GRIFFIN REALTY GROUP Free Agent Course by Bedazzled Media

GRIFFIN REALTY GROUP Free Agent Course www.griffinsellercourse.com

MODULE 1

GRIFFIN REALTY GROUP

TABLE OF CONTENTS Free Agent Course

Business

Marketing

5-6

Database

Communication

8-9

Presentation

Sales

Closing

12-13

The Bonus Section

14-15

Where Is Your Target Market?

BUSINESS

MARKETING

Real Estate Agency Is A Business, Not A Job!

You Have To Do Business With People You Don’t Know!

he biggest challenge in residential real estate is rooted in a major misperception that becoming a real estate agent is the equivalent of getting a job with more freedom. The fact is, unless you’re hired as an employee with a salary, a real estate agent is an independent contractor, who officially enters the world of small business owners. Given the enormous small business failure rate, there’s no wonder why so many agents struggle and, ultimately, crash. They start, not realizing they need a plan. This course will help you get started toward success.

You Need A Vision For A Business That Works!

nce you recognize that a real estate agency is a business, then you need a plan. That doesn’t start with your belief that you know enough people in your community, who will eventually want to buy or sell a property. That’s not a plan, rather a formula for continued ups and downs with cash flow, dependent on other people’s whims and timing. Do you think any successful company started like that? If they did, they got lucky enough to survive until they realized they needed a predictable plan and built one through experience, before failing.

Setting Financial Targets!

ow that we have shaped a more realistic launching point, it begs the question, how much money are you hoping to make? The answer should be a balance between dreaming big, so you have a money vision that, not only compels you upwards, but is also realistic and clarifies how you’ll hit milestones that lead to that big financial goal. The best starting point is to look at the market you’re working in and see how the competition stacks up. Not so much as a measure of you versus them, but to measure the viability of achieving your financial goals within that market place. Caveat: don’t ask other agents what they make, as the majority stretch the truth. The math doesn’t lie, so stick to it.

You Must Become 3 People!

o, as a small business owner, you must become 3 people in one. The first is an Entrepreneur in the real sense of the word. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of successful entrepreneurs are not wild freedom seekers. They are great visionaries, who, early in the business building process, trust their vision for a working business and work diligently to create the systems to run their machine. These hard working people never quit and accept setbacks for the learning opportunities they are and move forward. Next, and perhaps most importantly, you’ll need to be a Strategic Manager. Without a clear set of plans, and yes, they can and should be simple, your Entrepreneurial vision will collapse under the reality of the pressures that all businesses face. Finally, you’ll be able to be the Technical worker or the person, who does all the work the Entrepreneur envisioned, and the Manager dictates to you through the plan. We know it sounds funny to be 3 people at once, but there’s no way around it when you’re starting by yourself. If you have help from the beginning, it’s essential to determine who will play each of these roles!

n the real estate industry, the expectation is that agents can find enough friends and referrals to do business with them to make the business work; however, for the majority of agents, that’s just not true. This expectation might be why the average agent in any market place only completes 3-5 transactions per year. The math at that level of production simply doesn’t work that well and relegates the majority of real estate agents to part time status…unless they are comfortable living below the poverty line. So what’s the solution? You must learn to market your services, so you can begin relationships with people you don’t know to build a real and more predictable business, rather than an adventure that could leave you broke.

nce a real estate agent decides to begin marketing, the first question is, “How do I do that?” In this Digital Age, we’re overwhelmed by offers to help us market our services by every fly-by-night guru, who offers advice, or the latest software-as-a-solution to generate leads. This is simply the wrong way to get started. The first correct step is to build a simple marketing plan, rooted in the right questions. The first question is, “Where is the geographic target that you prefer to work within located?” While it may seem obvious, many agents over or under target the geography within which they will spend marketing dollars. The dilemma is rooted in how to avoid spreading too far and watering down the effectiveness, while remembering not to go too small, so you don’t even get noticed. The solution is to research your Multiple Listing statistics, regarding the number of transactions that occurred in your target area, and ensure there were enough sales in the previous 12 months, so your marketing will have an impact. Don’t fret the exact size, as testing will reveal the most effective strategy. Best marketing practice would be to start within your personal budget, even if your first step is to use free venues, because it builds financial discipline from the start.

Who Is Your Ideal Client?

You’re Either Expanding Or Contracting!

nce you recognize the true responsibilities of being a business owner inside the real estate agent business, the next thing to recognize is that nobody’s coming to help you. Sure, you might be at a great organization that provides training, but ultimately, you’re solely responsible for the success or failure of your business, so get moving, because you’re either expanding or contracting; there’s no between. www.griffinsellercourse.com

DATABASE

MARKETING

Your Database Is Your Most Valuable Asset

What Is Your Offer?

arketing is about offering a strong and compelling message to your ideal client, regarding your services within your geographic target. However, this is where most agents get confused and think everybody offers the same thing, and it becomes impossible to differentiate yourself. This marketing insecurity has led to the proliferation of many outlandish promises, in essence, only a classic bait and switch, even when wellintentioned. In the long run, your messaging expresses values. It doesn’t matter if you share the same values as many other agents or agencies; eventually, people are buying you and how you express those values

W through your messaging. People are buying what’s unique about you. People do business with other people they get to know and like and, eventually, trust enough to buy services from. While your initial marketing offer might simply include granting public access to information, eventually, consumers will buy your services, because they believe in you, the person behind the message.

Which Media Channel Will You Use To Deliver Your Message?

he irony about real estate marketing is that most agents have the incorrect perception it all starts with social media channels or an Internet lead capture site and pay per click advertising. All of that is simply where the chosen message will be delivered. Think about Television or radio, for example. Many shows you watch or listen to are mostly pre-programmed. These media channels don’t just wake up, one day, and decide to “go live.” Rather, they build a very clear content strategy and use TV and radio as the delivery vehicle; doing otherwise is putting the marketing cart before the horse. While the Internet continues

to overwhelm marketers with many opportunities, if you focus on a simple message for home sellers and buyers, then you might start on one media channel, and then later, repurpose that very same content on additional channels. A lead capture offer, such as Instant Access to information, might achieve a great result on Google pay-per-click, then later, can be tested on Facebook, which offers the addition of a visual experience. The best starting point is to be a keen observer of where your ideal client is active and test putting your message there.

Are You Ready to Make Good On Your Promises?

ltimately, for marketing, an agent would be unprepared to deliver any marketing message, unless that agent was also prepared to deliver on their promise. If it’s a simple lead capture offer, such as instant access to homes for sale or neighborhood sales, then there must be a fulfillment software in place. If an offer is made to potential buyers for instant access to homes that sold, then there must be a website in place to give the access promised. As a point of emphasis, the Internet has pressured marketers to give away their best information for free.

While that might seem like a marketing mistake that runs contrary to a measured scientific approach, there is no law more powerful than the Law of Reciprocity, which states that people give back when given to, first. That’s simply behavioral science that’s more powerful than most other techniques used to win business. While you might compel people to enter your marketing funnels, it’s much better to begin a new relationship by giving, and then giving more to ingratiate the consumer and magnetically attract people to your offer. www.griffinsellercourse.com

hen building any service business, the most important concept to grasp is that you must grow something valuable that can be sold. So, thinking towards that goal, a simple question remains, “What would a buyer of your business really want to purchase?” Relationships are, perhaps, the most important part of the answer. Think about it this way; there’s a monetary value on the relationships with each buyer and seller you’ve done business with; the more of those relationships you maintain, the more valuable your business will be. Therefore, you must have an organized database, where you can demonstrate the existence of those relationships, and where they stand at any moment in time. Even if you can’t imagine selling your business someday, you must stay focused on building your relationships and maintaining them for life.

Segmenting Your Database Into Relationship Manufacturing Modules

atabase segmentation is, perhaps, the most often over-looked concept that can help an agent identify the status of any contact during the development of that relationship. In our experience, the best practice is to identify all names in your database as contacts. From that foundation, you might then identify the disposition of those contacts as Lead=>you have yet to determine the timing of when that contact believes they might sell or buy real estate; Prospect=>you have determined when the contact believes they might sell or buy real estate; and Client=>you are actively working with the contact, having either listed their home for sale or are showing them properties for sale. This would comprise the Conversion Module in your database. Subsequently, in the next stage, the contact becomes a Closing in the Closing Module, which is a critical and highly detailed phase and, ultimately, a Past Client in the Past Client Module, where your follow-up for life becomes critical to assist the accelerated growth of your business.

Set Up Your Database Like An Assembly Line

f relationships are the true value within your database, then your goal to increase the overall value of that business should be to increase the number of quality relationships you manufacture. Yes, the concept of manufacturing relationships sounds cold, but that’s the reality of your real estate business. The more genuine and caring your approach, the deeper and more valuable those relationships become. However, you simply can’t do business with all leads you’ll attract; therefore, it’s critical to work through them like an assembly line, which identifies contacts, where no relationship is possible, versus others, where there’s a definite chance. You must distinguish between contacts that end up in your waste bin and those that become part of the final product.

Programming Your Database To Keep You Accountable

hile this all might seem difficult to accomplish, understand this could be done even in the most rudimentary way, including segmented folders in a drawer or cards in a box. The better news is that we live in the Digital Age, and the concept of CRM or Customer Relationship Management has advanced our possibilities; yet, it’s that massive opportunity that needs organizing. Therefore, we would suggest that implementing a simple tagging system that can be applied to identify and separate contacts, as the disposition of their relationship changes, while moving within your system, is a smart first step towards building a healthy database. Once this step is completed, a set of specific and relevant follow-up tasks can be built, so the work of the assembly line at each stage is clear and defined. Finally, once this is set up, then you will know exactly what work must be done and by whom. With a more robust CRM that can be built to auto-populate tasks, you can keep yourself and/or your agents accountable to completing tasks, until an outcome is reached, where contacts are being moved out to the trash or up to a final sale. When you couple a database follow-up strategy with a robust and capable CRM, you’ll have the ultimate time management and accountability system in place.

All Leads Must Be Brought To A Conclusion

COMMUNICATION Why Your Email Is Your Critical First Impression

ne of the biggest mistakes that most agents make in the Digital Age is thinking an email drip campaign is going to miraculously turn into a steady stream of business. First, let’s eliminate the phrase “drip campaign”, as it’s a derogatory term that insinuates you’re not appreciative that your contacts have shared their private information with you versus your competition. Instead, look at this exchange of information to position yourself as the expert through a professional tone in your automatic email follow-up. Set yourself as the educator, a leader, genuinely willing to give away your best insights, while expecting nothing in return, other than the opportunity to begin a new relationship.

Phone Contact Is The New Concierge Desk

any agents have subscribed to the theory that if you call and reach a contact within the first 5 minutes of capturing their information, you have a greater chance of closing them for an appointment. We have found, through years of testing, while making sudden contact might offer the benefit of opening the dialogue, the opportunity is best used to differentiate yourself as a true concierge style agent, who demonstrates the willingness to add value, rather than simply push for a meeting. We would never disagree that closing for an appointment on the first call is a bad idea, but only if it’s appropriate, regarding the contact’s timing. The most effective approach includes reaching the clear goal of qualifying the timing of that contact and, subsequently, launching a pre-set schedule for follow-up.

Frequency Should Be Relevant

hat brings us to the question of how frequently you should follow-up with your contacts. Too many real estate agents are guessing about how to follow-up appropriately and, usually, end up at either extreme- over pursuit, which chases away the contact or under pursuit, which gives the contact no reason to stay engaged. There are many Customer Relationship Management Systems available to assist the modern day agent; however, it’s more important to understand the two basic concepts at play, which have nothing to do with buying the latest and greatest in technology. 1. Once you’ve determined timing, you could move contacts into a low tech wire rack system that differentiates your follow-up to weekly, monthly, or quarterly, and 2. Eventually, bring all of your contacts to a conclusion, so you differentiate between contacts that will offer you the opportunity to build a relationship that leads to a sale or contacts that will not, so they can be added to the true expense of generating business.

All Communication Systems Should Follow a Long-Term Plan

he largest shift in the Digital Age that real estate agents must recognize is the Internet has allowed potential sellers and buyers to begin the process much earlier. Before MLS properties were syndicated to the Internet, real estate agents had proprietary control over access to listings and were more likely to book a personal appointment early, which might have led to a bonded relationship. However, that time has passed, as the consumer is more likely to engage in the process on multiple platforms and with several agents early on; therefore, the importance of building long-term follow-up systems is critical. The good news is that the standard for long-term follow up in the Digital Age is so minimal that it’s relatively easy to beat the competition.

his begs the question, “How long should long-term follow-up last?” There are so many variables that it’s impossible to state an exact time frame; however, it’s much easier to set a world class standard for follow-up. Any responsible lead generator, who cares about the real insight gained by measuring the true cost of sale, must set the standard that follow-up continues, until all leads are brought to a conclusion. So what does that mean? Well, in our experience, we find that bringing contacts through a conversion funnel, that moves them from Leads- you don’t know their timing, to Prospects- you know their timing, to Clients- you’re actively working with the contact moving towards a sale, serves best. Along that funnel, you must discover which contacts have no intent of becoming your Client or simply don’t respond after many months of intense follow-up. One major caveat: We do not recommend that you build a system, based on the hope that all of your contacts will converse with you, as they will not; therefore, you must make a business decision to cease your pursuit when appropriate and add those contacts to a cold or waste category and move on.

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The Most Important Reading You’ll Ever Do

PRESENTATION Why Waiting For A Face To Face Appointment Will Hurt Your Chances

rior to the Digital Age, the typical sales process included potential buyers and sellers walking into physical offices to gain access to information, allowing agents to conduct in-person educational presentations, regarding the selling and buying processes. Today, that process has changed, with the consumer typically beginning the process online to gain insight. Early in the Digital Age, the consumer was simply in search of public access to property information; however, now, that insight includes a heavy dose of content, regarding all phases of the real estate selling and buying process. You need to be online, positioning yourself as the go-to resource by offering your best information for free. This concept is difficult to accept, as the opportunity for the real estate agent to present in private has always been the coveted and protected unique edge. However, it’s time to get beyond a pre-Internet mindset and embrace the fact that, if you don’t offer great insights online for free, your competitors will, and you’ll lose out on the opportunity to attract new business.

From Smaller Bits To Multi-Media

ow do you deliver your insight, without becoming too invasive in the consumer’s process? Give little bits of information at a time. This is the point where we implore you to stop using the term “drip campaign,” because that sets you up in a selfish mindset from the beginning. Understand that, once a contact exchanges their personal information for access to your insight, they have engaged in a certain level of trust and will immediately judge you and what you’re offering them! If you’re sending them property updates, take the opportunity to supplement that information with small snippets of education via emails that give them insight into how to prepare for the process. As they engage in quality and helpful education, they might become desirous to delve deeper through richer experiences, such as online multi-media presentations that lock in your positioning as the go-to expert, when it’s time to take action.

SALES Demonstrating A Clear Plan, Based On Tangible Consumer Benefits

he key to delivering quality content that’s easy to consume is the ability to “chunk it up” in a step-bystep formula that demonstrates a clear plan, used to consummate the sale. However, beyond the plan that will help sellers and buyers, realize that consumers, whether right or wrong, have strong perceptions about how the process works. Therefore, as part of your plan, you must remain focused on how each step will benefit the consumer and explain all your concepts thoroughly, especially when the subject is controversial. One of the most difficult subjects to broach with sellers is how to price their property correctly, without appearing to be self-serving. It’s critical to state clearly why following your plan is beneficial and in their best interest.

How To Repurpose Your Core Content For A Variety Of Media Channels

s the importance of social media channels continues to grow, it’s important not to feel overwhelmed and become paralyzed and not participate in social media. The challenge that most agents face, when considering how to employ social media channels, is figuring out how to create all the content and post it constantly to multiple platforms. The simplest one-two punch is to create your core content for sellers and buyers and mix it with timely real estate content created by others. Rather than selfindulge and post all of your own listings and content, rendering yourself less interesting, consider curating interesting information from other sources and offer your quick professional insights, with that shared or curated information. If you curate information from established sites in the industry (such as statistical information from the National Association of Realtors©), it’s easy to layer your insights on top of that content, like any news reporter does. Ultimately, the best way to leverage your time is to use syndication sites that automate your publication.

Why Most Agents Make The Mistake Of Starting Here

hen real estate agents act on instinct, it’s easy for them to begin by assuming the job of selling is the correct starting point. It’s critical to sell properties soon, given that, without cash flow, there is no business opportunity. However, if you get caught up in believing the real estate agent business is about selling properties, without a solid strategic plan that continuously provides new opportunities beyond the agent’s sphere of influence, to include referrals, then expect a struggling business, rooted in a hobbyist mentality.

Why Serving Comes First

he Digital Age has increased transparency to the extent that the truthful, helpful agent has no excuse not to succeed. Referring to the concept of giving away your best stuff for free, understand that the consumer is in a power position to scout you and your competition transparently and privately. Therefore, the sale begins online with the presentation of your brand. Once you’ve “captured” a Lead and begun your educational email sequences, there’s a high probability that the contact has searched your name online and studied your social media footprint. If, at this point, you’ve been following good strategies to position yourself publicly as a curator and educator by adding your insight across multiple channels, then your authority will be evident and will validate your professionalism. Approach your selling from a servant’s mentality from start to finish, and you’ll be well served in return.

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he irony about selling in the field, whether you’re trying to win a listing, solicit an offer for that listing, or bring your buyer to the point of writing an offer, there really is nothing to sell. We know that sounds strange; however, in our experience, we suggest you position yourself as a true guide, who continues to read your client by asking questions. You must identify objections and solve subsequent problems for your client by being resourceful. Using this strategy, you’ll be abler to lead your client, so they feel comfortable entering a negotiation and, subsequently, a contract for sale.

Don’t Being Afraid To Ask For The Deal

lthough it’s important to be a true giver, with a concierge attitude, it’s also important to recognize many motivated sellers and buyers simply hit an emotionally charged sticking point. There is no black and white moment when a real estate agent should look for that opportunity, where closing for the deal is possible. There are so many variables that affect human decisions that it’s critical to rely on your instincts to “feel” when the time is right to suggest your client take the next step. While there may be trigger words used by the consumer that help you recognize the moment, it’s best to rely on your personal empathy and try to enter your client’s proverbial shoes. Remember that, after all this time building a relationship of trust, they want and need your guidance, so ask for the deal!

Be Flexible And Anticipate Challenges

CLOSING Your Client Needs You Now More Than Ever

or the sale-oriented real estate agent, the hardest fact to face is you must go from salesperson to detail watcher as quickly as the contract details are secured and the closing process is launched. This is a difficult focus shift for a salesperson; however, it’s important to recognize that reality will settle in on your client, and pressure to meet deadlines will heighten their emotions. There is, perhaps, no other transaction like a real estate closing to make people feel crazed and stressed. With such a large financial commitment on the line, it’s easy to understand why emotions run so high. Take pause and deeply engage with your client; otherwise, you’ll give them the impression you were only in pursuit of the commission and not a caring relationship.

Get Help, But Never Abdicate Responsibility

f you’re not detail-oriented, it’s critical to get help during this part of the process. Considering escrow companies, attorneys, and closing coordinators, you’ll recognize there is plenty of help available; however, it’s critical never to abdicate the responsibility. Either way you coordinate the closing process, by yourself or by delegating the details, you must remain fully responsible for meeting critical dates and deadlines. This is the stage where many third parties are introduced into the process to confuse your client, and it’s critical you’re there to explain everything and let them know they’re in good hands, and you’re still in command.

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Anticipate Problems & Find The Solutions

Consider Dates Seriously

ost transactions will encounter challenges during the closing process. Home inspection items that must be negotiated, financing documents that must be produced, third parties that drop the ball, it will all happen sooner or later. Therefore, it’s important for you to stay closely involved and intervene immediately when a challenge arises. The biggest mistake is to assume somebody else, even if they are more qualified than you are, will be there to explain the problems and solve them properly. Your job is to be the ultimate resource, and if you aren’t orchestrating the resolutions, you could lose your sale, sliding all the way back to the beginning or worse, losing your client altogether.

ll agents want to close their deals quickly, so they keep the cash flowing; however, the reality of the deal might be that dates are being rushed, and the need for contract extensions becomes inevitable. It’s better to be realistic about timelines and advise your clients appropriately. Once those dates are agreed upon, make yourself a promise not to be the problem and take dates seriously and work with your client to maintain compliance. During this process, it’s wise to maintain records of all communication and respond rapidly, without sacrificing accuracy.

nce you set your standard to adhere strictly to dates and deadlines, you must also prepare yourself for the reality of real estate transactions. Since there are so many variables, your ability to orchestrate them, all at once, will challenge you; therefore, you must transition into a mentality of flexibility and make adjustments on the fly. Your client will be well-served if you coach them from the beginning of the closing process to understand that Murphy’s Law- that something will go wrongmight come into play, and they shouldn’t worry, as you’ll handle the coordination of the changes needed.

Earn Your Referrals

ven though starting your sales funnel with care is critically important, it’s how you close that really matters. Many transactions go smoothly, and the relationship is solid; however, as an agent, you might get that closer’s rush when you put a property under contract and feel the need to jump on to the next transaction, minimizing the time you focus on the closing process. What you’re missing is that you can turn a good sales process into a fantastic referral opportunity. You hear many people talk about creating raving fans, yet few talk about how. Close with a white glove touch and sincere appreciation, and what you’ve created is a past client, who may well become the most important and low cost way for you to build your business through their referrals.

Don’t Quit

THE BONUS SECTION Repeat & Refine

Profit & Scale

ou’ve done it! You’ve figured out how to build a successful real estate agent strategic approach. Set it and forget it, as they say, right? Wrong! Turning your back on your business and how it’s working is a dangerous philosophy to subscribe to. Sure, the concept of a reliable systematic approach is wonderful; however, the best businesses in the world follow the concept of constant and neverending improvement. Think about your new real estate machine producing a result you can learn from. What went right; what wasn’t so good? Now, go back through your analysis and make the adjustments. If you repeat the process over and over, you’ll be protecting your business, so it always functions in a modern context.

s your business continues to be improved, you’ll be able to measure your process in great detail and, subsequently, identify your activities that generate your greatest revenue and profit. As you organize your financials, it’s critical to reinvest in your greatest assets continuously to fuel an accelerated growth pattern. Many agents make the grave mistake of enjoying profitable runs and stripping all of the profit out of the business, with the effect of decelerating growth, if not stopping it, completely. Without reinvestment, there is only contraction; therefore, profit, reinvest, and scale upwards!

Beware The Gypsies & Their Triggers

hen the Digital Age fully arrived in the real estate industry, it ushered in many new opportunities. However, it also allowed anybody with Internet access and an idea the chance to pontificate about how they had solved all of the real estate agent’s problems, and you had only to buy their product. Most solutions revolved around the latest lead capture system and unsubstantiated testimonials from unaudited successful users…and sometimes, simple lies that use trigger words to get you to buy first and question later. The advice here is easy: question everything. Ask yourself if the offer lines up with common sense. Buyers and sellers still go through the same exploratory process, before they take action; the only difference is, now, the process may be even longer, because it begins much earlier online. Be ready to roll up your sleeves and work, because there is no such thing as the get-rich-quick real estate genie!

chieving success in residential real estate is like any other profession; it only comes to those who work hard. No, not a 40-hour work week, where you take off the other 168 hours of the week. If you want to work 40 hours, get a job and accept the limitations. That’s perfectly fine if it’s what you’re seeking. However, if you understand that real estate is an opportunity to build your own business, then commit to it and say “I Do!” Without a work ethic built around work-life integration, meaning your personal life is integrated with your business life, so both are fulfilled in an orchestrated manner, then you’ll be likely to stop moving forward. The agent, who keeps working hard, learns quickly what works and what doesn’t, then makes the adjustments to avoid the pitfalls and never quits!

Nobody’s Coming For You

ne of the most painful things to watch is a real estate agent, hoping that, somehow, somewhere, somebody is coming to help them solve all of their new problems that the Digital Age has caused. It’s never going to happen. Consider how any industry, steeped in old-school methodologies, has either been disrupted or eliminated…think of the Taxi industry! Even though major brokerages or smaller firms might have all the intention in the world to evolve, they simply lack the entrepreneurial perspective to innovate like a hungry start-up. So why wait? Take action. Learn from the consumer by asking them how they would like to experience the real estate process, then adapt to meet their needs.

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CONTACT US Boston Office: 30 Newbury Street, Boston MA 02116 Cape Code Office: 1436 Rute 132 Cape cod, MA 02601 Phone: 508-362-1444 Email: support@thegriffin.co