CHICAGO EDITION
HOW YOUR FINGERS CAN MAKE YOU RICH WHY MILLENNIALS ARE NOW THE HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS MARKET
GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU ARE YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS COSTING YOU MONEY? COVER STORY
JONATHAN MISSIRLIAN
CHICAGO EDITION
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JONATHAN MISSIRLIAN
CONTENTS 4) GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU 13) ARE YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS COSTING YOU MONEY?
18) WHY MILLENNIALS ARE NOW THE HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS JONATHAN MARKET MISSIRLIAN 22) HOW YOUR FINGERS CAN MAKE YOU RICH
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Google AdWords:
How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers. Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you. 4
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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.
MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION
You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.
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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-
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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE
Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.
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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!
Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.
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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL
Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.
HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA
When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic. You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.
Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns. 6
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JONATHAN MISSIRLIAN
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“Jonathan did a great job selling our home for top dollar. His strong market knowledge was a huge plus, and the process was smooth. I would highly recommend Jonathan for selling a home in the Chicagoland area.”
JONATHAN MISSIRLIAN Jonathan Missirlian, broker at @Properties in Chicago, Illinois, has implemented several client-focused marketing initiatives that have helped take his business to the next level. With an impressive 75 percent of repeat and referral business, he has become a renowned REALTOR® in his area, and he has plans to keep growing his business even further. Jonathan shares, “About four 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine
years ago I started focusing on following up with customers every few months, getting clients gifts, posting on social media, using my email database and sending out mailers. I am consistently in front of people and have seen my business dramatically increase over the past two years because of these marketing approaches. I still prospect new areas, but most of my business Top Agent Magazine
consists of referrals and repeat clients. My business is compounding. I did not reinvent the wheel. I modeled my marketing strategies after successful agents.” He continues, “The average person knows seven REALTORS®, so it is imperative to distinguish yourself in the market. I branded myself as a luxury agent and advertise my listings on several industry websites as well as social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn. I get a lot of traction from posting online. Top Agent Magazine
Even if I do not get a direct sale from posting, my followers often contact me for something else down the road. I also email properties to my list of client contacts, and if I am marketing a condo in a high rise, I send out mailers to all of the units in the building. Sometimes I blanket a half mile around the listing.” In addition to excelling in the marketing aspect of his business, Jonathan provides Copyright Top Agent Magazine9
clients with superior customer service. With his expertise, knowledge and communication skills, he has established himself as a five star agent. One of his many pleased customers says, “Jonathan did a great job selling our home for top dollar. His strong market knowledge was a huge plus, and the process was smooth. I would highly recommend Jonathan for selling a home in the Chicagoland area.” Another client raves, “We are so thankful to Jonathan for helping us buy our dream home. The moment we walked into Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10
our would-be house, we knew it was the perfect house for us! Jonathan spent that whole night working on our offer, and due to his expertise with the market, prices and comps, we agreed on a price with the sellers quickly. If not for him, we wouldn’t be living in our perfect house!” Despite his significant level of success, Jonathan’s passion for real estate has inspired him to expand his business to greater heights. He explains, “I love working with a variety of people in the real Top Agent Magazine
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estate industry. It is fun. Every deal is different. I enjoy the art of the deal and love saving client’s money. I would like to continue growing my team and sell real estate throughout Chicago and the North Shore.” When Jonathan is not helping others achieve their real estate goals, he serves as president of the Society of Orphaned Armenian Relief. Jonathan notes, “I am of Armenian descent. It feels good to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12
give back. Our organization is hosting a fundraising event in the area, and our goal is to raise $50,000 to benefit those in need.”
For more information about JONATHAN MISSIRLIAN, please call 773.791.9589 or email JMissirlian@atproperties.com Top Agent Magazine
Are Your Presentation Skills Costing You Money?
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ometimes we’re so focused on technology and education that we forget this is a “people business”. And, a great deal of the money you make comes from your ‘point of contact’ skills. What do I mean by that? Lead generating dialogues and presentation dialogues. Yet, how much do we work on those verbal skills? Unfortunately, communication sales skills have gotten short shrift in the last decade. Why? I think it’s because many of us are so challenged by technological changes. But, slow down. Think about how you actually make money. It’s at point of contact. Getting better at point of contact skills translates into more money in less time.
We’re All Presenters Everyone in the real estate business presents: Agents present, when they are doing listing or buyer presentations. Managers present when they are recruiting, or doing their office meetings. Mortgage and title Top Agent Magazine
By Carla Cross
When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done. reps present when they are in front of a group of agents in an office, talking about their services. So, doesn’t it make sense to become ‘killer’ at those presentations? You’ll double your money and halve your time.
Bug Off: I Do Okay Just Like I Am Yeah. I know. As a musician, I’ve worked with literally hundreds of people who thought they ‘played good enough.’ Some people just get to a certain performance level and leave it there. Have you ever thought that, often, our presentation strategies (or lack of) work in spite of us, not because of us? As a musician, I know the thrill of performing at high levels. So, open your mind and consider
stepping up to a higher presentation level. Not only will you have personal satisfaction, you’ll make more money! Now, let’s tackle one set of presentation skills: Organizing that presentation effectively. Having heard listing presentations that wander all around the world, I know the importance of effective presentation organization.
Three Steps to Organize Your Presentation to Knock Their Socks Off Most of the time, we just get in front of people and say whatever we think of first. That leads to some big presentation mistakes, and costs us ‘sales.’ Instead of stumbling through a presentation, why not organize it to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13
grab their attention, persuade them to your way of thinking, and motivate them to action? You can. In my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make Your Best Presentation Ever, I show a simple three-step format to create your persuasive presentation. No matter why you’re in front of people, we need to be persuasive Think about it. When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done. So, it’s extremely important that you organize your listing presentation using a persuasive format, not just an information-heavy dialogue flow.
Grab Their Attention in the Opening Have you thought about your opening? Or, are you nervously standing at the sellers’ door, worried about what you’re going to say? Are you hiding in your office because you dread doing that sales meeting? When we haven’t organized our presentation, we come up with some really boring, off-putting openings, like: I won’t take much of your time, but... Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14
We have a lot to cover today We won’t get through the outline I know you don’t want to listen, but... I’m not really prepared
You just open your presentation book, point to the pretty pages, and say, “here’s a keybox” (I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it….) Great openings, yes? Yet, we’ve heard them dozens of times. You don’t have to settle for whatever
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If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view. comes ‘naturally.’ Instead, make your openings: Provocative Interesting Different Engaging I just attended a ‘Train the Trainer’ session (yes, I still learn great stuff every day!), where the trainer said it was important to engage the audience in a meaningful way in the first two minutes of your presentation. I think that’s a great rule to follow today, because people’s attention spans are the length of a gnat’s eyebrow. So, the next time you attend a presentation, see how much time elapses before the speaker/presenter/trainer gets the audience into meaningful action. I don’t mean to ask a rhetorical question, either!
A Middle That Educates Your ‘Audience’ to Your Point of View In the middle of your presTop Agent Magazine
entation, add those stories, statistics, and visuals that support your point of view. By the way, as you create that presentation, jot down your point of view. If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view.
Retention is Key
Why Use Visuals?
Three days later:
There are two reasons to use visuals in your presentation:
We retain 10% of the information when we hear it
We believe what we see
We retain 65% of the information when we hear and see it
We retain the information much longer As you organize your presentation, ask yourself:
Have you ever met with sellers or buyers, given them lots of information—and then had them question you about it a few days later—as if they never heard you—or heard you backwards? That’s because people don’t hear and retain very well. Look at the statistics:
So, use visuals to prove your points, not to merely show pretty pictures of houses.
The Ending: What are the main, and fre- Back to the Beginning quently, unspoken objections my ‘audience’ will have? How do I educate them to show them the reasoning behind my point of view?
Have you thought about your wrap-up? Or, like many presenters, does your ending sound like this? Copyright Top Agent Magazine 15
Well, that’s all. What do you think?
pop tunes are constructed with this format:
We’re out of time. Thank you. I hope you’ll list with me
theme—variation—theme
I don’t have time to close. I couldn’t get to much of the material, but you can read it In fact, even the most professional presenters frequently have trouble with their endings. One of the main reasons is that they run out of time. Another is that they haven’t thought the ending through.
How to Do a Stunning Ending Crafting an effecting ending is the second most important part of your presentation. (The first is the opening). To craft a great ending, Go back to your beginning opening theme Summarize the benefits of going ahead with you/take action Motivate your ‘audience’ to take action
A Great Presentation is Crafted Like a Pop Song As a musician, I know that all Copyright Top Agent Magazine 16
This is known in the music business as the ABA format. Think of your favorite pop tune: Hum the beginning. Think of the end. They’re alike, right? It’s the middle— known as the ‘bridge’—that is the humdinger. It wanders all around. Your persuasive presentation should be crafted like that pop tune: A. A compelling start (think Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, etc.) B. An interesting, developed middle, with stories, statistics A. Back to that theme, with a motivating ending Now, you’re all set to craft a great listing or buyer presentation, great recruiting meeting or sales meeting, or awesome product/service presentation to any audience.
Carla Cross, CRB, MA, President of Carla Cross & Co., is an international speaker, coach, and resource provider specializing in real estate management. A former master level CRB instructor, and National REALTOR® Educator winner, Carla was recently named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate. For a free document on standards to establish, email Carla at Carla@carlacross. com and ask for standards document. Carla has written six internationally published books, and provides coaching programs for management, including her affordable inoffice coaching programs Up and Running in 30 Days and On Track to Success in 30 Days for Experienced Agents, which provide standards, focus, and accountability. Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carla cross.com.
P. S. Practice! Many more tips on presentations and presentation skills are in my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make your Best Presentation Ever.
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Why Millennials Are Now the Hottest Segment of the Buyers Market
and How You Can Attract Them to Your Home There are many factors when it comes to knowing how to sell your home to the Millennial generation. Millennials are becoming an important part of the buyer market, and to fail to cater to their needs will cut you off from a large and important segment. But, why have Millennials all of a sudden become interested in buying houses when they were perfectly content to rent for the rest of their lives? 18
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A number of factors contribute to what has recently made Millennials the hottest segment of the Buyers market. One factor is the improved job outlook for Millennials. Millennials took a serious blow during the recession. Unemployment in this group soared to 14 percent, compared to the 9.6 percent for the population as a whole. But, in recent years that number has been decreasing, with unemployment for Millennials being 9.3 percent this past year. Rising rents are also contributing to making Millennials more interested in purchasing homes now. Rents have risen so much that buying a home now just makes more sense. Half of all renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Millennials are becoming increasingly stressed over the constantly increasing financial obligation to something that isn’t even theirs to own. The near-historic low mortgage rates are luring Millennials towards purchasing a home with their promise of affordability. When compared with the skyrocketing rental rates, buying a house looks even more enticing. Another factor helping Millennials get over the hump of purchasing a house is the lower down payment requirements. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now offering new loan programs that require as little as a 3 percent down payment. This may just be the last push the Millennials needed to turn toward buying a home rather than rent. So, now that we’ve established that Millennials are finally joining the Buyers market, the next thing that it is important to understand is what exactly Millennials are looking for in a home. What kind of floorplans do they prefer? What locations are they interested in? Here are some of the essentials that Millennials are looking for in a home: • Updated Kitchens and Baths: Almost everyone wants to buy a
home with new kitchen and bath fixtures, but this is especially true for Millennials Buyers. Millennials are going to spend most of their savings on the down payment and furnishings, leaving little room to update the Kitchen and Bath, which are also the most expensive parts of a home to
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update. Millennials who are on a budget simply won’t have the money to sink into those areas. An updated Kitchen and Bath is sure to bring in a younger crowd. • Big Kitchen with Open Floor Plan: For Millennials, the kitchen has
become the room where they hangout in addition to the family room. This is why having an open space that can transition easily from the kitchen to the TV room is high on the list of things Millennials are looking for in a home. Along a similar vein, Millennials are attracted to an open floor plan rather than one that compartmentalizes the home. This has to do with how Millennials entertain. Millennials want their guests to flow through the rooms and mingle together, rather than be sectioned off in different rooms.
• Home Office: More than 13 million Americans now work from home,
and if you look at the trend, that number is only going to increase as the time goes on. With technology steadily increasing, more Millennials than ever have the flexibility to work from home. But, the home office isn’t just for someone working from home full time. Having a separate space dedicated to work helps people concentrate and focus on work while they are at home. They can separate themselves from the activities going on around the house and have a quiet space where they can set up their workday, plan a presentation, hold a meeting on Skype, or even pay bills.
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• Less Maintenance: Many Millennials work different schedules that
don’t conform to the 9 to 5 workday, as well as full social calendars. This doesn’t leave them much time to clean a big house. Lawn services and low-maintenance front yards are particularly appealing, as they take less responsibility to still keep the curb appeal high.
• Energy-Efficient Appliances: Millennials have been educated on
keeping the Earth clean from the time they were born. They want to do their part to help the environment and appreciate the long-term cost savings that come with it. Energy-efficient appliances and greener ways to heat and cool the home might end up being the tipping point that makes them choose one house over another.
• Hardwood Floors: Millennials don’t have the time or patience to clean
dirty carpets, especially those that own pets. Hardwood and laminate flooring is easy to mop up if there’s been a mess. The more time they can conserve, the better.
• Good Location: Millennial buyers are looking for homes that are in
proximity to public transportation and have a good walking score. Young Millennial buyers without children are more likely to want a location closer to the action of the city, while Millennials with children would prefer more residential areas.
• Technology: Technology rules the Millennial’s life. They do work on
their computers through an Internet connection and solely use cellphones for communication. They are going to ask about how strong the cell service is and about the Internet service provider. While these amenities are out of the seller’s hands, Millennials are still going to ask these questions, and you will need to know how to answer them.
Knowing what Millennials are looking for in a home will ultimately help you make the necessary changes that will attract these buyers to your home. Since they are the a serious segment of the market now, updating your home to fit their needs will lead to more buyers and better offers. So, get with the times and embrace the Millennial buyer. Top Agent Magazine
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How your fingers can make you rich By Bob Corcoran
“The poem is a perfecting of a feeling in language - it’s a way of saying more with less, just as texting is.” – Carol Ann Duffy, British poet If you’re an agent or broker seeking the next, new, sizzling marketing tool, look down at your fingers. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the next great device: texting. I know this because I have personal experience. I learned a while back that when I wanted to reach my kids, calling them was pointless. When I left a message, I’d never hear back from them. But when I texted them, they responded immediately. I knew it was only a matter of time before texting would become a critical tool for REALTORS®. Today texting is as popular as a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day. Why? It’s pervasive: Pew Research says two-thirds of Americans use a smart-
phone and that text messaging is the most widely-used smartphone feature. It’s effective: A study by Conversational Advertising says 90 percent of all text messages are read within three minutes. Plus, Tecipedia found that the open rate of texts is 98 percent compared with only 22 percent of emails. It’s interactive: Texting is a two-way street that gives consumers the power to interact and it lets you make that interaction fun and profitable. On your yard signs, for example, you can invite prospects to text key words for all the listing’s details, your contact info, or even take part in contests or trivia games. Every person who texts you can be added to your database of phone numbers. It’s personal: Texting lets you reach prospects individually and create relationships. It’s immediate: Today’s consumers have come to expect speed in practically every facet of their lives and texting doesn’t disappoint because it’s extraordinarily fast. 22
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It’s do-it-yourself easy: You can launch a text messaging campaign your-
self with some simple web-based software (there’s plenty to choose, just google texting software). It’s inexpensive: Most mobile phone plans include at least a few hundred messages per month, and additional messages cost only pennies to receive. Or you can get an unlimited texting plan. When you consider these bullets there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a texting strategy as part of your marketing plan. I’ll end with a few more details on mobile marketing: 1 Property Codes: When you first start, you’ll pick keywords for each of your listings. Property codes simply represent and describe your listing. When consumers text the code, they’ll get the listing information instantly. 2 Sign Riders: Add the property code on your yard signs with a simple call to action to get consumers to text. For example “Text ‘A1111’ to ‘12345’ for this home’s specs!” 3 Lead Generation: After prospects text the property code, their mobile phone numbers are automatically placed into your contacts so you can follow up – which you should do as quickly as possible. Then you can automate your text messaging just like an e-mail drip marketing campaign to stay in front of clients and prospects. Trust me when I tell you mobile marketing for REALTORS® will only continue to grow as a vital channel. By starting a text messaging effort now, you can build on your current relationships and create many more in the future. Shoot me an e-mail at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you free of charge a handout with more tips on how to start a successful texting campaign. And let me hear from you on Facebook. Are you using texts in your marketing efforts? If so, what’s been your experience so far? Share at www.facebook.com/CorcoranCoaching. Bob Corcoran is the founder of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international Real Estate, Mortgage and Small Business coaching company committed to helping clients balance success in business, while building value in life. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. Top Agent Magazine
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