ARIZONIA 9-17-18

ARIZONA EDITION

5 STEPS

TO ACHIEVE LONG TERM SUCCESS AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT FEATURED AGENT

KRIS CARTWRIGHT

COVER STORY

Dave Westbrook

ARIZONA EDITION

KRIS CARTWRIGHT Top Agent Kris Cartwright of 9 United Broker’s Group in Chandler, Arizona espouses a client-first business ethos that has long defined her more than two decades of success in the real estate industry.

Committed to providing each of her many buyers and sellers with the very best in customer service, Kris places a distinct emphasis on honesty and integrity during each and every transaction.

DAVE WESTBROOK

the Phoenix Metropolitan with a focus on the cities of T and Chandler. Working w support staff that includes a action coordinator, and a l she describes as “fabulous” Christman of Arizona Mor Specialists), Kris can boast business that is based more seventy percent on repeat referred clients, perhaps the est indicator that she is prov KRIS CARTWRIGHT excellent client service. “I my clients find me to be h Kris began working in the real estate field shortly after the birth of her third child and trustworthy,” muses Kris, when asked to ac in 1995. “I had been selling pharmaceuticals,” she for this impressive rate of customer loyalty. “I a CONTENTS put their interests above my own.” explains, “and the company kept merging, and my territory kept changing. I was going to have to travel a lot, 15) 5 SOCIAL MEDIA 4) 9 THINGS THE BEST so I decided it was time for me to make a decision that Kris has deep roots in her community, and that p MISTAKES REAL ESTATEsuccess. “I think my c LEADERS large role in her continuing allow me toNEVER not be on SAY would the road all the time and AGENTS MUST AVOID keep coming back to me because I am ever-pres be home when I needed to be with my family. Getting into 6) realEMBRACING estate meant that ISMART could still work hard and the community,” she explains. “I’m very involv 5 STEPS TOsports ACHIEVE high school community, and I’m alway makeHOMES: a good living, so that’s when I got my license.”18) the DOES NEW there giving SUCCESS back,” says Kris, LONG TERM AS who uses her pa TECHNOLOGY REALLY for photography to document sporting events an That was in 1996. Now twenty-two years into running A REAL ESTATE AGENT INCREASE HOME VALUE? her highly successful business, Kris sells primarily in players. “I’ve been doing this for over twenty ye take my big old ca 22) WHY FLEXIBILITY HURTS take photos and then (NOT HELPS) YOUR ABILITY them my business TO CLOSE SALES DEALSwhich directs them website, where they view the photos. I’m selling homes to the Phone 888-461-3930 | Fax 310-751-7068 I took photos of mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com they were young.”

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No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published Kris also uses her materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. tography skills to To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. effect when mark Published in the U.S.

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her listings, includin tial photos to deter Top Agent Magazine what needs to be adj

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Things the Best Leaders Never Say

As Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”

Being the boss is a great thing, but there’s a reason the ‘bad boss’ is common stereotype. Some people tend to use their power in destructive ways and that isn’t good for anyone. You might not even know you’re being a bad boss, it can be subtle sometimes.

There are common traits among great leaders, if you want to be a boss that operates with integrity and is respected by everyone

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you work with, make sure you don’t say any of the following things.

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I’M THE BOSS

Stating a fact that should be obvious is always a sign of weakness, and when you are the boss, strength of leadership is THE key component.

It also may indicates a stubbornness that is the death knell of a healthy work environment.

Your job as a leader is to bring everyone to your level of success, not to create a larger rift.

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I’LL DO IT MYSELF

Being a good leader is all about delegation. If you are hiring people who are professional and trustworthy, then this should be a no brainer. It is your job as a leader to get the right people for the job and then lead them in away that means success for everyone.

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THAT WASN’T MY FAULT

There’s an old saying “The Buck Stops Here.” and that is still true today. Good leaders take responsibility for what happens. They don’t blame others or make excuses. They take the hit for the team and then find the solution to make it better. Not only does it show they have integrity, but it also fosters a warm team environment that makes all players feel like their boss has their back.

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I’M SORRY TO ASK YOU TO DO THIS

Treating your employees with respect is mandatory, at the same time there is no reason to be sorry when you ask people to do their job. Leadership is strength and confidence. Expecting your employees to put in the same work ethic as you is your job.

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I ALREADY KNOW THAT

Having a ‘know-it-all’ attitude isn’t pleasant coming from anyone, but the last thing you need to do as a boss is shut down the people working for you. If you give them the impression that you’ve thought of everything, why should they bother giving potentially valuable contributions?

Make people feel good about all input, even if you don’t think it will work or have already thought of it. Open flow of communication and ideas is key to a successful team.

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THAT’S NOT THE WAY WE DO IT HERE

Well, why not? Being a successful leader means always being open to change and improvement.

No great leader is ever accepting of the status quo. It’s not only lazy, it’s uninspiring and usually leads to a work environment that is stagnate. Yes, keep things that work going, but nothing should ever be untouchable. Creative thinking should never be faced with constant roadblocks. A good option is to always ask for more information. Let your employee show you why they think their way might be better. This gets them energized and excited to approach you with more in the future.

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I’M NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS

This is a workplace, not a reality show competition.

Good leaders know that building strong workplace relationships, with employees, vendors and peers, is the foundation of a successful business

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DON’T BRING ME BAD NEWS

No true leader avoids bad news. They confront everything head on because as we said above, they know that ultimately everything is their responsibility, and ignoring a potential problem will most likely end up being worse down the road. Good leaders want to know bad news right away, and the last thing you want is to foster a work environment where employees feel like they have to lie to you.

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YOU JUST DON’T GET IT.

You’re the boss. If someone who works under you is having trouble understanding something, it’s on you to make it clear to them. Getting frustrated makes them less likely to ask for help in the future.

Sharing your expertise and experience is not only generous, but a necessary tool in the success of your business.

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Embracing Smart Homes:

Does New Technology Really Increase Home Value?

Technology and innovation move at a lightning-fast clip, so it can be hard to keep up with all the smart-home trends sweeping the market at a given time. From smart thermostats to security systems accessed through an app on your phone—there are endless options to customize and update your home for the modern era. But which, if any, of these smart home products add 6

value to property in a significant, worthwhile capacity? Especially with new generations of the same products released in quick succession, it can be hard to determine whether it’s worth it to take the plunge. With that in mind, we’ve conducted a deep-dive into the smart home options out there that make the most sense for your bottom line and real estate investments.

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Smart home amenities range in price and return.

There are certain smart home products that won’t break the bank while still adding lovely touches and time-saving features to your space. For instance, a smart thermostat may not run more than a few hundred dollars, but it can take so much of the guesswork and analog nuisance out of programming your home’s internal environment. That said, buyers selling properties with mid-range amenities like this can’t expect a windfall in return. While smart home features can certainly lure buyers and give the sense that a home is attractively modern (and thus move-in ready), it doesn’t mean that you’ll be reaping a sizable monetary reward for your foresight. Conversely, this reality doesn’t mean those smart options

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are without value entirely; it just means that the value of smart home options may be apparent in a different capacity, like luring a particular buyer or creating a desirable, sleek image for a property headed to market.

On the other hand, larger scale smart home amenities that are being left behind for the buyer—like a smart refrigerator or wired sound throughout the property—may be able to lure particular buyers who value high-end details. While it can be difficult to state definitively the value of smart home options, the rule tends to be that the more you put in, the higher the likelihood you’ll reap the investment you sow. Focus your smart home options on home appliances first, then work your way toward security, thermostat, and entertainment options.

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Smart home amenities capture the attention of buyers

Agents must know how to pitch the value of smart home options

Even if you have mostly opted for small or mid-range smart home options, you can still benefit from their presence in a property—even if they don’t inflate your bottom line as a result. Smart home amenities have the power to focus the attention of buyers, sending a clear signal that the previous owners were tech-forward and made an effort to upgrade the property for the contemporary era. Millennial or Gen Z buyers especially value these up-to-date modifications, and the presence of these desirable gadgets can create added interest and drive up value naturally. Likewise, featuring these options in listing photography can also drive interest from younger or high-end buyers looking for move-in ready spaces.

Remember that smart home features are relatively fresh to the market. While some new construction properties are equipped with these smart amenities, just as many homes on the market don’t offer these upgrades and modern flairs. This means that many buyers, of all ages even, aren’t familiar with the benefits and perks of these options, let alone how they’re operated. Before you can derive value from a smart home or smart home features, you’ll need to understand a product’s proper usage, cost, and benefits. Do your homework regarding what smart home features can offer in terms time or cost savings, and be able to show prospective buyers how easy these objects are to use, as well. Do both, and you’ll be in proper command of what smart home features can offer buyers and pitch them accordingly.

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Dave Westbrook Top Agent Magazine

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DAVE WESTBROOK Top Agent Dave Westbrook, co-owner at Urban Luxe Real Estate in Scottsdale, Arizona has a true passion for real estate, and an abiding concern for his clients that sets him head and shoulders above his competition. Consistently going the extra mile for them, he has engendered incredible loyalty among his many buyers and sellers, ensuring that they continue to return to him and refer new clients.

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Dave started his journey in real estate in 2012.

“I was working in restaurants at the time,” he says, “and I’d just had my daughter and decided that I needed to find a career that would be more lucrative and would have a little more flexibility of schedule.” In 2015, he teamed up with his partner and – under the auspices of ReMax - they now oversee an equally-dedicated team of 15 agents, a remarkably quick progression Top Agent Magazine

by any standard. Selling everywhere in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun, Dave and his team have developed a reputation for top-notch service, resulting in a business that is based almost entirely on repeat and referral business.

The reason for this exceptional consumer loyalty is fairly simple. “I think it’s partly because I grew up here,” says Dave, “and I know the housing market here very well.” It goes well beyond that, however, as his dedication to his client’s best interests has become almost Top Agent Magazine

synonymous with his name. “I give a very personal touch to everybody I work with,” he says. “I don’t make empty promises. It’s never just about selling a house. We always want to do a good job for our clients, and we’ll never take advantage of them just to make a sale.

And that’s worked out really well for us.”

Dave’s appreciation for his clients is absolutely reciprocated, as his online reviews bear out. Among the many glowing testimonials he has received is this one on Zillow.com: 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

“Dave made the process simple. He took the time to determine exactly what we were looking for, answering all of our questions and made sure everything went smoothly. He has extensive knowledge of the area as well as the process, which put us at ease throughout.

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You will not find anyone who works harder or smarter. I have happily recommended Dave to friends, family and colleagues with the utmost confidence. They have all been thrilled, as I am, by his work ethic, professionalism and end results.�

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Dave’s success also has much to do with his expert marketing of his properties. Staging when necessary, fliers, individual property-specific websites, open houses and coming soon campaigns are all tools in his extremely effective arsenal. “I market all over the Top Agent Magazine

world,” says Dave, “just to make sure that my listings are getting as much exposure as they possibly can.”

Above everything else, however, is the genuine concern Dave feels for his clients. “I Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

always try to make the experience as stressfree as possible. I want them to get the house they want and in the condition they expect it,” he explains. “I don’t want anything unexpected to pop up six months after they purchase it.

For me, this is much more a relationship-based business than a transactional one.”

Dave’s concern for the agents who work for him is notable, as well. “It’s nice to be able to take newer agents and help them become successful. Taking agents who are maybe only selling $2 million a year and get them up to $6 million is really rewarding.

For more information about Dave Westbrook, please call 602 - 980 - 0556 or email Dave@UrbanLuxere.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES

Real Estate Agents Must Avoid There is perhaps no greater marketing tool for agents these days than having a large presence on social media, but there is more to social media marketing than just opening an account and gaining followers. A lot of agents forget the social part of social media. It’s all about engagement, but it needs to be the right kind of engagement. This can often be the first impression potential clients or industry peers have of you, so make it count. There is no second chance to make a first impression, and that is especially true for real estate agents. Here’s just a few things you want to avoid.

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1 Using it to Vent

Social Media is a great place to complain and commiserate about things, but save that for your personal page. A real estate transaction is already a stressful ordeal, the last thing anyone wants is someone who seems like they’ll bring a negative energy to the process. Even worse?

Bad mouthing other Realtors® or listings. You’re selling yourself and your skills, so don’t sell anything that shows you in a bad light. Much like marketing a property, everything you put out should be professional and inviting.

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Lack of Consistent Branding

Yes, social media is about social engagement, but it’s also about creating brand recognition. While you don’t want it to be purely promotional, you are running a business, so create a consistent branding across all social media platforms. If you can afford a professional graphic designer to help you out with this, that’s great. But at the very least, have the same profile pic, cover image and highly visible contact information, across the board. And don’t forget to share links to your other accounts, some people prefer different social media applications.

3Not Posting Enough

It’s good to create a schedule of how many times you’ll be posting per day and to pick times when you might have the most engagement.

Don’t over do it, but three posts a day at the right time, tends to be a good goal. There are numerous tools on Facebook, for example, that

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can let you see when interactions are the highest.

Stick to your schedule and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to not just post your listings.

Be a resource for people who follow your page.

Post community events, or other informative articles that are relevant to home ownership.

Be a page they want to follow even when they aren’t buying or selling a property. They’ll remember you when the time comes.

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Not interacting With Your Followers

It’s called social media for a reason. The more you engage with your followers, the more they see you as a real person, and not just a marketing tool. Not only do you get to know your past clients and potential clients, on Facebook, engagement actually will make your posts seen by more people. So it’s a win/win.

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Not Sharing or Linking to Others

It might not seem like a good idea to not promote the blogs, pages or listings of other people, but it’s not only an excellent way to build goodwill, it will also increase your own presence when they reciprocate. So make a point to share posts and links for local businesses and even the blogs of your peers, if it’s a post that offers valuable insight into an expertise you don’t have. That will encourage them to share your posts and even your listings, which will increase your potential buyer pool. This is another incentive to create your own blog. Unique informative content is always of value, and more likely to be shared than promotional links.

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5 Steps to Achieve Long Term Success as a Real Estate Agent Real Estate can have a reputation as an industry with a high turnover as far as agents go. Being a ‘people person’ with an entrepreneurial spirit is a great start, but what some fail to realize when starting out is that this is a business.

So if you’re in it for the long haul, you need to treat it that way. Here are some key steps you need to take to have your own successful real estate business.

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FIND A MENTOR

Once you get your license and hang your sign at a Brokerage, you’ll find that you’re pretty much on your own. That’s why it’s a good idea for new agents to find a large Brokerage that offers in-house training and mentorship or a boutique brokerage that has more seasoned agents who are eager to take a new agent under their wing. Being able to shadow a more experienced agent is invaluable and allows you to mirror what you’ve seen and run through the numerous scenarios that will arise when you are representing a client.

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CONTINUOUS TRAINING

This is a business that is constantly changing, so it’s smart to always stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technological innovations and systems. There are even numerous online resources, where you can keep up on your trade, such as blogs by top producing agents that are a treasure trove of information. A confident agent with an in-depth knowledge of the business is one that easily earns the trust of their client, leading to repeat and referral business, which will be the bread and butter of your business.

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BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Yes, referrals are the basis of your business, but building a strong online presence and marketing yourself to new clients is also important, especially before you’ve built up a strong referral base. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media tools are great way to get leads both for your listings and for yourself. It’s even a good idea to buy several domain names when you start, so that when you’re ready to build a website, you can ensure you have the names you want. Obviously the internet is also a great resource to find leads. Before you find a niche for yourself, it’s important to take advantage of every avenue there is. A lot of successful agents started off doing things no one else wanted to take on like foreclosures, expired listings or lower priced homes. But as you’ll find out, helping those who need it most is a great way to build a loyal client base, that will not only come back to you when they are ready to sell or buy again, but will be your biggest cheerleaders when it comes to referring you to friends and family.

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BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

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SET GOALS

One thing you’ll find in this business is that doing a lot of work up top, will lead to a more successful outcome down the road. That goes for marketing plans for your listings, as well as your business as a whole. It might not be the fun part, but it will allow you to one day focus on what you do best, dealing with your clients. Set up your CRM and the other systems you want to use from the get go. Getting these things established before you’re hopefully a busy agent is the best time to really learn them and decide what’s best for you.

Once you build a strong foundation and are establishing your client base, it’s important to continually set goals that help you implement your business strategy.

You can even invest in a real estate coach if you need someone to hold you accountable. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate what you’re doing. Set up a monthly audit, where you go over what is and what isn’t working. As we mentioned above, this is a fluid business and things are constantly changing, the same can be said of your business. What worked a year ago, might be losing you money as your business grows.

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KRIS CARTWRIGHT Top Agent Kris Cartwright of United Broker’s Group in Chandler, Arizona espouses a client-first business ethos that has long defined her more than two decades of success in the real estate industry.

Committed to providing each of her many buyers and sellers with the very best in customer service, Kris places a distinct emphasis on honesty and integrity during each and every transaction.

Kris began working in the real estate field shortly after the birth of her third child in 1995. “I had been selling pharmaceuticals,” she explains, “and the company kept merging, and my territory kept changing. I was going to have to travel a lot, so I decided it was time for me to make a decision that would allow me to not be on the road all the time and be home when I needed to be with my family. Getting into real estate meant that I could still work hard and make a good living, so that’s when I got my license.”

That was in 1996. Now twenty-two years into running her highly successful business, Kris sells primarily in

the Phoenix Metropolitan area, with a focus on the cities of Tempe and Chandler. Working with a support staff that includes a transaction coordinator, and a lender she describes as “fabulous” (Fred Christman of Arizona Mortgage Specialists), Kris can boast of a business that is based more than seventy percent on repeat and referred clients, perhaps the surest indicator that she is providing excellent client service. “I think my clients find me to be honest and trustworthy,” muses Kris, when asked to account for this impressive rate of customer loyalty. “I always put their interests above my own.”

Kris has deep roots in her community, and that plays a large role in her continuing success. “I think my clients keep coming back to me because I am ever-present in the community,” she explains. “I’m very involved in the high school sports community, and I’m always out there giving back,” says Kris, who uses her passion for photography to document sporting events and the players. “I’ve been doing this for over twenty years. I take my big old camera, take photos and then give them my business card which directs them to my website, where they can view the photos. I’m now selling homes to the kids I took photos of when they were young.”

Kris also uses her photography skills to great effect when marketing her listings, including initial photos to determine what needs to be adjusted

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or possibly staged in the home. “We use those photos so we can set up a plan on what we need to do before we put the home on the market,” she explains. Then come the final photos, videos, high-quality marketing materials and a huge online presence, all designed to achieve quick sales for top dollar.

When Kris isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her three grown children, attending and photographing local sporting events, and traveling. She is also involved with the Tempe Leadership program,

which chooses twenty participants each year to do a community service project. She is also in the midst of planning the wedding of one of her daughters, and a puppy will soon be joining her family.

Looking to the future, Kris’ plans are fairly simple and straightforward: to continue building her business while sacrificing none of the exemplary customer service that she is known for. “I like helping people be successful, and making their dreams come true,” she says.

For more information about

KRIS CARTWRIGHT, please call 602 - 620 - 7480 or email KrisCartwright@me.com Top Agent Magazine

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Why Flexibility Hurts (Not Helps) Your Ability to Close Sales Deals

By Kendra Lee

For many sales reps, being flexible throughout the sales process seems like the best, consultative approach to establish a strong prospect relationship and win more sales. Rather than suggest what a prospective client should buy, reps opt to empower the client to dictate their needs. In doing so, the thought process is that reps convey patience and a commitment to ensuring the client gets exactly what they want, which will in turn improve their chances of closing the deal.

Here’s what that approach accomplishes instead: Slower buy cycles and lower closing ratios.

Truth is, most buyers don’t know exactly what they need from you.

Sure, prospects know the outcome they want to achieve. They might even have an idea of which tools or services might help accomplish it. But they don’t know which specific products, services, or solutions will get them there. Other prospects know the outcome they want to achieve, but have no idea how to get started, let alone which products, services or solutions to look at.

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Either way, to achieve the outcome they’re aspiring to, buyers often look to you to guide them toward the right decision.

When you don’t provide that guidance, it stalls the sales process and dramatically reduces closing ratios. Here’s why: 1 Flexibility doesn’t empower buyers — it confuses them 2 Forcing work on to your buyers typically causes them to look elsewhere for someone who can figure out how exactly to address their problem In both cases, your performance suffers.

Ultimately, buyers — particularly in the earlier stages of their buy cycle — don’t want total flexibility or the freedom to choose any possible solution.

They want, and need, guidance from you to navigate toward the right one.

When you provide that definitive insight in the early stages of the buying cycle, customers gain confidence that you’re the right person to get them to where they need to be.

To put it more bluntly, being “flexible” is a cop out. It might make you feel better, but it’s not helping prospects.

If you really want to empower small and mid-size businesses to make meaningful change, you have to be willing to make a definitive, confident recommendation and show prospects a clear path to addressing their problem.

When you do that, you’ll close sales faster and your clients will be happier.

They’ll get what they need (and want), and your closing ratios will trend in the right direction.

Copyright©, Kendra Lee. All rights reserved.

Contact details for Kendra Lee: Phone: 303-741-6636 (Old fashioned, but very effective.)

Email: Info@klagroup.com (Yes, I get every one of these personally.) Twitter: @KendraLeeKLA (And I do follow all direct messages on Twitter!) KLA Group is a sales consulting and training firm focused on helping clients get more customers in the Small and Midmarket Business (SMB) segment through lead generation, prospecting, hiring and onboarding strategies.

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