ILLINOIS EDITION
6 Ways to GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU
MY CRYSTAL BALL: You CAN Predict You’ll Be Successful Selling Real Estate
MILLENNIAL BUYERS:
Where They Are & What to Know
FEATURED AGENT
JANE ZHANG
COVER STORY
BARBARA MONIUSZKO
mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com
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6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything 4
or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust. But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?
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Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website
When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.
Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive. Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.
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Be Responsive and Accessible
Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating. Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.
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Be Honest and Transparent
Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it. You should always act in their best interest. Top Agent Magazine
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Go the Extra Mile
If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.
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Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes
Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.
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Be Consistent
Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent. But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates
consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.
Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.
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My Crystal Ball:
You CAN Predict You’ll Be Successful Selling Real Estate ►Carla Cross, CRB, MA
You can predict if you’ll be successful in real estate. It’s not what you think, either. 6
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Grab the best business start-up plan you can find and start the plan. Find someone to coach you to the plan. What New Agents Expect From my survey of hundreds of agents under three months in the business, I found that more than 1/2 of them expected a sale the first month of the business. What does that mean? When do they have to start looking for leads? That first week in the business! Yet, how many new agents start lead generating even in the first month? How long have you been in the business? When did you start lead generating on purpose? Or, have you started? That’s why my book, Up and Running in 30 Days, now in its 6th edition, has you lead generating in week one. It’s your assurance plan you will get a sale fast and will stay in the business.
Expecting ‘Dumb Luck’ to Carry You to Success Inevitably, there is a new agent who has an Aunt Martha in his back pocket. That is, Aunt Martha wants to buy a home, and has told nephew Tommy she’ll wait until he gets his license to purchase from him. Ca-ching. Dumb luck. Tommy concludes that’s how the business goes. You just wait for someone to find you and Top Agent Magazine
sell them a home. We know that’s not the norm, though. Unfortunately, Tommy’s going to wait a long time for that next transaction! The ‘dumb luck’ approach to the business results in low results. Since the ‘dumb luck’ agent isn’t doing a business start-up plan, we have no way of predicting results, because we can’t measure businessproducing activities. We can only measure other ‘dumb luck’ agent incomes. That’s way too late to actively coach–or to terminate with purpose.
Your Manager Could be a ‘Dumb Luck’ Manager– Pardon the Expression… Dumb luck managers just look at results; sales and listings sold. So, they are not aware that agents may be failing for months. If new agents expect to make a sale in month one, how many months do you think it takes for them to get dis enheartened? 2-3? Not long. So, once new agents are mentally and emotionally out of the business, they will resist any help from managers. They’ve decided they can’t make it in the business. They’ll stay awhile, though, for ‘dumb luck’ transactions.
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Are You Lead Generating on Purpose? Are you working a specific, prioritized lead generating plan? Is it made up of prioritized lead generating activities? Does it have ratios of activities to results, so the new agent knows whether he is on track to his goals? Here are my activity ratios from Up and Running that will result in 8-12 transactions the first year in the business: • 20 contacts to get one buyer or seller lead • 8 times of putting people in the car to sell someone a home • 3 listing appointments to gain one marketable listing
• 80% of listings sell • 80% of transactions close What are the ratios in your office? Do you know? Do you know the work it takes to consistently generate the income you want to generate? Or, are you counting on ‘dumb luck’?
Best Advice to Create your Assurance Plan Grab the best business start-up plan you can find and start the plan. Find someone to coach you to the plan. Analyze your numbers frequently. You’ll stay on track AND assure your success.
https://carla-cross.com In the real estate business for over 3 decades, Carla Cross is an international speaker, trainer, and coach for real estate. She specializes in career development, business planning, leadership, and instructor development.
She’s won numerous sales and leadership awards in each area, including being named as a National Realtor Educator of the Year. A popular international speaker, Carla has spoken on leadership and training topics for 16 years at national Realtor conventions. Author of eight books on real estate sales, her wildly popular book, Up and Running in 30 Days, is used by hundreds of thousands of new agents internationally to start their careers right. 8
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BARBARA MONIUSZKO
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BARBAR A MONIU SZKO Barbara is solo agent specializing in the Chicago area and suburbs working with prestigious firm Baird & Warner. She helps with both residential and commercial sales. She is very experienced and knowledgeable in the real estate market. She received multiple awards for her outstanding work and great reviews from her clients. Barbara Moniuszko knows better than most what finding and moving into a new home feels like. Not knowing how to speak a word of English, she moved away from her home country of Poland to the United States in 1994. Shortly 10
after learning how to speak our native language, she obtained her certificate and associate degree in accounting from Triton College. Later she received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from DeVry University. Teetering between Top Agent Magazine
becoming a CPA or getting into real estate she chose real estate. There in the beginning she became involved in business brokerage and learned a lot about buying and selling. In 1998 she became involved with property management when she realized her true passion had always been real estate sales and decided to obtain her license. Today she is a solo agent specializing in the Chicago area working with the prestigious firm, Baird & Warner. She helps with both residential and commercial sales. She has mastered how to speak
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English and understands Czech, Russian, and Ukrainian, making her a huge asset to the Chicago community. Now she sells to different nationalities and loves the variety of people. Through the years Barbara’s clientele grew and currently all her clients are coming directly from referrals. She is the only Polish-speaking agent in her office and is one of the area’s most trusted and respected agents. Barbara has consistently been one of the top agents since she
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started and continuously receives accolades and awards. When asked what it is that makes her customers come back, she answers, “Number one, I am professional. I try to do my best for their interests and the best job I possibly can for them.” In fact, according to one of her many
testimonials, one customer reports, “Barbara was very knowledgeable, highly professional, and really helped us in the process of selling and buying our homes. She is very responsive and available at any time of the day. Barbara is very honest, extremely hard-working, with great
When asked what it is that makes her customers come back, Barbara answers, “Number one, I am professional. I try to do my best for their interests and the best job I possibly can for them.”
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negotiation skills, and an absolute pleasure to work with. We would highly recommend her to anyone.” As her client mentions, Barbara prides herself on always being available. She stays in touch with her clients through Facebook and the old-fashioned telephone. “If my clients have any questions after the closing, they call me,” states Barbara. “And when I have a listing available, I simply reach out to my past clients and let them know what has come on the Top Agent Magazine
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market.” It is the building of these friendships that Barbara enjoys most about her job. She loves working with people and believes she is lucky to have such great, friendly clients. During her downtime, Barbara enjoys spending time with her daughter,
gardening, time in the sun, and a bit of shopping. She is also a member of the Illinois Association of Realtors. When she looks toward what the future may bring, she simply says, “I would like to grow my business and continue making sure my clients are happy and always refer me.”
To learn more about Barbara Moniuszko, email her at: barb.moniuszko@bairdwarner.com or by phone at: 708-650-6665
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Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there Top Agent Magazine
is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials. Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about
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a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.
Where do Millennials prefer to buy? Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the
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tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.
What sort of communication do Millennials prefer? Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning
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how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know
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that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.
Are Millennials ready to buy? It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound
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financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home. Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be 18
courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone. As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.
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JANE ZHANG Trust serves as the cornerstone of thriving business relationships—a principle firmly embraced by Jane Zhang towards her real estate clientele. As a distinguished member of the esteemed Jane Lee Team at RE/MAX Top Performers in Northbrook, Illinois, Jane has forged a prosperous business founded on integrity and the profound impact of personal connections. Jane initially embarked on a corporate finance career for 14 years before transitioning to the realm of real estate. Impressively, within her second year, Jane achieved an exceptional milestone as one of top agents in the area. What lies behind her extraordinary success? Jane affirms, “Building trust and maintaining consistent communication is important. I try to be highly responsive and reply quickly to my clients’ calls and messages.” Furthermore, an integral aspect of her service revolves around guiding prospective homebuyers, particularly those venturing into the real estate market for the first time. “You need to have both comprehensive market knowledge and the patience to educate buyers. They often have lots of questions and need step-by-step guidance throughout the home buying process.” Jane emphasizes that impersonal mass mailings pale in comparison to genuine face-to-face interactions. “I approach my clients in a personalized manner, not through email blasts. I maintain contact through notes, one-on-one lunches, and casual phone conversations. These calls can extend beyond real estate matters, whether it is chatting about their children or their professional endeavors. Real friendships come out of this, and our connection remains even after the sale is done. Once people appreciate and trust me, they confidently refer me to their loved ones and acquaintances— strong relationships result in high quality referrals.” To effectively market her listings, Jane strategically leverages the power of film and open houses. “Looking at online listings through pictures can be daunting, but Top Agent Magazine
a brief video can really help buyers get a more realistic view of the house. Open houses also have a lot of value, as houses need personal viewing. A lot of the time, pictures fail to show a property’s beauty, and only an in-person visit can evoke that ‘wow’ factor.” Jane offers seemingly paradoxical advice to novices entering the real estate field: learn to say “no.” The agent-client relationship represents a mutual endeavor. Jane explains, “During my early years, I felt pressured to accept every client that came my way, thinking that a client was a client. I thought I needed to offer my services and put in lots of effort. However, as I’ve gained experience, I now interview possible clients just as they interview me. If our personalities and working styles do not align, or if I sense discomfort during our initial interactions, I choose not to take them on as clients. This approach saves a lot of time and energy in the long run.” Looking ahead, Jane eagerly anticipates elevating her business to new heights. During her leisure time, she enjoys spending time with her daughters, staying on top of fashion trends, and playing golf with her husband.
Contact Jane Zhang at 847-420-4342, email janezhanghomes@gmail.com or visit janeleehomes.com/agents/jane-zhang or zillow.com/profile/janezhanghomes https://
www.
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5 Simple Mindset Shifts That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals
Everyone knows that a positive attitude is one of the key steps to achieving success. It’s very easy to let negativity bring you down and oftentimes, people end up quitting at the first set back. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a negative person, you’re probably doing numerous things you don’t even realize are holding you back. Recognizing these negative mindsets, and then implementing simple mindset shifts, are sure to help you not only create a more positive outlook, but a more successful outcome to whatever goal you’re trying to achieve. 22
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Turn jealousy into admiration
It’s very easy to look at someone who has what you want, and feel envious, which quickly turns into criticism and excuses about why you weren’t able to get what they seemed to get with ease. This is something successful people never do. Instead, they recognize that the only thing keeping them from success is themselves. If you want what someone else has, you should look to them as a role model. What
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are they doing that you aren’t? There’s probably more to their story than you’re giving them credit for. Someone else’s success doesn’t hinder your ability to do the same, but constantly having a ‘life’s not fair’ attitude definitely will.
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Tackle the things you dread doing first
We all procrastinate to some extent. Usually it’s things we don’t want to do. But when you put something like that off, it creates a serious cloud over your whole day. Experts recommend getting those things out of the way first. Not only do get it crossed off your list, but you will feel energized by your accomplishments and tackle the day with even more force.
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Don’t make decisions based on emotion
Reaching goals, especially long term ones, can have a lot of ups and downs. The key to achieving them is to stay level-headed during setbacks, really focusing on your plan and how the setback fits into your long term vision. If you have a solid plan in place, you could be destroying months of hard work with one rash emotional decision, that is probably coming from a place of panic. When you’re feeling emotional...wait. It really is that simple. Wait it out until Top Agent Magazine
you’re back in a rational state of mind and take it from there.
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Learn to love feedback
It’s very easy to be thrown off by negative feedback or constructive criticism. No one likes it. But when it comes to achieving your goals, you need to be able to hear it, assess it and then make an unemotional decision about what it means to you and your success. In fact the business world’s most successful leaders are there because they not only take in that feedback, they actually constantly ask for it. Fresh perspectives on what you’re doing are always valuable. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to see what needs improvement. Asking a trusted peer or advisor can be instrumental in keeping the momentum on reaching your goal going.
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Replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset
You might be wondering what the difference between the two are. A fixed mindset thinks that growing intelligence or skills is impossible, while a growth mindset thinks those things can be developed. People with a growth mindset are more likely to expand beyond their comfort zone, since they really believe almost anything is possible with hard work. And if it isn’t? They’re willing to give it a try. Being willing to try and fail, is a key element to reaching even the most lofty goals.
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