America loves a good come-from-behind story, especially when that story involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears along the way. We’re a country famous for falling down, dusting ourselves off, and getting back up again. Some of our most beloved national heroes and celebrities have failed and bounced back. Michael Jordan, for example, was cut from his high school basketball team. Championship boxers routinely get up from the mat—they never gave up, and neither should you.
Real estate can be a tough business, and you’re bound to lose a sale now and again. We’ve all been there; showing 50 homes to a client only to have them pick none of them. What matters more than the loss is how you put that past failure behind you and bring a winning attitude to your next client interaction.
Accept responsibility for the loss
In sports, the refs made a bad call or miss some of the action. The same goes for real estate. Sometimes it seems your clients missed an obvious opportunity on a property, or a fellow REALTOR® might misinterpret your communications. Still, it’s up to you to evaluate your own practices and ask tough questions about why a certain property hasn’t sold or about your own practices. After you evaluate, admit your mistakes. Instead of stewing, take each loss as a learning opportunity and move forward.
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Many first-time homebuyers (and sellers) can have a lot of questions about the real estate market, but might not also know what a REALTOR® does and how REALTORS® can assist in the buying and selling of homes. If you’re working with clients who are new to the real estate experience, or if you are a new REALTOR® yourself, here are 10 questions you can expect to answer frequently, and tips on how you might answer them.
1. What is a REALTOR®?
A REALTOR® is more than someone who works in real estate. A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of Realtors. Make sure your clients know that as a NAR member you operate under a professional code of ethics that goes above and beyond what might be required of other real estate professionals. Let your client know about relevant certifications, and even offer a basic case study of a similar client you have successfully worked with in the past. Continue reading »
REALTORS® are by nature multi-taskers — we have to master a million different disciplines, run from meetings to showings, take phone calls, answer emails, check Twitter and then live our regular lives. All this multi-tasking, not to mention personal distractions, can decrease productivity and cause workplace stress.
Do you find yourself working longer hours, or working at home on the weekend because your work days aren’t as productive as they could be? Are interruptions like phone calls, co-workers and meetings, and social media slowing you down? Do you wish there were more hours in the day and more days in the week.
We’re here to help. Here are 5 Tips to Manage Distractions in your workday, and help you become a more productive REALTOR® in a multi-tasking universe. Continue reading »
Homebuyers and sellers have their pick of eager agents to assist them with their real estate needs. We wanted to make sure that you stand out from the pack and demonstrate to your potential clients the advantages of working with a REALTOR®. We’ve compiled a list of 7 tools that you can add to your marketing repertoire.
1. Establish a Competitive Advantage with Education from REALTOR® University
Consider investing in a Designation or Certification Course offered by the National Association of REALTORS® which offer you specific skills that will help you offer unique services to your buyers and sellers. You can also take your training to the next level by applying to REALTOR® University’s graduate school where you can pursue a Master of Real Estate Degree in a variety of concentrations ranging from Real Estate Sales, Marketing and Management to Real Estate Appraisal.
2. Get Handy with Apps
REALTORS® have a number of useful apps at their disposal to help you work on the go and stay productive. NAR offers apps to help with business and your membership, while you can also download free apps on iTunes to help with marketing, managing client relationships and even helping with calculating interest rates and annual property taxes.
Facebook Timeline is currently available to all personal pages, but the clock is ticking for brands to join as well. By March 30, like it or not, everyone will be on Timeline. The time is now for REALTORS® to jump on board and make sure they’re ready for the change.
Timeline accentuates stories, with large images, more compelling content and the ability to add milestones to tell an even deeper story. This allows REALTORS® to better feature listings, highlight neighborhoods or tell your own story.
Here are five things REALTORS® can do to get the most out of Facebook Timeline:
1. Cover Photo and Thumbnail
The new Timeline cover photo dominates the new layout, replacing the five-image photo strip of old. The new cover photo (851×315) gives REALTORS® plenty of real estate to showcase a compelling image that enhances your personal brand. Perhaps an image of a family in front of their new home or a beautiful home and with your sign on the lawn?
The thumbnail (90×90) sits at the bottom left of the cover photo and appears next to all posts you make on Facebook, so take care to make it compelling as well. The best thumbnails are usually professional headshots that blend well with your cover photo.
Here’s a link to get inspiration on creating your own cover photo and thumbnail: 13 Creative Facebook Cover Photos
Pinterest isn’t a hot fad in social media, it’s driving more clicks than Google+ and YouTube and was one of the top 10 most trafficked social networking websites in 2011. And it may have just started scratching the surface. REALTORS® looking to drive additional traffic to their websites, blogs and listings would do well to experiment with Pinterest and see if it can another effective tool in your belt.
PINTEREST FOR REALTORS®
For REALTORS®, Pinterest is a great way to showcase your expertise in a visually pleasing form while taking advantage of links back to any existing content you have. For instance, if you maintain a blog and have a post about how small home renovations can pay off big during a sale, Pinterest is a perfect way to drive additional traffic to that post through a single pin.
Here are some examples of how you can use Pinterest to your advantage:
Every day you face the challenge of juggling hundreds of decisions while minimizing distractions. You are at your best when you have a plan that maximizes your strengths with diligent planning and support.
The best way to maximize the opportunity in your market is to focus on being as productive as possible.
Here are six simple productivity tips you can use today:
Focus Your Territory
Focus on your territory to ensure you find and attract the best listings. Overextending yourself will make it much harder to stay on top of everything. Focus on your territory, do your research and add to your list of contacts by networking. Establishing these strong relationships is key, especially in commercial real estate. You’ll become an expert on property prices, sales history, and demographics. Continue reading »
Everyone knows there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes it’s a little thing and sometimes it’s a change in strategy or philosophy. Here are 19 ways you can outshine the competition.
1. Do the Little Things Right in Social Media
Social media is about being social – always keep that in mind. When others are pushing listing like crazy, be the social one in the room. Share information, ask opinions, don’t be afraid to post things that interest you but aren’t necessarily about real estate, and remember – always be social.
2. Supercharge Your Email Campaign
Take time to optimize your email marketing messages. Make it easy to subscribe, have a clear call to action, and give the recipient clear ways to follow you in the social space or contact you directly.
Membership in the NAR has its privileges, not the least of which is an extensive list of marketing resources you can use every day. From partnerships with national brands to technical and office solutions, get the most out of your membership by familiarizing yourself with all the perks of being a REALTOR®. Continue reading »
There are still two weeks left in 2011 – plenty of time to take a moment to plan about how best to start the New Year on the right foot. Make more than just a New Year’s resolution and take this opportunity to look at your career and your life as a whole. Lay out the framework for a positive start to the New Year and see if you can’t ride the momentum all the way to 2013.
Make a Personal Financial Statement
Take a clear look at your financial situation. What are your large assets, what are your liquid assets, and what are your outstanding liabilities like mortgage or car payments? Once you calculate your net worth, you’ll get a good picture of your financial situation and be able to make changes accordingly. It’s hard to reach your financial goals without a financial plan.
