GEORGIA 8-24-20

GEORGIA EDITION

Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog

ARE YOUR

PRESENTATION SKILLS COSTING YOU MONEY?

1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why You Should be Active on Facebook

FEATURED AGENTS

JAWAID NAEEM NELL SCHROER COVER STORY

JULIE CUNNINGHAM

GEORGIA EDITION

JAWAID NAEEM “The pessimist complains about the wind; 9 realist the optimist expects it to change; the adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward

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so no matter what a client needs—to buy, 23 NELL invest, or build—we’ll provide a solution.”

SCH

Nell Schroer, Relationships are fundamentalFor to Jawaid’s the perfect Jawaid Naeem has always honored this enterprise, no matter the transaction type.way to people w quote, acknowledging calculated risks and Considering his lengthy tenurelove in theofbusiwork ethic. facing them with a positive disposition. ness, he has worked with some of the same “Eve told me I’d Stepping out of the corporate sector as a families over multiple transactions andbe a g estate,” she expla Director of Operations, he adjusted his sails generations. “The most rewarding scenario and ventured into real estate in 2003, earning is when people come to me towe buymoved a first-to the S his brokerage license and launching his own time house, then they come back their my for agent said I’d JULIE CUNNINGHAM JAWAID NAEEM NELL SCHROER company, ARB Realty, from his home basesecondand home at a bit higher price point, I eventually decided it was the right ment. Jawaid’s earnest work and honesty soon garnered then the same people to me toinhelp them of 20 She come earnedback her license December him a reputation for professionalism within the Greater build a house,” he ground explains.

“I’ve been business for running at theinbeginning of 2017.

Atlanta Area and abroad. a long time, and now theirsteady kids are coming to us to $1.8 rienced growth, producing help them buy a first home, areinlooking for$6.2 m first year,too. $2.9Clients million 2018 and Today, Jawaid is the CEO of three distinct businesses, someone who can give trustworthy information and Halfway through 2020, she’s already at CONTENTS a residential resale outfit, a construction and remodadvice they can rely on reaching helping, $10 andon. hasWe herfocus sightsmore set on eling company, and a property management company rather than just making a sale. here scary, to helpbut clients end of the We’re year. “It’s it really i overseeing more than 100 units. Together, these their target.”

In Serving addition Chatham to their interpersonal says.

County and surro 4) EASY BLOG TOPICS FOR YOUR achieve 15) 8 THINGS SUCCESSFUL specialties unify under the One Big House company, approach, Jawaid one and reason his team have a proven track for her rapid success is her c REAL ESTATE BLOG PEOPLE NEVER DO geared to suit every real estate solution. Based in record to show forproviding it. Last year, they closed roughly superior service to her clients.

Alpharetta, Jawaid’s business is driven by his reputa$10-million in volume, with an impressive $6-million YOUR tion and consistency: the first-time customer becomes of that 19) figureARE resulting fromPRESENTATION off-market sales.beyond the tra “I develop relationships 6) 1 BILLION-PLUS REASONS SKILLS COSTING YOU MONEY? the life-long customer. This cycle of repeated and explains. “It’s very common to become WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE referral clientele, who trust his team and their proven Beyond the office,clients Jawaidafterwards.” gives back Nell to hismakes profes-sure h ON FACEBOOK track record, drive the business forward. “People sional community sellers through leadership feel connectedacross to hermultiple by providing m who work with us are happy because we’re able to organizations, including through his local homeowndropping gifts off and just letting them kn help them with all their needs—from buying, selling, er’s association, and as theThroughout president of office/ and for them. thehis transaction building, or managing a rental property,” he explains. condo association.always In his available free hours, most to he them, noenjoys matter the q “My successful portfolio drew the attention of other time spent with family and gardening. thing that sets me apart is my ability to t customers, and that’s how we established our prophuman. I understand there are real emo Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 erty management work. Then, remodeling demands of As for the future, Jawaid to keep growth are going and theintends reactions/responses not alw mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com those clients led to the start-up of our own construction strong as he continues to foster and develop his team house. I reassure them that everything and remodeling company. compared to whatsoever of six without agentsprior andconsent two ofadministrative professionals.

No portion of this issueWe’re may beunique reproduced in any manner the Agent through is publisher. normal,Topand I keep them exc is published

by Feature Publications Inc. to Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published any otherMagazine real estate company out there: we GA, cater Now, with seventeen years of expertise and promprocess.

I want them to feela empowered.” materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. every need. In construction, our slogan is You Dream, ising future ahead, the sails are well-adjusted for does that is by educating them, allowing To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

We Build.Published We provide the best real estate solutions, Jawaid Naeem. in the U.S. sound decisions. “What I found is when p the knowledge, they feel good about their

JULIE CUNNINGHAM

To learn more about Jawaid Naeem Clients of Nell love to spread the word a email jawaidnaeem@gmail.com, visit onebighouse.com, or call (404) 787-1088 2 Top Agent Magazine leaving glowing reviews about their time

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog Today, blogging looks a lot different than it did back in 2007, when the platform was just beginning to take off. Successful bloggers don’t choose blog topics on a whim. They think strategically and develop pillar content that their target audience will come back to again and again.

Real estate bloggers should be less concerned with whether the same post already exists (it does) 4

than with how they can be more informative and helpful than their competition. Your personality is likely the thing that your clients connect with, and your blog is another place where you can let it shine.

Pillar content refers to those evergreen posts that never get old because they are always timely.

Think about those questions that you’ve had to

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answer a hundred, if not thousands of times— that’s your pillar content. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could direct your clients to a blog post or, better yet, they discovered the answer on your website rather than you having to constantly repeat yourself?

Or maybe you helped a client sell their house for much more than they were expecting by conducting a series of small and inexpensive renovations. Tell your readers how you did it.

Evergreen Content

Your clients are likely new to the area. Inform them about upcoming community events or mom-and-pop shops they may have never heard of. Are there hiking trails or parks nearby?

What’s the best place to grab a cup of coffee before work or a beer after? You can spotlight these places regularly as a monthly series.

This should really make up the bulk of your content. The possibilities are endless, and you could easily come up with an entire year’s worth of content with only a few hours of brainstorming.

Here are some examples: You could provide your readers with a list of questions they should ask when interviewing a realtor, the steps to becoming a real estate investor, real estate facts all first-time homeowners should know, steps new parents should take to prepare their home for a baby, recommended vendors for home maintenance, or common real estate terms defined.

You could explain to your readers what they need to know about home staging, which home renovations add the most value to their home, how to research schools or crime rates in specific neighborhoods, what a home association is, or how to start flipping houses and buying foreclosures.

Case Studies Sometimes realtors work with a client for years before they are ready to buy a home. Personal finance blogs are a thing for a reason. People want to see exactly how someone else achieved a shared goal. If you have a close relationship with a client who you helped become a homeowner, consider interviewing this client and writing up a case study that shows exactly how the two of you worked together to achieve this goal.

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Stay Local

There are plenty of real estate news outlets that will be posting about the state of the market—but they won’t be talking about your specific community, and that’s where your blog comes in.

Of course, if you only blog about community functions or properties on the market, then as soon as that event is over or that listing is sold, your content ceases being useful.

The best real estate blogs balance their content by posting a little about all the above. Maintaining a high-quality blog means your prospective clients don’t need to visit several websites to have their questions answered because you’ve done the work for them. It’s a tool that helps you make a great first impression.

If you still need help coming up with blog topics for your real estate blog, consider sending a survey out to your clients. You can send it via email and post it on social media. Ask your clients what real estate problems they need help solving and write your content with their responses in mind.

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1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why You Should Be Active on Facebook

By Bubba Mills

The number is staggering and potentially career ending for REALTORS® who ignore it: 1,440,000,000. That’s the total number of monthly active users on the social medium Facebook.

That number alone is reason enough to use it regularly in your real estate business. But Facebook can also help turn you into the expert in your community. Just by sharing knowledge and relevant events about the community you can become the go-to source for all things local – a perfect way to capture the attention of prospective buyers.

Plus, Facebook advertising also gives you tons of targeting layers like age, location, recent life events and interests. Plus, it constantly adds new targeting filters and functions that help you reach even more niche prospects who closely meet your customer criteria. Talk about pinpointing a target audience.

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Another Facebook real estate ad tool is Website Custom Audiences that lets you create Facebook ads that target users who have visited your website.

And several apps specifically for Facebook have emerged. Consider these: • Heyo.com: Helps you host contests, showcase promotions and high-

light special offers.

• Woobox.com: Let’s you easily create quizzes and other fun tools for engaging content.

• Pagemodo.com: Helps you make your Facebook business page both sleek and stylish and tabs allow for easy lead capture.

But the latest offering is just as cool. It’s called Facebook Live and it lets you stream live video on the internet. I recently wrote about Periscope, another live video streaming app, but when you use Facebook Live you’re automatically featured at the top of Facebook users’ news feed. What’s more, statistics show that live video is viewed more than recorded video.

How can REALTORS® use Facebook Live?

Open Houses: Broadcast a walk-through of a new listing

and highlight all the great features.

Webinars: Host live webinars targeted to buyers and sellers. They can sub-

mit questions just like a real-life seminar.

Real Estate Talk Show: Offer the latest news in the industry plus share lo-

cal events and your newest listings. In short, become the Lester Holt or Diane Sawyer of real estate in your town with your own “TV” show!

Facebook offers these tips for using Facebook Live: Promote: Tease upcoming Facebook Live broadcasts for more viewers.

Plan better: Take time to plan what you want to do in the video, whether

it’s a few key talking points or to have a few questions ready ahead of time in a Q&A, in case incoming comments slow down.

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Invest in some equipment: A shaky live stream turns off viewers so con-

sider a tripod or other stabilizing tools, especially if you’re taking viewers on a tour of an open house. And check the shot before going live.

Get the lighting right: If you’re indoors be sure you have plenty of good

lighting and avoid a lot of light directly behind you because it’ll wash you out.

Sound good: A common mistake for beginners is overlooking sound.

Consider an external microphone to make sure your viewers can actually hear you.

And if the live option makes you a little nervous, you can also stream pre-recorded videos. Hey, that has worked like a charm for TV for decades. Some businesses promote their web series to “air” on Facebook Live at a certain time like TV shows. After they are streamed, Facebook Live videos function as normal Facebook videos. Some business owners believe videos may perform better if they begin as live ones.

NowThis, a news company that publishes entirely on social platforms, experimented by streaming a 38-minute compilation of its favorite viral videos via Facebook Live. The stream received over 20,000 views and over 500 comments, according to Facebook’s counters.

Yes, all the new-fangled internet tools, apps and options for REALTORS® can be a bit overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll slowly be right there in the business-winning mix. E-mail me today at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you more free information about how technology can help your real estate business.

Copyright©, 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 Real Estate, Mortgage, and Small Business coaching company committed to helping clients balance success in business, while building value in life. 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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JULIE CUNNINGHAM

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Top Agent Julie Cunningham works solo, providing one-on-one attention to each buyer and seller she serves in Gwinnett County and surrounding areas. Nearly 100% of her business is based on referrals from past clients, a testament to her superior service and dedication.

If Julie isn’t working with buyers and sellers to help find their dream home, you can most likely find her volunteering somewhere! “I build relationships and stay very involved with my community,” says Julie Cunningham, while discussing her career. A Georgia native and the youngest of six children, she was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, moving to Gwinnett county in the early 80s. Determined and passionate about real estate, Julie has made great strides as an agent in Gwinnett, Dekalb, and surrounding counties holding the distinguished titles of ABR/Accredited Buyers Representative and SRS/Seller Representative Specialist. She got her start after investing in properties 25 years ago with her former husband & business partner. “I wanted to learn more about 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

how the business worked, so I got my license,” Julie explains. “That first year as an agent I quickly realized helping people connect to buy and sell homes is my calling.” Eventually she landed at Keller Williams in Buford, aligning with their vision of ‘God, Family then Business.’ She explains, “The culture within KW is like no other company out there.”

She is a top producer in her office of 250 agents and has worked through several shifting markets. As a solo agent, Julie provides one-on-one attention to each buyer and seller she serves. Nearly 100% of her business is based on referrals from past clients, a testament to her superior service and dedication. “I set myself apart from other agents by going in and buildTop Agent Magazine

ing a relationship,” she says. “My clients become my friends, and I’m in the trenches with them throughout the transaction.” Every step of the way, Julie provides support and guidance. “I’m involved in the inspections, appraisals, and everything else. I listen to their needs and values.”

For her buyers, she listens to what they want and doesn’t stop searching for the perfect home until it’s Top Agent Magazine

found. Every seller she works with also receives that same commitment, with their initial meeting consisting of a thorough review of their property. “I go in and point things out to them that need fixing or replacing.

If they don’t have the money to do those things then I just advise them to clean everything up and make it fresh,” Julie explains. “I give them pointers and am very particular about first impression when it hits the market, you never have a second chance for that!

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I’ll have them thin out their personal items, because it’s important for the buyers to envision themselves there while also making the home feel comfortable.”

Each home is professionally photographed, and she regularly hosts virtual tours.

After the transaction, clients love to leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “I truly could write a novel on how awesome Julie is, but to give you the highlights, she was my biggest advocate, constantly reassuring me she would handle something difficult for me, and ALWAYS following through. She explained everything I didn’t understand, and is very personable, but will give you the hard and dirty facts if necessary. She was persistent in staying on the seller to fulfill what they said they would, and kept me constantly updated. I would highly, highly recommend her!”

Julie stays involved in the community with such charities as Tim Tebow’s “Night To Shine”, Warrick Dunn’s “Home For The Holidays, Tutus & Capers, Operation Christmas Child, Relay For Life, and others. “Within my Keller Williams Organization we Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

have a charity called Kares4Kids and I am the Kares4Kids Ambassador in my Market Center,” she says.

“We are on a mission to reach as many kids as possible with several outreaches ahelping many ways”.

Our We Kare Bears go out to the children’s hospitals, first responders and firefighters, social workers, etc.

Every year we put together thousands of book bags filled with school supplies for the local schools and children’s outreaches. During COVID-19 we did big food drives to supply meals to those in need. She is involved every year with Keller Williams annual “RED DAY” where every KW office across the WORLD stops for a day of service to “Give Where We Live”. Early in her KW Career, Julie went to Gary Keller’s Quantum Leap class which taught her a great lesson of balancing a successful real estate career & personal life...spiritual, physical, fun & business! She is now training to be a Junior Quantum Leap Instructor to help young adults learn to build a life by design.

She loves to give where she lives, and is always looking for ways to get involved locally. Before jumping into real estate, she was a stay at home mom, Girl Top Agent Magazine

“I set myself apart from other agents by going in and building a relationship,” Julie says. “My clients become my friends, and I’m in the trenches with them throughout the transaction.”

Scout Leader, PTA President and was proudly titled “Room Mom” every year for both of her kids while they were in school!! She continues to carry that passion of community school involvement into her current work with The Mill Creek Cluster Education Foundation, where she is on the Board of Directors. “This organization raises money for teachers and educators, allowing them to apply for grants that fund innovative learning projects. I’ve been involved with MCCEF since 2005.” Over the years, the Foundation has given over $125,000 back to the students, helping them work on projects like dissecting owl pellets, a hot air balloon seminar, solar system experiments, and so much more. Julie has also stayed involved with the PTA/PTSA and School Councils, holding several positions. “With my PTSA involvement, I became involved with scholarship pageants for young ladies in the fundraising aspect.

Over the years I got way more involved in pageantry, Top Agent Magazine

becoming a Pageant Director, Coach, Mentor, Judge and Pageant friend.”

Another important aspect of Julie’s community involvement is her Church. She and her family were members of Hebron Baptist Church for 15 years, where she led 3rd and 4th grade girls in AWANAS, a Bible based club for elementary and preschool children. “Then in 2007, I came to 12Stone Church first to volunteer with my daughter Kelsi in the preschool class for a few years, then we moved to leading high school girls.” Julie continued leading the girls for ten years, even going on two mission trips to Haiti and joining them as several years as camp counselor.

“One of ‘my girls,’ as I call them, stopped by my house recently to say hello and bring my favorite candle flavor! Now she has graduated from High School Ministry & is a part of the new Ladies Group being formed ~ Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

During any free time, she’s working in her yard, going to Broadway shows, concerts, doing road trips or spending time with her family and adorable grandsons Judah & Zeke!

As Julie continues to grow in all aspects of life, she falls even more in love with this career path. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been able to show and sell safely, becoming ‘Safe Move Certified,’ which means she has met all qualifications for con-

tinuing to work in real estate through the remainder of the crisis. She is excited to help people towards their real estate goals and dreams.

“The best things about the real estate business are the relationships you make with clients and with other agents. Some of my very best, lifelong friends are from real estate. It has been a journey that I went into kicking and screaming, and now I can’t imagine doing life without Real Estate being a part of it!”

For more about Julie Cunningham, call 678-852-9328 or email juliekellerwilliams@gmail.com

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Things Successful People Never Do

There always seems to be people around you who find success with ease, but trust me, that is NOT the case. Although luck can often times play a role in someone’s success, most of the time it’s due to hard work and avoiding bad habits.

The best way to find your own success is to implement some of qualities you see in people you admire into your own life. The hard work part is still up to you, but by shifting your perspective a bit, and NOT doing some of the following

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things, that success might happen a little quicker.

1

DON’T JUST WING IT

Successful people plan everything. Not only do they have yearly goals, but weekly and sometimes daily ones as well. By giving your time a purpose, and a clearly defined goal, you’ll eliminate the time you spend haphazardly doing things that might not be a priority. It will also make you feel less scattered, which is always a good thing.

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2

THEY DON’T TAKE ON MORE THAN THEY CAN ACHIEVE

Successful people take on what they can do well, and no more. That all starts with a daily ‘do to’ list. They always make sure their list is manageable and then they don’t sleep until that list is completed. If you find yourself not finishing your list, assess whether it was too much or if you slacked off. You’ll be surprised at the feeling of accomplishment you feel when you finish your list. Not finishing will bring you down, so make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

3

THEY DON’T WORK HARDER, THEY WORK SMARTER

Yes, having a strong work ethic is key, but that doesn’t mean you should waste time on things that will have less of an impact on your success. Focus on the things that will give you the most bang for your buck. Better to spend the majority of your time there, than spread yourself thin on numerous tasks.

4

THEY DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE

This might seem like a bad call in business, but successful people know when to cut your loses and move forward. Anything or anyone, that frustration into your life, is never a good thing.

5

REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES

Similar to not trying to please everyone, successful people are also diligent about accepting when something isn’t working 16

and moving on from mistakes. Yes, you learn from them, but don’t repeat them. Part of being innovative is trying new things, that will keep you fresh and energized, but learning how to let go is an equally important part of the equation.

6

GO FOR THE SHORT RUN SOLUTION

Successful people are in it for the long haul and therefore thinking long term. When you have a plan for success and the patience to see it through, while you might have a slow start, you’re establishing a foundation for long term success. Going for the easy fix, usually doesn’t pay off.

7

PAY ATTENTION TO THE NAYSAYERS

Lets face it, we all have people in our lives who might be a little more pessimistic than is healthy to be around. You can’t change them, all you can do is not let them drag you down into their ‘glass half full’ mentality. Have your plans and goals, be confident about them. When you’re insecure, that’s when you’re most vulnerable to those types of people.

8

THEY NEVER QUIT

That doesn’t mean letting go of things that aren’t working. It means having an end goal.

Whatever obstacles or challenges come up, you take them on, always with that end goal in sight. Successful people know that adversity and overcoming those challenges, is how you grow, and will ultimately make you a better business person.

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JAWAID NAEEM “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward Jawaid Naeem has always honored this quote, acknowledging calculated risks and facing them with a positive disposition.

Stepping out of the corporate sector as a Director of Operations, he adjusted his sails and ventured into real estate in 2003, earning his brokerage license and launching his own company, ARB Realty, from his home basement. Jawaid’s earnest work and honesty soon garnered him a reputation for professionalism within the Greater Atlanta Area and abroad.

Today, Jawaid is the CEO of three distinct businesses, a residential resale outfit, a construction and remodeling company, and a property management company overseeing more than 100 units. Together, these specialties unify under the One Big House company, geared to suit every real estate solution. Based in Alpharetta, Jawaid’s business is driven by his reputation and consistency: the first-time customer becomes the life-long customer. This cycle of repeated and referral clientele, who trust his team and their proven track record, drive the business forward. “People who work with us are happy because we’re able to help them with all their needs—from buying, selling, building, or managing a rental property,” he explains.

“My successful portfolio drew the attention of other customers, and that’s how we established our property management work. Then, remodeling demands of those clients led to the start-up of our own construction and remodeling company. We’re unique compared to any other real estate company out there: we cater to every need. In construction, our slogan is You Dream, We Build. We provide the best real estate solutions,

so no matter what a client needs—to buy, invest, or build—we’ll provide a solution.”

Relationships are fundamental to Jawaid’s enterprise, no matter the transaction type.

Considering his lengthy tenure in the business, he has worked with some of the same families over multiple transactions and generations. “The most rewarding scenario is when people come to me to buy a firsttime house, then they come back for their second home at a bit higher price point, then the same people come back to me to help them build a house,” he explains. “I’ve been in business for a long time, and now their kids are coming to us to help them buy a first home, too. Clients are looking for someone who can give trustworthy information and advice they can rely on. We focus more on helping, rather than just making a sale. We’re here to help clients achieve their target.” In addition to their interpersonal approach, Jawaid and his team have a proven track record to show for it. Last year, they closed roughly $10-million in volume, with an impressive $6-million of that figure resulting from off-market sales.

Beyond the office, Jawaid gives back to his professional community through leadership across multiple organizations, including through his local homeowner’s association, and as the president of his office/ condo association. In his free hours, he most enjoys time spent with family and gardening.

As for the future, Jawaid intends to keep growth going strong as he continues to foster and develop his team of six agents and two administrative professionals.

Now, with seventeen years of expertise and a promising future ahead, the sails are well-adjusted for Jawaid Naeem.

To learn more about Jawaid Naeem email jawaidnaeem@gmail.com, visit onebighouse.com, or call (404) 787-1088 Top Agent Magazine

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Are Your Presentation Skills Costing You Money?

S

ometimes we’re so focused on technology and education that we forget this is a “people business”. And, a great deal of the money you make comes from your ‘point of contact’ skills. What do I mean by that? Lead generating dialogues and presentation dialogues. Yet, how much do we work on those verbal skills?

Unfortunately, communication sales skills have gotten short shrift in the last decade. Why? I think it’s because many of us are so challenged by technological changes. But, slow down. Think about how you actually make money. It’s at point of contact.

Getting better at point of contact skills translates into more money in less time.

We’re All Presenters Everyone in the real estate business presents: Agents present, when they are doing listing or buyer presentations. Managers present when they are recruiting, or doing their office meetings. Mortgage and title Top Agent Magazine

By Carla Cross

When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done. reps present when they are in front of a group of agents in an office, talking about their services. So, doesn’t it make sense to become ‘killer’ at those presentations? You’ll double your money and halve your time.

Bug Off: I Do Okay Just Like I Am Yeah. I know. As a musician, I’ve worked with literally hundreds of people who thought they ‘played good enough.’

Some people just get to a certain performance level and leave it there. Have you ever thought that, often, our presentation strategies (or lack of) work in spite of us, not because of us?

As a musician, I know the thrill of performing at high levels. So, open your mind and consider

stepping up to a higher presentation level. Not only will you have personal satisfaction, you’ll make more money!

Now, let’s tackle one set of presentation skills: Organizing that presentation effectively.

Having heard listing presentations that wander all around the world, I know the importance of effective presentation organization.

Three Steps to Organize Your Presentation to Knock Their Socks Off Most of the time, we just get in front of people and say whatever we think of first. That leads to some big presentation mistakes, and costs us ‘sales.’ Instead of stumbling through a presentation, why not organize it to 19 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

grab their attention, persuade them to your way of thinking, and motivate them to action?

You can. In my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make Your Best Presentation Ever, I show a simple three-step format to create your persuasive presentation. No matter why you’re in front of people, we need to be persuasive Think about it. When you’re doing a listing presentation, what do you want to happen? You want them to sign the listing agreement when you’re done.

So, it’s extremely important that you organize your listing presentation using a persuasive format, not just an information-heavy dialogue flow.

Grab Their Attention in the Opening Have you thought about your opening? Or, are you nervously standing at the sellers’ door, worried about what you’re going to say? Are you hiding in your office because you dread doing that sales meeting? When we haven’t organized our presentation, we come up with some really boring, off-putting openings, like: I won’t take much of your time, but...

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We have a lot to cover today We won’t get through the outline I know you don’t want to listen, but...

I’m not really prepared

You just open your presentation book, point to the pretty pages, and say, “here’s a keybox” (I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it….)

Great openings, yes? Yet, we’ve heard them dozens of times. You don’t have to settle for whatever Top Agent Magazine

If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view. comes ‘naturally.’ Instead, make your openings: Provocative Interesting Different Engaging I just attended a ‘Train the Trainer’ session (yes, I still learn great stuff every day!), where the trainer said it was important to engage the audience in a meaningful way in the first two minutes of your presentation. I think that’s a great rule to follow today, because people’s attention spans are the length of a gnat’s eyebrow. So, the next time you attend a presentation, see how much time elapses before the speaker/presenter/trainer gets the audience into meaningful action.

I don’t mean to ask a rhetorical question, either!

A Middle That Educates Your ‘Audience’ to Your Point of View In the middle of your presTop Agent Magazine

entation, add those stories, statistics, and visuals that support your point of view. By the way, as you create that presentation, jot down your point of view. If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view.

Retention is Key

Why Use Visuals?

Three days later:

There are two reasons to use visuals in your presentation:

We retain 10% of the information when we hear it

We believe what we see

We retain 65% of the information when we hear and see it

We retain the information much longer As you organize your presentation, ask yourself:

Have you ever met with sellers or buyers, given them lots of information—and then had them question you about it a few days later—as if they never heard you—or heard you backwards? That’s because people don’t hear and retain very well.

Look at the statistics:

So, use visuals to prove your points, not to merely show pretty pictures of houses.

The Ending: What are the main, and fre- Back to the Beginning quently, unspoken objections my ‘audience’ will have? How do I educate them to show them the reasoning behind my point of view?

Have you thought about your wrap-up? Or, like many presenters, does your ending sound like this?

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Well, that’s all. What do you think?

pop tunes are constructed with this format:

We’re out of time. Thank you.

I hope you’ll list with me

theme—variation—theme

I don’t have time to close.

I couldn’t get to much of the material, but you can read it In fact, even the most professional presenters frequently have trouble with their endings.

One of the main reasons is that they run out of time. Another is that they haven’t thought the ending through.

How to Do a Stunning Ending Crafting an effecting ending is the second most important part of your presentation. (The first is the opening). To craft a great ending, Go back to your beginning opening theme Summarize the benefits of going ahead with you/take action Motivate your ‘audience’ to take action

A Great Presentation is Crafted Like a Pop Song As a musician, I know that all 22 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

This is known in the music business as the ABA format.

Think of your favorite pop tune: Hum the beginning.

Think of the end. They’re alike, right? It’s the middle— known as the ‘bridge’—that is the humdinger. It wanders all around. Your persuasive presentation should be crafted like that pop tune: A. A compelling start (think Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, etc.)

B. An interesting, developed middle, with stories, statistics A. Back to that theme, with a motivating ending Now, you’re all set to craft a great listing or buyer presentation, great recruiting meeting or sales meeting, or awesome product/service presentation to any audience.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, President of Carla Cross & Co., is an international speaker, coach, and resource provider specializing in real estate management. A former master level CRB instructor, and National REALTOR® Educator winner, Carla was recently named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate. For a free document on standards to establish, email Carla at Carla@carlacross. com and ask for standards document.

Carla has written six internationally published books, and provides coaching programs for management, including her affordable inoffice coaching programs Up and Running in 30 Days and On Track to Success in 30 Days for Experienced Agents, which provide standards, focus, and accountability.

Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carla cross.com.

P. S. Practice!

Many more tips on presentations and presentation skills are in my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make your Best Presentation Ever.

Top Agent Magazine

NELL SCHROER For Nell Schroer, real estate was the perfect way to combine her love of people with her strong work ethic. “Everyone always told me I’d be a good fit for real estate,” she explains. “So when we moved to the Savannah area, my agent said I’d be great at it, and I eventually decided it was the right time to try it.”

She earned her license in December of 2016 and hit the ground running at the beginning of 2017. Nell has experienced steady growth, producing $1.8 million in her first year, $2.9 million in 2018 and $6.2 million in 2019.

Halfway through 2020, she’s already at $4.5 million, and has her sights set on reaching $10 million by the end of the year. “It’s scary, but it really is doable,” she says. Serving Chatham County and surrounding areas, one reason for her rapid success is her commitment to providing superior service to her clients.

“I develop relationships beyond the transaction,” she explains. “It’s very common to become friends with clients afterwards.” Nell makes sure her buyers and sellers feel connected to her by providing market updates, dropping gifts off and just letting them know she’s there for them. Throughout the transaction and beyond she is always available to them, no matter the question. “One thing that sets me apart is my ability to treat them as a human. I understand there are real emotions involved and the reactions/responses are not always about the house. I reassure them that everything they’re going through is normal, and I keep them excited about the process. I want them to feel empowered.” One way she does that is by educating them, allowing them to make sound decisions. “What I found is when people have all the knowledge, they feel good about their choices.”

Clients of Nell love to spread the word about her work, leaving glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “I found a little house for sale in Savannah (on line) while living in CA. I called a good friend who had lived in Georgia to ask if she knew any agents in the area and she gave me a glowing report of Nell Schroer.

That report was an understatement of how kind, helpful, Top Agent Magazine

and attentive Nell has been to me. Normally, I would not remotely purchase a house, but my friend said so many great things about Nell and after talking to her, I knew they were true. Nell’s integrity, and honesty were the reason I bought the house, but she continued to impress me with her availability and promptness to help me; including (but not limited to) giving me great referrals for all the repairs and services I need. I have been in my new house for a few weeks and Nell still checks in to find out if there is anything she can do for me! What a gem!”

When Nell isn’t working, she’s staying involved in the community through her local alumni association and a group called Moms of Preschoolers, which is a nonprofit that gives moms a place to take a break and interact.

During any free time, she’s gardening, spending time with family, or camping.

Looking ahead, Nell is excited to continue scaling and leveraging her time. “I want to stay a solo agent, but I want to streamline my process so that we are really utilizing all of our office resources to make sure the client is being presented in the best way possible.”

For Nell, the most rewarding part of her work is the connections she makes. “Building the relationships and helping my clients feel comforted, establishing trust with them, that’s what I love most about this business.”

For more information about Nell Schroer, please call 912-677-9335 or email nellschroer@seaportrealestate.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 23

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