EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE
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INSIDE FEATURES: Teresa Spraggs New American Funding Rosalia Yang imortgage
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1) Mortgage Executive Magazine 2015, loanDepot.com, LLC dba imortgage NMLS ID 174457. 2) Enterprise wide and includes loanDepot.com, imortgage, Mortgage Master, Inc. and LDWholesale. imortgage 8686 Haven Ave., Suite 150, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Rates, terms, and availability of programs are subject to change without notice. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act CRMLA 4131040. Corporate NMLS ID 174457. All rights reserved. 11292016 7898
Executive Agent of the Month
Jason Kwei Keller Williams Realty
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17 Professional Profiles
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Teresa Spraggs
Rosalia Yang
New American Funding
imortgage ExecutiveAgent Magazine
INLAND EMPIRE
Editorials 10
Successful Realtor® Profile -Linda Brakeall
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Suprise Your Clients -Patti Brotherton
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Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Fred@eamag.net www.EAMag.net
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX City of Hope..........................................................26
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imortgage..................................................................2
More Important Than Your Business Plan -Rich Levin
iPhotography Studio...............................................23 New American Funding........................................36 PWAOR...................................................................34
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SBAOR...................................................................27
Eight Cash Cow Systems -Jim Remley
The Termite Guy......................................................3
Seven Steps To Achieving Your Dream -Chris Widener
Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Haley Freeman, Shannon Hartsoe Editorial Writers: Linda Brakeall, Bill Brooks, Patti Brotherton, Tamara Dorris, T Scott Gross, Rich Levin, Chris Widener, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar
Freaking Sales Animal -Verl Workman
© Copyright 2017 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.
Understanding The Process -Dirk Zeller
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Rosalia Yang A Better Way To Do Business Written by Haley Freeman
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senior loan officer at imortgage in Rancho Cucamonga, Rosalia Yang brings an international point of view to the business of helping people obtain home loans. Born in Taiwan, Rosalia immigrated
with her family to Costa Rica before coming to the United States to finish college. Once here, she decided to stay. She has built a successful career in the banking and mortgage industries, and she continues to find satisfaction in helping families achieve the American Dream. “My background has always been banking,” Rosalia says, “back to Washington Mutual, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Bank of the West. I’ve been through some of the best and worst times in the mortgage industry, and I’ve seen the changes that can make it difficult for people to get home loans. At imortgage, we are a big company, but we’re willing to help people and serve them at a higher level. It’s not like a bank where you have to go through so many policies that tie the hands of the loan officer. When I have an urgent file or a situation where a decision needs to be made quickly, I can reach out to my manager and get it taken care of. It’s a better way to do business.” Having a full operations team on site further enhances Rosalia’s ability to deliver loans efficiently and reliably. “It’s a big plus. Not every lender has that. In the bank, our processing team was in a different time zone. It’s nice to be able to communicate with everyone without delays or confusion.” imortgage also leads the industry in developing new technologies to make the loan process more convenient for both borrowers and business partners. “We work closely with builders, and our new goal is for borrowers to be able to apply online right in the builder’s office. That’s the next generation of technology we’re working on.”
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We have a loan for every home... simple as that.® Rosalia is especially skilled at helping foreign nationals who are seeking new residences or investment properties in the United States. “We’re a direct lender and can do foreign national loans. It’s one of the things that brought me here. People like to leverage instead of paying cash. We have a program designed for this type of buyer. Since we’re a division of loanDepot®, we’re also launching a new integrated program for personal loans. When people come here from out of the country and buy a house, they need furniture and other things for their home. We are constantly adding different loan products to help not only high-end buyers, but also first-time homebuyers.” Due to her extensive industry experience and program knowledge, Rosalia can analyze a client’s situation and determine which programs will best fit their needs. She is completely dedicated to helping clients with this life-changing decision and makes herself available after hours and on weekends to answer questions and collect paperwork. Rosalia is equally available to her real estate partners. “They have a whole team with us, and we are willing to do open houses with them to help prequalify potential buyers. If there is a language barrier, our team speaks Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese and can help translate. We are also available around the clock, not like a bank where no one will answer the phone after 6:00 or on weekends. Since international buyers are in different time zones, this is especially important to be able to provide them with good service.”
She also enjoys international travel. Rosalia took a two-year sabbatical from banking from 2010 to 2012 and lived in Shanghai. “Looking back, I learned a lot about how people think there, their values, and what they are looking for when they come to the U.S. The culture is very different from Taiwan, and I feel now like I can really relate to Chinese buyers.” The combination of culture, products and service at imortgage support Rosalia in providing her clients with the best possible mortgage experience. “I love what I do. When I help my client to achieve their American Dream and move into their home, it makes me happy. I’m always here to help whenever someone has questions about buying a home. I will give them information so they can compare and make the best decision for them.” Rosalia Yang imortgage 8686 Haven Ave., Suite 150 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 909.912.7836 – Cell: 626.922.5859 Email: Rosalia.Yang@imortgage.com Web: www.imortgage.com NMLS ID 818004
Rosalia is a single mother with twin sons and a daughter. “I’m very proud of all of them. We like adventure and dangerous activities like skiing and parasailing. Since my work can be stressful, I try to live a balanced and healthy life.”
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imortgage is licensed by the CA Department of Business Oversight, CRMLA 4131040. NMLS ID 174457. Equal Housing Opportunity. All rights reserved. 2017.
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Understanding The Process B
eing a salesperson is one of the greatest professions on earth. As real estate salespeople, we are helping people achieve the great “American Dream”. We get into trouble when we don’t understand the process of the sale. Most real estate salespeople have never studied sales. They have learned a few scripts and dialogues, but they don’t clearly understand the buying process. They have never become students of selling. To be a Champion salesperson you have to understand and study sales. The first step is to understand the sales process. The truth in sales is that people make decisions based on emotion. How they feel emotionally about something governs their decision-making process. We don’t do things based on logic, reason, and intelligence. We will use those tools to justify our decision. Reality is we all act emotionally, and our behavior is shaped by our emotions. Because we are human, we are in a constant state of trying to satisfy our emotional needs and emotional wants. How do we talk to our clients’ or prospects’ emotions? We need to first put ourselves in their situation. We need to clearly understand their needs, wants, and desires. We need to have true empathy for the prospect or client. To really be effective, we need to imagine what the prospects feel like. By clearly knowing their feelings, we can gently and patiently help them see our point of view. For example, you are working with sellers who want to overprice their home. They believe they need to get above fair market value. The most effective way to turn them to reality is to empathize with their problem, to acknowledge that you understand their feelings. Once you do that,
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then you can gently show them why their desires will not happen. You have to meet those overpriced sellers where they are and work them towards your position. If you draw a line in the sand and you are worlds apart, all you are doing is yelling at them across a canyon. You have to cross the canyon to their side. You need to lead them back across the canyon. People can often be like cows. You can push, poke, and prod them, and they won’t budge. Your reason for your way has to be a benefit to them. Once they see how they can benefit, they will follow your thinking. The key is to talk to people in terms of needs and emotional benefits to them. Once you have established the benefits, you can persuade people to do anything. Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He’s the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting www. RealEstateChampions.com. © 2009, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
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Written By Dirk Zeller
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Successful Realtor® Profile
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’ve been involved in a number of studies that tried to figure out why top agents are top agents.
Do they have a common educational background? No. Good ones have high school diplomas, masters and doctorates. No correlation. Similar previous careers? No. One of the best agents I know used to teach baton twirling. I doubt if I could find a lot of those if I tried! I’ve had waiters, teachers, high powered executives and stay-at-home Moms who were all very successful. Common interests? No. Other than eating, (which we Realtor-types seem to do exceptional well) the interests are widely diverse. After 13 years in real estate sales and management, I’ve only found a few constants.
1. Successful agents treat the real estate business as a business. They actually have a business plan and a budget. They understand that you have to spend money to make money. They know how many sales they need to make the income they require and then they figure how they’ll get from here to there. They plan in advance and execute the plan. 2. They actually work when they work and play when they play and take a day or two off every week. (just like a “real job!”) 3. They have fun and enjoy selling real estate but know that it won’t be forever. 4. They buy a lot of real estate for investment when they see good deals because they know that no one gets rich selling the stuff. You get rich owning it! Financial independence gives one a lot of freedom, autonomy and a certain air of confidence that smells like success. . . . And people like to do business with successful people so they do more business! Linda Brakeall, GRI, CRB, is a nationally recognized expert in sales and marketing for Realtors® and Mortgage industry. She has been speaking professionally speaking, training and consulting since 1992. © 2008, Linda Brakeall. All rights reserved. For information about Linda, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
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By Linda Brakeall
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E XECUTIVE AGENT
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New American Funding Welcomes
Teresa Spraggs Written by Haley Freeman
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native of Southern California, Teresa Spraggs bought her first home when she was only 21 years old. She says, “At the time, I had no idea what I was doing would turn into a life long career. I learned
how to improve the property, sell it and make a profit. I decided to become a Real Estate Agent.” A believer in the American Dream, Teresa spent many years as a Realtor®. She was an active member of the local Association of Realtors® and served two terms as President of the Board. Frustrated by the changes in the market brought about by the Great Recession, Teresa was invited by a long-term lending partner to try her hand at mortgages. “Riverside County was one of the hardest hit by foreclosures. Since I already had experience and knew the industry, it was an easy transition. I came to it with a different perspective and felt like I was able to help people again. I found out about first time home buyer and down payment assistance programs, and every year I help more people buy homes. I love this part of the business.” The wide array of lending programs offered by New American Funding was a factor in bringing Teresa to this vibrant company. She is CalHFA certified and also versed in Section 184 loans for Native Americans. New American Funding is a direct lender that offers these and many more programs, backed by the excellent service they are known for throughout the industry. Teresa understands the importance of delivering on her promises. The company’s efficient, in-house processing, underwriting and funding ensure that she can do just that. “For any agent, when you hand them an approval, they’re expecting to not have any hiccups. They want to know that once they get into escrow, the loan is going to close. It’s also important for a lender to educate a buyer so they don’t make any financial changes while the transaction is in process. I am committed to always finishing what I’ve started and seeing the transaction through to the end.”
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New American Funding also provides tools to keep everyone informed about loan milestones, as well as cutting edge marketing and co-branding resources for real estate partners. Teresa’s tireless work ethic and commitment to excellence drive her to continue learning. “The more educated I am, the more confident I feel in helping people to make better choices. If you stop learning, you stop growing. Learning new things is what makes life fun.” The Golden Rule is the foundation for Teresa’s treatment of people. “I’m not pushy. I’m there to help people get what they want, and my job is to help guide them in the right direction. I’ve been called ‘Mother Teresa’ by my clients. I think once you’re a mom, it’s just what you do. I love helping people get into a home. It’s very gratifying when I think of the generations of families I’ve helped.”
Teresa is also an avid softball player, and she has been playing in rec leagues for more than 30 years. In fact, that is where she met her current husband Don. Teresa now plays ball with a traveling team. “They’re a great group of ladies, and we go once a month to tournaments around the country. It’s changed my life and given me a whole new outlook on life.” When she reflects on her lifelong career dedicated to helping families find the right home, Teresa says, “I’m glad to see people still believe in the American Dream, and I’m grateful to be part of a great company where I can help people achieve their goals.”
Teresa manifests that same care in the community, where she helped to found the San Jacinto Valley Women’s Conference. “This is a one-day seminar with speakers, food and vendors, and I work with some amazing ladies to raise money to help women in need in our valley who are transitioning into the workforce get an education. I was a single mom for 10 years, and I know you just do what you have to do. I love being a part of this effort for other women.”
Teresa Spraggs - Loan Consultant New American Funding 27431 Enterprise Circle West Temecula, CA 92590 Tel: 951-314-6160 Email: Teresa.Spraggs@nafinc.com Web: www.newamericanfunding.com NMLS ID 273502
Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. © New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 02/2017.
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Freaking Sales Animal! By Verl Workman
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f you ever see me speak you will find out quickly that I love what I do! I love speaking and training and I love the nervous energy that I feel before every event! I am often asked if I mind all the travel and being away from my family and my answer comes quickly. I love what I do and the travel just comes with the territory; it is the means to that end. I don’t think about it; traveling is simply part of the process that creates opportunities for me to influence people and hopefully help them make changes in their lives and businesses that will impact their families in a positive way. Yes, being away from my family is difficult, but I am blessed to be married to an awesome wife who does an amazing job of caring for our six children. Without her, I simply could not do what I do.
struggle with—I call it the “Sales Denial Syndrome.” I recently spoke to a large group of real estate agents and asked the entire group to raise their hands if they think they are in sales and the response was mind boggling! Less than 10% of this group considered themselves to be “sales people”. I was floored—how can you be successful in real estate if you can’t sell?
One of the most important things an agent can do today is take careful self evaluation by simply asking these questions of yourself: “What do you do?” “What is your most important role?” “Where do you find your greatest value?” and “Are you a sales person?”
Too often, when we hear the word “sales person” we conjure up an image of a sleazy, slick talker wearing a plaid jacket—and we sure don’t want to be associated with that image! But I simply ask you: How do you convince people to do business with you if you don’t give a great sales presentation? How do you overcome objections like “I want to think about it” or “I’d like to sleep on it” or “Another agent said they could do it for less”? These are all objections that require great sales skill and dialog in order to overcome them. The better you are at selling yourself and your services, the more likely that you will be successful as a real estate professional.
The first few questions establish your core values and motivating factors that allow you to do the difficult tasks, but interestingly, the last question is the one most agents
Think about it from the perspective of today’s home seller. Knowing what you know about the market and how slow home sales are in most price ranges, who would
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you prefer to hire, the agent that will provide you “great service” or do you want a “Freaking Sales Animal”? The difference is that the Freaking Sales Animal will follow up aggressively with every potential buyer, they will negotiate with confidence on any and all offers, and if they get a live one they will stay with that client until they buy or tell them to die! I came into real estate as a salesman. I attribute my success to the training and experiences I had outside of real estate in competitive sales environments. I love sales, I love the selling process and my clients hire me today because they know I can sell their homes. I agree that exceptional service is critical to long-lasting relationships and repeat business, but you never get to the repeat business part if you can’t close to begin with! Don’t be afraid of the supposed stigma that is sometimes attached to being in sales; embrace it and be confident with who you are! Study sales and sales strategies and get trained by the best sales people you know. When I coach agents today it is with the specific focus on helping them incorporate technology into their business, so they have more sales opportunities.
“Sales” is a 5-letter word not a 4-letter word! Now repeat after me: “I’m a Freaking Sales Animal and I am proud of it! I LOVE what I do!” Verl Workman is a leading national speaker, coach and consultant. Despite his busy speaking schedule, and role as co-founder of Pinnacle Quest Consulting Group, he still sells real estate so that he can test and stay abreast of the latest tools and techniques that maximize results. He uses that knowledge to assist individuals and companies in building effective business strategies, implementing powerful technology solutions, and establishing strategic competitive advantages through coaching, seminars and private consultations. To contact Verl visit www.verlworkman. com or www.PQPipeline.com or email him at AskVerl@ VerlWorkman.com. ©2010 Pinnacle Quest consulting, Verl Workman. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
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Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTORÂŽ to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.
I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Tel: 949.366.3349
Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________
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Cover Story
Executive Agent of the Month
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Written by Haley Freeman - Keith Chan Photographer
ason Kwei says about his role as a Realtor® and team leader at Keller Williams Realty in Chino Hills and Alhambra, where he leads a multicultural and topproducing team of agents who stand out as “different” because of the way they deliver world-class client care. “For me it’s very simple. I don’t think about the money. I think about how to help people first. I know if I do the right thing and help the client, I will have a good reputation and earn their business in the future.”
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Jason was born in Taiwan and has lived in the United States since the early ‘90s. “Most of my relatives live here, and I love this country,” he says. “My uncle is the one who brought me into the real estate business. I was working in sales, and he said ‘You like to talk to people and make friends, and you like to be out driving around. I think you should try real estate.’ So, I got my license and started my real estate career. It turned out he was right. This is the right career for me.”
“We have a meeting every week, and I set high expectations for them. Our goal is to provide the highest standard of service for all our clients, so our agents need to study and sharpen their professional knowledge and skills. They are required to attend classes, and I train them during our meetings. I’m here to share my experience with them and listen when they have questions.”
He soon found his way to Keller Williams where he has had phenomenal success doing a high volume of transactions each year. It wasn’t long before his wife, Anny Liu, joined him as his production assistant. “She is also a licensed agent. While I’m outside showing properties, she handles the paperwork.”
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While Jason and Anny made an effective duo, broker/ agent Luis Hong suggested that Jason could take his business to the next level if he would use the Keller Williams model to build a bigger team. “I found capable people and provided them with the training and structure to give the same level of service that I do. I concentrate on
networking and the listing side of the business, and have them take care of the buyers. I have six agents working with me now, and they’re all busy. I’m a partner in the Chino Hills office with Luis and we just opened the office in Alhambra. I’m very glad he gave me this chance to share an office and open another location.”
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A Different Kind of Realtor® Because Jason’s multilingual team speaks Taiwanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Malaysian and Spanish, they are well-equipped to assist clients from around the world. “About 60-to-70 percent of our clients are from outside the country, mostly Asia,” he says. “We do all we can to make the process easier and efficient for them.”
Understanding that no two buyers or sellers are the same, Jason is also patient and persistent when someone needs time to find just the right property. Another homebuyer reported: “I’m a first time buyer, and I had talked to three-to-four agents to help me to buy a house under my budget. Other agents didn’t pay too much attention on my case. Jason Kwei is the only agent who spent half the year to find a great house that was under my budget and I really love. He is an excellent agent who has good communication and is patient.”
Ian Wiant Photographer
Jason’s efficiency is one of the greatest differentiators of his service. He takes the time to understand exactly what his clients are looking for, and then he does his research. “On my Zillow reviews, clients say I don’t waste their time because I know what they need. My goal is to close fast. That’s why with so many clients, we meet just one time. We find the right property and put in an offer. I also know how to negotiate. I get on the phone with the listing agent and tell them what kind of client I have and what they’re looking for. I find out exactly what the seller wants, also. That way, we can get the best number and get the deal done right away without wasting time. A lot of things can happen in a counter offer. I make sure we send out the right offer the first time and close the transaction.”
One client said: “Jason made the home buying experience for a first-time buyer extremely quick and efficient. He understands the importance of time and showed me exactly what I was looking for. He was even willing to take time out of his busy day to show me alternative properties on the days leading up to the signing of the sales contract. If you’re looking for an honest Realtor® to help you find your home, Jason should be your first call.”
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Jason also stands out as “different” because he doesn’t limit himself to selling in just one geographic area or only one type of real estate. He is constantly adapting to the needs of his clients and acquiring the knowledge and connections to provide the service they are looking for. “I do commercial real estate, help investors who want to flip properties, and sell out-of-state through our network of Keller Williams agents. My goal is to help my clients with whatever they need, so I don’t put myself in a small box. I drive a lot and go where I’m needed, and my team helps me to extend my service area.” He and Anny also provide property management services to select clients. They currently manage over 100 units. Recently, a satisfied investor said this: “Jason did it again! Last year when I needed to rent my property out, Jason screened me the best tenant possible and got me top dollar. Last month, when I decided to sell my home, naturally I went with my trusted agent, Jason. I’m very glad I did because his team worked diligently on my open house and
got me a cash buyer with a 10-day escrow! If you need a professional agent to do the job, look no further.” Having such a capable team allows Jason and Anny to take time out for travel. “She still has family in Taiwan, and we like to go to Korea and Japan because we like the culture there.” Jason also enjoys photography, good food and wine, and collecting cars, and he and Anny make time to give back by supporting Keller Williams’ Red Day and other volunteer initiatives. Jason is looking for more motivated professionals to join his team so that together, they can provide outstanding real estate representation to more people. “I am always here and ready to put 100 percent of my energy toward helping my agents and our clients who need to buy or sell real estate.”
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Jason Kwei Keller Williams Chino Hills 15335 Fairfield Ranch Rd., Ste. 100, Chino Hills, CA 91709 Tel: 626-512-5822 - Email: JasonKwei@gmail.com Web: www.JasonKwei.com - Web: TheJasonKweiTeam.com - CalBRE # 01875802 ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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More Important Than Your Business Plan
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uestion: What could be more important than your business plan? Answer: Your habits. An Agent’s daily and weekly habits are more important than the quality of their business plan. Both, plan and habits are best. But of the two, habits rule. Consider these two Agents. Which would you rather be? Amy Agent has a great plan and lousy habits. She is really excited about her plan. But… her lack of habits means that she does not consistently take action. Her lead generation and follow up are mediocre. Her marketing is random. Her service and communication with her Clients is hit or miss. It is easy to imagine how these lousy habits limit Amy’s success and add to her frustration. In contrast Annie Agent actually has no formal plan but she has great habits. She always feels like a better plan would help her. But… on the same days of the week, at the same times, in the same place, in the same way she consistently follows up her leads; sends direct mail, e-mail blasts, and blogs. She communicates with her Clients on schedule. It is easy to imagine how Annie’s habits feed her success, create personal satisfaction and a better quality of life. Habits Work. Consistency Works. Consistency Wins. It’s universal. Habits ensure success in every endeavor. The athlete and the team with the better habits win. The marriage with the better habits thrives. It’s Not Time Management. It is Priority Management. Time management seldom works. Priority management always works. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey wrote, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” There are eight priorities that guarantee success in a Real Estate career. Scheduling them is remarkably easy. Developing the tiniest bit of discipline around them, one at a time, turns them into habits. The Priorities of a Successful Real Estate Career Are: 1. Look at and Update Your Measurable Results Daily 2. Make Appointments with new Clients 3. Conduct Your Technology Marketing 4. Implement Your Traditional Marketing
5. Provide Quality Service to Your Listed Sellers and Pending Clients 6. Think and Strategize 7. Improve Your Presentations (as necessary) 8. Learn Inventory by Previewing Property (as necessary) Presentations, handling pending transactions, showing, offers, negotiating, etc are also priorities but they are dependent on other people’s schedules. Therefore they are difficult to build as habits. Turning the above eight priorities into habits guarantee the presentations, showings, offers, etc that result in your success. Four Critical Keys to Turning the Eight Priorities into Habits: 1. Schedule the priorities, for 30 minutes (at the beginning); first thing in the morning as soon as you sit down at your desk. That’s not the real key. This is; complete the priorities for that day before you open your e-mail! 2. Schedule each priority on the same day of the week, at the same time, in the same place, and get started in the same way. 3. Start with one priority at a time. Once you experience the value of having one habit. You will be motivated to add the next. 4. Start with 30 minutes or less. This feels less burdensome. It motivates efficiency. And the fact is that you can accomplish a lot when you are really focused for 30 minutes on one priority. In all of my workshops, on every topic, I teach Agents to create habits. I teach Agents to implement the topic of the workshop through better habits. Let me be clear. Business planning is very important. In fact planning is a main focus of my coaching and teaching. But I know that your habits, not your plan, dictate your success. And it is your habits that will guarantee the implementation of your plan and the success of your business and your life. Master Coach and Agent Productivity Expert Rich Levin will be presenting “14 Proven Systems to Keep Your Transaction Intact Until They Close” and “Dynamite Real Estate Presentations” at the Texas State Convention in Galveston on September 15th. He is President of Rich Levin’s Success Corps Inc. (www.RichLevin.com). ©2010, Rich Levin. All rights reserved. For information about Rich’s Coaching programs, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only. Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for. If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance. 800-826-HOPE
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WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt
11/25/13 6:02 PM
A NIGHT IN SANTORINI friday, january 13, 2017
The installation of Rob morel and the 2017 board of directors schedule 4:30 pM COCKTAILS & CASINO 6:30 PM dinner & program Dj and dancing to follow
south bay association of realtorsÂŽ 22833 arlington ave, torrance, 90501
cocktail attire requested please rsvp to Nikki Vasquez BEFORE 1/6/17 at: nikki@southbayaor.com
Seven Steps To Achieving Your Dream By Chris Widener
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an achievement be broken down into steps? Well, it is not always that clean and easy, but I do know that those who achieve great things usually go through much of the same process, with many of the items listed below as part of that process. So if you have been struggling with achievement, look through the following and internalize the thoughts presented. Then begin to apply them. You will be on the road to achieving your dream!
1) Dream it Everything begins in the heart and mind. Every great achievement began in the mind of one person. They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible. Take some time to allow yourself to ask “What if?” Think big. Do not 28
let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a “dreamer.” Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family, and for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, re-ignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is too short to let it go. (Also, check out my article “Dare to Dream Again,” Which has been read by close to a million people in the last 4 months alone. You can see it at the website.) 2) Believe it Yes, your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities. But it also must be believable. You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done. Good
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“Vision is the spectacular that inspires us to carry out the mundane.” World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion. All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream. 4) Tell it One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps it all to himself. It is a quiet dream that only lives inside of his mind. The one who wants to achieve their dream must tell that dream to many people. One reason: As we continually say it, we begin to believe it more and more. If we are talking about it then it must be possible. Another reason: It holds us accountable. When we have told others, it spurs us on to actually do it so we do not look foolish. 5) Plan it Every dream must take the form of a plan. The old saying that you “get what you plan for” is so true. Your dream will not just happen. You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream. Think through all of the details. Break the whole plan down into small, workable parts. Then set a time frame for accomplishing each task on your “dream plan.” 6) Work it Boy, wouldn’t life be grand if we could quit before this one! Unfortunately the successful are usually the hardest workers. While the rest of the world is sitting on their couch watching re-runs of Gilligan’s Island, achievers are working on their goal - achieving their dream. I have an equation that I work with: Your shortterm tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments. If you work on it each day, eventually you will achieve your dream. War and Peace was written, in longhand, page by page.
example: A person with no college education can dream that he will build a 50 million-dollar a year company. That is big, but believable. Bad example: That a 90 year-old woman with arthritis will someday run a marathon in under 3 hours. It is big alright, but also impossible. She should instead focus on building a 50 million-dollar a year business! And she better get a move on! 3) See it The great achievers have a habit. They “see” things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new 25 million-dollar corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage “headquarters.” Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway.
7) Enjoy it When you have reached your goal and you are living your dream, be sure to enjoy it. In fact, enjoy the trip too. Give yourself some rewards along the way. Give yourself a huge reward when you get there. Help others enjoy it. Be gracious and generous. Use your dream to better others. Then go back to number 1. And dream a little bigger this time! Chris Widener is the President of Made For Success. He teaches leaders how to become Extraordinary Leaders. Chris’ speaking and consulting services have challenged the best to become optimists, to pursue excellence relentlessly, and to dream big dreams. Copyright© 2007, Chris Widener. All rights reserved. For information about Chris’ speaking and consulting services, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
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Surprise Your Clients! Patti Brotherton
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uilding client loyalty has been the key to a long and successful career in real estate. We all know it. Some agents do this very well-are in constant contact with past and current clients and see a good consistency in their business. They lose a few transactions each year, but don’t really worry because they have so much going and are comfortable with their results. But, why not have it all? Let me give you some ways to surprise your clients. One of the biggest mistakes agents do is not keeping in touch enough with their clients. If they hear from you 18 times a year-you will be receiving more referrals than you ever imagined. I know, most of you are saying, “gee, if I started doing that after they haven’t heard from me in five years, what would they think?” They would like that you are finally on the ball! It’s never too late! Annual gift Why is it that we neglect to give back to the very people who have given us the most rewards? You should be spending your marketing money wisely; and it is very wise to give a gift to the people who helped you be successful. Every client that lives in your marketing area should receive a gift from you every year. Pick a month of the year that you want to do this (preferably not at Christmas time because they get so much at that time of year and you want to stand out). How about St. Patrick’s Day? Order live shamrocks from a wholesale nursery and dress them up with pretty green foil paper, put a sticker on them that says “Happy St. Patrick’s Day, your name, office, and telephone number.” Get some help and deliver them to their doorstep. What a fun surprise! When was the last time you received a live shamrock plant?
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How about 4th of July? Have a local bakery bake you small apple pies for all your clients. Put them in a Ziplock plastic bag, put a white sticker with red print on the outside that says “what’s more American than apple pie? Enjoy. Happy 4th of July!” How about the middle of August? Buy barbeque aprons for each family, roll them up and tie with a ribbon, fasten your card or a note that says, “Hope you’re having a good summer. I’m thinking of you.” Let your imagination go. Surprise your clients! By the way, if you are already giving them something every Christmas (live poinsettia, beautiful calendar, etc.), don’t stop. You are way ahead of your competition. But, think about doing something during the year as well. You want them to have as many surprises as you can. Holiday cards I love sending cards for different holidays that people rarely receive cards for-St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, May Day, Arbor Day, Ground Hog Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. Surprise your clients by having a card made up and sending it to them. They will be thrilled and it’s so easy. Surprise CMA Why not send them a market analysis on their home every five years. The cover note can say, “Surprise.look what your home is worth now!” There isn’t a person around who doesn’t want to know the value or their home. And, this just might motivate some to action. What a surprise to have your Realtor® thinking of you and providing you with information unsolicited.
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Theater tickets Pick 10 couples a year to give tickets for live theater if they have it in your area or concert tickets, etc. Make a casual call and tell them that you were thinking of them and wanted to give them the tickets. They will be surprised and pleased. Call two weeks before the performance. Most will be able to attend some won’t, but you will still get mileage out of it with the offer. This little surprise has big rewards. And, is so easy to do. Mail them the tickets after you are sure they can attend with a nice note. Lunch or dinner Take two people to lunch or dinner once a month. Talk about the real estate market and how great it is. Let them know how much you enjoyed working with them and hope that you can help their friends and family in the near future. Don’t take the same people all the time. Take people that you haven’t seen for awhile so that you can catch up. They will be pleasantly surprised.
You get the idea. When you treat your past and current clients this way you will reap huge rewards and have a lot of fun doing it. Best of all, these small surprises makes everyone happy! Patti Brotherton is President of PAB Performance Partners. Patti’s company was formed to reach a broader base of agents, managers and companies to help them in any way possible to do more business, to improve their business, to help them balance their business and generally improve the quality of their professional life. Patti believes in individualized marketing programs, including graphic design, as well as business systems that have proven to work in many different market places. For additional information about Patti’s presentations and company services, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704. FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http://www. frogpond.com.
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Eight Cash Cow Systems By Jim Remley
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ave you ever met a dumb millionaire? I have and it’s irritating. The thought that someone can be so simple minded yet create such abundance in their lives can be frustrating for the rest of us who have to work hard for a living. So what is their secret? How can they achieve success without being perhaps as highly educated or technically sophisticated or even socially connected as you or I? The answer is that they don’t have any secrets - what they do have is simple systems. Many of us sophisticated folks are always looking for the magic bullet opportunity; an idea or a sudden revelation that will leap frog us straight to the moon. The dumb millionaire has found something simple that works consistently. Some might call these Cash Cow Systems. These are simple repeatable business models that work consistently. These Cash Cow Systems are not magic and they don’t create instant success but they will create long term results. Let’s take a look at a few together:
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Eight Cash Cow Systems: 1. Low Tech Sphere of Influence Your phone is sitting on your desk right now. How many of your past clients could you contact in the next hour? Personal contact is the cheapest most effective method of marketing. Start small - set a goal to call just three past clients a day and ask for a referral. 2. Stop/Drop/Knock How many For Sale by Owners have you driven by in the last week? Be honest – Did you stop your car, drop what you were doing and go knock on the door? Here is your opportunity to begin modeling superstars. Make it a personal goal to knock three FSBO doors this week! 3. Belly to Belly Technology is terrific but nothing is as effective as meeting new people in person. How many cards have you personally handed to someone in the last seven days? Begin carrying 20 business cards with you each morning and make it a goal to have them handed out by the time you go home at night.
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4. Start with Giving One easy system for building your business is helping others build their business. Ask every business owner you come into contact with – “How can I help you build your business?” – The return will be a mountain of referrals. 5. All Politics is Local There are centers of power in every small town, large city, and rural community. These power centers can be instrumental in helping an agent build their business. Ask yourself who do I need to meet in order to tap into or become a part of the local power centers? 6. Repeat Success Many of the top producers in the country share one simple system. They have repeat customers who use their services multiple times a year. Ask yourself who moves a lot of real estate in your community? Examples: Builders, Investors, Attorneys. Introduce yourself to them and ask for their business! 7. Mailings How many pieces of mail did you send out in the last twelve months? Consistently mailings can help keep you top of mind among your sphere of influence, and the people that you are targeting. Build a long term plan by using a twelve month calendar. Also consider using a service like modernpostcard.com or expresscopy.com to do the actual hands on work.
8. Work Harder Have you ever heard the phrase – “By just showing up you can beat 95% of your competition?” This is also true in Real Estate because the secret is that almost any plan will work – the real question is will you work the plan? Find a simple system and work it! These simple cash cow systems can be adopted instantly by anyone, including you and the secret is – there are no secrets! What separates those dumb millionaires from the rest of us is their willingness to do the simple things over and over and over! So are you willing to begin tapping into the power of repeatable success? If you said yes - I have a challenge for you: Choose just one of the eight ideas and implement the idea this week into your business. Jim Remley, ABR, is a speaker, author, and consultant. He is also an active real estate broker in Southern Oregon where he owns a network of eight offices. Jim won the Rookie Instructor of the Year award in 2001 from Realty-U, the largest network of real estate educators in the nation. Recently he won the 2002 and 2003 Pacesetter Award. Jim is the author of an extensive catalog of products as well as a personal coaching system. Copyright© 2005, Jim Remley. All right reserved. For information, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com.
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JOIN THE TEAM! CALL 310.386.2069 Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. © New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 01/2017