COLORADO 5-2-22

COLORADO EDITION

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REASONS WHY YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS FEATURED AGENT

ZACH OTTEN HOW TO INCORPORATE

CURRENT EVENTS

TO YOUR EMAIL BLASTS AND STAY RELEVANT

5 TIPS TO GET NEW CLIENTS 8 THINGS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NEVER DO COVER STORY

Area Specialist

LAUREN TRENT

COLORADO EDITION

ZACH OTTEN

Zach Otten got his start in real 7 real estate 17 2008, shortly after graduating Zach step ege. Partnered with his wife, a market a erve the Denver metropolitan new exper buyers in Parker, Colorado as views that expands with new construcexposed to region was predominantly of connect Area Specialist LAUREN TRENT ZACH OTTEN by farm communities and people wi LAUREN TRENT stables and fields. However, dreams. ifts have opened up an oppor- CONTENTS young families to move in Zach volu 4) 5 TIPS TO 18) 7 REASONS WHY a becomes moreCLIENTS attractive to to school GET NEW YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS dren. Atte arker, Colorado attracts grow14) HOW TO INCORPORATE es looking to settle down sporting e CURRENT EVENTS TO due 22) 8 THINGS YOUR BLASTS AND SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE kept him ’s low cost ofEMAIL living, excellent STAY RELEVANT NEVER DO unded schools, and abundant nity. When unities. spend time with his fam In the summer, Parker, Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 eat negotiation skills, paired with 13 years peak attraction and load mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com nce, hasNoallowed to benefit his clients looking forward to atten portion of this issuehim may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Magazine cannot be held responsible opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. other and to conne He has Agent built his real estatefor team from the each To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Published in the U.S.of his business comes by p and 90%-95% viduals. In the future Z ient referral. What makes Zach so attrac- people and community 2 Magazine w customers is the speed at which he closes continueToptoAgent help as man

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5 Tips to Get New Clients

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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

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.

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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.

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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 6

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.

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Area Specialist

LAUREN TRENT Top Agent Magazine

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LAUREN TRENT “I practice real estate for the people, not the paycheck.

For me, that means telling a client what they need to hear, as opposed to what they want to hear. I strive to go above and beyond with each transaction.”

Throughout her life, Lauren Trent has always possessed an entrepreneurial spirit. For years, she owned and managed her own hair salon, where she cultivated the sharp business acumen and penchant for client service 8

that she would later need to excel as a REALTOR®. At the encouragement of her sister Aimee Fletcher, owner of The Fletcher Team & Associates, Lauren would begin dabbling in real estate, which inspired her to eventually sell Top Agent Magazine

her salon and transition into becoming a full time agent. She hasn’t looked back since.

Today, Lauren is a member and team lead of The Fletcher Team & Associates, brokered by eXp Realty, where she assists clients throughout Monument and the Front Range region.

There, she has combined her business background with her acute knowledge of the area to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

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When listing a property, Lauren is there for her clients each step of the way.

After helping them fully prepare their home for the market, she shares it via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns. Moreover, as a Zillow Premier Agent and Flex Partner, she gives her sellers an added advantage in the marketplace, ensuring a seamless transaction catered to their needs.

Also specializing in military relocations, Lauren is just as committed 9

to her buyers, drawing from her indepth knowledge of the Front Range region to uncover the right investment for their best interests. In fact, she keeps in touch long after the deals are done through regular check-ins, handwritten cards, and annual client appreciation events. More than anything, though, she enjoys welcoming newcomers into her Monument City community—from the picturesque scenery at Garden of the Gods to

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locally owned cafes like The Bistro on 2nd, or popular shops like Bella Casa and The Perfect Shade.

Since delving into real estate, Lauren has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Colorado, as evidenced by her rapidly growing rate of repeat clients and referrals. Having completed 57 transactions and $31.1 million in volume in 2021 alone, she remains focused on what matters most. “I practice

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real estate for the people, not the paycheck,” she says. “For me, that means telling a client what they need to hear, as opposed to what they want to hear.

Instead of over-promising and under-delivering, I strive to go above and beyond with each transaction.”

Outside her career, Lauren serves as a member of Peak Producers, an organization of leading Colorado REALTORS® who have joined forces to uplift their community and serve those in need. On top of supporting Top Agent Magazine

youth sports programs in Monument, she enjoys forging new connections at Monument’s annual parades, festivals, and farmers’ markets. When she’s not with clients or giving back, she can be found spending quality time with her husband, daughter, cats, and the newest addition to their family, a Golden Retriever puppy.

Having already completed $8.9 million in production in the first quarter of 2022, Lauren has exciting plans for the future of her business. As she expands 11

her work on the listings side, she intends on further scaling the model of service that has set her apart in the region. “There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping people navigate one

of the most significant transactions of their lives,” she says. “Above all, I love being someone my clients can go to for all their real estate needs— today and tomorrow.”

To contact Lauren Trent, email Lauren@fletcherteam.net, visit laurentrentsellshomes.com or call (720) 587-7502. www.

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How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant Email marketing is a cost effective and straightforward method of getting your name and services in front of clients with just a few keystrokes. This tried-and-true approach to digital marketing is a favorite of many, and there are countless ways to customize (and maximize) your email blasts to reap superior results. Despite this, many real estate profes14

sionals are content to standardize their email advertising and take a broad, one-size-fits-all approach to capturing interest and leads. While an up-front sales pitch certainly has its uses and benefits, it doesn’t hurt to shake up your routine and refresh your email marketing approach by adding specifics that draw renewed interest from your audience.

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One way to accomplish this is by tying in current events and local happenings to your email blasts. After all, your sphere of influence likely receives countless marketing emails per day. To cut through the noise, sharpen your message with a few specifics that separate your communications from the pack. Not every email should be focused on closing a sale, or else your audience will learn to stop listening.

How do you build your brand, stay top of mind, and keep the lines of communication open with your clientele? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

against an old rival? Do they host themed fan days honoring veterans or catering to families? Tailoring your communications to a local sports franchise’s big news or next event can draw intrigue and provide added value for your clients. Remember, not every communication you send should be focused on pitching and closing a sale, otherwise your audience will tune out your emails altogether. Instead, incorporate fun, community-oriented content that lets readers know you’re a resource for much more than real estate.

Sports news makes a splash

Become a one-stop-shop for holiday fun and seasonal ideas.

People love to rally behind the home team.

Is a regional, local university, or professional sports team in your area headed to the playoffs or the championship? Are they facing off

From Mother’s Day to Thanksgiving, anyone can send an email wishing clients a happy holiday. While the sentiment is a good one, you’ll be one of dozens flooding inboxes with

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your well-wishes. Instead, go beyond the traditional greetings and good tidings and become a hyper-specific resource for clients. Create a gift guide for Mother’s Day, outline family-friendly local events occurring in your area around the holidays, or engage in a promotional partnership with a local business who’s offering a holiday special of their own. In other words, don’t settle for just saying hello during certain times of the year. Instead, up the value of your email blast by offering clients curated information that relates to their interests and area.

Doing so makes your emails a must-read, while demonstrating your ability to go the extra mile.

Pop culture serves as a fun and timely tie-in.

Is a new gaming app sweeping the nation? Have your social media feeds been flooded with the same viral video? Is everyone gossiping about the same TV show premiere? Pop culture tie-ins in your email marketing campaigns can be extremely effective, but in order to for

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them to work, you’ll need to move quickly and keep your focus on the phenomenon, rather than your service pitch. The goal behind pop culture marketing tie-ins is communicating the progressiveness and hip factor of your brand, while capturing timely, topical interest that’s at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be in on a running joke or trend, and if you leverage trending pop culture moments in your email marketing, you’ll be able to draw views and clicks from a wide audience.

Plenty of services offer standardized email marketing templates and content for today’s real estate professionals, and while the motivation behind marketing is transactional, your communications don’t have to be. The surest way to make an impact in your clients’ inboxes is to add original value and break apart from the pack. Consider updating some of your routines with these current events oriented techniques and your email audience is sure to take a second look.

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ZACH OTTEN Realtor® Zach Otten got his start in real estate in 2008, shortly after graduating from college. Partnered with his wife, the pair serve the Denver metropolitan area and buyers in Parker, Colorado as the area expands with new construction. The region was predominantly populated by farm communities and equestrian stables and fields. However, present shifts have opened up an opportunity for young families to move in as the area becomes more attractive to buyers. Parker, Colorado attracts growing families looking to settle down due to the city’s low cost of living, excellent publicly funded schools, and abundant job opportunities.

real estate industry has really helped Zach step out and make new friends.It is a market and career that opens you up to new experiences, people, and points of views that you would not have been to exposed to if you were not in this field of connecting to peope and connectiong people with the life and homes of their dreams.

Zach’s great negotiation skills, paired with 13 years of experience, has allowed him to benefit his clients immensly. He has built his real estate team from the ground up and 90%-95% of his business comes by way of client referral. What makes Zach so attractive to new customers is the speed at which he closes transactions. “I have added a transaction coordinator and hope to soon be hiring a full time assistant.”

With a goal to be adding a buyers agent within a year, Zach’s production has continued to rise as the housing market remains competitive.

A diligent agent, Zach makes sure everything goes well with the property after closing and that the new owners are settling in nicely. He keeps in touch regularly over the phone and sends regular text messages to follow up. “I’m looking to incorporate more video calls [in the future].” Zach’s mix of social media advertisement and word of mouth marketing has helped him to close on a total of 42 transactions just last year.

His favorite part of the process is getting to meet and become friends with new people that he would have never been exposed to or encountered otherwise. The Top Agent Magazine

Zach volunteers many hours of his time to school based activities for his children. Attending various recreational sporting events with his family has also kept him pretty active in his community. When he isn’t working, he loves to spend time with his family and watch sports as a fan.

In the summer, Parker, Colorado hosts a fair that is a peak attraction and loads of fun for the family. They’re looking forward to attending that for quality time with each other and to connect with other like-minded individuals. In the future Zach wants to continue to serve people and community at higher levels so that he can continue to help as many families as he can as he also advances the progression of his own family and his own career.

To learn more about Zach Otten, email zotten@kw.com, call (303) 888-6101 or visit DenverRealEstateResource.com

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Copyright Top Agent Magazine 17

7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

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1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

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If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

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5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

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client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

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Laughs!

Graham Harrop Graham Harrop Cartoons Cartoons

Putting the power of humour to work for you!

Putting the power of humour to work for you! grahamharrop.com

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Things Successful People Never Do

There always seems to be people around you who find success with ease, but trust me, that is NOT the case. Although luck can often times play a role in someone’s success, most of the time it’s due to hard work and avoiding bad habits.

The best way to find your own success is to implement some of qualities you see in people you admire into your own life. The hard work part is still up to you, but by shifting your perspective a bit, and NOT doing some of the following

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things, that success might happen a little quicker.

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DON’T JUST WING IT

Successful people plan everything. Not only do they have yearly goals, but weekly and sometimes daily ones as well. By giving your time a purpose, and a clearly defined goal, you’ll eliminate the time you spend haphazardly doing things that might not be a priority. It will also make you feel less scattered, which is always a good thing.

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THEY DON’T TAKE ON MORE THAN THEY CAN ACHIEVE

Successful people take on what they can do well, and no more. That all starts with a daily ‘do to’ list. They always make sure their list is manageable and then they don’t sleep until that list is completed. If you find yourself not finishing your list, assess whether it was too much or if you slacked off. You’ll be surprised at the feeling of accomplishment you feel when you finish your list. Not finishing will bring you down, so make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

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THEY DON’T WORK HARDER, THEY WORK SMARTER

Yes, having a strong work ethic is key, but that doesn’t mean you should waste time on things that will have less of an impact on your success. Focus on the things that will give you the most bang for your buck. Better to spend the majority of your time there, than spread yourself thin on numerous tasks.

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THEY DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE

This might seem like a bad call in business, but successful people know when to cut your loses and move forward. Anything or anyone, that frustration into your life, is never a good thing.

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REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES

Similar to not trying to please everyone, successful people are also diligent about accepting when something isn’t working Top Agent Magazine

and moving on from mistakes. Yes, you learn from them, but don’t repeat them. Part of being innovative is trying new things, that will keep you fresh and energized, but learning how to let go is an equally important part of the equation.

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GO FOR THE SHORT RUN SOLUTION

Successful people are in it for the long haul and therefore thinking long term. When you have a plan for success and the patience to see it through, while you might have a slow start, you’re establishing a foundation for long term success. Going for the easy fix, usually doesn’t pay off.

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PAY ATTENTION TO THE NAYSAYERS

Lets face it, we all have people in our lives who might be a little more pessimistic than is healthy to be around. You can’t change them, all you can do is not let them drag you down into their ‘glass half full’ mentality. Have your plans and goals, be confident about them. When you’re insecure, that’s when you’re most vulnerable to those types of people.

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THEY NEVER QUIT

That doesn’t mean letting go of things that aren’t working. It means having an end goal.

Whatever obstacles or challenges come up, you take them on, always with that end goal in sight. Successful people know that adversity and overcoming those challenges, is how you grow, and will ultimately make you a better business person.

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