Creating Strategic Partnerships In Your Real Estate Business

Wade Webb on July 27, 2022

Need some inspiration for creating strategic partnerships in your real estate business? As the market transitions all over North America and our need for expense management increases the balance of 2022. One of my desires in business was to leverage what I do in real estate with what other service providers and businesses do in theirs. The goal is to help expose them and their services to the people I know personally and professionally. I truly believe that leverage and focusing on what others need in their business and helping them will in turn help me and what I do in my business, ten-fold.

I have created leveraging strategies that assist other service providers and at the same time create a stream of income to support my marketing and business building strategies. Any chance you could use a small steady income stream in your real estate business to help support and grow your business exposure this year? I thought so… Start by thinking of all the opportunities in your real estate business you have to expose, connect and engage anyone you know personally and professionally? Here are some examples to get you started…

”Places You Could Provide Exposure for Others”

Website
Newsletter
Feature Sheet
Thank you for buying and selling letters
Youtube
Social Media
Unaddressed Ad mail
Service Directory Booklet
Client appreciation event
Email
Open House
Pre listing and Pre Buyer Packages
Listing and Buyer Presentations
Calendars
Signage
Mobile Technology
Print Advertising
Client Seminars
Single Listing Websites

All of these are opportunities for you to expose another service provider or business owner to multiple prospects, Right? The second step of the process is to think of all the service providers, business owners and related industries to real estate and what you and your client use for buying and selling real estate. Here are some examples…

Service Providers to Feature

Accountant
Insurance
Investment
Mortgage Broker
Banker
Lawyer
Notary
Appraiser
Inspector
Surveyor
Locksmith
Carpet Cleaner
Renovator
Irrigation
Yard Maintenance
Junk Removal

I then created what I called my Platinum Partner Plan. This plan was presented to service providers and business owners the exclusive right for one year to have their service and business exposed in all the first list of marketing ideas I provide as a real estate professional for a nominal fee and a 12 month commitment. So what would someone pay you monthly to have their logo, service, business exposed for one year on your website, newsletter, feature sheet, thank you for buying and selling letters, Youtube, Social Media, Unaddressed Ad mail, Service Directory Booklet, Client appreciation event, Email, Open House, Pre listing and Pre Buyer Packages, Listing and Buyer Presentations, Calendars, Signage, Mobile Technology, Print Advertising, Client Seminars, Single Listing Websites? I am going to say you will be surprised the revenue you can generate from presenting this kind of a program to service providers and businesses related to real estate… it will be hundreds of dollars to you each month!!

It was a very easy sell to these service providers and business owners. If they didn’t see the value in a small $50-$100 a month investment for this kind of exposure I would say, “no problem, I am sure another business owner in your profession will appreciate the exposure.” They would then say, “no wait, I wasn’t saying I would not do this.” And then they sign up. Provide me 12 post-dated cheques. Would it not be worth your while to focus on leveraging what we do with what others do? Would it not be worth creating a regular stream of marketing dollars for your real estate business? I can tell you first hand, it truly is. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to create your own Platinum Partner Plan today.

Strength and courage,
Wade

REALTORS© What Should We Do Now?

Wade Webb on July 20, 2022

REALTORS what should we do now? The burning question that every agent is asking is “Are we in a housing correction?” If you’ve been keeping up with This Week in Housing, you’ll already know the answer to this one.

It’s NO!

No, we are not in a housing correction! That last sentence right up there, is what today’s blog is all about. I’m not going to go over all the data points in detail – you can check those out on your own. What I want to do instead is hammer home what we do in a shifting market? INFORM!! Many people in your market are likely thinking the worst right now, and it’s up to you to correct those thoughts with factual information. Keep reading so I can give you some ideas on how to communicate your message more efficiently – and keep your transactions moving.

What’s on Everyone’s Mind? The hot word on everyone’s mind right now is “recession.” What does “recession” remind the average homeowner of? Exactly… that nasty period of 2008. That’s what people are thinking right now and that’s why the fear is so high. Of course, we know that a recession DOES NOT EQUAL A HOUSING CRISIS. As a matter of fact, in four of the last six recessions we’ve seen since the 80s, home prices actually appreciated. But… Just Because You Know the Truth…

…doesn’t mean your clients do. You stay up to date with Keeping Current Matters, This Week in Housing, and all the other reputable real estate news sources, but remember that your clients probably don’t – it’d be pretty embarrassing if it was the other way around. They are seeing articles with headlines like, “Is the Housing Boom Over?” When people hear all kinds of conflicting information without anyone to explain it to them, it creates uncertainty, and no one likes to make moves when they are uncertain. The only way you are going to continue to grow your transactions going forward is to alleviate the fear in your marketplace. People need reassurance and if you’re the one who provides that, you’ll be the one they choose to work with.

There are two ways we need to tackle this. On a broad scale and on a personal level. Let’s start with Broad Scale. There are four things I recommend:

1. YouTube Market Update Videos and News Commentary – Tackle the issue head on by signaling out the news articles directly. Jeremy Knight does his news commentary in front of a green screen with the front page of the article imposed behind him. You should be doing something similar.
2. Weekly Email Newsletters with Links to Your Videos – I’m just curious, how did you get to this blog? Was it through an email we sent out with a direct link? Do the same – email your database to drive them to your market updates.
3. Direct Mailers to Your Geofarm – Imagine getting a piece of mail that inspires hope and optimism instead of fear and urgency… So many of our clients have seen success by including QR codes which bring people to their home value estimates.
4. Social Media Quick Facts – It’s a great way to leverage your short content for views on your longer pieces.

The Personal Level. Your broad scale marketing will open the door for you, but this is where you need to invite them inside.

1. Make Your CALLS – Don’t forget, even though we’re not in a housing crisis, no one said this was going to be an easy market for you – which means you MUST be making your calls, now more than ever.
2. CMA-a-Day – Follow our proven strategy. Create a CMA for a past client, send them a video text message before you send it, then email the CMA and follow up in a day or two with a phone call to discuss the value of their home. Repeat this process with a different past client daily and watch your listing opportunities skyrocket!
3. Equity Reviews – This is a great way to touch base with your past clients every year and possibly get some referrals, but it’s also one of the best strategies for getting your message out. Doing an annual equity review puts you face-to-face with your clients in person, which is where real connection happens. John Ely prefers to call these “real estate reviews” because he covers so much more than just equity, from the state of the market to possible investment options.
4. Ask that People Share Your Content – You are here to educate, serve, and help people build wealth. If you care of your clients and give them reassurance, they’ll want you to do the same for their family and friends.

Keep the Conversation Going. Above all, keep in mind that just because you’ve said the same thing a thousand times, doesn’t mean that everyone has heard it. Just because you posted a video several weeks ago that details the state of the housing market doesn’t mean that everyone has seen it. Say it again. Post another video. Get the word out there! Now is still a great time to buy or sell, and when you help people to realize that, you’re improving their lives. Keep up the good work.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Real Estate Agent Social Media Updates For 2021

Wade Webb on August 25, 2021

Social media is moving at a faster pace than ever before. Sometimes it feels like you are finally getting the hang of it, but then the next day, social media algorithms change again. It’s hard to keep up with how quickly social media evolves if you haven’t cultivated a routine that helps you regularly update your strategy. Since 47% of real estate businesses say that social media results in the highest quality leads, it’s important to consistently audit your Instagram and Facebook presence for better engagement, visibility, and lead generation. We recommend updating your social media channels every three months while doing a comprehensive audit every 6-12 months. Luckily, the six social media updates we’ll cover today don’t have to take hours of your time in order to implement. Let’s dive right in.

1. Make sure your branding is consistent. – Consistency shows how much you care about your client’s experience. Consistency can be measured in terms of how often you post or how cohesive your brand voice and tone are, but we can’t forget about your visual branding. You’ll need a well-established set of visual brand guidelines in order to stay visually consistent on every social media platform. Do you have a defined color palette? Have you selected fonts that look great when paired together? Do you have a library of graphic elements (like patterns, textures, illustrations, icons, etc.) that fit well within your visual brand identity? If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, you’re on the right track with your visual branding. If not, locate areas of improvement and work with a graphic designer to improve your branding. The more professional you look, the more professional your client experience will feel. So, where should you start? Our first recommendation is to get into the habit of updating your social media profiles any time you update your website. This will give you better consistency over time since your website should match your social media channels. For example, if you have new team photos, be sure to update them on your website and your Facebook banner. If you decide to rebrand your business, update any previous profile photos with your new logo. Think about how you can add more consistency with your branded imagery and content as we move into how to improve your Instagram presence.
2. Update your Instagram bio. – When someone visits your Instagram profile for the first time, they’ll immediately notice your Instagram bio. It’s front-and-center on your profile and has to be written with your dream clients in mind. Ideally, your Instagram bio will give Instagram users an idea of who you are as a real estate brand, what makes you different, and how you can help them. Oh, and you’ll have to communicate all of this in 150 characters or less. It’s no easy feat! Let us help you by providing an Instagram bio framework you can use as a template. Real estate mention: It should be very clear from reading your bio that you work in real estate. Make sure you include “real estate” or “realtor” somewhere in your Instagram bio. Location: What local market do you serve? You’ll want this information to be front-and-center in your bio. Awards: If there are any awards or notable accomplishments that your team has earned, you can add them to your bio like North Group. These awards give you more authority and credibility. Bio link: Make sure you include a link to your website. If you decide to temporarily link to a new blog post or listing page, be sure to shorten your link with a tool like Bit.ly. Otherwise, you can link to your homepage or a Linktree page for the long term. If you create an Instagram post with the words “link in bio,” you’ll want to either update the link in your bio or update your Linktree page to include the new link. Call-to-action: Instead of only adding a bio link, you’ll want to include call-to-action (CTA) language at the very end of your bio. Emojis: To make your bio really stand out, use emojis as bullet points. Just make sure your emojis are on-brand, relevant, and professional.
3. Include cover images on your Instagram highlights. – Your Instagram feed will often determine your audience’s first impression of your real estate business, but Instagram stories will make a lasting connection with followers. Instagram stories are used by 500 million users every day with one-third of all Instagram stories created by business accounts. When you add a video or photo file to your Instagram story, it will only be available to view in your story for 24 hours. That is, unless you add it to your Instagram highlights. Instagram highlights allow you to save selected stories for public viewing at any time. All users need to do is locate a relevant highlight cover to begin viewing the curated collection of stories. It’s best to create a strategy around what you want to create Instagram highlights for and how they can be useful to your followers. Think about what content your audience is looking for and how you can communicate what your highlights are about through custom cover images. Ready to utilize Instagram highlights? Here’s how to create your first one: Go to your Instagram profile and click the “New” button with a plus sign right underneath the “Edit Profile” button. Once it opens, select past story videos or photos you would like to feature by tapping on the ones you want to add, which shows a blue checkmark when clicked. When you’ve selected your featured stories, click the “Next” button in the top right corner and give the highlight a new name. Make sure it is short enough to read on your profile. Then edit the cover image by clicking “Edit Cover” underneath the circle-cropped photo.
4. Add a variety of Instagram content. – Updating your Instagram profile is important, but updating your content strategy is even more important. Posting consistently shows how much you value educating your followers and building a community. Since Instagram is a fast-paced social media platform, you need to provide a variety of content types to stay engaging and interesting. Now that your Instagram story highlights are set up, let’s talk about your feed. Instagram has gone on record to say photos and videos are equal in terms of how they prioritizes posts in the algorithm. This means adding long-form IGTV videos, Instagram stories, and Instagram feed photos are all needed in creating a well-rounded, engaging Instagram presence. Instagram says their post rankings come down to six main factors: Interest, Relationship, Timeliness, Frequency, Following. Usage. You can read more about how your Instagram feed works here, but remember these factors as you update your Instagram content strategy. Let’s start brainstorming new content ideas for your Instagram feed. Add animated graphics to capture more of your audience’s attention than a static image can. Include team-focused content of group meetings, team retreats, volunteer events, and more. Record video interviews with your team members so Instagram followers can learn more about the people behind your real estate brand. Create a photo slideshow with relevant statistics that will better educate your audience. Host an Instagram giveaway during a special event or holiday to help you increase brand awareness and give to your local community.Share behind-the-scenes photos of video shoots, virtual tours, and more for a day-in-the-life look at your team’s work. Celebrate work anniversaries of each team member with a dedicated video, like this example from North Group which features personable photos and kind affirmations from other team members. We hope these ideas will inspire your own Instagram content strategy. If you need to make additional updates to your strategy, here are 7 things to master when improving your Instagram presence. Once you have this nailed down, we can start talking about your Facebook presence.
5. Edit your Facebook bio. – When updating your Facebook bio (or “About” section), the good news is that you don’t have as many character limits as Instagram. You’ll have more room to explain the mission and specializations of your real estate business. Even though you have more creative freedom, you don’t want to make your Facebook bio too long to read. It should be easy to skim as someone scrolls through your profile. Keep it simple by introducing who you are, what you do, and how your real estate brand is different from others in a few short sentences. Make sure you keep jargon terms to a minimum so you can better connect with clients who may not have a previous understanding of real estate. Think about how to simply communicate what you do. You may also choose to add awards and other accomplishments in the “Awards” section on Facebook to strengthen your bio.
6. Increase your credibility by asking for Facebook reviews. – Did you know when someone visits your Facebook page, they see your recommendations and reviews before they can scroll through your Facebook posts? That is Facebook’s way of telling us that reviews are incredibly important on their platform! More than Google or Yelp, Facebook is the number one website consumers use to review and recommend businesses. This is because people typically trust recommendations when they come from family or friends. The same is true since 70% of people still trust recommendations from like-minded people they don’t know. Facebook, then, is the perfect place to boost your reviews, especially when you are using Facebook ads to promote your listings. If you have hundreds of reviews on home search sites like Zillow, ask past clients to leave a review on Facebook too. It tells Facebook that your real estate brand is trustworthy and experienced. Once a past client leaves a review on your Facebook page, be sure to like and comment on it with a personal thank you message. It will not only improve your relationship with your past client, but it will also show others the kind of care you put into every client’s experience. 92% of consumers consider reviews when purchasing a product or service, and the average consumer reads around 10 reviews before making a final purchasing decision. Do you have at least 10-15 reviews on your Facebook business page? If not, follow up with past clients and kindly ask them to review you on Facebook. You can also give them an example of a past client testimonial if they’re looking for help on how to write a review. These reviews can then be repurposed into client success stories which you can use for quality social media posts and website features. This is the best way to build a sustainable real estate marketing plan that you can easily update over time.

Take the time to dig into each of these social media updates and let me know how some of these work out for you in the future. To your success!!

Strength and courage,
Wade

Realtors©… Take The Vacation Time Vs. Working Remote Time Challenge

Wade Webb on August 18, 2021

Summer 2021 is here, can you believe it? It seems like the first half of the year just flew by us so fast! Are you like me and tired of never really taking a vacation from real estate or more importantly, is your family and friends tired of going on vacation with you because you’re working remotely? Now be honest, are you taking a vacation this summer and planning to sit on your phone or tablet, texting or emailing while the rest of your family sit by the pool and enjoy the waves crashing on the beach while you were working remotely the whole time? Is that what a vacation for real estate agents is supposed to look like?

Is there something very wrong with our mindset and business set up that can’t allow us to vacation 3 or 4 weeks a year and not have to work remotely? What would a vacation be like with no mobile devices, no internet connection and cell phone reception completely unplugged and off the real estate grid? What about to be in the moment and present with the most important people in your life? I need you to believe this is possible and here are some strategies that can make this type of vacation as a real estate agent a reality!! Let’s break it down and commit to this, including me.

Have a business plan with 3-4 weeks a year vacation planned in advance.
Have a licensed real estate professional covering your vacation times for you.
Emails forwarded to a licensed real estate professional who responds to them on your behalf
Auto Email responder set up explaining you are not available and who to contact if important.
Voice message on mobile explaining you are not available and who to contact if important.
Give your mobile device to the agent covering to answer and respond to your calls, texts, voice messages and pages on your behalf.
Partner with another agent and cover for them and their business for 3-4 weeks a year.
Choose to unplug and not bring your smart phone, tablet or laptop computers on your vacation and leave them to the covering agent.
Compensate the covering agent in some way whether it’s a gift, thank you dinner or a referral fee. I believe we all need to show appreciation and feel appreciated.
Leave detailed notes of all your listings, names, phone numbers, emails, sales, leads, etc. for the covering agent to manage your business better for you

What happens every time before you are about to go on vacation? If you take a 4-7 day break you still come back and you are still busy I guarantee it, but refreshed and recharged to crush it. If it is meant to be then it is up to me! Choose to be on vacation and enjoy it, especially when you are spending your hard earned money to create those moments, experiences and memories with the most important people in your life that will last a lifetime. Be present in the moment and really relax and enjoy your time away and reload and re-energize to be able to come back and do amazing things in your business.

Strength and courage,
Wade

REALTORS… Google Your Name. What Do You See?

Wade Webb on October 21, 2020

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 1:

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 2:

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 3:

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 4:

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 5:

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

Getting “Google Ready” Tip No. 6:

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

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

Strength and courage,
Wade

Where & How To Use A Virtual Tour To Sell Your Listings

Wade Webb on June 26, 2019

Why would you want to include a virtual tour with your home marketing efforts? Nowadays, buyers don’t even look at online listings if they don’t include a virtual tour. The technology for virtual touring properties on the internet is amazing with the help of services like IGuide and Matterport. This allows us to virtually take the property to any potential buyer around the world and let them virtually experience the property without physically being here.

How Do Virtual Tours Work?

Virtual tours take you inside the home and give you a 180 to a 360-degree view. Some are interactive, meaning you click the mouse and it takes you to the ceiling, the floor, the walls, leaving no inch of the room unseen. Others are flat-screen views put together to give you a moving image that you watch but do not control. Some are digital and 3D like you are in there in person. You can order virtual tours in a number of ways. Shoot your own photographs and hire a professional to simply upload and assemble them for you. Hire a professional to shoot the photos, upload and assemble artwork into a tour. It’s so affordable today that most people pay for a virtual tour. Or buy your own software and compose/create it yourself.

How to Get Started With Making a House Virtual Tour?

Every virtual tour should consist of a minimum of two spins. Even a small 800-square-foot condo can be shot on a two-spin tour: the living room and the clubhouse/pool area, for example. Use collages of 36 photos or more. Super intense virtual tours are generally reserved for the homes valued at more than a million dollars and may involve an aerial tour shot from a drone. Buyers want to see the guesthouses, the wine cellars, the indoor pool and spa facilities, the libraries, media rooms, gyms, studios, the 18-car garages, and helicopter pads. Most professional virtual tour companies will handle everything for you, from beginning to finish, and will supply their own server to host the virtual tour. All you have to do is post the link in the appropriate places. These virtual tours are generally one long continuous show.

Tips for Staging a Virtual Tour

Determine what your focus is and what your viewpoints are. You can take your own digital photographs and upload them to your computer. This way you can study each room for its appeal and photogenic quality. Print out the photos you like and show the virtual tour photographer the angles that you want. Begin the tour focused on the most interesting element in the space and end with that element. Think about what the viewer will see first to determine your starting point for the tour. You don’t want to begin filming a doorway, for example, because most doorways are boring. Move excess furniture out, and properly prepare the room you are shooting. You want the space clean, open, clutter-free and to appear much larger than it is. Consider the level of the camera. If you raised it a foot or so, would it eliminate glare from windows or avoid showing the unpainted fence outside? Choose the best spot in the room to set up the camera. While you might capture a wider range of view from a location close to a hall or door, think about the entire circle of view and how interested your viewer will be staring at a close-up of a nearby wall. Remember, one click of the mouse, and your image is lost.

Added Features for Virtual Tours

Most virtual tours provide ample space for marketing content. Use adjectives sparingly. Concentrate instead on the use of sharp nouns and action verbs. Every picture tells a story, doesn’t it? Describe that moving video with text that rolls across the screen. Don’t rely on the viewer to know enough to scroll down the page to your verbiage. Add a line of verbiage directly to the video. Supplying Audio: Some virtual tours give you the option of adding your voice to the tour. Be enthusiastic, speak clearly, and remember to smile, like you were talking to a friend because a smile resonates in the voice. Allow a mute button.

Where to Upload and Post Your House Virtual Tour Link

Link the virtual tour to your agent’s MLS number.
Upload the tour to local websites and your agent’s personal website.
Consider buying a separate Web address to host the virtual tour. Domain names are very cheap, and independent property websites are popular.
Many tour operators will also upload the link to Realtor.com, Realtor.ca, a website which gives visitors the option of viewing only those listings with virtual tours.
Put your virtual tour on YouTube.
Showcase your virtual tour on Facebook.

There you have the latest technology for marketing listings to the internet empowered buyers around the world. Check out your local virtual tour provider today and put this technology to work for your listings and sellers today! You will be glad you did.

Strength and courage,
Wade

Facebook Features Real Estate Agents Should Know About

Wade Webb on June 13, 2018

Are you a real estate agent that is a Facebook power-user, casual browser or you completely have no idea? No matter your level of social media expertise, you’ll want to read this week’s post as we share some of the hidden gems you will all want to know and implement! We’ve scoured the social media guides, tracked down the experts and sifted through the flashy add-ons to bring you the top tips and tricks. Without further ado, we’ll get right into it — because let’s face it (no pun intended), we’re all a little short on time.

Schedule future Facebook messages – Speaking of time, in real estate, timing is everything, and it can be the difference between landing a client or losing one. Stay in touch with your sphere, and reach out to clients with Sendible. This clever tool allows you to schedule Facebook messages to your friends ahead of time; think birthdays, anniversaries, quarterly follow-ups, etc. If you’re looking for a simple way to ramp up your social media game, this is the tool.

Check your ‘Message Requests’ inbox – Aside from making sure you don’t miss leads by setting up a chatbot and pixel and using Messenger to communicate with “friends,” you can also keep track of messages and requests from your non-friends within the Messenger app. If you’re familiar with Facebook Messenger, then you’ll recognize the lightning bolt icon. When you click it, the icon automatically defaults to the “Recent” tab of your inbox, but take a closer look, and you’ll notice a “Message Requests” tab. This is where the messages from people you’re not currently friends with live. Whether it be an old pal or perspective client, best to go in and have a look. There is also a “See filtered requests” link located directly below that will show you earlier messages from strangers, scammers and everything between. Browse with caution!

Transfer files, send money and share maps via Messenger – Facebook Messenger allows you to do so much more than send messages. In fact, you can send images from your mobile device, share a mapped location and even transfer money at the click of a button. Here’s how. Open the Facebook Messenger window and look for the small icons along the bottom bar. These icons are powerful tools that allow you to upload and send files from your device, share a map of any location or send money from a debit card or PayPal account. Splitting the bill with a co-worker to share your open house has never been easier!

Take advantage of Facebook Notes – Longtime Facebook users know you can make the most of a milestone or share a client story by highlighting it in Facebook Notes. According to PCMag, Facebook Notes is basically “a personal blog post that lives inside the Facebook ecosystem.” Click on Facebook Notes to share entire paragraphs of text and images just like a regular Facebook post, or save it and come back to work on it later. You’ll be able to publish whenever you’re ready. Here’s a great “how-to” on using Facebook Notes.

Save news feed posts for later – If you never noticed it before, today is your lucky day! Facebook has a “Save for Later” function that allows you to save posts and read later when you have more time — basically Facebook’s way of taking on content savers such as Pinterest. Click the ellipsis in the top-right of any post, which will pull up a number of options including the Save button. This will send the link to your “Saved” folder, which doesn’t exist until you, in fact, save something. Next, look for the “Saved” ribbon in the left-hand side of your explore bar, and let the daily catch-up begin.

Wow clients with 360-degree pics and vids – Have you noticed those “360-degree” photos and videos popping up all over your Facebook feed? The “360” feature allows Facebook users to pivot and look at all angles and directions. The same goes for users on a desktop. With “360,” you can give your clients and followers a truly immersive experience – whether broadcasting a listing to an international audience, promoting an open house, or simply showcasing what you see in your day-to-day. Get started with this Facebook360 tutorial to learn the ins and outs of 360 media.

Create a fundraiser that resonates – Most real estate agents are big on giving back, and Facebook makes it even easier to show you care. Scroll the left-side of your explore bar until you find the “Fundraiser” icon (a little coin with a heart in the middle). Here, you can start a charity, use the power of your sphere and crowdsource funds via donations for your cause. There are, however, policies and sometimes fees associated with Facebook fundraisers and charitable donations. TechCrunch recently reported changes to Facebook’s policy which includes dropping the fee for certain donations and matching up to $50 million a year!

Up your security game – Security should be top priority for every Facebook user. The main threat? People can try to get into your account to steal personal information. PCMag suggests these top three tips to protect yourself, which you can access via Settings > Security and Login > Setting Up Extra Security; this includes two-factor authentication, enabled alerts for unrecognized logins and trusted contacts for when you get locked out.

Keep an eye out for Facebook’s city-specific feature – According to AdEspresso by Hootsuite, Facebook is testing a new area of its app called “Today In,” a mix of city-specific events, announcements and local news. This will make it easier for users to stay in-the-know about their communities and could be a valuable marketing tool for agents once officially rolled out. Currently, only a few chosen cities are testing it: Toronto, Vancouver, New Orleans, Louisiana; Olympia, Washington; Billings, Montana; Binghamton, New York; Peoria, Illinois; and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Biggest change to Facebook’s news feed algorithm – Perhaps the most talked about update of 2018 includes Facebook’s decision to prioritize news from family and friends at the expense of public content, news publishers and marketers. This isn’t all that bad for agents looking to foster meaningful connections in their sphere. AdEspresso by Hootsuite details Mark Zuckerburg’s reasoning behind the decision and dives deeper into how Facebook’s 2018 updates affect marketers and users of the platform.

Now that you know about these highly underutilized Facebook tricks, you can go forth and become the Facebook power user/real estate marketer you were born to be. Do you use other Facebook features? Please share in comments below.

Strength and courage,
Wade

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Why Video Is So Important To Our Marketing

kelowna on September 6, 2017

As you probably know, there is a big shift in video across social media for REALTORS. Agents typically fall into 3 categories when it comes to video…

They avoid it completely
They do it but not very well
They are crushing it!

What category are you and your real estate business in?

Video has become the normal way in which many people consume information online. Most agents are missing a big opportunity by not using video. Even from a listing point of view, listings with videos get 400x more inquiries! But videos are more than just a way to showcase a listing. They can also show the community, lifestyle, and even the agents selling the property! Most agents first professional video, let’s be honest, is not their best but they are like a fine wine and just get better with age! We all learn something valuable in the process. Even though we took some great pictures of the property, it wasn’t enough. We all start with some basic video, nothing at a professional level and then move to working with a hired professional, and the professional video is what sells the listing!

Generating New Business

Video is what has helped many agents stand out in the marketplace. Instead of just saying what they do differently, they can show potential customers how they are different. Besides listings, agents use video for testimonials, open houses, and client appreciation events. For testimonials, shoot the video at closing or at your client appreciation event. At your client appreciation event have a raffle, but those clients who do a testimonial video get an extra raffle ticket! At these events the clients are dressed up, having fun, and even have a few glasses of wine. Then take them to a private area for filming, so they don’t feel any stress on camera.

Content Is King

You have to make videos that resonate with your audience. “About me” videos are a good choice and help your potential customers get to know you and your team. Community videos are great too; you can start by interviewing local businesses. Good news, these businesses will share your video interviews on their social channels too! Also, if you are looking for video topics, think about what questions you are constantly being asked as an agent. For example, the market is very competitive and buyers want to know what they can do to get their offers accepted.

Maximizing Your Videos

Use Google Adwords to generate traffic to your videos. Videos are posted on your personal website, company’s website, and landing pages too. Videos are uploaded natively to Facebook to get more views. The videos also go to blogs and are emailed to agents and customers in their database. If there is a place to share the video, then share it there! Most of your main videos are maximum 3 minutes long but create some 15-30 second teaser videos specifically for social media.

YouTube

Make sure your videos are lined up for organic views on YouTube… This means filling out the tags and descriptions, as well as making sure your video is public.
Facebook Live – There is so much traffic on Facebook, and your live videos will get a great organic reach. Facebook Live can be used for events, open houses, or even interviews.

Getting Started

I recommend having a dedicated website you can share with people to see your videos. That also means getting a YouTube channel to host the videos. I also recommend getting a simple kit that comes with a tripod, mic, and wide angle lens for an iPhone (usually less than $100). You don’t have to have a bunch of fancy equipment to make a video. Don’t over analyze it, and your videos don’t have to be perfect. Just create a video and share it with the world!

The Future of Video

Videos aren’t going away, and remember Google owns YouTube. Videos can be one of the tools customers use to find you online.
It will also give you a way to stand out once you start working with your leads to showcase all the work you’ve done. So what are you waiting for?
Get out there and share a video!

Strength and courage,
Wade

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Top Signs Your Real Estate Marketing Is Not Working

kelowna on March 15, 2017

Could your marketing be outdated, ineffective, or even harmful for you and your business? There are several signs your real estate marketing strategy might need an update in 2017. This week we look at the top signs and what to do!

1. Your Inbound Marketing Is Being Ignored.

It’s not just about the advertisements in magazines or online. Inbound marketing focuses on providing customers with valuable content, instead of pushing out a specific message. Inbound marketing has been proven to be far more effective than traditional advertising. Pulling the customer and not pushing on them is the key to marketing success today. We pull by providing killer content that they find valuable, helpful and assists with their biggest challenges in today’s marketplace. Take a minute and think what their challenges are? What would help them with those challenges? Are you providing valuable content the consumer considers valuable or is it just the same old content we think they would find valuable? I always say find what they are praying for before answering their prayers!

2. You’re Using Social Media “Just Because”…

If you’re using social media just because you think you are supposed to, you likely aren’t seeing much benefit. Create a strategy beyond gathering followers. Use it to promote your content, build a community, and address any customer concerns or questions. That said, don’t use social media to just push your agenda or promote your listings or blog posts; use it to engage. Just like your inbound marketing strategies your social media marketing strategies need to provide value, solutions to pull and engage the consumers. No more ego selfless promotions posts but add value, answer questions and engage them in your social media marketing by having a plan. Create a strategy and be intentional and not just because you think you “have to” marketing strategy.

3. You Fail To Update Or Don’t Have A Blog.

You don’t need to contribute a new blog post every day but you should be blogging about one time a week. If you’re posting less than a month, you need to revisit why you even have a blog because you’re not likely generating much traffic from it to make it worth it. This is a long game marketing approach but an approach that will pay large dividends in the future. Take it from me who began sharing and giving my knowledge and ideas to the real estate industry about three years ago and now tens of thousands of agents read agentsboost.com every month in over 100 countries around the world. The world is looking for experts and someone to advise them and a blog positions you as the expert in your community so go and take that title of expert in your community today!

4. You Have Not Looked At Your Analytics

Everything in your marketing should be data-driven. Don’t repeat the same mistakes over again by not looking at your analytics. Carefully evaluate what your data is telling you about your audience and about their likes and dislikes. Check your website, email, and social media analytics at least once a week. You never know what the customer will value and what they will not. You need to track and measure all your marketing and your content and know what is working and what is not working. Once you know what is working then give them more of that!

5. You Don’t Segment Your Audience.

If you’re trying to target everyone, you are likely really targeting no one. You can’t be all things to all people and gain traction or own a piece of the market. Everyone gravitates to the expert or someone who specializes rather than the agent that seems to do everything and do it equally to everyone else. Figure out who your ideal client is. Focus on attracting those consumers with your marketing. “Otherwise, you’ll be wasting a lot of time and money on people who will never buy from you anyway. So many agents are residential, commercial, farm and acreage specialists!!

6. You Do Not Rank Or Exist In The Search Engines.

If your business name or your name isn’t in the first few spots of the Google search rankings, you have a problem. Just try googling your name or top realtor in _________ and see what comes up? If your competitors all outrank you, you have a big problem. Focus more on mastering to get higher in the search rankings but just start by increasing your presence first. This likely will mean more content building to increase your search engine presence and ranking. Start blogging, posting video and sharing more killer valuable content to your community.

7. You Create Lots Of Content But Little Traction.

Seventy-five percent of content gets zero links, and 50 percent gets two or fewer Facebook interactions, according to the site Moz. Get others to read your content by using a three-step plan: Research topics and issues your audience cares most about to use as the basis of your content; write high-quality and 1,200-plus word articles and videos about those issues; and have a plan to promote your content via email and social media. Find what they want and what their issues, needs and wants are in the marketplace and give it to them!!

So there you have it the top ways to determine if your marketing needs a makeover in 2017 and whether it is working or not. Just take one day a week to provide the killer content to the consumers that provide solutions to their issues in the marketplace and just watch what happens over the remainder of 2017!

Strength and courage,
Wade

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The Truths About Real Estate Buyers & Buyers Agents

kelowna on March 1, 2017

We have all heard or said the comment “Buyers are liars” and personally that is the furthest thing from the truth if we really took the time to understand them better and how they really want to be served. Let’s look first at the common buyer agent and their issues buyers say about them.

1) They don’t listen

2) They don’t understand our needs & wants

3) They have no process, they wing It and they are reactive

4) They wait vs. create a buying opportunity

5) They get us to buy what they think we should buy

6) They can’t communicate their value proposition

This week we are sharing the 10 easy and effective steps to better serve your buyer in today’s market. Taking the time to follow this step by step process will allow you to convert more buyers than you have in the past…….

10 Step Buyer Process To Get The Commitment Every Time!!!

STEP 1) The Initial Meet & Greet

Option 1 – Meet Buyer At A Listing

Option 2 – Meet Buyer At The Office (TIP – Prepare and coach receptionist to greet buyer as follows: “You must be [Customer’s Name]. We’re really glad you are here. [Agent’s Name] is looking forward to meeting with you.”

The Critical First Two Minutes – Connection & Control. Your goal is to get the buyer to like and trust you and not to rush this process. Here are simple tips on “How To Connect”

– Step 1: “How are you today?” Then listen and engage with their response.

– Step 2: “Thank you” or “welcome” or “compliment”

– Step 3: Introduce yourself

– Ask rapport building (F.O.R.D.) questions

– “How much time do we have together today?”

Once you feel you are connected (nod and see if they nod back) take control of the process. “If it is alright with you, what I’d recommend we do first is sit down and get acquainted. I would like to ask you a few questions that will help me help you find the right home. Will that work for you?”

STEP 2) The Meet – Choose a different location (fresh energy)

– Office (Like Bringing Them Into The Death Star)

– Meet Them Where They Are At

– Easier To Get Them To Meet At Coffee Shop

– Presentation On Tablet

– Offer a gift (drink? Pen?)

STEP 3) The Buyer Interview:

– Tip (Have a file made up with their name on it.)

– “I would like to ask you a few questions that will help me help you find the right home. Is that okay with you? Is it okay if I take some notes?” (Power of the Note Pad)

– Follow the proper question sequence: Did You Know??

a) Rapport questions

b) Foundational (prior learning) questions

c) Diagnostic questions – who, what, when, where, why, how?

d) Solution (closing) questions

STEP 4) Pre Buyer Packet

“I prepared a packet of information for you that has everything you need to buy real estate in [place].” Briefly review packet, point out contracts and finish with agency disclosure. (Confirm they are not under contract with another REALTOR®.)

STEP 5) The Funnel Process

“Our goal is to help you find the right home and, at the same time, make sure you don’t miss anything or pay too much. We have a process called “The Funnel Process” that will help us accomplish those goals. Would you like to see how it works for you? Great.”

“Let’s start with what you have so far. “Do you have a list of homes you have found you are interested in?” Review what they have. “Have you gone inside any of these homes?” “If it’s alright with you, let’s start by putting these homes into what we call the ‘funnel’. (Draw a funnel) To make sure you don’t miss anything, let’s also put into the funnel any home you might consider. Will that be okay? Discuss: o MLS o New Listings o New Construction o For Sale by Owner

“Once we have everything in the funnel, we’ll start a simple process of elimination to remove those properties that don’t work for you. We’ll use the comfortable process of elimination versus the often frustrating process of selection. This way we’ll make sure you don’t miss anything.”

“We’ll go from 1,000’s of properties in the funnel to 100’s and then to dozens as we begin to eliminate those that don’t work.” “Some we will look at on-line, some we will drive by, and some we will decide to make an appointment and go in. You will be in control of the decisions.”

“As we go through the process, our goal will be to find our top three favorites that could work for you (and this can be a rolling top three).” Once you have identified your favorites, I’ll do a simple market analysis showing you sold properties to help you get a feel for value. Our goal is to make sure you don’t pay too much.” “Does this look like a process that will work for you?”

STEP 6) Scale of 1 To 10 Technique

“Just for fun, to give me an idea of where you are in the process, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with a 1 being you are just starting the process and a 10 being you would like to find a home today) where would you rate yourself?”

“What would have to happen for you to be a 10?” Drill down on each item – ask questions and listen (3 Deep)

– “What specifically about…?”

– “Why is that important to you?”

– “Tell me more about that.” – Take notes. (Power of the Note Pad!)

STEP 7) Pieces Of Paper Exercise

(Give each person a piece of paper) “If it is alright with you, I would like each of you to make a list of the things you want in a home. After you have made your list, put stars beside the three things you can’t live without.”

STEP 8) What & Why?

Features and benefits.

(What) Features

(Why) Benefits

Remember: People buy their “whys” (benefits) not their “what’s” (features). Explain the concept of the “85% perfect home”

STEP 9) Cash? Loan? House to sell?

“Will you be paying cash for this home or will you be getting a loan?” If getting a loan: “Do you have a loan arranged? Do you have a lender?” “While I’m doing the computer work for your MLS® search, would you like to meet with my [Name of Lender] for a second opinion?” “There is absolutely no obligation to use [Name of Lender]. However, it will give you a second opinion.” Benefits to them of second opinion? Do the preliminary MLS® search while they meet with the lender.

STEP 10) If we find it… What will you do? (story)

So there you have it the 10 simple powerful steps to convert and get a commitment from a buyer in today’s market. I challenge you to try changing up how you are dealing with buyers today and follow this tried and true buyer system and see your experience with buyers go to a whole other level.

Strength and courage,
Wade

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