VIRGINIA EDITION
CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE to Attract Future Clients 3 Beyond-theOffice Activities to INSPIRE A CREATIVE BUSINESS BOOM
FEATURED AGENT
KEITH SMITH COVER STORY
TRACEY FARMER
IS YOUR PHONE VOICE ATTRACTING — or repelling? 3 Mental Tricks that Will TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
VIRGINIA EDITION
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TRACEY FARMER
KEITH SMITH
CONTENTS 4) CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS
19) IS YOUR PHONE VOICE ATTRACTING — OR REPELLING?
13) 3 BEYOND-THE-OFFICE ACTIVITIES TO INSPIRE A CREATIVE BUSINESS BOOM
22) 3 MENTAL TRICKS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
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CONNECT BEYOND
REAL ESTATE
to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot
of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients. To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals. So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?
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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities
The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause. In fact, they want and need you to promote them. And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n
Your Local Community
We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n
Use Your Creativity to Connect
Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n
Share Your Hobbies
Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine
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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n
Divulge Interesting Experiences
This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n
What and Who Inspires You
No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you. Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content
that will draw in a broad range of followers. Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.
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The winner of Century 21’s 2017 Centurion Award, Tracey Farmer is ranked among the top 25 Century 21 agents currently working in all of the mid-Atlantic states.
TRACEY FARMER Top Agent Tracey Farmer of Century 21 Redwood in Fredericksburg, Virginia brings to the real estate game both dedicated professionalism and personable authenticity, a winning combination that has catapulted her straight to the top of her profession. The winner of Century 21’s 2017 Centurion Award, Tracey is ranked among the top 25 Century 21 agents currently working in all of the mid-Atlantic states. 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine
Tracey, a former county planning and development employee, began her sojourn in real estate in 2003. “I was looking to purchase my own investment properties,” she explains, “so I went and got my license to buy my own properties. I’ve lived here my entire life, and it got to the point where my phone wouldn’t stop ringing at work. It became so busy that I decided to take a leap of faith and become a full-time agent.” That leap of faith has been richly rewarded, and Tracey can currently boast that her business is based more than 70% on both repeat and referred clients. While her absolute professionalism and deep real estate knowledge account for much of this consumer loyalty, Tracey has endeared herself to her Top Agent Magazine
many grateful clients through her highly authentic, deeply caring approach. “I put my customer’s needs before my own,” she says. “I treat all of them as if they are my immediate family.” Tracey also eschews the nine-to-five structure that many other agents adhere to and which is decidedly non-advantageous to buyers and sellers. “This isn’t a nine-to-five job for me,” she explains. “I work real estate as a way of life. If I’m awake, I’m answering questions. My clients can call me at 10 pm and I’ll take their calls. They appreciate that Top Agent Magazine
because often they work nine-to-five, so it’s hard for them to focus on real estate issues while they’re at work.” Tracey’s marketing skills have a decidedly modern bent. Professional photography, 3-D tours, schematic floor plans, and syndication to over 800 websites (both domestic and international) help push her listings to the forefront. Additionally, full-color glossy brochures and the occasional print ad round out her multi-pronged approach. “I believe internet marketing is where it’s at,” says Tracey, “but you have to be diverse.” Copyright Top Agent Magazine9
“Tracey was so wonderful throughout our whole process. She schedules viewings within 24 hours and always had the answers to our questions. No matter the challenge that we faced, she was there for us through it all.” –Testomial
As a Premier Agent on Zillow, Tracey’s listings are guaranteed prominent placement. Her perfect five-star rating on the site is comprised of dozens of glowing reviews that illustrate perfectly the exceptional client Copyright Top Agent Magazine Copyright 10
service she provides. Reads one testimonial: “Tracey was so wonderful throughout our whole process. She schedules viewings within 24 hours and always had the answers to our questions. No matter the challenge Top Agent Magazine
that we faced, she was there for us through it all.” When she’s not working, Tracey enjoys spending time with her husband, her daughter, and her two beloved grandchildren. She also enjoys playing golf and is a collector of Longaberger baskets. She also finds time to give back to her community in many ways. As for the future, Tracey plans to continue building her business. She is quick to point Top Agent Magazine
out, however, that she will only do so if she can guarantee that her incredible level of client service is not impacted. “I don’t want to lose sight of the customer service aspect,” Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11
she says. “Too many agents get focused on the numbers, and lose sight of the personal relationships.” While the financial rewards of her chosen profession are not inconsiderable, it’s the rela-
tionship aspect that provides Tracey with the most personal satisfaction. “I get to deal with a lot of people,” she says, “and it’s so incredibly rewarding to be able to help them with one of the biggest investments of their lives. I love that I get to be a part of that.”
TraceyFarmer@C21Redwood.com www.TraceyFarmer.com
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3 Beyond-the-Office Activities to Inspire a Creative Business Boom Maintaining motivation year-round is a challenge, especially for those who are several years into a demanding real estate career. It’s easy to burn out, get stuck in a rut, or cycle blindly through a well-worn routine. But those that leave an impact on their industry understand that creativity holds the key to innovation and longevity. To stay ahead of Top Agent Magazine
the curve and build your brand, you’ve got to take the time to breathe new life into your practice and see things from a new angle. But where to begin? To invite change, you’ve got to look outside the box—or in this case, beyond the office. If you’re in need of a professional creative make-
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To stay ahead of the curve and build your brand, you’ve got to take the time to breathe new life into your practice and see things from a new angle. over, or at least want to experience a burst of inventive energy, consider some of the activities below. You may just shake up your routine, bend your brain in new ways, and inject some inspiration into your professional path.
Expand your mind through meditation. You’ve likely heard all about the supposed powers of meditation, and perhaps you’ve long considered it an over-hyped New Age invention. But did you know that some of the foremost entrepreneurs of our era practice this cost-free, mentally restorative routine? From Oprah Winfrey to Steve Jobs, practitioners of meditation cite its stress-relieving principles, in addition to improvements in concentration, energy, self-awareness, and overall health.
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Even mainstream medicine is beginning to understand the preventative and restorative health benefits that meditation affords. As professional fields go, the mortgage and real estate industries require their fair share of emotional labor—you’re tasked with guiding clients through the investment of a lifetime. Meditation promotes peace and perspective, while reducing stress, adding a new level of self-awareness, and helping you mentally declutter. When it comes down to it, it only makes sense that taking time to go quiet and center your mind helps professionals find wherewithal amidst a hectic industry. Next time you’re feeling drained, out of ideas, or at your wit’s end—consider just fifteen minutes of meditation to get you started. Like most things, it takes some practice. But, if you commit the time, you’ll be thanking yourself later.
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Learn something new. If you’re facing burnout, then adding a new responsibility to your plate may seem like the least appetizing self-help solution there is. However, learning a new skill can reinvigorate your understanding of familiar tasks and dilemmas. Plus, learning a new skill doesn’t have to mean formal classes or time-draining homework. Select something that can even kill two birds with one stone. Want to let off some steam, too? Try a kickboxing class that meets just once-a-week. You’ll have something new to look forward to, meet new people, challenge yourself, and earn some feel-good endorphins, Top Agent Magazine
too. Want to cut loose and have some fun? Join a board game meet-up group, take a cooking class, or try rock-climbing for the first time. A stimulating new activity will light up long-dormant parts of your brain, and your clients and colleagues will surely notice the influx of energy to your outlook. Still don’t think you have enough time to add something new to the mix? Blend your morning commute with an audio language learning service. The point is to shake-up your habits and introduce a new challenge that’s unrelated to work. Doing so can make you look at things in a new light and boost your mood along the way.
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See new sights. If you can, there’s no better way to break from routine than to physically separate yourself from your surroundings. There’s nothing more inspiring than traveling to new destinations, experiencing new cultures, and getting a sense of the world’s true vastness. If a trip abroad isn’t in the cards, don’t fret. There are bound to be plenty of places relatively close by that you’ve never seen. And these trips don’t have to break the bank, either. Devote just one or two days to visiting a place you’ve never gone before, like a state park, protected forest, or a small seaside village. Perhaps you’re only a few hours from a National Park you’ve been meaning to visit but have never made time for. Or, there’s a lively city one state over that you’ve always wanted to try. Whatever the destination, near or far, you’ll refresh
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your perspective entirely when removed from all your usual routines. New restaurants, traffic patterns, storefronts, weather—whatever the change may be, you’ll be experiencing everything brand new all around you. Taking the time for trips like these isn’t easy. In fact, making yourself devote those free days may be a difficult task itself. But it’s the most direct way to get a breath of truly fresh air, and when you return home you’ll be able to assess familiar surroundings in a totally new light. However you decide to add creativity to your professional life, don’t wait. Once you take the plunge, you’ll be regretting you hadn’t done it sooner. After all, the key to longevity is regular maintenance, so do your part and break the mold today.
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KEITH SMITH Keith Smith, Associate Broker at Weichert Realtors, Baron & Snipes Co. in Glen Allen, Virginia has spent nearly three decades assisting grateful buyers and sellers achieve their real estate dreams. Possessing a combination of winning authenticity, a sharp attention to detail and a solid work ethic, he has built a sturdy reputation as a Realtor who can be trusted to consistently keep his client’s best interests front and center. Keith began his journey in real estate in 1989. “I started investing in properties, wanting to know a little bit more about the business from a licensing standpoint. I started part-time, just selling a few homes at a time to family and friends. Eventually it turned into a full-fledged business.” As his business grew, so did Keith’s reputation, and he is consistently ranked annually among Weichert’s top-selling agents. A member of the Richmond Association of Realtors, The Virginia Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors, he is also the author of the book Zero Down Payment, a copy of which he provides to every one of his first-time buyers. “I give it to them because it discusses the entire buying process from a to z.” With his percentage of repeat and referral business hovering at around 91%, Keith is obviously committed to providing top-notch client service. When asked to account for this level of customer loyalty, Keith replies: “Service is key. It’s the difference between riding in a taxi cab and riding in a limousine. A taxi cab is just going to drop you off. A limousine is going to get you there and they’re going to wait for you and they’re going to treat you with class. That’s what I try to do.” The respect and admiration his buyers and sellers feel for Keith is best illustrated by this perfect five-star review on Zillow: “Keith Smith is simply the best. Better than all the rest. My home buying experience was anything but smooth, and there were many speed bumps in the process of buying our home. Keith was exceptional in his patience and determination to get me into the right house. He is always available, and knows the market as well as anyone out there. He’s the nicest dude around and he always makes you feel at ease no matter what the obstacles. You will not be sorry that you hired Keith as your Real Estate Agent.”
A large portion of Keith – and Weichert’s - business consists of helping those relocating to the Richmond, Virginia area. “We’re representing hundreds of businesses that bring their employees to our area. Moving across the country to a place they know nothing about can be a traumatic experience for them,” says Keith, “so they have to have an agent who wants to do more than just show them houses, they need an agent who will sell them on the area and tell them about different restaurants and different places to go.” Despite the obvious financial rewards of his chosen profession, it’s the more personal side of the transaction that Keith finds most satisfying. “I like people,” he says simply. “More than the house, more than the dollars, more than the commission. It’s about what people are doing, where they’re going.” When he’s not working, Keith can be found spending time with his wife of over 41 years and giving back to his community in a multitude of ways. A deacon at local St. Paul’s Baptist Church, he enjoys the bond between the faith-based community and the community at large. A past member of the board of an anti-domestic violence coalition, he is also a current member of the Times Up campaign to address ongoing abuses of women. Keith is also an avid golfer. “I used to play basketball, but my knees won’t take it anymore,” he laughs. “I’m not very good at golf, but I love it.” A former Diversity Manager for a communications company, Keith once wrote a letter to President Obama thanking him for several programs that helped Keith and his wife stay in their home during difficult financial times. As a result, the President invited him to a state dinner where the president of France was also in attendance. “That kind of propelled me to a level of confidence I’d never had before,” says Keith, “and I’ve been in the six-figure category ever since.” As for the future, Keith plans to eventually open his own office. “I’d like to have about ten or twelve agents,” he says, “and I want to move them to that higher level, and to help them understand how important they are and how important it is to help people with the largest purchase they will probably make in their lifetime. I want them to know that their level of expertise is the highest, so they can walk into an office or a buyer consultation and be confident and professional.”
For more information about Keith Smith, please call 804 - 852 - 8800 or email Keith@Keithissellinghomes.com Top Agent Magazine
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Is Your Phone Voice Attracting–or Repelling? By Carla Cross, CRB, MA It’s such a simple thing, but so important--the first impression you make with your voice! Recently, I did a presentation to a group of Luxury Agent Specialists. It was about sound and its impact on others (I used the piano to demonstrate). We usually think of visual impact. But, as agents, we come across way more people initially via email or phone than we do by sight. So, isn’t it time to Top Agent Magazine
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polish your ‘phone voice’? It’s probably the first ‘warm’ impression people get of you (I call email ‘cold communication’ because it vastly shrinks the three major ways we communicate: sight, sound, and feeling). Here are three tips to assure your phone voice makes the best first impression. Remember, You never have a second chance to make a first impression!
Don’t Mistake Technology as the ‘End’
We are so focused on technology today, that we are in danger of forgetting to effectively use that technology. Here’s an example. When I phone an agent today, I have no idea where that agent will answer his or her phone—or from what phone the call is being answered. And, I don’t really care. Technology allows the phone to follow the agent. That’s great. Here’s what’s not so great. The agent’s message is so dull, powerless, or mumbled that it doesn’t sound as though the agent wants to talk to me. Or, the agent’s message is so long, that I’m impatient by the time I get to leave the message.
Make a Superior Phone Message
For three days, listen carefully to the tone, intent, and messages you hear in phone messages. Listen carefully to how agents, managers, and your affiliates answer the phone (including the receptionist at the office). What do you think? If you didn’t know these people, what would you think of them? Are they excited to hear from you, or are they bored? Here are 4 important tips to remember when recording your own message: 1. Stand up—you’ll sound as though you have much more energy. 2. Write out your script first—and be sure it’s not too long. I don’t really care where you’re going to be all day! 3. Modulate your voice pleasantly. Try to get some resonance. 4. Sound as though you’re looking forward to hearing from me!
Don’t Settle for One Run at It: Re-record Your Phone Message until It’s Perfect
As a musician, I would never play the piano for others unless I had practiced until the performance was perfect. Yet, when we ‘practice’ real estate, we often just ‘let it fly’ with whatever comes out of our mouths! Not good. You have too much at stake to settle for one run at it. 20
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Advice from a musician: Practice your phone message several times before you record it. Then, record and listen critically. Don’t just use the first recording. Make sure your ‘phone voice’ is the best first impression you can make.
P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips 1. Call each of your agents’ phone mails. What’s the impression you get? Are they professional? Do they state the company name? Do they represent your culture and image? 2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the information in this blog. Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cross. All rights reserved. Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is the founder and president of Carla Cross & Co., specializing in real estate management and sales. Her internationally best-selling start-up plan for new agents, Up and Running in 30 Days, is now going into its 5th edition (!). Carla brings her vast experience as a top-selling agent and award-winning manager and trainer to the podium, blending her musical background with her proven sales and management strategies (she uses the piano AND even teaches someone to play—fast…..—entertaining and practical). Find out more at www.carlacross.com. Top Agent Magazine
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3 Mental Tricks That Will Take Your Business to the Next Level It’s no secret that running a successful business requires careful planning and a tireless work ethic. Beyond those obvious ideals, it also takes the right mindset in order to capitalize on professional opportunity. In the world of real estate and mortgage lending, mental fortitude is a major component to reaching the next 22
level and achieving longevity in a sector that requires so much self-discipline. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few key mental tricks you can employ to reinvigorate your working philosophy. Incorporate these techniques into your daily mindfulness routine and your business will surely benefit.
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Visualization helps you work efficiently and keep your cool.
This may sound like one of the oldest tricks in the book, but there’s a reason why Olympic athletes and those serving in first-responder positions use visualization as a time-honored mental technique. Not only does visualizing your daily tasks help you organize your mind, but it amps up your ability to focus on what’s important. Visualization also helps reduce stress in the moment, since you’ve already created a mental expectation of the task ahead. Whether you’re preparing for a negotiation or a pitch to new a client—visualization primes your brain and affords you an extra sense of control as you tackle your day.
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Distill concepts into their simplest terms for ultimate understanding. As an agent or loan officer, you’re likely juggling numerous clients and commitments on any given day. That’s why it helps to distill your responsibilities in clear, definitive terms. Let’s say you have a meeting set with a client to outline a marketing approach for their property. You may understand the broad strokes, but beforehand, try verbalizing the exact takeaways you’d like to impart to your client. This may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to clarify your communication and ensure your com-
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plete understanding of a subject is to explain it aloud in its simplest terms. This crystallizes your main point and can come in handy if you drift off-topic or need to double-down on your message.
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Accept that mistakes will be made.
While it’s natural to fear failure, sometimes the dread of making an error can overwhelm your ability to perform. As the saying goes: don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. If you accept in advance that set-backs will occur, challenges will come, and things won’t always go accordingly to plan—you’ll be less confounded when hurdles do arise. What matters is keeping an even keel as you sort through unexpected delays or mishaps. Accepting that mistakes will happen allows you to shift your focus towards a solution or contingency plan. In other words, don’t spend your energy trying to achieve perfection. Aim high and work hard, but be in touch with reality: upsets are bound to occur. Accept this and you’ll be ready when they do. The path to lasting success is ongoing, and there are bound to be challenges along the way. It takes mental fortitude to make it to the top, so keep these tricks in mind as you continue to grow as a person and a professional. Seeing situations in a new light can make all the difference as you adapt, evolve, and take your business to the next level.
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