NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION 10-19-20

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

KIM CU

UNTANGLING THE BIDDING WAR: A BUYER’S & SELLER’S PERSPECTIVES

Uncommon Contact:

CONNECTING WITH CLIENTELE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

on being featured for the busiState to After 12 years of working in the television ness, Delinda Cramptonin decided to make aMagazin change. I Top Agent She saw the real estate investment opportunity b in Las Vegas and, prompted by her husband, she s decided to get a real estate license. Delinda has b been in the business for 17 years now. “I enjoyed f the TV business, but when I fell into real estate, I realized that it was truly my passion. It fits how D Backwired in 2013, Kim she Cumbo working Lowes e I’m so well,” says.was Delinda thenatformed Center when it Hilley hit her, “There has a E. | Closing aHome teamImprovement to supportJennifer and grow her real estate busito be something for me than big box stores,” she ness.

Delinda more & The Crampton Team MLJ Escrow, LLC recalls. She had always loved houses and real estate, so are members of Berkshire Hathaway she went ahead and studied for the license exam2while 251-968-5586, Ext. | mljtit HomeServices Nevada Properties and interviewing at several local agencies. “For the first 22645 Canal Road, STE B | Orange Beach, serve Vegas Valley. year, Ithe wasLas working full time at the local high school

LIVING ON COMMISSION www.

as a teacher’s aide, part time at Lowes, and trying to

Delinda’s business is largely ofmanagers, sell real estate,” she says.

“Thenmade one ofupthe repeat and referral She believes who happened to be aclients. friend, kicked my butt and said, it’s level of focusing care, heron communication, ‘youher need to be real estate full time.’ And he was right.”

In to 2016, she was accepted to the and being able exceed client expectaLancaster Realtors Acadtions that Board keepsofher clientsLeadership coming back emy and“Itook as a sign was heading to her. go itabove and she beyond for my in GOOGLE ADWORDS: the rightIdirection. clients. very much take the relationship How to Make approach in my business.

It isn’t just aGoogle She now works for Better Home and Gardens Real Estate Bighill in Lancaster, Ohio, serving Fairfield and the surrounding counties.

Do the Work for You

Within her first year as a realtor, Kim earned the Achievement Club award in 2014. Half way through her second year, she earned the BHG Leader Club Award. In 2015, she earned the Lancaster Board of Realtors Silver award,

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

CHAD HARRIS DELINDA CRAMPTON

7

LAIKEN MAY

35

NANCY MELROSE

13

RYAN PERTILE

40

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26

31

JOSH G

Josh Gerig w real estate in of age in So watched his dously succe CHAD HARRIS JOSH GERIG DELINDA CRAMPTON SUZANNE COLEthe ground started his KIM CUMBO RON & BESS BLACQUIERE Suzanne Cole began her real estate marketing p for a promin career 6 years ago, coming from a After 12 years of working in the television busitransaction.

I stop by to see clients, I call them, Ron and Bess Blacquiere began CLAIRE their still photos that can tell a story, create sorts of sour ACKERMAN brokerage investment fund ness, Delinda decided to make a in change.

I senddesign out handwritten notes, andand I and stop 44personal 47 journey in real estateCrampton back43 in 1995.

“My an experience, show mented into o background interior andemotional me this is athe long-term relationShe thesuccessful real estate investment opportunity by with gifts. For in-laws hadsaw been real estate off not just highlights, but everythough, he was drawn back to hisf staging.

“Ihusband, worked in event planning one of the passionate what market.

“Even And I always clients that I want towith the market a in and Las attorneys, Vegas and,and prompted by herare she ship.about brokers I think“We they thing,tellaremy strong first steps to excellent industry, particularly for how for years and everyone kept telling listings go na decided to get a real estate license.

Delinda has be their trusted advisor and their real estate agent saw a strong, successful career path fordo, marketing,” explains.

Ron andthey we peopleChad the Harris it Bess is,haswe’re able sellcan ourmake clien th Aand truerepresent people person, become a to for life.” beenremembers. in the business forsuggested 17 years “I enjoyed us,” Bess “They Bess alsoentrepreneurial take to their wider network to extensively spirit.

“Througho me, younow. need to get into real estate,” in makes them feel real Claire estate agent in create the Baldwin County area way,” Ackerman top dollar and mostly before they e the TV butand when I right fell intotop real estate, I that Ron, mybusiness, husband business buzz, match sellers with buyers, Suzanne recalls.

Since taking with an emp mentored by some extraordinary f Delinda’s often remark on the ease of their realized thatreal it was truly passion. fits how discussing ofIt Alabama.

With aclients lifelong background in the partner, get into estate andmy itexplains, was and otherwise a local audiencenection with eac while her thecultivate MLS.”

experience her, and how smooth the transI’msimple. wired so she have says.

Delinda then formed the been leap restaurant into real estate fullwith time, since many o just that Wewell,” did and for homes headed to market.

Last year,me,” he explains and hospitality industry, his superior in built real action “We was, aswant well theBess speedclosed of sale.roughly In order$21.3team to since!” support and growcareer her real estate busi-estate. doingathis ever Ron asand Suzanne has a solid reputation there.

“We Louisiana reside customer service skills have helped him reach great Today, Josh is the Founder an ness. Delinda & The Crampton Teamthe bar in the industry.” to raise clients love to spread million in Afterwards, volume. through her hard work, commitment postcards for are members of Berkshire Hathaway RON & BESS SUZANNE COLE CLAIRE ACKERMAN KIM CUMBO for rental incom heights.

He got his start around five years ago after Today, Ron and Bess spearhead their together as The Ackerman Group RealOne Estate, where he “My assi As work theand lead of her work. recently said, HomeServices Nevada to Properties her clients, and the personalized the market, BLACQUIERE they lead a team that includes almost forty real estate Beyond the office, Ron his and Bess give Today back to theirsomething for th a friend encouraged him to get license.

Tulsa and the areas. serve the Las Vegas Valley. Team in Phoenix, Arizona, the pleasure ofsurrounding working with Clairea brokers companywide, in addition to she administrative communityonofthe thirty years various causesting service local metro plumbers, he provides. focuses primarily coast of through Alabama, with in Iowa and Minnesota, allow professionals, an in-house videographer, photograand organizations, including localyears. fundraisers for Claire continually exceeds expectations, giving last 11 The service we rec Gardens Real Estate award for over 2,000,000 in sales.

Back in 2013, Kim Cumbo was working at Lowes Delinda’s business is largely made up of the majority of his business deriv- of local schools there as well. phers, and buyers specialists.

Together theyvast serve charity, beach sponsorships “I have continued to grow my business and am veryclean-ups,transactions Home Improvement Center when it hit her,repeat “There hasreferral and clients.

She believes across state lines.

Bh people a memorable experience in their buying/ was beyond exceptional!

Claire As anmyagent of Berkshire Hathaway, Suzanne listings.”

The results ing from repeat clients and referrals.

By our clients across theofgreater Springfield, and festivals, area homeless shelters, and grateful to all of and clients who have put their trust insupporting to be something more for me than big boxit’s stores,” she her level care, herEugene communication, gleaned from his upbringing in re region.

A significant contingent of their busidonating money to low-income housing.

“Our belief serves the Central Valley of California, from last year Suzanne hit 30 journeys.

Serving all of Maricopa County first home as well as sell it and pur me,” she exclaims. recalls. She had always loved housesOregon andselling real estate, so maintaining high levels of communicaand being able to exceed client expectaness istions driven bykeeps repeat and referral clientele who trust is that in order to live in the best community we can, she went ahead and studied for the license exam while that her clients coming back tion during and after the transaction, allandthis Modesto to Fresno and everything in between. year she is projected of outstanding professional expe and northern Arizona, the vast majority of her busiClaire her team were very Ron “For and Bess’s and proven need to2018 contribute in multiple ways to help make a In 2017, her sales were under $3wemillion; interviewing at several local agencies. the to her.

“Ifirst gopersonable above and styles beyond for my justtrack while guiding them throughout transAthe significant portion of herwere business comes from even 50s.any athe process toorlove support ness consists repeat clients and referrals.

When patient very quick to client. respondH “Itschool isI very so fun toof see people again year after2019 difference for Bess says.and “We it here, sales came inrelationship at $2 million, and sales justeveryone,” year, I was working full time at therecords. local high clients. much take year,”and they say,in re-connect, to how their and it and always good tosee be part of a bigger picture.” under $4repeat million. as a teacher’s aide, part time at Lowes, trying to “to action, Chad ensures hefeels will continually and referral clients, it’s easy to why approach mysets business.

It listen isn’t just a asked what them apart from other agents, Claire any and all questions we had (we to be honest and thorough at all ti sell real estate,” she says. “Then onelives of the managers, have changed and grown, and to help them take exceed expectations. people keep coming back.

“I think my passion Suzanne is deeply involv points to their high level of communication as the made us feel as if we were their on With skillsjourney.” and acclaimed who happened to be a friend, kickedthe my next butt and said, steps to set the high exciting in her theirtop-notch investment Now,work withethic, decades ofalways experience,looking Ron and Bess forbusiness. theherbusiness setsrepeat me and apart,” Suzanne says. nity, taught danc Kim reports that business is 75% refer‘you need to be focusing on real estate full time.’

Copyright Top Agent Magazine Likewise, RonAnd and Bess provide clients with a wealth Blacquiere consider what they enjoy most abouthaving their cornerstone of their of the family.” for service.” he was right.” In 2016, she was accepted to the that amounts to decades “It’s knowlmy Chad “This is create of insight of market “I love helping clients assets She and participates “I treat people howpassion,” Ichosen wouldfield. like tosays. be treated,” years.

Lancaster Board of Realtors Leadership edge.Acad“Everything that we do revolves my around gain wealth to realfor estate,” he says. “It’s really career and I want do this many and she goes thereal extra mile forthrough clients.

“Once I throughwithher company e emy and took it as a sign she was heading in our estate,” Ron says.communication, “We own it, lease it, rent it, andthe we grand fun to theme have people walk away from a transaction “It’s that’s for Looking ahead,aClaire tohac When listing home,is eager Josh years to come.

So I am always looking the right direction. even keep ofgoats for 3 weeks forserve a client,” is retirement not working or giving help other people do the same.

We had have atobreadth something that will them in their my team,” she says.

“Our clients really become part her team and expanding into diff ways improve With a relationships approach.

After hisherclif experience and that not only sets us apart, for but also goesto years.”

For and Bess learn.” building long-term istime with Suzanne says with a laugh. to spendhelping She now works for Better Home and Gardens a long people comfortable working among and her favorite industry “The long- this path lea ofway ourin helping family.

Wefeel stay in touch with them Arizona.

Wherever driven personality atruly passion foroccurrences. solvsale, he supplies them with prof boating on the lake.

Real Estate Bighill in Lancaster, Ohio, serving with us.” term relationships that his I have created are the most problems, Chad makes clients Throughout the with transaction, Claire always the most joy in digital helpin Fairfield and the surrounding counties. care about them.” Staying ining touch past clients issure important tofind open houses and targeted special to me,” she says.

“The other part that I really reach their goals.

Heis educates them so and herproperties, team offer guidance and support, leaving no that When listing Ron Suzanne, and Bess leave no it detail enjoy, too, teaching, coaching love and comes naturally because of their theand training.

In theIfuture, Suzanneple pla property generates Within her first year as a realtor, Kim earned unaccounted for beginning with professional photogseeing new brokers get into this business and I love questions left unanswered.

“We make sure everyone “What I love most about my work the Achievement Club award in 2014. Half strong relationships she forms with them.

“A lot forward, building her re prospective buyers. raphy and videography that documents homes in their helping them get to a place where they have createdAbove all, Jos way through her second year, she earned the and isoftaken care of, we’re dedicated soestate rewarding to help them and see my clients become she says.

“So growing business, al finest light.everything From there campaigns across the leading amy full friends,” time, successful real practice.

This job isher stand and the value of part web-based mark BHG Leader Club Award. In 2015, she earned online social mediareach outlets secure tough,we but we believe in people being a the tolisting our platforms clientsand and we’re always totalk them. people outavailable to me, on the phone, I loveclients same great ser the Lancaster Board of Realtors Silver award, media,” he says, “These days, if y wide-ranging exposure.

“Video, drone photos, and of their successes.” and in 2016, she took the Lancaster Board of

CONTENTS

4) TOP AGENT TIPS AND 29) A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE 45) BRANDING BAD IN QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING TO CONVERTING INTERNET REAL ESTATE MARKETING YOUR LISTING AGENT LEADS TO REAL LIFE SALES 49) EASY BLOG TOPICS FOR 11) UNCOMMON CONTACT: YOUR REAL ESTATE BLOG 32) GOOGLE ADWORDS: CONNECTING WITH HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE 53) THINGS YOU CAN DO CLIENTELE THROUGH DO THE WORK FOR YOU TO ANTICIPATE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CLIENT’S NEEDS 18) 5 MORNING HABITS 38) 5 STEPS TO ACHIEVE TO MAKE YOUR DAY SUPER LONG TERM SUCCESS AS 57) DAILY HABITS THAT PRODUCTIVE A REAL ESTATE AGENT WILL INCREASE YOUR I follow up with transparent them at birthdays the entireand transaction we’re and and social of working in real estate 24) UNTANGLINGRealtors THEGold award and Better HomesThrough and technology and making the internet, you’r MENTAL STRENGTH To learn more functions.” about Ron &best Bess Blacquiere, email bess@equinoxrealestate.com Suzanne believes that a phone call is and new friend authentic, negotiating the deal on their behalf 42) HOW TO OVERCOME BIDDING WAR: A BUYER’S equinoxrealestate.com, or call (541) 729–2141 or ron@equinoxrealestate.com, visit their website at to contact and advising themstill onthe themost bestpersonal decisionway whether it’s her clients. cially love working with YOUR WORKPLACE FEARS Joshthey offers his and buyt When hug me & SELLER’S PERSPECTIVES buying or selling.” Claire and her team want to help Meanwhile, Copyright Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Magazine www.

process tothey theiractuall need Whengoals, it comes marketing her listings,catering Suzanne hiscan’t believe each client reach their andtowill do everything says, “Berkshire Hathaway has an excellent brings me a lot of joy.” communication. Most of all, he c in their power to ensure that it happens.

to build his client relationships lo

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 find out about canmore make sureSuzanne that hisCole, clients are When it comes to marketing, The Ackerman To Team please call 209-704-4605, email scole1706@aol.com, or visit “I’mzillow.co a peop mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com also goes above and beyond, advertising listings on in their new homes. www.

says.

“Conversations a national TV show called American Dream TV. heTop No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Agent Magazine is come eas Co who I’m with.”

“That’s really a big part of our advertising, because published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent we’re able to feature our clients’ homes and also Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. To subscribe or change address, send For more information about Cla inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. Published inrepresent the U.S. the community and the lifestyle this area offers.” Claire also offers heavy pre-marketing to please call 480-272-09 spread the word about a listing before it is on the email claire@claireackerm 2

Top Agent Magazine

Copyright To

JEALENE FRIESEN JEFFREY JIMENEZ ABBY JONES DANIELLE DOYLEDEB FORTE KELLY DAVIES

With a love but of helping and a talent down, sheestate had a schedule ready for us with Abby Jones first took an interest in maintains real For h Deb in sales, she others Outside of her year, career, Deb an work Community involvement isby important toMichele, effective ingreat changing times.

“This eHomes began her realForte estate started career out Inspired his wife, to get into and strong for business, Jealene Friesen has made accommodations for breaks and meals for marke 56 59 48 51 55 52 always harbored an interest in the real active role in her community.

On top of in college, when she served as an assistant for a servic ot her after Kelly and her team.

They donate a portion we’ve had to Jimenez throw everything out the love of real estate began knew right ageswent about 50and transaction strides as a realreal estateestate, agent inJeffrey Seminole, the whole family…. She above estate industry, particularly for the ways it donations to the local food pantry, she also successful broker.

After graduation, she forged tion th .

Since of every sale to Harbor House, a domestic doorhe and rebuild,” She at. “My dad was an architect, TX. She got heraway start flipping houses and Danielle to help us find our new perfect that had found a sponsors careersays. he wasnowcontestbeyond complimented her outgoing personality and a coloring scholarship for ame for abuse shelter in Appleton, as well as to a career in the corporate sphere, working in her vo creates 3D tours every one of her sellers, omes growing up,” Danielle decided to get truly her license to make the for home…. Jealene stayed with us throughout passionate about and could excel at.

Outside of work Jeffrey entrepreneurial spirit.

After getting started young students.

When she’s not helping ve, and Peaceful Purpose, a nonprofit that offers human resources and“Ithe gasentire industry. or refe in addition professional photos. postoil andthe er, I did a lot of humanitarian process easier. “It quickly became atolot process and a year later she is Along Michele he decided to wh as a Realtor, she became inspired, and and set atwith clients, Debbuild can found spending time with local church through n help wigs orbuy/sell/trade no cost Through it all, wasbeultimately know more,” she explains. stilldrawn our go back to person for random help and to low every book onshe Facebook, I seas in Germany, and I love head-shaving for people in thething community with medical Jimenez off to build her own team.

“The whole her wonderful grandchildren or studying up a team of agents—The Team— in various community in suggestions realty, for the ways it spokewhen to needed. To sum things out fo send out flyers,toand I’m in all particular over the neighinto real estate because it hairJealene loss.reflecting Kelly also belongs to a number of was very organic,” she says, on on gourmet cooking.

“If someone I know eXp borhood andthe together they servedays,residents loves has has beenat working asRealty, an agent for up, ifwithin IJIMENEZ had toher do it all over againboating, I wouldn’t andBeyon pages on social media. ng people, KELLY and also because her passion forThese helping JEFFREY ABBY JONES DEB FORTE DAVIES DANIELLE DOYLE JEALENE FRIESEN x Cities her groups indidn’t therecently area. “We encourage entrance into themoms’ business.

“I is sick,” she says, “then I’m bringing soupShe was last three years and started her own do it without her! amazing!” clients throughout Long Island. a brand new boat, whic the first showing is online, and everything en fascinated with architecHouston community.

“Real estate was always their JENNIFER mberly, even have to search everyone onNEWMAN our team to beGroup. activeAlready in at least VAN ADRIENNE BIBBER ZETTERQUIS for my team—the right right to theirCANDICE door.”

Excel Real Estate a to make is digital.

We need sureI’d wewanted executeto do,” she says. “So ngs.” Danielle prides herself oneteam, out on the Forge ever Riverth something that shkosh, community organization at all times,” people justincame to me.”two-time recipient of the Keller Williams Another wrote, “Jealene was such a man began her career retail If something isn’t working for my client, I online presence and bring those numbers in xcellent and reliable service she says.

I finally decided the time was right, dove in His ability to connect and listen to people, Adrienne Zetterquist received a degree in area rtion of possible.

“I like to sit an these are mom and pop pla Candice Van Bibber works hard for her Looking to the future, Deb intends on steadily g. “I even had my own kids’ willhas let them know, they appreciate my Bronze Award, 63 Jealene continually wonderfully pleasant and knowledgeable 67 NEWPORT 60 64and ahead CHRISTINA SIWEK 68 71 MICHAEL for people.” and they value her hard work d referral clients.

Business and Computer Science from NC highl and got my license.”

Outsid connected and giving back in clients.

It comes to her naturally as a single and his focus on establishing long lasting tude the and sound Deb is Leader of the group growing her business while continuing to tomentor the during ” she notes.Today, “But I always hadTeam a honesty,” she says. grown year afterForte year. The vastfor majority of agent work with process of of the w n. décor ents,” Kelly says. and When she she is not working giving back, Kelly loves the State University andteam. spent three years as listing amy important.”

She currently mother.

“When things getmembers rough, we single to theisalso communit es, and design friends Christina Siwek began her online and atensu the Century 21, where has been or servicing clients in has upcoming of her “I want to share relationships, earned Jeffrey many her business consists of repeat clients and referrals, a testaselling our home!

Even with the during the pandemic, and his wife After a And lessspending than so stellar expeoften theirforDurham-area sea Nicholas (“Nick”) Mansur began and make phone calls thatlocal everyone in thebegin vicinity When she is not working, Danielle loves a lotyou ofSouthern follow getNew arts.real She and her husband are season ticket holders at directors Women Who R moms keep it together,” she says. while Project Engineer for a small company.

Adrie e,do‘Jen, should into To stay in touch with her past clients, Jennifer Today, Abby is a Realtor for Nan & Company Properties, the Houston Liv journey in real estate soon after closed roughly Hampshire, Boston andrepeat Maine for over process with my agents, so they can start to grow their ment to her superior service and dedication to her clients. she made sure everything went smoothly and we had an and referral clients.

“Most of my clients enough quality time with their fam rience selling his I listing. first home, Michael averages roughly 50 to 6$ his real estate career three and aand knows about the new That’s in addition to action, keeping in duethe local performing arts center inthings downtown Appleton, time with her husband 3 kids.

She enjoys getting withhesitant Ritchey Realty, Danielle serves the was at first to what believes in the personal touch.

“I personalize non-profit that serves women have been rough lately, Candice hasn’t “I was good at what did, but I knew it inclu offer our home in nowhere time!”college. graduating from At the Committee, pricepoint rangin Christie’s International Real Estate, she she s fifteen years. By combining her fortybecome years ofmy sales own careers,” she says.

“Atonthis point, everything I do services long term friends.

It’s important for me Michael Newport was inspired to doing ally, totaling inmakin volu nts know canTexas. and love attending Broadway shows.

They have two half years ago.

He gotof into the extensive marketing on social and digital ad$14-million negative perception of what a love all my contacts,” she says. will exercise, getting out in nature tosynergy.” go for“I hikes with ea area ofthey North Almost all of training her come tragedy and areof backed down from being there for her clients wasn’t what Icheck was her destined tomedia be inum “There’s a couple of things I’ve learned along the way,” she time, she was familiar with the experience with her of and coaching, Deb, is about clients throughout Houston Heights, Oak Forest and the the board Oak to nurture those friendships instead of treating my take matters into his own hands. pricepoint of $250,000 to $350,00 d on their behalf. kids, ages 5 and 7, and love spending time together as ent is like.

“Initially my opinion in just to see how they’re doing.

Sometimes Going forward Jeffrey’s primary foc up with es from repeat and the referral clients, business outfamily, ofbuilt a and desire campaigns.

“We want toindustry generate as much activity as atBeyond the community. who need support inGod these uncertain times. for the rest of When my life,” she notes.

“I knew states.

“The biggest being: I dotoher myhelp best, andfriends. does the Jealene isn’t working, she’s either volunteering through her family’s the volum offic along with members of heranteam, has ankeeping accomsurrounding areas.

Having lived inway these very neighbortheatPTO for explains.

“I try a family. ely business is cut-throat and I drop off little items to their homes just “I knew there was a better actions have seen successful closin clients aslife ifMICHAEL they’re just aI transaction,” he says.

Aside t considering thatcareer many spend 5accomplish improve his team.

Asdogs someone who people their goals, can and sure people as on possible know rest!with I’ve also seen the power of having a we strong support her church or herhas sons’ school, traveling with her husband needed amake change, soasIwork actually prayed recen with investment community.

She plished inagents real estate, the vast majority of her Over the course of her life, Deb developed aproperties.

CHRISTINA SIWEK NICHOLAS MANSUR JENNIFER CANDICE ADRIENNE hoods for years, she brings amany unique insider’s perspective through the nto forget themselves,” she explains. because…Things like that.” s.” to go about this process, and of pricepoints.

In the future, Danielle plans to grow her business and to that level.

“My whole business When not working or giving Candice can offer that support because she system around you,” Jealene adds.

“From fellow KW agents from his genuine care, he also offers clients his undiand their three young boys, or relaxing with her family. and today he delivers excellent about our listing before it goes on the market,” Nick it.”

It was around that time that a friend Best and helping others, he would like Intrigued by the challenge, she Hospital and canc NEWMAN NEWPORT VAN BIBBER ZETTERQUIST volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals. strong business acumen around communication, a to her that transactions, ensuring that her clients find theto dance. she enjoys spend at down with a broker friend of In the future, Kelly plans to continue providing her team gave me the push IThey needed,” loves “I’ve hadaatexb has overcome into real bringing great service toShe her clients.

“I love who’ve invaluable support toadversity. great coaching from errals,” Danielle says, “and I love it that Shortly after the the pandemic, she opened agot real estate agency and asked herCOVID-19 vided attention.

“I’m always available toneeds. them. results toprovided ancontinue ever-growing number says.

“That way, we can have aonset lotcommitment ofof prospects linedand upHisofvision began accruing knowledge the PTSA tireless work ethic and an unwavering on more agents. of ell in love with his office.”

When marketing her listings, Jennifer ensive marketing withShe opportunities for success, while delivering the same perfect deal for their team prefers leader.

Not to mention myand amazing who and gifted care toshowings her andtwo,” current since Ioffice, was sheher says.

“S while working at aof bar, where she remembers.

Now, almost apackages Beyond thepast Michael gives meeting new people families and helping them give people excellent service and build to help out.

“While was there, I realized Iand Adrie experience in formally tion to work When listing alevel home, Deb a estate diversified to her clients.

Now acreated successful Realtor multiple ofour happy clients.

“The value I part athusband, thehe start.

Sometimes we have over a2004 dozen they can call me any time of day.” the team was all camaplaces a “huge” amount importance on I all only centered around expanding Premier Agent onabout great of service to herknow clients.

Her favorite Abby has just strong urged me to get my license in the first place and has always clients living locally. ballroom, sometimes reg became friends with the owner of a local decade later, Michael built a nity through his partnership with succeed in the home buying and selling process,” she and it’s paid off.” loved working with the people that came in.

200 herfocused career inon2007, soon establishing a reputacolleagues also dc approach. supplying herable clients with people. professional states,scheduled shelaunched still stays what brought her support,Realtor. and helping socialout marketing, along with grassprovide isAfter topeople take allisthe stress and guesswork of the before the house is takes even listed.” galZillow, of her job being to help “Imedia love getting ontomaking certain that the nd When listing afor home, Abby aalso comprehensive ahead, she inte been my biggest cheerleader!” jazz.”

She loves to be outdoo brokerage.

Impressed by her customer service says.

“I wish someone had told me to invest in real reputation as an agent known his communication, Protection Society, which he eams of home ownership. roots marketing, and local sponsorships, because it helps tion as an agent known for client-centric care, attention totothe Winderm That was when I knew I needed to get my 60 da photography, videography and tours, targets the industryconsists in the firstofplace.

“You get to make people mier Agenthome status people closing andvirtual getting them into a65) new home,” buying andtoselling process for my she clients,” Nick Jeffrey’s work frequently helping first 61) EVERY PLAYER IS 6 WAYS TO GET YOUR 69) LIVING ON real estate agents are taught the co approach.

Starting out, she conducts a careful walk-through building her team Looking ahead, Jealene has her sights set on expanding her her family has grown to inclu skills, he steered her in the direction of real everyone when she supports local businesses and events. estate sooner in life, because it’s such a great way to that Danielle is with them for the long proven track record, and personal touch. every commission earned.

In his to detail, and a personal touch. come and home license,” sheinvolvement says. and let them kno her on listings over various platforms, such as andhappy,” Deb says.

“Nothing feelsisbetter than seeing tured Listings Kelly says.

“That’s the biggest reward.” says.

Clients appreciate hisonline aptitude for negotiation Community important to rewards Nick, andtwofor For Jealene, thetime focus is on providing guidance toa meet herand through referral program, as well withgoing the home purchasing process, but with her to sellers and makes sure theyherare fully prepared her neighbo “I biological childr estate.

“I was through divorce and I base in regards tohave navigating the busine ars later, sheZillow is a VALUABLE: soloorconfidence. agent with Jen“I Newman have a buyers strong presence in the community, I referral make HOW TO“We BOOST CLIENT TO TRUST YOU COMMISSION build financial independence.

I love people and eliability inspires always To date the Wind enjoys time spent During with family and the pande Facebook.

Meanwhile, she can lean on her your buyers and sellers win, and knowing that their far more people the way he always has their best interests at heart. his team works with The Dwelling Place, a Twin clients throughout and constantly communicating with as consistent communications with her clientele, including nd oforKeller Williams Metro Atlanta, represure to add my personality when putting anything out three,” she says.

“They’re a sibling gro had two kids,” she recalls today.

“I went to school and also sellers as well as new construction.

That’s why for the market.

After supplying a suite of resources, such sight of what bro get to tell them, ‘This is going to be one of the best one, call you right back if I don’t pick to give clients the highest level of Today, Christina spearheads her work under the banner than $41-million Today, Michael is That part the ago, Mallard future,back. he intends to keep prog was years and Realty she’s neverthe looked as special notes ts at Century 21 to MORALE further match a home with dreams haveowner come16true.”

YOUR TEAM’S ys. “Onlynetwork about them. back toasserts. them in“Everything a timely manner is huge!” e-newsletters, birthday home anniversary cards, and Cities-based shelter for victims of and domestic violence, tlanta, Georgia territory.

Hers is with the #1people office“Getting there,” she Istaging do must be extremely my kids range from 8 to 19.

We’re v kept bartending full time, and I earned that license.” as services, professional photography, Matterport personal relation he puts a lot of time and effort into educating his decisions you’ll make.’

When you have equity in your he says.

“I also follow up of Windermere Real Estate, serving Seattle and the her free hours, sh prospective buyer. Throughout, Deb is always there For a while sheannual had her ownDurham team at my Re/Max. After herto Iher want them to get kno at Premierits Agent Group, serving clients across the Great he continues grow his business team because really she says.

Understanding how important eachvolunteering transaction is, and Client Appreciation events.

Eventually goal isenjoy nd she wasAnamed #19native, top producing agent authentic and capture mythe vibe.”

St. Paul Nick loves working inyou andare serving participating in whether their fundraising it’s riding bikes or sitting by the virtual tours and videography to showcase adirection house and most significant Greater Eastside, most especially Snoqualmie Valley. and loved ones, home, set up forthroughout success.” lways tell people: if I sell you a house, I elly and her team for her clients with her excellent negotiation skills and clients and slowly walking them through the process daughter, Olivia, was born, she changed and region and the entire Triangle region. team members to the ranks. agents and teaching them the correc she takes very seriously, only in wanting what isin best to add agents to her team who specialize in specific fields 0. It’s notTwin surprising that is ofher Heher is business a member thejobTwin Citywas Property efforts.

When he’s not working or to giving back, Nick That back 2006, and the years since Candice do it together.”

There, almost the entirety ofNorth her is“I driven the market future, Chris its surrounding neighborhood, she proceeds to share her I enjoy says.

“I truly val ry inclientele. theirCities.

6 contact months and know you’re happy. attitude.

‘Rock on,” joined Hunter Rowe in Raleigh, Carolina. don’t To heroth li There, almost the entirety of his business is driven bytobusiness so isthat they understand where they’re at every step and referralcan-do “I that think“My that’sfavorite because She adds that she does what she does for the relationfor herexpression clients. of real estate. do real estate. helping has been the ultimate example of a rags-to-riches story, Sales Team, which he describes as “a really good fit for loves bicycling around the Twin Cities in the summer, ok and Instagram by repeat and referral clientele who trust her experistrong as she con saction done, thatand isn’t end of it.”to bring listings via targeted digital and social media campaigns. rewarding than h she says.

“Above all, I want aof feeling of posicover specific territories,” she says.

“I work the proven technique ciate myisdedication thethe level of service ships.

“It’s not about numbers for me,” she says.

“It’s repeat and referral clientele who trust his transparency Now, with nine years of experienc the way, and feel comfortable, and ensuring that they will in years turn And she’ll keep going forward together growing more andwell-informed, moreence, successful every year.

She thefor support of theabout team allows me to bespreading heading uplocal north toofenjoy boating onofand Minnesota’s many knowledge, and proven track record.

“We the fruitful tivity and expertise to clients.”

On top of ads through her broker’s website, Abby gives home of their dr client, regardless where he or she comes from.

I go mailers, social m ” she says. me.

“I’m Having always there mymy clients, helping my clients.

Both the selling and buying Afterwards, buyers and sellers love the word There are many aspects her skillset that perfectly suit her and focus on relationships.

“The biggest thing is our name, Michael Newport considers injoined making abeautiful decision.

“WeBrokered truly hold their “We’re treating it like as usual,” recently Music City Experts, by Laura clients’ lives make for thebusiness better.” want deliver that five-star service for a personal be more productive with the theconfident job I personal enjoy and am lakes, and ice fishing in the for whatever they need. believe this isparts anher of process can be extremely stressful, soreally I come in toto take mmunication also helpsI save her clients where they need me to working go.” herhe clients’ listings additional reach through promotions about work.

One recently wrote, “Jealene was an absoreal estate career, but shewinter. says, “It’sand using my God-given touch,” says.

“When Ibest start with about his chosen field, along with still marketing properties, my builders ars Dahl.

With Music City Experts, Candice has cultivated hand and try to guide them to all the resources. srtary past year, Kelly the real estate process as stress-free as possible for our of my job, and they appreciate that I care away that stress and to not make it so dreadful.

My goal suited toa do.”

A portion ofsomeone, Nick’s Deb employs similar blend of engagement and hardbusistressbetter during the buying or significant selling What does she l lute blessing to us when it came to…moving to TX. We talents to serve others in a field I’m passionate about.

It’s on her platform at Christie’s International Real Estate it’s abusiness lot cares aboutserving educating them on themiles process, alonga the way. “Every day is differ building subdivision with an all brickt a itteam referral-heavy clients in a 70 me, with a ness total genuinely about our clients.

We isthe to Our make fun.” clients,” she says.

“That means a high level repeat of attention Now, with more work whenand advocating for her buyers.

Most impormmunication is of key, I always tryand toover comes from repeat referral clients, and he is In the future, Nick plans to continue growing his busispoke phone, thru text, thru email…before ever the satisfaction of helping people and seeing them happy It’s not surprising that her business is 85% and same,” she exclai and print advertisements in area magazines—all to cast and of thatNashville, in turn forms a friendship.

When a clienttocalls in Lewisburg rush beingwe able to help someone an build to her suit, bringChr yo radius with 70% of her clients returning ut small, because to detail.

We everything, from contracto name, want to be theirarrangements rock inreferral this crazy world of buying tantly, caters needs, ensuring meeting intheir person.

When we to travel with process.

That’s what Ihiring love the most!” flags before theyshe come up.her Myprocess goal istohis clientele.

“Ithe treat my clients the way I’d want forward toyou somet steadily growing this part of business by providing ness and making ahandle positive impression on his clients.

“I are asthey wide a family net as possible. with amade question, connect with me directly, and that you get from the client when re Even though things a little different her or coming via friend and referral. y own Jennifer is very involved with her agency’s KW Cares gree thatanymore,” herthat efforts are top-notch.

One client torslike and bids, to arranging a project and making “We’reexciting.” ambitiou they thepositive right home for them.

But Deb homes,” healso says. when abeginning buyer outgrows their levels low and thefind process enjoyable. someone togetting treat fairly and honestly,” she notes. rewarding always his clients with experiences.

“If I give am able toAnd would have ame, primarily referral-based business,” personal interaction from to end makes a big It’s incredibly thatI’m peop programs that back to the community all year long, e: “There no one else weTo trusted to sell important for my clients to know stil m, she haswas always sure that everyone is putting their best foot forward at we really want to find out more about Kelly Davies, continues her service long after stayingfeel in touch transaction tomarket me. an Iexceptionally believe that thewhere realclosing, “I’m their advocate, providing education for them toforthat home, Jeffrey is always there to help them upgrade provide experience my they got he says, “and also to attention eventually have my own team.”

“I’mclients alsoWhat involved with my kids’ required community n knows the well and Meanwhile, Abby values a personal touch when assisting er team members For more information about Jealene Friesen, keeps people coming is Candice’s to difference during the course of a transaction.”

Likewise, me, and setting foundation fr them and be there them – that’s the m every stage of the process.”

Beyond the negotiations It’s a fantastic p please call 920.791.9047, both her andpeople sellers annual client caring about people, and I think makepackage the best possible decisions.”

Adrienne enjoys For more about Deb Forte service anddream love tobig do spontaneous acts ofin kindents through every piece ofbuyers the journey.

She through to programs, their new house. awith good deal, were well represented, and competently More than anything, Nick says, he loves getting to huge team, that’s detail; she offers a bundle a concierge-type part of a community.” her buyers, standing as their guide and advocate through Michael is a believer in setting clear expectations really important.

If you put your cl please call or email jealene@kw.com and432-279-0732 fine print, Christina also focuses on the connection other We believe in he email appreciation parties the occasional pop-in.

“Most hen do care.”so we passions ar ness,” she says.

“It’s really about organic giving.” d theyou small details could listand ourkelly@kellydavieshomes.com, home rovide opportuniemail dforte@c21ne.com, navigated the home buying and/or selling process, they know his clients and delivering results.

“Ileans loveand getting setting, where they can get a alongside free appraisal, a security all the nuances of a transaction.

Here, she on her upfront and often.

“My career began in hospitality, so yours, if you’re focused on thei built each buyer and seller she serves.

“I love we do.” or visit kellydavieshomes.com To find out more about Danielle Doyle, of my clients just know me as Glammy,” she says with ate.”

Clients give Adrienne stellar reviews for her quality at the Durham VA have whenare I first system, or access to preferred lenders.

By taking care more“They likelyusually to become repeat clients and tobyrefer me to work people, building those relationships, andwill work out the w visit debbieforte.com Part of Jeffrey’s successful business strategy is having IRealty, was always trained to bewith overly prepared and expect all, everything background as teenagers an Oak Forest and architecture and homes, butresident Iof also love theknowledge opportunity a laugh. feel like family members the

by Landro Fox Cities LLC When not working, the single mother of two email danielledoylerealty@gmail.com ing listings, Danielle takes a Brokered compreservice.

Former customers Percy and Mary Rouse Rescue groups t the details, Candice makes her clients feel taken care of To learn more Jeffrey to people they know thatrole. are lookinganforin-depth anthe agent.” negotiating toor get them the best deal possible.”

(978) 423-6464 worst, that’s how Ihistory approach real estate,” heher Success will follow.

Iabout take that to h of her local to better educate clients on safe to help people,” she says.

“I alike being a resource for plan, which iscall why he has her time tomarketing herand kids and their needs.

She also lso had a lot of success in a dual agency Copyright Top Agent Magazine end of thethat’s transaction.” novative approach designed to be dedicates wrote: “We have reached an important milestone in German shepherd call and 979.204.9884 or visit ritcheyrealty.com To she “I brings that feeling home with constant commuemail in jeffrey@longislandrealest people during one the biggest their tryhorse to make things fun along theofway too, buttransactions financial decisions.

“I’ve lived in these neighborhoods lovesmarketing to ridesays. her rescue Blind which ways an easy position to be in. It takes a lot department within his They utilize ourHope, goal to team. sellbrings amy home and buy another in a new city.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine p nication.

“I make lifelong friends with clients,” sheadvocates, lives.

It’s our job to be their stand up for her great joy.

As for the future, Jennifer wants to continue states. “I make it clear that I’m there repreNick’s willingness to to take the initiative for his clients is visit jeffreyjimenez.exprea foremost make sure my clients are equipped with the for years,” she says.

“Because of that experience, I know Copyright Agent cutting-edge technology in our order to market their listAs Hunter-Rowe agentTop for the Magazine sale of our home When not workin says.

“They get weekly emails during the transaction, and e her forward momentum ofCopyright success.

“I just want be nt honestlyanother and fairly, andplus. we all“Igettry through them, make suredecision. they have theroom tools andgrow support Top Agent Magazine big to be a on proactive agent insteadthey information need tomedia make atogood For the market; Iand know which areas have andto facebook.com/jimenezteama ings, and promote via social ads on platforms in Durham you worked tirelessly to maketo our need a activities, includi then afterward I’m there for all their milestones in life.” the best at what I do for my clients,” she says.

“That’s what e successfully.”

She also prides herself in make the the most informed decision has been most important partpossible.” of a reactive one,” he explains. “I don’t me, just communication wait for which ones are saturated.”

Instagram @ you jeff_n_michele, or callvi reality.

Mary and Itowere watching Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks his truly hard dazzled it’s alllike about. it is. “I’m from New Jersey, so I don’t B.S. of go myout business. clients know if they need somepeople to say they need something. I like to andto beMy demonstrate skills your profession that far exceeded As for the future Candice loves of service, a in portion of foundational all This leveland of detail is also to the listing thing, I’ll be there for them.” get it forTothem, and anticipate any issues or hiccups that expectations.

Thank you for an outstanding job.

You path p proceeds from closingsourgo to local charities.

Candice learn more about Jennifer Newman, process. Christina and her team ensure every property is successful Copyright To may occur.”

This dedication to serving his clients’ needs made a difficult process look much easier than it really “What better way is deeply involved in her community – she has volun04-316-5265, email jennewman@kw.com, or visit jennewmanhomes.com documented to the fullest through professional photogWhen comes Domestic to was. listing properties, Michael equips leaves a lasting impression. “In a transaction, I’m more Should any of our friends or acquaintances in the she says. teered foritBridges Violence Center and is a raphy, video, and drone footage. From there, listings each property immersive documentation to showconcerned about the level of service I member provide I with Hill ofthan the Spring Chamber of Commerce To find more about Candice Va enjoy premium placement since across the full suite of out online Copyright Top Agent Magazine For mor case homes in their finest light.

Virtual tours and videoAdrienne 2007 and currently as an To Ambassador.

Part of that am with my bottom line. I’m focused on providing an serveslisting visit musiccityexperts.com/Ca learn more about Zetterquist, email az. platforms and social media outlets, in addition Top Agent Magazine 3 walkthroughs, and leverageHome please em supporting local to businesses impactedwith by recent excellent experience so that in the future,involves whenever they professional call 615-727-4777 email onfireage printphotography, campaigns Luxury Magazine and or hunterrowe.com/adrienne or callMich (91 visit To learn more about across the leading online listing platforms and social closures.

“We visit them curbside,” she says.

“A lot of call 425–628–9 think of residential real estate, they think of me.”

Seattle based publications that ensure buzz is built

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email Michael@MichaelN

Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers.

Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent.

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 4

Top Agent Magazine

Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce.

Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’ opinions.

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however.

You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours.

What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price.

They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area.

Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements.

Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

How will you help with staging? Some Top Agents will pay for part or

all of the staging costs. At a minimum, however, a Top Agent will have a staging professional or two in their partner network. While they’re at it, they may provide referrals for carpet cleaning, painting, gardening and other minor finishing touches.

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What attributes of the property will you want to highlight? Each Top

Agent will have a somewhat different answer to this question, but that’s a good thing! Even if you have your own ideas about your home’s greatest attributes, you’ll glean insight into the current market by considering different agents’ opinions. In learning their views, you may even change your mind about your home’s most marketable features!

What is your approach to Open Houses? How many agent-only Open

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses?

Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

Who will be our primary point(s) of contact from your office? This

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client.

Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you.

Now, let’s list!

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Top Agent Magazine

LAIKEN MAY

Top Agent Magazine

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LAIKEN MAY

Top Agent Laiken May of Edge Realty assists clients throughout White County, Lonoke County and Faulkner.

For Laiken May, real estate runs in the family. Her mother was a loan officer for twenty years and is currently an underwriter; meanwhile, her aunt and grandmother also forged successful careers in the industry. After attending college, Laiken decided to follow in their footsteps and dive into the real estate business, where she could apply her background and understanding of mortgages to better serve clients around Arkansas. “My upbringing had a tremendous impact on my approach to realty,” she says. “Because of it, I was able to hit the ground running.”

with a pre-listing consultation, she makes sure that her clients have everything they need to bring their house to the market. Beyond offering professional photography and videography, she also provides targeted digital and social media campaigns. Through it all, though, Laiken is there for her clients as a compassionate advocate, always looking out for their best interests. “When I represent a seller or a buyer,” she says, “I’m committed to that person long after closing. This isn’t just a transaction for

Today, Laiken is a Realtor for Edge Realty, where she assists clients throughout White County, Lonoke County and Faulkner.

Having grown up in Cabot, she has built a workflow around compassion and elite service to meet the needs of any client.

When listing a home, Laiken is a steady guide throughout the process. Starting out 8

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me; my clients become my friends and family along the way.”

Meanwhile, Laiken takes the same attentive approach when helping her buyers. By leaning on her resources at Edge Realty alongside her own expertise, she can keep her clients educated and up-to-speed throughout the process.

Above all, she values making the transaction run as smoothly as possible. For her outstanding service, Laiken has developed an excellent reputation around Arkansas, as evidenced by her rapidly growing rate of referrals. Rather than focusing on her success, though, she remains fixed on perfecting the client experience. “The people are my favorite part of my career,” she says. “I love building friendships with my clients while helping them accomplish their goals.”

Outside of her career, Laiken takes an active role in her community. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club in Cabot, where she volunteers at events to support special education programs, job outreach and the fostering of local business around her hometown. She was also a member of the Honors Medical Club at Cabot High School. When she’s not giving back or assisting clients, Laiken can be found cheering on her husband, a softball player, along with their daughter.

When envisioning the future, Laiken has bold ambitions. With her client base and volume continuing to grow, she plans on building a team in the coming months. Though she grew up in and services clients around Cabot, Laiken has recently moved to Beebe and is broadening her client base there as well.

But Laiken is equally satisfied with the accomplished career and lifestyle she has established for herself in Arkansas. “Relationships matter most in this industry,” she says. “I never leave my clients hanging. If they ever need my help, I won’t stop until they’re taken care of. Always.”

Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Laiken May please call (501) 766-0480, email laikensmay@gmail.com, or visit laikenmay.edgerealty-arkansas.com www.

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LEADER IN TITLE. EXPERT IN CLOSING. 10

Top Agent Magazine

Uncommon Contact:

Connecting with Clientele Through Social Media Social media is one of the newest and most powerful tools in an agent or mortgage professional’s arsenal. With just a few keystrokes, you can stay top-of-mind with buyers, sellers, and borrowers near and far, past and present. The key is knowing how to use these mediums to your advantage, working smarter instead of harder to keep the thread of professional relationships intact. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can maximize the pull and power of social media by shifting just a few of your ideas and practices for the better.

Top Agent Magazine

Not everything has to be about business.

While your relationship with a client or fellow vendor began over the course of business, your relationship going forward doesn’t have to be limited. One of the great things about social media is that’s it’s social. Not every comment, post, or communication has to revolve around your business, its metrics, or turning a sale. In fact, you should do your best to branch out and curate a brand and online identity that’s about who you are and

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the lifestyle you’re authentically interested in living. In that vein, consider interacting with clients in an organically-driven way, encouraging them during life’s milestones, reaching out with a local event, restaurant, or news item that’s relevant to their interests or neighborhood. The goal is to be a persistent presence in their lives without feeling like a talking head. Engage as you would like to be engaged with, as a human being with interests and needs and boundaries. Keep that personal thread in mind and your dynamic will shift from past business contact to present resource.

Expand your medium.

Many Realtors are comfortable on Facebook as an interactive meeting to connect with clients, but there are several other mediums where you can connect with clients both past and present, as well as future. Particularly when courting Millennial clientele, the fastest-growing segment of the buying market, a presence on Instagram and Snapchat are key to finding new faces, demonstrating hot properties, and creating an interactive brand as an agent. Not only does this help when you’re listing a property and seeking potential buyers, but it also serves as a perusable portfolio of your work and real estate prowess. You can also use these mediums to interact with clients on an outlet they might feel most comfortable in. Liking pictures, commenting, streaming Instagram Live home tours and Stories are all ways you can build engagement by simply spreading your social media presence around. Likewise, 12

these photo and video driven mediums are popular for home design ideas, and before and after renovation pictures. When you expand from Facebook into these new platforms, you’ll already have plenty of visual content ready to be transferred and consumed by an expanded audience.

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

It’s easy enough to post a link to a new listing, or retweet a helpful article on real estate news. Creating your own organic content is a different story, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to luring engagement, ranking higher in search fields, and overall crafting an interactive presence for yourself and your business online—which is where more than 90% of homebuyers and sellers begin their process. Creating your own content can seem risky, or else like no one is listening in a digital world already crowded with information. However, original content is sure to boost personal engagement with your social media pages, guaranteed.

Instead of recycling content, consider posting a video with a Q+A theme for first-time homebuyers, or perhaps posting a live tour of a new listing will perk up your clientele surfing at home.

No matter how you decide to expand your social media presence when it comes to interacting with clients, consistency is key.

Find the ways that work best for you and stick to them, and you’ll watch your audience and business grow in tandem.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

RYAN PERTILE

Top Agent Magazine

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RYAN PERTILE

For Ryan Pertile making sure his clients receive the highest quality of service is very personal. Having went through an unsatisfactory experience when purchasing his first home, he vowed that he would never allow his own clients to feel the same way. Ryan started out in real estate after spending 10 years working in corporate America as a regional sales manager of a fitness company. But four and a half years ago he decided to abandon his jet-setting lifestyle, and living out of suitcases, when he got married and started a family.

Wanting to be present for his wife and child, Ryan took an inventory of his true passions and settled on real estate as his next step. That choice brought him to the Engel & Völkers Minneapolis office, where he currently works as a real estate advisor.

just another number for me. I’m a relationship person and once I meet someone I try to continuously stay in their life, past the point of just a transaction. I treat people with empathy.

When I bought my first house, I felt like I was just a number, from the entire loan process to the point of buying. That’s why I do everything to make sure my clients don’t feel that way.

I stay involved throughout the process. And afterwards I send out handwritten notes and gifts,” he says.

Placing a high level of importance of interpersonal relationships, Ryan has been able to skip having to purchase leads, and instead has generated a lot of his business from repeat and referral clients. “I love my clients, they’re not 14

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There are many ways for agents to stay in touch with clients, and Ryan likes to use social media to keep up with his. He also uses social media platforms to market his listings, posting short videos and professional photos to catch the eye of a potential buyer. But his marketing strategy begins when he sits down with a client and goes over the condition of the property. He then moves on to photos, videos, as well as 3D tours. This approach has worked well as he has produced $35M in volume to date, with an average price point of $427,450. But for Ryan, the price does not indicate any difference in the type of service. “I provide the exact same service to clients regardless of the price. I don’t chase clients for a bigger commission,” he says.

It’s his honest methods, long-term investment in his relationships, and excellent quality of service that allows Ryan’s clients to trust him and makes the transaction process smooth and as stress-free as possible. “People deserve the best service. When they’re putting all this money on the line, they need to be able to trust you.” And outside of work, Ryan is involved with a local children’s hospital—a place dear to his heart—and donates to Special Olympics. He also enjoys various outdoor activities with his wife and son.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given Ryan some time to truly work out his business priorities. “The pandemic has made me realize where I want my business to go. I want to service people the right way, not just churn through a bunch of transactions. I want to build a team and have a sustainable referral business. For me, it’s not about the number of transactions that I do, it’s about the number of people that I help.”

Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Ryan Pertile email ryan.pertile@evrealestate.com, visit ryanpertile.com, or call (612) 805-0059 www.

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Engel & Vรถlkers Minneapolis is proud to congratulate

RYAN PERTILE

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

Geoffrey Bray | Broker/Owner ENGEL & Vร LKERS, MINNEAPOLIS 952.356.5977 | geoffrey.bray@evrealestate.com minneapolis.evrealestate.com https://

1601 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

16

Top Agent Magazine

David Hellmuth is proud to congratulate

RYAN PERTILE

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

David G. Hellmuth | Attorney at Law

HELLMUTH & JOHNSON

dhellmuth@hjlawfirm.com | hjlawfirm.com www.

8050 West 78th Street, Edina, MN 55439

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5 Morning Habits to Make Your Day Super Productive For many, most mornings begin with a rush—a rush to get dressed, a rush to find something edible for breakfast, a rush out the door and into rush hour. Likely you have heard articles advising you to set your

alarm early to give yourself some flexibility —which is sound advice, of course—but consider a few of these additional tweaks to your morning routine that can set a productive tone for your day at large.

1. Keep Screens Away Until Breakfast Oftentimes, our first instinct upon waking is to check-in on our phones, tablets, or computers, to scope out the latest social media updates and e-mail correspondence. While diving into the action might seem productive, studies show that waylaying screen time until you’re up and dressed, and have had a good breakfast, will actually make your first pass 18

at all things digital more focused, clear, and efficient. Instead of answering a few e-mails, checking out a friend’s photos, and then hurrying to shower and dress, instead make a resolution to keep the online world at bay for the first half-hour to an hour after you rise, then you’ll approach the digital world with fresh eyes, energy, and adeptness.

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Top Agent Magazine

2. Meal Prep Sometimes hitting the snooze button is inevitable, but if you make prepping breakfast the night before a part of your routine, then grabbing something healthy on the go will be a snap—and your stomach will thank you for it. Load up your coffee machine ahead of time, so all you have to do

is hit brew. Or, chop up a fruit salad, mix a smoothie, or simply put a granola bar and a grapefruit in your lunch bag, ready to be grabbed on your way out the door. Even if it’s small or basic, keeping yourself fueled will keep distractions, inefficiency, and mood swings at bay.

3. Queue Up a Podcast on Your Commute Whether you’re driving, biking, or taking public transportation into the office, a podcast is a perfect way to brush up on industry knowledge. Try sourcing a podcast relative to your field and narrated by experts.

Not only will it get you thinking about the topics of your industry—while expanding

your professional vocabulary—it will also wake up your brain and get your head in the game as you prepare to launch your day. Use your commute time to bump up your knowledge and conversation points, and you’ll be ahead of the curve before you reach the office.

4. Begin with a To-Do List When work gets busy, sometimes just getting started is an overwhelming prospect.

Before you dive in to your e-mails and projects, take twenty minutes and be thoughtful as you assess your daily and weekly to-do

list items, then map them. By giving yourself a bullet point system of what you need to accomplish and by when, you can undo some of the anxiety that a busy schedule promotes.

5. Walk It Out, Even If You Missed the Gym While we often rely on coffee for our morning buzz, exercise provides a potent burst of energy that can supercharge your day. But, let’s say you’re running behind and skip the gym—all is not lost! Take fifteen minutes in

the early morning to take a walk around the block a few times. The fresh air and aerobic exercise will wake you up, get your blood moving, and provide your morning with a natural injection of motivation.

Everyone’s morning routine varies, but perhaps the first step is identifying aspects of your routine that could be improved, and tackling them from there. From waylaying

screen time distractions to getting in a little blood-pumping exercise, keep these tips in mind as you launch your most productive morning routine ever.

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Top Agent Magazine

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DELINDA CRAMPTON

After 12 years of working in the television business, Delinda Crampton decided to make a change.

She saw the real estate investment opportunity in Las Vegas and, prompted by her husband, she decided to get a real estate license. Delinda has been in the business for 17 years now. “I enjoyed the TV business, but when I fell into real estate, I realized that it was truly my passion. It fits how I’m wired so well,” she says. Delinda then formed a team to support and grow her real estate business. Delinda & The Crampton Team are members of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties and serve the Las Vegas Valley.

transaction. I stop by to see clients, I call them, I send out personal handwritten notes, and I stop by with gifts. For me this is a long-term relationship. And I always tell my clients that I want to be their trusted advisor and their real estate agent for life.”

Delinda’s clients often remark on the ease of their experience with her, and how smooth the transaction was, as well as the speed of sale. In order

Delinda’s business is largely made up of repeat and referral clients. She believes it’s her level of care, her communication, and being able to exceed client expectations that keeps her clients coming back to her. “I go above and beyond for my clients. I very much take the relationship approach in my business. It isn’t just a 20

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to provide them with exceptional results, Delinda gets aggressive with her marketing strategy. “We don’t just put a listing in the MLS and hope it sells. We are selling our listings for 3% more than market average, and we sell them in less than half the time of the market average.” Her strategy includes always having a stager as well as a professional photographer, no matter the price of the listing. Delinda is also one of 10 realtors chosen to represent Las Vegas as an industry expert on The American Dream show.

“Because of that, I have a network of nearly 500 top agents across the country who can give a listing nationwide exposure. I’m also connected to a couple thousand realtors I know personally across the country who I’ve developed relationships with for the past 17 years, and when they have clients moving to Las Vegas, they refer them to me.”

Outside of work, Delinda is a Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Green Valley, and was recently rewarded with Rotarian of the Year.

Through the club, she is involved with youth in the community as well as veterans. She also serves on the board of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and volunteers at her church.

And in order to help her community during the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s been donating a portion of her proceeds from every closing to food banks and nonprofits serving those in need.

When Delinda isn’t working or getting involved in her community, she enjoys travel, skiing, scuba diving, fine dining, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Her future business plans include hitting a $100,000,000 in sales per year so that she can semi retire and spend the rest of her time with her family volunteering and giving back through nonprofits, and exploring the world through travel.

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For more about Delinda Crampton email delindac@bhhsnv.com, visit cramptonteam.com, or call (702) 219–3144 www.

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Congratulations to

DELINDA CRAMPTON on being featured for the State of Nevada in Top Agent Magazine!

Utopia Home Staging Angelic Ferguson,Founder & CEO (702) 848-3336 ange@UtopiaHomeStaging.com UtopiaHomeStaging.com www.www.

5020 Schuster Street, Las Vegas, NV 89113

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DELINDA CRAMPTON

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Untangling the Bidding War: A Buyer’s & Seller’s Perspectives In a competitive marketplace, bidding wars become the norm. While this may put sellers in an excellent position to recoup on their investment, it can push buyers beyond their budgets and test their temperaments in the process. As an agent, how do you navigate both sides of the coin? After all, you want to net the best results for your client—regardless of which side of the closing table they’re on. To fortify your approach to a heated bidding war, here are a few ideas and insights to better clue you in on the perspectives of buyers and sellers alike.

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Buyer’s Perspective: Emotions Running High?

Channel it.

When the market is booming, buyers feel the pressure—especially when affordable inventory is limited. This can create stress, feelings of hopelessness, and impulsivity. As an agent, how do you channel this emotional energy into something positive? Consider asking buyers to put those anxieties and high hopes onto paper. Have buyers outline

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Top Agent Magazine

who they are, why they’re inspired to buy a home at this juncture in their lives, and how they see their lives unfolding once they become a homeowner (or repeat homeowner). Think of it as a letter of intent.

Buyers benefit from taking abstract fears and dreams and articulating them on paper. Likewise, this document can serve as a valuable tool during a bidding war. Letters like these can help sellers with multiple offers make a personal, emotional connection with a particular buyer.

Sellers Perspective: Manage expectations.

When multiple offers are rolling in on a property, it’s easy for sellers to get carried away. Numbers are flying, expectations are heightened, and sellers may become hypnotized by higher and higher offers and ideal outcomes. While it’s good to celebrate prime market positioning, it’s also important to maintain an even keel so that your seller’s mind is clear and they’re thinking rationally through their options.

Sometimes the highest offer isn’t necessarily the sure thing. Manage your clients’ expectations by leading by example, offering a balanced perspective, and talking them through all potential outcomes so that they don’t only hone in on the best-case scenario.

During a bidding war, tensions are running high for seller’s too, who will soon begin their next chapter in another home. Keep a cool head and remind your client to see the big picture, recognize that it’s possible for some offers to fall through, and to sit tight until the closing table has been successfully reached.

Buyer’s Perspective: How do you authentically and convincingly convey your interest?

When ten or so offers are in the mix, it can be hard to differentiate your buyer from the next. While numbers will obviously do a lot of the talking, you’d be surprised how much of a difference a Top Agent Magazine

personal touch can make. Some popular approaches to standing out include personal letters—as mentioned above—tailored to the property. Was the property in question a family home for years? You might have clients detail their dreams of raising a family inside those walls, rather than tear the property down and rebuild something to boost the lot’s value. Including a family photo is also a good tact for personalizing letters in a bidding war. Likewise, little gifts included with your offer can speak volumes about your personality and due diligence as an agent. It may seem a little cheesy, but when sellers are looking at ten near-identical offers, those personal touches can really paint a compelling, personalized picture.

Seller’s Perspective: How powerful is cash?

Data shows that cash offers—typical of investor clientele—double the chances of having an offer accepted. This goes hand in hand with waiving a financing contingency, which also helped boost the probability of an accepted offer, according to research. Cash is king, however, since offers that aren’t completely reliant on comprehensive financing seem to minimize risk for sellers, who are already eager to see a deal go through. Cash deals also tend to go through quickly, freeing sellers up to pursue their next property and move on to new horizons. While not every buyer has the ability to operate in cash, it’s a worthwhile consideration for those in ultra-competitive markets and with liquid capital.

While the bidding process can be stressful for agents and clients alike, it’s important to remember that it’s a time of opportunity, too. If you want to make the most of it as a seller, data shows that a personal touch can endear buyers to their seller counterparts. For sellers navigating a competitive process, it’s important to keep a balanced perspective. For agents, here’s the bottom line: get creative, be resourceful, and use all the tools in your arsenal to achieve the best result for the clients you serve.

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CHAD HARRIS

A true people person, Chad Harris has become a top real estate agent in the Baldwin County area of Alabama. With a lifelong background in the restaurant and hospitality industry, his superior customer service skills have helped him reach great heights. He got his start around five years ago after a friend encouraged him to get his license. Today he focuses primarily on the coast of Alabama, with the vast majority of his business deriving from repeat clients and referrals. By maintaining high levels of communication during and after the transaction, all while guiding them throughout the transaction, Chad ensures he will continually exceed expectations.

they can make the best decisions possible but never makes them feel pressured. “I have a sense of connection with each client, they know they can rely on me,” he explains. Much of his business comes from Louisiana residents who buy property in Alabama for rental income. “They can count on me to do something for them if they need it, whether it’s getting plumbers, electricians or appliances delivered.

“It’s my passion,” Chad says. “This is my career and I want to do this for many years to come. So I am always looking for ways to improve and learn.” With a driven personality and a passion for solving problems, Chad makes sure his clients reach their goals. He educates them so 26

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I’m their eyes and ears in this area. It’s those extras that I focus on that really sets me apart and brings me referrals.”

When it comes to marketing, he utilizes social media and advertises on various websites. Properties are professionally photographed and many include video drone footage if the property calls for it. “We use the MLS and keep pushing it out there for as long as we need to.”

Chad is intertwined with the community and loves to give back. He is involved with the Kairos Prison MInistry, where he visits prisons and talks to inmates on death row. He hosts disaster relief events when tornadoes or hurricanes affect the region, utilizing his restaurant expertise to raise money. “I’ve done shrimp boils for the Tuscaloosa tornado victims, where we loaded up trailers, went over there and cooked, handing out supplies.

I’ve done Hurricane Katrina relief and went to Panama City for Hurricane Michael.”

Chad recently helped Big Fish Ministries purchase a home to convert into a recovery house for men struggling with addictions.

“I didn’t take commission and helped them purchase an awesome five acre home.”

During any free time, he’s hanging out in the water, surfing, fishing or diving. He and his family love to travel, and are often going places for his daughter’s volleyball games and his son’s aviation program. Cooking is also one of his favorite pastimes.

Looking ahead, he is eager to continue growing and serving people in his region. He loves the relationships he builds and making buying/selling an enjoyable journey for all involved. “It’s an honor to help people invest in, buy or sell a property. It’s a big transaction and it’s so emotionally rewarding to be a part of that.”

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For more information about Chad Harris, please call 251-752-5720 or email chadharrisremax@gmail.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 27

Jennifer E. Hilley is proud to congratulate

CHAD HARRIS

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

Jennifer E. Hilley | Closing Agent MLJ Escrow, LLC 251-968-5586, Ext. 2 | mljtitle.com www.

22645 Canal Road, STE B | Orange Beach, AL 36561

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A Step-by-Step Guide to

Converting Internet Leads to Real Life Sales In the era of apps, instantaneous social platforms, and text messaging, it’s little surprise that the modern homebuyer begins his or her search for real estate representation online.

Even if you’ve got a top-notch website or an influential social media presence, how do you connect with web surfers who have yet to commit to the services you offer? Take a look below to learn a few key techniques to bridge the gap between digital interest and real-world sales.

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RESPONSIVENESS IS KEY Like it or not, our digital culture relishes immediacy and instant gratification. With that in mind, be sure to stay on top of online interest forms, e-mails, or newsletter signups. Don’t let an online lead go to waste by taking too long to engage and follow-up.

Things move fast, and it’s easy for potential clientele to forget which websites they’ve visited. Even if your lead isn’t ready to commit then and there, you demonstrate your

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Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. accessibility and attentiveness by following up swiftly—a characteristic anyone would seek in an agent or lender.

ENGAGE WITH OPEN-ENDED CONVERSATION When online back-and-forth goes stale, communication drops off quickly. If you’re following up via e-mail, social media, or text, be sure to keep topics focused squarely on the potential client. Ask open-ended questions to give your lead the opportunity to loosen up and engage on a personal level. There’s no better way to cement a digital lead than to take a pointed interest in the specifics of their situation. Doing so transforms the impersonal invisibility of the internet into a true connection.

GIVE ADDED VALUE Plenty of businesses send impersonal, automated messages in response to an online inquiry, but establishing a true connection may mean providing your lead with something of value. Perhaps you’re forwarding a property for sale that fits the interests of your lead, or a relevant article, or maybe you take the time to send a personal message—demonstrable value and a personal touch separate your follow-up response from spam. Other ideas to consider when 30

adding value to your follow-up technique: incorporate area promotions and access to local events, make a date for coffee, or offer a brief consultation free of charge to make the first move.

DON’T STOP MAKING CONTACT If you don’t connect with your internet lead right off the bat—don’t be discouraged. It often takes multiple tries before a follow-up interaction sticks. Folks are busy and frequently flooded with e-mail blasts and junk mail. A lead may not engage without a little prodding that shows you’re committed to their business. Remember: it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Digital leads don’t have to be difficult to capture. The internet plays a powerful role in funneling modern clientele your way, but in order to take full advantage of the web’s reach, you’ll need to tailor your follow-up technique. Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. Keep these tips top-of-mind as you build your online presence and mine the vast world wide web for an endless wealth of clientele. Earning a command of digital lead conversion is the surest way to bolster your business in the ever-evolving digital era.

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JOSH GERIG Josh Gerig was raised around the real estate industry. While coming of age in Southeast Michigan, he watched his aunt build a tremendously successful brokerage from the ground up. Years later, Josh started his own career working for a prominent commercial land brokerage and investment fund manager. Over time, though, he was drawn back to his roots in the real estate industry, particularly for how it complemented his entrepreneurial spirit. “Throughout my life, I’ve been mentored by some extraordinary folks,” he says.

Today, Josh is the Founder and President of Gerig Group Real Estate, where he assists clients throughout Tulsa and the surrounding areas. He also holds licenses in Iowa and Minnesota, allowing him to facilitate transactions across state lines. By applying the values gleaned from his upbringing in real estate and a decade of outstanding professional experience, he has crafted a process to support any client. His secret? “You have to be honest and thorough at all times,” he says. “We’re always looking to set the highest possible standard for service.”

When listing a home, Josh harnesses a diversified approach. After helping his clients prepare for the sale, he supplies them with professional photography, open houses and targeted digital campaigns to ensure that their property generates plenty of attention from prospective buyers. Above all, Josh and his team understand the value of web-based marketing. “We love social media,” he says, “These days, if you aren’t focusing on technology and the internet, you’re five steps behind.”

Meanwhile, Josh offers his buyers a loyal advocate, catering his process to their needs through unmatched communication. Most of all, he cares about continuing to build his client relationships long after closing, so he can make sure that his clients are satisfied and thriving in their new homes. “I’m a people-person by nature,” he says. “Conversations come easily for me—no matter who I’m with.”

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For his attentiveness and tireless service, Josh has earned an excellent reputation in the Tulsa community, as evidenced by his rapidly growing rate of repeat clients and referrals. “I’m proud to say we’ve quickly built up our business,” he says. “This year in particular, we’re really seeing the exponential growth kick in.”

Outside of his career, Josh strives to remain active in his community. A long-term member of Tulsa’s Young Professionals, he also volunteers to mentor students at the Collins College of Business at the University of Tulsa. On top of that, Josh and his team have also supported local businesses and nursing staff via charitable donations. When he’s not working, Josh enjoys endurance sports, competing in marathons and above all spending quality time with his family.

Looking ahead to the future, Josh harbors detailed ambitions. While increasing his work with residential, commercial and investment properties, he hopes to further expand his reach to the communities surrounding Tulsa and open offices in other states. In the meantime, he is inspired and humbled by the accomplished career he has forged in Oklahoma. “Real estate can be a challenging business,” he says. “But I’m living proof that all the focus, determination and commitment absolutely pays off—for you and your clients.”

For more about Josh Gerig email Josh@GerigGroup.com visit GerigGroup.com or call (918) 932-9931 www.

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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NANCY MELROSE

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NANCY MELROSE

Top Agent Nancy Melrose is a Principal Broker for RE/MAX Key Properties, where she services clients all throughout the cities and resort communities of Central Oregon.

Nancy Melrose began her career working for a commercial property and management company in San Francisco. After moving to Bend, Oregon, she accepted a position for a community developer and discovered her passion for real estate. “The human element of real estate really appealed to me,” Nancy says. “Right away, I fell in love with helping clients achieve their dreams.”

to find the perfect buyer. After helping her clients prepare their house, she offers a blend of digital and print advertising, which ensures that they will cast a wide net and generate plenty of buzz in the region. Meanwhile, Nancy uncovers additional opportunities through her tight-knit network of fellow Realtors. Through it all, though, she is always there for her clients with openness and clarity. “I’m

Today, Nancy is a Principal Broker for RE/MAX Key Properties, where she services clients all throughout the cities and resort communities of Central Oregon.

In her more than 24 years of experience, she has seen it all, from handling a diverse clientele to even managing her own boutique brokerage. Now having forged a successful career in the housing market, she utilizes a personalized approach to cater her workflow to the specific needs of her clients.

When listing a home, Nancy combines her marketing acumen with her professional connections 36

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a problem solver,” she says. “Throughout my career, my guiding light has been doing what’s in the best interest of my clients.”

Elsewhere, Nancy is equally tenacious when assisting her buyers. A longtime resident of Bend, she can provide them with an insider’s perspective on the picaresque life in Central Oregon. Moreover, she serves as a compassionate advocate for her buyers, often befriending them in the process. As such, Nancy will stay in contact with her clients long after the initial closing, making sure that they are more than satisfied in their new homes.

For her years of successful transactions, Nancy has won herself an outstanding reputation around Oregon, with the overwhelming majority of her volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals. However, she cares more about the individuals and families she has helped along the way. “I get to live vicariously through my clients,” she says. “There’s nothing more exciting than purchasing a home, and I love sharing in that experience.”

Outside of her career, Nancy is a pillar of her community, having acted as Government Affairs Chair, State Director and Association President. She has also served the Oregon Association of Realtors on the Government Affairs Key Objective Group. Elsewhere, she sponsors and supports the Choose Joy Foundation, which aids children whose lives have been impacted by substance abuse. When she’s not working, Nancy can be found spending time in the great outdoors, hiking or floating the river.

Nancy was initially drawn to the real estate industry for how it complimented her outgoing personality and desire to help others. 24 years later, she has fostered an accomplished career around the clients and community she adores.

“People are, without a doubt, the best aspect of real estate,” Nancy says. “It’s a true honor to serve and become friends with my clients.”

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To learn more about Nancy Melrose call 541-419-9293, visit nancymelrose.com or email nancy@nancymelrose.com www.

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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.

1

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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KIM CUMBO

Back in 2013, Kim Cumbo was working at Lowes Home Improvement Center when it hit her, “There has to be something more for me than big box stores,” she recalls. She had always loved houses and real estate, so she went ahead and studied for the license exam while interviewing at several local agencies. “For the first year, I was working full time at the local high school as a teacher’s aide, part time at Lowes, and trying to sell real estate,” she says. “Then one of the managers, who happened to be a friend, kicked my butt and said, ‘you need to be focusing on real estate full time.’ And he was right.” In 2016, she was accepted to the Lancaster Board of Realtors Leadership Academy and took it as a sign she was heading in the right direction.

Gardens Real Estate award for over 2,000,000 in sales.

“I have continued to grow my business and am very grateful to all of my clients who have put their trust in me,” she exclaims.

In 2017, her sales were just under $3 million; 2018 sales came in at $2 million, and 2019 sales were just under $4 million.

With her top-notch skills and acclaimed work ethic, Kim reports that her business is 75% repeat and refer-

She now works for Better Home and Gardens Real Estate Bighill in Lancaster, Ohio, serving Fairfield and the surrounding counties.

Within her first year as a realtor, Kim earned the Achievement Club award in 2014. Half way through her second year, she earned the BHG Leader Club Award. In 2015, she earned the Lancaster Board of Realtors Silver award, and in 2016, she took the Lancaster Board of Realtors Gold award and Better Homes and 40

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ral clientele. “I believe people keep returning because I am honest and down to earth,” she notes. “They are comfortable around me and that makes me feel happy.”

It’s not surprising that she earns stellar reviews from past clients. One customer wrote: “I accidentally met Kim when I drove past her house while she was having a yard sale, and I learned she is a real estate agent. It happens I planned to call a real estate agent that day to see a certain home that week, and Kim arranged a viewing for me. She spent all the time we needed showing us through the house and gave us information about the house. She is very kind, professional, and knowledgeable. I don’t think it was an “accident” that I met her that day. I think it was meant to be.”

Kim is a member of the Lancaster Board of Realtors, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Columbus multiple listing service, Lancaster Multiple Listing Service, Athens Multiple Listing Service, Ohio Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, and a graduate of Lancaster Board of Realtors Leadership Academy.

Because of her warm personality, Kim forms solid relationships with many of her clients and reaches out frequently. “We chat by phone, text or write to one another on Facebook,” she says.

What Kim loves most is working with first-time home buyers. “There’s nothing more exciting than helping someone find their dream home,” she says. “It’s so wonderful to go to a closing and see the smiles on their faces.”

When not working, she spends time with my grandkids, gardens, and rides one of the two motorcycles she owns. “! I belong to an all ladies riding club, and we love to do road trips as well as volunteer in our communities,” she says.

As for her future plans, Kim just hopes to continue what she’s doing. “Working in real estate is the perfect job for people in retirement,” she says. “You get to work with all kinds of amazing people and do it at your own pace.”

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To learn more about Kim Cumbo, please email kim-cumbo@bighill.com, visit kimcumbo.com, or call (740) 808-0263 www.

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How To Overcome Your Workplace Fears Fear is something that can help protect us from danger, but it is also something that can be a hindrance to us in our lives, especially when it keeps us from potentially thriving and growing as a person. This is especially true in the workplace. Here’ a look at some proven ways to overcome common workplace fears.

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ASSESS THE FEELINGS BEHIND THE FEAR

Really owning the emotions that are putting you in a place of fear, is the first step. By just naming it and then talking it out in your head, what exactly you’re feeling and why, it can help deflate the fear. Think of it as releasing some of the fear into the ether. Yes, you’ll still be nervous about your presentation, but a lot of what was holding you back is gone. You’ll feel lighter, and hopefully have just enough butterflies to make your soar.

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TALK ABOUT YOUR FEARS WITH A TRUSTED CO-WORKER

Nothing can make you feel more isolated than going down the path of “This is something that only happens to me.” Trust me, it doesn’t, and you might be surprised to find out that some people have had it even worse. Talking to someone you trust and admire, hearing their own fear horror stories and how they overcame them, will help normalize what you’re feeling. Releasing yourself from the idea that it’s something about you, will be an enormous relief.

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THINK OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

Although it might seem counter-productive, truly assessing what the worse outcome of the situation you’re afraid of serves two purposes. It might lead you to realize the worst case scenario isn’t that bad 42

after all. Of course it could also lead you to a really uncomfortable thought, you could lose your job. As bad as that is, it also gives you an opportunity to start focusing on what really matters, and how you might grow from the experience and possibly end up better off. Countless people in their dream jobs now, were once fired and thought it was the end of the world.

Hopefully, that won’t happen to you, but learning to have confidence in your abilities to always find a way, will be a great tool in overcoming fears.

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COMPARTMENTALIZE

If you’re a super-organized type, you might try actually setting aside time in your day to focus on your fears. It might seem odd, but it will let you NOT focus on your fears during the other hours of your day. Think of it as a task, you aren’t just sitting there worrying, you’re taking in your fears and figuring out ways to overcome them.

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START THINKING OF YOUR FEARS AS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

Start thinking of fears as challenges. As scary as it might seem to face them, for the most part they are things that can be fixed. A lot of fear is based on inexperience which leads to a lack of confidence.

A common fear is workplace evaluations. Instead of looking at it as hearing everything that is wrong about you, think of it as an opportunity to see where you can improve. Going into it with a positive attitude rather than a defensive posture, will make the whole thing better for both parties.

Overcoming fears is oftentimes about a simple attitude adjustment. Like anything it takes practice, but the results of that practice will lead to a life that you’re able to thrive in both personally and professionally.

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CLAIRE ACKERMAN “We are passionate about what we do, and represent people the right way,” Claire Ackerman explains, while discussing her career in real estate. “We want to raise the bar in the industry.”

As the lead of The Ackerman Team in Phoenix, Arizona, Claire continually exceeds expectations, giving people a memorable experience in their buying/ selling journeys. Serving all of Maricopa County and northern Arizona, the vast majority of her business consists of repeat clients and referrals. When asked what sets them apart from other agents, Claire points to their high level of communication as the cornerstone of their business.

market. “Even with the market as competitive as it is, we’re able to sell our clients’ properties for top dollar and mostly before they even go active on the MLS.”

“It’s our communication, that’s the grand theme for my team,” she says. “Our clients really become part of our family. We stay in touch with them and truly care about them.” Throughout the transaction, Claire and her team offer guidance and support, leaving no questions left unanswered. “We make sure everyone and everything is taken care of, we’re dedicated to our clients and we’re always available to them.

Through the entire transaction we’re transparent and authentic, negotiating the best deal on their behalf and advising them on the best decision whether it’s buying or selling.” Claire and her team want to help each client reach their goals, and will do everything in their power to ensure that it happens.

Looking ahead, Claire is eager to continue growing her team and expanding into different markets in Arizona. Wherever this path leads her, she will always find the most joy in helping others.

When it comes to marketing, The Ackerman Team also goes above and beyond, advertising listings on a national TV show called American Dream TV. “That’s really a big part of our advertising, because we’re able to feature our clients’ homes and also represent the community and the lifestyle this area offers.” Claire also offers heavy pre-marketing to spread the word about a listing before it is on the Top Agent Magazine

Afterwards, clients love to spread the word about her work. One recently said, “My family has had the pleasure of working with Claire two times in the last 11 years. The service we received both times was beyond exceptional! Claire helped us buy our first home as well as sell it and purchase our second.

Claire and her team were very knowledgeable, patient and very quick to respond with answers to any and all questions we had (we had a lot)! They made us feel as if we were their only client and part of the family.”

“What I love most about my work is the people. It’s so rewarding to help them and see them happy.”

For more information about Claire Ackerman, please call 480-272-0958 or email claire@claireackerman.com 43 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

RON & BESS BLACQUIERE Ron and Bess Blacquiere began their journey in real estate back in 1995. “My in-laws had been successful real estate brokers and attorneys, and I think they saw a strong, successful career path for us,” Bess remembers. “They suggested that Ron, my husband and business partner, get into real estate and it was just that simple. We did and have been doing this ever since!”

Today, Ron and Bess spearhead their work together as they lead a team that includes almost forty real estate brokers companywide, in addition to administrative professionals, an in-house videographer, photographers, and buyers specialists. Together they serve clients across the greater Eugene and Springfield, Oregon region. A significant contingent of their business is driven by repeat and referral clientele who trust Ron and Bess’s personable styles and proven track records. “It is so fun to see people again year after year,” they say, “to re-connect, listen to how their lives have changed and grown, and to help them take the next exciting steps in their investment journey.”

Likewise, Ron and Bess provide clients with a wealth of insight that amounts to decades of market knowledge. “Everything that we do revolves around real estate,” Ron says. “We own it, lease it, rent it, and we help other people do the same. We have a breadth of experience and that not only sets us apart, but also goes a long way in helping people feel comfortable working with us.”

When listing properties, Ron and Bess leave no detail unaccounted for beginning with professional photography and videography that documents homes in their finest light. From there campaigns across the leading online listing platforms and social media outlets secure wide-ranging exposure. “Video, drone photos, and

still photos that can tell a story, create an emotional experience, and show off not just the highlights, but everything, are strong first steps to excellent marketing,” Bess explains. Ron and Bess also take to their wider network to create buzz, match sellers with buyers, and otherwise cultivate a local audience for homes headed to market. Last year, Ron and Bess closed roughly $21.3million in volume.

Beyond the office, Ron and Bess give back to their community of thirty years through various causes and organizations, including local fundraisers for charity, beach clean-ups, sponsorships of local schools and festivals, supporting area homeless shelters, and donating money to low-income housing. “Our belief is that in order to live in the best community we can, we need to contribute in multiple ways to help make a difference for everyone,” Bess says. “We love it here, and it always feels good to be part of a bigger picture.”

Now, with decades of experience, Ron and Bess Blacquiere consider what they enjoy most about their chosen field. “I love helping clients create assets and gain wealth through real estate,” he says. “It’s really fun to have people walk away from a transaction with something that will serve them in their retirement years.” For Bess building long-term relationships is among her favorite industry occurrences. “The longterm relationships that I have created are the most special to me,” she says. “The other part that I really enjoy, too, is teaching, coaching and training. I love seeing new brokers get into this business and I love helping them get to a place where they have created a full time, successful real estate practice. This job is tough, but we believe in people and I love being a part of their successes.”

To learn more about Ron & Bess Blacquiere, email bess@equinoxrealestate.com or ron@equinoxrealestate.com, visit their website at equinoxrealestate.com, or call (541) 729–2141 www.

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Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Branding Bad in Real Estate Marketing

by Rob Flitton

To begin with, you cannot establish a brand for ANY business until and unless you know what your product and intended clients are.

Think of your brand as a “message with instructions” for a potential client. It won’t be a direct message, but an image, group of words, symbol or design, or combination of these, that will allow the client to easily identify how you solve an existing problem or concern that they have.

If you are not clear about who you are talking to, and why, your message with instructions will speak to anyone and everyone, and therefore to no one.

Your message has to be both intimately related to the real concerns of an extreme niche of people, and authentically connected to who you are. Otherwise, the people you are intending to reach will not see or hear you, and will not use you.

The choice that the vast majority of agents make to brand or co-brand Top Agent Magazine

with their brokerage company is a mistake that is causing them to be invisible to a large pool of potential clients, and lose traction or growth in their business. This mistake sees them repeating anemic efforts season after season to hunt for clients, instead of reaping the much larger benefit of farming or growing clients.

In any given marketplace there are, say, a dozen major real estate brokerage brands. Just like some people love Ford and hate Chevrolet, or like Apple and hate Microsoft, they will either like or love the brand you’re with, or be indifferent to it—we can ignore the indifferent category, because they make the case that the company’s brand isn’t very important.

By choosing to co-brand or line up with their brokerage, the agent therefore has as much as an 11 out of 12 chance of alienating a potential client.

And there is another devastating result—the agent ends up financing the brand of their brokerage.

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The major brokerages today rely on online search success as much as any business—by promising leads to their agents they need a tremendous amount of Google Juice. So, they offer the agent leads, but also offer them a unique co-branded page or presence on their website. By having hundreds, or even thousands of agents with pages on their website, they are gaining massive website traffic (links) and having those agents pay them for it.

down and focus on marketing, followed by strategic branding of the agent alone.

The real estate business, or any business, comes down to two fundamental activities: finding potential clients (leads); and closing those clients (making them into customers).

And finding potential clients comes down to two fundamental activities: hunting—the effort to find “right If an agent ever decides to look into now” business every day form a changing their brokerage they are variety of sources; and farming—the somewhat trapped. Not only do they effort to grow a reliable bounty of lose any equity or money they spent leads by having a long term online on co-branding and collateral mater- and offline strategy with the agent, ials, and the reliance on having some and not their company, as the central leads here or there, but they are empty- core of a targeted branding strategy. handed vis-à-vis Google Juice—each time they leave a brokerage, they are Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate Marketing specialist helping independent starting all over.

The solution for any agent is to drill 46

agents to increase their income. Email Rob robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ text him at 206-612-2314.

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SUZANNE COLE Suzanne Cole began her real estate career 6 years ago, coming from a background in interior design and staging. “I worked in event planning for years and everyone kept telling me, you need to get into real estate,” Suzanne recalls. Since taking the leap into real estate full time, Suzanne has built a solid reputation through her hard work, commitment to her clients, and the personalized service she provides.

As an agent of Berkshire Hathaway, Suzanne serves the Central Valley of California, from Modesto to Fresno and everything in between.

A significant portion of her business comes from repeat and referral clients, and it’s easy to see why people keep coming back. “I think my passion for the business sets me apart,” Suzanne says.

“I treat people how I would like to be treated,” and she goes the extra mile for clients. “Once I even had to keep goats for 3 weeks for a client,” Suzanne says with a laugh.

Staying in touch with past clients is important to Suzanne, and it comes naturally because of the strong relationships she forms with them. “A lot of my clients become my friends,” she says. “So people reach out to me, we talk on the phone, and I follow up with them at birthdays and social functions.” Suzanne believes that a phone call is still the most personal way to contact her clients.

When it comes to marketing her listings, Suzanne says, “Berkshire Hathaway has an excellent

marketing program. We have all sorts of sources that they’ve implemented into our company, and we’re one of the few companies whose listings go nationally.” She markets extensively in the surrounding areas, with an emphasis on the Bay Area, since many of her buyers move from there. “We send out about 1,000 postcards for each home we put on the market, and I belong to many local metro associations, so I market there as well. We get a lot of eyes on our listings.” The results speak for themselves: last year Suzanne hit 30 units in volume, and this year she is projected to reach the high 40s or even 50s.

Suzanne is deeply involved in her local community, having taught dance locally for over 30 years. She participates in community service through her company every year. When she is not working or giving back, Suzanne loves to spend time with her family, and also enjoys boating on the lake.

In the future, Suzanne plans to continue pushing forward, building her referral base, and keep growing her business, all while still giving her clients the same great service. “My favorite part of working in real estate is meeting new people and making new friends,” she says. “I especially love working with first-time homebuyers.

When they hug me and they’re crying and they can’t believe they actually got a new house, that brings me a lot of joy.”

To find out more about Suzanne Cole, please call 209-704-4605, email scole1706@aol.com, or visit zillow.com/profile/scole1706 www.

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KELLY DAVIES Kelly Davies formed, Kelly Davies Homes Team, Landro Realty, two years ago after working for many years as a solo agent. Since then, she and her team have made a name for themselves as hard-working, effective, and compassionate professionals who can help clients achieve their real estate goals.

Kelly and her team serve all of the Fox Cities of Wisconsin, including Appleton, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Menasha, Neenah, and Oshkosh, as well as Green Bay. A significant portion of Kelly’s business comes from repeat and referral clients.

“I form great relationships with my clients,” Kelly says.

“I treat everybody like family, and we do a lot of follow up with our clients long after the transaction, keeping in touch with them over the years.” Clients know they can expect Kelly and her team to work hard on their behalf.

“I work a lot because I care a lot,” Kelly explains. “I try to be available to my clients at all times.”

Kelly and her team provide a comprehensive marketing strategy for all their listings. Kelly is a Premier Agent on all the major listing websites, including Zillow, Realtor. com, and others. “Having that Premier Agent status means that my clients’ listings are Featured Listings on those sites, and as a result they reach far more people than your average listing,” Kelly says. “Only about 2% of the agents in our area have that Premier Agent status, so that really sets us apart.” Kelly and her team also distribute their new listings to every contact in their database, as well as using paid Facebook and Instagram ads to reach an even wider audience.

The results speak for themselves: this past year, Kelly and her team did $25 million in volume, with a total of 166 transactions. “Our team started out small, because I needed help and couldn’t do it on my own anymore,” Kelly says. As she has expanded her team, she has always kept in mind her obligation to help her team members succeed. “I’m not looking to have a huge team, that’s never been my goal. My goal is to provide opportunities for agents coming in that I didn’t have when I first started out.”

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Community involvement is important to Kelly and her team. They donate a portion of every sale to Harbor House, a domestic abuse shelter in Appleton, as well as to Peaceful Purpose, a nonprofit that offers head-shaving and wigs at low or no cost for people in the community with medical hair loss. Kelly also belongs to a number of moms’ groups in the area. “We encourage everyone on our team to be active in at least one community organization at all times,” she says.

When she is not working or giving back, Kelly loves the arts. She and her husband are season ticket holders at the local performing arts center in downtown Appleton, and love attending Broadway shows. They have two kids, ages 5 and 7, and love spending time together as a family.

In the future, Kelly plans to continue providing her team with opportunities for success, while delivering the same great level of service to her clients. Her favorite part of her job is being able to help people. “I love getting people to closing and getting them into a new home,” Kelly says. “That’s the biggest reward.”

To find out more about Kelly Davies, please call 920.791.9047, email kelly@kellydavieshomes.com, or visit kellydavieshomes.com www.

Brokered by Landro Fox Cities Realty, LLC Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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) Top Agent Magazine

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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DANIELLE DOYLE Danielle Doyle began her real estate career 3 years ago, but her love of real estate began long before that. “My dad was an architect, and I loved homes growing up,” Danielle explains. “Later, I did a lot of humanitarian aid work overseas in Germany, and I love people. I got into real estate because it involved helping people, and also because I’ve always been fascinated with architecture and buildings.” Danielle prides herself on providing excellent and reliable service to her clients, and they value her hard work and compassion.

As a Realtor® with Ritchey Realty, Danielle serves the Keller/Alliance area of North Texas. Almost all of her business comes from repeat and referral clients, an impressive feat considering that many agents spend 5 years or more to get to that level. “My whole business is based on referrals,” Danielle says, “and I love it that way. I try to give people excellent service and build relationships, and it’s paid off.”

Clients know that Danielle is with them for the long haul, and her reliability inspires confidence. “I always answer my phone, or call you right back if I don’t pick up in time,” she says. “I also follow up with people after a sale. I always tell people: if I sell you a house, I want to call in 6 months and know that you’re happy.

When the transaction is done, that isn’t the end of it.”

Danielle’s communication also helps save her clients from unnecessary stress during the buying or selling process. “Communication is key, and I always try to eliminate red flags before they come up. My goal is to keep stress levels low and the process enjoyable.

It’s not just a transaction to me. I believe that the real bottom line is caring about people, and I think people recognize it when you do care.”

When marketing listings, Danielle takes a comprehensive and innovative approach that’s designed to be Top Agent Magazine

effective in changing times. “This year, we’ve had to throw everything out the door and rebuild,” Danielle says. She now creates 3D tours for every one of her sellers, in addition to professional photos. “I post to every buy/sell/trade book on Facebook, I send out flyers, and I’m all over the neighborhood pages on social media. These days, the first showing is online, and everything is digital. We need to make sure we execute online presence and bring those numbers in for people.”

When she is not working, Danielle loves spending time with her husband and 3 kids. She enjoys getting exercise, getting out in nature to go for hikes with her family, and keeping up with friends.

In the future, Danielle plans to grow her business and continue bringing great service to her clients. “I love meeting new people and families and helping them all succeed in the home buying and selling process,” she says. “I wish someone had told me to invest in real estate sooner in life, because it’s such a great way to build financial independence. I love to meet people and get to tell them, ‘This is going to be one of the best decisions you’ll make.’ When you have equity in your home, you are set up for success.”

To find out more about Danielle Doyle, email danielledoylerealty@gmail.com call 979.204.9884 or visit ritcheyrealty.com https://

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DEB FORTE Deb Forte started out in sales, but she always harbored an interest in the real estate industry, particularly for the ways it complimented her outgoing personality and entrepreneurial spirit. After getting started as a Realtor, she became inspired, and set off to build her own team. “The whole thing was very organic,” she says, reflecting on her entrance into the business. “I didn’t even have to search for my team—the right people just came to me.”

Today, Deb is Team Leader of the Forte group for Century 21, where she has been servicing clients in Southern New Hampshire, Boston and Maine for over fifteen years. By combining her forty years of sales experience with her love of training and coaching, Deb, along with the members of her team, has built an accomplished career in real estate, with the vast majority of her volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals.

When listing a home, Deb prefers a diversified approach. After supplying her clients with professional photography, videography and virtual tours, she targets her listings over various online platforms, such as Zillow or Facebook. Meanwhile, she can lean on her network at Century 21 to further match a home with its prospective buyer. Throughout, Deb is always there for her clients with her excellent negotiation skills and can-do attitude. “My favorite expression is ‘Rock on,” she says. “Above all, I want to bring a feeling of positivity and expertise to my clients.”

Deb employs a similar blend of engagement and hard work when advocating for her buyers. Most importantly, she caters her process to their needs, ensuring that they find the right home for them. But Deb also continues her service long after closing, staying in touch with both her buyers and sellers through annual client appreciation parties and the occasional pop-in. “Most of my clients just know me as Glammy,” she says with a laugh. “They usually feel like family members by the end of the transaction.”

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Outside of her career, Deb maintains an active role in her community. On top of donations to the local food pantry, she also sponsors a coloring contest scholarship for young students. When she’s not helping clients, Deb can be found spending time with her wonderful grandchildren or studying up on gourmet cooking. “If someone I know is sick,” she says, “then I’m bringing soup right to their door.”

Looking ahead to the future, Deb intends on steadily growing her business while continuing to mentor the upcoming members of her team. “I want to share my process with my agents, so they can start to grow their own careers,” she says. “At this point, everything I do is about synergy.”

Over the course of her life, Deb has developed a strong business acumen around communication, a tireless work ethic and an unwavering commitment to her clients. Now a successful Realtor in multiple states, she still stays focused on what brought her to the industry in the first place. “You get to make people happy,” Deb says. “Nothing feels better than seeing your buyers and sellers win, and knowing that their dreams have come true.”

For more about Deb Forte email dforte@c21ne.com, visit debbieforte.com or call (978) 423-6464 www.

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Things You Can Do to Anticipate Your Cleint’s Needs First and foremost, the real estate industry is a customer service business. The key to any successful real estate business is one that can build a reputation by providing an unsurpassed level of care. That usually means a transaction that is seamless and stress-free as possible throughout the whole process. Your client’s experience is what keeps them not only coming back, but gets them to recommend you to their friend and family.

tise. By showing you can not only anticipate their needs, but have insight into any potential problems that might arise, they will have complete confidence in you. Achieving that level of trust is the key to a transaction that is as stress-free as possible.

The key to creating a great experience is anticipating your client’s needs. They are relying on your professionalism and exper-

From the moment, you meet a po-tential client, your goal should be to find out not only what they are looking for as far as their real estate

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GET TO KNOW YOUR CLIENTS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL

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goals, but who they are as a person. Listening and asking the right questions from the start is one of the most important aspects of the job.

You almost have to become an amateur psychologist, really honing in on the emotional reasons behind their real estate transaction.

Taking time upfront not only gives you valuable insight into your client, but it is the first impression your clients have that you truly care about them, and that this isn’t just another commission check for you. This goes miles in helping them feel comfortable enough to rely on your guidance.

Knowing who your client is on a deep level will help you navigate the transition ups and downs, allowing you to anticipate the best way to handle it.

SPOT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS Having insight into your client’s per-sonality type will come in handy when you anticipate an upcoming snag in the transaction. Most people find the process to be stressful even under the best of circumstances. One of the best rules of thumb is to always provide the solutions to anticipated problems when you present them to the client.

This should be the case even when the problem isn’t on you. Anything that can ruin a client’s overall experience can reflect poorly on you, whether you deserve it or not. This is a business philosophy called “zero risk”. You don’t want to take any chances with having an unsatisfied customer.

This is where your experience in the business pays off. You’ve probably seen most things and can easily anticipate problems that are 54

likely to delay the process. Remember you are in charge. You are the expert. And, remember, part of avoiding potential problems is making sure your client knows what to expect upfront, always communicate openly and honestly.

Telling people what they want to hear and knowing you can’t deliver it, is destined to fail, and will always reflect poorly on you.

FIND WAYS TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS Recognizing ways to exceed a cus-tomer’s needs is just as important as looking out for potential problems, when it comes to creating an exceptional experience. Have a vetted list of trusted service providers. Be hands on.

There are Realtors® who are out there helping clients pack, mowing lawns, and picking kids up from school. They are there for a client in ways that are unexpected. Having one thing taken off your plate during a stressful period in your life can feel like a lifesaver and is not soon forgotten. It is those “little” things that will turn a client into a lifelong advocate for your business.

TAKE IN FEEDBACK A good service provider is always trying to do better. Many Realtors® have clients fill out surveys after the transaction is over. This serves two purposes. It helps you become better at your job and it shows your clients that you care about them and their opinions. You can also use social media to get feedback via analytics and interactions. All of this information can then be used to create better customer experiences in the future. After all, this is a customer service industry. Treat it like one and you’re bound to succeed.

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JEALENE FRIESEN With a love of helping others and a talent for business, Jealene Friesen has made great strides as a real estate agent in Seminole, TX. She got her start flipping houses and decided to get her license to make the process easier. “It quickly became a lot more,” she explains.

Jealene has been working as an agent for the last three years and recently started her own team, Excel Real Estate Group. Already a two-time recipient of the Keller Williams Bronze Award, Jealene has continually grown year after year. The vast majority of her business consists of repeat clients and referrals, a testament to her superior service and dedication to her clients.

“There’s a couple of things I’ve learned along the way,” she states. “The biggest being: I do my best, and God does the rest! I’ve also seen the power of having a strong support system around you,” Jealene adds. “From fellow KW agents who’ve provided invaluable support to great coaching from our team leader. Not to mention my amazing husband, who urged me to get my license in the first place and has always been my biggest cheerleader!”

down, she had a schedule ready for us with accommodations for breaks and meals for the whole family…. She went above and beyond to help us find our new perfect home…. Jealene stayed with us throughout the entire process and a year later she is still our go to person for random help and suggestions when needed. To sum things up, if I had to do it all over again I wouldn’t do it without her! She was amazing!”

Another wrote, “Jealene was such a wonderfully pleasant and knowledgeable agent to work with during the process of selling our home! Even with the listing during the pandemic, she made sure everything went smoothly and we had an offer on our home in no time!”

When Jealene isn’t working, she’s either volunteering at her church or her sons’ school, traveling with her husband and their three young boys, or relaxing with her family.

Shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she created and gifted care packages to her past and current clients living locally.

For Jealene, the focus is on providing guidance to her clients throughout and constantly communicating with them. “Getting back to them in a timely manner is huge!” she says. Understanding how important each transaction is, she takes her job very seriously, only wanting what is best for her clients.

Looking ahead, Jealene has her sights set on expanding her referral base through her referral rewards program, as well as consistent communications with her clientele, including e-newsletters, birthday and home anniversary cards, and annual Client Appreciation events. Eventually her goal is to add agents to her team who specialize in specific fields of real estate.

Afterwards, buyers and sellers love spreading the word about her work. One recently wrote, “Jealene was an absolute blessing to us when it came to…moving to TX. We spoke over the phone, thru text, thru email…before ever meeting in person. When we made arrangements to travel

There are many aspects of her skillset that perfectly suit her real estate career, but she says, “It’s using my God-given talents to serve others in a field I’m passionate about. It’s the satisfaction of helping people and seeing them happy with the process. That’s what I love the most!”

For more information about Jealene Friesen, please call 432-279-0732 or email jealene@kw.com

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JEFFREY JIMENEZ Inspired by his wife, Michele, to get into real estate, Jeffrey Jimenez knew right away that he had found a career he was truly passionate about and could excel at.

Along with Michele he decided to build a team of agents—The Jimenez Team— at eXp Realty, and together they serve clients throughout Long Island.

His ability to connect and listen to people, and his focus on establishing long lasting relationships, has earned Jeffrey many repeat and referral clients. “Most of my clients become my long term friends. It’s important for me to nurture those friendships instead of treating my clients as if they’re just a transaction,” he says. Aside from his genuine care, he also offers clients his undivided attention. “I’m always available to them. They know they can call me any time of day.”

Jeffrey’s work frequently consists of helping first time buyers with the home purchasing process, but also sellers as well as new construction. That’s why he puts a lot of time and effort into educating his clients and slowly walking them through the process so that they understand where they’re at every step of the way, and feel well-informed, comfortable, and confident in making a decision. “We truly hold their hand and try to guide them to all the best resources.

Our team genuinely cares about our clients. We want to be their rock in this crazy world of buying homes,” he says. And when a buyer outgrows their home, Jeffrey is always there to help them upgrade to their new dream house.

Part of Jeffrey’s successful business strategy is having an in-depth marketing plan, which is why he has a marketing department within his team. They utilize cutting-edge technology in order to market their listings, and promote via social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Thanks to his hard 56

work and strong marketing Jeffrey averages about 50 transactions a year.

Outside of work Jeffrey is involved in his local church through which he volunteers in various community initiatives. He also loves boating, and has recently bought a brand new boat, which he likes taking out on the Forge River Bay as often as possible. “I like to sit and enjoy the solitude and sound of the water.” Both him and his wife also ensure that they get enough quality time with their family and friends.

Going forward Jeffrey’s primary focus is to grow and improve his team. As someone who enjoys educating and helping others, he would like to be able to take on more agents. His vision of a bigger team isn’t only centered around expanding his business, but also on making certain that the next generation of real estate agents are taught the correct core values in regards to navigating the business and being able to give clients the highest level of service. “I started my team because I really enjoy getting to know new agents and teaching them the correct and ethical way to do real estate. I enjoy helping other agents prosper and ensuring that they will in turn help change their clients’ lives for the better.”

To learn more about Jeffrey Jimenez email jeffrey@longislandrealestatepros.com, visit jeffreyjimenez.exprealty.com, facebook.com/jimenezteamatexprealty, Instagram @ jeff_n_michele, or call (631) 953–7864 www.

www.

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Daily Habits That Will Increase Your Mental Strength When it comes to building physical strength, the solutions are obvious, but keeping up your mental strength isn’t as easy as going to the gym. Although physical exercise does help clear your head and relieve stress, there are other things you can do daily that will help your mind be as strong and flexible as your body after a workout. Here’s just a few things you can do to help clear your head and make you more productive.

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DON’T WASTE YOUR BRAIN POWER That might seem obvious, but think about how much mental energy you might use up worrying about negativity or things you have no control over. Instead of focusing on problems, focus on solutions.

This actually take a lot of effort, we’re all conditioned to let worry paralyze us sometimes. Try and catch yourself when you’re 57

wasting time thinking about about past mistakes or current dilemmas you don’t have the power to stop. You really only have so much mental energy, and if you have kids and an especially stressful work situation, that might be even less than normal. Start treating your brain like the precious resource it is. You don’t want to be running on empty when it really matters.

BE MORE POSITIVE Eliminating negative thoughts is essential to increasing your mental strength. Carrying around negativity is like swimming with all of your clothes on. You might be okay at first, but eventually you’ll feel like you can barely stay afloat. Don’t drown in negativity, use positive thoughts as a lifesaver. This doesn’t mean you should ignore things you need to improve, just approach them with solutions rather than beating yourself up. Constant monitoring of this is important since it’s really easy to slide back into negative thinking.

STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE A lot of mental energy can go to dealing with anxiety. One way to deal with that is by forcing yourself to try new things and take on new challenges, that you might normally avoid because they make you feel unsure or scared. Challenge yourself daily, even with small things.

This is definitely something that becomes easier with practice. Start small, and in no time you’ll be taking on things you never 58

thought were possible. The simple task of trying something new every day will have you feeling energized and put you on the path to self-growth.

BE SELF-AWARE Your emotions affect everything you do, even if they’re not at the surface. Recognizing and labeling them is key. A lot of the above exercises require selfreflection. It’s okay to have the emotions you have, understanding why and where those emotions come from allows you to focus on dealing with them rather than just wallowing in them. Being self-aware is also about self-care. Know the things that help relax and rejuvenate you. That way you can handle everyday stresses and remain calm even during the most turbulent times.

BE WILLING TO LEARN A lot of people are still hung up on the idea that learning is a boring and tedious process, but you aren’t in junior high anymore. You can find something you’re actually interested in and immerse yourself in it, which engages your mind like nothing else. Whether it’s learning a new technology that will improve your business or something that will make you a more well-rounded person, the learning process keeps you engaged and open to new ideas. A curiosity about the world and new things is something that all mentally strong people have in common.

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ABBY JONES Abby Jones first took an interest in real estate in college, when she served as an assistant for a successful broker. After graduation, she forged a career in the corporate sphere, working in human resources and the oil and gas industry.

Through it all, she was ultimately drawn back to realty, in particular for the ways it spoke to her passion for helping residents within her Houston community. “Real estate was always something that I’d wanted to do,” she says. “So I finally decided the time was right, dove in and got my license.”

Today, Abby is a Realtor for Nan & Company Properties, Christie’s International Real Estate, where she services clients throughout Houston Heights, Oak Forest and the surrounding areas. Having lived in these very neighborhoods for years, she brings a unique insider’s perspective to her transactions, ensuring that her clients find the perfect deal for their needs.

When listing a home, Abby takes a comprehensive approach. Starting out, she conducts a careful walk-through with her sellers and makes sure they are fully prepared for the market. After supplying a suite of resources, such as staging services, professional photography, Matterport virtual tours and videography to showcase a house and its surrounding neighborhood, she proceeds to share her listings via targeted digital and social media campaigns.

On top of ads through her broker’s website, Abby gives her clients’ listings additional reach through promotions on her platform at Christie’s International Real Estate and print advertisements in area magazines—all to cast as wide a net as possible.

Meanwhile, Abby values a personal touch when assisting her buyers, standing as their guide and advocate through all the nuances of a transaction. Here, she leans on her background as an Oak Forest resident and knowledge of her local history to better educate her clients on safe financial decisions. “I’ve lived in these neighborhoods for years,” she says. “Because of that experience, I know the market; I know which areas have room to grow and which ones are saturated.”

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For her ongoing commitment to client service, Abby has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Houston, with the majority of her volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals. What sets her apart? “My clients know they can trust my advice. I’m looking out for their best interests, no matter what.

Beyond that, I’m not just their agent; I’m also their counselor, advisor or mediator—whatever they need.”

Outside of her career, Abby strives to give back to the community she loves. On top of volunteering for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Calf Scramble Committee, she serves as Director of Public Relations for the board of Oak Forest’s HOA. Elsewhere, she volunteers at the PTO for her local elementary school and fosters dogs through the Rescue Pets Movement Group. At home, she enjoys spending quality time with her family.

Abby has strong ambitions for the future. In the years ahead, she intends on attaining her broker’s license, building her team and growing into the designated agent for her neighborhood. Meanwhile, she’ll never lose sight of what brought her to real estate in the first place: personal relationships. “My clients entrust me with the most significant purchase or sale of their lives,” she says. “I truly value that. Above all, there’s nothing more rewarding than helping them navigate a deal to find the home of their dreams.”

To learn more about Abby Jones please call (979) 820-0168 email abby.jones@nanproperties.com, visit nanproperties.com www.

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NICHOLAS MANSUR Nicholas (“Nick”) Mansur began his real estate career three and a half years ago. He got into the business out of a desire to help people accomplish their life goals, and today he delivers excellent results to an ever-growing number of happy clients. “The value I provide is to take all the stress and guesswork out of the home buying and selling process for my clients,” Nick says. Clients appreciate his aptitude for negotiation and the way he always has their best interests at heart.

A St. Paul native, Nick loves working in and serving the Twin Cities. He is a member of the Twin City Property Sales Team, which he describes as “a really good fit for me. Having the support of the team allows me to be more productive with the parts of the job I enjoy and am better suited to do.” A significant portion of Nick’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, and he is steadily growing this part of his business by providing his clients with positive experiences. “If I am able to provide an experience where my clients feel they got a good deal, were well represented, and competently navigated the home buying and/or selling process, they are more likely to become repeat clients and to refer me to people they know that are looking for an agent.”

and make phone calls so that everyone in the vicinity knows about the new listing. That’s in addition to extensive marketing on social media and digital ad campaigns. “We want to generate as much activity as we can and make sure as many people as possible know about our listing before it goes on the market,” Nick says. “That way, we can have a lot of prospects lined up at the start. Sometimes we have over a dozen showings scheduled before the house is even listed.”

Community involvement is important to Nick, and his team works with The Dwelling Place, a Twin Cities-based shelter for victims of domestic violence, volunteering and participating in their fundraising efforts. When he’s not working or giving back, Nick loves bicycling around the Twin Cities in the summer, heading up north to enjoy boating on Minnesota’s many beautiful lakes, and ice fishing in the winter.

In the future, Nick plans to continue growing his business and making a positive impression on his clients. “I would like to have a primarily referral-based business,” he says, “and also to eventually have my own team.”

More than anything, Nick says, he loves getting to know his clients and delivering results. “I love getting to work with people, building those relationships, and negotiating to get them the best deal possible.”

Nick’s willingness to take the initiative for his clients is another big plus. “I try to be a proactive agent instead of a reactive one,” he explains. “I don’t just wait for people to say they need something. I like to go out and get it for them, and anticipate any issues or hiccups that may occur.” This dedication to serving his clients’ needs leaves a lasting impression. “In a transaction, I’m more concerned about the level of service I provide than I am with my bottom line. I’m focused on providing an excellent experience so that in the future, whenever they think of residential real estate, they think of me.”

When marketing a listing, Nick and the team use a combination of traditional and digital marketing to get the word out. They knock on doors in the neighborhood 60

To find out more about Nicholas Mansur, call 651-587-5632, email nick@tcpropertysales.com, or visit kw.com/agent/UPA-6587385319670378497-8 www.

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Every Player is Valuable: How to Boost Your Team’s Morale In the fast-paced world of real estate, it can be easy to overlook the contributions of those lower-level employees who are instrumental in our success, yet are overlooked when it comes to recognizing the important roles they play in keeping our business operating smoothly.

Even a task that seems simple, such as answering phones, can be overwhelming at Top Agent Magazine

times. Letting these employees know that they are appreciated is something that often goes overlooked at busier companies, and can often result in impaired morale overall, as employee dissatisfaction tends to be contagious.

Here are some things that you can do to increase morale and productivity in your workplace: 61

While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right.

1

While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, and sometimes to reprimand, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right. Even a simple compliment can go a long, long way towards building that employee’s morale, and therefore their willingness to go the extra mile for your team.

An example: “Sally, I just heard you on the phone with that client. You sounded very professional and I really appreciate your representing our business that way.”

2

Determine what all of your employee’s goals are, and what their expectations for growth might be. There may be lower level employees who are perfectly content doing what they’re doing, and who have absolutely no expectations for growth in your business. Others, however, may have an interest in moving up the ladder. Make it your business to determine this early on, and try to take a personal interest in your employee’s growth with your company. Knowing there is room to grow is an important factor in employee satisfaction, and knowing who wants to grow and who

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doesn’t is something you should be aware of. Groom from within, and your employees will be grateful and work harder.

3

If your workplace is highly stratified, with multiple levels of employees (agents, senior agents, loan processers, assistants, etc.,) make an effort to ensure that everyone feels valued as part of the team regardless of what they earn. Various team building exercises that encourage trust and a sense of familiarity can go a long way towards fostering an environment that is less unnecessarily competitive and more productive and cooperative. A quick web search for “Trust Building Exercises” will help you locate many good ways to achieve a newfound level of camaraderie amongst your team. Many of them are quite a bit of fun, too.

Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating a better-functioning, higher-achieving team of motivated, caring employees.

Remember, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, so be sure to keep everyone feeling appreciated, supported and valued, and your company will only benefit.

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JENNIFER NEWMAN Jennifer Newman began her career in retail and marketing. “I even had my own kids’ clothing line,” she notes. “But I always had a love for houses, décor and design and friends would tell me, ‘Jen, you should get into real estate.’” She was hesitant at first due to what she viewed as a negative perception of what a real estate agent is like. “Initially my opinion was that the business is cut-throat and everyone is in for themselves,” she explains.

“But then I sat down with a broker friend of mine, and I fell in love with his office.” She realized that the team was all about camaraderie, mutual support, and helping people reach their dreams of home ownership.

Now, five years later, she is a solo agent with Jen Newman Homes, a brand of Keller Williams Metro Atlanta, representing the Atlanta, Georgia territory. Hers is the #1 office in the city, and she was named #19 top producing agent out of 13,000. It’s not surprising that her business is 100% repeat and referral clientele. “I think that’s because people appreciate my dedication and the level of service they receive,” she says. “I’m always there for my clients, day or night, for whatever they need. I believe this is an important part of my job, and they appreciate that I care about them.”

Her clients agree that her efforts are top-notch. One client recently wrote: “There was no one else we trusted to sell our home. Jen knows the market exceptionally well and guides her clients through every piece of the journey. She even managed the small details so we could list our home from out of state.”

Jennifer has also had a lot of success in a dual agency role.

“That’s not always an easy position to be in. It takes a lot of trust,” she states. “I make it clear that I’m there to represent each client honestly and fairly, and we all get through the experience successfully.” She also prides herself in telling it like it is. “I’m from New Jersey, so I don’t B.S.

If something isn’t working for my client, I will let them know, and they appreciate my honesty,” she says.

To stay in touch with her past clients, Jennifer believes in the personal touch. “I personalize all of my contacts,” she says. “I will check in just to see how they’re doing. Sometimes I drop off little items to their homes just because…Things like that.”

When marketing her listings, Jennifer places a “huge” amount of importance on social media marketing, along with grassroots marketing, and local sponsorships, because it helps everyone when she supports local businesses and events.

“We have a strong presence in the community, and I make sure to add my personality when putting anything out there,” she asserts. “Everything I do must be extremely authentic and capture my vibe.”

She adds that she does what she does for the relationships. “It’s not about numbers for me,” she says. “It’s about helping my clients. Both the selling and buying process can be extremely stressful, so I come in to take away that stress and to not make it so dreadful. My goal is to make it fun.”

Jennifer is very involved with her agency’s KW Cares programs that give back to the community all year long, “I’m also involved with my kids’ required community service programs, and love to do spontaneous acts of kindness,” she says. “It’s really about organic giving.”

When not working, the single mother of two teenagers dedicates her time to her kids and their needs. She also loves to ride her rescue horse Blind Hope, which brings her great joy. As for the future, Jennifer wants to continue on her forward momentum of success. “I just want to be the best at what I do for my clients,” she says. “That’s what it’s all about.

To learn more about Jennifer Newman, call 404-316-5265, email jennewman@kw.com, or visit jennewmanhomes.com www.

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MICHAEL NEWPORT After a less than stellar experience selling his first home, Michael Newport was inspired to take matters into his own hands.

“I knew there was a better way to go about this process, and that gave me the push I needed,” he remembers. Now, almost a decade later, Michael built a reputation as an agent known for his communication, proven track record, and personal touch.

Today, Michael is part owner of the Mallard Realty Group, serving clients across the Great Durham region and throughout the entire Triangle region.

There, almost the entirety of his business is driven by repeat and referral clientele who trust his transparency and focus on relationships. “The biggest thing is our personal touch,” he says. “When I start working with someone, it’s a lot about educating them on the process, and that in turn forms a friendship. When a client calls with a question, they connect with me directly, and that personal interaction from beginning to end makes a big difference during the course of a transaction.” Likewise, Michael is a big believer in setting clear expectations upfront and often. “My career began in hospitality, so I was always trained to be overly prepared and expect the worst, and that’s how I approach real estate,” he says. “I try to make things fun along the way too, but foremost make sure my clients are equipped with the information they need to make a good decision. For me, communication has been the most important part of my business. My clients know if they need something, I’ll be there for them.”

When it comes to listing properties, Michael equips each property with immersive documentation to showcase homes in their finest light. Virtual tours and video walkthroughs, professional photography, and leverage across the leading online listing platforms and social media outlets ensure ideal buyers are sourced in short order. From there, major traffic is generated through Michael’s site, where prospective buyers near and far 64

often begin their Durham-area search. In recent years, Michael averages roughly 50 to 60 transactions annually, totaling $14-million in volume, at an average pricepoint of $250,000 to $350,000, though past transactions have seen successful closings at a broad range of pricepoints.

Beyond the office, Michael gives back to his community through his partnership with the Durham Animal Protection Society, to which he donates a portion of every commission earned. In his free hours, he most enjoys time spent with family and loved ones. As for the future, he intends to keep progress going strong as he continues to grow his business and continue to add team members to the ranks.

Now, with nine years of experience and insight to his name, Michael Newport considers what he values most about his chosen field, along with some lessons learned along the way. “Every day is different,” he says. “It’s a rush being able to help someone and to see the response you get from the client when you reach the closing table.

It’s incredibly rewarding that people place their trust in me, and setting that foundation from the beginning is really important. If you put your clients’ needs ahead of yours, and if you’re focused on their best interests above all, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.

Success will follow. I take that to heart.”

To learn more about Michael Newport email Michael@MichaelNewport.com, visit MallardRealtyGroup.com, or call (919) 747–1950 www.

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6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything Top Agent Magazine

or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust.

But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?

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1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.

Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive.

Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.

2

Be Responsive and Accessible

Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating.

Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.

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Be Honest and Transparent

Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it.

You should always act in their best interest.

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4

Go the Extra Mile

If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.

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Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.

6

Be Consistent

Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent.

But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates

consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.

Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.

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CHRISTINA SIWEK Christina Siwek began her journey in real estate soon after graduating from college. At the time, she was familiar with the industry through her family’s work with investment properties.

Intrigued by the challenge, she began accruing knowledge and experience in 2004 and formally launched her career in 2007, soon establishing a reputation as an agent known for client-centric care, attention to detail, and a personal touch.

Today, Christina spearheads her work under the banner of Windermere Real Estate, serving Seattle and the Greater Eastside, most especially Snoqualmie Valley.

There, almost the entirety of her business is driven by repeat and referral clientele who trust her experience, local knowledge, and proven track record. “We really want to deliver that five-star service and make the real estate process as stress-free as possible for our clients,” she says. “That means a high level of attention to detail. We handle everything, from hiring contractors and getting bids, to arranging a project and making sure that everyone is putting their best foot forward at every stage of the process.” Beyond the negotiations and fine print, Christina also focuses on the connection built alongside each buyer and seller she serves. “I love architecture and homes, but I also love the opportunity to help people,” she says. “I like being a resource for people during one of the biggest transactions in their lives. It’s our job to be their advocates, stand up for them, and make sure they have the tools and support to make the most informed decision possible.”

This level of detail is also foundational to the listing process. Christina and her team ensure every property is documented to the fullest through professional photography, video, and drone footage. From there, listings enjoy premium placement across the full suite of online listing platforms and social media outlets, in addition to print campaigns with Luxury Home Magazine and Seattle based publications that ensure buzz is built Top Agent Magazine

online and at the local level. Last year alone, Christina closed roughly $15-million in volume, at an average pricepoint ranging from $600,000 to $2-million.

Beyond the office, Christina is an active member of her community. She fundraises for the Seattle Children’s Hospital and cancer research, and serves as the President of the PTSA at her local elementary school, in addition to her work with Girls on the Run. She and her colleagues also donate a portion of every commission to the Windermere Foundation, supporting low-income and homeless families in local communities.

To date the Winderemere Foundation has raised more than $41-million across ten states for those in need. In her free hours, she most enjoys time spent with family and loved ones, running, and horseback riding. As for the future, Christina intends to keep momentum going strong as she continues to build her career and team in the fruitful years to come. In fact, this year she is aiming for a personal best of $30-million in annual volume.

Now, with more than a decade of experience and insight to her name, Christina Siwek considers the road ahead.

“We’re ambitious and strong as a team,” she says, “and we really want to grow, and see our community grow.

It’s a fantastic place to live and we love sharing that.

We believe in helping people. That’s why we do what we do.”

For more about Christina Siwek please email siwek@windermere.com, call 425–628–9696, or visit thesiwekteam.com www.

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CANDICE VAN BIBBER Candice Van Bibber works hard for her clients. It comes to her naturally as a single mother. “When things get rough, we single moms keep it together,” she says. And while things have been rough lately, Candice hasn’t backed down from being there for her clients who need her support in these uncertain times.

Candice can offer that support because she has overcome adversity. She got into real estate while working at a bar, where she became friends with the owner of a local brokerage. Impressed by her customer service skills, he steered her in the direction of real estate. “I was going through a divorce and I had two kids,” she recalls today. “I went to school and kept bartending full time, and I earned that license.”

That was back in 2006, and in the years since Candice has been the ultimate example of a rags-to-riches story, growing more and more successful every year. She recently joined Music City Experts, Brokered by Laura Dahl. With Music City Experts, Candice has cultivated a referral-heavy business serving clients in a 70 miles radius of Nashville, with 70% of her clients returning to her or coming via friend and family referral.

What keeps people coming is Candice’s attention to detail; she offers a bundle package in a concierge-type setting, where they can get a free appraisal, a security system, or access to preferred lenders. By taking care of the details, Candice makes her clients feel taken care of and she brings that feeling home with constant communication. “I make lifelong friends with my clients,” she says. “They get weekly emails during the transaction, and then afterward I’m there for all their milestones in life.”

Candice loves to be of service, and a portion of all proceeds from closings go to local charities. Candice is deeply involved in her community – she has volunteered for Bridges Domestic Violence Center and is a member of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce since 2007 and currently serves as an Ambassador. Part of that involves supporting local businesses impacted by recent closures. “We visit them curbside,” she says. “A lot of 68

these are mom and pop places, and staying connected and giving back in these times is so important.” She is currently on the Board of directors for Women Who Rock Nashville, a non-profit that serves women who have overcome tragedy and are making a difference in the community.

When not working or giving back, Candice loves to dance. “I’ve had extensive training since I was two,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll do ballroom, sometimes just regular hip hop or jazz.” She loves to be outdoors with her kids; her family has grown to include five children.

“I have two biological children and I adopted three,” she says. “They’re a sibling group of three, and my kids range from 8 to 19. We’re very outdoorsy – whether it’s riding bikes or sitting by the fire pit, we love to do it together.”

And she’ll keep going forward together with her clients.

“We’re treating it like business as usual,” she says. “We’re still marketing properties, my builders are in Cornersville building a subdivision with an all brick community and in Lewisburg we build to suit, bring your plan or ours.

Even though things are a little different these days, it’s important for my clients to know I’m still here to support them and be there for them – that’s the meaning of being part of a community.”

To find out more about Candice Van Bibber, visit musiccityexperts.com/Candice, call 615-727-4777 or email onfireagent@gmail.com www.

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Living On Commission

by Linda Brakeall

Commissioned sales is one of the few places where you get paid exactly what you’re worth. One of my friends really hates that concept.

“I could never live on that!” But loan officers have to do it all the time.

The most successful people I know love being on commission! They love being able to give themselves a raise just by working harder. Most people need a little help learning how to budget, and how to put away money for taxes and infrequent but important expenses.

and maybe a third will go directly to the government for taxes. You should be putting at least 10% away for savings and investment and 5% for surprises is not unrealistic.

When I took over a large real estate office a few years ago I found out that one of my new REALTORS® was going through bankruptcy proceedings. I knew she a sold a lot of real estate and I couldn’t figure out how she got in that situation.

One evening over coffee she told me about being a rookie with another company. She fell into a land deal and made the single largest sale her company had ever made.

So here’s the rule: Never plan to spend more than half of any paycheck. You can have all kinds of Within six months she received a fancy formulas but that’s it. You huge six-figure commission. Within have to assume that at least a quarter two years she was in debt over her Top Agent Magazine

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Commissioned sales is one of the few places where you get paid exactly what you’re worth. head. The problem? She spent it all!

She started borrowing trying to pay her taxes. She was so stressed out over the tax situation that she didn’t sell any more real estate for the next year.

REALTORS® or other commissioned sales people. A little planning in advance for regular and predictable expenses and a slush fund for surprises and you’ll be covered!

Don’t let that happen to you. Loan officers aren’t that different from

Copyright©, Linda Brakeall.

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ADRIENNE ZETTERQUIST Adrienne Zetterquist received a degree in Business and Computer Science from NC State University and spent three years as a Project Engineer for a small local company.

“I was good at what I did, but I knew it wasn’t what I was destined to be doing for the rest of my life,” she notes. “I knew I needed a change, so I actually prayed on it.” It was around that time that a friend opened a real estate agency and asked her to help out. “While I was there, I realized I loved working with the people that came in.

That was when I knew I needed to get my license,” she says.

That was 16 years ago, and she’s never looked back.

For a while she had her own team at Re/Max. After her daughter, Olivia, was born, she changed direction and joined Hunter Rowe in Raleigh, North Carolina. “I don’t cover specific territories,” she says. “I work with the client, regardless of where he or she comes from. I go where they need me to go.”

It’s not surprising that her business is 85% repeat and referral clientele. “I treat my clients the way I’d want someone to treat me, fairly and honestly,” she notes.

“I’m their advocate, providing education for them to make the best possible decisions.”

Clients give Adrienne stellar reviews for her quality service. Former customers Percy and Mary Rouse wrote: “We have reached an important milestone in our goal to sell a home and buy another in a new city.

As our Hunter-Rowe agent for the sale of our home in Durham you worked tirelessly to make our need a reality. Mary and I were truly dazzled watching you demonstrate skills in your profession that far exceeded our expectations. Thank you for an outstanding job. You made a difficult process look much easier than it really was. Should any of our friends or acquaintances in the

area need a real estate agent you will be highly recommended by us.”

Adrienne has also earned many awards, including Re/Max executive, 100%, platinum, chairman and titan awards for sales volume and commissions. She was most recently named one of Expertise’s Top 20 Best Real Estate Agents in Raleigh.

Adrienne boasts a database of more than 200 clients to whom she reaches out every 60 days. “It so important to stay in touch and let them know I’m out there for them,” she asserts.

During the pandemic, she sent out care packages as well as special notes to her clients. “I care about them, and I want them to know it,” she says.

To market her listings, Adrienne invests in all of the proven techniques–coming soon campaigns, postcard mailers, social media and branded websites.

What does she love about her work? “No day is the same,” she exclaims. “Each day I wake up, I get to look forward to something new, perhaps a new challeng. It’s always exciting.”

Adrienne enjoys motherhood tremendously, but her other passions are volunteering with her local veterans at the Durham VA and working with German Shepherd Rescue groups to help save, foster, and love rescued German shepherds in the area.

When not working or volunteering, she enjoys outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking and swimming.

As for the future, Adrienne wants to continue along her successful path plus imbue a lot of joy into her work.

“What better way to spend the day than feeling joyful,” she says.

To learn more about Adrienne Zetterquist, email az.ncrealtor@gmail.com, visit hunterrowe.com/adrienne or call (919) 810-6148 http://

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