Monthly Archives: August 2018

DIG DEEP; FINISH STRONG

Category:KB Consulting Solutions

Even though the temps don’t reflect it, all indications are that summer is ending.  Locally, school traffic creates chaos, school buses running their routes, church pews are filling back up and retail stores stock for the Holidays (yes, already)…

So how does that impact our industry…back to school equals back to business!!!

The ONLY way to ensure an amazing Q1 for 2019 is to dig deep and finish strong in Q4 of 2018.  This is where simple is not easy.

Reach out and touch your sphere, consistently and with intention. 

• Here is what we know based on surveys conducted by National Association of Realtors:
  • 84% to 87% of Buyers and Sellers would use their REALTOR again
  • 12% to 15% of a REALTOR’s Business is repeat buyers and sellers

Please read that again. 

Yes, while many “buy” leads and chase the illusive hopes provided online, your sphere is wondering where you are. 

• Here is the rest of the story:
  • The average (national) time in a home is 8-10 years
  • During their tenure in a home, the average buyer/seller will refer 3+ leads to the REALTOR who served them

Please read that again. 

The most effective and financially efficient investment you can make into building your business is to dig deep and design, develop and execute a successful, consistent means to stay in touch (top of mind) with your sphere of influence. 

Three easy steps to create and maintain simple systems:

• Discern that yours is a “database” and not simply a “mailing list’
  • Invest time into your database and build it dimensionally and personally:
    • Name
    • Address
    • Email Address
    • Mobile
    • Dates to remember: home purchase anniversary
  • LOVE your CRM
    • Select a CRM that functions for YOU.
    • Opportunity to create categories and search modules
    • Reminders—to promote you to reach out and touch
    • Intelligence-history of Buyer/Seller

• Create a “Set it and forget it” system to always stay top of mind with those you know
  • Direct Mail (scheduled and programed to be mailed)
    • Put yourself on the mailing list so you know what content has gone out
  • Pop-By Schedule
    • Face to face—get in front of them and make them feel important and appreciated

• Engage in Social Media
  • Facebook
    • “Friend” all within sphere
      • Transfer data from profile sheet in FB to CRM
    • Discern what is “unique” about the individual(s) and incorporate into a plan of action for pop-bys and direct mail
  • LinkedIN
    • Get into their network and follow success and changes in status
      • Relocation
      • Promotions
      • Changes in employer which might be a catalyst for change
    • Watch and listen

Social media is by far the greatest tool you have to strengthen and deepen your relationship with those in your database. Watch, listen and comment appropriately.  Note changes in family status that might give you the opportunity to have an intentional and meaningful conversation.

The only challenge with social media is time management.  Block small time segments and hold fast to your scheduled time to avoid getting lost in space!

We encourage you to commit and execute.  Whatever you adopt and implement, do it wholeheartedly.  Meaning that practice becomes non-negotiable.

Dig deep, finish strong!  Every time you do not contact your database and neglect past buyers and sellers consistently and with intention, you give them the permission to hire a bad REALTOR.

Do it.  Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Speak Up…Again

Category:KB Consulting Solutions

Last week’s blog post addressed the courage and transparency of an organization taking the leap to reach out to their membership and provide a tool and resource to encourage feedback  with both leadership and tools being provided.  Again, I am in awe.

What this kind of leap forward provides is trust and accountability at the highest level.  When  an organization takes this kind of step true leadership is exposed. It is making strong, clear, concise and meaningful statements.

• We value your opinion.
• We understand who we serve. (And we want to serve you better)
• We honor your loyalty and trust.

What this kind of action eliminates is the opportunity for the organization to act out the fable of the Emperor’s New Clothes. When you empower your membership to Speak Up, be heard and contribute to greatness, you ensure there is indeed fabric in the loom.  You create loyal, raving fans who line the streets and cheer you on!!

When you discourage your membership from speaking up or even worse, when you allow them to speak up and either ignore their needs or pretend to act and don’t, your loyal become disenchanted.  Most significantly, when you “parade” before your membership, ignoring their needs and concerns, you expose the lack leadership, vision and direction of the organization at the highest possible volume.  Your raving fans become silent. Value vanishes. Confidence wanes.  Trust erodes.  They will no longer line the streets.

Leadership in real estate is critical to your sustained success. The industry is shifting.  The market is moving.

As your parade passes by, speak up! Ensure your voice is heard, your opinion valued, and your loyalty honored. Who you work with matters. Every day.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Speak Up

Category:KB Consulting Solutions

While recently attending a conference, I was in awe of an organization that is soliciting the services of a company which will serve as a conduit to provide a 360 communication between leadership to membership and membership back to leadership.

This organization is encouraging the membership to Speak Up.  They are encouraging their members to share thoughts, ideas, challenges and opportunities.  This organization is providing a tool (at no cost to the membership) that not only allows yet encourages participation.

What courage in this day and age to provide such transparency and accountability.  This  leadership obviously cares about the performance of its leaders in addition to the performance of the tools, resources and services being are providing.  Wow.  What a novel idea.

This is the difference in Wall Street and Mainstreet.  This is what happens when the stakeholders are valued, appreciated and honored more than the stockholders.

Step up. Speak up.  Serve up.  This company is the One.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Knock…Knock…

Category:KB Consulting Solutions

There is such power in action!  As I sit this morning to write my weekly contribution and hope that someone reads it and is impacted positively in some way…I focus on the many, many ways our industry is changing and yet remaining the same.  This is about managing your time wisely.

Weekly, I am contacted by someone offering the latest, greatest, most awesomely-potentially profitable tool, resource and opportunity to get wealthy (and healthy) fast.  In my many years in this industry, I have yet to see anything as effective and efficient as taking the action and executing the activities needed to reach out and touch the people who trust you to work with them.  To build a business that delivers results year over year, transaction after transaction, you must commit to take action…consistently.

The challenge is the opportunity.  Hidden behind each disruption and potential “easy button” solution you have the choice to chase the unknown and discern its worthiness and dependability or invest the same amount of time in a foundational block of the real estate industry that is proven to deliver successful results. The choice is yours, every day.

The opportunities are unlimited. You have many choices.  It’s all up to you.  What business practices will you adopt and execute to build and sustain a successful career? Here are a few:

• Telephone Calls
  • Text
• Cause Marketing
  • Events
  • Sponsorship
• Direct Mail
• Door Knocking
• Expireds
• FSBO’s
• Handwritten notes
• Internet Leads
• Just Listed/Just Sold
• Open House
  • Realtors® Open
  • Neighbors Only
  • Public
  • FSBOs
• Pop-Bys
• Social
  • Facebook
  • Personal Page
  • Biz Page
  • Private Messages
  • Likes
  • Paid Ads
• LinkedIn
• Blogs
• Client Events
  • Ice Cream Vendor
  • Food Trucks
  • Annual Appreciation
    • Pie
    • Champagne or Cider

Now these are old school, right?  While has much has changed in the business world and ways to reach out and touch people are varied…building and sustaining a relationship has not.  It’s about showing others you care.  It’s about being authentic and genuine.  It’s about showing up and creating the opportunity for others to shine and be served.

It is often said that simple is not always easy. Right?  This is the best example ever of that concept.  Building a thriving real estate business that delivers excellent results year over year is a simple. Period.  What is not easy is doing the things you need to do…taking action and completing the needed tasks to develop and maintain the relationships consistently and with an attitude and heart that is non-negotiable.

This IS about time management. It’s about scheduling activities and executing them. Honoring the schedule, you create and discerning what is non-negotiable.

It’s all about being a resource, not a sales pitch.