A Quick Minute of Motivation

In this motivational series, I’ll highlight how YOU can become a Peak Performer. Do people trust you? What is integrity and how is it measured, also what can you do to build that trust and integrity with your coworkers? Check out this BRAND NEW video on how integrity can be built in the workplace and why it is so important for everyone to have. 

Need more motivation? Give me a call at 703-652-5777 or email at scottmacdonald@remax.net 

FOLLOW MY NEW FACEBOOK PAGE for more motivation, success tips, and inspiration: https://www.facebook.com/SuccessSecretsforRealEstate/ 

A Quick Minute of Motivation

In this new motivational series, Scott will highlight how to become a Peak Performer.

In today’s Peak Performer Series message, Scott talks about excuses. Do you suffer from EXCUSE-ITIS? Do you have an excuse for everything? Well, there’s no room for excuses in success! Learn more in my latest quick video!

Need more motivation? Give me a call at 703-652-5777 or email me at scottmacdonald@remax.net

Now go sell something!

A Quick Minute of Motivation

In this new motivational series, Scott will highlight how to become a Peak Performer.

In today’s Peak Performer Series message, Scott has a very important question for you – Are you IN the business?  Do you respond quickly to your clients? Other agents? What do you do when you are unavailable, have no access to email or on vacation? Do you have back-up or a “partner” to help you out so that your business doesn’t suffer?  This is a 24-7 business and to be successful you need to practice excellent and timely communication. Learn more in Scott’s quick video.

Need more motivation? Give me a call at 703-652-5777 or email at scottmacdonald@remax.net

Now go sell something!

And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog at www.scottymacsblog.com

Don’t just survive…thrive!

Here are some strategies to help you not only survive but thrive in today’s market as shared by RISMedia panel members.

Provide a newsletter that has helpful tips whether you do it or you pay for a service, get a monthly, informative newsletter or market update to send to your sphere of influence.  Don’t let someone else be the buzz in your client’s ear.

Explain the numbers, your knowledge of the market and get the business – you have to educate yourself on market trends so you know what to say so you can differentiate yourself from other Realtors.

How do you answer the question, “how is the market?” – What’s your answer?  Think about this, become an access point for relevant up-to-date information to everyone you encounter.  Don’t just respond – it’s unbelievable or I’ve never been busier or it’s great and I’m never too busy for your referrals.  Provide them with information.

For sellers

Ask questions and listen when you are on listing presentations:

  1. What is it you want to do?
  2. Why is this move happening?
  3. How soon do you want to act?
  4. Who is responsible for making decisions?
  5. What has to happen to make this happen?
  6. What is plan B if the house doesn’t sell?
  7. What is the worst case scenario?
  8. What is the best case scenario?
  9. Tell them, we want to get you the highest, most realistic price.

The market is not reacting to your price so we are now getting closer to your plan b – is this ok with you?

Take professional pictures and use full screen photos on the internet.  Buyers go to the internet first so you have to make the best first impression on line.

Position yourself differently in the market place.  When listing the house you will be merchandising, staging, and pricing the property to sell.

For buyers

When working with buyers, use the housing affordability index to motivate buyers to buy.  Housing affordability is at its highest point since 1979.  If you are working with Millennia’s state, there has never been a better time to buy a home since your parents bought their first home.

Only work with committed people

Don’t do it for the money…Educate the buyer or seller and focus on their goals and the money will follow…

Commit to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Excellent tips to build urgency in buyers:

Remember, it is always about the consumer:

  • Convert wants to needs
  • Lifestyle marketing – appeal to the lifestyle of the buyer you are looking to sell to.
  • Ask “right” questions to learn more about them, their needs and to better serve them.  Schedule a buyer interview to set yourself apart.
  • Younger Consumers want Community – build urgency through the ability to be in their community – bike to work, coffee shops, environmentally friendly buildings, free Wi-Fi, etc.

Know why your people buy.  In a recent survey of home buyers and their Realtors – look how they answered these question of why they bought.  85% of Buyers bought for appreciation.  89% of Agents who sold them their houses said appreciation wasn’t a reason why they bought.  Get to know your buyers and their reasons for buying and the referrals will follow.  Don’t and they won’t.

For you to think about

You set the temperature for your future – don’t be a thermometer and respond to the temperature.

If you are not already on Linkedin – here are some reasons why should be:

Seven Reasons for utilizing Linkedin:

  1. Highest household income of any social site
  2. 45% are household decision makers
  3. Can import/export contacts
  4. Professionals involved in this site, not kids, college students, etc.
  5. Social way of contacting professionals
  6. Target “groups”
  7. It can be automated

Continually ask yourself and assess yourself by asking:

On a scale of 1 – 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest, how would you rate yourself on the…

  • Use of technology
  • Prospecting
  • Sales skills
  • Negotiations
  • Average sales price

Get with a coach or mentor and work on the areas you need the most improvement.

Important things to keep in mind to grow your business

  • Build Your Skills
  • Shift your mindset
  • Agents cause their own market
  • Show up and use what we provide
  • Hold up a mirror and ask – are you doing all you can?
  • Become intentional about leads

Now that you are armed with a few additional pieces of information, take the time to implement one or two at a time to make yourself a better listing agent, buyer agent or business person.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now is the Time…

Now is the time for innovation and creativity.  As our market continues to change it is even
more critical to look at how you are running your business and determine where
you are getting results.  Additionally,
you should look at others and see how they are getting results.  Analysis of your business as well as your
competition’s should be an ongoing practice for you to grow and thrive in any
market.

Areas that you should be considering are:  How are you marketing?  How are you expanding your database?  How are you attracting new business?  How can you grow your business?  Are you educating yourself? Let’s review
different options.

From a marketing perspective, have you embraced social
media?  What are you doing to use this
venue to market yourself, your listings and obtain new business?  What are other venues that are available to
get you results?  Do you utilize drip
marketing campaigns to your sphere and new additions to your database?  Are you offering seminars to your clients and
the public?  Seminars you ask? Yes – home
buyer seminars, tax credit seminars, now – move up buyer seminars, investor
seminars, short sale seminars, and there can be more – innovate and create!

How are you expanding your database?  Are you working business to business avenues
to grow your database?  Are you involved
in BNI or other business development groups?  Are you involved in associations such as
alumni, exotic cars or other areas of interest you may share with others?  Do you have the ability to invite people to
subscribe to your website to get market updates like Listingbook offers?  Are you giving back to the community?  Are you involved in a charity?  Have you started a food drive, coat drive,
book drive, or Toys for Tots campaign to help others…get creative and get in
front of others to grow your database!

How are you attracting new business?  We spoke about seminars in the marketing
section but have you offered anything else “free”?  Educate yourself and then educate others.  Also, think of other avenues to create
opportunities for yourself.  Offer a free
home warranty when you buy or sell a home through you or your team, offer free
staging when you are utilized to sell a house, or a free home energy analysis
to your sphere or anyone they know, or anything else like this you can think of
to make your phone ring?  What if you
offered a reduced commission when you sell your home and buy a new one through
you type of marketing campaign?  Get the
word out on what you are doing to get new business – it is out there but you
have to go get it – it won’t come to you!

How is your business growing?  Have you considered starting a team?  Have you thought about merging with another
team or perhaps acquiring one?  There is
a lot of talent out there just needs direction to be successful in this
market.  Do you have systems and
processes in place that can help others grow? 
Are you generating leads that you can’t handle?  Start a referral network if you are in this
situation – don’t lose these extra opportunities.  Are you partnering with your vendor partners
or business associates to offer incentives to your clients and theirs to create
new opportunities?  Are you writing
reverse testimonials for each other?  Are
you looking of opportunities in the market to grow your business in this
way? 

Are you educating yourself? 
If so, how?  Are you obtaining
designations?  Many agents put their head
in the sand and say they won’t do short sales or foreclosures.  Well, they are here to stay and will be for
the next few years so get a designation such as CDRS so you can handle them more
effectively and efficiently and to learn more about the process to determine if
you should work with the agent on the other side of the transaction.  As the world gravitates towards social media,
perhaps you should earn your E-Pro
Certification Designation.  If you have
always been a listing agent and you see the benefit of working buyers or you
see the first time buyer market as a viable market for you – get your ABR.  Are you attending seminars?  If you attend seminars – are they varied or
are you only going to hear one speaker? 
Are you reading publications, blogs, attending conventions, trainings,
mastermind groups, etc or are you just maintaining the status quo as far as
your educational development is concerned? 
The best way to innovation is through education.

As you can see, if you are creative or innovative, you can
come up with ideas that are better than these or expand on the ones
presented.  You need to take the time to
analyze opportunities that are out there. 
Also, speak with other industry leaders in the business and see what
they are doing or what they hear others are doing to grow their database,
market themselves and their teams, how they are attracting business and growing
their business.  Also, conduct your own
research on line, read publications, attend your Realtor association events,
attend builder events, etc. to learn more about your competition and how they
are growing or more importantly, not growing in today’s market.  Basically do something!  Get it? 
Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!