Realtors©… Eliminate Stress And Maximize Production

Wade Webb on October 6, 2021

realtors eliminate stress maximize productionHere’s a quick recap of the last 20 months… Start. Stop. Start again. Go. Go. Go! Never slow down! 2020 started with a bang, the real estate market was hot, then Covid introduced tons of tragedy, fear and uncertainty… and pretty much brought real estate to a standstill. Then a few months later, things opened back up and have been rocketing full speed ahead ever since. Put simply… it’s been a stressful period for real estate agents everywhere and including myself. I just want to check in and make sure you’re doing okay. I’m not a medical professional. But I genuinely care about your well-being, as I do for all of my own agents in my brokerage. So let’s jump into some ways to maximize your productivity while maintaining sanity, eliminating stress and avoiding burnout…

1. How Are Your Routines? – If you let it, this business will pull you in a million different directions all at once. So what’s the solution? Routines! Even if challenges are popping up left and right, routines keep you on track by telling you what to do and when to do it. With the discipline to stick to your routines, the most important aspects of your business never get ignored. (Lacking that discipline? We can help.) Ultimately, routines put you in control. If you’re feeling frazzled and lacking structure, check your routines. And if you haven’t established any routines, it’s time to take a step back and do so. (We can help with that, too.)

2. Self-Care: Take Your M.E.D.S. Daily – The acronym “M.E.D.S.” is an easy way to remember four essential components of daily life: Meditation, exercise, diet and sleep. If you’re not doing these things consistently and healthfully, it’s time to start. Meditation – Everybody needs some “me time” to decompress, look inward, breathe deeply and recharge your batteries. Whether or not you engage in traditional meditation is up to you, but I’d suggest you set aside time to clear your mind on a daily basis. Exercise – Ask yourself the questions like “What did you do this week to get your heartbeat up?” or “How many times did you walk your dog since we last talked?” to the people he coaches. It’s a great reminder that you can’t simply work 24/7 and expect to achieve a healthy lifestyle. If you’re a morning person, I strongly suggest you add a workout to your morning routine. If you’re a night person, make a habit of going straight to the gym after work. If you’re not a “gym person” at all, find something that gets your body moving on a regular basis. Diet – When your schedule gets busy and time gets scarce, it’s easy to neglect eating the right things. Don’t let yourself lean on that flimsy excuse. Put in a little more effort and make eating right a priority. Sleep – Working long hours and late nights leads directly to not getting enough sleep. Make sure your body is getting the rest it requires to keep you at your best.

3. When’s Your Day Off? – If I asked to look at your calendar, would I see at least one full day off every week? If you’re working 24/7 and never giving yourself time off, you’re headed to a dark place. To maintain your energy and maximize your productivity, make sure you’re taking at least one day off every week. You also need to schedule a vacation or two. Get away from the business and go do something you love. You’ll definitely be better for it in the long run. (And if you have the right systems in place, you should be able to do this without sacrificing productivity anyway.)

4. Get Help When You Need It. – After taking some time off to recharge your batteries, you should feel rejuvenated and excited about the business again. If you’re doing the things I’ve talked about above… Relying on your routines, Getting exercise, eating right and sleeping well. Taking time off and getting away from the business …and you’re still not clicking into high gear, your issue may go beyond burnout into depression. If that sounds like a possibility, don’t keep it bottled up inside you! You’ve been through a lot. Don’t carry that stress further than you need to. Talk to someone. Seek out therapy and/or appropriate mental health assistance. Here’s to a strong finish to 2021 and a healthy and prosperous 2022!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Energy and Productivity Boosters For Realtors© in 2021

Wade Webb on August 4, 2021

Energy and Productivity Boosters For Realtors© in 2021Hey everybody it’s Wade Webb, the author of “The Lazy Realtor,” and the founder of AgentsBoost. Over and over again, I get the feedback from so many different Realtors© feeling that they’re just frustrated and they just can’t feel like they’re getting any results and they’re getting anywhere. They’re putting in the time, and putting in the effort, but they’re not just feeling the results. So, one of the things I want to share with you this week is “Productivity Boosters.” And I’m going to share with you 8 of my favorite productivity boosting ideas.

One of the things I want to start with is, just go back to one of my favorite books is Tony Schwartz’s, “The Power of Full Engagement.” Tony Schwartz really shares an epiphany for me of the importance of energy management vs. time management. And really top producers and people that are excellent at what they do are really skilled in managing their energy and not really worrying their time management. So, imagine if you could keep yourself at a peek state, if you’re well rested, if you’re well fed, if you’re well exercised, if you’re fine-tuned, and you have tons of energy, and you’re effective in being able to execute at a higher level, and not focusing on your time management, but focusing more on your energy management.

So the key to most top producers is to think about your energy management and keeping yourself at a peek state. It’s so difficult to keep us enthusiastic and passionate; being rejected on a daily basis in real estate, and these productivity boosters, I hope will keep you at that peek state and boost your through those productivity downturns.

So first tip for me: Taking the time to book my time off, before I book my time on. And what I mean by that is, that, Jim Rohn said this, “finish your week before it begins.” He talked about the importance of scheduling time for yourself. You are your most important commodity, you are the most important thing, productivity and your personal growth is key. Booking those times in for when you exercise, when you read, when you’re getting fueled, when you’re getting feedback , encouraged, and mentored. Those are key times and to book those times in. Then, the most important people in your life are next. When are your holidays? When are your vacations? When are you spending time with your spouse? Date nights? When are your children and their activities with them booked in? When are you taking time to book that fun time in, and spending time with those people that you care about the most? So, if you don’t book those times in for yourself, for your spouse, for your friends, for that fun, something else or someone else will take that time. So, take that, and book that time on before you book time off.

Tip number two is this: Single task vs. multi-task. Gary Keller wrote a great book last year called, “The One Thing,” he talked about how you should focus on that “one thing.” What it is that you’re gifted at? What do you do really well in real estate? What can you do over and over again, all day long and never gets tired, never gets old. Think about what activity that is, and how much time on that activities each and every one of your days? Are you spending but none of these tasks that are boring, or are you spending time doing the things were you’re gifted, your talent, and your energy level is just at a peek state, because you’re just good at it, and you find it just so fun and focusing on that “one thing.” So, single task vs. multi task, they’ve proven that productivity is reduced exponentially by 50% if you’re multi-tasking vs. single task. So, discover what that one thing is, and single task can focus on that one thing that you’re good at.

The third thing I’m going to talk about is reducing distractions. We’re distracted every 11 minutes every day, that’s a third of your day being tied up and keeping you off track by distractions. So, do you have your space, or place of work? Do you have it controlled? Do you have your phones off? Do you have it on “do not disturb?” Are you in an area where you can concentrate and focus? Or are you in an area where you’re getting distracted with small talk with your peers? Are you getting asked to go for coffee? So, control your environment to allow you to focus to be productive, and to be able to have a higher return of investment is key in reducing those distractions.

The fourth is this: When tying your shoes, do you stop and think about whether you should do the right shoe or left shoe first? No, it is a Habit. Do you think about whether to brush your teeth before you shower or after you shower? No, it is habit.

A study at Duke University found that more than 40% of what people do every day is not deliberate but a habit. Identify some of your counterproductive habits and really focus on what you can do to replace and create stronger, better and more effective habits in your personal and professional lives. The definition of Insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Stop the insanity! One simple example would be; watch T.V or read a book instead, just try it!

The fifth is : We have all heard the sayings “Time is money” or “Work smarter not harder”. I am teaching my coaching clients and top producers to constantly be seeking ways, tools and devices to make their efficiency levels higher than ever. Here are some of the Top 5 Real Estate productivity Apps you might want to test out for your own business. BombBomb. Snagit. Slide Shark. Docusign and Clear. Feel free to comment below and let me know what some of your best Apps for productivity in your real estate business are!

The sixth is: Are we getting enough sleep? Do you get up at the same time every day? Do you take time to be quiet and meditate? Do you block regular time to exercise? Are you drinking water all day to cleanse your body? Are you eating 4-5 small meals a day? Personally I go to bed the same time every evening and wake up the same time every morning. I have hired a personal trainer to keep my exercise and strength regiment consistent as well my favorite new tool to maximize my energy is an App called MyFitnessPal which helps me make so many better choices when eating out or eating on the run, it is amazing!

The seventh is: In today’s new world of google, social media, smartphones and 24/7 news media, it is not surprising many of us have become addicted to information and noise. Personally, I struggle as a people person to not react all the time to my smartphone and struggle every day to not be constantly reacting and responding to someone else. I do my best to come home and try to just turn it off and remind myself, everything else on the list can wait till the morning. Easier said than done for me. Identify the top 3 high jackers of your time, energy and attention that pull you off task, bring you down or hinder your ability to focus and be in the moment. Implement awareness and strategies to shut those high jackers down.

The last tip in the productivity boosters I want to give you, is to be able to systemized and put yourself on auto-pilot. One of the tips I learned was “3D Technique.” To ask myself, each and every one of my activities and spending my day doing, “should I be doing this myself?” “should I be delegating this?” or “should I just be living and just dumping it?” So that’s the “3D Technique.” So, 85% of as good as you do it, giving it to someone else, is really good. Because you’re systemized, and you’re freeing yourself up to do what you do best. What you do, what gives you best returning your investment of your time and your energy and management.

So those are some of my “Productivity Boosters, I hope that you’ll take the time to implement just one of these ideas, and take your business and boost it to the next level, and take your production, your energy level and your passion, and just boost it to the next level.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Top Reasons People In Your Circle Don’t Do Business With You

Wade Webb on July 14, 2021

top reasons people in your circle dont want to do business with youIt has happened to me and it happens to every agent. Someone you know just listed their house for sale, and they didn’t even call you. It’s a crushing blow when you make the discovery, but I have to be real with you for a moment – you lose listings, buyers and referrals, every day, that you probably don’t even know about.

Let me explain a bit more… You see, my greatest mission is helping agents generate repeat business and referrals directly from their sphere of influence. I’m so passionate about this because I hate seeing agents in a position where they feel like they’re constantly chasing the next deal. At the same time, I see every agent who implements a proper strategy for generating business from their existing contacts, see results almost immediately, and that feeling of chasing starts to melt away. Over the years it’s become very clear that this means there were always transactions to be had, but agents without a good strategy were all missing out on them. So, why are agents missing out on commission opportunities right within their own sphere? Here are the 5 reasons why people you know will go with another agent (and why NOW is the time to ACT):

1. You Didn’t Reach Out To Them Consistently – Did you know that you lose 10% of your contacts for every month that you don’t follow up? Generating business from your list requires some maintenance and the best practice is to reach out every 21 days. So if you haven’t been emailing, direct mailing, calling, or popping by to stay in touch, it’s time to get started. If you stay in touch consistently, people are more likely to have you front of mind when talking about real estate and could even help you grow your contact database by word of mouth.

2. You Didn’t Connect In A Meaningful Way – Maybe you are reaching out on a consistent basis, but the way you’re reaching out isn’t giving you a lot of opportunities to connect on a deeper level. If you’re not connecting with people in a meaningful way, it’s as though you’re not even following up at all. However, if you want to guarantee that people always do business with you and send you referrals, you have to create a bond with them through the marketing you do. Creating a bond through marketing is actually easier than it sounds… but you have to change your definition of what ‘marketing’ is when it comes to your past clients and close personal contacts. They are looking for things from you that are much more personal than the traditional pieces most agents are using. Things like handwritten notes, your own newsletter, and a text or a call on special occasions will go much further with this crowd.

3. You Didn’t Provide Value They Were Interested In – People expect real estate content from you, but they don’t necessarily want it. Look, the reality is that you probably have some great information, but people are only interested in it when they’re actively thinking about buying or selling, which is about every 7-8 years. Obviously you want to communicate great opportunities in the market, and you absolutely should – but be sparing with these in your Sphere. Instead, provide value that people will appreciate any time, by focusing on lifestyle content, like tips and tricks.

4. You Didn’t Ask Them For Their Business – If you don’t ask for business as a real estate agent, you probably won’t get it. This is something that every agent learns at some point in their career, but it’s not always easy to make the dreaded ask. Don’t let this be your shortfall as an agent. Make sure your clients understand that you are on a mission to earn and keep clients for life, helping them with all the real estate services they will need from buying their first home, to upsizing, to retiring – and everything in between. Helping people understand all the services you can provide means you will be top of mind when those situations come up.

5. You Didn’t Ask Them To Send You Referrals – Similar to asking for business, if you don’t make it clear to people that you accept referrals, you probably won’t get as many. Now as I said before, people only actively think about buying and selling about every 7 years, but in between that time, a single client will likely know multiple people per year that buy or sell a home. You’ll have to do a lot more than just sticking “By the Way I love Referrals!” on your business cards and emails, if you want to generate an income from them. To get referrals flowing, and keep them coming, it’s crucial you use a system that includes 1) regularly informing people that you run your business on referrals, 2) making it easy for them to send you business, 3) incentivizing all referrals, and 4) recognizing people publicly for their advocacy.

6. When people refer business to you, it reinforces their own loyalty to do business with you themselves! It Takes Time, Get Started Now I understand what the market is like right now, so I’ve been talking to a ton of agents about how they’re positioning themselves to capture as much business as possible in the coming months. Almost every agent that I speak with says the same thing – they’re “just trying to keep up” and “don’t have time to try new things”, full-well knowing that doing business this way will catch up with them eventually… but they feel like they have no choice. If you wait until “the market calms down” to implement a plan, that probably means your business has cooled off too… but now you’re busy looking for leads. This is why I constantly recommend implementing a system for building and bonding relationships with your sphere, and using a tool like Service For Life!® that consistently motivates people to get in contact with you on their own.

It seems as if some agents are only worried about generating clients when they don’t actively have one – but it takes time to build relationships and get people to refer their friends and family to you, so make sure you start that bonding process now. Like I said, I know that most agents are too busy right now to generate leads, but using a low-maintenance, high-performing referral tool all year long will keep your sales pipeline full of buyers and sellers.

Strength and courage,
Wade

First Quarter Progress Reporting Time For Agents

Wade Webb on April 7, 2021

realtor first quarter reporting 2021Wow! Welcome to Q2. Three months of the new year have already flown by……And the next nine aren’t likely to slow down. So my question for you is… How are you doing? Have you achieved 25 percent of your 2021 goals yet? Are you on track? Or do you need to reevaluate your behaviors to catch up? Let’s examine these questions as a “progress report” and make sure you do what’s needed to achieve everything you set out to in 2021.

Appointments are the Lifeblood of Real Estate Success. Every real estate agent should know – and live by – this progression: Calls > Conversations > Appointments > Clients > Closings. Your 2021 business plan should have included how many of each of these you need to achieve your year-end goal. You also need to be tracking all these numbers on a daily basis. So get out your business plan, multiply your year-end target number by 0.25 and see where you’re at with your:

  • Calls made
  • Conversations
  • Appointments booked
  • Appointments won (turned the prospect into a client)
  • Closings (break it down to sellers/buyers)
  • Whether you like it or not, this business is all about prospecting and following up.

If you’re behind pace, follow the 5-5-4 plan every day. Make your calls until you’ve achieved:

  • 5 conversations with people from your database
  • 5 conversations with new people you’ve never talked to before
  • 4 follow-up conversations

Here’s the thing: This stuff won’t happen if you just “hope” to get around to it. You’ve got to make it a priority. Schedule your prospecting block in your calendar and honor that time as sacred.

Now Let’s Talk Lead Generation. While we’re in the “review” mode, now it’s time to examine your lead generation efforts. Analyze each of your individual lead pillars to determine what’s working, what’s not, and what you can or should do about them.

  • Are any methods excelling so much that you should double down on them?
  • Can you identify pillars that are significantly underperforming or aren’t producing at all?
  • What new lead pillars might you consider adding to your mix?
  • How about social media: Are you sticking to a consistent posting schedule?
  • Are you generating engagement with your posts? If not, how are you going to shake things up to drive engagement?

Finally, Examine Your Bottom Line. Your business plan should include line items such as total number of closed transactions, your GCI, expenses and your expected profits. Are you 25 percent of the way toward these goals? If you’re falling short of your GCI goal and feel like you’re already maxed out on time, you may be in the “stuck” category I wrote about a few weeks ago. If that’s the case, it’s time to invest in yourself by hiring help or outsourcing some of the admin work that’s keeping you “busy” but not “productive.” Are your expenses higher than you expected? How about transaction volume – are you above or below your target? Bottom line… are you on course to reach your profit goal for 2021, or do you need to rethink your behaviors?

What Do You Need to Succeed? In closing, I hope you found this helpful. If this was difficult for you, I’d encourage you to stop sticking your head in the sand and start confronting whatever is preventing you from achieving your goals. Tracking and measuring your numbers is what will keep you on pace for greatness, so make it a habit or find someone who will hold you accountable. Go get it in Q2 – with so much existing activity on top of the regular Spring market, it’s probably going to be crazy! Now is the time to put your head down and make things happen.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Must Read Books For Real Estate Agents In 2021

Wade Webb on February 24, 2021

A quick Amazon search for real estate books comes up with over 60,000 titles. There is no shortage of coverage on the subject. Whether you are a real estate agent looking to increase your business or an investor looking to grow your real estate portfolio, here is the list of top 10 best books for real estate agents in 2021. Every one of these books have been hand chosen because I believe they have had the most impact on my success as a real estate agent, broker and coach. I’ve made it my goal for many years now to read a book a month. This goal is in addition to the numerous blog posts, YouTube videos, and podcasts I follow and listen to. I feel that it’s crucial always to be learning new things. I’ve never picked up a book that I didn’t learn something new. I honestly attribute any success that I’ve had in business, personal, and life in general to a never-ending quest for knowledge and books is a significant part of that. This year I challenge you to set a goal for reading books, whether it be through Audible, Scribd, Google Play Books, Apple Books or Blinklist ( my personal favorite) in the car or setting time aside to read. Pick some number of books that you are going to read this year and stick to it. You’ll be amazed at what reading will do. Not just for your knowledge but your hunger for more information!

 

1. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller. – It’s like the realtor’s bible. Read this and it’ll spell out all pieces of the business that any agent should plan to invest their time in. Covers lead generation, leverage, mechanics of the business, and finances. Start here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Conversion Code by Chris Smith. – This book by Chris Smith, who I’ve watched and learned from afar, is one of THE best books for real estate agents on internet lead generation and conversion. I read this book in the summer of 2017. I had already been doing internet lead generation for years in a big way but got WAY more out of this book than I could have ever imagined. It has since quadrupled my lead generation and vastly improved my conversion process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. 6 Steps to 7 Figures by Pat Hiban. – I’ve listened to his podcast, Real Estate Rockstars for years. He’s interviewed some of the best minds in real estate. This book is his step-by-step guide to creating success in real estate. All steps are relevant and spot on to truly having success in this business. Pat’s all about actionable content so be prepared to have a lot to do after reading this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Your First Year in Real Estate by Dirk Zeller. – It’s no mystery that your first year in real estate is likely going to be the most challenging year you face. Many agents give up before even hitting their one year mark. Much of this is due to expectations of agents that get into the business. With Dirk Zeller’s book, Your First Year in Real Estate, he shares the proper expectations and gives solid advice on how agents should spend each day throughout the year. He also shares some of the common pitfalls that new agents make, saving you some time and energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The E-Myth Revisited By Michael Gerber. – For the first two years in my general real estate career, I was a real estate agent that WANTED to be a business owner but didn’t know how to create the success I was looking for. I was a great agent so I assumed it would be easy to run a great real estate business. If anything being a good agent has been the biggest hamstring on running a successful business and this book exemplifies exactly why that is and how to fix it. I still don’t have it all figured out but I’m getting closer each day and this book is a major reason why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Exactly What To Say The Magic Words For Influence and Impact By Phil Jones – This book is so good for understanding the power of our words. It shares the top 23 most powerful phrases on the art of influence and impact. I was amazed to learn why we say things and why they have impact or not. Definitely a book you really need to sit down with and journal and study and watch the impact it will have in your personal and professional lives. Phil Jones is a master in communication and you will be glad you read this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Never Split The Difference. Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It By Chris Voss. – There is very little training and support in this topic for real estate professionals and it amazes me that most of us like myself learn to negotiate by practicing and screwing it up on our clients. One of the best books I have read on the topic of negotiation and highly recommend this book if you really want to take your skills to the next level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. The Go-Giver By Bob Burg. – An easy but powerful read for all real estate agents as you learn The Five Laws OF Stratospheric Success from the master himself Bob Burg. This book is still one of my all time favorite reads and pick it up once a year just to give me perspective and insight. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. The Sales Bible By Jeffrey Gitomer. – “The Sales Bible” is a catalog of sales tips and rule of thumbs, which every salesperson should know. Jeffrey Gitomer gives useful advice to selling in an unfavorable economy, which is truly motivating and inspiring. I highly recommend this useful book, to all salespeople who need all the encouragement they can get.

 

 

 

 

 

10. The Energy Bus By John Gordon. – I believe that the key to success is energy management and not time management. This book is a fantastic fable that will help you create positive energy with ten simple rules and make it the center of your life, work, and relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Think And Grow Rich By Napolean Hill – Financial management is one of the greatest challenges for so many real estate professionals. Reading this book and learning the foundational principles changed my life and allowed me to avoid the common financial pitfalls I see in so many real estate professionals. A must read indeed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. UnSelling By Scott Stratten. – I could list so many books about customer service that you need to read and the art of delivering the unexpected and creating raving fans. This is one of my personal favorites “UnSelling” is about the big picture: creating repeat customers, not one-time buyers; creating loyal clients that refer others, not treating people like faceless numbers; becoming the go-to company for a product or service, before people even need it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Real estate is not an easy business career and my goal is to help as many agents as I can to truly find the lifestyle they desire. You have one book a month to read in 2021 that I know had a profound affect on my own life and I know will have the same on yours. Please reach out to me and share some of your all time favorite books that made a huge impact on your life!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Realtors© Secrets To Making Your Calls

Wade Webb on November 25, 2020

When you think about it, there’s nothing difficult about picking up the phone and calling a few people. Right? It’s easy to do… and also easier not to do. And that’s the danger. So why do we have this reluctancy to picking up the phone and making a call? Why is it so easy for us to not make those calls? I talk with a lot of successful agents on a regular basis. And if I had to boil down what makes those people so successful, it’s not that they’re all insanely innovative and breaking new ground. It’s not that they figured out some marketing “hack” no one else knows. It’s not dumb luck. It’s one simple, common trait – they’re doing the work. They make the calls and contact the people and have the discipline to do it over and over and over even though it is not what they want to do nor is it glamorous but it is the key to their success. It goes back to one of my favorite quotes: “Do the thing, have the power.” –Emerson. Having the discipline to take consistent action is really what separates the winners from the also-rans in this business.

Today I’m sharing three ways to overcome that resistance to making your calls so you can start booking more appointments… consistently!

1. Get Prepared In Advance – I’m sure you’ve had this happen… You wake up with the best of intentions to make your calls. But before you actually begin, something comes up. Or you “remember” a more urgent task you should be doing (which, in reality, is just an excuse). Or you simply avoid it because you don’t feel like it. And over time, this failure to make your calls is absolutely killing your productivity. It undercuts your potential. It’s the biggest reason why agents ride that rich/poor rollercoaster and fail to create any predictability in their businesses. This often happens because you didn’t prepare ahead of time. A productive prospecting session begins the night before. You need to get everything prepared so there can be no distractions and no excuses to get started the next morning. The night before, be sure to gain clarity on things like: Who am I going to call? What’s the outcome I want to achieve? What scripts do I need to achieve those objectives? Answer these three questions at the end of each day, get everything ready, and you’re much more likely to follow through on your appointment setting calls the next day.

2. Get Yourself Charged Up – Half-hearted prospecting is not successful prospecting. Even if you’re not “feelin’ it” when the time comes to start making your calls, you need to know how to get yourself to a peak state. And it’s more than just mental. In fact, I think it starts with physicality. A great way to get that energy up is to move your body. Jump on a mini trampoline, do some jumping jacks or whatever it takes to get your blood flowing. Then comes the mental part of it… your affirmations and strategic questions to put yourself in a winning mindset. “I’m a lean, mean, appointment-setting machine!” “What do I love about my clients?” “What do I love about setting appointments?” Do this regularly and I guarantee you’ll have more productive call sessions and build some serious “appointment setting” momentum.

3. Share Your Results? – What’s your first response to the suggestion that you should actually publish the results of your prospecting sessions to the public? I suspect many agents will feel like, “I don’t want to do that. It makes me look desperate or like I’m a telemarketer.” Do you feel that way? Because if so, here’s my response: You’re looking at it all wrong, and your whole mindset around prospecting might be off base. Remember this: You’re not calling people to “sell” them something. You’re calling to check in, catch up, build rapport, answer questions, and inform people of market happenings. You’re calling because you care, and because that’s what trusted advisors do. Once you start thinking about it from that perspective, it becomes a no-brainer to follow up each session by sharing what you achieved on social media.

Imagine a post that says something along these lines in your Instagram Stories: “Just had 10 conversations with past clients and sphere… Keeping them informed on what’s going on in the market. Every day I do this to keep my clients informed. That’s what it’s all about!” Maybe you even sprinkle in some stats, like this: “70 calls made, 6 great conversations, 2 potential buyers and one homeowner considering putting their home on the market. Can’t wait to help them move on to the next exciting stage of their lives!” Not only does that show people that you care, but it informs people that you’re active and you have a system for finding buyers and getting first jump on listings… basically establishing that you’re the go-to “knowledge broker” for your market. A consumer who sees that every day in your Stories will definitely be impressed, and you’ll gain top-of-mind awareness in the process. So start doing it!

I am hoping these help build in some accountability for your prospecting sessions and make it easier for you to pick up that phone consistently and book more appointments! Let me know which one(s) you’ll start doing in the comments below!

 

Strength and courage,
Wade

REALTOR© Business Planning For 2021

Wade Webb on November 4, 2020

realtor business plan 2020A mentor of mine said to me “agents aim for nothing and hit it with amazing success!” 2020 is wrapping up and what did you aim for? What did you hit? It is the perfect time of year to aim for something in 2021 and hit it with amazing success! So when 2020 begins to wind down you should not wait until the very end to start planning for 2021. 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 2021.” 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 DO 97% OF THE 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 2020 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 Own 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?

What is working? What is not working?

What do I need to start doing again? Stop doing?

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 of yourself and your own business?

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. Set up a schedule for a month or two in advance of your activities for generating business. What is the activity? When? How? To Whom? Track and measure each of these scheduled activities to help identify the best of the best.

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. I understand this my be terrifying for most of us to see what we are spending personally and professionally but it is the foundation of your business plan to know what your personal and professional lives cost and then be able to set a financial target that is enough to cover them both and leave you some profit! So many of us stay away from this and run in a deficit and that is not good practice for any of us.

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. I have realized that the driving compelling force in my life is serving others and having the means to create memorable experiences with the people I care about most and nothing else has given me more joy than these amazing WHY’s in my own life.

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 signing up using the form below.

Strength and courage,
Wade

The Power Of Leverage for REALTORS©

Wade Webb on October 28, 2020

power of leverage for realtorsDo you own a job or do you own a business? When you stop does your income stop? Then you own a job.

If you are generating business and income while you are away from real estate, then you own a business. One of the greatest challenges for most agents is leverage, automation, systemization and delegation.

This week we look at the question that all agents are seeking the answer to, “When and how do I hire a real estate assistant?” Some even go years contemplating whether or not it is the right time. Many people ask the same questions such as, “should I hire someone now?” and “can I even afford to hire someone?”

Now we know it can be scary to let someone into your business like that but in actuality, it needs to be done sooner than later. If you are constantly asking yourself if you should hire an assistant, then that alone should tell you that you need to hire someone. When it comes to affording one, if they are really doing their job, they will be making you a significant amount of money. Here we are going to break down when and how to hire an assistant through 3 different phases. Each phase comes with 4-5 questions and steps into ensuring you are using the right solution.

PHASE 1

In Phase 1 begin to ask yourself, “How do I know it is time to hire an assistant?” Like mentioned earlier, if you are asking this question, then it probably is necessary. You are clearly starting to become overwhelmed once you start even thinking about having someone to help.

Question 2, Do you stay up late doing non best use of time tasks, also known as “BUT’s”? These include very simple tasks that are more tedious than they are difficult. After a long day of meetings, going to open houses and meeting new clients, the last thing you are going to want to do is work yourself up on those simple everyday tasks you had to keep pushing aside because they weren’t a priority at the time.

Question 3, Do you have aspirations to grow beyond where you are now? If you have aspirations to grow financially or even from a team standpoint, you are never going to get there alone. The only way you are going to grow and get the most out of your potential is to have help. Asking for help can sometimes seem as a belittling standpoint but it shouldn’t be. Everyone at some point or another asks for a helping hand and so should you.

Question 4, Do you live in the clouds? Meaning, are you not able to implement in the way you need to? People who are in real estate, especially self-starters and entrepreneurs live in the clouds and you need to take this in account for needing the help with your brain storming.

Question 5, Do you know that you are losing business? The more you wait for help, the more projects you are going to have to shy away from because of how busy your schedule is. The longer you wait, the more money you are going to lose, period. Their job is not just to do the tedious and hard work, it is also to make you money. As they say, you don’t remember what you’ve forgotten.

PHASE 2

Now that you have finally agreed to yourself you need an assistant, it is time for phase 2. What are you supposed to look for when you start looking to hire?

The first thing you should be looking for is if they are detail and system oriented. In order to find someone who is, the best way is to make them follow multiple steps in the hiring process on the application. These can include: using a specific font size, only sending the application through a PDF, use a specific format, include this header and more. Now if they don’t follow the steps correctly you instantly know they are not good with following directions and are not detail oriented. In all, you are looking for a person who can get annoyed with a lack of order rather than too much detail or instruction.

The second thing you should be looking for is a naturally positive person. Now, this can be a little more difficult because in actuality, everyone is “nice” during their first interview. This is why you need to take it further and have multiple interviews in multiple settings. It is known miserable people can only act happy for so long until it takes one thing to take them over the edge. You need to be able to see how they act with more than one or two interactions with them to get their full personality and potential.

The third thing you should be looking for in a potential candidate is if they are self-driven. This person should be looking for ways to make your life easier. You want someone to anticipate everything so they can adapt to what is needed and what isn’t.

The fourth and final thing you should be looking for is someone that must be tech savvy and able to type. Now we’ve all seen how our grandparents and even sometimes our parents use a computer which is funny to us of course, but when it comes to hiring an assistant, it won’t be funny down the line when you are on a time crunch and they are still working on that first email. There are plenty of people in the world, especially nowadays with technology being as advanced as it is, that know how to use specific software and can adapt fast to new software.

PHASE 3

Moving on to the 3rd and final phase, you should now have hired someone but you don’t exactly know what to do next…

The first thing you should do is either take the time to properly train them or take the time to redo their work. You need to set aside time to be able to train them respectively because the quicker you train them, the quicker you will improve your business and make money.

Secondly, you need to give them clear expectations of what you want from them. You only have one chance to create expectation so think carefully. You want to set expectations such as what time they need to be there, the kinds of activities you expect them to do, what they should be able to do in a specific amount of time, etc. Be very clear in what you want out of them so then everyone is on the same page.

Next thing you want to do is teach them a marketing strategy to implement immediately. This is because it will shortly after bring your business making not only you feel good, but making them feel good as well. Try to teach them how to do things such as saving a search in a MLS, emailing listings, saving listings and similar tasks. All in all, they are adding to your business this way and it can only lead to great things.

Lastly, do NOT micromanage them! Many agents respond to this by saying, “but what if they don’t do it right?” Well, it is not that they won’t do it “right” it is that they won’t do it YOUR way. You need to let go of what you’ve been doing in the past to make room for the new because clearly something needs to change. Additionally, in most cases, they often do it better than you which may catch you off guard at first but you need to remember it is only making you and your business greater. You need to give them the freedom to be the person you hired them to be and let them do their thing.

If you haven’t already realized, there are only positive outcomes that will happen if you were to hire an assistant. After going through these 3 phases, you should see a massive positive change in not only the business but with you as a realtor. Now start looking for that assistant before all the good ones are taken!

Click to download your Free Guide To Hiring An Unlicensed Assistant –>> Agentsboost – Hiring An Unlicensed Assistant

Strength and courage,
Wade

Why Real Estate Agents Fail In This Business…

Wade Webb on October 7, 2020

why realtors failWhy 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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!
  9. 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.
  10. 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

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