Level Up - From Agent to Entrepreneur

Get Back To The Present: Dealing With Big Change In The Real Estate Industry

 

In today’s real estate industry, there is so much chatter about disruption, and a lot of questions about the big picture that now is being neglected. Why should we avoid falling into the trap of being too focused on coming changes that we forget the present? How do we find opportunity between now and the point those changes start to affect us? How can we cope with the changes sweeping the market, while still controlling what we can? On this episode, we discuss the importance of not getting so caught up in where we’re going that we forget the opportunities we have right now.
 

Massive change means we need to be having different conversations to thrive in the new business. -Greg Harrelson 

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Big changes always take longer than we think. The point when the industry changes so much that it impacts us in a noticeable manner, is actually a lot further away. 
  
  
• When you're in a different financial position, you view change very differently
  
  
• Disruption doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re going to go out of business. It just means we have to find solutions that work within that new space. The people who adapt and succeed are those who can adapt to the new conversation.
  
  

The truth that many agents miss out on when they are so focused on the changes, is that there is actually a lot of opportunities for growth right now. If we are able to shift the conversations we’re having and the methodologies we’re using, disruptions won’t put us out of business. If we focus on the present and on getting better results now, we will generate enough money that a change in the industry wouldn’t be devastating. We have to get over the initial emotion of a disruption and then reset to finding the solution. If we become the solution, we will gain market share.

Holding Our Team To A Different Kind of Accountability

 

Goal setting is vital for success, but to ensure goals are achieved, we need to have accountability processes in place. How can we approach accountability differently? Is it possible to track achievements without looking at numbers? On this episode, we discuss how to hold our team members accountable.

 As leaders, we have to figure out our team members’ motivations. Then we need to ask them to commit to the thing they really want. -Greg Harrelson

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Find out what team members are committed to achieving, and hold them accountable to the promises they’ve made to themselves.
  
  
• Numbers shouldn’t be our primary focus, but we can use them to see if our teams are on track with their commitments. 
  
  
• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Be willing to confront team members if they’re not on track. 
  
  

To inspire changes and commitment from our teams, we need to find new ways to keep them accountable. While numbers can help us track achievements, we need to focus on the commitments our team members are making. We need to ask our teams what actions they’re willing to take in order to reach the promises they’ve made to themselves. We need to be comfortable with confronting them if their commitments are not fulfilled. 

Why My Personal CRM is a Trapper Keeper

 

There is so much technology available to agents, but we don’t always take full advantage of the platforms at our disposal. Is there a way to make the process of lead generation more efficient? How can we keep records of all our leads more effectively? On this episode, we discuss how to upload details to our CRM in a hassle-free way.
 

Sometimes all the research we do on technology and CRMs hurts more than it helps. -Matt Johnson

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• The best CRM is the one you use - even if it’s low-tech.
  
  
• Come up with the content you want to share, then pay someone else to load the information to the CRM software.
  
  
• Think up and develop systems, but don’t use your time to manage them.

 

Technology is meant to make our lives easier, but in reality most of us never get around to using it. No matter how simple the process is, we end up neglecting the technology designed to make lead generation more effective. To combat this, we need to pay an assistant to load information for us. Technology is intended to help us, but sometimes we need to find the simplest solution because it’s the one we will actually use.

The Game Has Changed And Agents No Longer Know the Rules

The real estate game has changed drastically, thanks to online offerings like Zillow and Amazon Prime. What are the new rules in the face of online competition? How can we create sustainable businesses that allow us to maintain a presence in the industry for years to come? On this episode, we discuss the importance of mindshare, over market share.

 

Let’s get into our competitors’ minds and try to see what they see, so we understand their moves. -Greg Harrelson

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Stop fighting for market share. Focus instead on gaining mindshare, and the market will follow.
  
  
• Rather than criticizing our new competitors, follow their lead. There may be a light at the end of the tunnel they’ve seen that we haven’t yet.
  
  
• If you have leads who aren’t interested yet, build relationships with them in the meantime.

 

Building successful businesses takes time. Rather than worrying that you’re not seeing results immediately, take the time to build trust with your market. This trust will eventually lead to mindshare, and in turn market share. To build sustainable businesses, we need to focus on what our competitors are doing. Online services like Amazon and Zillow have changed the nature of our game- it’s time to learn their rules if we want to progress alongside them.

How to Recruit and Retain the Best Agents in the Business w/OJ Rodriguez

 

Without a doubt, agents play the most important role in the real estate industry, so we need to ensure we have the best agents on our teams. How do we attract and retain talented agents that can help us boost our businesses? Can we take on a number of agents without overwhelming our current operations? On this episode, owner of Citrus Realty, OJ Rodriguez shares the importance of offering value and investing in our teams.

 

Agents have a lot of options, so we have to ensure we provide more and help them build their businesses. -OJ Rodriguez

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Offer value through training, mentorship and coaching. If we help our agents build their businesses, we’ll see amazing results.

• Don’t spread time or resources too thin. To offer value, we need to ensure we’re able to invest fully in our agents and the business itself.

• Put the right systems in place. Taking on new agents doesn’t need to be a big challenge as long as we have effective strategies in place to handle the growth.
  

 

At the start of the episode, we heard what OJ does to offer his agents value. We then learned his secrets to effective mergers and acquisitions. Finally, OJ emphasized the benefits of specializing in the business, and the value of creating our own niches.

We also discussed; 

• Why a higher split doesn’t necessarily mean more money goes to the agent
• Where we should be spending money to boost our teams
• How to create effective mentorship programs for new agents

 

To make our mark in the real estate industry, we need to be attracting and retaining the best agents out there. We can do this through training programs and mentorship, as well as constant investment. To grow in real estate, we need to be putting as much time and energy into our agents as we can.

 

Guest Bio- 

OJ Rodriguez is the Broker/Owner of Century 21 Citrus Realty — a World Class Real Estate Organization known for unmatched service, experience and expertise, and the preferred one-stop solution for buyers, sellers, lenders, mortgage servicers, and asset managers. OJ is an avid supporter of continuing education — offering unbeatable value for first class real estate education at Century 21 Citrus Realty Real Estate School. He is honored to hold positions with several non-profit Boards, including The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Orange County Chapter,Citrus Valley Health Foundation, Citrus Valley Health Partners.

 

To find out more about OJ, head to http://www.c21citrus.com/ 

And https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojrodriguez/ 

You can also call him directly on 626 523 3193

How to Earn More by Learning More w/Creig Northrop

To be successful in sales, it’s vital that we convey confidence to our prospective clients, and we build confidence by gaining knowledge. How can we become more confident in our abilities? How can we instill self-confidence in our teams? On this episode, President of Northrop Realty, Creig Northrop shares on the link between our knowledge and our success.

 

Expand on your knowledge to build your confidence. Confidence builds trust, and trust leads to sales. -Brendon Payne

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Become a dedicated student to the trade. The saying ‘readers are leaders’ is popular because it’s true.
  
  
• Building confidence is vital if we want to succeed in sales. It allows us to build trust faster and make more sales.
  
  
• Don’t stop at training. To be successful agents, and create a great team, there needs to be a combination of training, coaching and on-the-job experience.
  
  

In this episode, we spoke about the best ways to structure our teams. In the discussion, we emphasized the importance of delegating tasks to others. We also explained that for teams to flourish, there is a need for hands-on management.

We also discussed; 

• When team leaders should be involved with clients
• How to stay relevant in our markets
• The importance of mindset and our inner game

 

As long as we continue to make learning a priority, we’ll never lose. In order for us to be good agents and leaders, we have to stay as educated and as well-informed as possible. Taking a hands-on approach to our businesses is vital, as is providing our agents with a more holistic learning experience. Growth is crucial in the real estate industry, so commit to constantly feeding the mind with information that boosts expertise and ultimately, confidence.

 

Guest Bio- 

Creig Northrop is the President and CEO of Northrop Realty, the Number 1 real estate team in all of Long & Foster Company for 10 consecutive years. As the president of Northrop Realty, Creig has become well-known in the industry for his professionalism and extensive 

knowledge of real estate. Creig is the youngest agent to have received the Billionaires Club Award by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate; an achievement earned in 2014.

 

To find out more about Creig, visit https://www.northroprealty.com/leadership-team.php

You can also email him directly on cnorthrop@northroprealty.com

And call him on 4105310321 

To connect with him on social media, visit https://www.facebook.com/creig.northrop

How to Boost Your Productivity for Better Results w/Jeff Quintin

So many agents ask how they can do more business transactions, and the answer lies in productivity. How can we eliminate distractions and increase our conversions? What can we do to scale more effectively? On this episode, Jeff Quintin of The Quintin Group and I discuss how to boost productivity and get better results.

 

If you want to be more productive, you have to prioritize your schedule and focus on lead generation. -Jeff Quintin

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• To eliminate distractions during lead generation, set a time frame during which you tackle the activity. During this time, you should be fully focused on lead generation. That means treating the activity like a listings presentation appointment.
  
  
• For a better conversion rate, pay attention to your scripting and make sure you’re actually listening to the lead. Clients want to feel comfortable and listened to.
  
  
• Make sure you have effective systems behind-the-scenes. Additionally, make sure that as you grow, you maintain regular communication with everyone in your team.

 

At the start of the episode, we shared advice on how to eliminate distractions. Both Jeff and I suggested some kind of ‘linking’ to the desk during lead generation- whether through a corded headset or a surfing leash. By being physically attached to the activity, agents are more likely to stay focused on the activity at hand. 

We also discussed; 

• Setting up your environment to be more productive
• Why you need to know about every property in the market- even if it’s not your listing
• How to prioritize your schedule to work more effectively
  

The world we live in is full of distractions, so it’s important to create environments more conducive to working effectively. Time-block activities, and honor the times you set. Treat every task you undertake as though it were a listings presentation appointment, and be mindful of your response time on the phone. We live in a competitive world, so be sure you stand out by staying consistent in every activity.

 

Guest Bio- 

Jeff Quintin is a Realtor and the Team Leader of The Quintin Group. As the team's lead generator, Jeff prospects daily for qualified buyers and sellers, lists properties, negotiates offers, and manages staff. Jeff consistently sells 4-5 homes per week.

 

To find out more about Jeff, go to https://thequintingroup.com/ , or email Jeff@TheQuintinGroup.com. 

You can also find him on Linkedin at 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffquintinsuperteam/

And on Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/JQuintinTQG/ 

Why Customer Service is the Key to Success w/Shawn Rogers

A lot of agents spend 90% of their time trying to get more clients instead of giving a higher level of service to their existing clients. How can we grow our business by building client relationships? What can we do to secure future listings from past clients? How can we profit from more online leads? In this episode, leader of Mister Rogers Homes, Shawn Rogers, discusses the impact customer service has on business success as well as how to survive market dips.

 

 If you take care of your clients, the cheques, closings and referrals are going to keep coming because you kept your word and in this business, that’s the kicker to success. -Shawn Rogers

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Client relationships are important to the future of our businesses because we can scale our business a lot faster through referrals. 
  
  
• We can capitalize on past buyers by following up with them regularly with useful market trend information. When we stay front of mind, they are more likely to list with us and refer us. 
  
  
• Every lead has a different timeline and when we focus on the clients’ needs, we can quickly identify their urgency and motivation and nurture them consistently over time.

On this episode, we talked about why we shouldn’t be more focused on getting as many new clients as possible than on giving a great service during and after the transaction. We also talked about how to capitalize on past buyers. 

 

On this episode we discussed: 

• How client relationships help scale our business faster
• Securing more listings with useful and non-invasive follow up
• How to convert and profit from online leads

Most agents take courses, pass their tests but fail to apply a moral code to their work because they are too concerned with finding new clients to up their quantity. We can scale our business a lot faster through referrals, and that means building relationships with our clients and putting quality over quantity. When we build relationships with our clients and maintain them after a transaction, we are remaining front of mind and increasing our chances of them listing with us again in the future. By providing great customer service, we can scale our business faster and more effectively.

Guest Bio- 

Shawn Rogers is a Real Estate Agent with West USA Realty and runs his own team called Mister Rogers Homes out of Phoenix, Arizona. Shawn specializes in Buyers, Listings, Relocation, Short-Sale, New Builds and Luxury Homes. He is one of the Top Producers and has received Awards of Excellence at West USA Realty and is set to close 250 transactions this year. Shawn’s focus on customer service has resulted in the most positive reviews on Zillow, Trulia and Homes.com in Arizona, as well as the most positive recommendations on REALTOR.com in Arizona. His team has been the Top Producing Real Estate Team since 2013.

(480)313-7031

www.facebook.com/MisterRogersHomes 

www.MisterRogersHomes.com   

Afraid of the iBuyer? Let Kenny Klaus Show You How to WIN at That Game

The massive changes we’re seeing in the real estate industry aren’t going anywhere, so we need to evolve our processes. How can we work alongside iBuyer platforms? Is it possible to maintain our role in the buying process? On this episode, Kenny Klaus of the Kenny Klaus Team shares how you can stay relevant in the age of technology.

 

 

We have to up our game from a service level. -Kenny Klaus

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• As an industry, we need to stop trying to compete with iBuyers and online real estate platforms. We need to work with the platforms and find a way to fit in-between the buyer and the platform.
  
  
• Create videos for buyers, offering to help put the information they’ve found online into practise. There is an overwhelming amount of education available online, but we have the knowledge to help buyers sift through the noise.
  
  
• Maintain an indispensable role in the buying process. Stay involved throughout the process and make sure clients know that your participation is what got them to the buying table. 

 

Want to Know Where Greg Harrelson Gets His DATA? 

Click here:
https://www.colerealtyresource.com/landing/realestatesalessolutions/

 

At the start of the episode, we mentioned that there is no need for agents to bash i-Buyer platforms- and that there are countless opportunities to work together. Kenny then shared why you should be sending out constant reminders that you’re on hand to help.

 

We also discussed; 

• Why the promise of ‘speed’ by i-Buyer platforms isn’t as important as we think
• How a partnership with the platforms benefits the buyer
• Why we should be using the platforms as tools, rather than allowing them to use us

 

The introduction of technology to the real estate industry offers exciting- and daunting- changes. We need to keep on track with the trends and make sure buyers know that ultimately, we aim to assist them. We can work alongside iBuying platforms, while continuing to benefit ourselves and the buyer.

 

Guest Bio- 

Kenny Klaus is the Team Leader at the Kenny Klaus Team Real Estate Solutions. With extensive experience in the industry dating back to 1999, Kenny is recognized nationally for his excellent track record in the field. He is a Certified Residential Specialist, a Certified Distressed Property Specialist and an Accredited Buyer Representative. He’s also the recipient of numerous awards, and is valued in the industry for his teachings. 

To find out more about Kenny, visit: https://www.klausteam.com/26690-Kenny-Klaus/ 

 

Century 21 Young Guns on How to Build a Listing-Based Business FAST! Btw...They are all under 25 Years Old!

In today’s world of instant gratification, a lot of people are looking for shortcuts to success. Are there any shortcuts we could be taking? What are the benefits of starting slow- and are there any risks of delaying our success by taking the long route? On this episode, we’re asking Century 21’s Young Gun Panel- Thomas o’Malley, Hunter Baiden and Anthony Velazquez- how they’ve set up great foundations for their businesses before the age of 25.

 

The more time you invest in yourself, the better results you’ll get. -Anthony Velazquez

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Establish a routine. The benefits of waking up early to exercise and performing a routine every single morning at the office are immeasurable.
  
  
• Focus on building a database. By establishing a routine in which we contact between 60 and 100 people a day, we’re building a solid database that will benefit us in the long run.
  
  
• Create a balance between focus and fun. Maintaining focus is obviously important at work, but it’s also vital that we take time away from work to have fun. By allowing ourselves to unwind, we can reset our stress levels and function optimally at work.

At the start of the episode, the Young Gun Panel explained that their backgrounds in sports gave them a great foundation for working in real estate. However, all of them agreed that without remaining consistent and intentional, their businesses wouldn’t be as well-grounded as they are today. The episode ended with a reminder that building a good foundation is crucial in order to create a thriving business.

 

On this episode we discussed 

• Why making cold calls trains us in how to deal with different personalities
• The importance of investing in ourselves and our businesses
• That we need to commit to a long-term game and acknowledge the risk for downfalls upfront

The early stages of building a business are an exciting time. However, we need to remember that these early stages require a foundation to be built. Value this time as something that allows us to build databases and set up valuable routines. It’s important to stay focused on our goals, but remember no to burn ourselves out. The momentum stage is only the beginning of what’s to come.

 

Guest Bio- 

Thomas O’Malley is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Harrelson Group. While he grew up in New York, Thomas has been a regular visitor to the Grand Strand for as long as he can remember. His love for the area inspired him to begin a career as an agent in the Grand Strand. Today, he works alongside Brendon Payne at C21, and strives to provide a hassle-free experience to all his clients. 

To contact Thomas, email him on ThomasOMalleyC21@gmail.com

 

Hunter Baiden was born and raised in the Grand Strand area. Having grown up seeing the growth of the area, he was inspired to be a part of it all. He hopes to have as positive an impact on the Grand Strand community as it has had on his life. Hunter is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Harrelson Group, and is passionate about offering a transparent service to his clients.

 

To contact Hunter, email him on hbaidenc21@gmail.com

You can also call him directly on (843) 503-9988

 

Anthony Velazquez is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Greg Harrelson Group. Anthony attributes a lot of his drive to seeing entrepreneurship first-hand, working for his father’s construction company from the age of 14. On top of this extensive work experience, Anthony is determined to further his skills through education. He’s currently enrolled as a full-time student at Horry Georgetown Technical College in pursuit of a degree in Associate Art in Business. 

 

To contact Anthony, send him a message on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/anthony.velazquez.92754397