LOS ANGELES EDITION
5 Fresh New Approaches to CONTENT MARKETING GOOGLE ADWORDS: How to Make Google Do the Work for You
FEATURED AGENT
ELIZABETH PURO COVER STORY
SABRINA ZAMEL
CREATIVE MEDITATION for the Real Estate Professional THINGS I HAVE LEARNED at the Gym
COMPLETE RETROFITTING AND WATER CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE (PER SENATE BILL NO. 407)
LGS was founded in 1987 to assist Realtors in meeting mandatory requirements prior to the close of escrow. As the list of requirements grew, so did we! LGS has been committed to providing the professional service necessary to successfully meet our customer's needs. One hundred percent customer satisfaction is not only our goal, but it is our mantra. R etrofitting Inspections and Noncompliant Plumbing Disclosures n Los Angeles DWP Certificate of Compliance n Seismic Earthquake Valves n Low Flush Toilets n Water Heater Straps n Smoke Detectors n Carbon Monoxide Detectors n Window Glazing n
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LOS ANGELES EDITION
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SABRINA ZAMEL
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ELIZABETH PURO
CONTENTS 4) SABRINA 5 FRESH NEW APPROACHES ZAMEL TO CONTENT MARKETING
16) GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU
14) CREATIVE MEDITATION FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL
20) THINGS I HAVE LEARNED AT THE GYM
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5 Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing A couple of weeks ago we were conducting a workshop when we were asked two excellent questions about content marketing:
• People
don’t want to hear from a roofing company every day. So how do you produce fresh and interesting content for social media that goes beyond your core services and yet ties back to your business?
• Can
you extend your social media presence and content to include personal things (like your hobbies) and how does that affect your overall business image?
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The workshop attendee who asked the first question was right. Almost no one wants to hear from any company every day… especially if all the content is about products and services…and yes, even if they’re giving helpful tips and information. Does that mean you should stop producing excellent daily content related to your business? No, of course not! Content is created for two reasons. First, to provide knowledge, expertise and even entertainment to your ideal customers in order to achieve top of mind awareness as an authority in your industry. And second, to produce SEO-rich results that keep you at the top of search engines. You must strike a
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balance between the two, and try to include content that draws people in by being super interesting and entertaining….and yes, sometimes personal. To help answer those content questions above, here are five different types of content (beyond the traditional stuff) that can give your brand a fresh, unique and balanced approach:
1. PHILANTHROPIC Your community efforts say a lot about who you are, and people will make an extra effort to do business with you as a result of this connection. We’ve consulted business owners who are very hesitant to promote these efforts because they don’t want it to seem as though they are exploiting the charities and organizations—and most especially because they don’t do it for the promotional aspects. They do it to give back. I ask you to keep this in mind. Nonprofit and charitable organizations very often have small marketing budgets. Not only do they rely on outside marketing forces to promote their initiatives, they would likely be forced to close their doors without that support. That means that when someone with a strong brand and presence promotes them, it’s a highly trusted and personal connection, and you can’t buy that kind of support. In other words, they not only need you to promote them, they want you to promote them. But your instincts are correct. It’s not about you. So just make sure your entire content focuses on the organization you’re helping, what they do for the community and how Top Agent Magazine
others can join in the cause. Then it becomes a huge win for all.
2. HOBBIES You bungee jumped from four of the tallest bridges in the U.S. In your spare time, you go fly fishing. You love playing chef and use only locally grown, organic foods. Your friends are always begging you to go to Vegas with your card shark talents. You’ve done mission work in Africa and would like to start your own group. You almost played professional baseball. You have an insane talent for gardening design or bass guitar. Your family works at a soup kitchen once a month. Ok…you get the picture. And two more words. Reality TV. People are interesting…and people are interested in interesting people. We remember others based on these unique traits. And most of all, people love the story behind the face. Don’t be afraid to share your hobbies. Quite often, it’s the first thing that will personally connect you to a prospect.
3. CREATIVE CONNECTION This one is perhaps our favorite. While we can’t imagine seeing something come across our news feed from a landscaping company every day, imagine this for a moment. What are we always told to remember in this hectic world? Stop and smell the roses, right? So what if…a landscaping company posted a beautiful flower each day, just to remind you to ‘stop and smell the roses’. And at the bottom of that photo (small print), you included
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the type of flower and type of environment needed to make it flourish (moist soil, full sun, etc.). And then, of course, watermarked it with your logo….and a title like, “Sam’s Daily Reminder: It’s Time to Stop & Smell the Roses”. You could even include some great, thought-provoking quotes. It has the personal connection (Sam), the business connection (flowers & logo watermark) and a cool creative connector (pause the meetings and paperwork to take a moment and appreciate life by noticing this beautiful flower). This is a great idea for staying ‘top of mind’ and connecting business with the kind of creative messaging people wouldn’t mind seeing every day.
4. EXPERIENCES This one is similar to hobbies from the personal aspect, but instead of something that identifies us like our hobbies, our experiences are random happenings that can have great interest and meaning to our audience. Whether you have a unique experience buying a new car or a fateful conversation with a stranger in the airport, if you feel it ties into a life lesson or business lesson you’d like to share, by all means do. The lesson is to keep your radar up 24/7. Any experiences you have which relate to your
ideal customer are an opportunity to connect beyond the business world. And when we do that, we become a part of the family.
5. INFLUENCERS “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. You’ve probably heard that saying, and the same is true whether you are a teenager or a business owner. Maybe you’ve learned a lot of your business knowledge from Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet…or you like to quote Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps you have some mentors you’d like to recognize and tell why they’re important to you. Sharing the people and things that influence us is what makes us human. No matter how successful your business, you didn’t get there alone. People and circumstances shaped you along the way. Recognizing others for their contribution in our lives, large or small, is important in staying connected and grounded. We hope these five types of content help you to put a fresh spin on what you share with your audience, whether personal or professional. We believe you must have the combination of both to build an incredible brand.
Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com. 6
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SABRINA ZAMEL Top Agent Magazine
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Selling primarily in Los Angeles’ West Side, Sabrina Zamel of MD Properties in Beverly Hills has cultivated a reputation for being both dependable and intimately involved with each and every client transaction. premier boutique agencies through her commitment to top-notch, unparalleled customer service. Sabrina became president and owner of MD Properties at a young age. Raised in Beverly Hills, Sabrina attended Whittier College and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science before committing to selling real estate full-time.
With fifteen years of experience under her belt, Top Agent Sabrina Zamel of MD Properties in Beverly Hills represents the cream of the crop in this incredibly competitive, high-end luxury real estate market. Obtaining her agent’s license at the tender age of 19, (and her broker’s license at 24) Sabrina took over her father’s company and made it her own, transforming it into one of the city’s 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine
Selling primarily in Los Angeles’ West Side, Sabrina has cultivated a reputation for being both dependable and intimately involved with each and every client transaction, from beginning until closing. With a business based almost entirely on referrals from satisfied clients, Sabrina has cemented her reputation as a realtor who values her clients not as transactions, but as relationships that transcend the financial aspects of a deal. “I don’t just make sales to make sales,” says Sabrina. “I think it’s really important to build a rapport with each Top Agent Magazine
client. I would never get my clients into anything that I wouldn’t want to buy for myself. My clients come first in everything.” Sabrina and her team of four agents at MD Properties believe in offering clients a onestop-shopping experience, and to that end she makes it a priority to hand-hold her clients throughout the sometimes emotionally demanding transaction process. “My clients want to work with me, not with an assistant,” she says. This personal attention has resulted in a level of client loyalty that is rarely seen in an industry that can often be a bit impersonal. “We have an understanding,” says Sabrina of her clientele. “They respect me and my time, and I respect theirs. We’re often Top Agent Magazine
dealing with situations where there’s a lot of pressure involved. When people are buying multi-million dollar homes, they will sometimes call me late at night and I always make it a point to pick up the phone and try to soothe their nerves.” Going above and beyond to demonstrate appreciation for her clients is another reason Sabrina is as respected and appreciated as she is. One example is the extensive gift baskets she puts together for clients who have just moved into their new home. Wine, wine glasses, and even bathrobes are examples of client gifts she has given to make the first night in their new home memorable. “I want it to be pleasant for them when they move in. And I love that I got to be Copyright Top Agent Magazine 9
“I don’t just make sales to make sales. I would never get my clients into anything that I wouldn’t want to buy for myself.” a part of the whole process; to be a part of those memories. It’s incredibly rewarding.” Philanthropy and community involvement is of paramount importance to Sabrina, and she works closely with several charities, including City of Hope. She is also politically active, and has been involved with fundraisers for the school her children attend. “There’s more to life than 10Copyright Top Agent Magazine
making money,” she says. “I don’t want to be remembered for success only in business. Making money is important, but it’s more important that I be a role model for my children.” If you’re searching for a realtor who truly understands not only the market, but the human side of the transaction, look no further than Sabrina Zamel and MD Properties. Top Agent Magazine
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For more information about SABRINA ZAMEL, please call 310-383-3206 or email Sabrina@MDPropertiesLA.com
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Gail Hershowitz is proud to congratulate
Sabrina Zamel
on being featured for the state of California in Top Agent Magazine!
Gail Hershowitz | Senior Escrow Officer & Branch Manager 9440 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 310, Beverly Hills, CA. 90210 P. (310) 402-5555 ext. 2025 | E-Fax. (310) 424-4042
escrowofthewest.com
www.
Team Members: Rhianna Pruitt, Junior Escrow Officer | Joy Santiago, Escrow Assistant Top Agent Magazine
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Creative Meditation
for the Real Estate Professional The real estate world can be an industry of intense emotional and psychological pressure. Deadlines, meetings, employee needs, client needs and a hundred other items on which one needs to focus on a daily basis can create an environment that is not only not conducive to mental well-being, but can be outright detrimental. Learning to quiet the mind has been the focus of meditation for millennia. While those not familiar with the concept of meditation may instinctively think of yoga mats, incense, and chanting when the word “meditation” arises, there are in fact, many forms of meditation that can integrate quite 14
easily into the daily hustle & bustle world of the busy real estate agent. First, think about when you are alone each day. Here are some possible times to practice mediation during the work day: • When driving to the office in the morning • When driving to a showing or to meet a client • Before your open house begins • After the open house • Driving home in the evening Top Agent Magazine
Repeating a mantra can be very calming, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts. These are just five examples of times when you can take advantage of meditation techniques to quiet your mind and, by extension, increase productivity. A calm mind is a more thoughtful, better tuned instrument. Here are some examples of meditations you can try.
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For when you’re driving, download and listen to any number of audio Guided Meditations available on the internet. YouTube has a generous selection of these, many of which are geared towards success in business.
2 Repeating a mantra can be very calm-
ing, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts. It doesn’t matter what words you choose, as long as you feel good about your choice. “I am a success” or “I will approach all of my clients with love today” are two examples. Whatever works for you and gets you into the desired mindset.
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3 Something as simple as listening to pleasant music in your car can be considered meditation, provided it brings you to a place of comfort as opposed to one of spiritual discordance.
4 The most important thing, however, is to take time to find gratitude in everything you do. Count your blessings, be grateful the exciting career in real estate you have built for yourself.
Once you’ve mastered some of these techniques at quieting your mind, you can attempt to find some that work even better for you. Walking, plain silence, or even exercise can have meditative qualities and benefits if practiced on a regular basis. When you’re truly feeling calm, your clients can sense this. And with this comes the feeling that you can be relied upon to stay focused and calm in any unforeseen circumstances. And in the world of real estate, that’s a highly prized commodity. 15
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. 16
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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. 18
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Things I Have Learned at the Gym by Barry Eisen
Within the macrocosm of life there are pockets of microcosms that reflect the bigger picture. Sometimes the bigger picture gets a little too fuzzy or ambiguous to grasp or be motivated by or to learn from. What we can learn from a moment’s contemplation of some of the more familiar areas of our lives can have value in figuring out the bigger picture.
with a positive anticipation allows the memory to work better and to perform at higher levels.
Gym: When someone is using a mirror for focus or to see their posture, have the courtesy to not walk in between them and the mirror and break the train of thought. Life: Like some of you, I have been a “gym When someone in the office is “on a rat” my entire life. Going to the gym roll” or a friend has created a great at least five days per week whether relationship, be supportive or at I’m in L.A. or out of town is simply least get out of the way and shut up. what I do. Here are some observations I’ve made. Even if you don’t exercise Gym: (What?!), see if these work for you: Use a towel to clean the bench after you have left your sweat on it. It’s Gym: your responsibility. Mental Preparation—Have a better Life: attitude before you begin and you will When you make a mistake, apologize. have a better workout. Endorphins It’s the right thing to do. make the miles go faster and the weights lighter. Gym: Life: Re-rack your weights when you are Mental Preparation—Going into a done with them. Don’t leave your selling presentation or a college test mess for someone else. 20
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Life: When you make a mess, clean it up. Why should someone else have to see or deal with it? It’s your job. Gym: Neuroscientists have discovered that when you focus on the muscle being used, there is an increase of 20%+ more circulation going to that muscle to grow and tone it. Life: When you stay on task (focus on that activity being done—not multitask) you get more done efficiently and need to apologize less. Gym: Keep the loud grunting sounds to a minimum. Life: Keep the loud grunting sounds to a minimum. Top Agent Magazine
Gym: Spot the person who asks for help. That doesn’t mean lift the weight for them. It means let them exert themselves to their maximum and add your vocal and physical support to allow them to grow. Life: Show the way if you know it, but let the discovery, wonder and growth be experienced by the other-for everyone’s sake. Gym: Read the body language of the other person. Get a sense of whether he or she is moving quickly and is time constrained and less conversation would be appropriate. Be attentive to the whole picture. Life: Read the body language of the other 21
“Pay your dues and get your money’s worth.” person. Because more communication is non-verbal than spoken, add your senses and instincts to see, hear and feel an experience or encounter. This is not to say make assumptions, but rather, to prompt you to ask a clarifying question if you find a difference between the words you hear and the message you feel. Gym: At the time you are experiencing the greatest muscle exhaustion, you are gaining the greatest results. Stay with it a little longer. You’ll lift and do more, easier, the next time. Life: When you’re frustrated and feel you are at the end of your patience or abilities, stick with it a little longer, look “outside the box” for other options. That’s where the greatest lifeskills are grown. You’ll handle things more easily without feeling the stress the next time. Gym: Vary your workout routine every 4-6 weeks by using barbells, dumbbells and machines to keep up mental interest and to develop greater 22
strength by stimulating muscles from different angles. Set goals of accomplishment. Life: Plan to periodically learn something new, go someplace interesting or set goals that are bigger than your present abilities to create an interesting life and to force your own personal growth. Take a risk once in a while. Interesting people do interesting things and are generally more fun to be around. Gym: Pay your dues and get your money’s worth. Life: Show up, pay attention, take positive action every time. Gym: Take a shower! Life: Take a shower! 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
ELIZABETH PURO Elizabeth Puro got her start in the industry by happenstance, at the suggestion of a few wise friends. After a major life transition and with three kids to consider, Elizabeth decided to dive full-time into the real estate business, determined to make a living while keeping service to others and to her community at the forefront. Elizabeth established a thriving career beginning over twenty years ago in the luxury market of Los Angeles, primarily serving the Westside. Working solo, Elizabeth’s primary focus is on crafting forthright personal relationships with her clients. Nearly all of her business has come through a referral network. “Los Angeles is a big city, but it can feel like a small town,” she reflects. “I enjoy meeting new people, and establishing common ground with them. Building relationships is what this business is really all about.” With that in mind, Elizabeth ensures that the agent-client dynamic she builds is one defined by clear communication, patience, and steadfast guidance throughout the transactional process. What’s more, her integrity and acute attention to detail inspire confidence in her clients. They know that they are in the hands of a capable and seasoned agent. Perhaps Elizabeth’s professional ethos is best summed up in her own words: “I am their advocate and I provide clients with the wisdom and knowledge I have gained from many years of experience.” Elizabeth’s marketing strategy is as considered as her approach to client work. Making use of her office’s multifaceted marketing capabilities, Elizabeth’s clients benefit from a twofold system that blends traditional and digital publicity. Not only does Elizabeth employ print marketing— featuring custom brochure work and ads—but she also makes use of digital and social media, including exposure to online listing platforms. Providing full-spectrum
coverage to her clients, Elizabeth incorporates cross-marketing techniques, capitalizing on Teles Properties various offices in order to mine potential buyers and increase market exposure. She also integrates professional photography and staging for each of her listings, astutely recognizing that modern buyers typically first encounter a home online. All told, Elizabeth’s myriad marketing efforts guarantee that each property she is responsible for makes a memorable first impression. To keep in touch with clients both past and potential, Elizabeth favors a similar blend of traditional and twenty-first century techniques. Whether reaching out by phone, through mailers, or simply meeting a client-turned-friend for lunch or dinner, Elizabeth’s 95% rate of repeat and referral clients is a testament to the lasting bonds she has nurtured amongst those she has served. Likewise, her extensive time in the industry and amenable personality ensure lasting connections with fellow agents across the city—making for smoother transactions on the agent-to-agent level. As an active member of her community and the world, Elizabeth contributes to fundraising efforts at a variety of local causes, including many years of support to Crossroads School, and Roosevelt Elementary in her hometown of Santa Monica. In her free hours, she is an avid swimmer and walker, in addition to being an aficionado on Russian modern art at the turn of the twentieth century—a passion that has led her on travels around the world. Looking ahead, Elizabeth fosters ambitions to continue the growth of her business, with plans to increase her community involvements, all while maintaining the high caliber service her decades of clients have come to expect. Today, Elizabeth Puro has earned over twenty years of collected knowledge and keen insight, all the better to serve her clients and continue a covetable legacy, with many more years of promise assuredly still to come.
To learn more about Elizabeth Puro, e-mail Elizabeth.Puro@telesproperties.com or call (310) 418-5427 Top Agent Magazine
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