CALIFORNIA EDITION
5 Tips to GET NEW CLIENTS Turning Your Profession Into A PASSION 3 Tips for MASTERFUL TO–DO LISTS
FEATURED AGENT
JOANNE KRAUSE
COVER STORY
ASHLEY HANEY
3 Ways Joining a Professional Organization Can MAKE YOUR BUSINESS BETTER A Step-by-Step Guide to CONVERTING INTERNET LEADS TO REAL LIFE SALES
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CALIFORNIA EDITION
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ASHLEY HANEY
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JOANNE KRAUSE
CONTENTS 4) 5 TIPS TO GET NEW CLIENTS 13) 3 WAYS JOINING A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION CAN MAKE YOUR BUSINESS BETTER
16) A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO CONVERTING INTERNET LEADS TO REAL LIFE SALES 19) 3 TIPS FOR MASTERFUL TO–DO LISTS 22) TURNING YOUR PROFESSION INTO A PASSION
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5 Tips to Get New Clients If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve probably built up a healthy percentage of repeat and referral business. Although it can be tempting to just maintain those relationships rather than generating new business, there’s something to be said for staying on top of 4
your game by never resting on your laurels. Actively pursuing new clients is not only a way to generate more business, but depending on how you do it, it could even lead to a profitable new niche. Here are just a few ways to build up your new client base. Top Agent Magazine
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Become a referral partner with industry peers
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Cold Call Expired and FSBO Listings
Everyone from mortgage lenders, to financial planners, to insurance agents, can be potentially lucrative referral partners for a Realtor®. You may already have great relationships with some that just need to be more formalized. But, you don’t just want to partner with anyone, make sure these are people you also feel completely comfortable referring your clients to - people who share your values and work ethic.
Another avenue to consider is divorce attorneys – yes, you heard that correctly. Helping people go through this difficult period actually requires a very specific skill set. You need to be able to handle the legal aspects, as well as the emotional ones. There are numerous training courses you can take if you decide to take this route, which could end up being a lucrative and much-needed specialty.
This is a route a lot of agents take when they are just starting out, that usually leads to great success. You probably haven’t cold called since you started out, and this is a great skill to build up again. It will not only sharpen your sales skills, but could generate a lot more business. People with For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) and expired listings, are usually very motivated to sell. This is a great chance for you to really hone in on why they need to hire you. Do you offer innovative marketing plans? Access to a large sphere of influence? Expired listing clients are looking for ways to sell a property that seems impossible to move. With FSBOs, you need to show them how you can get them more money in their pocket, even
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with paying you a commission. Pursuing both will really engage your mind to think outside of the box, which will not only get you more business, but make you better at what you do. 5
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Partner up with a Relocation Company
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Become a Builder’s Realtor® of choice
This is another niche market that you can really capitalize on if you want to pursue a new specialty. But, it is a specialty, so getting educated on the process will help you generate the business you want. It’s a complicated area of real estate, you’ll often
times be helping to facilitate dual transactions, as you try and secure a property at the same time you are helping your relocation client sell their previous home. This specialty is becoming an in-demand skill in areas that have major corporate headquarters.
This can be a real score for any Realtor®. The competition might be fierce to land a client like this, but there are numerous ways to make yourself stand out from the rest. Gain certifications and become knowledgeable about the construction process. Be wellversed on what trendy materials, features, and finishes will add value to a property. Get the builder on board with you by offering to take just a segment of the subdivision then wow them with your marketing skills. Take on properties they haven’t been able to sell. You can even offer to throw an open
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Create a Website that Offers Real Value to Potential Clients
Perhaps the most useful way of getting contact information for people looking to sell is by adding a home valuation feature to your website. When people are first considering selling their home, finding out how much
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house for them. This is another way to show them the level of service they can expect from you. These clients might be harder to land, but the payoff will be enormous.
it is worth is one of the first questions they want answered. By becoming a resource to potential clients (and current clients!), you just might be the first person that comes to mind when they’re actually looking to sell. Top Agent Magazine
ASHLEY HANEY Top Agent Magazine
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“To me, real estate isn’t a competition—I see it as a collaboration. I network with about 10,000 agents, at least half of whom are in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Ashley Haney is in the business of instilling confidence in people. Whether they are purchasing their first home, selling a home, investing in real estate, or building a career as a real estate agent, she is eager to educate and empower people to find success. Having first entered real estate as an investor in 2011, her initial goal was to build a home-based business while raising her new baby. “My dad and I got into rental properties together,” she explains. “Soon enough, I was approached by people wanting to invest in real estate.” A graduate of the University of California-Davis, and a lifelong resident of the Sacramento area, Ashley flipped 40-50 homes that year before earning her broker’s license. Her second year, she flipped several dozen more homes and determined that residential real estate was her calling.
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Although she is co-owner, President and Managing Broker of Haney Garcia Realty Group, Top Agent Magazine
with more than 50 agents across three offices, Ashley focuses on serving clients directly. “I sell independently with only my assistant on my team. It’s all about building relationships and providing the best client experience possible.” She goes above and beyond to nurture and educate clients, ensuring they understand every step of the process. “Even in this day and age, where everything is so virtual and electronic, at least 90% of the time I sit down with my clients to fill out the disclosures, rather than doing electronic signatures.” She spares no expense when marketing homes, using only professional photography plus virTop Agent Magazine
tual tours and boosted social media posts in addition to advertising on all the major real estate websites. If the property warrants it, she uses drone photography and videography. “And to me, real estate isn’t a competition,” says Ashley. “I see it as a collaboration. I network with about 10,000 agents, at least half of whom are in the San Francisco Bay Area.” This level of attention led to a referral rate above 90% by her fifth year in real estate. “I also do a lot in my community,” says Ashley, who has great pride and appreciation for her hometown Sacramento-area communities that have experienced terrific growth as peoCopyright Top Agent Magazine 9
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ple relocate out of the pricey Bay Area. “I hold a big Trunk or Treat event in the fall to provide fun and give back at the same time. I’ve held Easter egg hunts and I give back to the troops.” She is particularly active with Allegiant Giving Corporation, a local nonprofit that gives to military veterans and local youth sports organizations. One event collected more than 10,000 pairs of socks for the troops plus $3,000 for the Blue Star Moms. As a Director for the Placer County Association of Realtors Board of Directors and Chairperson for the PCAR Young Professionals Network, Ashley enjoys ongoing opportunities to inspire other agents. And in expanding her business to include satellite offices, she provides opportunities for her agents to find long-term financial stability while serving people with the signature dedication of Haney Garcia. “I opened my first satellite office in January 2017 and chose an agent who is an outstanding team player and great leader to take part ownership in that office,” Ashley explains. “She doesn’t have to worry about the back-end work; we handle all that at the corporate office at no cost to her.” Her next satellite office will open by 2018 with at one opening per year thereafter. “Each new leader gets receive the residuals from the office while continuing to do what they do best – building client relationships.” While fully dedicated to continually empowering agents and clients, Ashley’s truest devotion is to her two young Top Agent Magazine
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children. “I’m a single mom and very active in my kids’ lives. When I’m with them, I’m fully present, helping in the classrooms, coaching softball, and hanging out together,” she says. She also enjoys time out with friends, wine tasting and traveling. Although an aggressive
businesswoman, everything Ashley does comes from a position of love. “It’s funny,” she adds. “The business is getting bigger, but I like to run it like a small, family business. I really care about helping my clients, the community and other agents.”
To learn more about Ashley Haney, visit haneygarcia.com or Facebook.com/HaneyGarciaRealtyGroup, http://
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email ashley@haneygarcia.com or call 916.223.4511
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3 Ways Joining a Professional Organization Can
Make Your Business Better Any real estate professional worth his or her salt knows that relationships are everything in this industry. Of course, it’s essential to cultivate connections with your in-office colleagues and your clientele—but there’s even more to be done when it comes to building meaningful professional relationships on a larger scale. How can you make the most of your sphere of influence? The answer lies in professional organizations.
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These institutions vary in breadth and scope— from the local chamber of commerce and state-level organizations geared toward young professionals, to nationwide groups like the National Association of Realtors. No matter which avenue you pursue, these organizations and the professionals therein can add tremendous value to your business and professional repertoire. Not quite convinced? Consider a few of the benefits below to understand how just how influential a professional organization can be when doing business in the modern marketplace.
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1. Expand your skillset. It’s hard to argue that continuing education and professional development aren’t worthwhile causes. One of the little-known values of joining a professional organization is that there are countless opportunities to boost your talent through free or subsidized skill-building events, workshops, and speaker series. Seminars, coaching events, opportunities to volunteer, and conferences are just a few more ways that professional organizations put you in the right position to learn from others, or advance your understanding of the industry. In real estate, staying ahead of the curve is crucial to the longevity of your business. By joining a professional organization, you’ll not only have the chance to learn from industry veterans, but to also take advantage of indispensable resources that set you apart from the real estate pack.
2. Simplify your networking experience The obvious benefit of joining a professional organization is the chance to meet and network with fellow agents and industry pros. But, have you ever considered how commonly networking comes into play in the real world? On the local and state level, the real estate scene isn’t as big as one might imagine. This means you’ll cross paths with all sorts of agents, lenders, home inspectors, title company representatives, contractors, developers, investors, and more. Positioning yourself within a professional organization not only fortifies your reputation to the outside world and to those in your industry, but it also makes it easier to strike up conversations or navigate deals. How so? A professional organization 14
creates a baseline of common knowledge and trust when doing business with those inside or aware of your organization. Likewise, when reaching out to an agent or lender who you’re not familiar with, you can mine your professional organization for related contacts that give you a sense of who you’re doing business with or how to make the transition progress smoothly.
3. Utilize a support system While advancing your career is a worthwhile motive when joining a real estate professional organization, also consider the mental benefits of fellowship with industry colleagues and local entrepreneurs. Rather than carting your anxieties home at the end of the day, you can lean on professionals moving through the same ranks. What’s more, you can turn to others in your industry for advice, commiseration with frustrations, or help sourcing a solution for a particular problem they may have experienced and overcome in the past. Even talking shop with likeminded pros can relieve stress and refresh your perspective—perks that are just as valuable as an updated contact sheet. The old saying stands true: if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to far, go together. In that vein, professional organizations can make all the difference when it comes to a career that doesn’t burn out. Try connecting with a professional organization that you find inspiring—whether its mission is focused on volunteer work, industry developments, or peer mentorship. No matter which path you pursue, remember that no man is an island and the benefits of joining a professional organization can transform you and your enterprise for the better.
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JOANNE KRAUSE While raising two kids and mastering her career in teaching, JoAnne Krause knew she wanted to make a change that would allow her to become her own boss. She decided to earn her real estate license and spent a few years working parttime as an agent, learning the ropes and steadily building her clientele. As her work in real estate continued, the volume of her business grew, until JoAnne made the decision to pursue her passion full-time. Twenty-nine years after her first foray in her industry, JoAnne is now at the helm of a commanding career, having earned a reputation defined by professionalism, integrity, and an incisive creative eye.
to prep properties prior to market. After her free staging consultation is complete, JoAnne incorporates professional photography to ensure listings make a memorable impression online and in customized fliers and brochures. Then, she takes to social media and the leading digital listing platforms to promote maximum visibility for each property, aiming for a top dollar return no matter the home. Likewise, her background in advertising has rendered her a capable copywriter, and each listing is equipped with appealing, detailed descriptions that attract potential buyers. The frequent chances to strut her creative streak—from staging properties with a design-savvy flair, to drafting compelling copy—is what JoAnne enjoys most about her daily work. “Every day is an opportunity to be creative,” she says.
Serving the whole of San Diego County, JoAnne works alongside her daughter, Tamara, uniting their efforts to create the Krause Office. Together, JoAnne and her daughter guide clients of all kinds, from Oceanside to Chula Vista to El Cajon. With 60% of her business driven by repeat and referral clientele, JoAnne’s ability to deliver memorable, effective service is well proven. What’s more, the addition of her daughter to her team adds a whole new dimension to the work she’s been perfecting for close to three decades. “It’s been wonderful working with Tamara,” she says. “She’s a very strong agent in her own right, and now we’ve established ourselves in all areas of real estate, and we really enjoy what we’re doing.” In fact, JoAnne and her team offer clients proficiencies that extend beyond residential real estate, and into military and corporate relocation, as well. Using her in-depth knowledge of the area and her years of insightful experience, JoAnne makes a commitment to her clients that goes far beyond the closing table. “We do the very best we can to anticipate our clients’ needs,” she explains. “We take care of families—not just for one transaction, but forever.”
To give back to the San Diego community she calls home, JoAnne focuses her efforts as a lifetime member and supporter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. She also gives regularly on a local scale, contributing her resources to support area Girl Scout troops, or supporting causes close to the hearts of her clients. In her free hours, JoAnne enjoys spending time scoping out new items for her arsenal of staging décor. “Work is play for me,” she jokes. “I have more pillows than anyone I know.” JoAnne also enjoys anything having to do with new technology gadgets and time saving devices, as well as staying up-to-date on the latest design industry trends. As for the future of the Krause Office, JoAnne has plans to continue growing her business, expanding her service area alongside her daughter and partner. She also places a strong emphasis on continued growth and learning, sharpening her skillset for the betterment of her clientele. For now, she’ll continue building upon the solid reputation earned after twenty-nine years of dedicated service to aspiring homeowners and sellers in the San Diego area. With an abiding passion for her daily work and a confident eye toward the road ahead, the future is bound to be bright for JoAnne Krause and the Krause Office.
Prior to her transition to real estate, JoAnne cultivated experience in the advertising world, which has given her a significant edge when it comes to listing property. Understanding that the sale of a home is a rare opportunity for owners to recoup and grow their initial investment, JoAnne goes above and beyond
To learn more about JoAnne Krause visit JoAnneKrause.com, e-mail JoAnneKrause@gmail.com, or visit her Facebook page at facebook.com/TheKrauseOffice www.
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A Step-by-Step Guide to Converting Internet Leads to Real Life Sales In the era of apps, instantaneous social platforms, and text messaging, it’s little surprise that the modern homebuyer begins his or her search for real estate representation online. Even if you’ve got a top-notch website or an influential social media presence, how do you connect with web surfers who have yet to commit to the services you offer? Take a look below to learn a few key techniques to bridge the gap between digital interest and real-world sales. RESPONSIVENESS IS KEY Like it or not, our digital culture relishes immediacy and instant gratification. With that in mind, be sure to stay on top of online interest forms, e-mails, or newsletter sign-ups. Don’t let an online lead go to waste by taking too long to engage and follow-up. Things move fast, and it’s easy for potential clientele to forget which websites they’ve visited. Even if your lead isn’t ready to commit then and there, you demonstrate your accessibility and attentiveness by following up swiftly—a characteristic anyone would seek in an agent or lender. ENGAGE WITH OPEN-ENDED CONVERSATION
GIVE ADDED VALUE Plenty of businesses send impersonal, automated messages in response to an online inquiry, but establishing a true connection may mean providing your lead with something of value. Perhaps you’re forwarding a property for sale that fits the interests of your lead, or a relevant article, or maybe you take the time to send a personal message—demonstrable value and a personal touch separate your follow-up response from spam. Other ideas to consider when adding value to your follow-up technique: incorporate area promotions and access to local events, make a date for coffee, or offer a brief consultation free of charge to make the first move. DON’T STOP MAKING CONTACT If you don’t connect with your internet lead right off the bat—don’t be discouraged. It often takes multiple tries before a follow-up interaction sticks. Folks are busy and frequently flooded with e-mail blasts and junk mail. A lead may not engage without a little prodding that shows you’re committed to their business. Remember: it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.
Digital leads don’t have to be difficult to capture. The internet plays a powerful role in funneling When online back-and-forth goes stale, commumodern clientele your way, but in order to take nication drops off quickly. If you’re following full advantage of the web’s reach, you’ll need up via e-mail, social media, or text, be sure to to tailor your follow-up technique. Mastering keep topics focused squarely on the potential the fundamentals of digital communication is client. Ask open-ended questions to give your the first step to converting digital interest into lead the opportunity to loosen up and engage concrete business. Keep these tips top-of-mind on a personal level. There’s no better way to as you build your online presence and mine the cement a digital lead than to take a pointed vast world wide web for an endless wealth of interest in the specifics of their situation. Doing clientele. Earning a command of digital lead so transforms the impersonal invisibility of the conversion is the surest way to bolster your internet into a true connection. business in the ever-evolving digital era. Top Agent Magazine 16
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3 Tips For Masterful To-Do Lists by Rob Flitton
Here are three masterful tips to easyto-prepare and easy-to-perform todo lists. 1-Important v. Urgent. Always prepare your lists based on what is important, not what is urgent. Why? Let’s define our terms. “Important” in this context is about what matters to you. “Urgent” in this context is about what matters to others. People have a tendency to not only assemble their lists based on the needs of other people, they get derailed by interruptions and distractions from the pressing needs of others—they get on phone calls, discussions, text-threads, or emailexchanges that take away their focus.
The corollary tricks here are to (i) negotiate for time and space in advance, and (ii) learn to say “no.” Since you want to focus on what’s important and not on what’s urgent, it causes you much less friction to negotiate ahead of time with those who matter to you for the time and space you need to be able to focus. This keeps you from worrying about family matters when at work, and work matters when enjoying your family or leisure time. When we are afraid in life to politely say “no” to the wrong thing, we makes ourselves unavailable to say “yes” to the right things. Those who appreciate and understand you will cooperate—those who do not will simply have to adjust.
2-Obey The Crow. Sometimes these urgency-intruders There should never be more than 7 can be close to you and hard to say items on your to-do list. No one no to—your spouse, boss, children, can concentrate on too many things at once. customers, or strangers.
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To be able to focus, a person needs to be able to discern which activities or ideas are most important to him at that moment, and at any given moment a person is only able to hold, focus on, or visualize perhaps somewhere between 4 and 7. This limitation was understood from an experiment observing a flock of crows gathered in a clearing. When various groups of men would cross the clearing and then enter the nearby woods, the crows would flee to the 20
treetops only to return when the full number of men could be accounted for—i.e., when they felt safe. If one man went in and then came back they would return to the clearing. If three men went into the woods and only two returned, they wouldn’t. If five men went into the woods and only four returned, they felt safe to return to the clearing. This means that the crows could only hold 3 or 4 units of the men in their focus. Top Agent Magazine
Focusing on where the money comes from strips away all of the non-essentials. For humans, the same is true but may be slightly higher. Look at a forest—you can perceive and focus on and count about 6 or 7 trees at one time, but you can never focus on or count an entire forest.
being the most important, and 1 dollar sign being the least important—like movie, book or restaurant ratings. At the end of the to-do list period— whether it is a daily, weekly, monthly or annual list—you need not have completed every item, but you need to have entirely completed or accomplished the 4- and 5-star items. You would rather fully complete three 5star items than partially complete all seven items on your list.
The powerful piece of knowledge here is that by using unit economy— by limiting your ideas and activities into manageable groups—you can greatly overcome these limitations and leverage your means to tackle more and more work. By breaking lists down into groups of 4 to 7 Money is a measuring stick for how units, you can accomplish hundreds, effective you are at conducting your if not thousands, of important jobs business—it is really the only objective means of measuring your and tasks annually. effectiveness. Yes, there are plenty of non-monetary goals and outcomes 3-Dollar Signs. The matter of deciding what should we all want to achieve, but I assert be at the top of your list should that being profitable matters the come down to the money. Money is most, and your to-do lists need to best barometer of what you should establish the mental attitude required spend your time on. Bookkeeping is to achieve maximum profitability. an important task in business, but Focusing on where the money comes closing sales is significantly more from strips away all of the nonimportant—no sales adds up to no essentials. need for bookkeeping. Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate MarAssign everything on your to do list a number of dollar signs, 5 dollar signs Top Agent Magazine
keting specialist helping independent agents to increase their income. Email Rob robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ text him at 206-612-2314.
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Turning Your Profession into a Passion The old adage goes that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. On the other hand, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day worries and responsibilities of your career, even if you generally enjoy what you do. While there’s no guaranteeing that every day on the job will be a picnic, there are a few steps you can take to vastly improve your morale and transform your profession into a passion. After all, cultivating a passion for what you do will not only add to your quality 22
of life, but will likely make you more successful in the long run. BUILD YOUR BASE OF KNOWLEDGE Knowledge builds confidence, and confidence breeds success. A sure way to light a fire in your heart for your daily work is to challenge yourself to learn more and expand your understanding of your field. By doing so, you equip yourself for success, create challenges, and find the most inter-
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esting features of your work—especially those that most appeal to your interests and talents. Try reading the top five books on the topic of your industry, or subscribe to a podcast where thriving professionals offer their two cents. Either way, learning more about your industry is bound to reveal a source of inspiration worth pursuing. THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE
and excelling in your field, you may find that others’ approaches inspire your own. Likewise, what you learn from other successful, passionate people in your field can help you shape your own office and work life, in turn creating more opportunities for you to fall in love with what you do, all over again. TAKE RISKS
CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONALS
One of the biggest hindrances of professional passion is falling into a rut. Routines are familiar and everyday responsibilities vie for our energy. But the next time you tackle a task the way that you always have, take a moment and try to refresh your perspective—is there a more clever or efficient way you could approach this project? Even better: why not take the plunge and do the things you’ve always been meaning to—throw that client appreciation event you’ve put off planning, take the continuing education course you keep forgetting to register for, even try a creative activity that pushes you out of your comfort zone. There’s no better way to inject some passion into your life than by going outside your bubble and taking a risk.
Have you ever chatted with someone who was overflowing with energy for what they do? That sort of passion tends to be infectious—often causing us to beg our own questions about professional engagement. By participating in local organizations or networking with those who are active
Passion comes from all directions—from your own interior journey and from the world around you. To transform your profession into a passion worth having, invest in yourself and venture into the vast world around you. You’ll surely reap the rewards.
Sometimes reinvigorating your passion for your work is about looking outward, rather than inward. Gain some perspective and consider who your work helps in the long run. As a real estate professional—whether you work as an agent, broker, in mortgages, home inspections, or otherwise—your work positively impacts someone else’s home-sweet-home. You make a difference. While it may seem like just another day at the office, taking a moment to visualize exactly who you are helping in the world at large is a great way to add some motivational fire to your daily tasks.
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