PENNSYLVANIA 4-18-22

PENNSYLVANIA EDITION

7 REASONS WHY

YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS

Are You A VALUE-ADDED AGENT? MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Your Calling Card

FEATURED AGENTS

CHRISTINA & TONY KRAJCSIK MARISSA MARRONI

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRANSACTIONS

COVER STORY

Area Specialist

How to Speed Up

ERIK LEMONS

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Are You a Value-Added Agent?

I’ll bet if I asked ten real estate agents, all ten would answer ‘yes’ to that question. Yet, when I ask agents how they are value-added, they say things like: • I communicate regularly with my clients.

• I have a written listing presentation.

• I am honest.

• I am trustworthy.

Are these ‘value-added’ attributes? Or, does the client expect these attributes and services?

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Are these exceptional services or average services? I’m writing this article at the beginning of a New Year. It’s a perfect time to re-assess your professionalism and master being that ‘value-added’ agent.

Client Expectations are Higher than Ever Unfortunately, too many real estate agents assume they are ‘value-added’ because they are providing the services they want to provide— Top Agent Magazine

the services they think the client values. However, there’s a real client out there, and the client has different expectations. How do I know that? Because so few agents regularly survey their clients. In fact, when I’m speaking to an audience, I survey them, and find that less than 25 percent gather after-sale surveys! So, the majority of agents don’t know if the services they are providing are average or exceptional.

Why Bother Being Exceptional?

• Because you want to set yourself apart.

• You want to create client loyalty.

• You want to create at least 50 percent of your business from client referrals (the latest National Association of Realtors survey Profile of Members found that the average Realtor got only 18 percent of their business from referrals. That’s a hard and expensive way to run a real estate business!

• Because you want to run a more pleasant, profitable business.

Four Actions Value-Added Agents Take How can you identify value-added agents? By their actions. Here are four actions I believe show agents that are above just ‘average’. The principle here is:

Watch the actions, not the words.

If I were a manager, or a seller or a buyer, and I wanted to find a value-added agent, here’s what I would look for: Top Agent Magazine

1. Has a database and populates it This agent is committed long-term to his clients and to his business. He uses a contact management program (CRM) to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost — and clients do not feel neglected. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take.

Actively using and maintaining a CRM means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time.

Other demonstrable actions concerning the agent’s CRM are: • Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via email. (The average client expects a response within eight hours—but a recent survey showed the average agent responded in 50 hours!).

• Has a method to follow up on all leads until they ‘buy or die’. As a client, that means I won’t get lost. As a seller, it means my agent will follow up with all leads and give it 100 percent to sell my home.

2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have This agent makes every decision based on their vision of their career at least three to five years in the future. For example, instead of selling someone a house anywhere just to get a sale, my value-added agent sells only in an area they define as their ‘target area’. That way, they’ll get known, and can build on their reputation.

The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business! Because they care more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, they learn to 5

‘tell the truth attractively’, and work harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

Adding those Client Benefits to your Dialogue

3. Works for referrals, not just sales I said the agent learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, even if the buyer or seller may not want to hear it. For example, if it’s in the best interests of the seller to list their home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller won’t be well served by pricing higher.

Of course, it’s not enough to actually take these actions. You need to explain to the client why these actions are in their best interests, and how you stand apart from most agents by employing them. Why? Because your client won’t know you run your business so professionally.

And, the client probably doesn’t know most agents don’t run their businesses this way!

And, this value-added agent has the intestinal fortitude to walk away if they know the home will not sell at the client’s desired price (but doesn’t have to too many times because they create a stellar reputation amongst their clientele).

TIP: Always show your clients, don’t just tell them. You do have a Professional Portfolio and evidence on your website, don’t you?

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind Our value-added agent makes every decision to grow trust, not just to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple and finds out they can’t purchase right away and creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, the agent keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

Put Yourself to the Test

How many of these actions P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips do you exhibit?

What do you want to work on to become a true 1. Call each of your agents’‘value-added’ phone mails.

What’s the impre agent?

Are they professional? Do they state the company n TIP: represent your culture and image?

Managers, give your agents a 2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the ‘test’ on these four points.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyHow many pass? this blog. er agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cros

Carla Cross,CRB, CRB, MA, is theoffounder andSeminars, president Carla Cross & Carla Cross, MA, President Carla Cross Inc.,ofand Carla real management and sales.

Herspecializing internationally s Crossestate Coaching, is an international speaker in realbest-selling estate management and Running business planning for all professionals. agents, Up and in 30 Days, is real nowestate going into its 5thHer edition sevenexperience internationallyas published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days , vast a top-selling agent and award-winning manage and 20 agent and management programs have helped thousands of real sales podium, blending her musical background with her proven estate professionals to the greater productivity and teaches profitability.someone Reach Carla strategies (she uses piano AND even to at play—f 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com. and practical). Find out more at www.carlacross.com.

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Area Specialist

ERIK LEMONS

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ERIK LEMONS The greatest compliment Top Agent Erik Lemons can receive is when a client refers their friends to him, because it shows he worked to the best of his ability and it shows.

Working a 9 to 5 job, Erik saved up enough money to purchase his first investment property. As he watched the steps in the transaction, he fell in love with the process of home buying. He spent time gathering knowledge of 8

investing and the real estate industry and thought it would be a great shift for him since it was such a compelling industry. He continued working his full time job while also earning extra cash at a restaurant and taking every Top Agent Magazine

free moment he had to study up for his real estate license. After the first year of dealing in property, he took the plunge, quit the job he had held for ten years and went full time as a solo agent in South Philadelphia.

Erik is spreading his territory into West Philadelphia now, expanding his reach with advertising into an area he simply loves. He grew up in Philly and has a strong attachment to the tight Top Agent Magazine

knit communities and feeling of family.

Early on, he worked on investments in the Grays Ferry area. Now that area is up and coming, drawing new families and investments. Back when he was a kid, it wasn’t the best neighborhood, but it’s turned around to the latest hot spot now. With so many new people migrating in, he’s happy to educate clients on the potentials of that market. The area is a great location, with convenient access to major highways, bus stops, shopping 9

centers and fabulous restaurants, making it an attractive region.

Getting people situated in the right neighborhood is important to Erik. He builds relationships with his clients, being there to answer any question they need answered. He shares his extensive knowledge through years of investing and doing it on his own, going through the whole process, seeing how the numbers work for various clients and investments to figure what areas are the next hot item. Being Philly born and

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raised goes a long way in seeing how the neighborhoods change and clients value that special insight. The greatest compliment he can receive is when a client refers their friends to him, because it shows he worked to the best of his ability and it shows. Those referrals add up to over 75% of his current work.

He keeps a personal connection to those clients, not just sending out random flyers, but keeping in contact on social media and not missing the chance to acknowledge a special holiday or event.

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A heavy social media presence is also a powerful marketing tool, going beyond the standard MLS listings into Facebook and Instagram. In 2021, those marketing efforts took him to over $7.5 million in sales. The target for 2022 is an impressive $10 million.

Erik works at a boutique office as their top agent and is taking classes to become a broker. His main objective as an entrepreneur and his own boss Top Agent Magazine

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is to serve his clients and find ways to meet their needs. His success is due to his commitment to people and his enjoyment of doing what he enjoys, not just the check. Eventually,

he may consider operating his own brokerage and mentoring new agents.

For now, he will offer assistance in other ways, such as delivering toys to charitable organizations.

For more information about Erik Lemons, please call 215-518-5612 or email elemons23@gmail.com

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How to Speed Up First-Time Homebuyer Transactions Working with first-time homebuyers can be among the most rewarding real estate transactions an agent can embark upon.

Not only are you helping guide newcomers into the housing market, but you’re also witness to the excitement and triumphs along the way, including handing over those keys for the first time. While Top Agent Magazine

helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

So, what’s the best way to streamline the homebuying process for first-timers, while maintaining the magic and keeping your sanity along the way?

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While helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

Set expectations upfront and often.

It’s no secret that communication is a cornerstone of a successful real estate practice and client relationship. Amidst a transaction as complex as buying (or selling) a home, it’s important that no wires get crossed, no questions go unanswered, and no information gets lost in translation. To accomplish this, create communication parameters with your clients up front. Inquire about the communication medium they’re most comfortable with—a text, a call, an email, etc.

Then, tailor your outreach accordingly.

Also, consider setting a weekly time to check in, even if no official progress has been made. This helps clients and agents touch base, float questions and concerns, and get ahead of any problems or developments. Another helpful tool is to draft a transaction timeline for your client that outlines the major milestones along the way, what sort of information will need to be gathered, what steps taken, and what outcomes are possible. This might seem like exhaustive work, but in the era of digital research, clients will come to their own conclusions and biases 14

whether you like it or not. To stay on the same page and timeline, be the foremost resource for your client, and don’t leave their questions up to chance.

Know your first-time homebuyer programs and perks.

There are a variety of national, state, regional, and local grants and programs that aid first-time homebuyers as they pay their down payment, shop for home or mortgage insurance, and otherwise deal with the financial implications of becoming a homeowner. Sometimes these programs are neighborhood-specific in certain cities, with incentives to buy in up and coming areas. In some cases, there are grants that support underrepresented minority communities breaking into homebuying, and these can go a long way in making the burden of a down payment and associated fees doable. In other words, do your research.

The right program or grant could make the difference in nabbing a dream starter home for your client, while setting them up for future financial success.

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Get pre-approved for a mortgage—and shop around for the best rate.

Not all mortgage rates are made equal. As an agent, you likely have good relationships with area lenders that you trust, but it’s still important to complete your due diligence when helping first-time homebuyers find the rate that suits their longterm housing goals. Also remember that first-time homebuyers are new to this process, and while real estate transactions are complex in their own right, the borrowing and lending processes can be alienating in their complexity. As an agent, it’s your job to play intermediary and teacher, ensuring your clients know their options, are prepared to make an educated decision, and

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feel confident that they’ve chosen correctly. Talk with your preferred mortgage partners to best outline options for your clients’ understanding, laying out a framework that’s informative, projected into the future, and allows them to feel empowered by knowledge.

All in all, working with first-time homebuyers can be an exciting and joyous occasion, as long as you’re adequately prepared for some hand-holding and instruction along the way. Aside from the enthusiasm of successful first-timers at the closing table, you’ll also enjoy the lasting benefit of strong referrals to their friends and family, many of whom will be shopping with you for their own first dream homes.

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Make Social Media Marketing Your Calling Card These days, it’s no secret that buyers begin their home search online. As the industry continues to take a digital turn, Realtors in the know must learn to utilize a whole new range of tools available to them—and for good reason. Social media is a dynamic hybrid of personal contact and targeted marketing. To make the most of this new medium, agents can’t settle for the occasional post and expect results.

Instead, let’s consider a few techniques that will make your social media presence Top Agent Magazine

interactive, unmissable, and effective in generating business.

Your Profile is a Portal Ideally, you’ll have profiles across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and otherwise—but no matter what portal you’re utilizing, make sure your profile page is up-todate, well-curated, and easily navigated.

Consider your profile a landing page.

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Your photo, location, contact information, homepage, and a brief bio should all be readily visible so that potential clients can get an immediate sense for who you are and what your voice is. If a client wants to connect with you, it should be obvious how to do so. You might also incorporate a few savvier tools that make your profile more engaging—like hashtags. These searchable tags can help you lure potential clientele and give your audience a chance to explore deeper. #DreamHome #JustListed and #HomeInspiration are popular, existing tags to choose from, but you can cultivate your own hashtag by consistently tagging posts, which gives clients an extensive thread to comb through.

Interacting with Your Audience Posting regularly is great way to appear in feeds, but engaging with your audience is just as important—and it helps you reach a new audience in the process. It’s a positive start to like your audience’s posts, pictures, and statuses, but commenting takes your engagement a step further and separates you from typical respondents. It’s also important that you diversify your engagements. In other words, don’t center every communication around your business, propositioning your services, or trying to sell. If applicable, present your value-add, but otherwise steer your engagement towards the personal. Let your clients know that you’re there, you’re human, and 18

ready to work at their pace. Which leads us to our next point...

Blending the Professional with the Personal Engaging with your audience is one thing, but what about generating original content?

How do you strike the right balance between a Call to Action, industry updates, and a personal touch? Think of it this way: any post you create should provide a point of connection for your audience.

Sometimes, you might be sharing a family photo, or commenting on some unifying current event—like the Super Bowl! Other times, you may be sharing a Coming Soon listing, or providing tips to spruce up a home for spring. Regardless, you should focus on quality. Is your copywriting engaging? Does it express your unique voice and personality, while maintaining clarity? Are you giving your audience something to connect with, even if you are sharing property photos or advertising an open house? Instill some fun and some personalization to every piece of content you make, so that clients can picture the voice and person behind the post.

Things are always changing on the social media frontier, but some rules never shift.

Adding clarity, consistency, and personality to your online presence are three surefire ways to grow your business and make social media second nature.

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Area Specialist CHRISTINA & TONY KRAJCSIK Just 25 miles north of Philadelphia lies the pleasant and peaceful Bucks County.

Its charming towns, abundant land, excellent restaurants and tight knit communities bring joy to the people who live here. Based in Langhorne, married real estate agent duo Christina and Anthony Krajcsik love everything this area has to offer. “It’s such a unique place,” Tony explains. “You can be driving down the street past a row of houses from the 1700s, and then ten minutes later there’s a 120 acre farm. Drive 30 minutes the other direction and you’re in the center of Philadelphia.” In addition to Bucks County, they also serve Montgomery, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties, going wherever their clients need them. They became a team after Christina encouraged Tony to take real estate classes. She had been working as an agent for four years after leaving her corporate job. Tony was in the supply chain industry, which became increasingly stressful once the pandemic hit. So he decided to earn his license, and quickly fell in love with it.

With referrals making up most of their business, Christina and Tony deliver an unmatched experience to every client. They truly work as a team, handling all appointments, showings and meetings together.

“When you hire us, you are hiring both of us,” Christina explains. Their teamwork is apparent at every step of the transaction. When attending a showing, Tony is typically the one driving, while Christina sits in the passenger working on her laptop. “So if the client sees the property and likes it, we act on it right when we get to the car. I’m on the phone with the listing agent and doing it all right then and there.”

They go the extra mile whenever possible, making sure the needs of their buyers and sellers are handled quickly. “We connect with them and guide them through it so they feel really comfortable,” Christina says. For their sellers, utilizing social media marketing has proven to generate tremendous interest. “Our typical Top Agent Magazine

plan of attack for a listing is to go on the market on either a Thursday or Friday, then have open houses on both Saturday and Sunday. We will do door knocks during the weekend to see if neighbors know anyone who is looking to buy in the area. We’ll go live on Instagram and create reels and TikToks.”

Passionate about their community, Christina and Tony make time to stay involved. They are members of the local Chamber of Commerce and are part of the Young Professionals group. They also volunteer at various locations in the community both with the Chamber of Commerce as well as Keller Williams.

Christina and Tony plan to expand their team, starting with an assistant and buyer’s agent. They are looking for like-minded individuals who prioritize the client experience. “We also want to build up our network of preferred vendors, like general contractors, electricians, heating companies, plumbers and more.”

As they grow, they will continue providing five-star service to everyone they encounter. “Seeing our clients’ faces when we tell them their offer was accepted or their house is sold, that’s what we love most.”

For more about Christina & Tony Krajcsik, please call 215-971-5869 or email ckrajcsik@kw.com or akrajcsik@kw.com 19

7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

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1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

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Top Agent Magazine

If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

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5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

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client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

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MARISSA MARRONI Realtor® Marissa Marroni is a people person. The type of person to send a text just to check on you. That’s why she loves real estate. “What I love about this career so much, it’s just more or less connecting with people. I’m big on relationships,” she says. “When I find a match for a client for a house, it’s the most satisfying feeling ever, because I know that I did a good job for them, and I got them something that’s going to change their lives.”

house, I know a couple plumbers ready to assist that are family owned & operated” she says. “I believe that in Beaver County, there’s a lot of community here. So we’re always supporting and having each other’s back. And that’s what I Love about beaver county.”

Marissa was lucky enough to find what she loves early in life. At 19, a chance response to a job ad would change the trajectory of her career. “I applied on a Craigslist ad for a front desk receptionist and I didn’t know what company it was for. When I went in for the interview, they explained the job to me, and things of that nature, and I just fell in love with what they were saying and how the industry was,” she says. A year and a half later, Marissa was promoted to technology trainer. “I’ve kind of been in almost every single position in a real estate company that you possibly could be in. But I just love the career.”

Marissa says that cooperative spirit is part of the town fabric. “We have a lot of workhorses, for lack of a better term, here in Beaver County,” she says. “A lot of entrepreneurs, a lot of people that want to succeed in Beaver County, and they will not take no for an answer. And the drive here is just amazing. I don’t even know how to explain it.”

She may not be able to explain it, but she’s got it. “I would love to eventually be the number one selling real estate agent in Beaver County. Whether that’s realistic or not, I don’t know yet. But it’s definitely something that I’m striving for,” she says. “Most importantly, I truly want to have a good work-life balance but I still aim to be emotionally invested and meet people.”

It’s been eight years since Marissa began her career in real estate, earning her license three years ago. The Beaver County agent says her broad experience, in everything from the front desk to operations manager, has been instrumental in building her business. “I think it has really helped, with my background in real estate,” she says. “All these different types of positions have really helped me in implementing them into my career, and kind of seeing it in all angles and aspects to make the real estate transaction go a lot smoother.”

Being active in the community also helps things go smoothly. Marissa has a contact for everything that goes on with a house. “I also am involved with the community a lot. So, if there’s ever anything going on in a house, I more than likely have the contact to get it fixed. For example, let’s say that a pipe burst in a Top Agent Magazine

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For more about Marissa Marroni, please call 724.683.0944 or email marissamarronirealtor@gmail.com 23 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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