As we head into the holiday season the market begins to slow down for some leaving a time for reflection on the years successes, or for many real estate agents the lack there of. It becomes necessary to begin considering the fees and royalties you have been paying to your broker and franchisor, and taking stock of the services you received for your buck. Are you being provided an effective marketing suite to sufficiently promote yourself and your listings? Are you paying exorbitant fees for the use of an office you rarely go into? What kind of training and professional development opportunities do you have access to? Do you have additional advantages of being able to utilize transaction coordinators?
More and more I hear from agents that the support they receive is just as important if not more so when making a decision to work with a broker. The commission structure is certainly a factor, although after you get through settling up on all of your supporting fees, how much of your commission dollars are you left with?
Over the course of the last few years Realty World Northern CA & NV has spent millions to reconfigure a business model that is not only conducive with the latest technology to accommodate the needs of today’s savvy internet consumers, but also has built a phenomenal support system to accommodate the professionals serving these consumers. Superior technology, top shelf marketing, and unlimited training & support are certainly required in today’s marketplace for agents and brokers to remain relevant, and competitive.
If you are considering your next move by the end of the year, do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to visit the Agent Careers page above to learn more about the Realty World NCA agent platform, and the competitive edge our associates enjoy.
LOGON…LEARN…PROSPER
When preparing for a listing presentation for a seller are you taking the necessary steps to know what you are up against? Or do you blindly jump into the proposal with a client with the quiet confidence that you are the best? If so, how well is that working for you?
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You as the real estate professional are going to be expected to have the answers the seller will want answered. As G.I Joe always said at the end of each episode…”knowing is half the battle” yo Joe! Though it was a silly kids cartoon, how true is that statement? If you could answer every seller question that came across the table without hesitation, and be aware of every marketing strategy available you will rarely be in a position to lose the listing to a competitor.
There is a simple reason that 5% of the agents/brokers do 95% of the business in our marketplace. The other 95% of agents will not take the time to properly prepare a listing presentation. Taking the time to consider the marketing plan in advance will speak volumes to your prospective client. If you have access to a print and eMarketing platform, this is your opportunity to wow your client, and let your skills as a preferred agent shine through. If you are not able to impress the seller, then they will assume you will not be able to impress a prospective buyer as well.
In advance of your meeting, request permission to stop by for a brief visit to take some digital photos of the property. You can then customize your marketing materials to their home, and really give them an understanding of what you can do. In addition to having prepared a detailed CMA, don’t stop there. Create a good mix of sample materials showcasing a double sided property flyer, a postcard mailer, and given you have your laptop handy; have a virtual tour ready, and perhaps an eCard or web commercial. For the cost of a simple web domain, you could have the digital media already uploaded and ready to rock. Sound like overkill? Not if the next agent through the door is using this type of media as well.
In the wake of attending the Inman Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco this month, I have digested the wealth of discussions concerning the latest technologies, and the future expectation of the real estate industry.
The overall theme of the event focus was based on innovation, hyper-localism, and market recovery. With the newest buzz being placed on the infamous Developers Challenge boasting “geo-mapping” tools for mobile devices, one click data to video, and dynamic call routing provided by new comers like RealtyVoyager.com, and Stupeflix.com. They are never short of originality in naming their companies that’s for certain.
The common theme in every session I attended was certainly focused around the ability of an agent to leverage their knowledge within the community using all of these “viral” tools, and social media platforms to position the agent as the utmost local real estate expert. Encouraging today’s agents to focus their marketing efforts on the communities in which they live and work every day, as opposed to trying to capture a much larger audience. With the advancement of the internet and the mass popularity of social media, there is still one thing that will always prevail…personal touch, professionalism, and knowing your community. There is no substitute for the personal interface you can have with clients to win their future business, and the referrals that will follow. Mastering the advantages of online marketing and social media is definitely a must in today’s market place. However, is entirely meant to compliment your best practices as a real estate professional.
There is a digital cornucopia of cool web tools, and widgets to convey an instant sense of credibility to your audience through your web presence. Although you must be able to put your media where your mouth is and provide the excellent customer service that you advertise through all of this great technology. The internet continues to provide a phenomenal vehicle to drive your message home, and be the expert consumers all hope you are when you meet face to face.
With nearly 89% of all Americans using the Internet to manage their personal and professional needs & wants; their expectations are rapidly changing as each new convenience becomes available to the masses. The moral of the story is that no one is going to be interested in old technology. More importantly your use of outdated technology will in turn label your methods as outdated resulting in a detrimental impact to your production.
Abandoning your marketing plan is not the answer here folks, rather it will be a matter of complimenting your previously successful techniques with updated tools.
Implementing current & highly effective tools into your marketing strategy does not have to be overly complicated,nor exorbitantly expensive. Realty World Northern CA has developed the most comprehensive and technologically advanced real estate platform available in the industry today (http://www.realtyworldnca.com/agent-careers/marketing/). Incorporating such tools as video listings and bios, interactive agent websites, and social media into your repertoire can be a simple, and effective transition.
Contact me today to learn how you can modify your marketing strategy with a few simple changes that will acheive significant results.
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”
-Abraham Lincoln
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