Real estate agents best year ever! by Denis O'Brien

LEARN HOW MEGA AGENTS

Prepare for the

BEST YEAR EVER

LINDA MCKISSACK

IT'S ALMOST THE END OF THE YEAR What are you going to do to make your real estate business better next year than the year before?

As I thought about this question, I had an idea. Why not ask the best what they plan to do in 2016 to make it the BEST YEAR EVER! My team and I reached out to over 20 of the top agents, the 1% of the 1%, who sold 2 billion in real estate combined this year! These high producing real estate agents shared what they do to set themselves up for a great year. As their responses came in, I was surprised by how much their answers overlapped.

But then again, I really wasn't that surprised. These MEGA agents shared four areas that they focus on to have the best year ever, and I'm convinced these commonalities are part of what makes these people all high achievers in the first place.

As we're quickly closing out this year, it's worth looking at how these four areas of leads, listings, leverage and wealth building can help the rest of us become high achievers in real estate as well.

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

LARS HEDENBORG

"My focus year after year has always been to focus on leads, listing and leverage. So even though my highly productive team is on track to sell 450 homes this year, it still comes down to basic math. How many seller leads do we need to have enough meaningful conversations with seller prospects each day to set enough listing appointments, to list enough homes, and to sell the number of homes we want to sell next year.

And then once we get those homes listed, how can we leverage them to get high quality buyer leads, to have conversations, to set appointments, to sign buyers to loyalty agreement to get buyers under contract...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...So for us the total goal is $150M in volume on 600 sides next year with 300 coming from seller sides and 300 coming from buyer sides. So for listing leads, we aim to have 100-150 seller leads per month to speak to about 75% of them to set appointments with 50-60% of those we speak to and then list about 60% of those we meet with to sell about 90% of the homes we list. Different ratios but same math on the buyer side. And since we track the entire pipeline, we can predict with pretty good accuracy what our business is going to look like in the future.

The great thing for me as CEO is that I have taken leverage to the ultimate by replacing myself in most every role on my team and I basically work a 4 hour work week in my real estate business...not completely passive but pretty darn close."

"I basically work a 4 hour work week in my real estate business...not completely passive but pretty darn close." Lars Hedenborg Charlotte, NC 100 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

TIM HEYL

"The area I am focusing on in my business in 2016 is my bench. We have created a jr. agent program made up of recently licensed agents and soon to be agents who begin in the role of an Inside Sales Associate or ISA. We have gone out and recruited them to be agents on our team, however they are not ready quite yet. They will stay in the ISA role for 6 months and get paid to generate nurtures by prospecting and calling expireds.

We will pay them per qualified lead that they put into our pipeline on top of a salary of $2,000 per month. Their goal is 100 leads per month and once they hit 600 leads in the pipeline, they are promoted to a buyers agent within the team. By having this step-up program, we are able to focus on leads, listings and leverage all at the same time. This program is also helping us expand across Texas. I recently promoted my Director of Expansion out of production so he can focus solely on recruiting jr. agents in four major cities in Texas...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...We have identified three areas where we find talent for our team. The number one place we look is local real estate offices who have agents that might be a good match for us. We offer to teach for offices so that we can meet the talent pool in that area. The second way, which happens to be the best place we find talent, is through referrals from our team members and the third is through colleges.

We have shot a recruiting videos targeting millenials on Facebook that we feel might be interested in this type of career. I have realized that I have to always have a lead generation mindset. That is the number one priority and we are consistently looking to grow our pipeline."

"I have realized that I have to always have a lead generation mindset. That is the number one priority and we are consistently looking to grow our pipeline." Tim Heyl Austin, TX 100 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

SUE ADLER

"Our focus is always on listings. We are bringing our buyers agents with us on listing appointments so everyone can learn the listings side and in 2016, we will have agents doing both listings and helping buyers. We are focusing on bringing talent onto our team this year by following the proven Recruit-Select process for hiring so we can get quality talent that stay long term.

We currently have had one ISA for about three years now and intend to invest more money into lead generation to see a multiplication effect. I have a great team of leaders who all own their roles and we hire people to support them - we are currently at about 20 team members including agents and admin. In our area, agents tend to only serve their one town, but we are growing market share in 5-7 towns, turning our secondary towns into primary towns, and growing out our expansion that way...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

We are also expanding into another Northern NJ market by putting on a training event for that market center and recruits that their OP found for us, then will do a preliminary screening group interview with 10 or so interested candidates with minimum production standards that the OP DISC'ed and feels could be good candidates for our Expansion Partner.

In 2015 we spent alot of time on our HUB in terms of the organizational structure and work

flow so that it is scalable for expansion.

We love systems like Realvolve and Brivity that is our CRM for all things sellers, and Boomtown for buyer accountability and IDX.

We also encourage our agents to focus is passive income. My passive income for 2015 from market center ownership and profit share should be around $225,000! That's real money!"

"An important area for agents to focus is passive income. My passive income for 2015 from owning real estate offices and profit share should be around Sue Adler Short Hills, NJ

$225,000!"

$175 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

KURT AND DARLA BUEHLER

"We identify as a lead generation company cleaverly disguised as a real estate company. Our lead generation in 2016 will consist of seven areas starting from the ones that generate the most to the least leads; direct mail, radio, outsourced prospecting (phone animal), social media, pay per click for web, sphere and open houses.

These lead generation activities are all focused on generating more listings for our business. We are always looking for talented people to provide more us with more leverage...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...We plan on putting new hires in a 60 day paid salary prospecting program. Our team retention comes from education and offering opportunities for team members who wish to become leadership. We plan to implement radio ads on Sundays to attract people to a career on our real estate team.

Passive income has become a big focus for us in 2016. Since we own our own office building, we plan on paying it down to create increased cash flow. We are focusing more on real estate investing projects so that we can continue to build wealth."

"We identify as a lead generation company cleaverly disguised as a real estate company." Kurk and Darla Buehler Dallas, TX $80 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

RUSSELL RHODES "Our ONE BIG THING for 2016 is to increase the listing side of our business by increasing our prospecting and internet marketing efforts, this is where we see the greatest return for our time and money. We plan to increase our internet marketing budget by 20% to help us reach our goals for the year.

We focus and practice our prospecting scripts and dialogues so that we speak the

Russell Rhodes Dallas, TX

language of real estate, become experts and increase our listings taken. Through these efforts, we plan to increase our listings side by 15% next year!"

$200 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

SETH CAMPBELL

"I have a Director of Worlwide Lead Generation who has a Marketing Leader and a Prospecting Leader underneath them. Their goal in 2016 is generating a minimum of 40 appointments per month per expansion location. Marketing person's focus is on 33 touch program, social media marketing, and creating congruent calls to action across marketing and prospecting.

Prospecting person is focused on leading the call center which does sphere calls, FSBO, expired, buyer conversion, and circle dialing. In 2016, the team is going to a new standard nationwide listing presentation that comes with an offer to purchase the home at a discount for investment...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...We are creating a huge amount of leverage in our business by expanding and offering 6 regions next year. Our current regions will open a minimum of three locations each which will give us a minimum of 27 locations.

To create passive income, I have opened up a title company, owning real estate offices, started a Campbell Capital investment company and plan to start a mortgage company later next year."

"We are creating a huge amount of leverage in our business by expanding and offering 6 regions next year." Seth Campbell Baltimore, MD $200 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

WENDY PAPASAN "In 2016, we are creating an outside sales team that is prospecting for outbound leads. We are starting any new agents in this role so that they have a great pipeline moving forward. We just added two expansion teams this fall - one in St Louis and one in Georgetown and they are required to lead generate and are obviously leverage in these other cities.

We are looking to invest in another real estate office in Memphis, which will add

Wendy Papasan Austin, TX

to our passive income. Also, we plan to pay off one of our rental properties, which will add to our passive income as well."

$50 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

DIANE GRIFFIN "In order to generate more listings, we did a challenge called 90 listings in 90 days. We now do that competition 3 months in a row, take a month off, then repeat it. This competition has raised our listing numbers, profits and mindset. We will also be adding more ISA's who are focused on calling our database since we have a 93% repeat and referral business.

We want to dig in and spend more time and energy on the people who know and love us. This focused effort will allow us to ramp up and push through any shift in the

Diane Griffin Grand Rapids, MI $45 Million in Volume

market. To build wealth, I plan on owning more offices and regions within my company."

"We want to dig in and spend more time and energy on the people who know and love us. This focused effort will allow us to ramp up and push through any shift in the market."

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

SPALDING PYRON "In 2016, we will be building and adding to our Internet Team with both ISA's and Internet Buyer Specialists. We will generate more listings this year by focusing on our past clients and Internet lead farming.

We are looking to gain leverage through talent by hiring onto our administrative team. We want to hire ahead of the expected increase in volume.

Spalding Pyron Colleyville, TX

For passive income, I am constructing our own building for the real estate team."

$150 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

NOAH OSTROFF "We Are focusing on listings for 2016. Our goal is to go on 550 listing appointments next year. This leaves us with a buffer for the ones that we arent going to get and a buffer for the ones that wont sell. We are doing this by focusing on getting 2 appointments every day, 10 per week and 40 per month... Plus some extra!

With listings, we will leverage this to get buyers and continue to grow.

They key to all of this is focusing on the actions and not the results. We are focusing on 2

Noah Ostroff Philadelphia, PA

appointments per day. If we do this EVERY DAY then we should hit our goal.

$155 Million in Volume

"They key is focusing on the actions and not the results. We are focusing on 2 appointments per day. If we do this EVERY DAY then we should hit our goal."

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

SARITA DUA "We plan to really work our database in 2016. We want to focus on growing it and increasing our conversion rate. We have built out an organizational chart for our business and update it every year that way it reminds us to always be looking for talent.

The team is working deliberately on increasing our price point by working more luxury end homes. We are doing this by sending out higher end mailers, joining a golf club, a

Sarita Dua

high end invite-only athletic club that is very social and helps us become more visible

Portland, OR $65 Million in Volume

in the community.

I am also focused on building my wealth through my companies profit share and am focusing on getting 15 in my front line."

"We have built out an organizational chart for our business and update it every year that way it reminds us to always be looking for talent."

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

ANDREW & MANDI MONAGHAN

" Our top three lead sources boil down to our database, community connection and internet lead generation. Our first source of generating leads always starts with our business is our database. We also do a lot of community events and charity for our area.

Each year we go after listings in two ways, by leveraging our sphere of influence, past clients, etc. and leads through geographic farming. When it comes to leverage in our business, we look for talent that has three core qualities. Talent must have character, willingness and strong desire.

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...We look heavily outside of the real estate industry for people who might have those three qualities yet they have a ceiling on what they can achieve and want an opportunity. A lot of our talented core team members have come from our past client database!

In 2016 we are focusing more heavily on helping our clients build wealth. Not just through teaching them to invest in real estate, also teaching them to set up a family trust and helping them set financial wealth building goals.

We ask ourselves two big questions, how are we helping our clients build wealth after closing and what seminars can we bring in to help them."

"We ask ourselves two big questions, how are we helping our clients build wealth after closing and what seminars can we bring in to help them." Andrew and Mandi Monaghan Glendale, AR $50 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

TOM & DIANE MITCHELL "To ensure we have the best year ever all team members door knock 500 doors each week, we practice scripts and dialogues four times a week, each team member is in coaching and we have an inside sales team that generates leads for buyer and listing agents. We focus on gaining more listings by circle prospecting around new listings.

We are always looking for leverage and in 2016 we will be adding two inside sales team members to increase leads generated.

Tom and Diane Mitchell Toronto, ON

Our wealth building is focused on two areas, building our profit share and rental

$75 Million in Volume

properies. We want to purchase four more properties in 2016!"

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

STEVEN COHEN

"We plan to make 2016 the year of the ISA. We took 2015 to pilot test having an ISA and created scripts and a strategy around it. It has been helpful to follow the breadcrums of others who have already implemented the ISA role successfully and the role is clearly working!

Our team is marketing based and prospecting enhanced. We have created a printed publication that is extremely high quality, it acts as a barrier to entry for us within our market. We have found that focusing more on quality than frequency for these publications has created huge results for us...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...Our marketing team is also focused on better social media. We want smarter, creative and more punchy news for social media. Were getting away from the formulaic uses of it because we want to look asymmetrical if you will. We look at social media in two folds.

First is be tactical, understand how you boost, where you target and what to like, comment and link. Second is inspiration, we want to come up with that thing that goes absolutely viral and it doesn't happen everyday, however that is where we set the bar. We try to engage in things to get noticed and be different. For passive income, we have focused on investment properties, we have around 20 dwellings, and owning businesses. Finally, if agents can connect the actions that they take with the plans they make through accountability, they can have the best year ever."

"We plan to make 2016 the year of the ISA."

Steven Cohen Boston, MA $115 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

LANCE LOKEN

"Our ONE THING in 2016 is 2,016 transactions. Our team is very purposeful and has a plan already built out through 2025. With that in mind we are going after post transaction, third party and allied resources, and quarterly events for transactions that were closed in the prior quarter. Were going after bulk and trying to grow our "databank", which is what we call our database. By going after bulk we mean, going after the masses and not just individuals. For instance, instead of only going after a seller or buyer, were asking them to provide us the contact info of everyone in their HOA.

We have also built relationships with builders in the area and are reaching out to them for their past leads that they are not following up with. Becasue we have an ISA call center, we are creating a win-win solution by reaching out to those past leads on behalf of the builder and act as their third party advocate. We have already seen traction from these activities...

LEARN HOW MEGA AGENTS PREPARE FOR THE BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

"...Since our teams business plan has already been laid out through 2025, we already know how many people we need from a transaction stand point for each year to hit our goals. This allows us to hire people 6 months before we truely need them. Now, were driving the business instead of the business driving us. If were constantly on the forefront of lead generation and hire the right talent then were automatically going to drive the business and dictate the market instead of the market dictating what we do.

Our team is pretty awesome, everyone comes from corporate america with the exception of my first hire. There are three things that has contributed the most to our success. First, we have run our business as a business since day one. Second, our culture is our differentiator because it is about the team and not one individual, we win and lose as a team. Third, hiring the right talent, for us it has been hiring out of corporate america. To have your best year ever, is to focus on one thing and master it. For the last four years, our team has focused on one major thing per year. Year one was mastering working buyers, second year was mastering sellers, third year was building a relationship with a builder, and year four was mastering radio and tv."

"Were driving the business instead of the business driving us." Lance Loken Houston, TX $230 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

BRIAN GUBERNICK

"I believe the only way to plan for a successful 2016 with respect to leads is to thoroughly understand your sources of lead generation, your acquisition cost per lead, and your conversation rate per lead. This data leads to ROI. I am a nerd when it comes to the numbers around this.

It is hard to understand how someone can plan out their best year ever without knowing, exactly, where every deal is derived and the cost associated with its acquisition...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

Leverage for our business starts with drawing out our "Disney" and identify the holes. Those holes are always "who's." I then set specific goals around recruiting talent. I get purposeful around leverage.

When it comes to listings, they make up 70% of my business and I am comfortable with this. When it comes to setting listing goals, I set a goal, double it, then double it again. I also look to build a lead generation lever big enough to support this massive goal."

"When it comes to setting listing goals, I set a goal, double it, then double it again." Brian Gubernick Scottsdale, AZ $90 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

MATT FETICK

"To have the best year ever, it starts with having a great economic model and budget model designed. We are open book for anyone to see and everyone on the team has a vested interest in our success.

All our sales team members have their goals written down, we then transform them into a 1 - 3 - 5 (one goal, three priorities and five steps to achieving it), which provides real clarity on their goals. We do one-on-one coaching and go over a 4-1-1 action plan for those goals (four weeks, one month and one year)...

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

...We are growing our ISA department to include 4 hour shifts for part-time outbound telemarketers. We also plan to improve our referral program by inviting in agents who do a fantastic job with referrals to help us learn and grow.

Systems play a big role in our success and we are using Vyral for marketing and direct mail campaigns. We are also increasing our strategic giving in our community."

"To have the best year ever, it starts with having a great economic model and budget model designed. We are open book for anyone to see and everyone on the team has a vested interest in our success." Matt Fetick Kennett Square, PA $75 Million in Volume

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM

YOUR BEST YEAR EVER

Having your best year ever in real estate consists of many different things. Especially since every agent and agents business is different. But these insights and disciplines from high achievers show us some of the best practices in the most important areas like leads, listings, leverage and wealth building. These are ideas and practices we can all follow to accomplish the things that matter most in each of our businesses in 2016. I cover these and more in my Real Estate Agents Best Year Ever course and show how you can begin applying them to your own business so you can make 2016 your best year ever! Real Estate Agents Best Year Ever

A REAL ESTATE AGENTS BEST YEAR EVER * LINDA MCKISSACK * AGENTSBESTYEAR.COM