Canada 2-26-17

CANADA EDITION

DEVELOPING YOUR PRICING PHILOSOPHY IS FINDING A NICHE MARKET RIGHT FOR YOU? COMMUNICATE YOUR WAY TO HIGHER SALES WITH DISC?

COVER STORY

CLAIRE GAUTHIER

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!

CANADA EDITION

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CLAIRE GAUTHIER

CONTENTS 4) COMMUNICATE YOUR WAY TO HIGHER SALES WITH DISC? 13) DEVELOPING YOUR CLAIRE PRICING PHILOSOPHY

GAUTHIER

18) GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME! 22) IS FINDING A NICHE MARKET RIGHT FOR YOU?

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By Bubba Mills

Communicate your way to higher sales with DISC? Today’s article is all about communication. Let me start with a story: A woman was standing in front of the mirror and said to her husband: “Oh my love, I’m so fat and so ugly. I really need to hear a nice compliment.”

Her husband replied: “You have great vision.”

Oh the trouble we can get into when our lips flap. Any married person can attest. Probably many REALTORS®, too. Because real estate is a people business, communication is the industry’s bedrock. And I can say this next sentence with certainty: Top producers in real estate are expert communicators.

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If you want to join their ranks, you should jump at every opportunity to improve your communication skills. This article can help, and to get the most from the article I only need you to remember four letters and their meaning: DISC. DISC is a tool you can use to quickly assess a person’s dominant personality. It’s based on work by psychologist William Martson.

Generally speaking, it turns out there are four primary types of personality styles out there: Directors, Interactors, Supporters and Compliants. The next time you’re giving a listing presentation, you’ll be talking to one of those four types of people. And when you understand which one you’re talking to you can be much more effective and more likely to get the result you want.

So, let’s dive into each and learn some practical tips you can start using in your daily life as a REALTOR®: Directors are direct. They want to make money, save time and be efficient. When you talk to directors, be short and to the point with closed questions. They seek productivity and the bottom line. They’re motivated by new challenges and problems to solve.

They enjoy power and authority to take risks and make decisions.

And they want freedom from routine and mundane tasks.

Interactors want, you guessed, interaction. Lots of it. They want to have fun and they enjoy talking about themselves. When you’re talking to interactors, add humor and don’t labor on the details. They seek recognition and fun. They’re motivated by flattery, praise, popularity and acceptance, and they want other people available to handle details.

Supporters are connectors. They want security, safety and a strong sense of belonging. When talking to supporters ask for their opinions and feelings and offer open-ended questions.

They’re motivated by recognition for loyalty and dependability Top Agent Magazine

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and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also like activities they can start and finish.

Compliants are thinkers. They’re always wondering how things work.

They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy.

They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logical organization of information.

Some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’ve opted for a much more affordable offering: a free DISC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own dominant style and how to read others as well.

Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding appropriately all take work and attention. But because real estate is a people business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the better living you’ll make as an agent or broker. I promise.

Best of luck to you!

Copyright©, 2016 Bubba Mills. All rights reserved.

Bubba Mills is the CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into Real Estate Companies, Mortgage Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

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CLAIRE GAUTHIER Top Agent Magazine

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CLAIRE GAUTHIER “Claire was able to close a deal for me in a very short time period. Her personable approach reduced if not eradicated much of the anxiety one normally experiences in selling a property.”

—Past Client Lepage Vallee de L’Outaouais, Claire has earned a spot in the top 3% of sales earners for nine years running as a Diamond Award recipient. She is also the recipient of a Lifetime Excellence Achievement award.

In her eight years as a social worker, Claire Gauthier learned firsthand the value of forging meaningful, lasting connections with those she serves. Now, twelve years later, she has turned her keen sensibilities toward the real estate world, lending knowledge and a helping hand to clients as they navigate the buying, selling, and relocation processes. At Royal 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

To Claire, the transition from social work to real estate was a natural one. Not only did she have a large base of personal connections to draw from as she navigated her new career, but she had already acquired the social skills needed to develop new relationships with potential clients, while meeting their emotional needs, as well. “Often, I work with clients who are stressed at the beginning of the buying, selling, or relocation process. Some are moving for difficult, personal reasons,” Claire recounts.

“Clients need someone with knowledge and experience, but also someone who can provide empathy, a sense of comfort and calm. My background in social work allows me to connect easily on that level.” Not only does her knack for the interpersonal boost her business as a real estate agent, it is at the heart of Top Agent Magazine

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what she loves most about her work. “I love getting to know my clients,” she says. “It is important to find the time to really connect with who you are working with.”

While buying or selling a home is a massive monetary investment, Claire also recognizes that the process remains a deeply personal one, as well. With that in mind, she goes the extra mile to ease worries and provide a thorough, informative roadmap throughout the process, removing much of the angst involved in relocating, buying, or selling. “Claire is exceptional at what she does!” says one client. “We were blessed to have Claire represent us in the sale Top Agent Magazine

of our home and the purchase of another home. She is a top-notch professional.” What’s more, clients favorably reflect on Claire’s attention to detail and transparent communication throughout the listing process, as well. “Claire kept in touch at all times, ensured my priorities were being met, and achieved results beyond my expectations,” reveals one past client. “She was able to close a deal for me in a very short time period. Her personable approach reduced if not eradicated much of the anxiety one normally experiences in selling a property.” Moved by her warmth and scrupulousness, Claire’s clients echo her sentiment in citing friendships forged amidst successful transactions. Says one particularly gratified Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

client, “Not only was Claire extremely personable, she was reliable and I felt I could call her at any time. She absolutely went above and beyond her job description on numerous occasions. I felt like she was more of a friend than a realtor, and even after her job was done, she was checking up on us. We simply couldn’t be happier. I continue to recommend her services to everyone I know.”

Proud to have earned a spot as a Diamond Award recipient for the 9th year running as well As a Lifetime Excellence Achievement award. Thanks to my clients for their trust and support. Looking forward to working with them again this year.

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In terms of connecting on a marketing level, Claire employs a variety of astute tactics. Using professional photography, holiday mailers, personal notes, e-mails and calls, and the wide reach of social media to advance exposure for her business, Claire’s patented personal touch is also at work in her marketing methods. With roughly an 80% rate of referral and returning business, her clients are assuredly pleased with the results. “Clients that I began my career working with still come back, and now they’re referring their kids and their grandkids,” Claire says. “Certain properties I’ve sold four times! Working with multiple generations is a really rewarding part of this job.” In addition to her devoted work with clients, she also puts her expertise to use by training up-and-coming agents, helping them learn the ropes and build confidence as agents in their own right. One of the most important lessons Claire instills within new recruits is that agents should tailor their techniques to the client. “I always tell new agents to personalize. When you take the time to adjust your strategy to your specific client, there’s more success to be had for everyone involved. It makes a difference.”

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Though she typically manages 40-60 listings at a given time, Claire’s future plans are to extend her dedicated team, fine-tune and grow her online footprint, and continue to cultivate the meaningful agent-client relationships that set her business and ethos apart. In her spare hours, she spends quality time with her kids, family, and dearest friends.

She also counts herself an avid traveler who loves exploring new places and meeting new people along the way. Socially minded as ever, Claire also gives civically to her community, contributing to many local fundraisers, hosting lively client appreciation events, working with children—sponsoring local minor baseball and hockey teams—as well as with the elderly. Exemplified by her many civic efforts, Top Agent Magazine

Claire’s extracurricular life is squarely centered on going the extra mile for people in need.

At the end of the day, it is that spirit that grounds her tireless work as a real estate agent. “Of course, everyone needs to make a living, but the paycheck has never been my number one focus,” Claire reflects. “I am energized by those I work with. I really believe that much of my success stems from the fact that I am not trying to push a deal—instead, I am pursuing the personal.” With over a decade of achievements already under her belt, and an attitude refreshingly geared toward human connection, the future of Claire Gauthier’s business is sure to remain bright.

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To learn more about CLAIRE GAUTHIER of Gatineau/Outaouais, e-mail clairegauthier@icloud.com or call (613) 292-8267 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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Developing Your Pricing Philosophy

By Dirk Zeller

Ask a dozen agents to explain their home pricing philosophy, and you’ll

hear a dozen different approaches. And if the talk reveals frank responses, you’ll also learn that the most common pricing strategy is no strategy at all.

Here’s my advice: Break out of the ranks by establishing and following a specific strategy for arriving at the ideal selling price for each home.

Adopt the philosophy that, in real estate sales, price is king. Price trumps all other factors—including marketing approaches, home condition, market competitiveness, and sales approach. I believe that, in the end, marketing and condition of the property are controlled by the price.

The alternative, advocated by many agents, most sellers, and even some sales trainers, is to emphasize marketing over pricing. Rather than working to set the ideal price, they believe success will come from optimizing the home’s condition and presentation and then marketing it with skill and savvy.

I take the opposite belief, based on years of experience working with sellers who wanted unrealistic prices for their homes and who experienced firsttime sales failures as a result.

Over my sales career, I resurrected and re-listed more than 600 expired listings—nearly 75 a year. Among all those transactions, I never met an owner with an expired listing who thought that an unreasonable price had anything to do with the home’s failure to sell. They all blamed the previous Copyright Agent Magazine Top Agent Top Magazine

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agent and that person’s approach to marketing. Each sought some magic marketing strategy to change the reality of the law of supply and demand.

There is a magic strategy: Price the home correctly.

Price is the only factor that can overcome sales obstacles, compensate for a home’s deficiencies, and motivate a purchaser even if the condition of the property and your marketing approach is less than perfect.

Getting the listing at any cost Does this scenario sound familiar? An agent (usually a newer agent) is short on business or maybe even desperate for the chance to stake a sign in someone’s yard. The agent wants a listing at any price – even if the chance 14

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to seal a deal erodes the likelihood of selling the property. To gain a seller’s nod of approval, the agent makes a flatteringly high pricing recommendation, throwing out a number the client wants to hear and then hoping something good will result from the bad situation.

I can think of few examples, if any, where this philosophy works. Hope isn’t a successful pricing strategy. Worse, the please-the-client mindset is a hard one to abandon. Agents who achieve listings with unrealistic prices find it hard to later counsel their clients honestly.

If you take and price a good listing competitively, it will sell. You can’t keep a good price a secret!

The pitfalls of a “please the buyer” approach are many and significant. By overpricing, you can practically count on a reduction in your productivity, profitability, and salability, and here’s why: It’s impossible to keep your productivity high when your time is spent in conversations with an unsuccessful seller who lacks motivation to take corrective action. The seller’s negativity, concerns, and phone calls will only increase with each week or month the house remains on the market.

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As time goes on, you’ll devote more and more time unsuccessfully trying to create a sale not only for your seller but also for yourself. This will pull you away from activities that are more likely to deliver income. The ensuing frustration will de-motivate you and stunt your ability to secure better appointments that create other income opportunities.

An unsold, overpriced listing negatively impacts your profitability because it costs you time and money to service while it delivers no revenue to your business. And the situation only gets worse the longer the listing languishes on the market. You’ll end up deducting the expenses of this in-limbo listing from the proceeds generated by any revenue-producing deals you manage to close in the meantime, reducing your net profit and business success.

Unsold homes that linger on the market seriously diminish your salability, which is the term that describes your sales success track. Your salability is based on such key statistics as your average ratio of listing price compared to sale price and the average number of days your listings are on the market.

Obviously, these statistics, which prospects rely on when choosing one agent over another, can be crushed by a “get the listings at any cost” philosophy. They’re also harmed by the “start high and reduce later” tactic.

If you take and price a good listing competitively, it will sell. You can’t keep a good price a secret!

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President and CEO of Real Estate Champions. Copyright© 2014, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved.

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Get Your Head in the Game!

By Barry Eisen

Can you think of any top athlete in any sport who is inconsistent in prepara­ tion, has little focus, has no defined game plan, and has low confidence and self-esteem? If you can, you’re not thinking of a top athlete, you’re thinking of a wanna-be poser. There are lots of gifted and talented people in sports, but the world doesn’t care as much about the talent unless it shows up, demonstrates focus, shows a dedicated plan of action and acts like success is the natural by product of all the previous preparation.

The same scenario is true about successful entrepreneurs. You’d be hard pressed to think of a winner who wasn’t prepared, focused, strategized and confident.

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The stories about Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Lionel Messi, Amanda Beard, and thousands of other sports greats share many When you hear negative basic success principles.

Think of the Captains of Commerce in your business and chances are the success principles are much the same.

messages in your mind... take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words.

I’ve been privileged to have worked with some of the very best in sport and business over many years and this is some of what I’ve learned from them.

5 ideas for stepping up your game.

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Preparation is what creates confidence. Don’t work on confidence.

Practice more. Whether it’s practicing getting out of the starting blocks quickly in the 100 meter dash, efficient flip turns in the pool, chipping onto the green from 30 yards away or rehearsing business presentation scripts, introducing yourself while knocking on doors, or closing assertively after a strong presentation...you can’t get around practice/preparation. Check out “the 10,000 Hour Rule,” in Gladwell’s, Outliers. Ya gotta do the work!

Mental practice in a relaxed state of mind (self-hypnosis) can speed up the success process from 2-5 times. Read almost any autobiography of a successful athlete or business personality and recognize this common trait; almost all successful people saw and savored the end result in their quiet, meditative states first.

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The quality of Self-Talk is a big reason for the separation between superstars and the herd that follows. It’s easy to be positive and use positive words when things are going great and your attitude is up. One way of getting and keeping an “up” attitude is to silently tell yourself what the outcome of the next event will be...where the ball will land, your time for the 100 butterfly, the height of the high jump you’ll clear, the room you’ll mesmerize with your speech, the powerful listing presentation you’ll Top Agent Magazine

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give today, etc. The result of negative self-talk (self fulfilling prophesy) is obvious...poor posture, unfocused, procrastination, fear. Self sabotage!

When you hear negative messages in your mind...take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words. This will get easier and more automatic with practice and so will your successes.

(If you don’t achieve what you set out for...it doesn’t matter...keep doing this.) The difference in how the ultimately successful get to where they are and where everyone one else gets, is how soon you pull the plug and quit.

Raise your game by staying in it. As you shift your mind your game will improve/your business will improve.

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Visualize the self-talk. Pictures make more and deeper neurological impressions. A picture IS worth a thousand words. The greats in every sport played the game, walked the course, saw the 100 mph fastball come in, saw the touch at the pool’s wall, broke the beam at the finish line well before their bodies were involved. Your actions are based on your thoughts.

Don’t be random. Choose successful pictures that move you forward.

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Feel the satisfaction of success for just a moment. How would it feel hitting that perfect dive, making the 20 foot putt, running your personal best in a 10k, nailing that listing presentation, passing that test?

Allowing the neurotransmitter dopamine to flash through the pleasure centers of your brain, reinforces the positive goal towhich you are moving.

We do things to maximize pleasure or to minimize discomfort. As you associate the task or goal with a positive feeling, you’ll approach the task/ goal with a more open, “CAN DO,” attitude. It’s attitude not aptitude that usually matters more. Like a pep talk before a game, like a supportive hand on a child’s shoulder before a test in school, like a smile from a prospect that says, “I’m open to what you have to say,” feel good about what you’re here to do. You’ll make changes, not because you need to or want to, but because it feels good. Take the kicking and screaming out of your life to experience a more centered and focused energy.

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Relax before you compete/take care of that piece of business. Some use music, some meditate, some create physical rituals (eat a certain food, do push ups, clap hands, stretch, a couple of breathes (and a whole lot of other crazy things you’ve seen. It ain’t crazy if it works.) Create a small ritual that focuses you in the last moment before the event/business presentation/prospecting/public speaking...

Some sport psychology is about emotional, social and or physical issues, more to be addressed by qualified coaches, counselors or therapists, trained to deal with psychological baggage and physical scars. Some business leaders sit in with therapists and coaches to sort out individual blocks.

But after all the analysis is said and done, the smart ones go back to the basics. See the ball, hit the ball.

Copyright©, 2016 Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.

Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 Top Agent Magazine

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Is Finding A Niche Market Right for You?

A lot of Realtors® take the ‘jack of all trades’ approach to their businesses, and some are extremely successful with doing it all and doing it well. But taking that approach can also make it hard to stand out if there are a lot of agents in your area taking the same approach.

If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the rest, finding a niche market might be the way to go. Although it might sound limiting at first, with the right branding and marketing, your specialty and expertise may help you lock up a market after you become well known for being the ‘go to’ Realtor® in a certain demographic. Having a niche helps you target your marketing, making it more effective, until eventually people are seeking you out as you build your reputation as the foremost expert in your particular niche.

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Despite the benefits of taking on a specialty, it’s still something that only a small percentage of Realtors® do, which means you have a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor in your area by being ahead of what is sure to be a looming real estate trend.

You want to claim your stake on the niche that best fits not only your passions, but something that fills a void in your market.

If this all sounds good to you, the next step is finding your niche! Here are a few things you need to consider:

There are two approaches to having a specialty, one that is truly your all-consuming passion or a sort of revolving niche, one that changes with the market Top Agent Magazine

In addition to creating a thriving business, finding a niche may even unlock a hidden passion. Does your area have a large historic home inventory? Are you passionate about helping first time home buyers realize their dreams?

Having a personal connection to what you specialize in is always a great way to start out. If you’re passionate about something, you’re almost guaranteed to have the work ethic it takes to have success in a niche market. Once you hone in on a niche, make sure the market data backs up your focus.

Another approach is changing with the market. If you’re truly an expert in a few areas of the business, it might be good to have sort of a revolving niche. In a down market you might specialize in short sales and foreclosures.

When things pick up, you may take your innovative approaches and start applying them to luxury homes.

Whether you take the consistent niche approach or the flexible one, it’s really all about figuring out what best suits you and your market.

Fill a void in your market Maybe you don’t have an instant passion for one particular niche. In that case, there are several areas you can consider. A lot of it will start with really researching and analyzing your market and having a good eye for what future trends will be. Is there a certain demographic that is surging in your area? Cater your business to serve them. Maybe you are fluent in Spanish and your area is seeing a rise in a Latino population, who are emigrating from other countries. Or perhaps, you live in an area that has a larger retirement population. There Top Agent Magazine

are numerous demographics that truly need expert real estate advice. Be the one to fill it.

You can also focus on a particular neighborhood or gated community. Helping people navigate the ins and outs of a particular HOA can be a lifesaver.

Are you already serving a niche?

Of course, sometimes you may already have a niche and are unaware of it. Maybe you are already dealing with a lot of first-time homebuyers. Look over your sales records and see what might already be there, then make it official.

Figure out why you’re drawn to that area and then nail down the reasons you’ve excelled with that niche and use it to create a marketing plan and branding.

Find ways to really sell your expertise Once you figure out your niche, get the training, designations, and certifications that will enhance your expertise. Another way to let it be known that you are the ‘go to’ Realtor® in your particular niche is to become a resource online. Create a website with informative blogs and marketing information. Make a mark on social media where you can link back to your site, so potential clients can actually interact with you.

There is a lot to consider when you’re thinking of going the niche market way with your business, but if you consider everything carefully and focus in on something you can be passionate about, the rewards could be a major win for you and for your clients.

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