REALTORS© What Can You Do In A Time Like This? Part 2

Wade Webb on April 8, 2020

covid-19 what can a realtor do?Continuing with part 2 of my blog post answering the question so many of us are asking ourselves… “As a REALTOR© what can you do in a time like this?” We dig into our resourcefulness and resilience to be able to do something we all love which is real estate. Let’s continue our journey of activities, now remember in case you didn’t see last week’s post this is a time to serve and not sell and a time for earning relationship share and not market share. Not socially distant but creative closeness. So here we go….

1. Unaddressed Ad Mail – If you choose to do this…. IMPORTANT: Add an “offering to help pick up, deliver or connect them with a service provider you know” be their community supporter not seller. I honestly think the only approach for this that is sensible is if you personally have a or your fellow agents in your office has and pay attention to the wording:

  • Bona Fide Buyer ““Help! My clients John and Susan would greatly appreciate your help with the purchase of their next property. Would you happen to have a friend, family member or co-worker that may be selling a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo in the mission meadows area around the $400,000 price range? If so, please let me know their name and number and I will follow them up and give them excellent service and promise not to pressure them in any way. Thanks for the help and consideration and making the purchase for John and Susan easier.”
  • Just listed “Help! My clients John and Susan would greatly appreciate your help with the sale of their property. Would you have a friend, family member or co-worker that may be interested in this home? If so, please let me know their name and number and I will follow them up and give them excellent service and promise not to pressure them in any way. Thanks for the help and consideration and making the move for John and Susan easier.”
  • Just Sold “Help! We just sold a home on 1234 Maple street and from our marketing efforts we have buyers that that home didn’t work for, they missed out on and are still wanting this area. Would you happen to have a friend, family member or co-worker that may be living in this area and thinking of selling? If so, please let me know their name and number and I will follow them up and give them excellent service and promise not to pressure them in any way. Thanks for the help and consideration. “
  • Just Reduced “Help! My clients John and Susan just repositioned their home on 1234 Maple street and would appreciate your help with the sale of their property. Would you have a friend, family member or co-worker that may be interested in this home? If so, please let me know their name and number and I will follow them up and give them excellent service and promise not to pressure them in any way. Thanks for the help and consideration and making the move for John and Susan easier.”
  • Complimentary Home Equity Analysis

2. Door to Door ( Do Not Knock ) not safe! Tuck in their door a Flyer, Postcard or hang a paper door hanger with the same messaging above Just listed Help, Just sold Help, Just reduced Help, Legit buyer Help. “ again offering to help pick up, deliver or connect them with a service provider you know” should be added.

3. Online Leads – Caution will cost money and will not convert unless done right ( Secrets to 11% Online Real Estate Lead Conversion ) many options like Streettext, Agentlocator for online lead companies. Many of our agents are calling and everyone is answering and 98% are responding well to the follow up calls so first don’t spend any money on new leads and go and follow up call every old lead you have first and stop the spending until you have done that first. You will be amazed at the response.

4. FB Ad Lead Gen– Do it yourself video to watch if you don’t know how to create one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABX_4EOi9ak

5. Telephone Lead Gen – Our phones take incoming and make outgoing phone calls. Using the DNCL https://lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/en or https://www.donotcall.gov/ and be compliant DO NOT COLD CALL!!!! Only call and ask help for your seller needing to sell or your buyer still looking to buy and call the area where they are located. Warm approach only! What I did in the crash of 1992. Dial for dollars and most people’s homes were worth less than their mortgages. I am still here today. Alive and kicking. No fun, but didn’t have a choice.

6. Drop by not a Pop By – After taking the time to call a client and listening for their need during the call. Get in your car and drop off something to serve that need or just something unexpected. I know in our house just a little chocolate (Easter just a few weeks away) makes all the bad things go away! Add a not offering them help for pick up, delivery, anything as your community realtor and we here to serve. Call, honk and waive and holler out the car window you are thinking of them.

7. Host A Virtual – Coffee, Lunch or Happy hour. Using Zoom, GotoMeeting or Google Hangouts and invite your clients and their friends, your family and co workers for an hour of sharing and connecting while enjoying a coffee, meal or beverage and snack! This allows us to create community and deepen those relationships with others.

8. B2B Facebook Page- Create a “COVID-19 (name of your city) Small Business Support Page”. Set it up as a platform for businesses to discuss how they’re dealing with the situation… i.e. what’s working and what isn’t.

So that should keep us all going this week and allow us the chance to serve others, build relationship share and encourage community and if the business comes from any of this then so be it. Give with no expectation and you will receive! Serve don’t sell…. Share any others with me that are working for you as well please!!!

Strength and courage,
Wade

REALTORS© What Can You Do In A Time Like This? Part 1

Wade Webb on April 1, 2020

covid-19 what can a realtor do?I am sure we are all asking ourselves the same question. “What Can I Do In A Time Like This?” Here is my list of activities without being insensitive and unsafe! Marketing as a real estate agent in today’s environment requires a whole new approach and must include empathy, sympathy for those you reach. Let me be very clear that this is a time to serve and not sell and a time for earning relationship share and not market share. Not socially distant but creative closeness. So here we go….

1. Self-Care – this is a time to be very focused on our own self-care and a reminder to all those that give to ask for help! We need to be good ourselves in order to be good for others. I love this great acronym M.E.D.S. – Mindset, Exercise, Diet, Sleep. PLEASE….Turn the news off. Stop watching negative social media content.

2. Database Calls – pick up the phone and call everyone in your relationships list. Please not a mass email, this is not the time to mass anything. We need to be communicating personally with 5-10 people in your database every day. Reach out with care and say, “I was just thinking about you. I wanted to reach out and say Are you OK? I just want to let you know I’m here for you.”

  • Existing Client Under Contract Or Wanting to Do Something – Tell them “I’m here for you. I have your back. What would you like to do?” keep all service providers in the loop until this deal gets registered and paid. If they want to pause, let them do so. Doing the right thing is always the right thing.
  • Leads – you Call, text, or send a personal video to EVERY LEAD! Reach out with care and say, “I was just thinking about you. I wanted to reach out and say Are you OK? I just want to let you know I’m here for you.”

3. Database Virtual Community Event  – Once a week or bi weekly invite your database to join you online using google hang outs, zoom or gotomeeting for a time of connecting, connecting others you know with each other, sharing, asking your advice, offering help or ask questions about anything and you can share about the market and what you know about their most valuable asset at this point.

4. B2B – any of your clients of businesses that your frequent and ask “how you can help them? Are they ok?” promote anything they are still doing in this time of need like what they offer, when they are open, delivery, pick up etc. Even saw an agent create a hiring FB page in their community and is assisting that way. What an incredible opportunity to support the local business owners and service providers in your community. Call them and ask for an online interview with them using software that allows you to record this and then share it to your database. Be the straw that stirs the drink for this group that is in huge need.

5. Postal Mail – The time has never been better to mail out and send a personal hand written note. Reach out with care and say, “I was just thinking about you. I wanted to reach out and say Are you OK? I just want to let you know I’m here for you.” It is a lost art. Always opened, always read and always leaves a greater impression on others than we could ever know. Who doesn’t need encouragement right now?!

6. Skills – What an amazing time to sharpen your skills and self-improve on technology and how the online experience is the only option we have. Youtube is full of all kinds of free lessons on Video conferencing, virtual tours, video with your phone, digital documentations, working at home tips, sales skills, communication skills. We even have the time to learn another language, musical instrument, the list is endless. Check out www.coursera.org for a huge list of free courses from top universities.

7. Share Our Gifts and Talents – Loved the story about the DJ on Instagram last week DNICE and is offering a virtual dance party for those around the world every night and went from hundreds to millions of followers in days enjoying his gift and talent and imagine what that will do for him in the future? If you have a gift or talent then now is the time to share it online with all your clients, friends and family and share the love!

So that should get us all started this week and allow us the chance to serve others, build relationship share and encourage community and if the business comes from any of this then so be it. Give with no expectation and you will receive! Share any others with me that are working for you as well please!!!

Strength and courage,
Wade