GEORGIA 11-1-21

GEORGIA EDITION

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FRESH NEW APPROACHES TO CONTENT MARKETING FEATURED AGENT

KARINA GALERO 7 REASONS WHY YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS

5 THINGS

YOU CAN DO TO ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS 3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORKSPACE WORK FOR YOU COVER STORY

KACIE EDWARDS

GEORGIA EDITION

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KACIE EDWARDS

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KARINA GALERO

CONTENTS 4) 5 FRESH NEW APPROACHES TO CONTENT MARKETING

21) 5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS

14) 7 REASONS WHY YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS

22) 3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORKSPACE WORK FOR YOU

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440

KARIN GALER

mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com

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5 Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing A couple of weeks ago we were conducting a workshop when we were asked two excellent questions about content marketing:

• People

don’t want to hear from a roofing company every day. So how do you produce fresh and interesting content for social media that goes beyond your core services and yet ties back to your business?

• Can

you extend your social media presence and content to include personal things (like your hobbies) and how does that affect your overall business image?

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The workshop attendee who asked the first question was right. Almost no one wants to hear from any company every day… especially if all the content is about products and services…and yes, even if they’re giving helpful tips and information. Does that mean you should stop producing excellent daily content related to your business? No, of course not! Content is created for two reasons.

First, to provide knowledge, expertise and even entertainment to your ideal customers in order to achieve top of mind awareness as an authority in your industry. And second, to produce SEO-rich results that keep you at the top of search engines. You must strike a

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balance between the two, and try to include content that draws people in by being super interesting and entertaining….and yes, sometimes personal.

To help answer those content questions above, here are five different types of content (beyond the traditional stuff) that can give your brand a fresh, unique and balanced approach:

1. PHILANTHROPIC Your community efforts say a lot about who you are, and people will make an extra effort to do business with you as a result of this connection. We’ve consulted business owners who are very hesitant to promote these efforts because they don’t want it to seem as though they are exploiting the charities and organizations—and most especially because they don’t do it for the promotional aspects. They do it to give back. I ask you to keep this in mind. Nonprofit and charitable organizations very often have small marketing budgets. Not only do they rely on outside marketing forces to promote their initiatives, they would likely be forced to close their doors without that support. That means that when someone with a strong brand and presence promotes them, it’s a highly trusted and personal connection, and you can’t buy that kind of support. In other words, they not only need you to promote them, they want you to promote them. But your instincts are correct. It’s not about you. So just make sure your entire content focuses on the organization you’re helping, what they do for the community and how Top Agent Magazine

others can join in the cause. Then it becomes a huge win for all.

2. HOBBIES You bungee jumped from four of the tallest bridges in the U.S. In your spare time, you go fly fishing. You love playing chef and use only locally grown, organic foods. Your friends are always begging you to go to Vegas with your card shark talents. You’ve done mission work in Africa and would like to start your own group. You almost played professional baseball. You have an insane talent for gardening design or bass guitar.

Your family works at a soup kitchen once a month. Ok…you get the picture. And two more words. Reality TV. People are interesting…and people are interested in interesting people. We remember others based on these unique traits. And most of all, people love the story behind the face. Don’t be afraid to share your hobbies. Quite often, it’s the first thing that will personally connect you to a prospect.

3. CREATIVE CONNECTION This one is perhaps our favorite. While we can’t imagine seeing something come across our news feed from a landscaping company every day, imagine this for a moment. What are we always told to remember in this hectic world? Stop and smell the roses, right? So what if…a landscaping company posted a beautiful flower each day, just to remind you to ‘stop and smell the roses’. And at the bottom of that photo (small print), you included

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the type of flower and type of environment needed to make it flourish (moist soil, full sun, etc.). And then, of course, watermarked it with your logo….and a title like, “Sam’s Daily Reminder: It’s Time to Stop & Smell the Roses”. You could even include some great, thought-provoking quotes. It has the personal connection (Sam), the business connection (flowers & logo watermark) and a cool creative connector (pause the meetings and paperwork to take a moment and appreciate life by noticing this beautiful flower). This is a great idea for staying ‘top of mind’ and connecting business with the kind of creative messaging people wouldn’t mind seeing every day.

4. EXPERIENCES This one is similar to hobbies from the personal aspect, but instead of something that identifies us like our hobbies, our experiences are random happenings that can have great interest and meaning to our audience.

Whether you have a unique experience buying a new car or a fateful conversation with a stranger in the airport, if you feel it ties into a life lesson or business lesson you’d like to share, by all means do. The lesson is to keep your radar up 24/7. Any experiences you have which relate to your

ideal customer are an opportunity to connect beyond the business world. And when we do that, we become a part of the family.

5. INFLUENCERS “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. You’ve probably heard that saying, and the same is true whether you are a teenager or a business owner. Maybe you’ve learned a lot of your business knowledge from Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet…or you like to quote Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps you have some mentors you’d like to recognize and tell why they’re important to you. Sharing the people and things that influence us is what makes us human. No matter how successful your business, you didn’t get there alone. People and circumstances shaped you along the way. Recognizing others for their contribution in our lives, large or small, is important in staying connected and grounded.

We hope these five types of content help you to put a fresh spin on what you share with your audience, whether personal or professional. We believe you must have the combination of both to build an incredible brand.

Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com.

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KACIE EDWARDS Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Kacie Edwards leads a team of four agents at her Prosperity Real Estate Group where she serves clients across all of Central Georgia.

When Kacie Edwards launched her Prosperity Real Estate Group in 2019, she committed herself not only to helping her customers successfully buy or sell their home, but also to educating them throughout the process so they could move forward feeling good about the decision they made. “I love the hands-on work of real estate, helping people set goals and reach them,” Kacie explains. “I’m a 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

straightforward and caring person, and I’ll do whatever it takes to meet their needs.”

Kacie became interested in the real estate industry at a young age, while watching her mother, who is a mortgage lender. She got her Realtor’s license in 2015, and worked with an agency for several years, getting her broker’s license along the way. During Top Agent Magazine

that time she gained a reputation as a great communicator and for her ability to build strong relationships with her clients. One happy homebuyer’s praise is characteristic of her glowing reviews: “Kacie is a wonderful agent. She was so kind, patient and Top Agent Magazine

understanding while searching for our home.

She went out on her own to look at houses when I was unavailable and face timed me through her walk through. She kept us up to date every step of the way and made sure we understood every process.”

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Kacie closed $10 million in sales volume in 2020, and is on track for the same in 2021—an enviable 95 percent of that business comes from referrals or repeat clients.

These days she leads a team of four agents at her Prosperity Real Estate Group, all of whom are dedicated to that same principle of caring and untiring effort on behalf of the client. Serving clients across all of Central Georgia, Kacie closed $10 million in sales volume in 2020, and is on track for the same in 2021. An enviable 95 percent of that business comes from referrals or repeat clients, many of whom have become her Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

friends after closing on their home. “This is a more rural area, so we all enjoy building those close personal relationships, which also get reinforced as we work together at local events or other community functions,” says Kacie.

When it comes to marketing listings, Kacie and her team distinguish themselves from other real estate firms by tailoring a plan Top Agent Magazine

that is specific to the needs of each property, rather than adopting the outdated one-size-fits-all model. Their experience and knowledge of the current market allows them to recommend a listing price that is both competitive and guaranteed to bring Top Agent Magazine

sellers the best profit margin on their investment. They advise clients on how to stage their homes to appeal to the broadest range of buyers, then create beautiful photos that capture the property’s character and best features. Every listing is marketed on all Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

of the social media platforms, as well as the dedicated real estate websites like Zillow or Trulia.

and daughter, camping and exploring the US in their motor home. The couple is also getting ready to welcome their second child!

Kacie stays active in her community, serving on the board of her local Chamber of Commerce, as well as contributing to the missions work and community programs of her church. Leisure time is spent with her husband

Going forward, Kacie’s plan is simply to keep fostering the growth of the brokerage—adding more agents to help with the increasing volume, and continuing to build the community the team serves.

For more about Kacie Edwards please call 678-588-3074 or email Kacie@prosperityreg.com

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Lifeline Inspection Services is proud to congratulate

Kacie Edwards

on being featured for the state of Georgia in Top Agent Magazine!

Josh Ryan

CMI® / Owner josh@lifelinehomeinspections.com Lifeline Inspection Services 678.210.5151 | 770.584.5077 www.lifelinehomeinspections.com

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7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

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1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

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If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

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5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

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client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

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KARINA GALERO Top Agent Magazine

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KARINA GALERO

Once Karina Galero obtained her real estate license, she knew she had found the right career.

Passionate about helping others navigate the journey to homeownership, she places clients at the heart of her work. “I started out in real estate because my family is involved in residential construction, and I really enjoy working with people. I love helping my community, and as a Latina I am proud to be able to guide and educate other Latinos on how to get started on the road to owning a house.” Karina has been in the business for more than six years and helps buyers and sellers throughout Atlanta, Georgia.

comfortable, secure and trustworthy about the real estate process. I connect with them on a personal level because to me, it’s much more than just a transaction. We become friends and I always let them know that they can count on me if they have any questions or need anything in the future.”

Finishing with more than $5,000,000 in sales volume last year, Karina’s passion for real

Karina is committed to building relationships based on trust and integrity, and her impressive network of clients is referral based. “My clients know that I’m always trying to do my best for them, and I try to make them feel 18

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estate motivates her to continue breaking her own records. “I love what I do, which makes my work enjoyable. Every day in real estate is different, and I get to meet a wide variety of people. It’s an honor to be able to help people move on to the next chapter of their life.”

Outside of work Karina is an active member of her community. She hosts an annual real estate seminar where her team is able to meet with community members and answer all of their real estate related questions. “It’s informative and we have a lot of fun. There’s free food and we do a raffle and more.” She is also involved with the local elementary school PTA as well as her church. Originally from Mexico, Karina maintains close contact with her motherland and helps out in various ways.

“I do an online Bible study session with women in Mexico. Every year I donate money for food, kids school supplies, and Christmas gifts. Being able to help others is the biggest blessing that real estate has provided me with.”

Working with integrity and positivity, Karina plans to continue helping buyers and sellers across Atlanta reach their real estate goals. She also wants to mentor young people on how they can find a meaningful career in real estate. “My goal is to start my own brokerage firm and help younger generations get into real estate.

They are experiencing a lot of changes in the job market, and many of them come to me and ask me how they can get started in real estate and have a successful career. I would like to help them earn extra money to get through college and produce more job opportunities for them.”

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For more information about Karina Galero please email karina@kgmyhome.com, visit kgmyhome.com, or call 404–552–8345 www.

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5 Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Biggest Goals If there’s one thing successful people can agree on, it’s that setting goals has been key to their success.

Whether you’re creating a five year plan or just settling on what you want to achieve by the end of the day, setting goals gives you the focus and direction you need to complete even the biggest tasks.

But there is a method to setting them. It’s a process that takes careful thought and consideration up front, which is then combined with the hard work necessary to implement your plan. Luckily there are proven methods to goal setting that you can start using immediately.

1. MAKE YOUR GOALS SPECIFIC Yes, it’s fun to think in grand terms of where you want to end up in life and in your career, but it’s better to have a specific goal like “Increase my sales by 25%”, than “Get rich.” When a goal is clear and specific, it allows you to figure out the exact steps you need to take to accomplish it. The more general it is, the more paralyzed you might be when it comes to figuring out what to do since, the choices may be overwhelming.

2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one. Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those Top Agent Magazine

little goals may have been things you wouldn’t have gotten done if you didn’t set out to achieve them, so be proud!

3. PUT A PLAN OF ACTION IN WRITING Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. There is something about seeing things in writing and crossing them off the list that is oddly satisfying.The daily goals are especially important in regards to building up those good habits. The first few weeks of your plan of action are critical when it comes to your long term success. Reaching a goal is something you are doing every day, all throughout the day, in numerous ways. Achieving goals is all about creating good new habits.

4. MAKE IT MEASURABLE This is key, since you definitely want to reward yourself for a job well done, and having a goal that is measurable in some way is a sure way to know.

Maybe it’s to increase your lead generation or to cut expenses, whatever the case, have a measurable test you need to meet, as well as a time frame. Then calculate what you have to do to reach that goal. Not only should your goal be specific, but the plan and the measure of success should also be set in stone.

5. ADJUST AS YOU GO You can have all the best laid plans, and you still might quickly realize that what you thought would help you reach your goal, might not be cutting it.

Commitment to reaching your goals is good, but commitment to a plan you know isn’t going to work is not only a waste of time, but will be a devastating blow to your motivation. Sticking to a plan everyday means adjusting it accordingly.

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3 Ways to Make Your Workspace Work for You Productivity experts agree that a curated workspace positively impacts productivity and mood, but oftentimes we settle for bland desks and cubicles that lack personalized details or considerations for workflow. Why miss out on the opportunity to optimize your surroundings when it could brighten your day—and boost your performance? Keep in mind some of these tactics to make your workspace your own and reap the benefits along the way.

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DETERMINE YOUR WORKING STYLE AND DECORATE ACCORDINGLY For the creative set, a colorful and art-filled workspace can inspire fresh ideas and reduce stress. Likewise, casual yet aesthetically pleasing furniture, accessories, and décor set an inviting yet functional mood. A pop of color from an office tool—even something as basic as a stapler—can inject a sense of fun and modernism into your daily tasks. For the more analytical, right-brained worker, clean

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lines and zero clutter go a long way. A few well-chosen personal photos in tasteful, unassuming frames can provide a motivating connection to the world beyond the office, while accessories and supplies that are sleek, monochrome, and contemporary inspire a sense of calm efficiency.

BUILD A WORKSPACE WITH YOUR DAILY ROUTINE IN MIND If you find yourself spending hours on the phone per day, or assembling stacks of documents and brochures, or even coming and going from the office with frequency—there are simple adjustments you can make to your workspace that will save you time and energy. If you sit for long hours—responding to e-mails or making calls—try incorporating an ergonomic chair or keyboard wrist-pad to maximize comfort. If you spend a long time assembling presentation materials, then file organizers, trays, and easy-to-pull labels can shave valuable time off your efforts. Lastly, those who step out for frequent meetings can reduce the hassle of being on-the-go by making your space mindfully organized—a coatrack and a dish for your keys by the door, an auto-brew coffeemaker, or an easily edited whiteboard calendar can make jet-setting simpler.

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ADD EASY DETAILS THAT ENRICH YOUR WORKING EXPERIENCE While organization and décor can rally productivity and mood, there are also a few extra details you can introduce to your workspace to improve the quality of your working life.

Healthy, easy to grab-and-go snacks—think nuts, homemade trail mix, and fresh fruit— can keep your energy up without the sugar crush or guilt. If there’s a window nearby, a hard-to-kill plant like a philodendron or a fern not only cleanse the air around you, but also provide a welcome connection to the natural world. Being prepared in a pinch is another great way to make your workspace work for you: a spare tie, a tube of lip balm, hand sanitizer, or a box of Band-Aids can save you a trip to the store when an unexpected need arises.

While we take great pains to make our homes our sanctuaries—complete with the decorations, furniture, and food we favor—we often overlook our work areas, even though we spend a sizable portion of our week sitting at the same desk. Challenge yourself to add a few of these personalizing, productivity-boosting details to your work area and bring the comfort of home to your working life.

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