5 LESSONS FROM

5 Lessons from Silicon Valley

to Modernize and Monetize Your Business

Silicon Valley may be the region for disruptors, tech entrepreneurs, and futurists, but even the most forward-thinking, abstract companies are still businesses that have to keep tabs on their bottom line. There’s much to learn from America’s fastest-growing sector, and even if Silicon Valley seems like a world unto its own, there are key lessons prime for adaption in your own endeavors. Below, consider a few ways to translate the trends and teachings of Silicon Valley for your own business, and reap the rewards in the process.

Real estate is a business built on relationships, but your relationships will go stale if the only thing you communicate is you interest in making a sale. In order to sustain relationships for the long term, you’ve got to remain valuable to your clients beyond the transaction. Serve as a local resource, not just a salesperson or real estate expert. Ensure your marketing materials, social media presence, and communications offer useful, relevant, and original content your clients will benefit from. What’s more, vary your communications so that every time you reach out it’s not just about new business or a referral.

2. Company culture matters

Silicon Valley tech giants always emphasize the importance of company culture—not just as a way of drawing and retaining talent, but also as a way to appeal to clientele. What are your company’s values? What do you stand for? How you’re positioned in the marketplace is becoming just as important as what you do and how well you do it. Your company culture is part of your branding, and your brand should feel clear and composed to clients eyeing your services.

3.Think big picture

More and more, clients want to have an experience, not just a transaction. When it comes to buying a home, this means they care more about a property’s bedroom and bathroom count. As an agent, consider showcasing properties in terms of lifestyle. What neighborhood amenities are nearby? What opportunities are there for community involvement? How does public transportation stack up in the area? Before making the purchase of a lifetime, clients want to envision a complete lifestyle.

4. Leverage multiple platforms

By now, you probably recognize that social media is not afterthought. Your social media presence should fit your brand and voice, interact across platforms, and actively engage with your audience. In other words, if you want to reap the benefits of social media, it’s not enough to post a few times a month and walk away. Active engagement means responding to comments, interacting with your followers’ profiles, and posting original content beyond a sales pitch. Likewise, you’ll want to be active across multiple social media platforms and ensure that your profiles are interconnected. That way, you’ll be working from a unified voice and brand.

5. Reputations rule the roost

Never underestimate the power of word-ofmouth marketing and testimonials. If you haven’t asked for feedback from past clients, and you aren’t sharing positive testimonials and reviews—you’re missing out on one of the most powerful tools at an agent’s disposal. You can pitch the virtues of your working style all day long, but those courting your business want to hear about positive experiences from the client’s perspective. If you want to take your business to the next level and maximize the twenty-first century values of a company on the rise, look to the lessons of Silicon Valley to get your start. There are always opportunities to innovate, and doing so will help you break from your routine and stand apart from the pack.

BOBBY COLVIN JR

Bobby Colvin began his real estate career at RE/MAX TEAM, REALTORS 7 years ago, having grown up around the business. His parents are the Owners of the RE/MAX TEAM office in the Young American Furniture Building, Geistown Cloverleaf where he now works, and as Bobby remembers, “Ever since I was a little kid, my dad used to take me around the business. It ran in the family, and I ended up getting my license at a young age.” Bobby was soon fully immersed in the business, starting in rentals and working his way up to a buyer’s agent position, before recently moving into a listing agent position. “I’ve come a long way since first getting into it,” Bobby says, “and I love being able to help my clients realize their real estate dreams.”

With The Bob Colvin Team, Bobby serves Johnstown and the surrounding area, focusing on Cambria and Somerset counties but covering much of Western Pennsylvania. A large portion of the team’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, an impressive feat that speaks to the trust and confidence they inspire. “Our client-based approach means that everything we do is centered around fully servicing the client to the best of our ability throughout the entire transaction.”

Another way Bobby and his fellow agents in the Johnstown RE/MAX TEAM office set themselves apart is that they practice designated agency. That means that Bobby and his team work exclusively with sellers, while other agents in the office work exclusively with buyers. “That way we can give our clients the full representation they need throughout the transaction,” Bobby says.

Relationships form the core of Bobby’s business. He sends handwritten thank-you notes and works with a local small entrepreneur to provide personalized closing gifts. “That personal touch shows the relationship we’re able to build,” Bobby says. “It all comes back to keeping the client at the center.”

When it comes to marketing his listings, Bobby uses a multi-tiered approach that includes traditional methods such as print advertising, as well as online marketing. He and the team use Adwerx to target their ads and provide a “next-level marketing” experience. 3D tours have also emerged as a valuable tool in the past year. All properties are also featured on the weekly TV show, The Sunday Showcase of Homes, which runs every Sunday from 10:00-10:30. “Our goal is to get the maximum exposure for your listing,” Bobby says, “and get it sold as quickly as possible for as much as possible.”

Community involvement is important to Bobby and the RE/MAX TEAM, and they are always looking to give back. A contribution from every closing goes to the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, and they like to get involved in various community events. When he is not working or giving back, Bobby can be found riding around town on his bike, hiking, or skiing. A highlight of his biking adventures took him from Pittsburgh, PA to Denver, CO in 2019 in a total of 27 days.

In the future, Bobby says, “We hope to continue the momentum we’ve been carrying with us since the doors first opened and continue providing outstanding service to our clients. I love waking up every day and having something new on my plate. What excites me is helping people get where they want to be and realize things they may not even have thought were possible.”

To find out more about Bobby Colvin Jr., please call 814-262-7653 ext 107 or directly at 814-421-1454, email bobbycolvin@remax.net or visit bobbycolvin.remax.com

ANGELIQUE CRUZ

Since the start of her real estate career, Angelique Cruz has approached every transaction with professionalism and a desire to provide the highest level of service. Currently on her third year in the business, she was inspired to start by her daughter, who told her that she had the perfect personality for a REALTOR® . Angelique is affiliated with eXp Realty and primarily focused on the Milwaukee area, where she serves a wide variety of buyers and sellers.

One of Angelique’s greatest attributes, and the reason for why so many clients are eager to work with her again, is her protective spirit and caring heart. “My clients can feel that I’m genuine and compassionate, and they know I protect their best interest. As a mom, I fall into the role of a caretaker with ease, and I always strive to guide buyers and sellers into the right direction. I’ve been through many situations in life where I didn’t have the right people to guide me and show me the right way to go, so I had to blindly lead myself. That’s why it gives me great satisfaction to be that resource for other people and help them achieve their goals.”

When it comes to establishing a successful career, Angelique stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. “My business partners have contributed to a lot of my success. When I don’t have an answer for something, I know that I have a network of people I can reach out to in order to get the correct information.” She also believes good marketing and staying on top of the latest trends is key in connecting with potential buyers. “I’m a big fan of marketing through Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. I also try to get ahead of the ball and start talking about my upcoming listings with other agents before they go live.” For Angelique, one of the biggest rewards that comes from her career is that it gives her the ability to help others. “I love empowering people. For so many people, home ownership seems like an impossible dream. There is no greater feeling than showing them that it is absolutely achievable. The bond and trust we develop during that transaction process is truly priceless.”

Angelique is passionate about her community involvement and has helped establish the first chapter of The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® in the state of Wisconsin, where she serves as the secretary of the founding board. “Our goal and our mission is to help empower Latino homebuyers through educational resources, connecting them with lenders and providing informational workshops.”

This year, Angelique is looking to obtain her broker’s license, and in the near future she plans to establish her own team. “I want to help agents become successful and learn to work from the heart so that they have the power to change people’s lives for the better.”

To learn more about Angelique Cruz please email angelique.cruz@exprealty.com, www.realtor.com/realestateagents/angelique-cruz_milwaukee_wi_3673896_87623890call (414) 208–9541, or visit her website here.