Nationwide Mortgage 4-16-17 by Top Agent Magazine

NATIONWIDE MORTGAGE EDITION

LINDA AYRES

SAMMY ILIOPOULOS

5 Things You Can Do to ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS Are Your PRESENTATION SKILLS Costing You Money

BLAINE ROLSTAD

LESLIE VELAZQUEZ

How To Send SMARTER EMAILS 7 Deadly Sins of PERSONAL BRANDING?

NATIONWIDE MORTGAGE EDITION

LESLIE VELAZQUEZ

LINDA AYRES

SAMMY ILIOPOULOS

BLAINE ROLSTAD

CONTENTS 4) HOW TO SEND SMARTER EMAILS 8) 7 DEADLY SINS OF PERSONAL BRANDING

12) 5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS

15) ARE YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS COSTING YOU MONEY? 19) BEWARE THE SNIOP!

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How To Send

SMARTER EMAILS

Email is a great tool for agents to use when trying to stay in touch with their past clients, as well as for reaching out to prospective clients. However, used incorrectly it can make your attempts to reach out seem like spam. The secret to using email effectively is making sure that everything you send out does one thing: ensure that you remain relevant to your contacts. To do this you have to get personal. Personalization will go far to ensure that your contacts are actually clicking on your emails. This means that if you do reply on an automated drip email campaign to build business, you need to customize your content so that it delivers something meaningful to each individual recipient. Here are some steps that will help you do exactly that:

1. SEND A WELCOME EMAIL TO

NEW CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS Rather than simply add new contacts to your automated email drip campaign, make sure to send each new contact receives a warm welcome as well. Sending a welcome email along with adding new contacts to your drip campaign is proven to be 86 percent more effective at catching your contactâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention. Let them know they are welcome and that you appreciate their interest. 4

2. NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

THROUGH YOUR EMAIL To let your potential client know that you are thinking about them by sending them useful content that relates to the process of buying or selling a house. Some great topics include credit score information, ways to save money, regular market updates, what buying in your market is like, information about the neighborhood, tips on how they can prepare their home for sale, and other relevant information. A great way to

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add to these emails’ punch is to time them so that they coincide with what that individual is going through and dealing with at that time on their path through the buying or selling process.

3. CELEBRATE IMPORTANT DATES

Everyone loves to be noticed and appreciated. Schedule emails to go to each client that celebrate their purchase anniversary or birthday. Make sure you include a personal note and your own wishes that the year ahead goes well for them. If you’ve been a bit out of touch with your contacts, you might want to send them a friendly hello.

MOBILE-FRIENDLY EMAILS With our phones being akin to mini computers, most people read their emails on their phone these days. So, it is particularly important to make sure that your emails are rendering well on the smaller screens. If you want to make any kind of impact, you have to run a mobile-friendly email campaign in today’s world. You are going to lose a lot of your audience if they can’t read your email on their phones.

TRACK THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR EMAILS AND ALTER ACCORDINGLY The best way to make sure your emails are being read and making the kind of impact you desire is to consistently monitor the analytics,

and see what your readers are actually clicking on and what elements are most popular with your contacts. Going forward you can alter different elements of your email campaign such as content, images, graphics, and even smaller elements like your subject line to draw in more clicks from your readers, and cater to what grabs their attention. You also want to follow a targeted email strategy. The best way to do this is segment your email list based on the data from your CRM and the demographics of your contacts. Different clients are going to be interested in different content. Long-time clients looking to buy a second home or possibly downsize are going to be interested in completely different content than your first-time buyers. A good way to filter your contacts is by looking at which ones are looking to buy or sell, how far along in the process they are, as well as other important information about them.

DON’T SPAM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES You probably already know that flooding your clients’ emails is big no-no. However, different people have different ideas about what is too much contact. One great way to approach this problem is to ask your clients whether they would prefer weekly, monthly, or occasional emails from you. This way you can cater to each client’s preference.

The emails you send your clients can often be a double-edged sword when it comes to how well they work to bring in business. Following these simple rules will help your emails be as successful as they can possibly be, and will make your contacts much happier with you. So, don’t just send out emails without doing your homework about how to do it right. Your email campaigns can be a powerful tool if you know how to create and utilize them in the right manner. Top Agent Magazine

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LESLIE VELAZQUEZ When Leslie Velazquez was considering the idea of joining the real estate business, a family member introduced her to a lender he knew, who ultimately guided Leslie as she fielded her professional options. One day the lender reached out and asked Leslie if she would ever consider a career in lending, and Leslie decided to give it a chance, beginning as a loan officer’s assistant to learn the ropes. Soon enough Leslie had found a passion for her work and became a licensed loan officer in her own right, an ideal fit for her skillset serving others in their pursuit of homeownership. At the beginning of 2017, Leslie moved to American Pacific Mortgage, Corona Branch, where she now works alongside a capable and tightknit team of mortgage professionals. She offers a range of services, with specialties that include first-time homebuyers, downpayment assistance programs, education and advising, government loans, FHA, and refinancing. A native of Riverside, Leslie has an expert’s knowledge of the local housing market and primarily serves her community in addition to the surrounding region of the Inland Empire. A testament to the caliber of her client care, Leslie enjoys an impressive 85% rate of repeat and referral clients, with the majority of her referrals stemming from real estate agents. “When it comes to client service, communication is my number one priority,” Leslie explains. A decidedly twenty-first-century professional, Leslie wisely utilizes a mobile app to keep her clients in the loop throughout the transactional process. 6

The mobile app not only sends real-time check-ins to real estate agents and clients, but it also delivers updates on the status of a loan, down to the moment of approval. What’s more, Leslie also makes it a point to reach out via e-mail and phone/text, astutely recognizing that forthright communication and accessibility are essential components for a winning relationship with clients. To keep in touch with her referral partners and the real estate agents she works with, Leslie touches base weekly through phone calls and/or text, coffee or lunch dates, going the extra mile to make a faceto-face connection. She also incorporates social media as a means to stay engaged in her clients’ everyday lives, known as “Leslie the Loan Lady” to her sizable online audience. Likewise, Leslie makes personal calls on birthdays and/or on first home anniversaries, knowing that it’s her personal touch that clients remember most. One of the most cherished parts of Leslie’s job is her work with first-time homebuyers. “When I was a first-time homebuyer, I knew so little about the process,” she recounts. “I barely understood what a mortgage entailed and I didn’t have that personal connection with someone whom I could ask questions—I didn’t even know what questions to ask. I really feel for first-time homebuyers. A home is the biggest purchase of someone’s life, it’s a big deal. As a result, I have a special passion for educating first-time homebuyers and making sure they feel comfortable coming to me with any question that they have. My heart goes out to them and I’m here to make the experience go as smoothly as possible.” Leslie makes a concerted effort to advocate for first-time homebuyers as they navigate the waters of homeownership. Accordingly, she is well-versed in firsttime homebuyer programs, grants, and down-payment assistant programs that afford first-time homeowners a leg up in the lending process. Similarly, Leslie is also inspired to educate members of the Hispanic community as they navigate the home-buying process. “Sometimes native Spanish-speakers are unfamiliar with the terms and verbiage of the mortgage process,” Leslie explains. “I’m able to work with them in Spanish when Copyright Top Agent Magazine

needed, explaining the key terms in a way that makes the mortgage process more easily understood.” What’s more, Leslie is able to establish trust with her Hispanic clients, listening to their concerns and answering any questions that arise during a transaction. All in all, she regards each of her clients—no matter their background or native tongue—as she would a family member, doing her best to provide a positive, seamless mortgage experience. Positioning her spirit of service toward her local community, Leslie participates in a variety of charitable and civic engagements. “American Pacific Mortgage is more than just a Top 10 Retail Mortgage Bank,” she says. “I partnered with American Pacific Mortgage because of their long track record of giving back. I am proud to be affiliated with a company that is committed to caring for their employees, their clients and the communities where they live.” She donates a portion of her commission to her company’s APMC Cares program, which provides financial support to employees experiencing need, as well as to local charities. Leslie also attends a local church and makes donations. When she’s not working, Leslie enjoys spending time with her husband and their three-year-old son. She has a close-knit extended family as well, and they love getting together frequently for family gatherings, barbecues and just hanging out. In the future, Leslie plans to continue growing her business, backed by the persistent support she receives from American Pacific Mortgage. Combining her years of practical experience with a professional philosophy grounded by serving others, the years ahead are sure to be filled with continued promise for Leslie Velazquez. Top Agent Magazine

To find out more about Leslie Velazquez, email leslie.velazquez@apmortgage.com, call (951) 893-4484 direct, or (951) 442-3941 mobile. Visit her website at: apmortgage.com/leslievelazquez

www.

and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also like activities they can start and finish. Compliants are thinkers. They’re always wondering how things work. They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy. They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logical organization of information.

7 Deadly Sins of Personal Branding

some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’ve opted for a much more affordable offering: a free DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own What is a style ‘personal Just likeothers com- as sistently dominant andbrand’? how to read well. (across all marketing platforms), pany or product branding, it’s built around a well-defined brand can elevate agent recimaging and messaging that is designed to ognition and help to establish credibility Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding create a feeling. And in the case of personal and authority. However, when executed appropriately all takehow work But because realare estate is a people branding, it influences you and wantattention. others incorrectly, the effects lackluster at best, business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the to feel about you. From your photos to other and harmful at worst. To help you better avoid living as an or broker. brandyou’ll images,make elements andagent even content, theI promise. pitfalls of personal branding, we’ve there is a lot that goes into creating your compiled a list of what we feel are the 7 unique brand.to Displayed Best of luck you! correctly and con- deadliest sins.

Copyright©, 2015 BubbaNO Mills. All rights reserved. DIFFERENTIATION Branding about being known forvicereal estate agent who expressed to us that Bubba Mills isis not co-owner and executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an in international your profession. It’s about being known she was already well branded her area. consulting coaching that performance coaching and for being and different in yourcompany profession. If specializes She stated,in“When I walk into a restaurant theallimplementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage agents were the of same, howbusiness would your in into my community, people already know Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational customers know who to choose? Lack of I’m a real estate agent.” And while that and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage differentiation is out by more far the #1 personal is a great start, it’s nowhere close to succompanies. To find about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 We love to tell the story of a cessful branding. Let’s assume I walked or branding visit us at sin. www.CorcoranCoaching.com. 8

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into that restaurant and noticed her. But I also noticed two other agents in the same restaurant. Now, who do I choose? Which

‘brand’ stands out to me? What lets me know that one of them is uniquely positioned to serve my needs?

and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also NO FOCUS like activities they can start and finish. In business, you can’t be all things to all side of your specific focus. That would be people. Many have and failed. In or- always quite difficult. It does mean over work. time Compliants are tried thinkers. They’re wondering howthat, things der to have business and brand, doneacorrectly), you approach. will do moreWhen and They wanta successful practicality, logic, fairness(ifand systematic you must define yourfacts, ideal custommore ofand the data. exact They kind ofseek business you talking toclearly thinkers give documentation accuracy. er and how you will super-serve that cus- want, and conversely, even stop doing They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, tomer. In other words, declare and develop the kind of business you don’t want. And detailed tasks and focused, logical itorganization of information. a specialty. By being does NOT that’s what a great brand is designed to mean that you stop doing all business outaccomplish.

some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’veNO opted for a much more affordable offering: a free AUTHENTICITY DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. Recognizable personal brands can be very You should be able to ‘breathe your brand’ php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own clever and memorable, but if your brand in everything that you do. This is importdominant andlast. how to read as well. isn’t ‘you’,style it won’t If you try toothers put ant not only for your customers, but perout a persona that is different from your haps most importantly for you. There is Yes, needs and wants responding ownunderstanding and the way you people, live yourlistening life, peo- to their a tremendous amount of and confidence that ple will take notice overwork time. and The attention. most comes knowing youisare who appropriately all take Butwith because realthat estate a people incredible it’s personal brands weaveAnd pro-theyou portray, that become, you have the business, simply a must. better at itandyou thehabits, better fessional and personal intoorone. inspiration, knowledge and expertise to living you’ll make asqualities an agent broker. I promise. Your brand becomes an extension of you. back it up.

Best of luck to you!

NO CONSISTENCY

rable brand, but if you don’t display those ple don’t see them nearly as often, so don’t branding correctly consis- viceapply or compare your own habits and Bubba Millselements is co-owner andand executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international tently across all of your marketing plat- exposure to theirs. Repetitiveness in marconsulting andyou coaching company in only performance coaching and forms, it does little good. In orderthat to specializes keting is not a good thing, it’s essenthe implementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage accomplish this taskofwell, youbusiness must step tialinto for retention. Once you determine the Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational back from your marketing and see it the overall messaging and look of your brand, and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage way others To do.find Youout seemore yourabout socialCorcoran media Consulting that look should continuecall across literally companies. & Coaching, 1-800-957-8353 every day. You see your business every marketing platform you touch. orchannels visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. Top Agent Magazine

NO CONTENT The ultimate goal of personal branding is comfortable producing is the key to keeping to become known as an authority in your it simple. No one wants to be bogged down andchosen they niche. don’t That caremeans for sudden or lifestyle. They also withprocedure producing content. But on the flip side, that youchanges must in likedemonstrate activitiesthe they can start and finish. knowledge, expertise and/ no one knows how much you know until or experience to back up your position. you share it. Great content demonstrates your knowledge and how helps your customers Content that are best expresses youThey’re and your always Compliants thinkers. wondering things work. at the same time. In addition, it serves anbrand could be as simple as a series of They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When other purpose with search engine optimizaphotos, quotes, e-books, video shorts, etc. talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy. Choosing the type of content you’re most tion and attracting prospects online.

They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logicalNO organization of ACTION information. CALL TO

You’re spending money to market across using other people’s money’. Your call some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at multiple platforms, so why not take the to action may change with different marCorcoran Coaching, opted for more affordable offering: keting channels or purposes, buta free you opportunity to extendwe’ve an invitation fora much DIsC Just with visityou? www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. your assessment. prospects to engage It can should always, always have one. If you want people to do something, tell them a simple call be to action, such as ‘call me phpbeand you’ll guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own you’d like them to do. That’s how you first’ or more ‘contact me others for a aswhat dominant stylespecific, and how to read well. free home staging assessment’ or ‘download my e-book and learn how to invest

move prospects one step closer to becoming customers.

Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding appropriately all take work attention. But because real estate is a people NOand FOLLOW-THROUGH business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the better with hundreds of agents, folWhyyou’ll is this included in branding, living make as an agentyou or may broker.munication I promise. ask? Because your brand is your bond. It’s low-through is at the top of the list when it comes to customer complaints. You don’t your handshake. When you say you’ll do Best of luck how to you! something, can people trust you if want to be that person. Putting an incredible you don’t follow through with your prom- message and image out there isn’t enough. must live up to those standards with ise? This is often elementMills. that people Copyright©, 2015theBubba All rightsYou reserved. forget altogether. And in fact, in our com- every customer, every transaction

Bubba Mills is co-owner and executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), international ® Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder ofan BrandFace , LLC. ® consulting andMichael coaching company that specializes in performance coaching Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace partner. and the implementation of they sound systems into Real Estatedesigned Companies, Mortgage Together, focusbusiness on personal branding and marketing to help real estate ® professionals become theBubba face of their & a star in their market. BrandFace Companies and Small Businesses. Millsbusiness is a nationally recognized inspirational Real Estate Professionals is a book, speaking and and an exclusive and educationfor speaker, coach and mentor toprofessional the top real estateseries agents mortgage workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com. or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. 10

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LINDA AYRES Las Vegas mortgage professional and broker, Linda Ayres, is not only respected for promoting sustainable homeownership, but she is one of a select group of people who advise HUD on topics related to Americans and homeownership. In 2016, Linda was appointed to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Housing Council Federal Advisory Committee (HCFAC). Shortly after her appointment, her committee members also voted her as a co-chair. Comprised of a 12 skilled professionals – three from the mortgage sector, three from the real estate sector, three from the consumer sector and three from the housing sector – the HCFAC advises HUD on matters of home buyer education and counseling. “I often work with first-time homebuyers. If there’s a program for them, I’ll find it,” says Linda, who during her 25 years’ closing mortgages across the country has established herself as an expert in down-payment assistance programs. “I’m the queen of down-payment assistance here in Las Vegas!” she says with a laugh. But her statement is no joke. “I of course do all kinds of loans, but in my heart, first-time homebuyers and those needing down-payment assistance are special to me.” She adds that she finds various kinds of assistance programs, whether from federal or state money, to help fund down payments and closing costs for eligible borrowers. “Goldwater Bank is federally chartered, so we can write loans everywhere, but I concentrate on Nevada, and Las Vegas in Particular,” she says. A full 90% percent of Linda’s business comes from her very close alliances with a group of local REALTORS®. She feels honored to work with REALTORS® who share her values and the desire to help buyers attain both affordable and sustainable homeownership. “It’s great to work with REALTORS® who share my passion, but most importantly they know I provide great service.” Because she is fluent in Spanish, at any given time, nearly half of Linda’s clients are Spanish speaking. “It’s helpful to be able to explain things in a way that people can under-

stand. I love going above and beyond for people. Every day presents something new and I am privileged to help people achieve their version of the American Dream.” Illustrating that tenacity, Linda explains one recent scenario in which she was trying to fund a loan for a client who worked at a casino. “The casinos are notorious for not giving verbal verifications of employment,” says Linda. “After waiting two days, I finally just went down to the casino’s HR department myself.” An employee showed her to the HR department which, fittingly, was across the hall from the laundry, where her client worked. “I said, ‘I’m not leaving here until you verify this person’s employment,’ and I literally just sat there until they did what they needed to do. We finally had what we needed and we funded the loan!” Linda’s REALTOR® partners know she will get the job done well and on-time for them and their buyers. “I am persistent,” says Linda. “And because I know my business so well, I have a backup plan for every loan I submit. If something comes up, I don’t call and say, ‘We have a problem,’ I say, ‘We had a problem and here’s a solution.’” She prides herself on anticipating and solving problems before they happen. In addition to her work with HUD, Linda actively addresses local issues related to housing. “I’m a member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and I’m active with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP),” she says. “I also work very closely with our local nonprofit housing authorities and have served on their lending committees and other outreach projects.” As she continues to grow her business, Linda wants to find new ways to spread the word to the real estate community and to prospective buyers about the programs available to home buyers. “In spite of the fact that some of these programs have been around for 30 years, people still don’t know about them. It’s time to educate!”

To learn more about Linda Ayres, visit layres.mortgage-application.net, email LAyres@goldwaterbank.com or call 702.591.4460 www.

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5 Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Biggest Goals If there’s one thing successful people can agree on, it’s that setting goals has been key to their success. Whether you’re creating a five year plan or just settling on what you want to achieve by the end of the day, setting goals gives you the focus and direction you need to complete even the biggest tasks. But there is a method to setting them. It’s a process that takes careful thought and consideration up front, which is then combined with the hard work necessary to implement your plan. Luckily there are proven methods to goal setting that you can start using immediately. 1. MAKE YOUR GOALS SPECIFIC Yes, it’s fun to think in grand terms of where you want to end up in life and in your career, but it’s better to have a specific goal like “Increase my sales by 25%”, than “Get rich.” When a goal is clear and specific, it allows you to figure out the exact steps you need to take to accomplish it. The more general it is, the more paralyzed you might be when it comes to figuring out what to do since, the choices may be overwhelming. 2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one. Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those 12

little goals may have been things you wouldn’t have gotten done if you didn’t set out to achieve them, so be proud! 3. PUT A PLAN OF ACTION IN WRITING Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. There is something about seeing things in writing and crossing them off the list that is oddly satisfying.The daily goals are especially important in regards to building up those good habits. The first few weeks of your plan of action are critical when it comes to your long term success. Reaching a goal is something you are doing every day, all throughout the day, in numerous ways. Achieving goals is all about creating good new habits. 4. MAKE IT MEASURABLE This is key, since you definitely want to reward yourself for a job well done, and having a goal that is measurable in some way is a sure way to know. Maybe it’s to increase your lead generation or to cut expenses, whatever the case, have a measurable test you need to meet, as well as a time frame. Then calculate what you have to do to reach that goal. Not only should your goal be specific, but the plan and the measure of success should also be set in stone. 5. ADJUST AS YOU GO You can have all the best laid plans, and you still might quickly realize that what you thought would help you reach your goal, might not be cutting it. Commitment to reaching your goals is good, but commitment to a plan you know isn’t going to work is not only a waste of time, but will be a devastating blow to your motivation. Sticking to a plan everyday means adjusting it accordingly.

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SAMMY ILIOPOULOS Very early on, Sammy Iliopoulos knew he wanted to be in the mortgage industry. “Everyone was doing it, so I started working for a small brokerage north of Boston, and I loved it, I love working with people,” Sammy explains. He’s now been in the business for 14 years, and is licensed in states all over the east coast as well as Illinois. As a senior loan officer at Guaranteed Rate, he goes above and beyond expectations, and is continuing to grow year after year. Sammy offers a variety of loans, wanting to tailor the product to his clients’ specific needs. He has ranked among the top 1% of all mortgage originators according to Mortgage Executive Magazine, and has been a part of his company’s President’s Club every year he’s worked with them. Undoubtedly, it’s Sammy’s commitment to superior service that perpetuates his success. He wants to provide a ‘white glove’ service, guiding his clients throughout the transaction and making it as smooth as possible. “I keep them informed all the time, and make sure they’re happy,” he says. “That includes all parties involved, not just the buyers.” Sammy takes the time to understand his clients’ wants and needs. “I go through the entire rigmarole trying to figure out their long-term goals,” Sammy explains. “It impresses the person who referred me and the person who’s getting the loan.” By keeping everyone informed on the process, he ensures there are no surprises, and that every aspect is handled efficiently. This results in the nat-

ural growth of his business, as people love to spread the word about their positive experience. Clients leave glowing testimonials, appreciating his skill and commitment. One recent review read, “Sammy managed the refi on my first home. The end-to-end process was painless and efficient thanks to Sammy’s quick, comprehensive work. Sammy was 100% transparent and provided honest, straight-forward advice that was incredibly helpful to me in making a final decision. Sammy is also incredibly pleasant to work with, which is a real plus when you’re dealing with something as bureaucratic as a refi. I am extremely happy with the outcome of the refi. I plan to use Sammy for our next home purchase and would highly recommend him to others.” Another said, “We’ve used Sammy for a few home purchases throughout the years. Each situation was different and each time he worked everything out perfectly. Since then we’ve recommended him to several friends and family members. Everyone has been extremely happy and continues to do the same (recommend him)!” In addition to his work in the mortgage industry, he’s also involved with the community through the Lionheart Foundation and the local Greek community. During any free-time, he’s reading history books. As he looks towards the future, he can’t wait to branch out to different states and continue to grow. “I get satisfaction from helping people achieve the American Dream of buying their first house. That’s something you really can’t measure. I love getting cards saying ‘thank you,’ that’s what drives me.”

For more information about Sammy Iliopoulos, please call 617-532-3965 or email sammy@rate.com Top Agent Magazine

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Are Your Presentation Skills Costing You Money?

ometimes we’re so focused on technology and education that we forget this is a “people business”. And, a great deal of the money you make comes from your ‘point of contact’ skills. What do I mean by that? Lead generating dialogues and presentation dialogues. Yet, how much do we work on those verbal skills? Unfortunately, communication sales skills have gotten short shrift in the last decade. Why? I think it’s because many of us are so challenged by technological changes. But, slow down. Think about how you actually make money. It’s at point of contact. Getting better at point of contact skills translates into more money in less time.

We’re All Presenters Everyone in the real estate business presents: Agents present, when they are doing listing or buyer presentations. Managers present when they are recruiting, or doing their office meetings. Mortgage and title Top Agent Magazine

By Carla Cross

When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done. reps present when they are in front of a group of agents in an office, talking about their services. So, doesn’t it make sense to become ‘killer’ at those presentations? You’ll double your money and halve your time.

Bug Off: I Do Okay Just Like I Am Yeah. I know. As a musician, I’ve worked with literally hundreds of people who thought they ‘played good enough.’ Some people just get to a certain performance level and leave it there. Have you ever thought that, often, our presentation strategies (or lack of) work in spite of us, not because of us? As a musician, I know the thrill of performing at high levels. So, open your mind and consider

stepping up to a higher presentation level. Not only will you have personal satisfaction, you’ll make more money! Now, let’s tackle one set of presentation skills: Organizing that presentation effectively. Having heard listing presentations that wander all around the world, I know the importance of effective presentation organization.

Three Steps to Organize Your Presentation to Knock Their Socks Off Most of the time, we just get in front of people and say whatever we think of first. That leads to some big presentation mistakes, and costs us ‘sales.’ Instead of stumbling through a presentation, why not organize it to 15 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

grab their attention, persuade them to your way of thinking, and motivate them to action? You can. In my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make Your Best Presentation Ever, I show a simple three-step format to create your persuasive presentation. No matter why you’re in front of people, we need to be persuasive Think about it. When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done. So, it’s extremely important that you organize your listing presentation using a persuasive format, not just an information-heavy dialogue flow.

Grab Their Attention in the Opening Have you thought about your opening? Or, are you nervously standing at the sellers’ door, worried about what you’re going to say? Are you hiding in your office because you dread doing that sales meeting? When we haven’t organized our presentation, we come up with some really boring, off-putting openings, like: I won’t take much of your time, but... 16 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

We have a lot to cover today We won’t get through the outline I know you don’t want to listen, but... I’m not really prepared

You just open your presentation book, point to the pretty pages, and say, “here’s a keybox” (I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it….) Great openings, yes? Yet, we’ve heard them dozens of times. You don’t have to settle for whatever Top Agent Magazine

If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view. comes ‘naturally.’ Instead, make your openings: Provocative Interesting Different Engaging I just attended a ‘Train the Trainer’ session (yes, I still learn great stuff every day!), where the trainer said it was important to engage the audience in a meaningful way in the first two minutes of your presentation. I think that’s a great rule to follow today, because people’s attention spans are the length of a gnat’s eyebrow. So, the next time you attend a presentation, see how much time elapses before the speaker/presenter/trainer gets the audience into meaningful action. I don’t mean to ask a rhetorical question, either!

A Middle That Educates Your ‘Audience’ to Your Point of View In the middle of your presTop Agent Magazine

entation, add those stories, statistics, and visuals that support your point of view. By the way, as you create that presentation, jot down your point of view. If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view.

Retention is Key

Why Use Visuals?

Three days later:

There are two reasons to use visuals in your presentation:

We retain 10% of the information when we hear it

We believe what we see

We retain 65% of the information when we hear and see it

We retain the information much longer As you organize your presentation, ask yourself:

Have you ever met with sellers or buyers, given them lots of information—and then had them question you about it a few days later—as if they never heard you—or heard you backwards? That’s because people don’t hear and retain very well. Look at the statistics:

So, use visuals to prove your points, not to merely show pretty pictures of houses.

The Ending: What are the main, and fre- Back to the Beginning quently, unspoken objections my ‘audience’ will have? How do I educate them to show them the reasoning behind my point of view?

Have you thought about your wrap-up? Or, like many presenters, does your ending sound like this? 17 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Well, that’s all. What do you think?

pop tunes are constructed with this format:

We’re out of time. Thank you. I hope you’ll list with me

theme—variation—theme

I don’t have time to close. I couldn’t get to much of the material, but you can read it In fact, even the most professional presenters frequently have trouble with their endings. One of the main reasons is that they run out of time. Another is that they haven’t thought the ending through.

How to Do a Stunning Ending Crafting an effecting ending is the second most important part of your presentation. (The first is the opening). To craft a great ending, Go back to your beginning opening theme Summarize the benefits of going ahead with you/take action Motivate your ‘audience’ to take action

A Great Presentation is Crafted Like a Pop Song As a musician, I know that all 18 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

This is known in the music business as the ABA format. Think of your favorite pop tune: Hum the beginning. Think of the end. They’re alike, right? It’s the middle— known as the ‘bridge’—that is the humdinger. It wanders all around. Your persuasive presentation should be crafted like that pop tune: A. A compelling start (think Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, etc.) B. An interesting, developed middle, with stories, statistics A. Back to that theme, with a motivating ending Now, you’re all set to craft a great listing or buyer presentation, great recruiting meeting or sales meeting, or awesome product/service presentation to any audience.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, President of Carla Cross & Co., is an international speaker, coach, and resource provider specializing in real estate management. A former master level CRB instructor, and National REALTOR® Educator winner, Carla was recently named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate. For a free document on standards to establish, email Carla at Carla@carlacross. com and ask for standards document. Carla has written six internationally published books, and provides coaching programs for management, including her affordable inoffice coaching programs Up and Running in 30 Days and On Track to Success in 30 Days for Experienced Agents, which provide standards, focus, and accountability. Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carla cross.com.

P. S. Practice! Many more tips on presentations and presentation skills are in my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make your Best Presentation Ever.

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Beware the SNIOP! by Barry Eisen

Daily, Greg was growing more like I said, unfriendly, rude, eh! And excited about his upcoming, first did you see the Pope? Ha—I’ll bet all you could get was his postcard.” trip to Rome. Finishing up all the last minute Brimming with enthusiasm, Greg details, with just two days to his offered “Al, It was the best flight ever. flight, Greg headed to his barber, Al, Everyone was so accommodating. I was treated like family, and the people for a haircut. with whom I stayed showed me the Sharing his excitement with Al about sights as if I were royalty. Oh, and the upcoming trip, Greg bubbled when I got to the Vatican, not only did about staying with local people, I meet with the Pope, I had a private eating homemade, Italian food and audience. It was awesome and I’m so even having an audience with the grateful!” Pope. Al put down his scissors and started droning, “You know traveling Al, astounded to hear all this, asked is so hard these days, such a long “What did the Pope say to a nobody boring plane ride. Rome, of all places! like you?” “Well,” Greg replied, “as It’s hard to get around. They drive I bent forward to kiss his Holiness’ like crazy, the people are rude and the ring, he wanted to know one thing... streets…disgusting! The Pope? Ha! and asked me, ‘Who gave you such You’ll never get close to him.” Greg, a lousy haircut?’’ feeling a little deflated, left the shop. SNIOP After his trip, Greg popped into the barber shop. Al started digging in SNIOP is an acronym for a person immediately, “Well, didn’t I tell you who is: Susceptible to the Negative about the terrible flight? The people, Influences of Other People. Top Agent Magazine

Greg didn’t play that role in the anecdote above, but do you? More importantly, are you willing to discover the subtleties of when you are? And most significantly, if you are, are you willing to take back responsibility for directing your own play, hearing your own song, standing up for your own dreams, living your own best life? Being a SNIOP is not about being just influenced by others. We are and we ought to be. We don’t live in a vacuum and the fastest way to create 20

success is to copy it. That means we want to not only allow influence, but to encourage ourselves to be impacted by the thinking and actions of those coaches, mentors and success models who’ve held high the bar of personal and professional excellence. The goal is to not be influenced by the negative and the limited. It’s about: 1. Bringing conscious choice as to whom we invite to impact us, and 2. Seeking direction and guidance from the best vs seeking approval and opinion of the many (or the “Any”). Top Agent Magazine

Ask yourself in what ways your world view is colored and shaped by those around you? In what ways— dig deep here, look for the subtle, do you allow yourself to be impacted by the leaders who can advance you or the negative opinions of others that can limit you? • Do you use your inner voice with an “I know that,” to stop you from hearing those who have messages that can advance you? • Do you seek approval by others when the authority should be your own inner voice? The best way to predict the future is to create it. We create it by intentional focus on our consciously chosen VISION. I’ll bet you’ll agree that driving forward while only looking in the rear view mirror is a recipe for disaster. It’s no different whether we are in the driver’s seat of our car or the driver’s seat of our daily attitudes. We GO where we LOOK, so we want to guard where we look. Why put on the glasses of those who look to their world with negative attitudes and limited expectations, when we can immediately and consistently commit to playing with those going our way? Who are the people with whom you surround yourself? Who are your Top Agent Magazine

coaches, teachers, friends, religious leaders, mentors, trainers and business associates? What do you choose to read, watch on TV, browse on the internet, and attend for entertainment? Who you watch and read are the pals with whom you’re hanging. Are you listening to: • Gossips on how to have good relationships? • The impoverished on how to make money or to invest it? • Couch potatoes on how to be healthy? • The mean-spirited about loving? • Failing students on how to study and succeed? There is an alternative and it’s a shortcut to success: 10 Points to CREATE Your BEST (and avoid being a SNIOP) 1. Surround yourself with successful supportive people in the arena of each goal. Listen well to those who listen well and hear constructive criticism. 2. Choose goals that make you stretch and grow in positive directions. 3. Model yourself in the mental, physical and emotional habits of those who are positive and successful. • Eat well, exercise with consistency. 21

It’s all rehearsal for the life you live, by choice. You become what you think about. • Make time to relax and focus on positive thoughts and solutions. • Prioritize the highest good and long term payoff. • Share more smiles and laughs. 4. Put your goals on paper and review them daily. 5. Commit yourself to do what’s right, not what’s easy. 6. Value friendships with those who have good to say about others and value friendships. 7. Read worthwhile literature by people who have excelled where you want to go. 8. Develop a wealth mentality. It’s one thing to be broke, it’s quite another to be poor. With a wealthy mentality and no money in the bank, a person is broke but not poor for the riches of possibility and the willingness to do the work to create the change. 9. Be open to the inspiration of others. Better yet, be an inspiration to others. Don’t only avoid those SNIOPS, don’t be one. 22

10. Make time daily to be still and reflect on your day. Celebrate those places where you fulfilled these steps. Celebrate your awareness of the moments when you didn’t. Re-create the negative moments when you either rained on others’ dreams or when you were a SNIOP. Imagine those scenes as if you behaved the way you’d consciously choose. Then Replay those the new way in your mind’s eye. It’s all rehearsal for the life you live, by choice. You become what you think about. Thank you for investing this time with me. And thank you for passing this to others who may benefit. Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 Top Agent Magazine

BLAINE ROLSTAD After graduating with a degree in Psychology from Western Washington University, Blaine Rolstad decided to go a completely different route when he entered the world of finance in 1996. After a couple of years in the finance world, some colleagues convinced Blaine that the mortgage industry would be the perfect fit for him, and he agreed. He relocated from Yakima, Washington to Spokane, Washington in 1997 where he has built a successful mortgage business. Blaine is a loan officer as well as the branch manager of The Advisors Mortgage Company, one of the premier mortgage companies in the Western United States. The Advisors Mortgage Company is a full service mortgage company offering expertise in every area of residential lending. Blaine and his team have built their reputation on not only having the ability to customize a program to fit each client’s individual needs, but by providing constant and clear communication throughout the entire process, something that can be rare in the industry.

Blaine’s business has grown so much in the past few years, that last year he hired an additional loan officer, Whitney Konkright, to join his team. He’s truly enjoying his new role as a mentor to a talented newcomer, as they work together to form one of the most dynamic teams serving Washington state. Blaine and Whitney have been active in the community, engaging in fundraising and volunteer opportunities for local schools, afterschool programs and community events. They are also members of the Spokane Association of Realtors® as well as the Spokane Mortgage Lenders Association. In his free time, Blaine enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, and playing golf whenever he gets the chance. Blaine would like to continue to grow his team, and get out in the community more, meeting new people and continuing to build the reputation of the Blaine Rolstad Production Team as mortgage professionals you can trust. “I love what I do. Every day is different, every file is different. This business is constantly evolving and our goal is to always stay ahead of the curve.”

Blaine is one of the most respected names in the mortgage industry, a reputation he has earned by focusing on building relationships. “I think my psychology degree has really given me the ability to listen to clients and referral partners. Most of the agents I work with have been with me for 10-12years. I think that a lot of that has to do with my commitment to open, honest and constant communication. I don’t let things slide. If a problem comes up, I tell them right away, and usually have a solution ready to present to them so we can work on solving things immediately. I also have a strong record of closing on time, and in this business that is definitely key.” Blaine maintains his valuable relationships with agents and clients through coffees, lunches, dinners and client appreciation events throughout the year. Of course his expertise is a resource for his clients whenever they need it. Blaine’s personal approach to his business has accounted for a repeat and referral business rate of over 80%.

To learn more about Blaine email blaine.rolstad@theadvisorsmc.com or call 509.869.4359 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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