UP AND RUNNING IN 30 DAYS: Real Estate Training and Coaching

What You Didn’t Know Has Changed: Lead Generation

May 21st, 2020

A lot has changed in the past 60 days. There’s one thing, though, that no one talks about–that will be the BIGGEST change in how we manage our business.

Here’s what you didn’t know has changed. Yes, we’ve gone digital–in many respects.Yes, we’ve gained new skills. But, there’s one thing that has changed the way we’ll do our real estate business more than any other–and it has nothing to do with technology.

It’s How We Communicate with Our Clients and Potential Clients

You’ve read the dozens of ideas great agents have shared about how they stay in contact with their would-be and present clients during this unrepresented time. (see the end of this blog for my list).

Raising the bar. What you may not realize is that these agents’ enhanced communications have ‘raised the bar’ for how all agents must contact and re-contact their client bases. Why? Because these agents are showing how we should always communicate to our client base:

We care more about their lives and their well-being than their ability to buy something from us.

The Statistics Show Agents Are Not Very Caring (Don’t Get Mad)

OK. That’s a generalization. I hope you’re one of those agents who doesn’t ‘love ’em and leave ’em. Here’s what the statistics show:

Only one-third of agents who sell someone a home every bother to talk to the buyer again.

Shocking, isn’t it?
They don’t call, they don’t take a petunia. They do–nothing. Before that sale, though, we’ve practically lived them and their family with in our car, talked with them every day, anguished with over the move, spent 12 hours a day with them for weeks. Once we’ve got the check, we’re out of there. The buyer must think we just take the money and run.

Again, I said it’s probably not you. It’s only 2/3 of the agents! That’s enough, though, to give us a bad reputation.

What’s Changed: Communicate throughout the Whole Relationship, with the Focus on the Client’s Well-Being First

That’s what this crisis has taught us. That’s what great agents are doing, and it’s so inspiring. I believe this will forever change client expectations. I hope it changes how agents regard the business. And I hope it changes how we teach lead generation, selling, and client retention.

What do you think?

Which kind of treatment and relationship do you believe the client will value more? Which type of agent will be more successful?

Click here to get my list of communications agents are doing right now to assure and cement client relationships.

What are you doing?

Do You Train? Are You Challenged by Pivoting to Online Training?

Taking your course online isn’t as simple as turning on the camera and talking! Presenters need new techniques and tools to assure that online course works.

Join me, June 11, (Thursday), from 10-11 am PDT, when I’m presenting a webinar:

Masterclass:

How to Take Your Course from Classroom to Online.

Get more information and register here.

This free webinar is created especially for those presenting to real estate pros. Please forward this invitation to all trainers.

Bonus: A 2-page checklist of how to organize and present your online course.

Connections, not Sales Now

by Carla Cross

April 28th, 2020

That business plan you created for 2020 just isn’t working. Here’s how to communicate with clients right now.

You’re after connections now, not traditional sales goals.

Our dialogues and our marketing materials in our business plan are designed to bring us leads. All business plans also have a ‘results’ component: That’s listings taken, listings sold, and sales. That’s not what you’re after now. You’re after making connections. What does that mean? That means our communication needs to be

Supportive

Positive

Helpful

Meaningful

Relationship-based

That means we’re not looking for that big, money-making result. We’re really in a

“pre-lead” phase.

Why Connections?

Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? It states that we must meet the lowest unmet need before we can meet higher needs. What are our needs now?

Comfort

Shelter

Enough food and supplies (toilet paper!)

Fear of sickness

Fear of losing one’s job—or of making payments

Where are we on Maslow’s Hierarchy? We are close to the bottom—that drive to meet very basic needs. Maslow calls those Safety or Security needs. That’s why your messages have to be reassuring. You have to establish trust. You have to provide a safe harbor for your clients and potential clients.

Re-Designing that Business Plan

Instead of thinking ‘how am I going to get leads’? Think ‘how am I going to connect’? Re-design your messages to your best target markets with connection as your goal. That means, too, that you must identify those markets and make your messages meaningful to those markets.

On April 30, I’m doing a webinar for real estate professionals called “Build Your Business Right Now to Position for Success Later.” We’ll explore in detail how you re-build your business plan to pick the right connection messages to the right markets for you.

Outcomes of your Re-Designed Plan

The irony of this re-design is that you’re going to create listing and sales opportunities because your client base is looking for that connection now. When they find it, they will walk one step closer to a transaction with you—even when you didn’t ask. The danger in ‘laying out’ (as we say in the music performance business) is that you’ll be way behind the curve when the market comes back. Those people you considered clients found you were a ‘secret agent’ when they needed connections and information. They have turned to a new source of connections because you didn’t communicate. Don’t let that happen.

Start Today

From working with hundreds of real estate professionals during this time, I know clients are so grateful for these connections. You have something to offer. Don’t keep it a secret. Share your information, your compassion, and your unique value to your potential and present clients. They will appreciate you, and you will feel that you have been contributive in a difficult time.

Join me April 30 at 10 am PDT for a complimentary, fast-paced webinar on how to create a successful 60-Day Pivot Plan.

Click here to register for Build Your Business Now to Position for Success Later.

Categories action plan, Business Plan, client referrals, customer loyalty, New Real Estate Agents, online training, Pivot business plan, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, retention, Training, webinar
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Throw Out that Old Business Plan!

by Carla Cross

April 24th, 2020

man flying by the seat of his pants — Throw out that old business plan! But, don’t fly by the seat of your pants. Here’s how to pivot now.

Things have changed. Your business plan just doesn’t seem appropriate now. How have many agents reacted? They’re sitting it out, waiting for a better tomorrow.

Sitting it Out will Put You Three Months Behind the Recovery

I know. Agents come into the business when they perceive it’s a ‘good market’–or better yet, on fire. Then, they get out of the business when the market goes into a slump. So, it’s to be expected that many agents will just take a 2-3 month vacation right now. The danger: The agents who are still working will be positioned to take advantage of the market comeback–and those other agents will sit and wonder what’s happening. Don’t let that be you.

Adjust Your Business Plan to Work Smart Now

On April 30, at 10 am PDT, I’m giving a free webinar. I’ll show you how to create what I call a 60-day Pivot Business Plan. (I’ll even provide you the template for that plan). Here are some things for you to research to get ready for that webinar:

Are you positioned in social media so that buyers and sellers can find you? Look at your bio on sites like LInkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Are the bios consistent? Do they need to be polished?
Your website–you do have one, don’t you? Is it up to date? Does it capture your uniqueness? Is it consistent with your social media sites?
Ask yourself, “If I didn’t know me, what conclusions from my digital media would I draw about my competency and success in this business?”

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I’ll be giving you tips to make the right kind of statement (and a lot of agents’ statements miss the mark).

Why the Emphasis on Digital Identity?

Compare the number of hours you’re sitting at your computer now with the number of hours you spent before the virus visited. Think about the millions of people who are becoming accustomed to digital communication instead of face to face. Do you think they will rely on ‘getting to know you’ more by your digital presence than before? You bet. So, now is the time to polish it.

Matching your Uniqueness to your Markets and Messages

Because we’re communicating so much more digitally, we must be better at communicating who we are and who we serve–and how we serve. In the webinar next week, I’ll lead you through some thought processes to help you underscore your uniqueness and choose the messages that ring true to your clients.

New Communications, New Messages, and New Business Plan

We’re going to walk through the parts of my pared-down, just the important facets of this short-term business plan. Yes, it’s different. Yes, it will carry you through this time and position you for an exceptional third and fourth quarter this year. Join me and let me help you pivot.

Free Webinar Thursday

April 30, 10 am PDT

Build Your Real Estate Business Right Now to Position for Success Later

Create Your Own Opportunity with an Innovative Plan of Action

You can’t depend on that old business plan now. You need a ‘pivot’ plan. Here it is, and we’ll work together on it.

In this 45-minute, fast-paced webinar, learn specific actions to:

Discover your unique value and match it to your natural client base.
Choose appropriate messages for specific markets.
Use other experts to reach out to your client base as a valued professional, even if you’re a newer agent.
Build out your 60-day Pivot Business Plan, created specifically for this market, so you’ll know exactly what to do each day to build a more productive and profitable business

You will receive your 60-Day Pivot Business Plan template as my ‘thanks’ for attending.

Register now. Space is limited.

Categories action plan, Business Plan, database, Experienced agent, FREE real estate coaching, Marketing, New Real Estate Agents, online training, Personal promotion, Pivot business plan, Real estate as a career, social media, Training, webinar
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One Huge Change You Need to Make to your Business Plan Right Now

by Carla Cross

April 15th, 2020

Your client wonders what happened to you……are you waiting for the market to bounce back, or are you driving your own career now?

There’s one huge change you need to make to your business plan right now.

In sales courses, we teach that you are to go find a potential client, and take them through the steps to buy or sell a home. But, right now, that’s probably not going to happen. So, what are you going to do? Change our business plan for awhile.

Generally, agents are reacting to the market change in two ways:

Sit and waiting until the market fires up again or

2. Create a plan to drive their success (instead of the market driving success)

Whic type are you?

If you’ve read my book, Up and Running in 30 Days, or have taken my online training course, Up and Running in Real Estate, you know there are two types of lead generation: Proactive and reactive.

a. proactive (you go out and find the lead)

b. reactive (You wait for the lead)

Agents who steadily increase their income rely heavily on proactive lead generation. Agents who create a minimum business rely on reactive lead generation.

The Change You Need to Make Now in your Business Plan

We don’t want to wait until the market sweeps us along. Instead, we need to keep communicating–but communicate differently. Right now, we need to be in a “pre-lead” state of mind. Our communications to our database, our target markets, and our clients need to be different from our regular modes of contact.

Pivoting to a Pre-Lead Generation Plan

What is a Pivot Business Plan? It’s a short-term plan that has the right kinds of communication to the right target markets at the right time. I’ll be sharing my 60-Day Pivot Business Plan in an upcoming webinar, announced next week.

Get ready.

Right now, look at the communications you’re creating with your client base. Are they appropriate for the climate now? Do they ‘ring true’ with who you are? Are they speaking to that target base in a way that is meaningful to the base?

In the next few blogs, I’ll be leading you through a process to create those messages, so you have unassailable confidence in your communications, and are building your business with purpose during this time.

Watch for my webinar, being announced next week, on building that 60-Day Pivot Business Plan so you’re controlling your income, not the market

Agents who steadily increase their income rely heavily on proactive lead generation. Agents who create a minimum business rely on reactive lead generation.

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This is a perfect time for you to launch or re-launch your career with purpose. Up and Running in Real Estate, my online coaching program for agents under 2 years in the business (or want a re-start), will position you for more success than you imagined as the market breaks open again. Why wait and put yourself back 3-6 months? Take advantage now.

Click here to see a sneak preview. It’s fun, it’s fast, and I’ll be your coach–a FREE add-on for this climate!

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, action plan, Business Plan, Coaching, CRM, database, expectations, FREE real estate coaching, new agent business plan, online training, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, Up and Running in 30 Days, Up and Running in Real Estate
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Got your Pivot Business Plan?

by Carla Cross

April 9th, 2020

Real estate agents: What’s your plan right now? Have you re-aligned your plan with what’s going on in your market?

Got your pivot business plan? Oh, let’s get real. What percentage of real estate agents have a business plan in the first place?

Having a ‘pivot’ plan right now will mean whether you’re still in the business in three months. Why? Because most real estate agents flock into the business when it’s on fire, and then wait or get out of the business when it comes to a screeching halt. That doesn’t have to be you.

What You Need in a ‘Pivot’ Plan

In the next few blogs, I’ll be showing you my complete pivot business plan. For right now, I want you to get ready with these items:

How many people do you have in your database? If you don’t have a database, populate one RIGHT NOW!
Identify where you could increase the number of people in your database; Facebook, other social media, community groups, church, hobbies, prior work, Christmas card list, people you exchange services with (dentist, hair stylist, etc.) (What can YOU think of?)
Three methods of communication you’ve heard about that come from contribution during this challenging time (contributing to food banks, making masks, delivering food to emergency workers–you gather up at least 3 of these)
Write down how you could come from contribution and how would you communicate that to specific target markets in your database

For the next few blogs, I’ll be expanding on these 4 points, and will be helping you flesh out that business plan.

Suggestion: Talk to your manager about these four points and get his/her input.

Thought for the day: I didn’t have success, so I had to start without it. Jonathan Winters, one of the greatest comedians of all time

Online Training: And I’ll Coach You, Too

Click here to watch the video.

What are you waiting for? My 8-week, step at a time online training, Up and Running in Real Estate, for real estate agents under 2 years in the business will get you focused and ready for a business that will exceed your goals.

Especially for this market: I have made adjustments in the 8-week plan to reflect this market. I’ll be personally coaching clients weekly with special activities that will work for you in this market–and beyond. (at no extra cost to you.)

Managers–are you willing to partner with me to coach your agent to a great career? I want your support! So, I’m making the Coaches’ Corner FREE. That means your newer agent will have a dedicated team (you and me) working to help that agent create a great career–right now.

Call me at 425-392-6914 and I’ll show you the program. Let’s not let those newer agents languish now!

Categories Coaching, CRM, database, FREE real estate coaching, New Real Estate Agents, online training, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real estate systems, Up and Running in 30 Days, Up and Running in Real Estate
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Real Estate Agents: What Do I Do When I’m Home Alone?

by Carla Cross

April 3rd, 2020

This picture represents all the real estate agents who will sit and wait for that blazingly fast market to appear again. Here’s what to do right now.

Real estate agents: Are you “home alone”? Are you wondering what to do to keep your business going? Yes, I know. You’re hearing all these creative and innovative strategies great agents are doing to keep their businesses going. But, what about you?

Let’s get real. For many real estate agents, the reality is that they aren’t so busy that their business just keeps driving them. The truth is that, in our area, the average agent completes between 4 and 5 transactions a year. That just isn’t enough to build a thriving referral business–or to assume that the business will drive you during challenging markets.

What to Do If the Business Isn’t Driving You

I’ve been through several shifting markets before. A few agents keep going, switching their methods of lead generation and service to match the economic climate.

But, many real estate agents aren’t used to having to drive their own success.

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They thrived in a market where the business drove their activities. They’re lost when they have to get up every day, decide what to do, and initiate actions.

What Are You Waiting For?

How do you switch to business habits where YOU drive your success? It’s time to figure that out. I just did a Zoom call with agents in various stages of their businesses. Whether they were very successful or just beginning, they all had feelings of indecision. Why? Because we don’t have all those other people around us. We don’t have clients wanting our services. We can’t lead generate in the same ways. We’re switching methods. We need to deliver different kids of messages.

The Answer

You’re getting all kinds of suggestions about things to do. Great. But, how do you fit those into YOUR business? To answer that question, I made a very simple 2- month business plan template. Sure, it’s not a full-blown business plan. It’s not even beautiful. It’s just workable. I made it to help you think through how you’re going to nudge your business forward right now so you’re positioned and already in the flow of business when the market starts to fire up again (and it will). I’m going to give it to you early next week, so watch for it.

What To Do Now

Get ready to drop these things into your business plan:

The number of people you have in your database; if you don’t have a database, populate one RIGHT NOW!
Identify where you could increase the number of people in your database; Facebook, other social media, community groups, church, hobbies, prior work, Christmas card list, people you exchange services with (dentist, hair stylist, etc.) (What can YOU think of?)
Three methods of communication you’ve heard about that come from contribution during this challenging time (contributing to food banks, making masks, delivering food to emergency workers–you gather up at least 3 of these)
Write down how you could come from contribution and how would you communicate that to your database

For the next few blogs, I’ll be expanding on these 4 points, and will be helping you flesh out that business plan.

Suggestion: Talk to your manager about these four points and get his/her input.

Thought for the day: It’s easier to act yourself into feeling than to feel yourself into action. Jerome Bruner, Psychologist

Just get into action and you’ll feel better!

Online Training: And I’ll Coach You, Too

Click here to watch the video.

Find out more here. Why not get ready for a fast break right now?

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, action plan, Business Plan, lead generation, Motivation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, Up and Running in 30 Days, Up and Running in Real Estate
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She’s On It! A Cool Strategy for Touching Base with your Client Base

by Carla Cross

March 24th, 2020

Boy, has the world changed in a couple of weeks! I know you’re getting inundcated with emails saying ‘we support you’. Instead of a general email, though, I want to offer you some concrete, specific strategies you can do right now that will set up for your greater success when we get back to normal (whatever that will be).

I chose the ‘standing ovation’ because you’re going to see a strategy that deserves one!

I’ve been through several market shifts, and I’ve found that most agents sit and wait for the market to come back to ‘normal’. That strategy doesn’t work too well. I think agents are much more ready to ‘shift’ than they used to be. I’m seeing some great examples, and I want to share them with you.

She Keeps In Touch–Always

About a year ago, I was interviewing potential managers for a real estate company, and one of the references given was Sandee McDuffie. She and I had a delightful conversation, and–oh, my gosh–she has kept me on her contact management system since! So, I was so impressed when I got this video and attachment below. I asked Sandee if she would share it, and she said she would be happy to.

Click here to see Sandee’s video and resource.

What Sandee Did So Well

First, she included a short video (she used BombBomb to record and save). Then, she provided a link to valuable resources. Don’t you think her clients will thank her and keep using this resource? You bet!

Suggestion

Let’s say you want to keep communicating with your clients but you want to stretch it out. Just divide Sandee’s resource into 4 or 5 and deliver them every few days. Either way, you’ve helped your clients in many ways–and they’ll certainly remember you.

High Tech or High Touch?

Right now, high touch is so important. And, you can use tech to get there. Just don’t get them in the wrong priority. We’re in the people business.

Would you share what you’re doing?

Email me at carla@carlacross.com. We’re all in this together, and, the stronger one of us comes out of this, the stronger ALL of us will be. I’m excited to see what’s in my inbox tomorrow, and I’ll of course ask your permission before I share it.

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as you can. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church

Categories action plan, client referrals, client trust, communication, customer loyalty, customer service, Marketing, Marketing with PR, Raving Fans, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Success, value-added
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In Pre-License? Hit the Ground Running–Now!

by Carla Cross

March 12th, 2020

Are you thinking of going into real estate, or in pre-license study now? Here’s how to assure you start making money fast–unlike MOST new agents!

In pre-license? Here’s how to hit the ground running!

If you’re like most new agents, you wait to start training until AFTER you join an office. Why? Unfortunately, 99% of agents do just that AND don’t sell anything for months!

Think how much faster you could go if you had lots of the organization and training under your belt prior to your first day in the business? Okay. I know. Until you are licensed, you can’t do the things licensed agents can do. But, you can do many things. And all those things get you ready to hit the ground running. At the end of this blog, I’m providing you my great checklist, 30 Things to Do Right Now While in In Pre-License School to Hit the Ground Running. (from my eBook, What They Don’t Teach You in Pre-License School).

New Agents Lose Lots of Time Because They are Not Prepared to Start the Business

New agents generally spend the first 1-4 weeks getting ‘orientated’. Brokers have checklists to assure they get their keys, join the Realtor association, etc., etc., etc. How long do you estimate it takes the new agent just to get those orientation checklists finished? 2-4 weeks? In some cases, they never finish them!!!!! Not only that, they probably think that finishing those checklists assures they are going to be successful agents. Ha!

When Do You Plan to Start Lead Generating?

My studies show that new agents want to make a sale their first month in the business.

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That means you need to start lead generating your first WEEK in the business! From hiring and training hundreds of new agents, I’ve observed they put off the inevitable as long as possible, hoping ‘there’s another way!’ In fact, the more ‘get ready to get ready’ work new agents doing, the worse their habits become and the less money they make!

A Better Method to Get a Check Fast

Instead of waiting until you are licensed, why not get prepared to sell real estate while you are in pre-license school? You can do things like

Decide on the database/CRM you want to use and learn how to use it
Populate your databases with 100-300 potential clients
Prepare an email/hard copy note/letter to all those in your database saying you’ve joined_____________ real estate company

30 Things to Do While in Pre-License School

In fact, as I was writing my eBook, What They Don’t Teach You in Pre-License School, I started thinking about how we could really prepare agents to sell real estate–lots of real estate. That’s how I came up with this checklist. Click here to get it.

By the way, I have used this method to prepare agents to sell real estate as they were in pre-license school. Result: They all started fast and made sales fast.

You Need This! Prepare to Sell Real Estate Fast and Well

This 280+ page eBook is packed with questionnaires, advice, processes, and systems to prepare pre-licensees (and new agents!) for the real world of real estate. I have interviewed thousands of would-be agents, and I know the questions–and dis-information they get! This book gives you the straight scoop!

‘See What They Don’t Teach You in Pre-License School. Only $14.95, and immediately downloadable. Now, a Kindle version, too.

Categories expectations, Interviewing, lead generation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, onboarding, orientation, pre-license, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, Up and Running in Real Estate, What They Don't Teach You in PreLicense School
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Sneak Preview: Up and Running in Real Estate

by Carla Cross

March 6th, 2020

Categories New Real Estate Agents
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Do You Really Know What Motivates You?

by Carla Cross

February 27th, 2020

Do you know what motivates you? This is an extremely important question for those of us in self-directed businesses–I’m speaking to you, agents (and to myself, of course). Do you think it’s money? Think again.

Stunning Research about The Realities of Motivation

In his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel Pink lays out a persuasive case, backed by extensive scientific studies, about why money, and the traditional ‘carrot and stick’ motivational methods just don’t work for us today. It’s especially true with real estate professionals.

Why is knowing what motivates us so important? Because we in effect work for ourselves.

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We have to be self-starters, initiators, and tenacious in our pursuit of our goals. That means we have to be motivated by things other than promises of material things.

Why Money Doesn’t Work as a Motivator

First, as Pink points out, money and/or material things are good short-term motivators. (Read Herzberg’s studies on short and long-term motivation). In fact, just take a look at the number of real estate agents who are motivated to visit an open house when there’s food! But, as Herzberg and others have pointed out, money is a lousy long-term motivator. You know that if you’ve tried motivating your kids with money—or threats (the carrot and stick).

If I Just Had More Money….

I know. You’re thinking, “If I just had more money, I would be fine.” So, let me ask you, what are you willing to do to get that money? Lead generate more regularly? Make more sales calls? We all know that lead generating is the answer to that money problem. Yet, the vast majority of agents avoid lead generating as if it gave us some chronic disease! So, money is just not an effective long-term motivator. (But, it does work short-term, because we don’t want to starve!)

The Best, Deepest, Strongest Motivators We Can Use to Motivate Ourselves

Pink shows, via extensive studies, that there are three driving motivators which we should put to work today to fire ourselves up, keep those fires lit, and achieve what we want to achieve. They are:

Autonomy

Mastery

Purpose

Knowing all you can about how you and others (like your clients!) are motivated is critical to your success.

Categories Coaching, Motivation, New Real Estate Agents, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, Up and Running Coaching Companion for Manager
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