North Carolina 9-4-17

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

CREATIVE MEDITATION for the Real Estate Professional 5 Tips to GET NEW CLIENTS

COVER STORY

LAURIE HOWELL

BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE: How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients that will Last a Lifetime Top 4 Ways to JUICE UP YOUR OPEN HOUSE STRATEGY

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

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LAURIE HOWELL

CONTENTS 4) BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE: HOW TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CLIENTS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME 13) 5 TIPS TO GET NEW CLIENTS

18) TOP 4 WAYS TO JUICE UP YOUR OPEN HOUSE STRATEGY 22) CREATIVE MEDITATION FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL

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Be Their REALTOR for Life: ®

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients That Will Last a Lifetime In the world of real estate, an agent’s relationship with their clients can make or break their career. This industry revolves around working well with people, and being able to develop a strong relationship with your clients is the foundation that you business is based upon.

Just like with a house, if that foundation is weak, the rest of the structure is also going to be unsteady and fragile. The mark of a good REALTOR® is their ability to build up a good referral network and following of loyal clients. This isn’t something that just happens by accident. Building healthy, strong relationships with your clients takes work and knowing how to gain another person’s trust, respect, and friendship. Here are some ways to make sure you are building the right kind of relationship with your clients.

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1. Use Your Friendliness and Optimism to Win Them Over: No one wants a pushy, overly confident salesperson for a REALTOR®. Clients are much more inclined to put their trust in the hands of someone who is friendly when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of their lives. A pleasant, outgoing disposition will win you more clients as well as friends. You want to establish rapport in the first few minutes of first meeting prospective clients. Rather than starting with business right off the bat, begin your meeting with some small talk such as similar interests, hobbies, and family life. This will immediately help to put your clients at ease, and show that you are not simply trying to “sell” them something.

People also respond well to optimism. During what can be a very stressful time, clients need someone to help them stay positive when a situation looks difficult and challenging. Optimism also tends to radiate charisma, and people want to be around and do business with charismatic people. You want to learn how to understand, motivate, and inspire people.

2. Be an Inquisitive Learner and an Empathetic Listener:

On the other side of this coin is knowing how to listen empathetically. Empathy involves actually putting yourself or your mind in their shoes so you can genuinely understand their concerns, needs, and opinions. That understanding and empathy is then reflected in your conversation with that client. Your clients want to know that you care about their situation, and that they’re not just another sale for you to make. People are much more willing to put their trust in you when they can sense that you are actually making an effort to feel what they feel in order to understand their situation.

Showing your interest through questions, and then thoughtfully listening goes a long way towards gaining trust. Showing empathy and acknowledging the feelings and emotions involved in your clients situation helps build a relationship founded on genuine care and trust.

3. Watch for Nonverbal Clues:

Don’t be afraid to show your curiosity and ask your clients a lot of questions. Some of these questions may even be difficult and uncomfortable. You want to discover and learn as much as you can about your client. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into the role of the know-it-all. Every different client has unique needs, so you want to learn as much as you can about their specific situation before trying to propose a solution. You want to uncover their primary motive for buying or selling, and flush Top Agent Magazine

out any potential concerns they might have.

After you’ve gained as much information as possible, you can then gauge their interest in your possible solutions by asking “what if” questions. Being inquisitive also demonstrates to your clients that you are genuinely interested and invested in their situation.

Most communication happens nonverbally, so knowing how to interpret your client’s body language can be incredibly helpful. Here are a few things to pay special attention to: Eye contact: Be careful with the level of eye contact you use with clients when first meeting.

Too much and too little eye contact can send the wrong impression. You want to try and maintain eye contact around 70 percent of the time. That is the amount that most people are comfortable with. Pay attention to your client’s level of eye

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contact to determine how comfortable they are.

When someone avoids eye contact that could mean they are not engaged in the conversation.

A good way to quickly build a feeling of rapport when first meeting clients is to make eye contact when you first meet them and then start nodding yes to what they’re saying. If the client reciprocates the eye contact and nodding, you’ve established a connection.

4. Prove your honesty and credibility:

Choose the right handshake for each client: One handshake does not fit all people, and that first handshake can be crucial to making a good first impression. The way to do a good handshake for each client is to try and mirror the other person’s handshake in strength, keep your shoulders aligned as you are preferably standing when you shake hands. While you shake your client’s hand make sure you make eye contact and give them a sincere smile.

Showing a little weakness can actually be to your advantage in this situation, and will actually make others more inclined view you as honest. You don’t want to come across as too good to be true. When revealing this weakness, however, the key to coming out on top is turning what sounds like a weakness into a strength. For example, your service may be more expensive, but that’s because you offer more personalized and extra services than your competitors.

Honesty and integrity are the two traits that 98 percent of buyers and sellers report are qualities they consider “very important”. The thing is you can say you have these traits all you want on your website, bio, etc., but trust has to be earned, and the only way to do this is to prove your credibility.

Here are a few tips for how to sound more credible:

When you talk to your clients avoid using filler words such as “um” and “uh”, which can decrease your credibility. You also want to watch the tone of your voice. People tend to translate a deeper tone as sounding more credible.

You want to develop a relationship to last a lifetime when interacting with your clients. There are many things you can do to accomplish this, and using these tips can take you from getting just a few referrals and repeat customers to gaining a loyal client following. Taking the little extra time to make sure you are projecting the right attitude and making sure that you are doing things to gain your client’s trust can make a world of difference for your business.

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LAURIE HOWELL Top Agent Magazine

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Laurie Howell’s legal background and attention to detail give her an advantage over realtors who have marketing savvy but lack a deep understanding of real estate transactions.

Laurie Howell became a real estate attorney in 1982. In 2005, a developer client suggested that Laurie go to real estate school so she’d be better able to help the developer with legal questions related to marketing. “I had no idea that I would enjoy it!” Laurie says. She started part-time with a real estate company, but soon leapt full time into work as an agent. Laurie now works with HomeTowne Realty in Clayton, a large company with offices in Clayton, Garner and Raleigh.

She usually works solo, mainly because she wants to support her clients through every step of the process. “I actually enjoy doing everything myself,” Laurie explains. Laurie primarily serves the Johnston County Clay8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

ton area where she lives, as well as Eastern Wake County, though she also serves Raleigh, Durham and Cary. “I’m happy to show and sell homes in the Triangle area in general,” she says.

What sets Laurie apart from other realtors in the area? “I think it’s my professionalism,” she says. “I don’t look at the practice of real estate as just sales and marketing. I look at it as a legal process, the biggest purchase of someone’s life, and every step of the way needs the attention of someone who understands the process.” Laurie’s legal background and attention to detail give her an advantage over realtors who have marTop Agent Magazine

keting savvy but lack a deep understanding of real estate transactions. As a result of her expertise, Laurie’s rate of repeat and referral business is an amazing 90%. Her clients keep coming back due to her ability to close complicated transactions.

To best market listings, Laurie starts with staging, working with her clients to prepare their homes for the high-quality professional photographers Laurie employs to photograph each listing. “I talk to the client about making those photos pop,” Laurie says.

“I’m a certified stager and once I’ve helped the client make the house look its very best, the photographer goes through and takes Top Agent Magazine

great photos.” Laurie also hires someone to professionally measure the home; so each listing includes a floor plan. “That way people can visualize how the house is laid out even if they haven’t seen it.” Laurie also covers the sellers with a warranty, so that if something does break down during the listing period, there is a company to cover them. This relieves clients’ worry and stress. To keep in touch with past clients, Laurie reaches out by telephone or email.

“It’s more personal,” she says.

Laurie’s favorite part of her job is the people she works with. “Contrary to the practice of law, which is very contrary, in real estate, the Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

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“I don’t look at the practice of real estate as just sales and marketing. I look at it as a legal process, and every step of the way needs the attention of someone who understands that process.” buyer wants to buy, and the seller wants to sell. So if you can get everyone on the same page and not make it an adversarial process, then you are one step ahead.” Laurie’s focus on a smooth, professional, amicable transaction makes the process pleasant for everyone. Her clients always appreciate that Laurie explains every aspect of a purchase or sale to them, not in legalese, but in a manner they understand.

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For the past five years, Laurie has been involved with the Johnston County Association of Realtors, first as Director, then Treasurer, then President-Elect, then as the 2016 President. She’s focused on educating members and helping with community service projects such as the Miracle League Network, which helps children with disabilities to play baseball, and Habitat for Humanity. The JCAR members also named Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

her 2015 Realtor® of the Year. In her free time, she loves to read novels and sail. For the future, Laurie would love to create a more concrete referral program so that the

next generation of realtors can gain some of her knowledge. With her commitment to professionalism and service, she’s sure to make that dream a reality!

To find out more about

LAURIE HOWELL,

contact via phone at (919) 614 - 0305 or email laurie@lauriehowell.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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HomeTowne Realty is proud to congratulate

Laurie Howell

on being featured for the state of North Carolina in Top Agent Magazine!

HomeTowne Realty 328 E. Main Street | Clayton, NC 27520 919.550.7355 | myhtr.com www.

Clayton East 50-60 Neuse River Pkwy Clayton, NC 27527 919- 550 -4800 Top Agent Magazine

Garner 200 US 70 Hwy E Garner, NC 27529 919 - 662-4871

40/42 Cleveland 201 Glen Road Garner, NC 27529 919-772-8800

Raleigh 1213 Ridge Road Raleigh, NC 27607 919- 879 - 8777 13

5 Tips to Get New Clients If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve probably built up a healthy percentage of repeat and referral business.

Although it can be tempting to just maintain those relationships rather than generating new business, there’s something to be said for staying on top of 14

your game by never resting on your laurels. Actively pursuing new clients is not only a way to generate more business, but depending on how you do it, it could even lead to a profitable new niche. Here are just a few ways to build up your new client base.

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Become a referral partner with industry peers

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Cold Call Expired and FSBO Listings

Everyone from mortgage lenders, to financial planners, to insurance agents, can be potentially lucrative referral partners for a Realtor®. You may already have great relationships with some that just need to be more formalized. But, you don’t just want to partner with anyone, make sure these are people you also feel completely comfortable referring your clients to - people who share your values and work ethic.

Another avenue to consider is divorce attorneys – yes, you heard that correctly. Helping people go through this difficult period actually requires a very specific skill set.

You need to be able to handle the legal aspects, as well as the emotional ones. There are numerous training courses you can take if you decide to take this route, which could end up being a lucrative and much-needed specialty.

This is a route a lot of agents take when they are just starting out, that usually leads to great success. You probably haven’t cold called since you started out, and this is a great skill to build up again.

It will not only sharpen your sales skills, but could generate a lot more business.

People with For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) and expired listings, are usually very motivated to sell. This is a great chance for you to really hone in on why they need to hire you. Do you offer innovative marketing plans? Access to a large sphere of influence? Expired listing clients are looking for ways to sell a property that seems impossible to move. With FSBOs, you need to show them how you can get them more money in their pocket, even

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with paying you a commission. Pursuing both will really engage your mind to think outside of the box, which will not only get you more business, but make you better at what you do.

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Partner up with a Relocation Company

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Become a Builder’s Realtor® of choice

This is another niche market that you can really capitalize on if you want to pursue a new specialty. But, it is a specialty, so getting educated on the process will help you generate the business you want. It’s a complicated area of real estate, you’ll often

times be helping to facilitate dual transactions, as you try and secure a property at the same time you are helping your relocation client sell their previous home. This specialty is becoming an in-demand skill in areas that have major corporate headquarters.

This can be a real score for any Realtor®.

The competition might be fierce to land a client like this, but there are numerous ways to make yourself stand out from the rest.

Gain certifications and become knowledgeable about the construction process. Be wellversed on what trendy materials, features, and finishes will add value to a property.

Get the builder on board with you by offering to take just a segment of the subdivision then wow them with your marketing skills.

Take on properties they haven’t been able to sell. You can even offer to throw an open

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Create a Website that Offers Real Value to Potential Clients

Perhaps the most useful way of getting contact information for people looking to sell is by adding a home valuation feature to your website. When people are first considering selling their home, finding out how much 16

house for them. This is another way to show them the level of service they can expect from you. These clients might be harder to land, but the payoff will be enormous.

it is worth is one of the first questions they want answered. By becoming a resource to potential clients (and current clients!), you just might be the first person that comes to mind when they’re actually looking to sell.

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Top 4 Ways to Juice Up Your Open House Strategy

by Rob Flitton

I go to open houses, but not just because of my profession or interest in architecture and interior design. I go to open houses to see how effective real estate agents are at selling. It has been rather eyeopening because there is very little selling going on—the average open house strategy needs work.

1.Build a Dynamic Open House Booklet After they leave, open house visitors will discard a one-page for-sale info sheet naming a home’s features. But they will keep, and possibly use, a 6 or 8 page booklet loaded with interesting items that directly solve problems for them.

Perhaps “selling” is considered an outdated skill, or that it feels socially awkward for agents to be regarded as a salesperson. But if you’re a real estate agent, you are a salesperson. At most of the open houses I go, I see money floating out the door every time a visitor leaves because of the agent’s inability or refusal to sell.

It will require some strategic thought to nail the content and design, but perhaps include: (i) descriptives about the benefits of buying the property you’re showing, and not just data, (ii) compelling reasons why they should consider working with you along with a web link to search for listings on your website, (iii) a web link telling them how to get a prompt, written estimate on the value of their home, or to find out what other homes in their neighborhood sold for, (iv) possible discounts on real estate related services—maybe a reduction in fees from your preferred lender, or a reduced home inspection price, (v) possible discounts on non real estate related items.

An open house is a lucrative opportunity to find buyer or seller clients –selling the listing itself may also be the goal, but an agent should not pass up this chance.

There are 4 distinct strategies an agent can immediately employ to juice up their open houses and get awesome leads.

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they are are voidvoid of interesting If you you combine combinethis thisdynamic dynamicbooklet booklet data—and of interesting data—and they - - or or problem-solving information. with properly properly trained trained closing closinglanlan problem-solving information. guage, as guage, as touched touchedupon uponbelow, below,it itis is The Neighborhood something the 2.Work The Neighborhood something the average average person personwill will 2.Work few days prior to your openopen house, either keep few days prior to your house, either keep and anduse useororpass passalong alongto to A A find the names and addresses (from someone they know.

A well designed someone they know. A well designed find the names and addresses (from records—or elsewhere) of, say, 20 20 booklet can records—or elsewhere) of, say, booklet canbring bringyou youaalotlotofofbusiness. business. taxtax homes in each direction from the homes in each direction from the Pre-internet, both open houses for open house.

Pre-internet, open homes housesforfor open house. resale listings,both and model resale listings, andrelied model new construction, on homes strategicfor For the cost of postage and some For the cost postagetoand new construction, on strategic mailof a postcard thesesome collateral materials relied (handouts).

Vis- sweat-equity, a postcard collateral materials (handouts).

Vis homeowners mail inviting them to to thethese itors were ostensibly looking at sev - - 80sweat-equity, at sev 80 homeowners inviting them to the itors were ostensibly at the looking same time, so - open house and offering something eral competitors eral competitors at the time, open and house and offering something collateral materials had same to have theso unique compelling—perhaps a collateral materials to to have uniqueor and compelling—perhaps power to bring themhad back yourthe drawing giveaway for those willing a provide their opinion on asking site—a togreat callthem to action, forthe those willing power bring back toeyeyour to drawing or giveaway of the home the entry card, catching great color, call identification of the to provide their(and opinion on the asking site—a to action, eye- price course, willhome net you emailcard, benefits ofcolor, buying your product.of the of price of the (andtheir the entry catching identification address and phone number).

Peopleemail of course, will net you their benefits of buying your product.

Yet at open houses today, I primarily areaddress generally andnumber). like to People be andnosy phone see at bland sheets dis- validated, so asking for their are generally nosy and opinion like to be Yet openinformation houses today, I primarily cussing features—the listing price, on something hap pening in their opinion see bland information sheets dis- validated, so asking for theirown the square footage, and the standard neighborhood is very appealing. cussing features—the listing price, on something happening in their own Top Magazine theAgent square footage, and the standard neighborhood is very appealing.19

And, it is best to mail them again right after the open house to talk about what happened.

“From our Saturday open house, we discovered 3 qualified and eager buyers that are now looking for a home in this neighborhood—if you would like to know what your home is worth for these buyers to consider, please give me a call.”

dynamic booklet and say: “Please enjoy our open house, and am hoping you’ll do me a favor. This booklet is loaded with great information about, and if you become interested at some point in buying or selling, would you please call and give me the opportunity to earn your business? Or if you happen to know someone now who is looking now, would you kindly pass this booklet onto them?”

Also, adding on door-knocking or If they reply with a “don’t know” type flyer-hanging to your mailings boosts of answer this usually means they are your neighborhood equity even more. indeed looking but are just not ready yet to reveal this to you, so you will 3.Close and Qualify need to work to make a connection.

Engage every single visitor in closing Good consultative sales connections dialogue, because every single visitor are made when you can make them feel you’re not pushy and are able to is there for a reason. directly resolve their problem.

While smiling, with shoulders erect, and maintaining suitable distance, A “yes” type of response is great, but look them in the eye and offer your you should take the qualifying step of handshake while stating your full asking them if they’re working with another agent. If they are, the dyname and company—and then ask: namic booklet comes in handy again: “Are you out looking to buy a home “If for any reason your agent is today?” unavailable to show you homes, I can be reached at the phone number in There are 4 categories of answers, this booklet. Plus, it contains fantastic and any answer they provide is an resources for searching online and a opportunity to get to the marrow of discount on financing.” what they need. There are “nos”, “don’t knows,” “yeses,” and “other.” If you can’t get a sandwich, get a bite.

If they are definitive about looking, If they reply with a “no” variety of and don’t have an agent, then they are answer, then you can hand them your available for you to work with and 20

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here again you need the right type of closing and qualifying dialogue.

The goal here is to evoke from them their home-buying goals so that you can match and narrow down to a single opportunity. It’s a mistake to present multiple listings to a buyer at once. Ask broad questions and then narrowing questions followed up by “if-then” questions.

Example: “What types of functions do you want in your new home, or activities near your neighborhood?”

Followed by something like, “is the number or size of bedrooms important to you?” Followed by, “so if I can show you the kind of home we just described, are you ready to go see it and possibly make an offer?”

4.Have Interactive Tech Tools Onsite It is the worst feeling to engage someone as a potential client at an open house and then have no tools available to solve their problem— don’t assume they aren’t going to want to do business right away.

If you’re engaging a potential buyer, you better be able to instantly gratify their desire to see viable homes online so internet access and an easily view-able screen are necessary. They may ask you to go see other homes in-person, so you need to have a coagent available to either show them those homes, or spell you off as host while you do. You may be asked to write up an offer for them so you will need the tools and ability to create and e-sign documents.

Naturally, any objections or “nos” you receive in this process are just fan- When a potential listing client is in tastic opportunities to learn about their front of you, you need to be able to needs and earn a connected trust. show them recent comparable sales and may even be asked to list their The “other” thing they might tell you home and will need the tools and is that they’re not a buyer at all, but a ability to create and e-sign documents potential seller. Potential sellers often for taking that listing. go to open houses to find out how their home stacks up, but are you It happens sometimes—but it never aware what the number one reason happens if you’re not ready. they attend open houses is?

Potential sellers go to open houses to Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate Mardirectly or indirectly interview you, a keting specialist helping independent agents to increase their income. Email Rob potential listing agent. And they hire robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ confident, prepared professionals. text him at 206-612-2314.

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Creative Meditation

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

Learning to quiet the mind has been the focus of meditation for millennia. While those not familiar with the concept of meditation may instinctively think of yoga mats, incense, and chanting when the word “meditation” arises, there are in fact, many forms of meditation that can integrate quite 22

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

First, think about when you are alone each day. Here are some possible times to practice mediation during the work day: • When driving to the office in the morning • When driving to a showing or to meet a client • Before your open house begins • After the open house • Driving home in the evening Top Agent Magazine

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

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

Here are some examples of meditations you can try.

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

2 Repeating a mantra can be very calm-

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

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

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

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

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

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