Canada 10-2-17

CANADA EDITION

Business Growth Hack: ABSORB YOUR CLIENTS' STRESS! 4 qualities of EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES

Creative Ways to SAY THANK YOU IS YOUR PHONE VOICE ATTRACTING — or repelling?

Why Millennials are Now the HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS MARKET

COVER STORY

MARNIE BENNETT

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CANADA EDITION

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MARNIE BENNETT

CONTENTS 4) BUSINESS GROWTH HACK: ABSORB YOUR CLIENTS' STRESS! 13) WHY MILLENNIALS ARE NOW THE HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS MARKET

17) CREATIVE WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU 19) IS YOUR PHONE VOICE ATTRACTING — OR REPELLING? 22) 4 QUALITIES OF EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES

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Business Growth Hack: Absorb Your Clients’ Stress!

Your business coach or a CRM software sales rep has probably described a number of products or services to help you grow your business. But sometimes the easiest way to increase the deals you’re closing is to simply be present for your clients. In doing so, you’ll find have the power to decrease the stress they feel. And when you decrease their stress, you increase your value to them, leading to new referrals and organic growth.

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You may be thinking, “I have enough stress; how can I find the emotional bandwidth for other people’s stress?” But consider this: As their day-to-day point of contact in this life decision, you are already a strong presence in your client’s lives. Why not allow yourself to be the only seemingly calm part of this process? By asking them what’s on their mind, by truly listening, by showing that you truly understand and even by rolling up

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your sleeves to relieve some of their grunt work, you’ll prove yourself invaluable.

Think of yourself as the equivalent of an anti-anxiety pill to your clients. All you have to do is form a few easy habits.

Laura and Raj, their agent and their loan officer soon came to learn that Laura’s 80-year-old mother may eventually move in with the family. This news not only helped the agent best meet Laura’s and Raj’s needs for a new home; it gave both the agent and the loan officer opportunities to go above and beyond for their clients. Their REALTOR® connected Laura with a senior services nonprofit near Laura’s mom’s current home that may be able to assist the family.

And their loan officer outlined various, detailed options to Laura and Raj make smart, long-term financial decisions.

Meanwhile, the agent and loan officer earned the trust of Laura and Raj, who felt less worried about the future.

Listen – really listen – with patience Behind every home purchase or sale is a person or a family with a uniquely complex set of needs, motivations, objectives and priorities. Asking the right questions and truly listening to the answers are the easiest ways to learn how to make clients’ lives easier. In doing so, you not only show that you’re interested in them as people, but you help yourself discover ways to surprise your clients with service.

Take “Laura and Raj,” for instance – a couple in their 30s who wanted a larger home because their family of five outgrew their first home. By patiently getting to know Top Agent Magazine

Empathize Don’t be afraid to describe your own personal experiences as a homebuyer or seller, explaining how you felt at the time; let your client know you “get” it. The agent who is willing to open up and let buyers and

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sellers know that they personally understand their needs and concerns will connect with clients quickly, break down barriers and help the process move smoothly.

Chayan Alavi, Broker/Owner of Alavi Agency in Long Beach, California, challenges himself and his team to ensure that every action of every day serves others. “If we can put ourselves in other people’s shoes with empathy, then we become stellar professionals and great human beings, too,” he says. “I like knowing that we remove the sales pitch from real estate and make it all about the customer.” Chayan and his team focus on customer advocacy and building trust. But they don’t take trust for granted.

Instead, they know trust must be earned and nurtured over time.

Roll up your sleeves “You can’t be afraid to do anything!” says Matthew Todd of d’aprile properties in the Chicago area. “People know there’s nothing I won’t do to get the job done.” He has 6

mowed clients’ lawns, walked dogs and personally cleaned someone’s 8,000-squarefoot, $2 million home for a showing one day after his seller left the house. Two days before another closing, Matthew’s client was unable to move large amounts of unneeded furniture out of the house he sold. No problem! Matthew joined or created five online garage sales; sold or gave away most of the client’s belongings and had the remainder hauled away before cleaning in time for the closing. “The first time I sit with a seller on listing presentation or the first day I take someone on a buyer’s tour, they know I’m ‘all-in.’”

Meanwhile, in the Cincinnati area, Aaron Denton of Summit Funding considers himself and his team members to be concierges for their borrowers. “We’re like personal assistants,” says Aaron. “People are happier when you remove the stress.” Included in their standard services are researching moving quotes; arranging and organizing movein day; scheduling utility transfers; assisting with children’s school registration paperwork; and even connecting buyers with local resources like daycares.

If “rolling up your sleeves” isn’t your strongest skill, then an easy alternative is to get to know professionals in your area who can do these tasks for you. In the end, remember that by listening with patience, empathizing, and being willing to go the extra mile, you have the power to remove the stress your clients would experience without your help.

When clients feel cared for, they remember the agents and partners who helped them.

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MARNIE BENNETT

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care and professional advice possible. The Bennett team was the winner of the Better Business Award for best professional services.

“We provide extraordinary service to our clients and my team of professionals receives weekly coaching and training to ensure that they are the best,” Marnie says.

“Being ordinary and average is not an option with us! We want to provide the best and highest level of service and knowledge to our clients” she emphasizes.

MARNIE BENNETT In 2012, Marnie formed a very unique international family boutique brokerage which is called “The Bennett Property Shop” and is located in the Capital of Canada, Ottawa, in the Financial & Political Precinct. The Bennett Property Shop operates out of a beautiful 1898 heritage office building with gorgeous brick detailing, crystal chandeliers, with soaring 14 foot ceilings, and it is filled with beautiful family antiques.

From there, Marnie’s elite team of real estate professionals is setting new standards of excellence and her agents are selling 17 times more real estate than the average Ottawa realtor.

Marnie Bennett and the Bennett Property Shop Realty are 10s – and it doesn’t matter what scale you use. When it comes to exceptional customer service, they come out on top. That’s goes ditto for memorable client relationships—and exemplary client communication. It is not by fluke or by accident that Marnie’s team has grown by 300 percent in sales in the last three years with over $6.4 million annually in GCI. Marnie’s dedication to developing the best customer care systems and the most dedicated and knowledgeable team of real estate professionals has been her passion. The team culture is that anyone who walks into the Bennett brokerage or contacts her team by email or phone receives the best client 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Marnie and her team have “WOW Client Care Ambassadors.” During the selling process and buying process their client development coordinators contact their clients on a weekly basis to ensure that they are experiencing the highest level of care and attention. When someone buys or sells a home, Marnie’s WOW customer care ambassador is in touch with both the buyer and seller during the whole process. Once a transaction is firm, their client care ambassador continues to keep in touch with their clients on a weekly basis until final close and supplies them with helpful and timely information, such as step-by-step moving tips, legal information, a preferred partner list, a legal check-off list and, on closing, delivers them a special gift plus a folder of educational material and a book of coupons from our preferred vendors. But it doesn’t stop there. Monthly they continue by mail or phone to keep in touch with their clients for any real estate needs they may have.

The number one reason for their success is their dedication to providing constant communication. Marnie is available 24/7—and that is no exaggeration. She believes in the personal touch. Always being accessible and aware of what’s happening with her clients is essential to her success and results in the best real estate experience. “Buying or selling a home is the largest financial decision of our clients’ life,” Marnie says.

“People know when you’re genuine and real. You need to be authentic and anticipate their needs and respond to all customer queries and requests immediately.”

Marnie and her team also provide all of their sellers with free VIP “White Glove Services,” which include decluttering and staging services, a home warranty, free storage, handyman services, pet sitting, house-cleaning services, plus they even do windows.

Back in 1981, when Marnie was a licensed general insurance agent, she had a good friend who was in real Top Agent Magazine

estate. “My friend was always bubbly, cheerful, happy and excited,” Marnie says. “Insurance wasn’t exciting. Insurance was all about planning for bad things that might happen. I wanted to be in a profession where people are much happier and not planning for a life crisis.” Marnie formed her first real estate team with her friend Christine and never looked back.

In the team’s first year together, Marnie and Christine’s outstanding sales performance resulted in their national brokerage recognizing and honouring them as one of top sales teams in all of Canada and their success continued over the years.

Those early successes and the satisfaction of helping her clients make the “right” real estate choices prompted Marnie to continue on in the real estate industry. She formed one of the largest new-home sales teams, selling hundreds of new homes a year. Along with her adult children, Marnie started The Bennett Real Estate Professional team, serving both the new-home industry and the Ottawa resale industry. Marnie and her team joined the largest real estate brokerage in the world, Top Agent Magazine

Keller Williams; and within two years, Marnie as team leader, along with her team, became the #1 Keller Williams team in the world for two years running, in 2010 and 2011.

Since then, Marnie has become a mentor for, and a great promoter of, women in the business world. “You have to learn to balance your life, to decide what’s important to you and to firmly decide what your goals are,” she says. “You can have it all if you have great support and become compartmentalized and have great time management. Anyone—not just women—can achieve their dreams if they’re focused and believe in themselves.”

Marnie and her team of 20 top-level agents and 23 marketing and support staff, who collectively speak 10 different languages, serve the nation’s capital, Ottawa, and the surrounding area.

The Bennett Property Shop team sells 500 resale houses a year plus new-home developments across North America. Marnie has sold for more billionaires and millionaires across North America than any other realtor in Ottawa. Marnie is a member of Who’s Who Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

in Luxury Real Estate and the Million Dollar Guild, and is certified as a Luxury Marketing Specialist.

In her real estate career, Marnie and her team have sold more than 10,000 homes with cumulative sales of almost $3 Billion.

The Bennett Property Shop has five pillars of business: residential resale, new homes sales and marketing, investment real estate and land sales, plus a commercial division for multiple units and plazas.

Over the years, Marnie has acquired the enviable reputation of being an award-winning marketer, within Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

innovative and unique sales strategies resulting in her selling over $300 million-dollar high-rise buildings within hours of opening.

Marnie has won over 21 marketing awards for housing, which include categories for print advertisements, sales offices, radio commercials, new home brochures and model homes. “Being ahead of trends and knowing the demographics of your market are keys to the success of any business,” Marnie says. She is constantly studying both local and far-away markets to keep “ahead of the curve.”

Marnie offers her clients a guaranteed sales program plus monthly workshops on real estate investments, Top Agent Magazine

buying a first home, the ins and outs of owning a condo, flipping real estate, and buying homes in foreign countries. As part Marnie’s ongoing educational approach, she hosts two radio talk shows in Ottawa about real estate. In addition, she is a syndicated columnist for a housing magazine, an international speaker and a best-selling, award-winning author. Marnie is a huge believer in educating the public and her team. “Knowledge is power,” she says.

Coming from a single-parent family in which her mom stressed to her and her sister the absolute importance of owning their own home—no matter what sacrifices had to be made—Marnie learned, at a very early age, the financial and psychological value and satisfaction of property ownership and the struggle that that satisfaction often entails. She has not forgotten any of those lessons, those values and those struggles.

That is why she and her team take the time to, and love to, help people get established and to grow in the real estate market, whether those people are new Canadians who never thought they could own a house, first-time homebuyers with the jitters, newly divorced couples with new hopes and dreams, “downsizers” who are struggling or hesitant with their new station in life or those seeking to set up an intergenerational family home. “As a real estate professional, you’re there for what is always one of the biggest moments of your clients’ lives,” she says. “They bring you into Top Agent Magazine

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becoming partners with Easter Seals to sponsor a Santa Breakfast and be providing, in the new year, a bursary for Carleton University for the Sprott School of Business.

one of the most important financial and lifestyle decisions they will ever make, and you’re there, not just as a knowledgeable professional but for human emotional support. I love being included and involved with my clients like that.”

As part of practicing what she preaches about work/life balance, Marnie is involved in the community. She and her team donate part of their income to the Ottawa Humane Society to help assist with abused and abandoned animals, fundraise for Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundations, donate to the local Ottawa food bank, plus they will be

To relax, Marnie spends time with her family (a husband, three adult children, four young grandchildren and two little dogs) at their family retreat at Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, and also travels with the family to sunny destinations in Florida and Mexico.

Marnie has never been one to rest on her laurels, and like the “rolling stone that gathers no moss,” her future involves expansion and even greater involvement in the real estate industry. “We’re going into Florida now and will expand our New Home Division across the United States,” she says. “I’m also looking at lots of partnerships.

I believe in teamwork and I’m enjoying the growth.”

Marnie’s life philosophy is, “If you believe you will achieve.”

For more information on Marnie Bennett of Bennett Property Shop Realty, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, please visit bennettpros.com, call 613-233-8606 or email marniebennett@bennettpros.com www.

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Why Millennials Are Now the Hottest Segment of the Buyers Market

and How You Can Attract Them to Your Home There are many factors when it comes to knowing how to sell your home to the Millennial generation. Millennials are becoming an important part of the buyer market, and to fail to cater to their needs will cut you off from a large and important segment. But, why have Millennials all of a sudden become interested in buying houses when they were perfectly content to rent for the rest of their lives?

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A number of factors contribute to what has recently made Millennials the hottest segment of the Buyers market. One factor is the improved job outlook for Millennials. Millennials took a serious blow during the recession.

Unemployment in this group soared to 14 percent, compared to the 9.6 percent for the population as a whole. But, in recent years that number has been decreasing, with unemployment for Millennials being 9.3 percent this past year.

Rising rents are also contributing to making Millennials more interested in purchasing homes now. Rents have risen so much that buying a home now just makes more sense. Half of all renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Millennials are becoming increasingly stressed over the constantly increasing financial obligation to something that isn’t even theirs to own.

The near-historic low mortgage rates are luring Millennials towards purchasing a home with their promise of affordability. When compared with the skyrocketing rental rates, buying a house looks even more enticing.

Another factor helping Millennials get over the hump of purchasing a house is the lower down payment requirements. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now offering new loan programs that require as little as a 3 percent down payment. This may just be the last push the Millennials needed to turn toward buying a home rather than rent.

So, now that we’ve established that Millennials are finally joining the Buyers market, the next thing that it is important to understand is what exactly Millennials are looking for in a home. What kind of floorplans do they prefer? What locations are they interested in? Here are some of the essentials that Millennials are looking for in a home: • Updated Kitchens and Baths: Almost everyone wants to buy a

home with new kitchen and bath fixtures, but this is especially true for Millennials Buyers. Millennials are going to spend most of their savings on the down payment and furnishings, leaving little room to update the Kitchen and Bath, which are also the most expensive parts of a home to

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update. Millennials who are on a budget simply won’t have the money to sink into those areas. An updated Kitchen and Bath is sure to bring in a younger crowd.

• Big Kitchen with Open Floor Plan: For Millennials, the kitchen has

become the room where they hangout in addition to the family room. This is why having an open space that can transition easily from the kitchen to the TV room is high on the list of things Millennials are looking for in a home. Along a similar vein, Millennials are attracted to an open floor plan rather than one that compartmentalizes the home. This has to do with how Millennials entertain. Millennials want their guests to flow through the rooms and mingle together, rather than be sectioned off in different rooms.

• Home Office: More than 13 million Americans now work from home,

and if you look at the trend, that number is only going to increase as the time goes on. With technology steadily increasing, more Millennials than ever have the flexibility to work from home. But, the home office isn’t just for someone working from home full time. Having a separate space dedicated to work helps people concentrate and focus on work while they are at home. They can separate themselves from the activities going on around the house and have a quiet space where they can set up their workday, plan a presentation, hold a meeting on Skype, or even pay bills.

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• Less Maintenance: Many Millennials work different schedules that

don’t conform to the 9 to 5 workday, as well as full social calendars. This doesn’t leave them much time to clean a big house. Lawn services and low-maintenance front yards are particularly appealing, as they take less responsibility to still keep the curb appeal high.

• Energy-Efficient Appliances: Millennials have been educated on

keeping the Earth clean from the time they were born. They want to do their part to help the environment and appreciate the long-term cost savings that come with it. Energy-efficient appliances and greener ways to heat and cool the home might end up being the tipping point that makes them choose one house over another.

• Hardwood Floors: Millennials don’t have the time or patience to clean

dirty carpets, especially those that own pets. Hardwood and laminate flooring is easy to mop up if there’s been a mess. The more time they can conserve, the better.

• Good Location: Millennial buyers are looking for homes that are in

proximity to public transportation and have a good walking score. Young Millennial buyers without children are more likely to want a location closer to the action of the city, while Millennials with children would prefer more residential areas.

• Technology: Technology rules the Millennial’s life. They do work on

their computers through an Internet connection and solely use cellphones for communication. They are going to ask about how strong the cell service is and about the Internet service provider. While these amenities are out of the seller’s hands, Millennials are still going to ask these questions, and you will need to know how to answer them.

Knowing what Millennials are looking for in a home will ultimately help you make the necessary changes that will attract these buyers to your home.

Since they are the a serious segment of the market now, updating your home to fit their needs will lead to more buyers and better offers. So, get with the times and embrace the Millennial buyer.

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Creative Ways to Say Thank You

Most top real estate agents find ways to welcome their clients to their new home. A common theme is a bottle of wine and some wine glasses for that first post-threshold toast, or a bouquet of flowers to brighten up that empty living space until the furniture arrives.

But are you truly being as creative as you can with your appreciation? Here are some innovative gift ideas that will truly keep you front of mind with your valued customers and assure their gratitude and repeat business, not to mention a slew of referrals.

1. How about a streaming video device, like a Roku

or Amazon Fire Stick? There’s a good chance your clients will not have their cable service up and running for a few days, and this is an excellent way for them to enjoy their television before they get that connection going. Bundle it up in a basket with some DVD’s for the kids, and don’t forget all necessary cables.

2. Matching bathrobes and Bath kits: Fleece or ter-

rycloth bathrobes and a basket filled with highend his and her body scrubs, bubble bath and other luxurious pampering items can make the first night in a new home feel like a check-in at a fabulous resort and make the memory of that first night one to cherish. Again, don’t forget the kids!

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3. Arrange a catered meal from a local vendor. As-

certain in advance dietary preferences and restrictions, and have a wonderful, healthy meal delivered on move-in night. To complete the magic, provide brand new plates, silverware and glassware to serve it all on.

4. For homes with swimming pools or Jacuzzis, a

stack of fluffy pool towels is always appreciated and will be used by family and friends for years to come. Additionally, acrylic stemware for celebrating safely can be provided alongside them.

5. If it’s winter time and the home has a fireplace, make sure there’s plenty of wood to burn. Some fireplace accessories and a log holder will certainly make your clients appreciate you on every chilly night to come.

So when it comes to gifting your buyers, the trick is to be creative. A bottle of wine lasts one night, and the flowers wilt in a few days. Try coming up with something a little more creative that will remain with your clients in their day-to-day lives and remind them of you consistently. The little bit extra you spend to show your gratitude can reap huge dividends when it comes time for your client to purchase a second home or refer a friend.

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Is Your Phone Voice Attracting–or Repelling?

By Carla Cross, CRB, MA It’s such a simple thing, but so important--the first impression you make with your voice!

Recently, I did a presentation to a group of Luxury Agent Specialists. It was about sound and its impact on others (I used the piano to demonstrate). We usually think of visual impact. But, as agents, we come across way more people initially via email or phone than we do by sight. So, isn’t it time to Top Agent Magazine

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polish your ‘phone voice’? It’s probably the first ‘warm’ impression people get of you (I call email ‘cold communication’ because it vastly shrinks the three major ways we communicate: sight, sound, and feeling).

Here are three tips to assure your phone voice makes the best first impression.

Remember, You never have a second chance to make a first impression!

Don’t Mistake Technology as the ‘End’

We are so focused on technology today, that we are in danger of forgetting to effectively use that technology. Here’s an example. When I phone an agent today, I have no idea where that agent will answer his or her phone—or from what phone the call is being answered. And, I don’t really care. Technology allows the phone to follow the agent. That’s great. Here’s what’s not so great. The agent’s message is so dull, powerless, or mumbled that it doesn’t sound as though the agent wants to talk to me. Or, the agent’s message is so long, that I’m impatient by the time I get to leave the message.

Make a Superior Phone Message

For three days, listen carefully to the tone, intent, and messages you hear in phone messages. Listen carefully to how agents, managers, and your affiliates answer the phone (including the receptionist at the office). What do you think? If you didn’t know these people, what would you think of them? Are they excited to hear from you, or are they bored?

Here are 4 important tips to remember when recording your own message: 1. Stand up—you’ll sound as though you have much more energy.

2. Write out your script first—and be sure it’s not too long. I don’t really care where you’re going to be all day!

3. Modulate your voice pleasantly. Try to get some resonance.

4. Sound as though you’re looking forward to hearing from me!

Don’t Settle for One Run at It: Re-record Your Phone Message until It’s Perfect

As a musician, I would never play the piano for others unless I had practiced until the performance was perfect. Yet, when we ‘practice’ real estate, we often just ‘let it fly’ with whatever comes out of our mouths! Not good. You have too much at stake to settle for one run at it.

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Advice from a musician: Practice your phone message several times before you record it. Then, record and listen critically. Don’t just use the first recording.

Make sure your ‘phone voice’ is the best first impression you can make.

P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips 1. Call each of your agents’ phone mails. What’s the impression you get?

Are they professional? Do they state the company name? Do they represent your culture and image?

2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the information in this blog.

Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cross. All rights reserved.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is the founder and president of Carla Cross & Co., specializing in real estate management and sales. Her internationally best-selling start-up plan for new agents, Up and Running in 30 Days, is now going into its 5th edition (!). Carla brings her vast experience as a top-selling agent and award-winning manager and trainer to the podium, blending her musical background with her proven sales and management strategies (she uses the piano AND even teaches someone to play—fast…..—entertaining and practical). Find out more at www.carlacross.com.

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4 Qualities of Exceptional Employees Hiring a new employee is one of the more stressful parts of being a business owner. After all, you’re taking someone on and trusting that they’ll not only be a valuable addition to the team, but won’t do anything to hurt your business’s hard earned reputation.

Sometimes a person comes in and you click right away, and other times you might be blown away by an impressive resume. But there are things you should look for that might not be as obvious at first. Employees that have the following qualities are ones you should seek out, because they will definitely be well worth the time and energy you invest in them.

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1. They have the confidence to be innovative There’s a reason people are drawn to those who think outside the box. Not only do innovations often lead to an extremely profitable business, even when that thinking doesn’t pan out, creative thinking is something that will energize your business and will motivate more employees to start taking chances.

Innovative thinkers also usually have great leadership skills. Ironically, you want an employee who isn’t afraid to speak up to authority and is someone who knows how to bend the rules without breaking them. They know that

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the success of the team and business is what’s most important, as long as it’s done ethically and with respect for everyone involved.

2. They are constantly reviewing their past performance A good employee looks forward, but they also look back. They are always evaluating what worked and what didn’t work in past performances and then adjusting their plans going forward accordingly. If they are coming off a big win, they know how to capitalize on that by using the momentum and cementing in everyone’s minds the value that they add to the team.

If things didn’t go as planned, they assess what they can do better next time, and they don’t get bogged down in insecurity. They take responsibility and they have confidence that they won’t repeat past mistakes. They know that failure is a temporary state, and are able to learn lessons from their mistakes, that will make them a better employee going forward.

While no one wants to fail, having the confidence to try something and fail will one day let you strike gold. Someone who lets failure shut them down, leads to a dead end and will soon make them a dead weight on your team.

3. They value teamwork Even though an exceptional employee might be a rising star, they realize that success is Top Agent Magazine

not an individual endeavor, it relies strongly on who you’re working with. Exceptional employees make sure that everyone is contributing and valued for their input. They put the interests of the company above their own, and thrive in an environment where ideas and information are shared freely.

Shared success is the ultimate goal for every project. Exceptional employees have the confidence to know that even when they’re not singled out for praise, they’re an irreplaceable component of a larger machine.

4. They are self-motivated learners A key thing to remember is that while experience is a valuable commodity, intelligence and intellectual curiosity is usually something that can’t be taught. Yes, you might request employees get additional training or attend seminars, but exceptional employees will be seeking out educational opportunities constantly. Even if they don’t have a lot of money for weekend retreats, they will be getting books from the library, downloading audiobooks, and most importantly, taking advantage of one their greatest resources, YOU. Exceptional employees know that the way to stay ahead is to always be at the forefront of new technology and systems. They don’t see educating themselves as a burden, they actually enjoy it. They realize that everything they take in, will one day make them not only an exceptional employee, but an exceptional boss as well.

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