We get into the real estate business with little business training. All businesses must have goals and a plan delineating how they will achieve their goals. In other words, you must know the steps to take to achieve the goal.

To achieve the income you desire you need to know:

• How many leads you need to generate
• How much money you need to generate those leads
• How much support staff you will need to service your business
• How many contacts it takes to get an appointment
• Your average sales price / commission earned

You must have appointments with buyers & sellers and you must convert these appointments to listings and then to sales. There are a set of skills you must master to be successful in real estate; the skills to convert leads to appointments & appointments to listings.

 Lead Generation is Key

Here are some ways to begin lead generation:

• Call your sphere of influence
• Call expired listings in your farm area
• Contact past clients
• Meet with banks
• Develop relationships with allied businesses
• Walk neighborhoods
• Attend community & social events
• Hold seminars

Most importantly talk about your business. Listen to the people you are talking with and ask for the business. So many times we do everything right but then never ask for the business!

I have been using Google Voice, formerly Grand Central for quite some time. I got a number when it was still Grand Central. I am sure you would agree that in the Real Estate business your phone is your everything! Customers have your number, your office has your number, vendors have your number, its on your cards and website. As realtors, you need to be accessible & responsive by email & phone.

Well, Google Voice makes that very easy. You need be invited to join & then you can choose practically any area code you want, from local or faraway destinations. You set it to ring your work phone, your cell phone & your home phone or whichever numbers you want to ring. You then can screen your calls, listen in and then decide to pick up or send directly to voice mail. Google Voice also transcribes the voice mail into text and it emails it to you !

SMS and Miscellaneous features

When people SMS your Google Voice number, the message will go directly to one or more (however many you have set up) mobile phones. You can respond to those SMSs directly from the phone, and that response will appear to come from your Google Voice number. You can also send and receive SMSs right from the Google Voice Web interface, so that you don’t have to take out your phone every time you want to text your friend to ask why he’s late picking you up—assuming you’re in front of a computer already, that is. Google Voice lets you archive your SMS logs too so that you can reach them anytime from the website.

Stay tuned for more information on how to use Google Voice in my future posts.

My Google Voice # is 954-892-6199.

Give me a call!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tell them what comparable homes are selling for – 11% of buyers want this from their real estate agent.
Help determining how much they can afford – 11% of buyers want this from their real estate agent.
Help find and arrange financing – 2% of buyers want this from their real estate agent.

Be sure you don’t make a habit of “winging it!”

Do you have up to the minute knowledge of the market?

Do you have a credible and dependable loan officer that you work with to qualify your buyers?

I’m sure you will agree, when you get to the point of submitting their offer you will be asked for documentation and the credit worthiness of your buyer … JUST BE PREPARED!

The first two tips will provide you with what a repeat buyer wants most from their real estate agent.
The agent expectations by the repeat buyer are to:
Help find the right house to purchase -53% of buyers want this from their agent.
Help with price negotiations – 13% of buyers want this from their agent.
Help with paperwork – 8% of buyers want this from their agent.
Based on the above, here are some questions for you to consider.

Do you listen closely to your buyer’s wants and needs?

Are you up to date with the inventory of available homes in your marketplace?

Do you have negotiating strategies and skills to support buyer wants and needs?

Do you clearly understand purchase contracts?

Do you want to increase your competency in the areas that buyers want you to be skilled?
Please give me a call today and let me coach you to increase your buyer skills!

The Real Estate Business!

• 48% OF SALES PEOPLE NEVER FOLLOW UP WITH A PROSPECT
• 25% OF SALES PEOPLE MAKE A SECOND CONTACT AND STOP
• 12% OF SALES PEOPLE ONLY MAKE THREE CONTACTS AND STOP

• ONLY 10% OF SALES PEOPLE MAKE MORE THAN THREE CONTACTS
• 2% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FIRST CONTACT
• 3% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE SECOND CONTACT
• 5% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE THIRD CONTACT
• 10% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FOURTH CONTACT
• 80% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FIFTH TO TWELFTH CONTACT

Now! What does this tell you?

Persistence and Perseverance are the keys to success!

Never give up!

Make a list of the people you meet and keep the list updated!

Pick a time each day to keep in touch!

Provide your contacts with valuable information!

SEIZE THE MOMENT!

SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW!

DON’T WASTE TIME!

This information is from Todd Nordstrom from the Nordstrom Network

Every year we, the Real Estate Brokers, set out to help our associates  achieve their goals.

Often they are just words and numbers on a piece of paper. There is no real plan or accountability set in motion.

The goal is important and I am going to suggest a little roadmap to get to where you are going!

Picture your goal ( your end result)
Describe in detail what it looks like….what colors do you see…is the image large or small… is the image close to you or far from you (Visual)
Describe in detail what it sounds like ( Auditory) What do you hear? What are people saying? What are you saying? Your spouse , your kids?
What does it feel like? What sensations do you have when you have achieved your goal? Feel it and describe it . (Kinesthetics)
How will you know that you have achieved your goal? How will others know?
Your goal needs to have  visual, auditory, and kinesthetic qualities to it.

You actually need to imagine yourself there “as if ” the goal has been accomplished.

Once you have accomplished this task you will be able to move on to the steps that you will put in place to achieve this goal.

What will you do?

How will you do it?

When will you do it?

Where will you do it?

What does that look like?

The list can go on & on … the more specific you are the clearer you will become!