Top Agent Magazine New England

Establishing Yourself As A LOCAL AREA EXPERT

CONCIERGE CARE: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation EMOTIONAL FLUENCY: HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH CLIENTS WHEN TENSIONS ARE HIGH Creative Meditation for the Real Estate Professional

SILVA CHRISTOV COVER STORY

Laughs!

Concierge Care: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation

It’s a no-brainer: customer service is central to success in the real estate industry. While properties may be the product, this industry really revolves around people and the relationships you cultivate along the way. With that in mind, how would you describe the service you provide? If solid service is the baseline, then to set yourself apart you must deliver service that’s exceptional. But, how? Returning calls and displaying a friendly face won’t necessarily separate you from the pack. If you really want to take your customer service to the next level and build a reputation for white-glove, concierge-level courtesy, then keep a few of the following tips in mind as you create a professional style that’s completely bespoke.

Make your communications matter

For many agents, communication during and after a transaction are perfunctory affairs, with one-sizefits-all newsletters or promotional postcards that feel mass-produced. To really grab the attention of your clientele, you’ll want to build a recognizable brand. To accomplish this, begin by adding value to your regular communications. Clients are likely to bypass your communications if they think your only intent is to sell them something. Focus instead on creating content that’s compelling and dishes out value to your clientele. Just like a favorite blog you revisit again and again for its quality content, con-

sider your communications as an extension of your brand and identity. A few popular ideas from which clients can derive value include: local restaurant guides, tax tips for homeowners, reports on home values and the marketplace, or highlighting home décor and landscaping trends. Make your communications readable and useful, and your clients past and present will think twice before skipping past your name.

Showcase the lifestyle

Clients remember when you go the extra mile, and that additional effort distinguishes run-of-the-mill agents from high-powered professionals. Whether listing or buying, consider a property’s lifestyle. First, think about a client’s everyday experience. Where’s the best breakfast spot nearby? How’s access to public transportation or bike paths? Which outdoor recreational opportunities exist in the area? Where might your client swing by for coffee? Neighborhood guides that outline the livability of a home and its area not only boost value and highlight potential, but they also demonstrate your ability to think outside the box and connect on a personal level. After all, a home isn’t just a house; a home is all about the daily experience that unfolds within and beyond those four walls. With that in mind, do your homework and make yourself a local expert. Your clients will feel they’re in good hands and will better envision their future unfolding, all thanks to your thorough legwork.

Customize your approach to clients

As an agent, it’s only natural that you build your own daily routines and practices that keep your business running. While it’s necessary to create positive habitats that streamline your workflow, it’s also important to remain adaptable. For instance, Millennial clients may prefer to chat by text, instant

message, or email, whereas older clientele may prefer face-to-face time or connecting by phone call. Adapting your communication style is as simple as a brief discussion: ask your client how they prefer to communicate and adapt accordingly. While it may seem like a small matter, it provides clients with a sense of comfort and control. Again, the key here is communication. Talk with your clients about their preferred methodology. Maybe they prefer a marathon house-hunting trek on a weekend day, or perhaps they rather sift through listings online before making in-person visits to a narrowed list. It’s okay to encourage clients or fill them in on industry norms, but it’s important to create an experience that’s tailored to their style and personality.

Authentically seek feedback

While it may feel uncomfortable, asking for feedback during and at the end of a transaction can dramatically improve your working style and professional blind-spots. It can also help you adapt your working style to better suit your respective clients. Of course, it’s important to be open-minded and to quash the need to be defensive. Not all feedback will be useful, but you can incorporate the parts that are. This not only grows your skillset, but it also demonstrates to clients that you are open to constructive criticism and sincerely prioritize a job well done over personal praise. As a bonus, positive feedback can be parlayed into client testimonials, which are incredibly useful tools to boost your business on the whole.

It’s no secret that real estate is a busy, self-determined business. While your client care may feel all accounted for, there is always room to grow. Professionals at the top of their field know this and never stop building out their repertoire. If you want to take your business to the next level and create an imprint that’s synonymous with concierge care, then keep these ideas in mind as you build your relationships and your brand.

Establishing Yourself as a LOCAL AREA EXPERT

For real estate agents and local business professionals, carving out a reputation as a go-to local expert is invaluable.

Below are tailored strategies for real estate professionals eager to become their community’s trusted authority.

Deep Dive into Local Insights

Gain an intimate understanding of your community’s pulse—its history, cultural nuances, and what makes it tick. Keep abreast of housing trends, economic shifts, and unique local attributes that influence the market.

Hone Your Specialty

Pinpoint a market niche that aligns with your community’s specific needs. Whether it’s a focus on historic homes, luxury properties, or first-time homebuyers, specializing sets you apart.

Forge Local Connections

Immerse yourself in the community by attending events, joining local organizations, and engaging in activities that matter to your neighbors. Cultivating relationships with fellow businesses and professionals enhances your network and referral potential.

Boost Your Digital Footprint

Craft a compelling online presence with a professional website and active social media channels. Share insights on local happenings, market updates, and valuable content that positions you as the local expert.

Collaborate with Neighborhood Businesses

Partner with area businesses and groups for mutual promotion. These partnerships can broaden your visibility and reinforce your community ties.

Commit to Community Service

Demonstrate your dedication to your area through volunteering and supporting local causes. Authentic engagement with your community can significantly bolster your personal brand.

Educate Your Audience

Offer your expertise through informative content that addresses the local market’s nuances. Publishing guides, articles, or videos can make you the go-to source for real estate advice in your area.

Leverage Client Success Stories

Utilize testimonials from local clients to underscore your impact. Encouraging satisfied clients to share their experiences online can further solidify your reputation.

Engage with Local Media

Position yourself as a local real estate authority by contributing to local publications and websites. Offering insights on real estate trends or market forecasts can increase your visibility and credibility.

Maintain Cohesive Branding

Ensure your branding is consistent across all platforms. A recognizable brand identity makes you easily identifiable and strengthens your market presence.

Stay on the Pulse of Your Community

Keep informed about local developments, news, and events. Sharing your perspective on how these could affect the local real estate scene showcases your expertise and keeps you relevant.

By diligently applying these strategies, you can establish yourself as the definitive real estate authority in your local market, enhancing both your credibility and your opportunity for growth within the community.

SILVA CHRISTOV

Based on the East Coast, Top Agent Silva Christov operates as a solo agent with aspirations to develop her own team—Her motto: “I don’t compete with others! I compete with myself!!”

It all began two decades ago when Silva Christov ventured into the realm of real estate. Initially hesitant about stepping into the industry, Silva found immense value after taking the leap and commencing her career as a top-producing agent. Presently, she is based in the East Coast, specifically serving Stamford, Norwalk, Wilton, Weston, Westport, Darien, Greenwich, Fairfield, Danbury, Redding, Ridgefield, Stratford, Shelton, Trumbull, and Bridgeport in Connecticut. For her, monetary gain isn’t the primary focus; her business philosophy centers around fostering genuine client relationships.

“I run a boutique business, and this is what I pride myself on,” she explains. Silva spends at least double the time on each transaction compared to other agents, preferring to have less transactions with the highest level of service possible.

“For me, every client is a jewel who needs to be treated with the respect equivalent to what each and every one deserves. I apply the same standards of service for a rental listing and for a million dollar listing.” With her client-centric approach, Silva has cultivated a business built entirely on repeat customers and referrals. Silva has truly mastered the art of real estate through

her unwavering commitment to exceptional service, constant availability, innovative thinking, and a willingness to adapt and learn.

Having previously served as a buyer’s agent on a top-performing team, Silva now operates as a solo agent with aspirations to develop her own team. Additionally, she relies on administrative support and a dedicated marketing team to streamline her operations. Silva has invested considerable

time in studying industry trends, resulting in a profound understanding of the intricacies of the real estate world. She credits much of her growth to the invaluable resources, coaching, and learning opportunities her company, Keller Williams, provides.

Driven by a quote that embodies her integrity in business and relationships, Silva draws inspiration from the words, “Relationships can take you

Silva has earned an impressive track record, having serviced over $100 million in real estate transactions, including 15-30 properties annually and 10-15 landlord investments.

places money never can.” Her unwavering commitment to client satisfaction and personal growth sets her apart in the industry. Silva employs various cutting-edge marketing techniques, including groundbreaking software, targeted ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, engaging Reels content, professional photography, and the services of a professional cleaning team to prepare properties for listing. One of the systems to keep in touch with her clients is the Keller Williams System of a 36-Touch, a marketing tool that triggers and maintains regular

contact with the clients in her database, providing them with valuable market updates and fostering ongoing communication.

As a result of her efforts, Silva has earned an impressive track record, having serviced over $100 million in real estate transactions, including 15-30 properties annually and 10-15 landlord investments. Deeply devoted to service, Silva remains actively engaged in her community. She participates in various sports initiatives, collaborates with her company to support local schools

and food banks, and serves on the board of directors for a small condo complex. Silva’s commitment to adding value extends beyond her work as a real estate agent.

When she isn’t working, Silva enjoys leisurely walks on the beach, journaling, and meditation. She is also working on writing her own book and monetizing her YouTube channel, which focuses on inspiring others to reach their full potential

through mindset and personal development. With aspirations to expand her business overseas, Silva envisions establishing a presence in Hawaii while continuing to serve her clients across the United States. Her ultimate goal for 2024 is to assist fifty families in achieving their real estate dreams and obtain her Hawaii license. Silva Christov’s unwavering dedication to her clients, community, and personal growth epitomizes real estate industry excellence.

5 Simple Mindset Shifts That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

Everyone knows that a positive attitude is one of the key steps to achieving success. It’s very easy to let negativity bring you down and oftentimes, people end up quitting at the first set back. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a negative person, you’re probably doing numerous things you don’t even realize are holding you back.

Recognizing these negative mindsets, and then implementing simple mindset shifts, are sure to help you not only create a more positive outlook, but a more successful outcome to whatever goal you’re trying to achieve.

1Turn jealousy into admiration

It’s very easy to look at someone who has what you want, and feel envious, which quickly turns into criticism and excuses about why you weren’t able to get what they seemed to get with ease. This is something successful people never do. Instead, they recognize that the only thing keeping them from success is themselves.

If you want what someone else has, you should look to them as a role model. What

are they doing that you aren’t? There’s probably more to their story than you’re giving them credit for. Someone else’s success doesn’t hinder your ability to do the same, but constantly having a ‘life’s not fair’ attitude definitely will.

2 Tackle the things you dread doing first

We all procrastinate to some extent. Usually it’s things we don’t want to do. But when you put something like that off, it creates a serious cloud over your whole day.

Experts recommend getting those things out of the way first. Not only do get it crossed off your list, but you will feel energized by your accomplishments and tackle the day with even more force.

3 Don’t make decisions based on emotion

Reaching goals, especially long term ones, can have a lot of ups and downs. The key to achieving them is to stay level-headed during setbacks, really focusing on your plan and how the setback fits into your long term vision.

If you have a solid plan in place, you could be destroying months of hard work with one rash emotional decision, that is probably coming from a place of panic.

When you’re feeling emotional...wait. It really is that simple. Wait it out until

you’re back in a rational state of mind and take it from there.

4 Learn to love feedback

It’s very easy to be thrown off by negative feedback or constructive criticism. No one likes it. But when it comes to achieving your goals, you need to be able to hear it, assess it and then make an unemotional decision about what it means to you and your success.

In fact the business world’s most successful leaders are there because they not only take in that feedback, they actually constantly ask for it. Fresh perspectives on what you’re doing are always valuable. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to see what needs improvement. Asking a trusted peer or advisor can be instrumental in keeping the momentum on reaching your goal going.

5 Replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset

You might be wondering what the difference between the two are. A fixed mindset thinks that growing intelligence or skills is impossible, while a growth mindset thinks those things can be developed.

People with a growth mindset are more likely to expand beyond their comfort zone, since they really believe almost anything is possible with hard work. And if it isn’t? They’re willing to give it a try. Being willing to try and fail, is a key element to reaching even the most lofty goals.

Emotional Fluency: How to Communicate with Clients When Tensions are High

Managing emotions, expectations, and personalities are central to a successful real estate career. After all, this is a business based on relationships and interpersonal communication. Likewise, real estate is built on one of life’s central milestones—homeownership. This means that stress, disappointment, excitement, and competition are inherently

involved in the process. As an agent, you take on the real estate world every day, but most of your clients aren’t well-versed in the norms of the industry and are likely riding an emotional roller coaster throughout. Acknowledging this, how do you steer the ship when emotions and tensions are running high?

For starters, it’s not always intuitive. Just like you add tools to your arsenal when it comes to marketing, social media, or lead generation, you also have to add emotional tools to your repertoire. Here are a few ways to diffuse tense situations and keep clients on an even keel—even during the ups and downs of the transactional process.

Create realistic expectations

from the outset and reinforce them as you

go

As a seasoned agent, some aspects of the industry may seem run of the mill to you, but may come as a shock to your clients. That’s

why communicating expectations from the beginning can help create reasonable touchpoints in the minds of your clients. In addition to talking through the steps of the transactional process with your clients, consider writing out a checklist or compiling a buyer’s guide that can serve as a resource for them throughout. Think of it like a security blanket, but one that’s built by facts, figures, and anecdotal experience. If you paint a clear picture of what to expect, clients are less likely to be taken by the surprise and react impulsively as a result. What’s more, reinforce next steps, expectations, and possible outcomes as you go. If your client is left to wonder or guess at what’s ahead or

what will happen, they will either envision the worst-case scenario and panic, or they’ll misjudge the next step and be disappointed or left anxious as a result. Minimize surprises by communicating regularly, clearly, and with all options on the table.

When unveiling a problem,

come to clients with potential solutions in hand

Any agent worth his or her salt knows that bumps in the road are likely to occur along the way. You can’t promise a transaction free of stress or unforeseen issues, but you can minimize the ensuing stress by preparing you client in advance for any potential problems, and by addressing any problems

clearly and with solutions already in hand. Clients are likely to become agitated if a problem arises and they can’t understand why or what it means. That’s why slowing it down, talking it through, and offering potential avenues for recourse can quell fears and remind clients why they chose you to facilitate the transactional process. This means you’ll have to vigilant, proactive, and on the ball. Of course, it’s much easier to be an agent when everything is going great and flowing naturally. It’s when things take an unexpected or negative turn that true talent is really tested. Accordingly, show your clients that you are confident and in control by remaining adaptable, communicative, and clear in your problem-solving approach.

Never underestimate the power of listening

As an agent, you are probably well-versed in putting out fires and sourcing solutions. Sometimes, however, clients are really looking to you as a confidante and a listening ear. You’d be surprised how much nervousness you can resolve by simply offering a listening ear and offering reassurance. Sometimes it’s not about providing a band-aid or a practical solution; oftentimes, it’s all about listening. Clients need to feel like they’re being heard, even if you’ve heard it all before. By listening to their fears, acknowledging their perspective, and reiterating their goals—you display your empathy and understanding, which is often just what a client

needs to feel better. In other words, you don’t have to break out the graphs and data each time a client airs his or her insecurity. First, slow down, listen, and interact on a personal level. You may stop an emotional upheaval in its tracks simply by putting your listening cap on.

Not all clients are alike. Some will require a little more hand-holding than others, but it’s your job to put yourself in their perspective, recognize the milestone at hand, and managing the personalities you’re working with. The next time you feel frustrated by a client’s unpredictable emotional energy, keep these insights in mind as you diffuse the situation, steer them to a place of comfort, and fortify your interpersonal skillset in the process.

Creative Meditation for the Real Estate Professional

The real estate world can be an industry of intense emotional and psychological pressure. Deadlines, meetings, employee needs, client needs and a hundred other items on which one needs to focus on a daily basis can create an environment that is not only not conducive to mental well-being, but can be outright detrimental.

Learning to quiet the mind has been the focus of meditation for millennia. While those not familiar with the concept of meditation may instinctively think of yoga mats, incense, and chanting when the word “meditation” arises, there are in fact, many forms of meditation that can integrate quite

easily into the daily hustle & bustle world of the busy real estate agent.

First, think about when you are alone each day. Here are some possible times to practice mediation during the work day:

• When driving to the office in the morning

• When driving to a showing or to meet a client

• Before your open house begins

• After the open house

• Driving home in the evening

Repeating a mantra can be very calming, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts.

These are just five examples of times when you can take advantage of meditation techniques to quiet your mind and, by extension, increase productivity. A calm mind is a more thoughtful, better tuned instrument.

Here are some examples of meditations you can try:

1 For when you’re driving, download and listen to any number of audio Guided Meditations available on the internet. YouTube has a generous selection of these, many of which are geared towards success in business.

2 Repeating a mantra can be very calming, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts. It doesn’t matter what words you choose, as long as you feel good about your choice. “I am a success” or “I will approach all of my clients with love today” are two examples. Whatever works for you and gets you into the desired mindset.

3 Something as simple as listening to pleasant music in your car can be considered meditation, provided it brings you to a place of comfort as opposed to one of spiritual discordance.

4 The most important thing, however, is to take time to find gratitude in everything you do. Count your blessings, be grateful the exciting career in real estate you have built for yourself.

Once you’ve mastered some of these techniques at quieting your mind, you can attempt to find some that work even better for you. Walking, plain silence, or even exercise can have meditative qualities and benefits if practiced on a regular basis.

When you’re truly feeling calm, your clients can sense this. And with this comes the feeling that you can be relied upon to stay focused and calm in any unforeseen circumstances. And in the world of real estate, that’s a highly prized commodity.