There are two reasons to organize.

1. Better client service. If I’m the consumer today, I want to know that you are trustworthy—that you’re good for your word. If I can see that you have systems, I know that you will have a much better chance of keeping your word to me. I’m using the word “see”, because we believe what we see, not what we hear.

2. Time Management. The agent’s biggest challenge is to find a way to make the same amount of money and quit working 24/7. Creating systems will take a long way toward that goal.

Creating Systems is Key to Effective Client and Time Management

Take system inventory now. Here are the minimum systems you need:

For sellers:

Prospecting system

Visual marketing presentation

Pre-first visit presentation

Checklists: Process at listing/marketing process

After close/client retention

Your personal marketing system

For buyers:

Prospecting system

Visual buyer presentation

Pre-first visit presentation

Checklists: process during buying/before closing/after closing—client retention

Your personal marketing system

How to begin. Real estate professionals are doers. We talk our way through processes.  We dread organizing things, and frankly, we’re not good at it. So, how do we begin? First, find your organizational resources. Here are three:

1. Other agents who already have systems and who are willing to share
2. Great assistants who are good at organizing
3. Professionals who sell these packages

You’ll probably want a combination of all three. I know it’s wonderful to think that you can hire an assistant and expect that assistant to organize from the ground up. But, my experience is that you will have to be involved in the process, and you will have to buy ready-made systems to help that assistant get a clue about what you want.

Start with one at a time. Make a list and prioritize it for the systems you need first. Put a date to start, and a date for completion (I know, there’s that organization again!). You’ll find that the first is the hardest, and then, it starts to actually get easy! It’s a skill like anything else. Bottom line: Systematization allows you to actually run a business, not just run after buyers and sellers.

Need a checklist for systemization? The Business Planning System for the Real Estate Professional will help you schedule your systems–including your technology systems.

No skill

No experience

No money

Little time

(Perfect for new agents!)

And, this one thing will make you stand out from the crowd better than any other one thing you could do! What is it? Simple:

Write a thank you note (a real hard copy note, not an email)

Why?

Because manners and ‘thank yous’ have gotten increasingly uncommon! You will stand out simply because you’ve taken the time, thought about that person, and cared enough to write—and put that 44 cent stamp on it.

Write More Than One Note

I’m not going to tell you to write a certain number of notes per day. You set your standard (that means the minimum you’ll do).

What to Say

Thank you. Thinking about you. I appreciate you. I used your advice. Here’s something for you that would be helpful. I found the information you wanted.

Big important sales principle:

Contacting people is simply finding an excuse to write, pick up the phone, or go see.

My challenge: How creative can you get?

You are more creative than you think you are. Now, sit down and think hard about 5 people you’ve started to work with, but need to contact now. What about them fits into any scenario for you to write that note, pick up the phone, or go see?

You’re now using ‘advanced’ sales techniques, and you already know how to do all of this.

Proof is in the Pudding

My first year in real estate, I sold 40 homes. Also, I sent more things in the mail than any other of the 30 agents in my office. Why? Because I wanted to create a ‘critical mass’ of people who thought I was wonderful. Yes, you can also do this with social media. But, you want to stand out. And, you will stand out much more if you write to one person than to many. After all, you are working with that one person who will pay you thousands of dollars. He/she is worth that special, individual effort! That’s the one thing you should do to get business.

It is amazing to me that agents wait so long to get organized! I remember, though, how confused I was as a new agent. I just didn’t know what to do first. Luckily, though, I quickly found buyers and started selling homes. I’m going to tell you the bare truth: I was not organized, packaged, or, certainly—systematized!

You Can’t Go Very Fast Unless You Have Packages and Systems

What I found, very quickly, was that I had to have ready-to-use systems to serve buyers and sellers as fast as I wanted to move (I sold 40 houses my first year in real estate!). After years of working on them, I created packages for both buyers and sellers that work.

Here are the Packages you Need for Buyers

Your buyers’ system should include

• A Pre-First Appointment Information Package—to set you apart from the ‘pack’
• A Consultation Package (I’ve created one I call Your Guide to Purchasing a Home, available in my resource The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit)
• The Buyers’ System—a resource you provide only to those who sign a Buyer’s Agency Agreement with you, that takes the buyer much deeper into the process

Capture Buyers’ Loyalty and Respect

Creating your Buyer System not only raises your value dramatically to buyers, it creates a track for you and your team to run on. When you treat buyers with the care and systematization you show sellers, your buyer close ratios go way up, and your time management challenges diminish. Why not start competing with very seasoned agents with your own packages? You will greatly increase your confidence, and find the buyer trust you much more quickly.

A resource to cut your ‘learning time’ down dramatically:  Take a look at The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit. You can see a sneak preview of the complete toolkit there, too. Make a goal for yourself to get your buyers’ process systematized now, and enjoy the benefits.

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)

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.

If you’re a newer agent, I understand how difficult it is to organize that blizzard of information. And, admittedly, you’ll have to keep changing your organization as you progress. Yet, until you meet the organizational challenge, you can’t really move forward.

There are two reasons to organize.  The first is that it provides much better customer service. If I’m the consumer today, I want to know that you are trustworthy—that you’re good for your word. If I can see that you have systems, I know that you will have a much better chance of keeping your word to me. I’m using the word “see”, because we believe what we see, not what we hear.

The second reason is that it provides you much better time management. The agent’s biggest challenge is to find a way to make the same amount of money and quit working 24/7. Creating systems will take a long way toward that goal.

Take system inventory now.

Here are the minimum systems you need:

For sellers:

• Lead generating system (should be run with contact management software)
• Automated process for following the lead from first contact through listing
• Visual marketing presentation and a system for having them pre-done and always ready to go
• Pre-first visit presentation and a system to have them packaged, ready to use
• System for following the listing from first listed to after closing (can be automated with use of a contact management program)
• After close/client retention system (can be automated)
• Your personal marketing system—a marketing plan that can be automated and delegated to someone

For buyers:

• Lead generating system—driven by contact management
• System to follow the buyer from first contact to sale (can be automated)
• Visual buyer presentation—packaged and ready to use
• Pre-first visit presentation—packaged and ready to use
• Checklists: process during buying/before closing/after closing—client retention
• Your personal marketing system

How to begin. Real estate professionals are doers. We talk our way through processes.  We dread organizing things, and frankly, we’re not good at it. So, how do we begin?

Start with one system or process at a time. Make a list and prioritize it for the systems you need first. Put a date to start, and a date for completion (I know, there’s that organization again!). You’ll find that the first is the hardest, and then, it starts to actually get easy! It’s a skill like anything else. Bottom line: Systematization allows you to actually run a business, not just run after buyers and sellers.

Note: If you want to make it easy on yourself, get The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit and Your Client-Based Marketing System, the complete buyer and seller systems, with dozens of checklists, processes, and presentations already created for you.

Webinar on Motivating Yourself/Others

Motivational and inspirational webinar coming up for you: On March 17, at 2 P. M. EST, I’ll be doing a webinar for the NAR Learning Library, titled Light ‘Em on Fire: Newest Truths about Motivation. Click here for more information. Join me!

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.