NEW ENGLAND 2-21-22

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

The Daily Schedule of a

SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Your Calling Card

FEATURED AGENTS

APHRODITE KARPOUZIS CHRIS DEMAKIS SHAYNA PADDEN STEPHANIE RUSH

GOOGLE ADWORDS:

HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU

COVER STORY

DELINDA ROBINSON

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

APHRODITE KARPOUZIS 7

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SHAYNA PADDEN STEPHANIE RUSH

CHRIS DEMAKIS APHRODITE KARPOUZIS

DELINDA ROBINSON

DELINDA Settling in touch regularly. Whether 20 for the mundane and mediocre 24 27 ROBINSON was never the vision for Stephanie Rush, giving or gentle reminders a a real estate agent serving the South assures her clients that she thesystem Gibson Sotheby’s famil Howspenddo you know when you’ve found the right Eastern, Connecticut area. Initially support and friend, native, she brings aindeep k estate agent? ing years as a dental hygienist,real Stephanie ing them happiness thei MetroWest neighborhoods became curious about her career after Stephanie markets her list A passion and determination to exceed your her contributions, Mizner+M feeling the loss of passion for client’s her jobexpectations at MLS, lysocial accoun ranked media a top producing needs to be the first step. the time. Taking a deep dive into“Iavailable signs, keeping has already avai built love my job,” says Aphrodite Karpouzis. Iestate go Aphrodite referraltobusiness, to bedabout at night thinking about what else I always can and resources led her to educate herself visible potentiala trb do to make clients haveRUSH a great experi- clients place in her.

CHRIS DEMAKIS SHAYNAthat PADDEN the abundant opportunities may comesure mySTEPHANIE ence, and I wake up invigorated and ready to get from pursuing a career in real estate. Slowed down Stephanie shares, “It’s just making i to work. My days are exciting and no two are “I’m an empathetic perso by the uprising of the COVID-19 pandemic wouldn’t touch. I’ve found been this has made the bigg alike.

This career is the best decision that I’ve an active listener,” CONTENTS stop Stephanie, and after embarking on her real estate in making other people theynew arepeo on “I enjoyfeel meeting ever made!” dif course, she passed her test. Though newer in the important things stories–their on my listjoys, andtheir mind. opening ownher reallicense and asked Chris Demakis learned aStephanie lot from his 22 years Aphrodite earned 3business years to ago and ences–which to industry, thrives after her firstmy year as anestateSCHEDULE ability show clients that sheallows caresmeabo 4) GOOGLE DAILY her22) ifAmy sheTHE would be my broker.

She said sure, headingADWORDS: up sales and marketing at a Boston joined Mizner and the Mizner Team, now andalso helps me to better und agent selling twenty-nine homesnow and $6.9 million in store. ly asAnd human beings set her apart from isand inside to be honso when he opened his own Mizner+Montero HOW TOmarketing MAKEagency, GOOGLE OFmy Aoffice SUCCESSFUL part the of GibsonREAL Sotheby’s transactions this past year.

Happier than ever to find When asked what sheaided enjoys est, I attribute my connection to the community estate brokerage in June of 2018 he not International Realty.

She’s in the that mo eff DO THE real WORK FOR YOU ESTATE AGENT a careerskill that set notinonly challenges lines up with flexibility and freedom in real and but our literal daily contactsays with the people (at TheSotheby’s only had a valuable place but he her marketing teame could rely on her a foundation ofwas knowledge aboutPadden’s Town Wharf General Store) to the initial success mother, Sue Padden, For her sellers, none. andlife her otes She has combined her natural skills with the goal toItgrow asShayna a person, it’s rare to meet such a people joy and thewho control toAphrodite create the 14) MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA of26) our real estate business.” his new business thanks to and family – Chris’ hus- knowledge 5 THINGS YOU CAN DO she’s gained through the mentorship tailed process to prepare determined compassionate individual. a big change-up from her past career. inspired her to enter the real estate field. Running the out by providing band is aYOUR real estateCALLING attorney, his mother was a MARKETING CARD

of Amy Mizner to becomeYOUR a valued member of market, including assistanc TOcame ACHIEVE BIGGEST successful brokerage Padden Realcharging.

Estate, LLC out of the gate When a cus- best suit their n longtime real estate broker, and thus was born ChrisSue Stephanie works with a small team of people, menStephanie’s kind caring heart ext GOALS tomer and friend came into the store and said Demakis Family Real Estate.

19) ARE YOU DOING BUSINESS in southern New Hampshire & now in Northern MA, he and Specialist, so I’m tioning they operate as independent agents; however, community involvement with her affi heard Chris was opening a real estate brokerage, SuetoIencouraged herwhere to the field.

“It is a local in watch the market AS YOU“After ON IFACEBOOK? manenter asked ChrisShe if he would be interested left mythey agency Boston thought I would areinthere help each otherthe needed.

Condo Association and helping others trying to sell toher his real home decompress a enjoys bit and the spend some time family runworking business, and weadjacent have a great group of estate staging experien collaborative effort and backbone of sup-property cannext with background.

Wh that had been on the market for a year.

That was in my store, and I got bored very quickly.

I don’t agents,” she explains.

So Shayna felt right at home, vendors in the port provided as a team. After one year as an active isn’t selling and listing homes, she is are thr like to be tethered. It’s not my nature,” Chris said Chris’ first listing, worth $2.2 million.

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 agent, Stephanie has already achieved a 60-70% a licensed skydiver and motorcycle dri and quickly flourished after earning her license. sale.”

With a vas of his plan after leaving the fast-paced marketing coming back to herto open loves hiking, outdoors was ashe greatis way doors and yoga, draw and agency world referral to spend business, more time at The Working as Town aclients solo “That agent, based inmySandown, ing being all types of mag@topagentmagazine.com | keeping www.topagentmagazine.com Wharf GeneralasStore, businessadvisor. he ownsStephanie in his a lot of attention to my business.

SinceWhen then, knock their atrusted shares her authenworld. asked about her plans where she haswhatsoever livedonfor over 30been years.

Serving New developments tofo No portion of this issue mayofbe reproduced manner without prior consent the publisher.

Top Agent wood, we’ve very of fortunate to grow thisto hometown Massachusetts’ ticMattapoisett intentionsinon ofany having her client’s best interest and Stephanie plans expand multidimens Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, ideal way to adve Magazine is published

by Feature Inc.license Although taken to ensure themuch accuracy of published tony South Coast. “IPublications had my real GA, estate al- precautions business,” are said Chris, who personally didof $17 being a confidantcover for showings them. “If they hate that in house, agent byinhelping more people find quali million in sales 2019, $34 million 2020 and readyMagazine because I cannot would sometimes materials, Top Agent be Shayna’s held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. business derives from repeats partnering with new organizations, con then I hate house!”

Stephanie joked while my mother, sosend I told her that I was thinking about $49 million last yearaf– of the total $68 million To subscribe or for change address, inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. referrals.

It’srelationships Shayna’s with down-tofirming thatand nurturing personal her new investors, and building out a pass Published in the U.S.

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clients is her top priority.

Earth nature and honest approach that It’s clear that Stephanie not only seeks most of her life but seeks to make the has led to her endless growth.

Agent Stephanie not only makes an effort to form a connec- ers’ lives asTop well as a Magazine trusted, caring, an tion that is safe and trusting for her clients but keeps South Eastern Connecticut.

“I have been told I’m genuine,” she

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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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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DELINDA ROBINSON Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Delinda Robinson of the Jill & Co. Realty Group serves a wide range of clients spanning New Hampshire and Massachusetts with her core markets in Southern New Hampshire and North of Boston. an Executive Brokerage Assistant and Transaction Coordinator; Delinda began working with her brokerage four years ago and in March of 2021 she received her Massachusetts and New Hampshire real estate license. As a Realtor®; Delinda has been a persistent go-getter with a real joy for making her clients’ home buying dreams come true. “Throughout my experience as an agent, I’ve fallen in love with the process of educating my clients and getting them to reach their real estate goals.”

Delinda Robinson is the smiling face every brokerage needs. A self described social butterfly; Delinda is a rising star that is quickly making a name for herself at the Jill & Co. Realty Group. Formerly 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Growing up in Southern Massachusetts; Delinda moved to New Hampshire to raise her family. She has beautiful twin girls, a loving son and husband! With a drive to succeed, Delinda turned to real estate as a means of focused growth.

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Her work as a Transaction Coordinator made Delinda accustomed to getting deals to the finish line. “When you work with me, you get a positive, joyful, and aggressive agent who just loves what she does!” She now serves a wide range of Top Agent Magazine

clients spanning New Hampshire and Massachusetts with her core markets in Southern New Hampshire and North of Boston. What sets her apart from other agents is her attention to making her client’s buying dreams come true rather than Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

For Delinda, working at Jill & Co. Realty Group has been like working with a big family. “It’s a big part of being successful in this business; when you have the support and great training versus going out there and just doing whatever you feel like.” the numbers. “Not everyone is out here for those reasons. Some are very money driven... They kind of forget people are still human; especially in this industry during Covid.”

Using a mix of CRM and almost daily communication via talk and text; Delinda ensures that her clients also stay goal driven. With 15 closings in less than 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

months and just under $7M in sales for 2021; Delinda is quickly building a network that spans the New England region.

She markets her listings through her own social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), her company’s web page, Zillow and other in house tools. She loves working with her clients and spreads messages of happiness and joy in her conversations. “It could be a family that’s never Top Agent Magazine

owned before or people in their 50’s that finally bought their first home; everyone deserves happiness.”

For Delinda, working at Jill & Co. Realty Group has been like working with a big family. Her team is made up of a great group of people that has each other’s back and everyone’s best interest in mind. “It’s a big part of being successful Top Agent Magazine

in this business; when you have the support and great training versus going out there and just doing whatever you feel like.”

Outside of her career; Delinda enjoys being with family and friends. She also enjoys working with and rescuing animals. She currently has a few rescue kittens in her home and plans on rescuing Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

more. Through her brokerage Delinda regularly donates to non-profit organizations such as Autism Speaks. As a parent, she is always involved in her kids’ school system, as well as many other activities within the community. “The human-to-human connection and going the extra mile for my clients is what I do best.”

Looking ahead; Delinda is actively working on the expansion of her business for 2022. Her goals for the year are to acquire new listings by marketing herself more and also trying new and innovative ideas that can help her business succeed. However, the biggest goal of the year for this Top Agent is to own her own home.

To learn more about Delinda Robinson please call (774) 644-6632, email delinda@jillandco.com, visit jillandco.com/about/delinda-robinson www.

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Top Agent Magazine

Zachary Mourad & Samantha Sirmaian are proud to congratulate

Delinda Robinson

on being featured for New England in Top Agent Magazine!

ZACHARY MOURAD Senior Mortgage Banker NMLS #1568840 c: 973.714.5210 zmourad@totalmortgage.com

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SAMANTHA SIRMAIAN Senior Mortgage Banker NMLS #1524849 c: 978.771.4747 ssirmaian@totalmortgage.com

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Make Social Media Marketing Your Calling Card These days, it’s no secret that buyers begin their home search online. As the industry continues to take a digital turn, Realtors in the know must learn to utilize a whole new range of tools available to them—and for good reason. Social media is a dynamic hybrid of personal contact and targeted marketing. To make the most of this new medium, agents can’t settle for the occasional post and expect results.

Instead, let’s consider a few techniques that will make your social media presence 14

interactive, unmissable, and effective in generating business.

Your Profile is a Portal Ideally, you’ll have profiles across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and otherwise—but no matter what portal you’re utilizing, make sure your profile page is up-todate, well-curated, and easily navigated.

Consider your profile a landing page.

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Your photo, location, contact information, homepage, and a brief bio should all be readily visible so that potential clients can get an immediate sense for who you are and what your voice is. If a client wants to connect with you, it should be obvious how to do so. You might also incorporate a few savvier tools that make your profile more engaging—like hashtags. These searchable tags can help you lure potential clientele and give your audience a chance to explore deeper. #DreamHome #JustListed and #HomeInspiration are popular, existing tags to choose from, but you can cultivate your own hashtag by consistently tagging posts, which gives clients an extensive thread to comb through.

Interacting with Your Audience Posting regularly is great way to appear in feeds, but engaging with your audience is just as important—and it helps you reach a new audience in the process. It’s a positive start to like your audience’s posts, pictures, and statuses, but commenting takes your engagement a step further and separates you from typical respondents. It’s also important that you diversify your engagements. In other words, don’t center every communication around your business, propositioning your services, or trying to sell. If applicable, present your value-add, but otherwise steer your engagement towards the personal. Let your clients know that you’re there, you’re human, and Top Agent Magazine

ready to work at their pace. Which leads us to our next point...

Blending the Professional with the Personal Engaging with your audience is one thing, but what about generating original content?

How do you strike the right balance between a Call to Action, industry updates, and a personal touch? Think of it this way: any post you create should provide a point of connection for your audience.

Sometimes, you might be sharing a family photo, or commenting on some unifying current event—like the Super Bowl! Other times, you may be sharing a Coming Soon listing, or providing tips to spruce up a home for spring. Regardless, you should focus on quality. Is your copywriting engaging? Does it express your unique voice and personality, while maintaining clarity? Are you giving your audience something to connect with, even if you are sharing property photos or advertising an open house? Instill some fun and some personalization to every piece of content you make, so that clients can picture the voice and person behind the post.

Things are always changing on the social media frontier, but some rules never shift.

Adding clarity, consistency, and personality to your online presence are three surefire ways to grow your business and make social media second nature.

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APHRODITE KARPOUZIS

Ashland, MA How do you know when you’ve found the right real estate agent?

A passion and determination to exceed your client’s expectations needs to be the first step.

“I love my job,” says Aphrodite Karpouzis. I go to bed at night thinking about what else I can do to make sure my clients have a great experience, and I wake up invigorated and ready to get to work. My days are exciting and no two are alike. This career is the best decision that I’ve ever made!”

Aphrodite earned her license 3 years ago and joined Amy Mizner and the Mizner Team, now Mizner+Montero and part of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty.

She has combined her natural people skills with the knowledge she’s gained through the mentorship of Amy Mizner to become a valued member of 16

the Gibson Sotheby’s family. As a Massachusetts native, she brings a deep knowledge of Boston’s MetroWest neighborhoods where she sells. With her contributions, Mizner+Montero is consistently ranked a top producing team in Metrowest.

Aphrodite has already built a strong repeat client and referral business, a tribute to the trust her clients place in her.

“I’m an empathetic person and have always been an active listener,” Aphrodite explains.

“I enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories–their joys, their difficulties, their experiences–which allows me to connect with them. It also helps me to better understand their needs.”

She’s aided in that effort by the Gibson Sotheby’s marketing team, which is second to none. Aphrodite and her team go through a detailed process to prepare every listing for the market, including assistance with home staging, Top Agent Magazine

Lincoln, MA professional photography/ videography and a comprehensive marketing strategy that takes advantage of the brokerage’s huge online presence.

Equally important is the effort Mizner+Montero puts into building great relationships with the other agents in their market area. “I feel very lucky to be working in a community where all the Realtors® have such a strong connection with one another,” says Aphrodite. “Everyone is committed to serving our clients well, and we share our knowledge to make sure their needs are met. That kind of working relationship doesn’t happen everywhere.”

Aphrodite works hard to maintain the relationships she’s built with her clients also, reaching out regularly to see if there is anything they need and getting together with them over a breakfast or dinner. Her clients feel very comfortable contacting her too. “By the time we’ve gone through the whole process, we’ve developed a friendship,” she explains. “People will call me asking for advice about contractors, preferred vendors and the real estate market. Our communication goes both ways.”

Aphrodite’s outside interests and community Top Agent Magazine

efforts tend to stem from her conversations with clients. They’ve led her to donate to causes like Cystic Fibrosis research and Sofia’s Angels, a non-profit organization that performs random acts of kindness to individuals and families in need.

As for the future of her business, Aphrodite looks forward to expanding her service into other areas. “I have friends all over Massachusetts, and knowledge of so many different communities that would benefit my clients. Providing them with lots of options and making sure they have an incredible experience—that’s always my focus.”

Newton, MA Contact Aphrodite at 508-561-9552 or email aphrodite.karpouzis@gibsonsir.com.

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The Law Offices of Veronica C. Viveiros, LLC is proud to congratulate

Aphrodite Karpouzis

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

Veronica C. Viveiros, Esq. Law Offices of Veronica C. Viveiros, LLC Tel 508-861-7070; 508-879-0789 Fax 508-879-0887 veronica@viveiroslaw.com www.viveiroslawoffices.com 600 Worcester Road, Suite 403 Framingham, MA 01702

Admitted in MA, RI, and NH

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Top Agent Magazine

Are You Doing Business As YOU On Facebook?

Are you ‘Doing Business As YOU’ on your personal Facebook page? In other words, are you posting your business content from your personal page?

Yesterday a REALTOR® asked us, “Why should I bother with a company Facebook page? Can’t I just post everything from my profile page?”

The answer lies in what we call division of content. As you may be aware, social media began as just that… social. It was never truly intended for business use.

Over time, as businesses began to see the potential in reaching the masses in a new way, they began to intrude on this communication. Today, it is widely accepted that business will be conducted on all social platforms, but the manner in which we do so (and in which we are received) is still a touchy subject at times.

We believe it’s important to be transparent on social media. Draw the line between communicating as the Person and the Professional. Not only does this help you keep your content separate and appropriate, it also gives the control to your network of family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and customers.

They get to decide whether to ‘like’ or ‘follow’ your company page. They get to decide whether they want to see your business related posts. User control is the #1 reason you need a business page if you’re conducting business on Facebook. Wouldn’t you rather have a willing and engaged audience over a forced, potentially reluctant one? We have personally eliminated many of the ‘DBA’ offenders from our news feeds and you have likely done the same.

As in all controversial social media topics, there is some gray area. And that gray area is often subjective, so consider this post food for thought and decide for yourself. We try our best to keep professional content on our business pages, with a couple of exceptions: 1. Philanthropic Promotion: We’re in favor of posting anything that will help an organization in need on both your personal and business pages. Nonprofits often have little to no marketing budget and rely on all of us to promote their good works, so we believe that’s a good line to cross (as long as it’s about the organization, and not you).

2. Recognition Tagging: Facebook does not allow you to tag an individual on your business page. Yes, there are some tricky work-arounds, but they are inconsistent at best. So when it’s truly important for us to recognize and tag an individual, especially someone who has done something nice for us (inviting us as guests on their radio show or podcast, for instance), we will generally post that on the business page first, then share it from our personal pages, along with a comment recognizing and tagging the individual(s) or business who helped us.

Either way (personal or business), remember to be true to the social aspect. Our participation on social media should be about giving, helping, recognizing and connecting…especially when it comes to your business.

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

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CHRIS DEMAKIS

Chris Demakis learned a lot from his 22 years heading up sales and marketing at a Boston marketing agency, so when he opened his own real estate brokerage in June of 2018 he not only had a valuable skill set in place but he could rely on a foundation of knowledge about his new business thanks to family – Chris’ husband is a real estate attorney, his mother was a longtime real estate broker, and thus was born Demakis Family Real Estate.

“After I left my agency in Boston I thought I would decompress a bit and spend some time working in my store, and I got bored very quickly. I don’t like to be tethered. It’s not my nature,” Chris said of his plan after leaving the fast-paced marketing agency world to spend more time at The Town Wharf General Store, a business he owns in his hometown of Mattapoisett on Massachusetts’ tony South Coast. “I had my real estate license already because I would sometimes cover showings for my mother, so I told her I was thinking about 20

opening my own real estate business and asked her if she would be my broker. She said sure, and now my office is inside the store. And to be honest, I attribute my connection to the community and our literal daily contact with people (at The Town Wharf General Store) to the initial success of our real estate business.”

Chris came out of the gate charging. When a customer and friend came into the store and said he heard Chris was opening a real estate brokerage, the man asked Chris if he would be interested in trying to sell adjacent property next to his home that had been on the market for a year. That was Chris’ first listing, worth $2.2 million.

“That was a great way to open my doors and draw a lot of attention to my business. Since then, knock on wood, we’ve been very fortunate to grow this business,” said Chris, who personally did $17 million in sales in 2019, $34 million in 2020 and $49 million last year – of the total $68 million Top Agent Magazine

the brokerage did in 2021. The growth of the Demakis brokerage brand and Chris’ own brand along the South Coast has seen other longstanding offices and agents being ousted from their previous top tier rankings. Chris acknowledges that “in this business, rankings can change in a heartbeat with one strong quarter,” but he’s leaving nothing to chance with plans to expand into the Cape Cod market in 2022.

“Our brand is driven by authenticity. There’s a folksy element to our brand and my team. Don’t be fooled, we have an incredibly strong real estate, sales and marketing, and legal background, but authenticity is key. We build very deep trusting relationships with clients,” said Chris, and it is reflected not only in his work but in his community allegiance. The Demakis Family Real Estate Foundation has given back percentages of its earnings to those in need with housing and food insecurities, LGBTQ charities, and everything in between from the local fire brigade Mattapoisett’s town museum.

“We operate under certain principles,” he said.

“Persistence – we work every day to build our pipeline and build relationships with people.

Trustworthiness – we’re only as good as our word.

When we say something, we do it. Empathy – selling or buying a home is an emotional process and people are going through different things in their lives. Understanding a client’s state of mind and having empathy for that is important.

And High Quality – whether it’s the business part with our CMA presentations or a sponsored content marketing campaign we might do with a media partner, everything you see has to be consistent with our brand values and that high quality feeling.”

Chris Demakis can be found at his website, Demakis Family Real Estate, Inc., at demakis.com. You can reach Chris on his cell at 508-287-2695 or through email at chris@demakis.com. Don’t forget to check out his Facebook page at facebook.com/demakisfamilyrealestate www.

www.

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The Daily Schedule

of a Successful Real Estate Agent Everything you do should be intentional. A busy schedule isn’t the same thing as a productive schedule. Sometimes people write things like “find clients” on their to-do list, but finding clients isn’t actually a task. It’s a goal. Your daily schedule should be created with your goal in mind if you want to be a successful real estate agent, but a goal is too broad to add to your calendar.

Instead, you can break your goal down into projects, break those projects down into tasks, and schedule time in your calendar to complete each task. You’ll find that some of these projects will have an immediate impact on your business, and that those are the tasks that should be completed first.

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The fact is that as a real estate agent you can set your own schedule—if you’re not productive until 10am, then you don’t have to start your day until then. But having a daily schedule means that every day you have a running start on all those other agents who just “wing it.”

You don’t want to feel burned out and busy but like you’re simultaneously not getting a whole lot done. You can only keep up 70+ hour weeks for so long before your body breaks down and both your performance and income drop as a result.

Since every real estate agent’s operating hours look different, the following daily schedule is broken up by the suggested amount of hours you

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should spend on each task rather than specific times of day. However, certain tasks, like prospecting, appointments, and listing presentations should be performed at times when it’s most convenient for clients. If you’re an agent who likes to end their workday at 5 o’clock, remember that this is also the same time your clients are likely ending their day, meaning you might be unavailable for showings during the only time their schedule allows.

3.5 hours – This is that time of day that you should schedule all your appointments and listing presentations. If you are a newer agent, you might use this time instead to do more prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Spend this time waking up, exercising either at home or at the gym, and eating breakfast.

2 hours – Now it’s time to unwind. Use this time to have dinner and spend time with you family. If you have children, this is usually the time of day when they are wrapping up homework assignments and getting ready for bed.

It’s important that you make time for these moments the same way you make time for your work.

2 hours – Use this time before you head to the office to develop a morning routine, if you haven’t already. You can meditate, journal, practice affirmations, or read personal development books to prepare for the day ahead.

1 hour – Once you’re at the office, spend this time to review the day’s schedule, catch up with your assistant or other colleagues, and check the latest industry news. This is also the time of day that you can role play to prepare for appointments.

1.5 hours – Spend this time prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Now it’s time for a lunch break. If you’re a multitasker, you can also use this time to prepare for the afternoon and any meetings you have scheduled or connect with followers on social media.

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.5 hours – Look over the day’s schedule again and ensure you’ve checked every task off your to-do list. While you’re at it, be sure to review tomorrow’s schedule and goals too.

2 hours – Spend these last couple hours before you fall asleep to have quality time with your spouse or perform your self-care routines.

8 hours – Now it’s time for sleep—getting a full night’s rest is crucial if you want every day to be productive.

As you can tell, there’s still some wiggle room left in this schedule, but the important thing is to block out time every day so you can achieve your goals and help your clients.

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SHAYNA PADDEN

It was Shayna Padden’s mother, Sue Padden, who inspired her to enter the real estate field. Running the successful brokerage Sue Padden Real Estate, LLC in southern New Hampshire & now in Northern MA, Sue encouraged her to enter the field. “It is a local family run business, and we have a great group of agents,” she explains. So Shayna felt right at home, and quickly flourished after earning her license.

Working as a solo agent, she is based in Sandown, where she has lived for over 30 years. Serving New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, much of Shayna’s business derives from repeats and referrals. It’s Shayna’s down-toEarth nature and honest approach that has led to her endless growth.

For her sellers, she allows their properties to stand out by providing different marketing packages that best suit their needs. “I’m a Seller Representative Specialist, so I’m up-to-date on the latest trends and watch the market constantly,” she says. “I have home staging experience, and I have connections to many vendors in the area so we can get their home ready for sale.” With a vast background of experience in selling all types of homes, from manufactured housing developments to farm properties, Shayna knows the ideal way to advertise any property.

“I have been told I’m genuine,” she explains, “and people feel comfortable with me right away because I’m not pushy, I’m simply here to help.”

Shayna’s immense experience of 11+ years helps her educate her clients so they can make informed decisions.

Along the way, she communicates frequently and keeps everyone updated, which ensures a smooth transaction.

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Her reputation for delivering patience, integrity and quality service leads to many buyers and sellers hiring her for their real estate needs. One recent buyer said, “Shayna was the best Realtor® we could have asked for when purchasing our first home together. She listened to exactly what we wanted, constantly passed along houses that fit our interests, and was always available to meet us to see houses and to discuss our options.

Though Shayna often shared her opinions with us when we asked, we never felt that she was trying to sway us into any particular direction; she was always objective, practical, and helpful. Best of all, Shayna was a pleasure to spend time with, and we spent at least four months trying to find the perfect house (and we did)! We would recommend her to anyone.”

Shayna even has a great reputation with other agents in the business, helping maintain smooth transactions. One broker raved, “Shayna was amazing to work with! Very responsive and made a somewhat tricky transaction a breeze. I look forward to working with her again!”

With New Hampshire holding a special place in Shayna’s heart, she makes it a priority to give back. “I make a donation for every listing I sell, and often assist with campaigns through our company.” During her off hours, she’s spending time with her family, including her three children.

Planning for the future is also a daily pursuit when she’s not with her clients.

“I’m really looking forward to increasing my sales in the next 12 months and helping more people with their real estate needs,” she explains. Shayna is also part of the company’s training program to help new agents become successful.

This business never gets old, and Shayna can’t imagine herself anywhere else. “Every transaction is different, every client is different, and that’s what I love most about what I do. No matter who I am serving, and what the budget, I treat everyone with the same care and consideration they deserve.”

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For more about Shayna Padden, please call Direct: 603-396-8051 or Office: 603-887-2792 email shayna@suepadden.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 25

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

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

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

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

2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one. Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those 26

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

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

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

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

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

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

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STEPHANIE RUSH Settling for the mundane and mediocre was never the vision for Stephanie Rush, a real estate agent serving the South Eastern, Connecticut area. Initially spending years as a dental hygienist, Stephanie became curious about her career after feeling the loss of passion for her job at the time. Taking a deep dive into available resources led her to educate herself about the abundant opportunities that may come from pursuing a career in real estate. Slowed down by the uprising of the COVID-19 pandemic wouldn’t stop Stephanie, and after embarking on her real estate course, she passed her test. Though newer in the industry, Stephanie thrives after her first year as an agent selling twenty-nine homes and $6.9 million in transactions this past year. Happier than ever to find a career that not only challenges her but lines up with her goal to grow as a person, it’s rare to meet such a determined and compassionate individual.

Stephanie works with a small team of people, mentioning they operate as independent agents; however, they are there to help each other where needed. She enjoys the collaborative effort and backbone of support provided as a team. After one year as an active agent, Stephanie has already achieved a 60-70% referral business, keeping clients coming back to her as their trusted advisor. Stephanie shares her authentic intentions of having her client’s best interest and being a confidant for them. “If they hate that house, then I hate that house!” Stephanie joked while affirming that nurturing personal relationships with her clients is her top priority.

Stephanie not only makes an effort to form a connection that is safe and trusting for her clients but keeps

in touch regularly. Whether through gift giving or gentle reminders and texts, she assures her clients that she is there as a support system and friend, always wishing them happiness in their new home.

Stephanie markets her listings through MLS, social media accounts, and real estate signs, keeping available homes always visible to potential buyers.

Stephanie shares, “It’s just making it a personal touch. I’ve found this has made the biggest difference in making other people feel they are one of the most important things on my list and mind.” Stephanie’s ability to show clients that she cares about them deeply as human beings set her apart from other agents.

When asked what she enjoys the most, Stephanie says the flexibility and freedom in real estate give her joy and the control to create the life of her dreams, a big change-up from her past career.

Stephanie’s kind and caring heart extend with her community involvement with her affiliation in the Condo Association and helping others wherever she can with her real estate background. When Stephanie isn’t selling and listing homes, she is thrill-seeking as a licensed skydiver and motorcycle driver. She also loves hiking, yoga, and being outdoors to explore the world. When asked about her plans for the future, Stephanie plans to expand multidimensionally as an agent by helping more people find quality properties, partnering with new organizations, connecting with new investors, and building out a passive portfolio.

It’s clear that Stephanie not only seeks to make the most of her life but seeks to make the most for others’ lives as well as a trusted, caring, and top agent of South Eastern Connecticut.

For more information about Stephanie Rush visit evaunt.me/qo2DPa/StephanieRush, email realtor.srush@gmail.com or call 860-449-2699 www.

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