ILLINOIS EDITION
THINKING OF LISTING? Nine ways to get ready
COVER STORY
COREY BRACKMANN
GOOGLE ADWORDS: How to Make Google Do the Work for You I’ll take 2 pounds of Confidence and 3 POUNDS OF SELF–ESTEEM!
ILLINOIS EDITION
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COREY BRACKMANN
CONTENTS 4) GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU
18) I’LL TAKE 2 POUNDS OF CONFIDENCE AND 3 POUNDS OF SELF– ESTEEM!
13) BEWARE THE SNIOP!
22) THINKING OF LISTING? NINE WAYS TO GET READY
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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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COREY BRACKMANN Top Agent Magazine
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In the real estate industry for nearly 15 years, Corey Brackmann serves Marengo and all of McHenry County.
COREY BRACKMANN No one knows land development, remodeling and new construction like Corey Brackmann, who’s been working with his family’s construction company for 22 years. Since Corey became a real estate agent in 2002, he’s had the best of both worlds: developing vacant land and helping people find exactly what they’re looking for.
comes from repeat and referral clients. Typically he’ll build a house or commercial building and eventually list it, and the process repeats, over and over. Clients rave about the way he goes above and beyond for them throughout the entire process, whether they’re buying or selling, noting that he has a real passion for helping his clients.
“New construction and vacant land are hard to sell unless you know what you’re doing,” Corey says. “My expertise is hard to come by. People like having someone who knows about what they’re buying.”
“Many people still think of me as just a builder,” Corey says. To combat that effect, he writes a monthly article on real estate for the Marengo-Union Times. In addition to providing great property advice, his articles help people realize that he’s actually a real estate agent.
In the real estate industry now for nearly 15 years, Corey serves Marengo, where he grew up, and all of McHenry County. “I’ve lived here forever,” he says. “My grandparents came to Marengo in 1953.” With a strong sphere of influence and unusual expertise, Corey notes that about half his business 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine
When it comes to his listings, Corey relies on a wide variety of marketing techniques, beginning with the Century 21 New Heritage support staff, whom he says are very, very good, along with the company website, Top Agent Magazine
which supplies beautiful photos and descriptions. He also uses the MLS, all the traditional websites, postcards and even phone calls. “I use my contacts, my people,” he says. “My dad has owned the construction company for 30 years, so I have a lot of personal contacts.” New clients become part of those personal contacts after their transactions have closed. Top Agent Magazine
Corey uses an email program to stay in touch, along with texts and phone calls. His newspaper articles keep his name in front of them, as well. It may seem that as a real estate agent, builder and writer, Corey has a packed schedule, but with savvy time management, he’s carved out a rewarding community and personal Copyright Top Agent Magazine 9
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“New construction and vacant land are hard to sell unless you know what you’re doing. My expertise is hard to come by.” life, too. He has sat on the Marengo Rescue Squad District Board, served as a City of Marengo Alderman, and for five years chaired the Government Affairs Committee of the Heartland Real Estate Association. As the divorced parent of young children, he enjoys doing anything with them, including coaching the Marengo Junior Tackle Top Agent Magazine
Football team, Little Indian basketball and Marengo-Union Little League. He remarried and, with his wife, is designing their new house while attending school to finish his bachelor’s degree, which he’ll earn in May. Like a spark plug, Corey is igniting the industry, generating a buzz that will push Copyright Top Agent Magazine11
him even farther ahead in real estate and land development as time goes on. As someone who’s lived in Marengo all his life, has been involved in the city and knows officials and properties, when cli-
ents need something from the city, he can help. “If I can continue to grow,” he says modestly, “I’ll probably need to hire an assistant.”
For more information about Corey Brackmann of Century 21 New Heritage, Marengo, Illinois, please visit newheritage.com, www.
call 815-482-2479 or email brackmann.corey@gmail.com 12Copyright Top Agent Magazine
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Beware the SNIOP! by Barry Eisen
Daily, Greg was growing more like I said, unfriendly, rude, eh! And excited about his upcoming, first did you see the Pope? Ha—I’ll bet all you could get was his postcard.” trip to Rome. Finishing up all the last minute Brimming with enthusiasm, Greg details, with just two days to his offered “Al, It was the best flight ever. flight, Greg headed to his barber, Al, Everyone was so accommodating. I was treated like family, and the people for a haircut. with whom I stayed showed me the Sharing his excitement with Al about sights as if I were royalty. Oh, and the upcoming trip, Greg bubbled when I got to the Vatican, not only did about staying with local people, I meet with the Pope, I had a private eating homemade, Italian food and audience. It was awesome and I’m so even having an audience with the grateful!” Pope. Al put down his scissors and started droning, “You know traveling Al, astounded to hear all this, asked is so hard these days, such a long “What did the Pope say to a nobody boring plane ride. Rome, of all places! like you?” “Well,” Greg replied, “as It’s hard to get around. They drive I bent forward to kiss his Holiness’ like crazy, the people are rude and the ring, he wanted to know one thing... streets…disgusting! The Pope? Ha! and asked me, ‘Who gave you such You’ll never get close to him.” Greg, a lousy haircut?’’ feeling a little deflated, left the shop. SNIOP After his trip, Greg popped into the barber shop. Al started digging in SNIOP is an acronym for a person immediately, “Well, didn’t I tell you who is: Susceptible to the Negative about the terrible flight? The people, Influences of Other People. Top Agent Magazine
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Greg didn’t play that role in the anecdote above, but do you? More importantly, are you willing to discover the subtleties of when you are? And most significantly, if you are, are you willing to take back responsibility for directing your own play, hearing your own song, standing up for your own dreams, living your own best life? Being a SNIOP is not about being just influenced by others. We are and we ought to be. We don’t live in a vacuum and the fastest way to create 14
success is to copy it. That means we want to not only allow influence, but to encourage ourselves to be impacted by the thinking and actions of those coaches, mentors and success models who’ve held high the bar of personal and professional excellence. The goal is to not be influenced by the negative and the limited. It’s about: 1. Bringing conscious choice as to whom we invite to impact us, and 2. Seeking direction and guidance from the best vs seeking approval and opinion of the many (or the “Any”). Top Agent Magazine
Ask yourself in what ways your world view is colored and shaped by those around you? In what ways— dig deep here, look for the subtle, do you allow yourself to be impacted by the leaders who can advance you or the negative opinions of others that can limit you? • Do you use your inner voice with an “I know that,” to stop you from hearing those who have messages that can advance you? • Do you seek approval by others when the authority should be your own inner voice? The best way to predict the future is to create it. We create it by intentional focus on our consciously chosen VISION. I’ll bet you’ll agree that driving forward while only looking in the rear view mirror is a recipe for disaster. It’s no different whether we are in the driver’s seat of our car or the driver’s seat of our daily attitudes. We GO where we LOOK, so we want to guard where we look. Why put on the glasses of those who look to their world with negative attitudes and limited expectations, when we can immediately and consistently commit to playing with those going our way? Who are the people with whom you surround yourself? Who are your Top Agent Magazine
coaches, teachers, friends, religious leaders, mentors, trainers and business associates? What do you choose to read, watch on TV, browse on the internet, and attend for entertainment? Who you watch and read are the pals with whom you’re hanging. Are you listening to: • Gossips on how to have good relationships? • The impoverished on how to make money or to invest it? • Couch potatoes on how to be healthy? • The mean-spirited about loving? • Failing students on how to study and succeed? There is an alternative and it’s a shortcut to success: 10 Points to CREATE Your BEST (and avoid being a SNIOP) 1. Surround yourself with successful supportive people in the arena of each goal. Listen well to those who listen well and hear constructive criticism. 2. Choose goals that make you stretch and grow in positive directions. 3. Model yourself in the mental, physical and emotional habits of those who are positive and successful. • Eat well, exercise with consistency. 15
It’s all rehearsal for the life you live, by choice. You become what you think about. • Make time to relax and focus on positive thoughts and solutions. • Prioritize the highest good and long term payoff. • Share more smiles and laughs. 4. Put your goals on paper and review them daily. 5. Commit yourself to do what’s right, not what’s easy. 6. Value friendships with those who have good to say about others and value friendships. 7. Read worthwhile literature by people who have excelled where you want to go. 8. Develop a wealth mentality. It’s one thing to be broke, it’s quite another to be poor. With a wealthy mentality and no money in the bank, a person is broke but not poor for the riches of possibility and the willingness to do the work to create the change. 9. Be open to the inspiration of others. Better yet, be an inspiration to others. Don’t only avoid those SNIOPS, don’t be one. 16
10. Make time daily to be still and reflect on your day. Celebrate those places where you fulfilled these steps. Celebrate your awareness of the moments when you didn’t. Re-create the negative moments when you either rained on others’ dreams or when you were a SNIOP. Imagine those scenes as if you behaved the way you’d consciously choose. Then Replay those the new way in your mind’s eye. It’s all rehearsal for the life you live, by choice. You become what you think about. Thank you for investing this time with me. And thank you for passing this to others who may benefit. Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 Top Agent Magazine
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I’ll Take 2 Pounds of Confidence and 3 Pounds of Self-Esteem! By Barry Eisen
At least a few times per month I get emails and/or calls asking me to help develop confidence and a positive self-esteem. When you’re hot you’re hot and when you’re not, you’re not. Life has its ups and downs and occasionally everyone feels like they’ve run out of gas and nothing they seem to do works. When you’re in a slump the world can look overwhelming and against you. The more you think about you’re victimhood, the more out of control you feel.What you focus upon becomes larger. Confidence, positive self-esteem...these are just words and something experienced many moons ago. Talk it out with your spouse? Sure. See a therapist? Maybe. Get a coach? Good idea. Call a hypnotist...that’s where I come in, but maybe not in an obvious way. 18
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Hypnosis can be of help in so many areas such as controlling weight, memory improvement, reading faster, stopping smoking, becoming a great public speaker, prospecting and growing a business, eliminating fears, becoming a better golfer/tennis player/baseball player etc., sleeping and energy, controlling pain control in dentistry and child birthing, improving wellness, passing tests and so much more. This is not an over statement. Hypnosis is a performance enhancer because it taps into the best parts of who we are to make the changes necessary to make the changes to evolve ourselves. But “programming” ones mind for confidence and positive self-esteem is not something I’ve seen done effectively. The subconscious says, “What does that mean?” “Give me a picture, what do you want?” Read any neuroscience to know (or simply use common sense) that the subconscious needs specific direction (words, pictures and supportive feelings) for these clear messages to be acted upon. A general business plan is usually a recipe for disaster. A poor teaching plan will confuse students. Mixed general messages given to a 3 year old will produce erratic behavior. A loose navigation plan will have ships traveling in circles. Just like many people. Instead of working on confidence and positive self-esteem, does it make sense to instead, work on a solid business target of success and develop a business plan that will get you there? If you’re planning for the future, is it not a better idea to set an end result and develop strategies that will make it happen? If you’re looking for better health, doesn’t it make sense to set a target for excellence and back it up with a realistic exercise and eating approach that will insure success? The confidence and self-esteem will come along automatically. Create the goal, take action, do the work, be consistent. Your business will never grow more than you do. Your health will never get better without you stretching out beyond who you now are. Your relationships will never be more secure and supportive than you are of yourself. Your confidence and self-esteem will never grow without a reason. Top Agent Magazine
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Before you therapy or drug yourself into confidence and self-esteem, at least try (Oh! I hate that word) the 10 organic following ideas for 2-3 weeks.
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Set goals that stretch you out and force you to grow. You can’t be depressed when you’re learning something. Learning takes you out of your egocentric predicament.
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Create timelines/target dates for goal accomplishments. This establishes a sense of urgency. It puts a little “gitty up” in your step and mind.
List your actions of the day on your To-Do list and prioritize all items. Doing the A’s and crossing each off as done, will put a smile on your face and a jolt of small energy in your life. (Accomplishment feels good. Could you use some “feel good”/self-esteem?) You’ll start looking forward
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to these little positive jolts and do what is necessary to have them. If I was talking cocaine...that would be a bad thing, but since I’m talking non drug human motivation...that would be a good thing.
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If you’re just feeling flat for no obvious reason, take on an interest/ hobby/project that’s been on your mind in the past. Learning stimulates blood flow to different parts of the brain and increases endorphin flow. (E.g. Calligraphy, sailing, martial arts, reading sci-fi, etc.)
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Follow through like your hair’s on fire. Show yourself what you CAN DO! Create some appropriate reward for the accomplishment. Balance your life with goals in physical, financial, emotional, educational, family, social and spiritual areas. Sometimes more is better. Purposely smile more, laugh easier, hold eye contact a little more (obviously, not in a creepy way) and present a stronger posture.
Learn to relax to slow down, put things in perspective, ask yourself how you feel and how you’re doing 2 or 3 times during your day. Don’t let the day rule you. Be present. Pay attention.
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Act “AS IF” you were already doing things with confidence, making decisions with authority and living the life you want to live. You become what you think about. Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300
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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. Top Agent Magazine
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