MASSACHUSETTS MORTGAGE EDITION
5 Fresh New Approaches to CONTENT MARKETING
3 Tips for Masterful TO-DO LISTS Get Your HEAD IN THE GAME!
COVER STORY
AUSTIN REED
MASSACHUSETTS MORTGAGE EDITION
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AUSTIN REED
CONTENTS 4) 5 FRESH NEW APPROACHES TO CONTENT MARKETING 13) GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!
18) ATTITUDE! 22) 3 TIPS FOR MASTERFUL TO-DO LISTS
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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:
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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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AUSTIN REED Top Agent Magazine
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“My team and I have success with REALTORS® because we take excellent care of everyone, whether they’re a first-time home buyer with very little money or a high-net worth client.”
Personality and a passion for performance led Austin Reed to the world of home loans while working in sports performance training after college. “One of my private clients was an SVP at a mortgage company and we got to talking about my background, which included a private college in Pennsylvania and a year in London doing finance work.” That contact immediately appreciated Austin’s skill for helping people and his affinity for closing a deal. After some time learning the industry in a partnership development role, Austin began originating loans in 2012. Now a Senior Loan Officer and a President’s Club member with Guaranteed Rate, Austin is known for his even-keel, knowledgeable approach and for breaking down the mortgage process so everyone understand exactly what 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine
needs to happen and when. With Guaranteed Rate, he originates loans all over the country, but focuses on the Greater Boston Metro area plus Western Massachusetts and New England. “I’ve also gained a referral base of people who have moved across the country or bought second homes and investment properties.” Now in his sixth year originating loans, and a Top 1% producer nationwide (as ranked by Mortgage Executive Magazine), the vast majority of Austin’s business comes by way of close referral relationships with REALTORS® and financial planners. In addition, Austin’s past clients eagerly recommend him to coworkers, friends and family seeking purchase loans. “The key is good service,” says Austin. “My team and I have success with REALTORS® because we take excellent care of everyone, whether they’re a first-time home buyer with very little money in the bank or a high-net worth client Top Agent Magazine
buying a $3 million home,” he says. “Everyone gets treated the same.” He makes a point of educating each borrower on various mortgage products before helping them choose and integrate a loan into their long- and short-term financial and investment goals. Having entered mortgages at a time when interest rates were low and most loan officers Top Agent Magazine
could churn out refinances without having to chase business, Austin took a decidedly different path. “I got out there and built relationships with referral sources for prospective buyers,” he says. As a result, his business has remained purchase driven. It’s not easy for a newcomer to prove himself in a well-established market. “But I also differentiated myself by developing my own specific sysCopyright Top Agent Magazine 9
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tems, outside any company I’ve worked for, to keep everyone on all sides of the transaction fully informed.” One measure of his effective communication is the lower number of incoming emails he receives. “People can always ask questions, but because we send regular updates throughout each step, everyone is so well informed that they often don’t need to.” Austin’s downtown Boston location further contributes to his team’s success. “The real estate community here is tight, between REALTORS®, mortgage professionals and attorneys. Staying in front of them and being relevant is important.” Austin hosts several annual appreciation parties for his network, but not just the usual happy-hour style events. “I give them something of value. They’re going to have a good time, but they’ll also leave with a tool to help them build their business over the coming months.” Austin enjoys getting to know people and forming relationships through ongoing interaction with borrowers and his referral network. He also stays active in the community, sharing his passion for sports as a life-structuring force. In addition to coaching youth soccer and CrossFit, he works with families to help young people balance school, sports and other activities. As a former high school, college, and semi- professional athlete, Austin can demonstrate what they can achieve in a few years’ time with the right structure. An educational mindset also drives Austin’s plans for the future. He is currently Top Agent Magazine
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in a hiring phase with plans for continued expansion. Improvement and growth, he says, require a person to always be both learning and teaching. “Everyone should always have both a mentor and a protégé.” Teaching requires understand-
ing, he says. “And in explaining things to others, you gain new perspectives.” Austin, therefore, is providing much more than mortgages; he is delivering trusted perspectives, peace of mind and confidence.
To learn more about Austin Reed, visit rate.com/austinreed, email austin.reed@rate.com http://www.justingrable.com or call 617.236.1555 www.
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Get Your Head in the Game! By Barry Eisen
Can you think of any top athlete in any sport who is inconsistent in prepara tion, has little focus, has no defined game plan, and has low confidence and self-esteem? If you can, you’re not thinking of a top athlete, you’re thinking of a wanna-be poser. There are lots of gifted and talented people in sports, but the world doesn’t care as much about the talent unless it shows up, demonstrates focus, shows a dedicated plan of action and acts like success is the natural by product of all the previous preparation. The same scenario is true about successful entrepreneurs. You’d be hard pressed to think of a winner who wasn’t prepared, focused, strategized and confident. Top Agent Magazine
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The stories about Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Lionel Messi, Amanda Beard, and thousands of other sports greats share many When you hear negative basic success principles. Think of the Captains of Commerce in your business and chances are the success principles are much the same.
messages in your mind... take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words.
I’ve been privileged to have worked with some of the very best in sport and business over many years and this is some of what I’ve learned from them. 5 ideas for stepping up your game.
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Preparation is what creates confidence. Don’t work on confidence. Practice more. Whether it’s practicing getting out of the starting blocks quickly in the 100 meter dash, efficient flip turns in the pool, chipping onto the green from 30 yards away or rehearsing business presentation scripts, introducing yourself while knocking on doors, or closing assertively after a strong presentation...you can’t get around practice/preparation. Check out “the 10,000 Hour Rule,” in Gladwell’s, Outliers. Ya gotta do the work! Mental practice in a relaxed state of mind (self-hypnosis) can speed up the success process from 2-5 times. Read almost any autobiography of a successful athlete or business personality and recognize this common trait; almost all successful people saw and savored the end result in their quiet, meditative states first.
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The quality of Self-Talk is a big reason for the separation between superstars and the herd that follows. It’s easy to be positive and use positive words when things are going great and your attitude is up. One way of getting and keeping an “up” attitude is to silently tell yourself what the outcome of the next event will be...where the ball will land, your time for the 100 butterfly, the height of the high jump you’ll clear, the room you’ll mesmerize with your speech, the powerful listing presentation you’ll 14
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give today, etc. The result of negative self-talk (self fulfilling prophesy) is obvious...poor posture, unfocused, procrastination, fear. Self sabotage! When you hear negative messages in your mind...take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words. This will get easier and more automatic with practice and so will your successes. (If you don’t achieve what you set out for...it doesn’t matter...keep doing this.) The difference in how the ultimately successful get to where they are and where everyone one else gets, is how soon you pull the plug and quit. Raise your game by staying in it. As you shift your mind your game will improve/your business will improve.
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Visualize the self-talk. Pictures make more and deeper neurological impressions. A picture IS worth a thousand words. The greats in every sport played the game, walked the course, saw the 100 mph fastball come in, saw the touch at the pool’s wall, broke the beam at the finish line well before their bodies were involved. Your actions are based on your thoughts. Don’t be random. Choose successful pictures that move you forward.
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Feel the satisfaction of success for just a moment. How would it feel hitting that perfect dive, making the 20 foot putt, running your personal best in a 10k, nailing that listing presentation, passing that test? Allowing the neurotransmitter dopamine to flash through the pleasure centers of your brain, reinforces the positive goal towhich you are moving. We do things to maximize pleasure or to minimize discomfort. As you associate the task or goal with a positive feeling, you’ll approach the task/ goal with a more open, “CAN DO,” attitude. It’s attitude not aptitude that usually matters more. Like a pep talk before a game, like a supportive hand on a child’s shoulder before a test in school, like a smile from a prospect that says, “I’m open to what you have to say,” feel good about what you’re here to do. You’ll make changes, not because you need to or want to, but because it feels good. Take the kicking and screaming out of your life to experience a more centered and focused energy.
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Relax before you compete/take care of that piece of business. Some use music, some meditate, some create physical rituals (eat a certain food, do push ups, clap hands, stretch, a couple of breathes (and a whole lot of other crazy things you’ve seen. It ain’t crazy if it works.) Create a small ritual that focuses you in the last moment before the event/business presentation/prospecting/public speaking... Some sport psychology is about emotional, social and or physical issues, more to be addressed by qualified coaches, counselors or therapists, trained to deal with psychological baggage and physical scars. Some business leaders sit in with therapists and coaches to sort out individual blocks. But after all the analysis is said and done, the smart ones go back to the basics. See the ball, hit the ball. Copyright©, 2016 Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.
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 16
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Attitude! By Verl Workman
My father was a former Marine and I learned as a small child that there is no such thing as an ex- Marine! He used to wake us up early in the morning by yelling “Reveille� and all seven of us children would march up the stairs to have a family breakfast together. As a high 18
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school history teacher, Dad was big on education and drove home the importance of being good in school and paying attention. One year he had a group of students from his AP (advanced placement) classes compete in a nationwide model United Nations project where the students would deal with world issues. His class from Skyline High School in Utah won the national award in Washington DC where they competed and received that great honor. Dad was very proud of his students and their accomplishment. He talked about that award for years. I suggested to my dad one time that he was lucky because he had all the smart kids from his AP classes and could pick the smartest students in the school to compete. He looked me in the eye and raised his left eyebrow and said this “Son, I work with some of the smartest kids, but I choose to work with the kids who have the best attitudes.” He went on to say that “it doesn’t matter how smart you are if you don’t have a good attitude”. That conversation made a deep impression on me and has been one of my favorite memories of my father. In this challenging real estate market many agents find themselves faced with some difficult choices—but the most important choice we can make today is to keep a positive attitude and take action when others are simply whining and looking for excuses for failure. There are enormous opportunities today in every market. The business out there may not be your favorite type of business and it may not be the most fun, but if you have the right attitude, you can not only make money, you can thrive today. Here are a few simple things you can do each day to keep moving in the right direction: • GET up • Get showered and dress for success Top Agent Magazine
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• Get into a productive work environment • Prospect 2-3 hours every day • Work your most profitable business (your database) • Look for real buyers and generate buyer leads from every source possible (buyers are paychecks) • Surround yourself with positive people that are goal focused and happy Hire a coach that can give you direction and guidance and hold you accountable to do the right things in your business We are blessed to live in this country where we can work for ourselves and enjoy all of the freedoms that make this such a wonderful place to live. We have our families, health, and skills that allow us to help people and we get paid very well for the service we provide. And we have technology and resources that allow us to do our jobs better. It is now up to each one of us to get going, stay positive and keep our attitudes in check. The first time I visited my Dad’s classroom I saw the sign above his desk that simply said this “Attitude is more important than Aptitude.” To this day, I believe that simple quote has made a great impact on my life and career. I love what I do! Verl Workman is a leading national speaker, coach and consultant. Despite his busy speaking schedule, and role as co-founder of Pinnacle Quest Consulting Group, he still sells real estate so that he can test and stay abreast of the latest tools and techniques that maximize results. He uses that knowledge to assist individuals and companies in building effective business strategies, implementing powerful technology solutions, and establishing strategic competitive advantages through coaching, seminars and private consultations. To contact Verl visit www.verlworkman.com. ©Verl Workman. All rights reserved. 20
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3 Tips For Masterful To-Do Lists by Rob Flitton
Here are three masterful tips to easyto-prepare and easy-to-perform todo lists. 1-Important v. Urgent. Always prepare your lists based on what is important, not what is urgent. Why? Let’s define our terms. “Important” in this context is about what matters to you. “Urgent” in this context is about what matters to others. People have a tendency to not only assemble their lists based on the needs of other people, they get derailed by interruptions and distractions from the pressing needs of others—they get on phone calls, discussions, text-threads, or emailexchanges that take away their focus.
The corollary tricks here are to (i) negotiate for time and space in advance, and (ii) learn to say “no.” Since you want to focus on what’s important and not on what’s urgent, it causes you much less friction to negotiate ahead of time with those who matter to you for the time and space you need to be able to focus. This keeps you from worrying about family matters when at work, and work matters when enjoying your family or leisure time. When we are afraid in life to politely say “no” to the wrong thing, we makes ourselves unavailable to say “yes” to the right things. Those who appreciate and understand you will cooperate—those who do not will simply have to adjust.
2-Obey The Crow. Sometimes these urgency-intruders There should never be more than 7 can be close to you and hard to say items on your to-do list. No one no to—your spouse, boss, children, can concentrate on too many things at once. customers, or strangers.
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To be able to focus, a person needs to be able to discern which activities or ideas are most important to him at that moment, and at any given moment a person is only able to hold, focus on, or visualize perhaps somewhere between 4 and 7. This limitation was understood from an experiment observing a flock of crows gathered in a clearing. When various groups of men would cross the clearing and then enter the nearby woods, the crows would flee to the 22
treetops only to return when the full number of men could be accounted for—i.e., when they felt safe. If one man went in and then came back they would return to the clearing. If three men went into the woods and only two returned, they wouldn’t. If five men went into the woods and only four returned, they felt safe to return to the clearing. This means that the crows could only hold 3 or 4 units of the men in their focus. Top Agent Magazine
Focusing on where the money comes from strips away all of the non-essentials. For humans, the same is true but may be slightly higher. Look at a forest—you can perceive and focus on and count about 6 or 7 trees at one time, but you can never focus on or count an entire forest.
being the most important, and 1 dollar sign being the least important—like movie, book or restaurant ratings. At the end of the to-do list period— whether it is a daily, weekly, monthly or annual list—you need not have completed every item, but you need to have entirely completed or accomplished the 4- and 5-star items. You would rather fully complete three 5star items than partially complete all seven items on your list.
The powerful piece of knowledge here is that by using unit economy— by limiting your ideas and activities into manageable groups—you can greatly overcome these limitations and leverage your means to tackle more and more work. By breaking lists down into groups of 4 to 7 Money is a measuring stick for how units, you can accomplish hundreds, effective you are at conducting your if not thousands, of important jobs business—it is really the only objective means of measuring your and tasks annually. effectiveness. Yes, there are plenty of non-monetary goals and outcomes 3-Dollar Signs. The matter of deciding what should we all want to achieve, but I assert be at the top of your list should that being profitable matters the come down to the money. Money is most, and your to-do lists need to best barometer of what you should establish the mental attitude required spend your time on. Bookkeeping is to achieve maximum profitability. an important task in business, but Focusing on where the money comes closing sales is significantly more from strips away all of the nonimportant—no sales adds up to no essentials. need for bookkeeping. Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate MarAssign everything on your to do list a number of dollar signs, 5 dollar signs Top Agent Magazine
keting specialist helping independent agents to increase their income. Email Rob robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ text him at 206-612-2314.
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