High personal initiative. Do what you know needs to be done even if no one else is doing it!

Tenacity. Studies show most salespeople give up after the second ‘no’. Yet, most customers only say ‘yes’ after they’ve said ‘no’ 5 times! Never give up.

Risk taker. Doing it before you have all the answers–taking risks–is a big part of starting your career successfully.

Accountability to yourself. Plan your week and work your plan. No one else will do it for you in the real estate business.

Reliability to others. The consumer rates “trustworthiness” as the most important attribute they need in a real estate agent. Keep your promises.

Willingness to learn. In this warp-speed changing business, being a life-long learner is critical to success in a real estate career.

Enthusiasm. Would you buy anything from anyone who wasn’t convinced himself that the product or service was important to you? And could convey his excitement and enthusiasm?

Handling rejection. Absolute faith in your own convictions and your own self-worth helps you weather those thousands of ‘nos’ and keep going to get a ‘yes’.

Creativity. Doing it like we’ve always done it just won’t work in this changing environment. Try it differently. Put you into the sales equation for great success.

This list is excerpted from my book for would-be and new real estate agents, Become Tomorrow’s Mega-Agent Today. See it at www.carlacross.com. How do you stack up? Do you have what it takes? What else do you think it takes today?

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. Many times 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.

What Impact Do You Want to Make?

Surveys show that consumers want their agent to be enthusiastic. So why do many of the agents’ phone messages sound as though they are terribly tired or uninterested in the caller? Here’s the principle.

We use our senses to make snap judgments about people.

The less senses involved, the more important it is that we communicate properly. On the phone, there is only once sense involved—that of hearing. You have no ability to communicate your warmth, your interest, etc. visually on the phone. You have only your voice.

Decide What You Want to Communicate

What conclusions do you want your caller to have about you? Write down the five most important judgments you want your caller to make about you and your business approach. Now, listen to your own voice message. Do you believe you are communicating your ‘best self’? Ask five other people to listen, too. Decide what you like and what you want to change.

Research your Competition

Don’t listen only for your own communications. For three days, listen carefully to the tone, intent, and messages you hear on answering machines or voice messages of other agents and brokers. Listen carefully to how agents answer the phone at their offices. What do you think those agents are communicating? Do you believe they are communicating the kind of qualities they want to communicate—and think they are communicating?

Four 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!

These simple tips will increase your trust rate and your business. Get to ‘hearing’ today! Best news for budgeting agents: This tips cost you nothing, but reap you great benefits. First impressions: Create your best phone voice.

When times get tough, agents think about supplementing their incomes with another job. Historically, these jobs have been in affiliated fields: appraisal, title, or insurance. But, now, those jobs are as tenuous as is real estate sales. So, the trend is for agents to seek ‘outside’ employment.

The Dual Career Agent

In his latest trends report, Stefan Swanepoel states that the NAR 2009 Member Profile reveals that only 22% of agents under two years in the business say that real estate is their primary source of income. And, a full 10% work less than 40 hours a week. 40% of agents say they work 40 hours a week. There are obvious reasons why newer agents supplement their income, but, it is good for them? Is it good for the client?

The Client Demands Much More Today

The California Association of Realtors’ latest consumer survey gives stunning, and disturbing customer satisfaction ratings of Realtors. The overall satisfaction rating of the service the Realtor provides has dropped from a high in 2005 for Internet buyers of almost 90%, to a low (what a low!) of 4% today! From other facets of the California survey, it’s utterly apparent that the consumer is not happy at all with the level of service.

Agent Needs and Client Demands Collide

How will the client get the service he/she demands and expects, while more and more agents devote less and less time to them? I know, from selling real estate for a long time, that the client just can’t be served when the agent has another demanding time commitment, whether that demand is from the kids or from another job. In fact, those demands tear the agent away from his/her needed professional development—and from recognizing and fulfilling the needs the client communicates to the agent.

‘Dual Career’ Agents will not Command the ‘Generous’ Commission Most Agents Want

So, if you want to reap those generous commissions, it’s time now to commit to the highest level service you can possibly deliver. If you are full-time, communicate that with a vengeance (gracefully, of course), to your potential clients. That’s what they want, and, if you can deliver, you’ll gain dramatically in this tumultuous market.

Do you use a written customer satisfaction survey after closing? The choices for answers were:

Always

Sometimes

Never

Yes, and survey once or more during the sales process

Should You Care What they Think?

About three quarters of the respondents never or only sometimes used a customer satisfaction survey after closing. On the other side of the tracks, five percent used a survey once or more during the sales process.  So, only about a quarter of the agents surveyed consistently used the customer survey tool to gauge customer satisfaction levels, make changes as needed—and create long-term loyalty.

Our Industry is Far Behind in Customer Service

Every time you go into a restaurant, you get surveyed. Every time you take your car in to get it serviced, you get surveyed. I’ll bet you can think of a myriad of other services and products that survey. Yet, our industry has lagged decades behind others in caring about—and responding to consumer needs. In fact, the California Association of Realtors’ 2009 survey on overall satisfaction with agent used showed that a whopping 4% of clients were satisfied!!!! (See the graph below:)

Real Estate Agent Client Satisfaction Ratings

Your Customer Survey Form is a Click Away

There are so many benefits to using customer surveys:

1. You find out how you did
2. You find out what you need to improve on
3. You have an opportunity to ‘fix it fast’ and get them back
4. You get glowing testimonials
5. You build a ‘tribe’ of committed long-term clients

Click here to download your customer survey. Let me know how it works for you!

The Ten Tips

1. Learn non-verbal skills and apply them in writing, on the phone, and in person to establish rapport in an increasingly ‘cold inquiry’ world.

2. We believe what others say about a salesperson, not what the salesperson says about themselves. Use testimonials; check evaluation websites to see what consumers are saying about you.

Check out www.realestateratingz.com and www.incredibleagents.com.

3. Create an after-the-sale survey and use it consistently. If there’s something wrong, fix it fast.

4. We believe what we see, not what we hear. Show, don’t tell. Use visual presentations consistently.

5. Flip your sales presentations. Ask questions—lots of questions—first. Educate. Finally, sell (well, you won’t have to sell).

6. Tell the truth attractively. Show evidence, don’t try to scare the client into action by predicting  the future.

7. Evaluate the client for long-term relationships. Is the client someone you want to add to your ‘tribe’?

8. Use ‘tough love’ with a client to tell the truth, turn down a client—to stay true to your values. Do what’s best for the client.

9. Re-cap. Regularly, stop and re-cap with the client. Do this, too, when you can’t meet client expectations.

10. Book of Greatness: Don’t brag about yourself in the middle of apresentation. Create a ‘Book of Greatness’ to use in your pre-first visit so your clients get to know you and your approach to sales.

Skill enhancers, time savers, and presentation builders:

See Your Professional Portfolio to assemble an effective ‘book of greatness.

See The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit* to assemble and present your presentations to buyers.

See Your Client-Based Marketed System* to create presentations and systems to work effectively with sellers.

See Objection-Busters for buyers and sellers to handle barriers to a sale.

*tested and recommended by CRS (Council of Residential Specialists)

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

1. Has a database, populates it

This agent is committed long-term. He uses a contact management program to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take. This means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time. Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via e-mail. 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% to sell my home.

2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have

This agent makes every decision based on his vision of his career at least 3 to 5 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 me defines as his ‘target area’. That way, he’ll get known, and can build on his reputation. The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business!  Because he cares more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, he learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, and works harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

3. Works for referrals, not just sales

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 his home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller will be not well served by pricing higher. And he has the intestinal fortitude to walk away (but doesn’t have to many times because he creates a stellar reputation amongst his clientele).

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind

Makes every decision to grow trust, not to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple, and, finding out they can’t purchase right away, creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, she keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyer agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Put Yourself to the Test

How many of these points can you claim as your action? What do you want to work on to become a true ‘value-added’ agent?

The Information Hoarder/Revealer Agent Has No Value Today

When agents were able to hoard the information about homes, agents could sell value based on home information. Now, there’s no agent-provided value there. So, what value do you provide, and how do you show it?  I believe there are three packages that buyer’s agents need to provide, to justify their desired exclusive buyer’s agency agreement, and their commissions:

• The Pre-Appointment Package
• The Consultative Package (I call it “Your Guide to Purchasing a Home”)
• The Home Buyers’ System Package

Why packages: To create visual, substantive evidence that you are professional, you are knowledgeable, and you are current and contemporary.

Here’s the principle you’re going to follow:

We believe what we see, not what we hear

Non-Committed agents need not apply. You and I know that a non-committed, part-time, or low producing agent just isn’t going to take the time to create these packages, processes, and systems. You are. Creating these packages and systematizing your buyer process shows you are a committed, savvy, value-added agent.

Systematizing: The Pre-Appointment Package

To guard against that Internet buyer de-valuing the services you provide, you’re going to start educating them from the time you first talk to them. Your pre-appointment package will do just that.

Systematizing: The Consultative System and Buyer’s Package

Because you’re thinking in terms now of a complete buyer system, part of that system is a professional process to meet with the buyer using a planned process to meet the buyer’s needs. That means you’re going to educate the buyer, and you’re going to carefully and systematically qualify the buyer. You’re going to use the ‘consultative’ approach, asking great questions in an orderly, purposeful fashion.

Bottom line: You’re going to create awesome value, because you’re going to help that buyer prioritize the myriad pieces of information they’ve gotten from the Internet.

Added Value: The Home Buyers’ System

The last package you’re going to create is the most valuable. But, it’s not given to the purchaser unless and until the purchaser agrees to work exclusively with you. This package has the specific processes, checklists, and systems that you’ve created to partner with the buyer successfully through the home buying process.

The Ideal Buyer’s Agent: Working with the Internet Buyer Through Fully Systematized Processes

You’ve systematized your buyers’ process to raise it to a value-added level. You’re not focused on information-providing. You’re focused on information-prioritizing. You are now matched up with the needs and desires of that Internet buyer, and you’re poised for exceptional real estate success. Congratulations!

Buyer's Agent Toolkit

Don’t waste time reinventing the wheel: To help you get into action instead sit creating systems at your computer, I’ve provided a ready to use PowerPoint presentation, along with the three buyer packages you need, read to go, in The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit. Not only that, I’ve provided a comprehensive training system to assist you in performing like a top producer—even before you are one. Click here to learn more.

Why meeting buyer qualifying criteria is important: Buyers today have many choices of how to find homes. You need to create competitive reasons to help buyers choose you.  It will save you time and money (more about that in a later blog, too). And, if you’re a newer agent, creating solid reasons to help buyers choose you will increase your self-confidence 200%.

Five Critical Questions Buyer Should Ask Agent ‘Candidates’

Here are five critical questions I believe buyers should ask agents to assure they have a ‘match’ between what they are looking for and what the agent provides. In addition, I’ve added what I believe buyers should look for in the anwers (that means that we agents must be able to qualify on these terms):

1. “Is selling residential real estate your full-time career?”

My advice to buyers: Listen to be sure the agent specializes in residential real estate. You want someone selling homes for a living, not apartment houses. Listen to see if this is the agent’s full-time career. Ask additional questions if the agent’s answers need more clarifying.

2. “How many homes did you sell last year?”

My advice to buyers: You want someone successful; that means, at minimum, the agent sold homes to buyers at least six times in that year.

3. “How long have you specialized in residential real estate in this area?”

My advice to buyers: Be sure the agent has been working in the area where you want to purchase for at least six months, so you know the agent has expertise and interest in that area.

4. “Describe the work you do in our price range and area.”

My advice to buyers: Listen to be sure the agent zeros in on the area and price range you need. If the agent says, “I work anywhere with anybody”, that agent may not be for you, for he may be trying to cover too much ground to know very much about specific areas.

5. “Tell us how you will work with us.”

My advice to buyers: Listen as the agent describes the buying process, as he views it. Does it reflect what you’re looking for?

Agents: Think These Criteria are Too Tough?

Did some of those questions and my advice to buyers make you defensive and argumentative? That’s because we agents tend to look at things ‘inside out’ (from our perspective). Instead, pretend you are a discriminating buyer. You’re going to spend $60,000 on a car. What kind of customer service do you expect? Now, think in terms of the real estate buyer. What kind of service should a real estate buyer expect?

Newer Agents: Panicked Because You Think You Can’t Qualify?

Relax. You don’t need to qualify on all terms. But, you need to have answers and explanations ready so you can provide buyers reasons to work with you. Advice: Educate yourself so that you are as well-prepared to help a buyer as an agent who has sold 100+ homes in his/her career.

Resources to Help You Compete to Qualify for a Buyer

Objection Busters for Buyers’ and Sellers’ Objections–provides a unique method to ‘craft’ answers to objections and provides dozens of scripts and role plays

The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit–all the presentations, checklists, and skills you’ll need to create loyalty with buyers and compete with mega-agents

Your Professional Portfolio–how to build the unique YOU to position yourself as a real estate professional/expert/consultant

• has been in the business three to five years and seems real committed and enthusiastic,
• has completed higher level training (Graduate REALTORS® Institute and Certified Residential Salesperson—both REALTOR®-sponsored educational series for real estate agents, which include sales and technical skills),
• has completed an average of 10 to 20 sales per year or more (working with buyers),
• has letters of recommendation and a list of people I could contact,
• has a portfolio or brochure, with stated mission and values,
• specializes in areas where I want to look,
• has time to put me first, within reason,
• doesn’t delegate me totally to an assistant,
• seems strong enough to tell me the truth, even if I don’t like it
• explanations about agency relationships and how they work are clear and concise,
• has high standards for choosing buyers,
• demonstrates strong communication skills, and
• seems to match my business values.

 How many of these qualifications do you meet? If you don’t meet them, how can you ‘equal’ them with your other great qualities and skills?

Agents Sure Responded to Me

I was really shocked when I started getting phone calls and emails from agents, protesting that I was too stringent in my qualifications. The key here, though, is not to feel you can’t do a great job for a consumer without some of these qualifications, but to figure out what you DO bring to the table.

Expected, or Exceptional?

Unfortunately, too many of us in services businesses think that we are providing exceptional service–while the consumer rates those services as ‘expected’.

So, my question to you is: What’s your list of qualifications, and how can you get to the ‘exceptional’ level?

For more information on personal promotion, see Your Professional Portfolio. There’s also information on personal promotion in Up and Running in 30 Days.

Webinar note: Want help in business planning? I’ll be doing a webinar for the National Association of Realtors’ Learning Library Oct. 29 at 1 p. m. EDT (10 a. m. PDT). Click here for more information.