CHICAGO 10-19-20

CHICAGO EDITION

5 Steps to Achieve Long term Success as a Real Estate Agent How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant

Keeping in touch –

How to Stay in Your Clients’ Lives for the Long Haul

FEATURED AGENT

DEBRA DOBBS COVER STORY

SARAH TOSO

CHICAGO EDITION Leonard D. Litwin is proud to congratulate

DEBRA DOBBS 6

DEBRA DOBBS

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SARAH TOSO

on being featured for the State of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!

CONTENTS

4) 4 WAYS TO WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST PROCRASTINATION

17) KEEPING IN TOUCH – HOW TO STAY IN YOUR CLIENTS’ LIVES FOR THE LONG HAUL

litwinlaw@aol.com leonardlitwin17@gmail.com

8) HOW TO INCORPORATE CURRENT EVENTS TO YOUR EMAIL BLASTS AND STAY RELEVANT

22) 5 STEPS TO ACHIEVE LONG TERM SUCCESS AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting 4

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your Top Agent Magazine

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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DEBRA DOBBS After selling her gelateria in 1984, Debra Dobbs needed a new project and career. A customer encouraged her to get her real estate license and offered her a job. Since then, Debra explains, “I was just hooked. It was amazing and I had so much fun. And I never looked back.” Today, real estate is a family affair for Debra and The Dobbs Group. With her daughter and a family friend as assistants, as well as her brother and sister-in-law working on marketing and search optimization, Debra has created a successful business of buying and selling homes in the Chicago area. Debra explains that “it’s all happened very organically” and “we’re a very collaborative group.”

Roughly 75 percent of Debra’s business comes from repeats and referrals, so there is no question that her clients are more than pleased by her services. With amazing customer service and attention to detail, Debra has been able to reach great heights. She is extremely dedicated, and is always willing to answer the phone no matter the time of day. This keeps the client’s best interest at the center of every transaction. The Dobbs Group uses its own CRM software in order to create a customized experience for every client, including close to 120 touch-points during each transaction, and Debra has stressed the importance of this behind-the-scenes organization. Additionally, she shares, “I’m also very positive and fun to work with,” which makes clients feel more at home and relaxed throughout what could otherwise be a very stressful process.

Debra’s clients can tell that she is incredibly dedicated to her job, and this pays off throughout their experiences with her. One former client shared in a review of Debra’s services, “Debra is absolutely amazing!

My husband and I are definitely picky so looked at a 6

ton of places. Debra was patient and kind and not to mention super fun to see places with throughout the process. I would recommend her to anyone/everyone.

My highest praise!”

Working in real estate is undoubtedly a busy career, especially when you share Debra’s view that it is “a 24/7 customer service business.” However, Debra still makes time to be a part of the Chicago community.

She is a member of a political action committee and is also involved with local social justice programs, particularly those related to women and children. She is currently taking a motorboat handling class for fun, and one of Debra’s favorite activities is cooking Sunday night suppers with her daughter.

While Debra loves everything about her job, she says that her favorite part is that “every day is completely different.” She thrives in busy situations that require flexibility and problem solving, and meeting so many new people makes her work even more enjoyable.

In the future, Debra wants to continue organically growing her business and increasing communication with her clients. She says, “I wake up every morning thankful, grateful, and happy that I can do something that is just still, after all this time, my passion.”

For more about Debra Dobbs, please call 312-307-4909 or email debra@debradobbs.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Leonard D. Litwin is proud to congratulate

DEBRA DOBBS

on being featured for the State of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!

litwinlaw@aol.com leonardlitwin17@gmail.com

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How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant Email marketing is a cost effective and straightforward method of getting your name and services in front of clients with just a few keystrokes. This tried-and-true approach to digital marketing is a favorite of many, and there are countless ways to customize (and maximize) your email blasts to reap superior results. Despite this, many real estate profes8

sionals are content to standardize their email advertising and take a broad, one-size-fits-all approach to capturing interest and leads. While an up-front sales pitch certainly has its uses and benefits, it doesn’t hurt to shake up your routine and refresh your email marketing approach by adding specifics that draw renewed interest from your audience.

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One way to accomplish this is by tying in current events and local happenings to your email blasts. After all, your sphere of influence likely receives countless marketing emails per day. To cut through the noise, sharpen your message with a few specifics that separate your communications from the pack. Not every email should be focused on closing a sale, or else your audience will learn to stop listening.

How do you build your brand, stay top of mind, and keep the lines of communication open with your clientele? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

against an old rival? Do they host themed fan days honoring veterans or catering to families? Tailoring your communications to a local sports franchise’s big news or next event can draw intrigue and provide added value for your clients. Remember, not every communication you send should be focused on pitching and closing a sale, otherwise your audience will tune out your emails altogether. Instead, incorporate fun, community-oriented content that lets readers know you’re a resource for much more than real estate.

Sports news makes a splash

Become a one-stop-shop for holiday fun and seasonal ideas.

People love to rally behind the home team.

Is a regional, local university, or professional sports team in your area headed to the playoffs or the championship? Are they facing off

From Mother’s Day to Thanksgiving, anyone can send an email wishing clients a happy holiday. While the sentiment is a good one, you’ll be one of dozens flooding inboxes with

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your well-wishes. Instead, go beyond the traditional greetings and good tidings and become a hyper-specific resource for clients. Create a gift guide for Mother’s Day, outline family-friendly local events occurring in your area around the holidays, or engage in a promotional partnership with a local business who’s offering a holiday special of their own. In other words, don’t settle for just saying hello during certain times of the year. Instead, up the value of your email blast by offering clients curated information that relates to their interests and area.

Doing so makes your emails a must-read, while demonstrating your ability to go the extra mile.

Pop culture serves as a fun and timely tie-in.

Is a new gaming app sweeping the nation? Have your social media feeds been flooded with the same viral video? Is everyone gossiping about the same TV show premiere? Pop culture tie-ins in your email marketing campaigns can be extremely effective, but in order to for

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them to work, you’ll need to move quickly and keep your focus on the phenomenon, rather than your service pitch. The goal behind pop culture marketing tie-ins is communicating the progressiveness and hip factor of your brand, while capturing timely, topical interest that’s at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be in on a running joke or trend, and if you leverage trending pop culture moments in your email marketing, you’ll be able to draw views and clicks from a wide audience.

Plenty of services offer standardized email marketing templates and content for today’s real estate professionals, and while the motivation behind marketing is transactional, your communications don’t have to be. The surest way to make an impact in your clients’ inboxes is to add original value and break apart from the pack. Consider updating some of your routines with these current events oriented techniques and your email audience is sure to take a second look.

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SARAH TOSO Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Sarah Toso is a solo agent for RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals based in Crest Hill, Illinois, covering the southwest suburbs of Chicago.

Sarah Toso was raised in a big family–seven siblings to be exact–but she says her dad was always prepared to take on the new addition. “We outgrew homes fairly quickly, so he would purchase the lot next door in preparation for building a larger home,” she recalls with a laugh. “We would do our best to help. So basically, I grew up learning about homes, real estate, and construction.”

Initially, Sarah pursued a teaching career, which she loved, and was even awarded the Walmart 12 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

teacher of the year. However, as fate would have it, Sarah’s middle son was born with a heart defect and required surgery at just eight days old. A decision about her career had to be made as doctors suggested her son not be around other kids in a daycare situation for at least a year. For a while, the family tried to survive on one salary, but that wasn’t working. At the time, they had been living in a custom-built home of their own design and labor.

“Because we could no longer afford to live there, we sold it and purchased our first foreclosed home Top Agent Magazine

while I was pregnant with our third son. It was a disaster of a home, but when we were finished, it was gorgeous,� she says.

Shortly after moving in, the family discovered there was quite a jump in the market, so they took a chance at selling and finding another project. They Top Agent Magazine

ended up flipping homes several more times. Their construction skills became so well-known locally that a real estate agent approached them asking if they would do some general contracting for a home he was representing. Sarah’s husband, who was a firefighter studying for a promotional test, said he didn’t have the time but encouraged Sarah to take 13 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

“My clients not only appreciate that I have certain knowledge, especially about construction, but also that I take the time needed to help them get projects in order or resolve problems before inspectors arrive.” on the project. She oversaw the entire construction from start to finish and the house sold quickly. It was at that point she knew her calling and decided she needed to get her license. That was in 2017, and she’s never looked back.

From grading papers to acing homes, she now works as a solo agent for RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals based in Crest Hill, Illinois, covering the southwest suburbs of Chicago Only in the business for three years, Sarah’s skills have already helped her to take a spot with nationally recognized Lennar Builder for several communities; gain several awards for RE/MAX, including Executive, 100%, and Platinum Club; and named in the top 100 for Chicago Realtors. She reports her business is already 80% repeat and referral clients. “I think my clients not only appreciate that I have certain knowledge, especially about construction and the inner workings of a home, but also that I take the time needed to help them get projects in order or resolve problems,” she explains. “I can point out issues before inspectors arrive Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

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and tell clients what might need to be done in a home prior to hiring the inspector.”

Sarah loves personally reaching out to her clients.

“I really connect with my clients and get to know them on a personal level; their story is important to me,” she says. “I make a lot of phone calls and plan meet-ups for lunch or drinks”.

Prior to marketing a home, Sarah does a thorough walk-through, inspecting every nook and cranny looking for potential issues the clients might need to address. “It’s all about cost effectiveness,” she asserts. “If the budget is tight and there isn’t the room for a major fix or repair, we’ll do what we Top Agent Magazine

can to spruce up the home to make it ready for sale.” She then utilizes professional photography and drone shots to show off the home to its best advantage. “I’ll also have the photographer grab some unique shots from the subdivision, town or nearby area to show the lifestyle associated with the home,” she says.

Sarah says what she loves most about her job is the opportunity to dream with her clients. “Whenever we walk into a home, I can visualize the potential of it, which some clients often can’t see,” she says. “They may not like certain aspects of a home, but I can show them where and how things can be improved so they can have the home of their dreams.”

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Sarah is very involved with her community, especially local businesses, which she features in her own project she calls, Local Life Live. “I want to help the small local businesses get noticed, so I’ll do whatever I can, including a video highlight, and raffling off gift cards to their establishments,” she says.

When not working or giving of her time, Sarah loves to spend time with her family on their newly purchased 3-acre farm working at “Building

Boys”; involving them in the work and construction of our forever home.” I ultimately would like to open up to the community for visits and photos,” she says.

As for the future, Sarah hopes to build her brand, Sarah Sells It, so her name becomes synonymous with local real estate. She adds, “I want to continue to serve and educate local buyers and sellers, enabling more families to realize their dreams of home ownership....and a little sweat equity.”

For more information about Sarah Toso, please call (815) 603-7493, email sarahtoso16@gmail.com, or visit remax.com/real-estate-agents/sarah-toso-crest-hill-il/101916353 www.

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HOW TO STAY IN YOUR CLIENTS’ LIVES FOR THE LONG HAUL

One sign of a great real estate agent is there long list of loyal client following. Part of achieving a great referral base is being a great realtor during the transaction. But, that’s only half of the work.

To truly be your client’s realtor for life and keep them coming back to you as well as referring others to you, you have to stay in their lives past the transaction. Keeping in touch with your past clients can be one of the most important parts of your business, and one that many realtors tend to push to the wayside.

Do you stay in your client’s lives, or do you disappear? People refer people that they feel they know well and that they trust, people they consider friends. However, earning and keeping your client’s trust involves maintaining a delicate balance with how much you contact them. Experts recommend reaching out to your clients at least quarterly. But, it’s not just about how often you stay in touch. You also need to be mindful about how you are reaching out to them. Here are some tips on how to keep in touch with your clients for the long haul: Top Agent Magazine

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INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL CONTACT One of the best ways to keep in touch with your clients is to simply give them a call every once in a while. Follow up and see how your clients are doing. Offer them assistance if they need it. Personalized contact helps to ensure that you remain as important to your clients long after the sale as you were during the transaction. Giving your clients a call on special occasions such as birthdays or holidays also makes for a great personal touch.

Of course, nothing beats face-to-face contact. Stopping by to say hello can be a great way to keep in contact. An even better way to catch up and maintain that friendship is to set up a lunch or coffee date with past clients. Giving individual clients your undivided attention goes a long way towards maintaining that bond you formed during the transaction and earning your client’s loyalty and trust. Interactions like this make a lasting impression on your clients.

Of course, many busy REALTORS® may not have time to follow up with every client oneon-one. A great way to still give personal attention to your clients without meeting each and every one for lunch is to throw a client appreciation party. This allows you to get in some face-to-face time with each client and make sure they all get your undivided attention and quality time to catch up with you, even if it’s only for a short time.

Now, if you have a lot of past clients, this can be difficult to manage during one party. One way to get around the numbers problem is to organize smaller events based on client’s inter-

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ests. Instead of throwing one giant party, host a pool party for the families with kids or a wine and cheese get together for single clients. Hosting special events like these ones goes a long way towards keeping your contact with past clients more personalized and setting you apart from those businesses that simply send them a calendar once a year.

PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH USEFUL NEWS PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH USEFUL NEWS One way that many REALTORSÂŽ keep in touch with their clients is by sending them newsletters. This form of contact can be a double-edged sword. You want to make sure you provide them with useful information that reminds them of your value as a real estate professional.

Otherwise your communication will amount to nothing more than spam, and clients will think of you less as a trusted friend and more as a nuisance salesperson.

Clients react much more positively to communication containing information that is pertinent to their lives. Update your clients on what is going on in their local community and housing market. Demonstrate your knowledge about the community and the things that are important to your clients. Include information about local cultural events, community news, housing statistics, information on the mortgage market, home maintenance advice, home design tips, and anything else that your clients will find personally useful. Your clients will always be interested in value.

SEND CLIENTS MEMORABLE AND PERSONAL CARDS Sending your clients cards related to important events in their lives and letting them know that you remember those events and care will go a long way towards building and maintaining a close personal relationship with them. You want to make sure your cards stand out, though. Sending popular holiday cards can be a mistake, as they will most likely get lost amongst all of your clients other holiday cards and will be quickly forgotten. Instead send something more personal such as: HOME ANNIVERSARY CARDS: Send cards to each client on the anniversary of the closing of their home.

CONGRATULATORY CARDS: Remember important events such as wedding anniversaries, graduations, new babies, etc.

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CARDS: Instead of just sending your typical birthday card, add something special to yours that will stand out. Include a $1 scratch off ticket or a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks. Make sure to include a handwritten personal note.

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GIVE CLIENTS AN UNUSUAL GIFT Make sure the gifts you send your past clients stand out. Send your past clients an odd gift at the beginning of the year or on a holiday. Think outside the box and send things like funny magnets, customized mugs, a personalized piece of wall décor, and other fun and unusual items. A great way to make your gift stand out even more is to include a funny note with it that will catch their attention as well as make them think of you. For example, one cute idea is to send clients a bag of popcorn with the note, “Real estate is popping, give me a call.” You could send a bag of goldfish with a note attached that says, “I’m fishing for your referrals.” Get creative and have a little fun with it, your clients will notice and remember you for it.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS

Social networking sites make staying in contact with past clients in a more informal and friendly basis much easier. Connect with your past clients on Facebook. This will help you stay up to date on the important things happening in your pact clients’ lives. In return, it provides you a great platform for keeping those past clients up to date with what is going on in your business as well as keep in contact in a more informal manner. Use Facebook to remind past clients to check their basement after a heavy rain or that they can contact you for help during tax time.

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You can even organize your contacts on Facebook into customized lists such as “past clients,” “industry contacts,” etc. This will help you better manage your Facebook contacts.

This will also allow you to view specific news feeds based on these lists and send messages to a particular list of contacts. Don’t forget about the many other social networking sites such as Twitter or LinkedIn either. Utilize this technology to drive personal contact with your clients.

STAY ORGANIZED

No matter how you choose to keep in contact with past clients, make sure to be consistent.

Consistency will help you stay organized and diligent about reaching out to your past clients regularly. A tool used by many real estate professionals to stay organized is a customer relationship management solution. Whether you use one that is online or a computer software program, this will help you stay organized when managing your contacts and allow you to set notifications to alert you when you need to contact certain clients, send out gifts, plan a client appreciation event, and many other things throughout the year.

Staying organized and consistent in your contact with past clients will help you continue to build and manage your referral base, as well as open the door to repeat and referral business.

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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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