RECR's Blog: February 2008

This is such a great article on prospecting. I especially like point #8 - "There are no such things as cold calls". Obviously the author makes a good point in that "everyone knows somebody who has a real estate need." But the point comes where your referral pipeline has simply run dry.  You've wrung out all the potential leads you can get by calling on your existing clients, taking up orphan prospects and exercising that "hour of power" that the article focuses on.

So what do you do? In addition to doing all the points that the prospecting article above mentions (asking permission to speak with clients, never eat lunch alone..and so on), consider beefing up your pipeline with internet prospects.

These are people who are, historically, more loyal to their agent, ask for less home showings, spend more money, are better educated about the buying process and are more likely to use the same agent in the future. They're everything we want in a great referral!

Of course, not every internet referral is going to pan out. No referral service can guarantee that. But if you want to work with online prospects, and want the best possible shot at closing them right from the start, consider giving Real Estate Client Referrals a try.

You would be the exclusive agent in your area, and you have the option to lock up as many territories as you feel you can reasonably handle at no extra charge. Since you only pay when you get referrals, you don't have to worry about "giving up" a big chunk of your commission or spending monthly fees when you have no referrals to show for it. If you're not happy with the service for any reason (which is highly unlikely!), you have a full 90 day money back guarantee.

For more information on how to follow up with online prospects, or to see how many referrals we have waiting to hear from an agent in your area, call Clint at 1-800-977-7058 or visit www.RealEstateClientReferrals.com

This is an excellent article on real estate agents and all the latest buzz-words to do with internet marketing (blogging, social networking, web 2.0, etc.). Basically, it doesn't matter how many of the latest whiz-bang technologies you employ -- none of them should be a selling or service substitute.

Remember the reason why you're in the real estate business. Look at new technologies as tools to help you sell, but not to do the selling for you. This section of the article, in particular, stood out at me:

Concentrate on the basics, right now!
Because folks, you can be sure that Internet buyers don't want to be made to think. They want to enter what they want to see in their email browser's search engine in the simplest terms, hit "search" and to be presented with ten choices; allowing them to pick one or more choices to examine in depth. Every real estate professional needs the services and functions to make that a reality.

So how are you simplifying things for your prospects? Are you making it clear and easy for them to search or contact you? I'd be interested to hear from those of you who are first starting to take advantage of internet marketing, as well as the seasoned pros who have all this SEO and web analytics stuff down pat - and have moved on to the 2.0 level.

How has it done for your business?

If you would like to know how we can help you, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058 to discuss getting more internet buyers.

Well, not on purpose, of course. But oftentimes real estate agent web sites fall into two categories:

1. The "Mothership" brand name which hosts many agent sub-sites under one umbrella name (so that you can't even find yourself on the page - let alone have prospects find you!) or

2. The independent agent web site, which exists among a glut of other agent web sites, all competing for the prospect's attention.

The better of the two is obviously the independent site - but then you have to worry about search engine optimization. And it doesn't take long to realize that real estate is a very COSTLY search term. Even when you try to specialize in your own niche, you'll see that many other agents have found it first.

So how do you stand out? One of the best ways is to "piggyback" on an existing site that ranks high in the search engines. Here's an example you can try right now:

Go to Google and type in just listed homes . Many people will search for this to get the latest listings in their area. Which site appears first in the results?

A site created by us, Real Estate Client Referrals - designed to cull interested prospects, which we then scrub, verify, validate and qualify before they're sent on to you.

Don't spend all your waking hours worrying about web maintenance and search engine optimization. Our sites do all the work for you of generating qualified, ready-to-act prospects. We check them out thoroughly to make sure they want to work with an agent and that they should expect to hear from you before you ever get them.

Wouldn't it be nice not to have to worry about your website for once?

This morning I came across an excellent article on the Realities, Myths and Urban Legends behind Prospecting that shared 5 important things that every qualified lead has in common. I'd like to expand on those five points in my blog today:

An awareness of their need for whatever it is you sell.

If they don't know they need it, why would they want to buy it at all?  You may need to take the time to EDUCATE them by presenting your product in such a way that it helps them better themselves somewhow - more money, more time, more productivity, and so on. Once they know why they need what you have to offer, the next step is to determine if they have...

Both the authority and the ability to pay for it.

Are they really the person you should be talking to? If they can't afford it or aren't the person who makes the decision to pay for it, then you could make the most flawless presentation at all, and you might as well be making it to a brick wall because the prospect won't - or can't - budge.

A legitimate sense of urgency relative to acquiring it.

We all want our prospects to buy from us as soon as possible. But how do you convey that sense of urgency to them? One of the best ways is to make what you're offering a limited time special, or good for the first 100 people who contact you. And stick to it. Otherwise people won't be inclined to trust anything else you say.

Trust in you and your organization.

Know that what you have to offer is the best out there - and if it isn't, take the relevent steps to make sure it is. Believe in what you're selling and its value to your prospect. When you're confident in your product or service, others will be too.

Willingness to listen to you.

Are you an expert in foreclosures? A fixer-upper pro? Do you know how to get the most accurate home values in the neighborhood? Are you a short sale master? Demonstrate your expertise and authority in the subject. Be friendly and persistent but not overly pushy. And above all, don't be desperate. Prospects can smell desperation a mile away!  Make sure they're open to receiving information on what you're offering.

When you keep these five points in mind during prospecting or referral marketing, you're sure to notice a difference in your sales. Good luck!

For more information on working with verified, genuinely interested online referrals, please call Clint at 1-800-977-7058 or visit www.recr.com

Having been in sales of some form or another for most of my adult life, one thing I know about is the advantage (or disadvantage, if you will) of someone having voicemail.  It is no shock at all to me that so many sales people whine and moan about not getting their voicemail messages they leave returned.......They are lousy at it!

With that said, I sat down the other day to discuss with my team the things that they were doing that were sinking their ability to get a callback and came up with the following "TOP 5" voicemail goofs that will sink a sale.

#5 -- Poor delivery of your message -- Some sales reps compound the other problems listed below with a generous string of what I like to call 'speech static'.  This is a common problem that affects everyone at some point...from leaving a voicemail to public address speeches, you will usually hear some of this in just about any conversation that occurs around you.  'Speech Static' would include a big generous string of random vocal sounds like "ummmmmms......ahhhhhhs.......errrrrrrrs......", etc.  No wonder no one wants to call you back...you sound like an idiot.  (You can include monotone deliveries in this also)  If you dont know what it is you want to say, write it down!  Make a script for leaving a message and read through it so it makes sense BEFORE you call.  Read through it a few times so that it will sound natural and THEN dial the phone.  That way, you dont waste the 5-10 seconds it takes someone to decide if the message is even worth listening to...

#4 -- Info-mercial messages -- One of the greatest tragedies in leaving a voicemail is providing so much information that you leave your intended client dazed and confused.  Nothing is going to sink a sale faster than pitching someone on their answering machine!  Has this ever worked for you???  No?????  Then stop doing it!!!  Think about this for a moment...your hard working client comes home form a long day at the office...and has 12 messages.  One of which is you going on a 4 and 1/2 minute diatribe about your product and how you can help her recover what is left of her spiraling life...I doubt she will even listen to you after your third sentence.  I know I wouldnt.

#3 -- Understanding the impact of CallerID -- Sometimes the real problem isnt the sales rep at all...its CallerID!  You call your client on their cell phone....your name and number comes up on the display...and they silence the ringer and say to themselves, "oh, he can leave a message."  (And dont pretend that you have not done it yourself...I know I have.)  Often times clients are either too busy or just not interested in speaking with you at the time you call.  Remember, just because it is a good time for you doesnt mean its a good time for your client. 

#2 -- Lack of persistance -- One of the biggest blunders (and most annoying to me) is a systematic lack of persistance on the sales rep's behalf.  They simply give up.  And by give up, I mean that literally.  Statisticaly 87% of sales reps give one half-hearted attempt at leaving a message (probably using one or more of the TOP 5 goofs in it somewhere) and then just quit calling.  95% give up after only leaving 2 messages.  Personally, I rarely if ever listen to voicemails from vendors or "salesmen".  I figure if it is important, they will call back.  They rarely do.  Im sure you have had the same experience.  So, dont fall into that group!  Be persistant.  Be diligent.  Show your prospect that you care enough to want to speak with them to take the time to call them more than once. 

#1 -- Stalking -- Of course, the flip-side to having a lack of persistance is to stalk someone.  This is HIGHLY detrimental to your ability to get a sale.  Not only is it obsessive, it is sinister in nature and potentially frightening, if not illegal.  This occurs when a rep leaves multiple messages for someone multiple times a day for days on end.  I had a rep (HAD being the key word) that bragged while making this list that he had called the same agent 38 times in the span of about 8 days.  OH MY GOD!  Why we didnt have a lawyer calling us I have no idea!!!  Anyway, thats beside the point...My point is this...Be persistant.  But, dont go over the edge.  Not only will you not get a sale, your will have burned a bridge with this client for anyone in your office to get that sale in the future as well.  Treat this one like the opposite of Nike --- JUST DONT DO IT!

So, there you have it...my Top 5 voicemail mistakes and ways to avoid making them.  I have noticed that our sales have increased by avoiding these simple yet powerful blunders...And Im confident you will find the same thing as you get more and more callbacks.  Good phone etiquette will always reward you in the end!

If you would like more information about Real Estate Client Referrals and how we can help you make more money, please call Clint at 800-977-7058.