MICHIGAN 5-2-22

MICHIGAN EDITION

UNCOMMON CONTACT:

CONNECTING WITH CLIENTELE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURED AGENTS

BRUCE GREEN CATEIA “TEIA” JOHNSON ROB CONAT

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QUALITIES OF EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES

COVER STORY

ADDING VALUE TO LISTINGS & THE ADVANTAGE OF IDENTIFYING NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES HOW TO GET THE BIGGEST RECHARGE OUT OF YOUR LUNCH HOUR

CAMERON BOUTROS

MICHIGAN EDITION

CATEIA “TEIA” JOHNSON BRUCE GREEN ROB CONAT

nvolved business Buyers know when care is taken in staging ’s realwith estate journey plays basketb Throughout high school and college, 7 Top Agentbegan 16 19 20 Cameron gh tech and real estate RobBoutros and professional photography, so Bruce was ona team the most physical side ted doing mortgages inleads 1999. spending helping several busimakes sure listings get the best treatment tim of 11 at Anthony Djon the real estate industryfor – the actually Luxury Real Estate art up to multi-million best presentation possible. n-house lending of for Greentree RealTaking estate h and has become constructing homes.

He had dabbled He has won numerous care in how he presents a home is an extena prominent agent ia honed her mortgage experTeia: for a while, but itsion wasn’t ashe cares for hisfor in Detroit’s northern ue approach to business in retail of how clientele.

He her suburbs. as helping get simply someone a helping people.a Bruce ding Kiyosaki’s satisfying loves posi- R the Robert groundwork for a career licensed Dad”, he got his chance home to live in. He kept having tions himself fond as the central person, helping mother-daug her clients get into the homes business in real estate memories of his times working people with with a dose of kindness, dealing g project he starting was hired a real estate with clients who may be forced to change ms.

After houses and property.

To keep a focus BOUTROS BRUCE GREEN CATEIA ROB CONAT guitar CAMERON for. The person their“TEIA” livesJOHNSON in possibly tragic situations. on giving people a place to live and Looking mpany in 2004, Teia got ct was involved in the He’s got a history of managing multipletow watch family grow businesses up, he put if Bruce and wants to use that skill set toto b looking ed asked license in could 2018 andtheir hasn’t and took real estate investment down the hammer get toup thethe next level and help other agents CONTENTS Anthony Djo ince. mpany became two, one real estate license. develop along with him.

4) HOW TO GET 17) ADDING VALUE TO CAMERON nto a brokerage. more agents sports team t BOUTROS THE BIGGEST LISTINGS & THE ADVANTAGE When ofnot canvasing new properties, Bruce busies He handles a sphere clients that started with famcamping and says, “My yopedDjon Luxury Real RECHARGE OUT OFEstate, OF IDENTIFYING a phone app called a Virtual himself with playing and songwriting as he has for m iliesHOUR and friends, but that sphere grows as the word the goal ofisr YOUR LUNCH NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES ion that was to be adopted by includthe decades. Playing worship music at different churches Real estate the Tri-County area of mouth spreads.

About 60% of his clients come yearintersome f ging his brokerage and that rollout, he and high school orchestra pits, and the occasional on closer asproject, a towar clien oomfield, referral andnethe’s blessed to excited have people 14)Real 4Bloomfield, QUALITIES 21) UNCOMMON bypass. His Estatebycareer tookTroy, radiobeen station, he’s very that a music OF EXCEPTIONAL CONTACT: CONNECTING to him and helparea. him the journey. he focused on whatand hereach wanted SeeBastards, with hisalong highgoal school has help generated isfriends, to help you getcl everly Hills, theoutand surrounding more EMPLOYEES WITH CLIENTELE accepted a job as an agent a month Spotify. He’ll keep It’sonana team absoluteover joy12,000+ to keepstreams growing and on interact open his ow been dreaming of, or he of Teia’s business comes from repeat THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA business from there. He’s still active making music even after he retires some years down the with people he knows and new clients he’s meet- Rob hopes y nty where he buting. nowof spreads line, particularly the songs have gained a home.

I that love real estate, lients, a started, sure sign the trust confiCurrently, he and works the proud field of alone, assisted somewhere hout SE Michigan.. solid fanbase in Paris, London, and New York. He’s got at the office by a transaction coordinator. ter- gets their whenHis a client o pires.

“My clients get the benefit of my Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 a crazy great life and he’s loving every secondtinuing of it. to pro is clipresently Grand Rapids, Sparta and great the experience. mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com 0the five-star reviews fromritory satisfied that one offer. The whole real estate market, especially surrounding areas east of Lake Michigan.

A lot of No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Top Agent Magazine o years and keeps in touch with his and excitement that they of mortgage explains. published byexperience,” GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top thePublications clients are Teia coming looking for riverfront propograms keepisAgent him on aFeature monthly conMagazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

Tousual subscribe or change address, send tothemselves mag@topagentmagazine.com. to the holiday notes andinquiryknow their joy.” ndition with my clients, and they they tubing can andincanoeing erty, picturing in Published in the U.S. things that keeps the those clients The area is also rich with great trails to summer. yfe the time.

I answer all their questions. I’ve fact that Bruce meetshike themand where woods to walk through in addition to the to know them as people, not just clints call me when their loan officer sends 2 Top Agent Magazine local museums. time and learn what someone’s long Looking back on how far he’s come, Cameron Boutros feels immense gratitude.

“It’s been quite an amazing experience,” he explains. Growing up in Beirut, he watched his family run multiple businesses until they were displaced during the Civil War. They moved to Canada, where his father started a new business and taught Cameron the ropes.

“I was a really shy kid, but he really pushed me and helped me realize the importance of connecting with people,” Cameron says.

“He showed me that your network is the key to success.” He accompanied his father to business meetings, and once he was old enough, Cameron opened up his own company. After running it successfully for a number of years, he sold it and sought out a more stable path in the corporate world of America. “But I realized there’s nothing like working for yourself,” he explains. Always interested in helping others and providing top notch service, he felt real estate would be the best next step.

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How to Get the Biggest Recharge

Out of Your Lunch Hour When things get busy, it’s typical to find a grab-and-go lunch and keep plugging away on the tasks at hand. While some days demand this kind of hustle, your lunch hour can be a valuable window in which to recharge and set the tone for the latter half of your day. In fact, taking a mindful break at midday can create 4

mental space for extended productivity and provide the morale boost necessary to take on a new task for the afternoon.

But how do you maximize that hourlong reprieve amidst a busy schedule?

Here are a few ideas for inspiration, no matter what your tastes or preferred habits may be.

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Taking a mindful break at midday can create mental space for extended productivity and provide the morale boost necessary to take on a new task for the afternoon.

GET MOVING Just ten minutes of light exercise can get your blood pumping and your energy renewed.

Step outside and take a brisk walk around the block, or walk to your favorite sandwich shop instead of hopping in your car. Find ways to incorporate light exercise into your lunch hour routine and you’ll not only enjoy a chance to stretch your legs and get your eyes off of screens, but you’ll also reap the health and mood benefits of endorphins. Even extended stretching or mild calisthenics can provide rejuvenating relief in short order.

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PLAY CATCH UP Sometimes catching up with an old friend or family member can brighten your day and give you a morale-boosting outlet beyond the office. During your next lunch hour, why not combine a jaunt around the block with a call to catch up with your sibling or college buddy? Shifting your focus from work and centering instead on a comforting interpersonal relationship can really boost your mood and reinforce your personal values.

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CHANGE YOUR TUNE

SOAK UP THE SUN If you’re tempted to eat your lunch at your desk while staring into the same computer screen that you’ve been working on for hours—think again. Sure, a busy schedule sometimes means making that sacrifice, but when your schedule and weather permits, try to take your lunch outside and disconnect from your office setting. Soak up the sun, feel the breeze, and lift your gaze to the horizon instead of toward your phone or computer screen. The mood-boosting benefits of time spent recharging outside are well-documented, and a change of scenery can give you the boost you need to power through your afternoon to-do list.

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Use your lunch hour to treat your senses. As you eat or get active, try queuing up your favorite music or the latest episode of your favorite podcast. If you focus on the same tasks and stimuli for too long, your brain will fatigue and your focus will erode steadily over time. Shift gears and treat your mind to some music or stimulation outside of your daily tasks. You’ll help yourself relax, recharge, and create a natural transition point for your ensuing afternoon workflow.

Your lunch hour isn’t just about being purely functional. If you want to maintain a steady rate of productivity and leave the office satisfied by the progress of your day—use your lunch hour wisely. As important as it is to nourish your body, also consider nourishing your mind. No matter what your chosen outlet may be, don’t overlook the power of a well-spent lunch hour and the positive benefits that are sure to follow.

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CAMERON BOUTROS

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Top Agent Cameron Boutros leads a team of 11 at Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate and has become a prominent agent in Detroit’s northern suburbs.

CAMERON BOUTROS 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Looking back on how far he’s come, Cameron Boutros feels immense gratitude.

“It’s been quite an amazing experience,” he explains. Growing up in Beirut, he watched his family run multiple businesses until they were displaced during the Civil War. They moved to Canada, where his father started a new business and taught Cameron the ropes.

“I was a really shy kid, but he really pushed me and helped me realize the importance of connecting with people,” Cameron says.

“He showed me that your network is the key to success.” He accompanied his father to business meetings, and once he was old enough, Cameron opened up his own company. After running it successfully for a number of years, he sold it and sought out a more stable path in the corporate world of America. “But I realized there’s nothing like working for yourself,” he explains. Always interested in helping others and providing top notch service, he felt real estate would be the best next step.

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Cameron says, “entering the Real Estate market in an unpredictable time was highly risky, after years of progress in corporate management becoming a real estate agent was not an easy choice. It was my 2nd attempt to become a realtor and once again I got promoted from Top Agent Magazine

my current position to a higher position in management. I put my license back on the shelf and I thought to myself ‘maybe next time’. I felt a high sense of irresponsibility to jeopardize my current career in pursuit of my goals. My wife Juliette was working at the bank during Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Producing between $8 to $10 million in sales volume each year, it’s clear Cameron’s clients agree.

“A lot of my clients are calling me back and referring me to their friends and family,” he says. this time, our schedules kept us busy with very little quality home time. Juliette believed in me, she believed whatever I invest myself into I would find success, her support and confidence in me pushed me towards my success. I decided to enter the real estate world with full force and fully commit, her push and support for me was the key to my success. Since that moment Juliette had quit banking and joined me at Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate as a licensed agent, we have an amazing partnership at work and at home. The workload doubled, the hours are longer, and the grind is harder yet Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

our happiness and financial freedom has never been better.”

Today Cameron leads a team of 11 at Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate and has become a prominent agent in Detroit’s northern suburbs.

Immediately upon moving to this region ten years ago, he felt right at home. “The people are so welcoming,” he says. “All the local businesses were incredibly kind to me, and those connections helped me flourish.” Cameron can’t think of a better place to settle down.

Producing between $8 to $10 million in sales Top Agent Magazine

volume each year, it’s clear his clients agree.

“A lot of my clients are calling me back and referring me to their friends and family,” he says.

Passionate about guiding them through the transaction and understanding their goals, Cameron Top Agent Magazine

provides an unparalleled real estate experience. He generates offers quickly for his sellers, marketing their listing online and through his personal network. “I recently sold a house while I was interviewing with the seller, before we had even listed it,” Cameron says. At the same time, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

he is patient with his buyers and is fully dedicated to finding them the perfect home. “Coming to this country and buying my first home, it was an amazing feeling. And I want my buyers to feel that same way.”

Cameron is a familiar face in the community as he is always looking for ways to stay involved.

He hosts Halloween parties every year and invites the neighborhood to come by. He has also coached the local girls basketball team.

During his free time, he goes to the gym and

relaxes with his family, including his wife and their daughters.

As Cameron grows, he plans to continue providing the same unmatched service. In the coming years, he wants to invest in real estate and stay open to learning new things. If he could impart any words of wisdom upon a newcomer in this field, it would be to always listen to the client.

“Be a good ear, hear everything they say and have a good understanding of what they are looking for and why. It makes a difference.”

For more about Cameron Boutros, please call 586-601-5759 or email cameron@anthonydjon.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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4 Qualities of Exceptional Employees Hiring a new employee is one of the more stressful parts of being a business owner. After all, you’re taking someone on and trusting that they’ll not only be a valuable addition to the team, but won’t do anything to hurt your business’s hard earned reputation.

Sometimes a person comes in and you click right away, and other times you might be blown away by an impressive resume. But there are things you should look for that might not be as obvious at first. Employees that have the following qualities are ones you should seek out, because they will definitely be well worth the time and energy you invest in them.

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1. They have the confidence to be innovative There’s a reason people are drawn to those who think outside the box. Not only do innovations often lead to an extremely profitable business, even when that thinking doesn’t pan out, creative thinking is something that will energize your business and will motivate more employees to start taking chances.

Innovative thinkers also usually have great leadership skills. Ironically, you want an employee who isn’t afraid to speak up to authority and is someone who knows how to bend the rules without breaking them. They know that

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the success of the team and business is what’s most important, as long as it’s done ethically and with respect for everyone involved.

2. They are constantly reviewing their past performance A good employee looks forward, but they also look back. They are always evaluating what worked and what didn’t work in past performances and then adjusting their plans going forward accordingly. If they are coming off a big win, they know how to capitalize on that by using the momentum and cementing in everyone’s minds the value that they add to the team.

If things didn’t go as planned, they assess what they can do better next time, and they don’t get bogged down in insecurity. They take responsibility and they have confidence that they won’t repeat past mistakes. They know that failure is a temporary state, and are able to learn lessons from their mistakes, that will make them a better employee going forward.

While no one wants to fail, having the confidence to try something and fail will one day let you strike gold. Someone who lets failure shut them down, leads to a dead end and will soon make them a dead weight on your team.

3. They value teamwork Even though an exceptional employee might be a rising star, they realize that success is Top Agent Magazine

not an individual endeavor, it relies strongly on who you’re working with. Exceptional employees make sure that everyone is contributing and valued for their input. They put the interests of the company above their own, and thrive in an environment where ideas and information are shared freely.

Shared success is the ultimate goal for every project. Exceptional employees have the confidence to know that even when they’re not singled out for praise, they’re an irreplaceable component of a larger machine.

4. They are self-motivated learners A key thing to remember is that while experience is a valuable commodity, intelligence and intellectual curiosity is usually something that can’t be taught. Yes, you might request employees get additional training or attend seminars, but exceptional employees will be seeking out educational opportunities constantly. Even if they don’t have a lot of money for weekend retreats, they will be getting books from the library, downloading audiobooks, and most importantly, taking advantage of one their greatest resources, YOU. Exceptional employees know that the way to stay ahead is to always be at the forefront of new technology and systems. They don’t see educating themselves as a burden, they actually enjoy it. They realize that everything they take in, will one day make them not only an exceptional employee, but an exceptional boss as well.

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BRUCE GREEN Bruce has been involved with business development in high tech and real estate for over 25 years, helping several businesses go from start up to multi-million dollar ventures. He has won numerous awards for his unique approach to business building. After reading Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, he got his chance at developing a business in real estate through a recording project he was hired to play bass and guitar for. The person funding the project was involved in the flipping houses and asked if Bruce could help him build a real estate investment company. One company became two, one of which evolved into a brokerage.

In 2013 he developed a phone app called a Virtual Personal Introduction that was to be adopted by the SBA. While managing his brokerage and that rollout, he underwent a triple bypass. His Real Estate career took a turn after that as he focused on what he wanted and loved to do. Bruce accepted a job as an agent on a team and has grown his business from there. He’s still active in Livingston County where he started, but now spreads his business throughout SE Michigan..

He’s earned over 20 five-star reviews from satisfied clients in the past two years and keeps in touch with his database. CRM programs keep him on a monthly contact rotation in addition to the usual holiday notes and giveaways. One of the things that keeps those clients coming back is the fact that Bruce meets them where they live and gets to know them as people, not just clients. He’ll take his time and learn what someone’s long term goals are, not just sit them down and hit them with a pitch. In a meeting for a million dollar property, Bruce learned exactly what the seller wanted in the long run.

He was the only agent to take the time and truly examine the homeowner’s position, which led to some soul searching, not a rambling presentation of exactly what and how he should execute a transaction. This caring touch landed over $9 million in transactions in 2021.

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Buyers know when care is taken in staging and professional photography, so Bruce makes sure listings get the best treatment for the best presentation possible. Taking care in how he presents a home is an extension of how he cares for his clientele. He simply loves helping people. Bruce positions himself as the central person, helping people with a dose of kindness, dealing with clients who may be forced to change their lives in possibly tragic situations.

He’s got a history of managing multiple businesses and wants to use that skill set to get to the next level and help other agents develop along with him.

When not canvasing new properties, Bruce busies himself with playing and songwriting as he has for decades. Playing worship music at different churches and high school orchestra pits, and the occasional internet radio station, he’s very excited that a music project, SeeBastards, with his high school friends, has generated over 12,000+ streams a month on Spotify. He’ll keep making music even after he retires some years down the line, particularly proud of the songs that have gained a solid fanbase in Paris, London, and New York. He’s got a crazy great life and he’s loving every second of it.

For more info, please call 248-345-3187, email brucegrealtor@gmail.com and visit zillow.com/profile/brucegrealtor www.

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Adding Value to Listings & the Advantage of Identifying Neighborhood Amenities Everyone knows the famous real estate phrase: location, location, location. In fact, it is hard to underestimate the pivotal role that a region can play when it comes to determining a home’s value. In today’s competitive market, the littlest things can truly add up—especially when it comes to neighborhood amenities. While most savvy agents know the figures regarding school Top Agent Magazine

district ranking and local property taxes, have you ever considered the under-the-radar amenities that drive buyers and bidding wars? To derive the highest value from a listed home, you need to paint a complete picture of the area in which you’re selling. With that guiding principle in mind, let’s consider a few modern amenities and how they add drastically to your bottom line.

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Walking a fifteen-minute radius of the area or performing a deep-dive into customer review sites or food blogs can help you identify hidden gems or local favorites.

A little can go a long way: restaurants, coffee shops, and entertainment

Know thy history: creating a narrative of the neighborhood

Everyone has a favorite take-out spot, coffee shop, or neighborhood watering hole. Identifying the key players in an area—such as restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment hotspots—will create a livable picture that prospective buyers can latch onto. Walking a fifteen-minute radius of the area or performing a deep-dive into customer review sites or food blogs can help you identify hidden gems or local favorites. While a cute coffee shop down the street may seem like a bonus instead of a foundational amenity, you never know what kind of homebuyer you might net if you include the cozy characteristics that make a house a home.

As humans, we’re drawn to narratives. Sales pitches and marketing campaigns hinge on an alluring storyline. That’s why understanding a neighborhood’s history can frame and contextualize a property to great effect. After all, buyers aren’t just drawn to sturdy foundations and bedroom counts; they like to imagine their lives unfolding inside those four walls.

Get a sense of the area’s historical timeline, architectural style, noteworthy community members, and the like. Conveying this intriguing information to buyers helps them connect more personally with a property, while understanding the holistic picture of their potential new home.

From here to there: public transportation and commuter access While this rule may not apply to all properties, considering access to public transportation is a major draw for today’s buyers. Especially amidst the more eco-conscious Millennial segment eager to buy within city limits—knowing public transportation access points and schedules can add serious value to listed properties. Also, think outside the box: do nearby thoroughfares boast dedicated bike lanes? Are there plans to expand rail lines to the area in the future? Deliver a confidant picture of the area’s public transportation access and prospective buyers will trust your expertise.

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While it is always good to cover the basics of school districts and property values, it is even more useful to expand your knowledge base and bring a warm, human element to locational knowledge. Not only will you appeal to a younger demographic of homebuyers who values this strategic information, but you will also broaden your understanding of your service area at large. Think of it this way: a neighborhood is far more than a collection of homes on a block. A neighborhood is about atmosphere, access, and a sense of community. If you authentically appeal to this guiding truth, and buyers will surely rise to the occasion.

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CATEIA “TEIA” JOHNSON Teia Johnson’s real estate journey began when she started doing mortgages in 1999.

Working on in-house lending for Greentree Mortgage, Teia honed her mortgage expertise and laid the groundwork for a career spent helping her clients get into the homes of their dreams. After starting a real estate investing company in 2004, Teia got her real estate license in 2018 and hasn’t looked back since.

With Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate, Teia serves the Tri-County area including West Bloomfield, Bloomfield, Troy, Rochester, Beverly Hills, and the surrounding area.

The majority of Teia’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, a sure sign of the trust and confidence she inspires. “My clients get the benefit of my experience in the whole real estate market, especially my 20+ years of mortgage experience,” Teia explains.

“I’m hands-on with my clients, and they know they can reach me any time. I answer all their questions. I’ve even had clients call me when their loan officer sends them documents, because they know my background in mortgages. When you’re my client, I’m going to walk you from the beginning to the end of the process.”

plays basketball and football. She also loves spending time with her 2-year-old grandson.

Real estate has become a family business for Teia: her daughter Leia Johnson, 26, is a licensed REALTOR® as well, forming a mother-daughter real estate duo.

Looking toward the future, Teia says, “I’m looking to build a team under me here at Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate and bring more agents onto the brand.” Above all, she says, “My main focus is helping my clients.

Real estate is my life, and when we take you on as a client, you become our family. My goal is to help you get into that perfect home you’ve been dreaming of, or help find the right buyer for your home. I love real estate, and the most excitement I get is when a client gets their offer accepted, or my seller gets that one great offer. There’s nothing like the enjoyment and excitement that they feel, and I love getting to share in their joy.”

Those relationships continue long after the transaction is over. “Even after you close on your home, you have my direct cell phone number,” Teia says. “All of my clients feel free to give me a call at any time, and I’m always there to help and support my clients.”

That spirit of educating and empowering clients with knowledge sets Teia apart. “In our buyer consultations, we will help you before you even start looking at homes,” Teia says. “We want to build up our clients and educate them.”

Teia likes to give back to her community, especially through her church, Prince of Peace Catholic Church in West Bloomfield. When she is not working, Teia is a dedicated “sports mom,” and her 15-year-old son Top Agent Magazine

To find out more about Teia Johnson, call 248-632-9349, visit anthonydjon.com or email soldbyteia@gmail.com www.

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ROB CONAT Throughout high school and college, Rob was on the most physical side of the real estate industry – actually constructing homes. He had dabbled in retail for a while, but it wasn’t as satisfying as helping get someone a home to live in. He kept having fond memories of his times working with houses and property. To keep a focus on giving people a place to live and watch their family grow up, he put down the hammer and took up the real estate license.

He handles a sphere of clients that started with families and friends, but that sphere grows as the word of mouth spreads. About 60% of his clients come by referral and he’s been blessed to have people reach out to him and help him along the journey.

It’s an absolute joy to keep growing and interact with people he knows and new clients he’s meeting. Currently, he works the field alone, assisted at the office by a transaction coordinator. His territory is presently Grand Rapids, Sparta and the surrounding areas east of Lake Michigan. A lot of the clients are coming looking for riverfront property, picturing themselves tubing and canoeing in the summer. The area is also rich with great trails to hike and woods to walk through in addition to the local museums.

Rob maintains his friendly disposition, treating everyone in the best manner they can be, as if they were his own family. He understands that completing a sale is not just about that one transaction.

Clients will remember just how well he took care of them. He wants to be a client’s agent for life, so that ten years down the line, when they’re looking to sell and buy again, he’s the only choice that comes to mind.

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He keeps in contact with his clientele through social media, texts, simple phone calls and old fashioned letter writing. Facebook works as a marketing tool, as well, with sponsored ads easily getting new listings out to the targeted marketplace. Social media leads to interactions, where Rob can connect with clients, learn their stories and what they like to do to find the best place they can do it.

Volunteering as a coach for his kid’s sports team takes a lot of his time, as does hiking, camping and hunting. His wife is a runner with the goal of running a race in every state, so each year some family trips work two or three steps closer toward that goal. Next, he’ll be looking to help more clients with their needs and looking to open his own branch. Within three to five years, Rob hopes you can find him running a brokerage somewhere around the Marne/Walker area, continuing to provide a friendly and easy going service experience.

For more info, call 810-730-0266 and email rob@ensleyteam.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Uncommon Contact:

Connecting with Clientele Through Social Media Social media is one of the newest and most powerful tools in an agent or mortgage professional’s arsenal. With just a few keystrokes, you can stay top-of-mind with buyers, sellers, and borrowers near and far, past and present. The key is knowing how to use these mediums to your advantage, working smarter instead of harder to keep the thread of professional relationships intact. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can maximize the pull and power of social media by shifting just a few of your ideas and practices for the better.

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Not everything has to be about business.

While your relationship with a client or fellow vendor began over the course of business, your relationship going forward doesn’t have to be limited. One of the great things about social media is that’s it’s social. Not every comment, post, or communication has to revolve around your business, its metrics, or turning a sale. In fact, you should do your best to branch out and curate a brand and online identity that’s about who you are and

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the lifestyle you’re authentically interested in living. In that vein, consider interacting with clients in an organically-driven way, encouraging them during life’s milestones, reaching out with a local event, restaurant, or news item that’s relevant to their interests or neighborhood. The goal is to be a persistent presence in their lives without feeling like a talking head. Engage as you would like to be engaged with, as a human being with interests and needs and boundaries. Keep that personal thread in mind and your dynamic will shift from past business contact to present resource.

Expand your medium.

Many Realtors are comfortable on Facebook as an interactive meeting to connect with clients, but there are several other mediums where you can connect with clients both past and present, as well as future. Particularly when courting Millennial clientele, the fastest-growing segment of the buying market, a presence on Instagram and Snapchat are key to finding new faces, demonstrating hot properties, and creating an interactive brand as an agent. Not only does this help when you’re listing a property and seeking potential buyers, but it also serves as a perusable portfolio of your work and real estate prowess. You can also use these mediums to interact with clients on an outlet they might feel most comfortable in. Liking pictures, commenting, streaming Instagram Live home tours and Stories are all ways you can build engagement by simply spreading your social media presence around. Likewise, 22

these photo and video driven mediums are popular for home design ideas, and before and after renovation pictures. When you expand from Facebook into these new platforms, you’ll already have plenty of visual content ready to be transferred and consumed by an expanded audience.

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

It’s easy enough to post a link to a new listing, or retweet a helpful article on real estate news. Creating your own organic content is a different story, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to luring engagement, ranking higher in search fields, and overall crafting an interactive presence for yourself and your business online—which is where more than 90% of homebuyers and sellers begin their process. Creating your own content can seem risky, or else like no one is listening in a digital world already crowded with information. However, original content is sure to boost personal engagement with your social media pages, guaranteed.

Instead of recycling content, consider posting a video with a Q+A theme for first-time homebuyers, or perhaps posting a live tour of a new listing will perk up your clientele surfing at home.

No matter how you decide to expand your social media presence when it comes to interacting with clients, consistency is key.

Find the ways that work best for you and stick to them, and you’ll watch your audience and business grow in tandem.

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Laughs!

Graham Harrop Graham Harrop Cartoons Cartoons

Putting the power of humour to work for you!

Putting the power of humour to work for you! grahamharrop.com

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