NEW ENGLAND 12-6-21

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients

BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE:

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients that Will Last a Lifetime FEATURED AGENTS

REENA GLEASON CANDICE PAGLIARULO HODGSON CODY ROGERS

:

INCORPORATING CHARITABLE GIVING IN YOUR REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

COVER STORY

JOSE DIAZ

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

REENA GLEAS

MSRP*CRETS*PSA RE/MAX RHODE ISLAN CODY ROGERS

JOSE DIAZ

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Anyone who has ever met Cody Rogers 7 15 will tell you that he has the perfect person-21 ality to be a Realtor. Talking to him one is struck immediately by his upbeat, optimistic demeanor, and a genuine desire to help people. “I could talk to a wall,” Cody laughs. “I’m a people person, so my favorite thing aboutPAGLIARULO this work is the relationship CANDICE REENA GLEASON building I HODGSON get to do. I love getting to know people, finding out their needs, and then helping them meet their goals.”

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CODY ROGERS

“E ex ers pr pe ac mo rea

Co Gr mu CONTENTS A native of North Reading, Massachusetts, he CANDICE PAGLIARULO Cody grew up helping his father prepare fam HODGSON ® homes they’d renovated for va 4) BE THEIR the REALTOR FOR LIFE: 18)showings.

INCORPORATING CHARITABLE AfterAhigh school heReal attended Southern Hampshire 5K, thestron proc HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP GIVING INNew YOUR REAL ESTATE estate always played a part inTrot Reena completing in Operations ment at North Re WITH YOURUniversity, CLIENTS THAT WILL a bachelor’s Gleason’sPRACTICE life. degree Growing up, her father and paig LAST A LIFETIME Management. Cody started in the real estate industry 24) CONNECT BEYONDand REAL ESTATE and two and a half yearsmother ago afterworked asking ainlotconstruction of questions of mortgagGoing forward, TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS She respectively. she realized sheexpandin 13) 5 SOCIAL theMEDIA brokerMISTAKES who wases, selling his parents’One house.day, Impressed brand, REAL ESTATEwith AGENTS MUST AVOID 28) 5 THINGS YOU CAN wanted something more.

She applied for her and his motivation and desire to learn, she hired him toDO TO broadening the s ® ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS manage her office. Realtors Cody soonlicense moved and up togave transaction hisyears license Ever for N herself two coordinator for thetoFarrelly Group, getting helping th clien decide Realty if the profession mighthis be a good fit.clients license and joining the team as a Realtor in September clients to feel the “Immediately, I fell in love,” she says now. of b of 2019. they need. “I do Com “And I’ve been going at it ever since.”the transaction,” Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 Today Cody represents clients all over the North Greater resource forand life. mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com A soloand agent, Reena serves Rhode Island help Boston area with Farrelly, is in the process of buildNo portion of this issue reproduced in any manner whatsoeverdespite without priorthe consent of the publisher. Top Agent ingmaya bevery successful andbusiness, Massachusetts.

Ininterruption her first year with Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published of Covid. track fortoopinions closeexpressed wellearned over $7 the million materials, Top Agent Magazine cannotHe’s be heldon responsible or facts supplied by its100% authors. Club Reen RE/MAX, she To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. this year, with nearly 95 percent of that business coming Award and was named a Top Producer. She expe Published in the U.S. from referrals. He’s quickly built a reputation for honIsland Rookie of the all c esty, responsiveness,was andRE/MAX as someoneRhode who gives attention 2020.strength Reena still relies herhis large sphere Top Agent Magazine a fa to every detail. But Year his greatest lieson with of influence cultivated over was 38 years call- pictu natural ability to connect with people.

One client

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

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Be Their REALTOR for Life: ®

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients That Will Last a Lifetime In the world of real estate, an agent’s relationship with their clients can make or break their career. This industry revolves around working well with people, and being able to develop a strong relationship with your clients is the foundation that you business is based upon.

Just like with a house, if that foundation is weak, the rest of the structure is also going to be unsteady and fragile. The mark of a good REALTOR® is their ability to build up a good referral network and following of loyal clients. This isn’t something that just happens by accident. Building healthy, strong relationships with your clients takes work and knowing how to gain another person’s trust, respect, and friendship. Here are some ways to make sure you are building the right kind of relationship with your clients.

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1. Use Your Friendliness and Optimism to Win Them Over: No one wants a pushy, overly confident salesperson for a REALTOR®. Clients are much more inclined to put their trust in the hands of someone who is friendly when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of their lives. A pleasant, outgoing disposition will win you more clients as well as friends. You want to establish rapport in the first few minutes of first meeting prospective clients. Rather than starting with business right off the bat, begin your meeting with some small talk such as similar interests, hobbies, and family life. This will immediately help to put your clients at ease, and show that you are not simply trying to “sell” them something.

People also respond well to optimism. During what can be a very stressful time, clients need someone to help them stay positive when a situation looks difficult and challenging. Optimism also tends to radiate charisma, and people want to be around and do business with charismatic people. You want to learn how to understand, motivate, and inspire people.

2. Be an Inquisitive Learner and an Empathetic Listener:

out any potential concerns they might have.

After you’ve gained as much information as possible, you can then gauge their interest in your possible solutions by asking “what if” questions. Being inquisitive also demonstrates to your clients that you are genuinely interested and invested in their situation.

On the other side of this coin is knowing how to listen empathetically. Empathy involves actually putting yourself or your mind in their shoes so you can genuinely understand their concerns, needs, and opinions. That understanding and empathy is then reflected in your conversation with that client. Your clients want to know that you care about their situation, and that they’re not just another sale for you to make. People are much more willing to put their trust in you when they can sense that you are actually making an effort to feel what they feel in order to understand their situation.

Showing your interest through questions, and then thoughtfully listening goes a long way towards gaining trust. Showing empathy and acknowledging the feelings and emotions involved in your clients situation helps build a relationship founded on genuine care and trust.

3. Watch for Nonverbal Clues:

Don’t be afraid to show your curiosity and ask your clients a lot of questions. Some of these questions may even be difficult and uncomfortable. You want to discover and learn as much as you can about your client. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into the role of the know-it-all. Every different client has unique needs, so you want to learn as much as you can about their specific situation before trying to propose a solution. You want to uncover their primary motive for buying or selling, and flush

Most communication happens nonverbally, so knowing how to interpret your client’s body language can be incredibly helpful. Here are a few things to pay special attention to: Eye contact: Be careful with the level of eye contact you use with clients when first meeting.

Too much and too little eye contact can send the wrong impression. You want to try and maintain eye contact around 70 percent of the time. That is the amount that most people are comfortable with. Pay attention to your client’s level of eye

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contact to determine how comfortable they are.

When someone avoids eye contact that could mean they are not engaged in the conversation.

A good way to quickly build a feeling of rapport when first meeting clients is to make eye contact when you first meet them and then start nodding yes to what they’re saying. If the client reciprocates the eye contact and nodding, you’ve established a connection.

4. Prove your honesty and credibility:

Choose the right handshake for each client: One handshake does not fit all people, and that first handshake can be crucial to making a good first impression. The way to do a good handshake for each client is to try and mirror the other person’s handshake in strength, keep your shoulders aligned as you are preferably standing when you shake hands. While you shake your client’s hand make sure you make eye contact and give them a sincere smile.

Showing a little weakness can actually be to your advantage in this situation, and will actually make others more inclined view you as honest. You don’t want to come across as too good to be true. When revealing this weakness, however, the key to coming out on top is turning what sounds like a weakness into a strength. For example, your service may be more expensive, but that’s because you offer more personalized and extra services than your competitors.

Honesty and integrity are the two traits that 98 percent of buyers and sellers report are qualities they consider “very important”. The thing is you can say you have these traits all you want on your website, bio, etc., but trust has to be earned, and the only way to do this is to prove your credibility.

Here are a few tips for how to sound more credible:

When you talk to your clients avoid using filler words such as “um” and “uh”, which can decrease your credibility. You also want to watch the tone of your voice. People tend to translate a deeper tone as sounding more credible.

You want to develop a relationship to last a lifetime when interacting with your clients. There are many things you can do to accomplish this, and using these tips can take you from getting just a few referrals and repeat customers to gaining a loyal client following. Taking the little extra time to make sure you are projecting the right attitude and making sure that you are doing things to gain your client’s trust can make a world of difference for your business.

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JOSE DIAZ

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Top Agent Jose Diaz is with Keller Williams, where he spent the past seven years as part of the branded Prosperity Group, serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is finalizing his Florida license.

Top Agent Jose Diaz has always been untraditional. After high school, he dreamed of going into real estate.

However, years passed at another career before Jose finally decided to return to his original idea. He began attending college full time, applied for his Realtor’s license, and simultaneously worked for a boutique realty company specializing in leasing.

During that busy era, Jose realized if he could excel at leases while under pressure, he could excel at sales, and he could do so with characteristic attentiveness and style. “As a realtor, I create deeper relationships, high comfort levels, and open channels of communication,” he says.

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He shifted focus and switched franchises.

Now Jose is with Keller Williams, where he spent the past seven years as part of the branded Prosperity Group. “As a solo agent, I pride myself on being at the front of every transaction,” he says.

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He is grateful for backup in the form of Keller Williams support staff, like admins and showing agents. Jose serves Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is finalizing his Florida license. Repeats and referrals make up 90% of his business. Jose tells Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Jose credits his success to his #1 business strategy.

“I strive to be transparent,” he shares, “in order to ensure clients are experiencing the best service possible.”

Top Agent Magazine, “I am embarrassed to say, but I never once invested in advertising.” All his growth has been organic and word of mouth.

Jose credits his success to his #1 business strategy. “I strive to be transparent,” Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

he shares, “in order to ensure clients are experiencing the best service possible.”

When he meets each new client, he offers the same message. “I thank them for giving me their business, and I tell them that by the end of our journey together, I hope to make them raving fans. If I do a Top Agent Magazine

great job, and they do become my fans, I urge them to refer at least two other people.” If Jose has done a superior job for his clients, which he always does, business multiplies.

To stay in touch, Jose typically engages in what he calls outreach. He does not send letters or use traditional modes of communication, instead preferring to cultivate a relationship with clients, so that after the Top Agent Magazine

sale is finalized, they can and do reach out if they have any questions about anything. And Jose does mean anything. As far as marketing goes, Jose says he does not engage in advertising in a way that is out of the ordinary. He prefers to let his homes speak for themselves. “When a house is priced accurately,” Jose says, “there is no better form of advertising.”

This year alone he closed on 57 transactions, totaling upwards of $16 million.

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When Jose is not working, he loves to read. “Anything you do—whether in your business or in your personal life —grows to the extent that you do,” Jose says. “Reading is one of the best ways to expand your mind, awareness, and comprehension.” Other than reading, you can find Jose hiking, enjoying nature, and spending time with the people he

loves. For the future of his business, he is excited about his upcoming introduction into the Florida market and expanding his reach. Ultimately, he would like to expand his team nationwide. “I plan to use the current momentum” he says, “to grow without sacrificing the quality and customer service that got me where I am today.”

For more information about Jose Diaz, please call 401-261-8747 or email jose@theprosperitygroupre.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES

Real Estate Agents Must Avoid There is perhaps no greater marketing tool for agents these days than having a large presence on social media, but there is more to social media marketing than just opening an account and gaining followers. A lot of agents forget the social part of social media. It’s all about engagement, but it needs to be the right kind of engagement. This can often be the first impression potential clients or industry peers have of you, so make it count. There is no second chance to make a first impression, and that is especially true for real estate agents. Here’s just a few things you want to avoid.

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1 Using it to Vent

Social Media is a great place to complain and commiserate about things, but save that for your personal page. A real estate transaction is already a stressful ordeal, the last thing anyone wants is someone who seems like they’ll bring a negative energy to the process. Even worse?

Bad mouthing other Realtors® or listings. You’re selling yourself and your skills, so don’t sell anything that shows you in a bad light. Much like marketing a property, everything you put out should be professional and inviting.

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Lack of Consistent Branding

Yes, social media is about social engagement, but it’s also about creating brand recognition. While you don’t want it to be purely promotional, you are running a business, so create a consistent branding across all social media platforms. If you can afford a professional graphic designer to help you out with this, that’s great. But at the very least, have the same profile pic, cover image and highly visible contact information, across the board. And don’t forget to share links to your other accounts, some people prefer different social media applications.

3Not Posting Enough

It’s good to create a schedule of how many times you’ll be posting per day and to pick times when you might have the most engagement.

Don’t over do it, but three posts a day at the right time, tends to be a good goal. There are numerous tools on Facebook, for example, that

can let you see when interactions are the highest.

Stick to your schedule and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to not just post your listings.

Be a resource for people who follow your page.

Post community events, or other informative articles that are relevant to home ownership.

Be a page they want to follow even when they aren’t buying or selling a property. They’ll remember you when the time comes.

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Not interacting With Your Followers

It’s called social media for a reason. The more you engage with your followers, the more they see you as a real person, and not just a marketing tool. Not only do you get to know your past clients and potential clients, on Facebook, engagement actually will make your posts seen by more people. So it’s a win/win.

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Not Sharing or Linking to Others

It might not seem like a good idea to not promote the blogs, pages or listings of other people, but it’s not only an excellent way to build goodwill, it will also increase your own presence when they reciprocate. So make a point to share posts and links for local businesses and even the blogs of your peers, if it’s a post that offers valuable insight into an expertise you don’t have. That will encourage them to share your posts and even your listings, which will increase your potential buyer pool. This is another incentive to create your own blog. Unique informative content is always of value, and more likely to be shared than promotional links.

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CANDICE PAGLIARULO HODGSON

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CANDICE PAGLIARULO HODGSON

Brokers like Candice are blazing trails at the vanguard of today’s real estate market. She brings a life-long fluency in the industry that she began developing at fourteen, answering phones at a local Century 21 office. After testing to become licensed the day she turned eighteen, her momentum shows no signs of slowing. After closing sixty transactions in 2019, Candice left Century 21 as a Massachusetts Top Agent and founded her own company. Today, she is Owner and Principal Broker at Lyv Realty serving the North Shore of Boston to New Hampshire and beyond. “We’ve managed to completely explode,” she says of her brokerage’s success.

“It’s been a wonderful adventure so far.” Candice leads thirty agents to work smarter and harder than the competition by supporting each other to grow. “We’re all a team and a family, not like a traditional brokerage. At this point in my career, watching my team excel is so rewarding.”

for the job. As a certified Real Estate Instructor, she brings her deep understanding of real estate law to bear in helping them navigate their transactions.

Candice stays in touch over social media and with personal cards, gifts, and informative newsletters, staying top-of-mind for when past clients consider their next move. “It’s rewarding when you hop on social media and see people really loving where they live. I’m confident when I say I am one of the best people to protect and serve my clients interests; it

Candice’s own business derives completely from repeat and referral clients who know her wealth of industry knowledge makes her the best person 16

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is for those reasons I continue to do what I do and why my agents emulate this same mindset and goals.” Candice explains. “When you know you’ve helped a family through a difficult move or helped a little girl or boy get into a better school system or neighborhood, that’s the real fuel to our fire.”

When it comes to marketing, Candice and the Lyv team focus on customized marketing by identifying the right buyer to match with each property. “If you look at what we do for our clients, we truly are on the cutting edge of marketing and technology, we just deliver more.”

The Lyv team engages a robust digital rollout, with targeted ads on Google and across a wide range of social media platforms to put their listings right at a buyer’s fingertips. As an Accredited Staging Professional, Candice offers complimentary staging as part of her top-of-theline production efforts, factoring professional photography, virtual tours, and drone coverage into customized considerations for presenting each property at its best.

As business leaders who care about their community, Candice and the rest of her Lyv Realty agents participate in many local events and charities through their “Lyv Kind” Projects.

They conduct holiday drives for local food banks and recently volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, helping to physically build local homes for subsidized homeowners. When she’s not working or giving back, Candice cherishes time with her six-month-old son and her husband, who is at her side to assist in running the brokerage. As a family they enjoy boating and retreats to their house in Maine.

Looking to the future, Candice recently expanded Lyv Realty to a third office, building her brand and empowering her team to a level of excellence that will leave a lasting legacy.

“Our vision is not about how big we can be, but to be known as a brokerage made up of quality agents that deliver honest service and innovative marketing that’s second to none.”

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Find out more at lyvrealty.com.

Connect with Candice at 781.572.5966 or email Candice@LyvRealty.com www.

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Incorporating Charitable Giving in Your Real Estate Practice

As real estate professionals, taking part in the community and serving others is central to a long-lasting practice. After all, agents are in the business of homeownership, building a financial future, and helping their clients begin new and fruitful chapters. With that in 18

mind, how might an agent deliver that spirit of service in a broader sphere?

The truth is, charitable giving offers nothing but upsides. Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it

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Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network.

also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network. If charitable giving is an idea you’ve toyed with, or a practice you’ve engaged in only now and again, here are a few ways to make it a foundational element of your business and a win-win for all.

Find causes that speak to you.

Donating funds or resources can feel anonymous if you’re divorced from the organization you’re working with. While national and international charitable organizations are certainly effective and worthwhile, you might consider partnering with local chapters of those organizations, or identifying hyper-local organizations that address need in your state, county, town, or even your own neighborhood. The first step to establishing a charitable relationship is to find a cause that you genuinely care about. For many, animal rescue is a tangible cause where resources and volunteership are always welcome. For others, children’s health and advocacy is a calling. Regardless Top Agent Magazine

of your personal passion, participation can be big or small. From sponsoring a local youth sports league to partnering with an area animal shelter for their annual spay-athon event—there are all sorts of ways to make a difference.

Unite your team for the common good.

One way to make charitable giving a staple is to do it in arm and arm with others. Supporting a local cause is a great way to bring your team together in a unifying capacity. Hosting coat drives in winter, blanket drives for local animal shelters, or backpack drives for needy students at the start of the new school year— all are straightforward and highly useful, direct ways to give to your community as a team. It’s also important to set collective goals as a way of keeping people motivated and accountable over time. Offices are productive, but often hectic spaces.

Injecting a collective goal with a positive, tangible result can create an ambiance of goodwill and generosity—both of which are worthwhile attributes to cultivate as

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the leader of your team. Lastly, consider timely giving as a way of connecting your team to their community. Natural disasters, local fundraising drives, and improvement funds are all direct ways your team can contribute, while they themselves reap the benefit in the community.

Include clients in the process.

You’ve likely heard of charitable donations made in the name of your client as an alternative to the classic closing gift, but there are a few ways you might update this method of giving. For starters, consider including your clients in the selection process. Do they have a special cause that’s close to their hearts? Likewise, you might

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consider making regular, consistent giving a part of your routine post-closing. Instead of following up with your yearly poinsettia plant or pumpkin, you might find a cause in their neighborhood or township that you can support in their name. It’s wise to choose something apolitical, but a cause that’s hyperlocal to their area demonstrates unique thoughtfulness.

There are plenty of ways in which society as a whole can benefit from charitable causes that build goodwill in the world, support those less fortunate, and bolster a positive future. Incorporating charitable giving in your business model is a generous way to make this mentality a central tenet of your team and a defining characteristic for your clients to remember.

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REENA GLEASON Top Agent Magazine

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REENA GLEASON

MSRP*CRETS*PSA RE/MAX RHODE ISLAND ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 2020

Real estate always played a part in Reena Gleason’s life. Growing up, her father and mother worked in construction and mortgages, respectively. One day, she realized she wanted something more. She applied for her Realtors® license and gave herself two years to decide if the profession might be a good fit.

“Immediately, I fell in love,” she says now.

“And I’ve been going at it ever since.”

A solo agent, Reena serves Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In her first year with RE/MAX, she earned the 100% Club Award and was named a Top Producer. She was RE/MAX Rhode Island Rookie of the Year 2020. Reena relies on her large sphere of influence cultivated over 38 years calling Rhode Island home. Referrals keep coming, and she generates leads through 22

strong marketing and social media campaigns. “I create relationships with people and friends, not customers,” Reena says.

She gets to know clients and their families and then tailors her process to suit them.

Ever the educator, Reena’s system ensures clients are informed about the processes of buying or selling a home. Certified in Commercial and Investment Real Estate and as a Pricing Strategy Advisor, she can help even the savviest entrepreneurs.

Reena ensures her clients have a different experience. The first thing she does with all clients is get to know who they are as a family or individual. Seeing the bigger picture is important when finding the right home that fits that client’s needs and lifestyle. “If they were not friends before, we Top Agent Magazine

become friends,” she says. “Their happiness is everything. I don’t want to be just another agent; I want to be their real estate connection for life.” Thanks to this business model, Reena averaged 35 sales last year alone.

To market listings, she starts with a free seller consultation, during which she walks through the home and notes items that can be fixed and offers staging tips and services when necessary. She uses photographers and videographers, drones, 3d tours, Google, Facebook, and Facebook Live, and invests in print marketing. “The more eyes on a home, the better chances the home sells at or above the asking price,” she says.

When not working, Reena is active in her community. Reena is a certified Military Relocation Professional for the nearby Air Force and Navy bases. She also volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and serves as the Secretary and Social Media Director on the Executive Board of the Woman’s Council of Realtors, Rhode Island Chapter.

In addition, Reena is an Airbnb host who invests in and enjoys designing short-term rentals. During her free time, she gardens and spends time with family. For the future of her business, Reena’s plan for the next few years is to grow her short-term rental business as a host & property owner. She also wants to educate young women on building generational wealth through real estate investing. “Really, in real estate, there are so many different ways to invest,” Reena says. “I want to help others find the best real estate investment strategy for their lifestyle and interests.”

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You can reach Reena at 401-258-7772, reenagleason.realtor@gmail.com, www.buysellrihomes.com 23

CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot 24

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content 26

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

CODY ROGERS Anyone who has ever met Cody Rogers will tell you that he has the perfect personality to be a Realtor. Talking to him one is struck immediately by his upbeat, optimistic demeanor, and a genuine desire to help people. “I could talk to a wall,” Cody laughs. “I’m a people person, so my favorite thing about this work is the relationship building I get to do. I love getting to know people, finding out their needs, and then helping them meet their goals.”

A native of North Reading, Massachusetts, Cody grew up helping his father prepare the homes they’d renovated for showings.

After high school he attended Southern New Hampshire University, completing a bachelor’s degree in Operations Management. Cody started in the real estate industry two and a half years ago after asking a lot of questions of the broker who was selling his parents’ house. Impressed with his motivation and desire to learn, she hired him to manage her office. Cody soon moved up to transaction coordinator for the Farrelly Realty Group, getting his license and joining the team as a Realtor in September of 2019.

Today Cody represents clients all over the North Greater Boston area with Farrelly, and is in the process of building a very successful business, despite the interruption of Covid. He’s on track to close well over $7 million this year, with nearly 95 percent of that business coming from referrals. He’s quickly built a reputation for honesty, responsiveness, and as someone who gives attention to every detail. But his greatest strength still lies with his natural ability to connect with people. One client was adamant regarding Cody’s abilities in his review: “Work with Cody! He’ll make this (stressful) experience fun and light! He’ll help you find the best place that will suit your style and needs! He’s great to work with if you’re a first time home buyer.”

Naturally, Cody is very active on social media, which is where he has the most success marketing his listings.

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“Everyone is on social media now,” he explains. “It’s a great place to bring buyers and sellers together, and one of the primary tools for staying connected to the people in our sphere. By the time a transaction is over, I’ve become friends with most of my clients, so I like being able to reach out to them easily.”

Cody is also active with the Farrelly Group’s efforts to give back to the community. A portion of every transaction he closes goes to the Food Pantry to help families in need. He also participates with various town events, including the Turkey Trot 5K, the proceeds of which go to the athletic department at North Reading High School.

Going forward, Cody wants to continue building his brand, expanding his reach in the Boston area, and broadening the services he provides. He just received his license for New Hampshire and is excited about helping clients there very soon. Above all, he wants his clients to feel they can always turn to him for whatever they need. “I don’t want our relationship to end with the transaction,” says Cody. “I want to be a friend and resource for life.”

Contact Cody at 508-468-7891 or email Cody@FarrellyRealty.com 27 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

5 Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Biggest Goals If there’s one thing successful people can agree on, it’s that setting goals has been key to their success. Whether you’re creating a five year plan or just settling on what you want to achieve by the end of the day, setting goals gives you the focus and direction you need to complete even the biggest tasks.

But there is a method to setting them. It’s a process that takes careful thought and con28

sideration up front, which is then combined with the hard work necessary to implement your plan. Luckily there are proven methods to goal setting that you can start using immediately.

1. MAKE YOUR GOALS SPECIFIC

Yes, it’s fun to think in grand terms of where you want to end up in life and in your career, but it’s better to have a specific

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Top Agent Magazine

Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. goal like “Increase my sales by 25%”, than “Get rich.” When a goal is clear and specific, it allows you to figure out the exact steps you need to take to accomplish it. The more general it is, the more paralyzed you might be when it comes to figuring out what to do since, the choices may be overwhelming.

2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE

Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one.

Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those little goals may have been things you wouldn’t have gotten done if you didn’t set out to achieve them, so be proud!

3. PUT A PLAN OF ACTION IN WRITING

Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. There is something about seeing things in writing and crossing them off the list that is oddly satisfying.The daily goals are especially Top Agent Magazine

important in regards to building up those good habits. The first few weeks of your plan of action are critical when it comes to your long term success. Reaching a goal is something you are doing every day, all throughout the day, in numerous ways.

Achieving goals is all about creating good new habits.

4. MAKE IT MEASURABLE

This is key, since you definitely want to reward yourself for a job well done, and having a goal that is measurable in some way is a sure way to know. Maybe it’s to increase your lead generation or to cut expenses, whatever the case, have a measurable test you need to meet, as well as a time frame. Then calculate what you have to do to reach that goal. Not only should your goal be specific, but the plan and the measure of success should also be set in stone.

5. ADJUST AS YOU GO

You can have all the best laid plans, and you still might quickly realize that what you thought would help you reach your goal, might not be cutting it. Commitment to reaching your goals is good, but commitment to a plan you know isn’t going to work is not only a waste of time, but will be a devastating blow to your motivation.

Sticking to a plan everyday means adjusting it accordingly.

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