FLORIDA EDITION
Thinking of Listing? NINE WAYS TO GET READY Top 4 Ways to Juice Up Your OPEN HOUSE STRATEGY
7 Deadly Sins of PERSONAL BRANDING 5 LIFE LESSONS for Real Estate Pros from the 'Architect' of the Beatles
FEATURED AGENTS
CLAYTON BONJEAN SEAN FRANK COVER STORY
JAMES A. CLARK
FLORIDA EDITION
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JAMES A. CLARK
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CLAYTON BONJEAN
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SEAN FRANK
CONTENTS 4) 5 LIFE LESSONS FOR REAL ESTATE PROS FROM THE 'ARCHITECT' OF THE BEATLES 13) TOP 4 WAYS TO JUICE UP YOUR OPEN HOUSE STRATEGY
18) 7 DEADLY SINS OF PERSONAL BRANDING 22) THINKING OF LISTING? NINE WAYS TO GET READY
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5 Life Lessons for Real Estate Pros from the ‘Architect’ of the Beatles By Carla Cross, CRB, MA What in the world do the Beatles have to do with real estate pros success? A lot, I think. We’ve all heard of Paul, George, Ringo, and John—but, does the name “George Martin” ring a bell? Maybe. Martin was the record producer who discovered and molded the Beatles, adding his classical musical background to the Beatles’ creativity to produce the Beatles’ unique and ever evolving sounds. 4
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As a musician myself, I’ve always marveled at how the Beatles put classical musical aspects into their rock ‘n roll. Well, guess what? They didn’t do it by themselves—they melded their How are talents with Martin. George Martin just died at age 90, and many articles are being written about his you keeping collaboration with the Beatles. As I read these your business articles, I was thinking, “These life and performance fresh and lessons are absolutely applicable to us real estate professionals.” So, here are five life and performance exciting? lessons we can learn from their association:
• Keep improving your team until you are working with the best.
Martin urged Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein to replace drummer Pete Best with Ringo Starr, who he felt was a better drummer. Is your team the strongest it can be? Who’s holding you back? Who’s hindering your best performance? Who do you need to replace? I know, as an emsemble musician, you never play any better than your worst player!
• Start every listing, buyer and training presentation with an attention-getting ‘hook’.
Starting with the ‘hook’: Martin suggested Paul McCartney replace the first verse of Can’t Buy Me Love with the ‘can’t buy me love’ intro. That’s the hook, and we never forget it, do we? Do your listing/buyer and training presentations start with something attention-getting, or do you ‘ease into’ your presentation with banal comments like ‘I’ll keep this short’ or ‘we’ve got a lot to cover’. Stop being banal and get creative with your opening (we practice this in my Instructor Development Workshop and I teach this in The Ultimate Real Estate Trainer’s Guide).
• Take your presentation apart and rebuild it with new elements.
You know the great ballad Yesterday (see, you’re humming it in your head!). But, did you know McCartney originally sang it with just acoustic guitar accompaniment? Martin added a string quartet, and that’s how that mellow, full, ethereal sound was created. Have you gone outside your comfort zone with your presentations? Have you gotten some coaching to polish and improve?
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• Think outside the box—for a change.
Martin took his classical music background and added Souza marches and a calliope to Sgt. Pepper’s. But, he didn’t just add them—he cut the tapes in pieces, turned them upside down, and switched the phrases to provide a somewhat chaotic, yet captivating music. Are you thinking outside the box? What have you done for the first time this year? What have you done differently? How are you keeping your business fresh and exciting?
• No one succeeds alone.
As you can see from these examples, Martin’s genius and the Beatles’ creativity resulted in something that had never been heard before—and will never be replicated again. But, what would they have been without each other? The Beatles would have been just another English rock ‘n roll group, and Martin would have been just another successful record producer. They melded their talents and were both flexible and adventuresome in trying new approaches. Who’s your partner in success? Real estate agents like to think they do it all on their own. But, studies show that virtually no one succeeds alone. Yes, someone may be the ‘front man’ (or woman), but there’s a partner behind the scenes, making everything better.
Remember to thank that partner now and then. It could be your manager, the owner, a trainer, a coach—or your family. Now, take these five life lessons to make your real estate career even more spectacular! Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cross. All rights reserved.
Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is an international speaker, writer, and coach, specializing in real estate management. Her Leadership Mastery Coaching program is unique in the industry. A National REALTOR® Educator of the Year, Carla was recently named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate. Join Carla’s Community and receive special offers and free resources. Contact Carla at 425-392-6914 or http://www.carlacross.com. 6
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JAMES A. CLARK
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JAMES A. CLARK James Clark’s entry into the real estate industry began with his family-owned company, dealing in all matters of the housing market from investment properties to property management. After a lackluster experience with a real estate agent, James astutely saw an opportunity to take the reins, and set out to earn his own license. Today, having acquired over ten years of experience and insight, James and his tightknit team spearhead their work on the straightforward principles of client care, follow-through, and innovation when it comes to selling real estate in a digital era. Based in central Florida, James and his team are not limited by geography, serving a variety of regions including Seminole and Orange counties. With a robust rate of repeat and refer8Copyright Top Agent Magazine
ral clients amounting to over 70%, James cites his personalized approach to the agent-client relationship as a major driver of his success. Taking care to iron out the many details inherent in buying or selling a home, James and his team promise red carpet treatment for all their clients. What’s more, James not only instills confidence in clients through his warmth and candor, but he also delivers quantifiable results, setting neighborhood records for highest selling price per foot. As a former law enforcement agent, James recounts his favorite aspect of his work—protecting and serving the interests of his clients, no matter their homeownership goals. “When people buy and sell homes, they’re dealing with their greatest asset. They feel vulnerable; things can go sideways,” James recounts. “We take our jobs Top Agent Magazine
“We take our jobs very seriously and work hard to deliver results, making sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible and no detail is unaccounted for.” very seriously and work hard to deliver results, making sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible and no detail is unaccounted for.” Recognizing some of the shortcomings of real estate’s traditional methodology, James takes the best of established practices and blends them with a decidedly modern approach. He went to great lengths to learn and apply the trades of web and graphic design, in addition to mastering architectural videography and Top Agent Magazine
photography. Spending thousands of hours in study, flying across the country to study under expert photographers, learning composition, shooting, and editing, James knew his aptitude in web and graphic design, along with photography, would transition vitally to the real estate world. Using those skills, James incorporates numerous multimedia techniques into his marketing efforts. From professional photography, utilizing social media, and taking advantage of the array of digital listing platforms available Copyright Top Agent Magazine9
online, James ensures that each property he’s responsible for puts its best foot forward. A twenty-first-century agent, James understands well that the modern homebuyer encounters a property first online, and he takes pains to guarantee that every listing makes the ideal digital first impression. To keep in touch with clients both past and potential, James and his team once again combine the traditional with the digital—from sending out personalized cards to commemorate birthdays and important anniversaries, to keeping his clients informed on fluctuations and trends in the market through a monthly newsletter. Putting his technological proficiency to work, James cultivates many connections online and through social media—an increasingly relevant Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10
platform for agents. Either through personalized efforts or systematic cultivation of their online presence, James and his team develop longstanding relationships with clients that not only yield repeat business, but also foster new leads along the way. Extending his spirit of service beyond the real estate industry, James and his team contribute their time and resources to Give Kids the World, a charity serving terminally ill children and providing them an unforgettable vacation. Likewise, James remains tethered to his former career as a law enforcement officer, participating in the Heroes Initiative, providing buying and selling discounts to service members across the law enforcement, firefighting, first responders, medical, and Top Agent Magazine
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military industries. When his work, community outreach efforts, and his kids’ extra-curricular activities aren’t dominating his calendar, James also enjoys traveling with his family. Grounding service at the center of all he does— on and off the clock—one of James’ goals for the future is to continue his involvement with the First Responder and Military communities of
both Orlando & Tampa. As for the rest of 2017, he has plans to further develop his multimedia marketing techniques, in addition to expanding his company’s presence across the state. With over a decade of hard-won experience under his belt and an ethos rooted in considered client care and results-driven execution, the future is sure to yield continued promise for James Clark and his team at Alton Clark Realty.
To learn more about James Clark, visit AltonClarkRealty.com, email jclark@altonclarkrealty.com or call (407) 636-4637 www.
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Top 4 Ways to Juice Up Your Open House Strategy by Rob Flitton
I go to open houses, but not just because of my profession or interest in architecture and interior design. I go to open houses to see how effective real estate agents are at selling. It has been rather eyeopening because there is very little selling going on—the average open house strategy needs work.
1.Build a Dynamic Open House Booklet After they leave, open house visitors will discard a one-page for-sale info sheet naming a home’s features. But they will keep, and possibly use, a 6 or 8 page booklet loaded with interesting items that directly solve problems for them.
Perhaps “selling” is considered an outdated skill, or that it feels socially awkward for agents to be regarded as a salesperson. But if you’re a real estate agent, you are a salesperson. At most of the open houses I go, I see money floating out the door every time a visitor leaves because of the agent’s inability or refusal to sell.
It will require some strategic thought to nail the content and design, but perhaps include: (i) descriptives about the benefits of buying the property you’re showing, and not just data, (ii) compelling reasons why they should consider working with you along with a web link to search for listings on your website, (iii) a web link telling them how to get a prompt, written estimate on the value of their home, or to find out what other homes in their neighborhood sold for, (iv) possible discounts on real estate related services—maybe a reduction in fees from your preferred lender, or a reduced home inspection price, (v) possible discounts on non real estate related items.
An open house is a lucrative opportunity to find buyer or seller clients –selling the listing itself may also be the goal, but an agent should not pass up this chance. There are 4 distinct strategies an agent can immediately employ to juice up their open houses and get awesome leads. Top Agent Magazine
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If you combine this dynamic booklet with properly trained closing language, as touched upon below, it is something the average person will either keep and use or pass along to someone they know. A well designed booklet can bring you a lot of business.
data—and they are void of interesting or problem-solving information.
2.Work The Neighborhood A few days prior to your open house, find the names and addresses (from tax records—or elsewhere) of, say, 20 homes in each direction from the Pre-internet, both open houses for open house. resale listings, and model homes for new construction, relied on strategic For the cost of postage and some collateral materials (handouts). Vis- sweat-equity, mail a postcard to these itors were ostensibly looking at sev- 80 homeowners inviting them to the eral competitors at the same time, so open house and offering something collateral materials had to have the unique and compelling—perhaps a power to bring them back to your drawing or giveaway for those willing site—a great call to action, eye- to provide their opinion on the asking catching color, identification of the price of the home (and the entry card, of course, will net you their email benefits of buying your product. address and phone number). People Yet at open houses today, I primarily are generally nosy and like to be see bland information sheets dis- validated, so asking for their opinion cussing features—the listing price, on something happening in their own the square footage, and the standard neighborhood is very appealing. 14
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And, it is best to mail them again right after the open house to talk about what happened. “From our Saturday open house, we discovered 3 qualified and eager buyers that are now looking for a home in this neighborhood—if you would like to know what your home is worth for these buyers to consider, please give me a call.”
dynamic booklet and say: “Please enjoy our open house, and am hoping you’ll do me a favor. This booklet is loaded with great information about, and if you become interested at some point in buying or selling, would you please call and give me the opportunity to earn your business? Or if you happen to know someone now who is looking now, would you kindly pass this booklet onto them?”
Also, adding on door-knocking or If they reply with a “don’t know” type flyer-hanging to your mailings boosts of answer this usually means they are your neighborhood equity even more. indeed looking but are just not ready yet to reveal this to you, so you will 3.Close and Qualify need to work to make a connection. Engage every single visitor in closing Good consultative sales connections dialogue, because every single visitor are made when you can make them feel you’re not pushy and are able to is there for a reason. directly resolve their problem. While smiling, with shoulders erect, and maintaining suitable distance, A “yes” type of response is great, but look them in the eye and offer your you should take the qualifying step of handshake while stating your full asking them if they’re working with another agent. If they are, the dyname and company—and then ask: namic booklet comes in handy again: “Are you out looking to buy a home “If for any reason your agent is today?” unavailable to show you homes, I can be reached at the phone number in There are 4 categories of answers, this booklet. Plus, it contains fantastic and any answer they provide is an resources for searching online and a opportunity to get to the marrow of discount on financing.” what they need. There are “nos”, “don’t knows,” “yeses,” and “other.” If you can’t get a sandwich, get a bite. If they are definitive about looking, If they reply with a “no” variety of and don’t have an agent, then they are answer, then you can hand them your available for you to work with and Top Agent Magazine
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here again you need the right type of closing and qualifying dialogue. The goal here is to evoke from them their home-buying goals so that you can match and narrow down to a single opportunity. It’s a mistake to present multiple listings to a buyer at once. Ask broad questions and then narrowing questions followed up by “if-then” questions. Example: “What types of functions do you want in your new home, or activities near your neighborhood?” Followed by something like, “is the number or size of bedrooms important to you?” Followed by, “so if I can show you the kind of home we just described, are you ready to go see it and possibly make an offer?”
4.Have Interactive Tech Tools Onsite It is the worst feeling to engage someone as a potential client at an open house and then have no tools available to solve their problem— don’t assume they aren’t going to want to do business right away. If you’re engaging a potential buyer, you better be able to instantly gratify their desire to see viable homes online so internet access and an easily view-able screen are necessary. They may ask you to go see other homes in-person, so you need to have a coagent available to either show them those homes, or spell you off as host while you do. You may be asked to write up an offer for them so you will need the tools and ability to create and e-sign documents.
Naturally, any objections or “nos” you receive in this process are just fan- When a potential listing client is in tastic opportunities to learn about their front of you, you need to be able to needs and earn a connected trust. show them recent comparable sales and may even be asked to list their The “other” thing they might tell you home and will need the tools and is that they’re not a buyer at all, but a ability to create and e-sign documents potential seller. Potential sellers often for taking that listing. go to open houses to find out how their home stacks up, but are you It happens sometimes—but it never aware what the number one reason happens if you’re not ready. they attend open houses is? Potential sellers go to open houses to Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate Mardirectly or indirectly interview you, a keting specialist helping independent agents to increase their income. Email Rob potential listing agent. And they hire robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ confident, prepared professionals. text him at 206-612-2314. 16
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CLAYTON BONJEAN Clayton Bonjean is grateful that when he first arrived on the Florida Panhandle 20 years ago, he took the advice of one of the area’s first developers and earned his real estate license. “I was running the family business in highend interior design.” For several years, he only did a few real estate deals here and there. But when the market turned in 2006, Clayton combined his business knowledge and marketing savvy into a real estate career that spelled success for him and hundreds of clients. While many agents were bailing out and brokerages were closing, Clayton became the broker and partner with Mainsail Realty Company. After earning his Certified Distressed Property Expert designation, much of his initial work included foreclosures and short sales. But Clayton differentiated himself through his marketing and internet expertise. “I have an MBA and a bachelor’s in marketing and had successfully managed a few companies,” he says, explaining that he drew much of his initial business from a real estate search website he developed in 2007. At the time, such a site was particularly cutting edge. “The site was optimized for short sales and foreclosures and I got several listings from banks,” he says. “I helped buyers and investors find short sales and, in the process, helped people get out of trouble with the bank.” As Broker-Owner of Mainsail Realty, based on The Emerald Coast of Florida, Clayton runs a thriving business with nine additional agents and a transaction coordinator. His website still remains one of his brokerage’s greatest distinguishing factors. “People say I have the best real estate search engine in the business,” he says; the site is at least on par with the major players. “When I built it, I knew if I did this right, I’d get a lot of calls.” He does. Now an active REALTOR® and broker for more than a decade, a large portion of Clayton’s business comes from repeat and referral business, with the remainder originating from his search site. “I built the team to
handle a lot of the new clients coming in,” he says, noting that he personally tends to repeat business and direct referrals. Buyers and sellers commend Mainsail Realty for its red-carpet treatment, which includes everything from setting up utilities to managing minutia around market readiness or moving. “We see them to the finish line,” he says. “We don’t just depend on the title company; we make sure they have everything they need.” Clayton is also “brutally honest” to the point that he is willing to lose an opportunity over honesty. Typically, however, those clients return to him when they see how his approach could have benefited them from the start. With listings, the majority of Mainsail’s marketing takes place online. After securing high-quality photography and conducting open houses – which he encourages his newer agents to run so that they can build their business – Clayton pays top dollar to position listings as high as possible. “Whether a $200,000 home or a $2 million home, I like to post at least 20, high-quality photos,” he adds. He also openly consults with sellers about pricing strategies to reduce time on the market and secure the highest possible purchase prices. Clayton understands the importance of staying active locally and contributing to community. He has donated a good deal of time in leadership roles with Rotary and coastal conservation efforts. In addition, he performs several times a month with his hall-offame band, Cadillac Willy, and with the Praise band at his church. Meanwhile, his wife and two children are his pride and joy. As he grows his business, Clayton plans to continue providing broad opportunity to the agents on his team. “I offer my agents a lot; they know they can learn more from me in one year than they would at a big agency,” he says. The same knowledge-sharing attitude applies to his client-facing real estate website. “It’s not really about me or business; it’s about the customer experience. It’s a user-friendly resource that’s local in a way the big real estate search sites can’t possibly be.”
To learn more about Clayton Bonjean, visit MainsailRealty.com, email brokerclayton@gmail.com or call 850-585-1284 www.
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and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also like activities they can start and finish. Compliants are thinkers. They’re always wondering how things work. They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy. They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logical organization of information.
7 Deadly Sins of Personal Branding
some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’ve opted for a much more affordable offering: a free DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own What is a style ‘personal Just likeothers com- as sistently dominant andbrand’? how to read well. (across all marketing platforms), pany or product branding, it’s built around a well-defined brand can elevate agent recimaging and messaging that is designed to ognition and help to establish credibility Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding create a feeling. And in the case of personal and authority. However, when executed appropriately all takehow work But because realare estate is a people branding, it influences you and wantattention. others incorrectly, the effects lackluster at best, business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the to feel about you. From your photos to other and harmful at worst. To help you better avoid living as an or broker. brandyou’ll images,make elements andagent even content, theI promise. pitfalls of personal branding, we’ve there is a lot that goes into creating your compiled a list of what we feel are the 7 unique brand.to Displayed Best of luck you! correctly and con- deadliest sins.
Copyright©, 2015 BubbaNO Mills. All rights reserved. DIFFERENTIATION Branding about being known forvicereal estate agent who expressed to us that Bubba Mills isis not co-owner and executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an in international your profession. It’s about being known she was already well branded her area. consulting coaching that performance coaching and for being and different in yourcompany profession. If specializes She stated,in“When I walk into a restaurant theallimplementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage agents were the of same, howbusiness would your in into my community, people already know Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational customers know who to choose? Lack of I’m a real estate agent.” And while that and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage differentiation is out by more far the #1 personal is a great start, it’s nowhere close to succompanies. To find about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 We love to tell the story of a cessful branding. Let’s assume I walked or branding visit us at sin. www.CorcoranCoaching.com. 18
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into that restaurant and noticed her. But I also noticed two other agents in the same restaurant. Now, who do I choose? Which
‘brand’ stands out to me? What lets me know that one of them is uniquely positioned to serve my needs?
and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also NO FOCUS like activities they can start and finish. In business, you can’t be all things to all side of your specific focus. That would be people. Many have and failed. In or- always quite difficult. It does mean over work. time Compliants are tried thinkers. They’re wondering howthat, things der to have business and brand, doneacorrectly), you approach. will do moreWhen and They wanta successful practicality, logic, fairness(ifand systematic you must define yourfacts, ideal custommore ofand the data. exact They kind ofseek business you talking toclearly thinkers give documentation accuracy. er and how you will super-serve that cus- want, and conversely, even stop doing They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, tomer. In other words, declare and develop the kind of business you don’t want. And detailed tasks and focused, logical itorganization of information. a specialty. By being does NOT that’s what a great brand is designed to mean that you stop doing all business outaccomplish.
some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’veNO opted for a much more affordable offering: a free AUTHENTICITY DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. Recognizable personal brands can be very You should be able to ‘breathe your brand’ php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own clever and memorable, but if your brand in everything that you do. This is importdominant andlast. how to read as well. isn’t ‘you’,style it won’t If you try toothers put ant not only for your customers, but perout a persona that is different from your haps most importantly for you. There is Yes, needs and wants responding ownunderstanding and the way you people, live yourlistening life, peo- to their a tremendous amount of and confidence that ple will take notice overwork time. and The attention. most comes knowing youisare who appropriately all take Butwith because realthat estate a people incredible it’s personal brands weaveAnd pro-theyou portray, that become, you have the business, simply a must. better at itandyou thehabits, better fessional and personal intoorone. inspiration, knowledge and expertise to living you’ll make asqualities an agent broker. I promise. Your brand becomes an extension of you. back it up.
Best of luck to you!
NO CONSISTENCY
You can have a2015 recognizable memocards, postcards, brochures, etc. Other peoCopyright©, Bubbaand Mills. All rights reserved.
rable brand, but if you don’t display those ple don’t see them nearly as often, so don’t branding correctly consis- viceapply or compare your own habits and Bubba Millselements is co-owner andand executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international tently across all of your marketing plat- exposure to theirs. Repetitiveness in marconsulting andyou coaching company in only performance coaching and forms, it does little good. In orderthat to specializes keting is not a good thing, it’s essenthe implementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage accomplish this taskofwell, youbusiness must step tialinto for retention. Once you determine the Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational back from your marketing and see it the overall messaging and look of your brand, and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage way others To do.find Youout seemore yourabout socialCorcoran media Consulting that look should continuecall across literally companies. & Coaching, 1-800-957-8353 every day. You see your business every marketing platform you touch. orchannels visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. Top Agent Magazine
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NO CONTENT The ultimate goal of personal branding is comfortable producing is the key to keeping to become known as an authority in your it simple. No one wants to be bogged down andchosen they niche. don’t That caremeans for sudden or lifestyle. They also withprocedure producing content. But on the flip side, that youchanges must in likedemonstrate activitiesthe they can start and finish. knowledge, expertise and/ no one knows how much you know until or experience to back up your position. you share it. Great content demonstrates your knowledge and how helps your customers Content that are best expresses youThey’re and your always Compliants thinkers. wondering things work. at the same time. In addition, it serves anbrand could be as simple as a series of They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When other purpose with search engine optimizaphotos, quotes, e-books, video shorts, etc. talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy. Choosing the type of content you’re most tion and attracting prospects online.
They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logicalNO organization of ACTION information. CALL TO
You’re spending money to market across using other people’s money’. Your call some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at multiple platforms, so why not take the to action may change with different marCorcoran Coaching, opted for more affordable offering: keting channels or purposes, buta free you opportunity to extendwe’ve an invitation fora much DIsC Just with visityou? www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. your assessment. prospects to engage It can should always, always have one. If you want people to do something, tell them a simple call be to action, such as ‘call me phpbeand you’ll guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own you’d like them to do. That’s how you first’ or more ‘contact me others for a aswhat dominant stylespecific, and how to read well. free home staging assessment’ or ‘download my e-book and learn how to invest
move prospects one step closer to becoming customers.
Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding appropriately all take work attention. But because real estate is a people NOand FOLLOW-THROUGH business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the better with hundreds of agents, folWhyyou’ll is this included in branding, living make as an agentyou or may broker.munication I promise. ask? Because your brand is your bond. It’s low-through is at the top of the list when it comes to customer complaints. You don’t your handshake. When you say you’ll do Best of luck how to you! something, can people trust you if want to be that person. Putting an incredible you don’t follow through with your prom- message and image out there isn’t enough. must live up to those standards with ise? This is often elementMills. that people Copyright©, 2015theBubba All rightsYou reserved. forget altogether. And in fact, in our com- every customer, every transaction
Bubba Mills is co-owner and executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), international ® Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder ofan BrandFace , LLC. ® consulting andMichael coaching company that specializes in performance coaching Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace partner. and the implementation of they sound systems into Real Estatedesigned Companies, Mortgage Together, focusbusiness on personal branding and marketing to help real estate ® professionals become theBubba face of their & a star in their market. BrandFace Companies and Small Businesses. Millsbusiness is a nationally recognized inspirational Real Estate Professionals is a book, speaking and and an exclusive and educationfor speaker, coach and mentor toprofessional the top real estateseries agents mortgage workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com. or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. 20
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SEAN FRANK It’s safe to say big things are happening at Mainframe Real Estate in Orlando, Florida. Owner Sean Frank has been in the real estate industry for 15 years, and wanted to start something different. “From a broker’s standpoint, most people get into the business and run the same old agent ‘mill’ that every other company has,” Sean explains. “They recruit as many people as possible, not taking into account their skills or personalities.” When Sean started Mainframe, he knew it would be all about high quality agents, technology, and service. “We are very specific about the quality of agent we bring on. That is what sets us apart in a big way. We acquire more market share with less agents.” In five short years, Mainframe Real Estate has become one of the largest boutique brokerages in Central Florida. By only hiring agents who fit with the values of the company, they have developed a strong reputation in the community. This has allowed them to grow tremendously over the years. And while the quality of their team members has undoubtedly contributed to their success, their innovation and technology has also helped them excel. “Our technology is phenomenal, we’re doing things that are wildly different than what other companies are doing at the moment,” Sean says. They understand how helpful and influential marketing efforts can be, so they have invested a lot of time into perfecting it. They have an
incredibly efficient and intuitive website, interactive Showing Simulation Tours, and back-end software for both agents and clients. “The custom technology at Mainframe Real Estate helps deliver an outcome that is reliable and predictable,” says their website. “While most real estate companies have no marketing requirements at all, we make marketing a focus, helping to exceed our customer’s expectations.” The greatest technology at Mainframe is their Automated Back End system, affectionately called ABE. While most companies use multiple, off-the-shelf software solutions that are fragmented and unable to be customized, ABE is a single software platform that Mainframe can continually improve and adapt to the needs of its clients and agents. ABE performs tasks for agents automatically, tracks commissions, manages contacts, manages documents including electronic signatures, and much more. Having an all-in-one system like ABE is unfathomable for most brokerages. As Sean looks towards the next few years, he has a few goals in mind. “We want to keep growing our market share and open more offices,” he says. But perhaps most of all, they want to continue developing their technology and introducing it to other agents around the world. “What we’re doing under the hood is remarkable. I think it’s some of the best stuff in the industry. We are creating a real estate company that agents could only dream of until now.”
For more information about Sean Frank and Mainframe Real Estate, please call 407-619-0897 or email Sean@MainframeRE.com Top Agent Magazine
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Thinking of Listing? Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home. With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved. Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time. 1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at
inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable. Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time. 2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and
extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing. 3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching
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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces. Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister. 4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a
Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.
5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up
the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings. 6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.
Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.
7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they
will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.
8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome
as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things. 9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing
touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.
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