths.

Genuine people don’t derive their sense of pleasure and satisfaction from the opinions of others. This frees them up to follow their own internal compasses. They know who they are and don’t pretend to be anything else. Their direction comes from within, from their own principles and values. They do what they believe to be the right thing, and they’re not swayed by the fact somebody might not like it.

4. They are generous.

We’ve all worked with people who constantly hold something back, whether it’s knowledge or resources. They act as if they’re afraid you’ll outshine them if they give you access to everything you need to do your job. Genuine people are unfailingly generous with whom they know, what they know and the resources they have access to. They want you to do well more than anything else because they’re team players and they’re confident enough to never worry your success might make them look bad. In fact, they believe your success is their success.

5. They treat EVERYONE with respect.

Whether interacting with their biggest clients or servers taking their drink orders, genuine people are unfailingly polite and respectful. They understand no matter how nice they are to the people they have lunch with, it’s all for naught if those people witness them behaving badly toward others. Genuine people treat everyone with respect because they believe they’re no better than anyone else.

6. They aren’t motivated by material things.

Genuine people don’t need shiny, fancy stuff in order to feel good. It’s not that they think it’s wrong to go out and buy the latest and greatest items to show off their status; they just don’t need to do this to be happy. Their happiness comes from within, as well as from the simpler pleasures—such as friends, family and a sense of purpose—that make life rich.

7. They are trustworthy.

People gravitate toward those who are genuine because they know they can trust them. It is difficult to like someone when you don’t know who they really are and how they really feel. Genuine people mean what they say, and if they make a commitment, they keep it. You’ll never hear a truly genuine person say, “Oh, I just said that to make the meeting end faster.” You know if they say something, it’s because they believe it to be true.

8. They are thick-skinned.

Genuine people have a strong enough sense of self that they don’t go around seeing offense that isn’t there. If somebody criticizes one of their ideas, they don’t treat this as a personal attack. There’s no need for them to jump to conclusions, feel insulted and start plotting their revenge. They’re able to objectively evaluate negative and constructive feedback, accept what works, put it into practice and leave the rest of it behind without developing hard feelings.

9. They put away their phones.

Nothing turns someone off to you like a mid-conversation text message or even a quick glance at your phone. When genuine people commit to a conversation, they focus all of their energy on it. You will find conversations are more enjoyable and effective when you immerse yourself in them. When you robotically approach people with small talk and are tethered to your phone, this puts their brains on autopilot and prevents them from having any real affinity for you. Genuine people create connection and find depth even in short, everyday conversations. Their genuine interest in other people makes it easy for them to ask good questions and relate what they’re told to other important facets of the speaker’s life.

10. They aren’t driven by ego.

Genuine people don’t make decisions based on their egos because they don’t need the admiration of others in order to feel good about themselves. Likewise, they don’t seek the limelight or try to take credit for other people’s accomplishments. They simply do what needs to be done without saying, “Hey, look at me!”

11. They aren’t hypocrites.

Genuine people practice what they preach. They don’t tell you to do one thing and then do the opposite themselves. That’s largely due to their self-awareness. Many hypocrites don’t even recognize their mistakes. They’re blind to their own weaknesses. Genuine people, on the other hand, fix their own problems first.

12. They don’t brag.

We’ve all worked with people who can’t stop talking about themselves and their accomplishments. Have you ever wondered why? They boast and brag because they’re insecure and worried if they don’t point out their accomplishments, no one will notice. Genuine people don’t need to brag. They’re confident in their accomplishments, but they also realize when you truly do something that matters, it stands on its own merits, regardless of how many people notice or appreciate it.

Genuine people know who they are. They are confident enough to be comfortable in their own skin. They are firmly grounded in reality, and they’re truly present in each moment because they’re not trying to figure out someone else’s agenda or worrying about their own.

Strength and courage,
Wade

How Do I Make 2019 My Year?

Wade Webb on January 23, 2019

best real estate yearAnother year has come and gone and I ask myself did I have the year I wanted personally and professionally in 2018? Obviously the answer for me the person with high expectations on himself is “no” not exactly the year I was hoping for. I think we all feel we could be better in some way personally and professionally each year.

Full disclosure last year I let my physical and mental health get a bit out of control on me and gained some weight, too much stress and feeling a bit burned out from trying to be all things to all people and not living what I teach. I am pleased to say I started turning things around and am excited for what 2019 has for “me” physically, mentally and spiritually in 2019. Here are some of my favorite things my mentors have shared with me to make 2019 my year, I hope they help you too.

1. Sharpen The Saw – In the “You” Economy, expertise is our chief commodity. Take an hour this weekend to list out all your areas of expertise, and brainstorm a few ways you can develop each of them further. What can we do to increase our expertise and knowledge of what we do and who we are in 2019? What are you reading? What are you watching? What are you listening to? Who is mentoring or coaching you? Who are you mentoring and coaching? Jim Rohn always said “grow your income if you grow yourself first.” Sharpen your saw and grow yourself first in 2019.

2. Mind Our Motives – Give with no expectation of reciprocation. Today, connect two friends or people within your network who can help one another. The good karma will come back around. We are in the relationship business and were created to connect with others. We are here to impact and improve the lives of others each and every day. Nothing has given me more sense of purpose and belonging than the ability to give my time, touch, talents to others every day with no expectation of return and live the universal principle of Reciprocity in 2019.

3. Embrace The Journey – Success is not so much a destination as a journey, and we are at our best when we are growing. Tonight write down all the positive traits you’re already using and appreciate them. What are your gifts? What are your talents? Embrace who you are and be grateful for the person you were created to be. Life is a journey and we need to enjoy every part of this adventure and be grateful for it in 2019.

4. Pay It Forward. – We all need help and assistance from mentors to maximize our potential. So become an asset for a young person, whether it’s a teen with promise, or someone just starting in their career. Who are we mentoring? Who are we teaching to fish? What kind of legacy are we leaving with the younger generation of agent. Take someone under your wing and help make a difference in their career to maximize their true potential in 2019. You will be glad you did! I truly learn more as a teacher from the student and we both grow together!

5. Call Your Doctor. – One of the most important things you can do for your health is to keep a regular relationship with your doctor. If you aren’t in the habit of scheduling regular check-ups, do that ASAP. This past year embarrassingly was forced to see my doctor and get myself on a program. I am so grateful to have someone help guide me regularly with my health and hold me accountable to myself with my health in 2019. Going to be better than ever this year!

6. Trade Up. – Is there a bad habit you would like to eliminate? Sketch out some ideas for what you would replace it with—a more positive habit to make the transition easier. Act immediately. Honestly I catch myself being a person that sees the glass empty vs. the glass full in times of stress. I struggle to be present and be in the moment and find myself not living as much for today and embracing the gift. My best friend who has had organ transplants and is on borrowed time is the best person to remind me of living in the moment and revelling in the awesomeness of the now because we all have no guarantees of tomorrow. Thank you Gord!!

7. Talk Through It. – In the day-to-day routine, it’s easy to rest on what is comfortable in relationships. Take your significant other to dinner this week, and open up a deeper conversation about your shared goals. I was so grateful to be able to spend three weeks alone with my wife this past year and share that time together and talk. It was a gift for both of us to renew and to enjoy the amazing gifts we share together. 2019 is a year to enjoy each other like it’s just the two of us having the time of our lives and not just a few weeks a year!

8. Tell Them Thanks. – Make sure the special people in your life know how much they mean to you. Put a reminder on your calendar—even one occasion of expressing gratitude each month. It’s key to honing purpose. It is so easy for us to take others for granted and assume they know how much we appreciate them. I struggle as a leader to go out of my way to share my appreciation to others. I assume they know they are doing a great job and I appreciate them if they don’t hear from me. Not a great strategy I know! 2019 is a year to say thanks more!

9. Create & Do Your Bucket List. – One of the most rewarding things about a vacation is the excitement leading up to it—it’s something to look forward to. Make a full list of things you want to do in life. The anticipation will energize you. I tell my three children after almost five decades the greatest joy I find in life is doing really cool things with the coolest people in my life. These bucket list moments fill me up more than anything else in my life hands down. Make your list and do the same in 2019!

10. Go For It. – Fear and self-doubt hold too many people back. If you’re worried about something on the horizon, think back to another time you rose to the occasion, and let that memory give you peace of mind. Honestly one of my biggest challenges is the belief I am not enough. Being able to catch myself and not listening to that lie is something that will challenge me the rest of my life. I am excited about 2019 and busting through fear and not believing I am not enough and not letting it hold me back!

So there you have it. Some of the things I have learned from mentors in my life that have helped me to make each year better than the last. I trust you find some of these ideas helpful and you make 2019 your best year ever.

Strength and courage,
Wade

What Top Agents Never Do Again

Wade Webb on December 12, 2018

top realtors never againSo what does that mean? The things top agents never do again. From my observations of successful agents they tend to have moments in life and in business. That once they have them, they never go back to the old way of doing things and when that happens, they are never the same.

In short, they just get it!

Years ago, a bad business decision of mine led to an interesting situation. I had learned a valuable lesson the hard way and assured myself this was a good thing once I learned that lesson, I would never go back. Trust me you never do it again. So what are the key moments successful agents go through that forever change how they do things, which propel them to succeed in business, relationships, and life? I began to look at these moments and here is what I found. Successful agents never again…

  1. Return to what hasn’t worked for them in their real estate business or personal life. Whether a job, or a broken relationship that was ended for a good reason, we should never go back to the same thing, expecting different results, without something being different.
  1. Do anything that requires them to be someone they are not. In everything we do, we have to ask ourselves, Why am I doing this? Am I suited for it? Does it fit me? Is it sustainable? If the answer is no to any of these questions, you better have a very good reason to proceed or stop it and be your authentic self.
  1. Try to change another person. When you realize you cannot force someone into doing something, you give him or her freedom and allow them to experience the consequences. In doing so, you find your own freedom as well. You can only change yourself and really cannot change others.
  1. Believe they can please everyone. Once you get it truly is impossible to please everyone, you begin to live purposefully, trying to please the right people. They realize they are the most important person in their life and the family and friends are the next important people in their lives. They stop basing their choices on people pleasing and choices that are best for themselves and those most important to them.
  1. Choose short-term comfort over long-term benefit. Once successful people know they want something that requires a painful, time-limited step, they do not mind the painful step because it gets them to a long-term benefit. Living out this principle is one of the most fundamental differences between successful and unsuccessful people, both personally and professionally. They have the courage to leave their comfort zone in order to gain long term.
  1. Trust someone or something that appears flawless. It’s natural for us to be drawn to things and people that appear “incredible.” We love excellence and should always be looking for it. We should pursue people who are great at what they do, employees who are high performers, dates who are exceptional people, friends who have stellar character and companies that excel. But when someone or something looks too good to be true, he, she or it is. The world is imperfect. Period. No one and no thing is without flaw, and if they appear that way, hit pause. Don’t be misled. Learn how to read people.
  1. Take their eyes off the big picture. We function better emotionally and perform better in our lives when we can see the big picture. For successful people, no one event is ever the whole story. Winners remember that—each and every day. The top agents always have their eye on the prize and know their why and purpose and love the impact they have on people and the ones closest to them more than the selling real estate part.
  1. Neglect to do due diligence. No matter how good something looks on the outside, it is only by taking a deeper, diligent and honest look that we will find out what we truly need to know and the reality we owe ourselves. The best reality comes from an honest self-assessment. Top agents always make educated decisions on everything personally and professionally they do.
  1. Fail to ask why they are where they find themselves. One of the biggest differences between successful people and others is in love and in life, in relationships and in business, successful people always ask themselves, What part am I playing in this situation? Said another way, they do not see themselves as victims, even when they are.Don’t make excuses for who and where you are.  Top agents don’t live below the line in blame, denial and excuse. They are above the line and take ownership, action and learn from their mistakes.
  1. Forget their inner life determines their outer success. The good life sometimes has little to do with outside circumstances. We are happy and fulfilled mostly by who we are on the inside. Research validates that. And our internal lives largely contribute to producing many of our external circumstances. Become a better you and the outward becomes better. The converse is true. People who are still trying to find success in various areas of life can almost always point to one or more of these patterns as a reason they are repeating the same mistakes.

Remember everyone, including me, make mistakes… even the most successful people out there. But, what achievers do better than others is recognize the patterns that are causing those mistakes and never repeat them again. In short, they learn from pain—their own and the pain of others. A good thing to remember is this: Pain is unavoidable, but repeating the same pain twice, when we could choose to learn and do something different, is certainly avoidable. I like to say, “We don’t need new ways to fail… the old ones are working just fine!” Our task, in business and in life, is to observe what they are, and never go back to doing them again.

Strength and courage,
Wade

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Finish Your Year Before It Begins

Wade Webb on November 14, 2018

2019 realtor business planJim Rohn, the legendary business philosopher always said to “Finish your week before it begins.” He meant that we take control of our schedule and real estate business and plan for the week ahead before it even happens. If we don’t take control then someone else or something else always does!

So when the year begins to wind down you should not wait until the very end to start planning for next year. This means having a crystal clear understanding of the successes and challenges of your current year, how it impacts your upcoming year, and developing a vision of what you want to accomplish, and how. Many agents aim for nothing every year and most hit it with amazing accuracy!! I believe you should always start working on your next year strategy months in advance of the new year. This awards you enough time to make an impact on your final quarter, and lay the groundwork for making sure your next fiscal year starts off on a solid footing.

For agents who want to achieve greatness, push the envelope, and grow their business through market share, market penetration, paying down debt, increasing sales, profits and cash flow, I urge you to get going now! The way I see things is, if your business isn’t growing, pushing the envelope, thriving, and maximizing profit, then all you’re really doing is suffering a slow death. Believe me, your competition is fighting the fight every day, and they didn’t wake up in the morning and say “Gosh, golly, I hope I stay even in 2019.” They want to eat your lunch, take your business, absorb your market share and steal your customers away.

Some people might ask me if they should start planning by looking at their competition, and I say NO. Why focus on the competition, instead of focusing on yourself? When it comes to my business, I don’t care what others do. I care about what I do. Recognize your competition for what and who they are, and then put your best foot forward by pushing the envelope in your business. You should approach the new year as if you are going to battle, and for that you should develop a strategic plan.

Business Plan – a written document that describes in detail how a business, usually a new one, is going to achieve its goals. A business plan lays out a written plan from a marketing, financial and operational viewpoint.

FACT: LESS THAN 3% OF REAL ESTATE AGENTS HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN

FACT: ESTIMATED 3% OF REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN NORTH AMERICA DOING 97% OF BUSINESS

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Writing a business plan may seem a daunting task as there are so many moving parts and concepts to address. Take it one step at a time and be sure to schedule regular review (quarterly, semi-annually, or annually) of your plan to be sure you are on track to meet your goals. It is that time of year again when we begin to build our plan for 2019 so let’s look at the key areas of the agent’s solid business plan.

Business Plan for the Successful REALTOR©

Step 1) “Success and history always leaves us clues.” I began by looking back to identify the clues that have been left for us and the business. I would look at the real estate market first and search for the following clues.

What have the number of sales been doing the last year? 2-5 years? Up? Down?

What have the number of listings been doing the last year? 2-5 years? Up? Down?

What have the average and median prices been doing?

What price ranges are experiencing more activity? Less activity?

What neighborhoods or areas are experiencing more activity? Less Activity?

What property types are selling more? Less?

What buyer types are buying more?

Where are the buyers coming from? Local? Next state or province? Over Seas?

Imagine the targeted and strategic plan you would be able to build for you and your real estate business with this kind of information?

Now you are not just winging it. You really know where and what to focus on.

Step 2) Looking At The Present State of Your Real Estate Business

What have my sales been doing? Up? Down?

What have my listings been doing? Up? Down?

What is my average price? Can I raise my average selling price?

What is my Gross Commission Income doing?

What is my average deal worth?

Where are my listings and sales coming from? Sources of business?

What types of buyers do I represent?

Where are the buyers coming from? Local? Out of area?

What are my pending sales?

What do I have for potential buyers and sellers?

Strategic Business Planning for Your Real Estate Business

What if you took the time to really track and measure and reflect on your business at a deeper level and see your strengths, weaknesses and opportunities?

Step 3) Activity Plans – Take the time to lay out your activity plan calendar a year in advance. Focus on the activities you know you are good at and you see a return on your invested time and money. I am guessing for most agents it would be your sphere of influence, referrals and face to face or voice to voice activities.

Step 4) Budgeting – Profit is the goal in business. Knowing what your personal life and your business world cost you monthly is so important. Expense management is just as important as your income and earnings. Have a clear picture of your expenses and measure all of them for their return on investment or if they can be reduced in any way.

Step 5) Goals – If your “Why” is big enough the “how” will take care of itself. What is your purpose? Vision? Values? Mission Statement? Taking the time to know what it is you want and why you want it is a game changer for us all. Nothing gives me more joy than impacting and improving people’s lives personally and professionally every day.

In my own real estate business, taking the time over the last 25 years to create a business plan has been so incredibly beneficial for me and I know it will for you as well.

In today’s post I have given you a brief business plan overview. To help you get going with your own plan I put together a Step-by-Step Real Estate Business Plan Workbook you can download for free by clicking the link below.

Click here to download the new 2019 business plan PDF….

Strength and courage,
Wade

 
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