NORTH CAROLINA 9-13-21

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

UNCOMMON CONTACT:

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REASONS WHY YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS FEATURED AGENT

DOUG BEAN

DEVELOPING YOUR PRICING PHILOSOPHY

Connecting With Clientele Through Social Media

3 Ways Joining A Professional Organization Can MAKE YOUR BUSINESS BETTER

COVER STORY

SHERRY STROHL

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

DOUG BEAN Doug Bean began his real estate career 7 in 2007. “It’s something I should have done years prior,” Doug recalls. “I finally made the decision when I was in a corporate life. I said, ‘I really need to start my own business and be my own boss!’ Of course, it naturally turned out to be a good fit.” In the 14 years since, Doug has excelled at helping his clients achieve their real estate goals.

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Doug also enjoys walkin being outside, gardening, a

“My favorite part of real e ing people in transitions,” “For sellers that often ing them relocate to a di always having the hom showings, and knowing th is protected and someone on it while they’re away. it means understanding A native North Carolinian, serves SHERRYDoug STROHL DOUG BEAN the Davidson/Lake Norman area, with looking for, having that a specialty in the River Run Country Club community munication with other agents, and netw in Davidson where he lives. One hundred percent of them the best possible home.”

Doug’s business comes from repeat and referral cliCONTENTS ents, an impressive feat that speaks to the trust and In the future, Doug says he plans to “ele confidence he inspires. “It never fails that my cliferent level” with his move to Premier Sot 4) ents 7 REASONS WHY 17) 3 WAYS JOINING A so much in the r always come from referrals from past clients, as change has opened up YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T PROFESSIONAL well as repeat business,” Doug says. He is a trusted keting, client input, and client benefit,” h TURNING INTO CLIENTS ORGANIZATION CAN MAKE resource to his clients, and it’s not unusual for him to plans to continue growing, especially in hi BETTER help a single family through multiple moves andYOUR tran- BUSINESS relocation business. over the years.

14)sitions UNCOMMON Doug emphasizes the importance of Rea CONTACT: CONNECTING 20) DEVELOPING YOUR Doug’s ability to workTHROUGH with all different types of people ingPHILOSOPHY together to help their clients achieve WITH CLIENTELE PRICING sets him apart. “My corporate background and educa“Just as important as it is to communicate SOCIAL MEDIA tion have really helped me in being able to communicate with clients, it’s also important to have th at all different levels,” he says. “It allows me to talk agents,” Doug says. “Teamwork is the ans clients through all the different pieces of the transaction, keep everyone on| Fax the same page, and ensure that Phone 310-734-1440 310-734-1440 they’re happy. I lead clients through the knowledge and mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com the process steps to make them feel comfortable.”

SHERRY STROHL

No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top When it comes toheld marketing, Doug invests inoradverAgent Magazine cannot be responsible for opinions expressed facts supplied by its authors. inorlocal media as well as on social media Totising subscribe changeprint address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Published in theFacebook, U.S. including Instagram, and Nextdoor. With his

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recent move to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty this past June, Doug has also gained the advantage of global and international marketing.

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For more about Doug Bean, call 704.

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7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

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1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

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If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

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5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

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client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

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SHERRY STROHL Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Sherry Strohl is a REALTOR® and broker with eXp Realty in Charlotte, North Carolina, with over fifty percent of her business deriving from repeat and referral clients.

With over twenty years in real estate, Sherry has seen her career grow to pass many notable milestones. Her lifelong interest in sales led to her start in the industry marketing new builds for an Indianapolis based firm. There, Sherry became fluent in the ins-and-outs of development and the new-construction industry. When new construction diminished in the financial crash, Sherry made 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

the leap to a general brokerage where her background helped inform her transition, expanding her already impressive industry knowledge base. She’s been growing her business and helping clients successfully navigate their transactions ever since. “It’s important to be unique and special in what you do,” Sherry says. “Over the years, I’ve found what’s worked for me” Top Agent Magazine

Today, Sherry is a REALTOR® and broker with eXp Realty in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over fifty percent of her business derives from repeat and referral clients.

Aided by a down-to-earth, personable approach, and unmatchable knowledge of the local market, Sherry easily fosters trust Top Agent Magazine

with buyers and sellers in all price ranges, from modest homes to luxury properties.

“People love working with me because I’m willing to help anybody and everybody,” she says. As a preferred agent for Veterans United, and having worked with many firsttime homebuyers, Sherry stays committed to Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

In the highly active Charlotte-area, Sherry’s listings sometimes sell before they even hit the market. Annually, Sherry averages over twelve million in sales volume. “Our market’s so high, most listings are gone in a couple days.” seeing her clients through the homebuying process. “I’m determined to find someone a home, whether it’s now or a year from now.

It’s not if, it’s when you can buy.” She adds, “If the buyer’s motivated, I’ll do what I can to get them in a house. I have veteran clients in their sixties who’ve never owned a home and are using their VA loan for the first time. All the first-time homebuyers are Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

so appreciative, it makes it really rewarding to be a part of that process.”

Sherry’s service to her clients doesn’t stop at the close of a transaction. She stays in touch with past clients through quarterly and annual mailers, while also keeping up with the stories of their day-to-day through social media. “You become friends with a lot Top Agent Magazine

of people and over time you stay involved in their lives.”

When it comes to marketing, Sherry engages a robust digital rollout for each listing, customizing where ads populate to reach the right buyer depending on the property. Posts across a wide range of Top Agent Magazine

social media platforms put Sherry’s listings right at a buyer’s fingertips. In the highly active Charlotte-area, Sherry’s listings sometimes sell before they even hit the market. Annually, Sherry averages over twelve million in sales volume. “Our market’s so high, most listings are gone in a couple days.”

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As a REALTOR® who cares about her community, Sherry continually assists our veterans with becoming homebuyers in a competitive market. She has also donated to charities supporting children’s shelters.

When she’s not working, Sherry enjoys

relaxing at the beach or poolside with friends and spending time with family. Looking to the future of her business, Sherry envisions expanding her client-base by partnering with like-minded agents, committed to providing their clients with exceptional service.

Contact Sherry at 803.431.6018, email sherry.strohl@exprealty.com, or find out more at sherrystrohl.exprealty.com www.

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Uncommon Contact:

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

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Not everything has to be about business.

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

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

Expand your medium.

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

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

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

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

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

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

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

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Laughs!

Graham Harrop Graham Harrop Cartoons Cartoons

Putting the power of humour to work for you!

Putting the power of humour to work for you! grahamharrop.com

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3 Ways Joining a Professional Organization Can

Make Your Business Better Any real estate professional worth his or her salt knows that relationships are everything in this industry. Of course, it’s essential to cultivate connections with your in-office colleagues and your clientele—but there’s even more to be done when it comes to building meaningful professional relationships on a larger scale.

How can you make the most of your sphere of influence? The answer lies in professional organizations.

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These institutions vary in breadth and scope— from the local chamber of commerce and state-level organizations geared toward young professionals, to nationwide groups like the National Association of Realtors. No matter which avenue you pursue, these organizations and the professionals therein can add tremendous value to your business and professional repertoire. Not quite convinced? Consider a few of the benefits below to understand how just how influential a professional organization can be when doing business in the modern marketplace.

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1. Expand your skillset.

It’s hard to argue that continuing education and professional development aren’t worthwhile causes. One of the little-known values of joining a professional organization is that there are countless opportunities to boost your talent through free or subsidized skill-building events, workshops, and speaker series. Seminars, coaching events, opportunities to volunteer, and conferences are just a few more ways that professional organizations put you in the right position to learn from others, or advance your understanding of the industry. In real estate, staying ahead of the curve is crucial to the longevity of your business. By joining a professional organization, you’ll not only have the chance to learn from industry veterans, but to also take advantage of indispensable resources that set you apart from the real estate pack.

2. Simplify your networking experience The obvious benefit of joining a professional organization is the chance to meet and network with fellow agents and industry pros.

But, have you ever considered how commonly networking comes into play in the real world? On the local and state level, the real estate scene isn’t as big as one might imagine.

This means you’ll cross paths with all sorts of agents, lenders, home inspectors, title company representatives, contractors, developers, investors, and more. Positioning yourself within a professional organization not only fortifies your reputation to the outside world and to those in your industry, but it also makes it easier to strike up conversations or navigate deals. How so? A professional organization 18

creates a baseline of common knowledge and trust when doing business with those inside or aware of your organization. Likewise, when reaching out to an agent or lender who you’re not familiar with, you can mine your professional organization for related contacts that give you a sense of who you’re doing business with or how to make the transition progress smoothly.

3. Utilize a support system While advancing your career is a worthwhile motive when joining a real estate professional organization, also consider the mental benefits of fellowship with industry colleagues and local entrepreneurs. Rather than carting your anxieties home at the end of the day, you can lean on professionals moving through the same ranks. What’s more, you can turn to others in your industry for advice, commiseration with frustrations, or help sourcing a solution for a particular problem they may have experienced and overcome in the past. Even talking shop with likeminded pros can relieve stress and refresh your perspective—perks that are just as valuable as an updated contact sheet.

The old saying stands true: if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to far, go together.

In that vein, professional organizations can make all the difference when it comes to a career that doesn’t burn out. Try connecting with a professional organization that you find inspiring—whether its mission is focused on volunteer work, industry developments, or peer mentorship. No matter which path you pursue, remember that no man is an island and the benefits of joining a professional organization can transform you and your enterprise for the better.

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DOUG BEAN Doug Bean began his real estate career in 2007. “It’s something I should have done years prior,” Doug recalls. “I finally made the decision when I was in a corporate life. I said, ‘I really need to start my own business and be my own boss!’ Of course, it naturally turned out to be a good fit.” In the 14 years since, Doug has excelled at helping his clients achieve their real estate goals.

A native North Carolinian, Doug serves the Davidson/Lake Norman area, with a specialty in the River Run Country Club community in Davidson where he lives. One hundred percent of Doug’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, an impressive feat that speaks to the trust and confidence he inspires. “It never fails that my clients always come from referrals from past clients, as well as repeat business,” Doug says. He is a trusted resource to his clients, and it’s not unusual for him to help a single family through multiple moves and transitions over the years.

Doug’s ability to work with all different types of people sets him apart. “My corporate background and education have really helped me in being able to communicate at all different levels,” he says. “It allows me to talk clients through all the different pieces of the transaction, keep everyone on the same page, and ensure that they’re happy. I lead clients through the knowledge and the process steps to make them feel comfortable.”

Doug also enjoys walking his dogs, being outside, gardening, and traveling.

“My favorite part of real estate is helping people in transitions,” Doug says.

“For sellers that often means helping them relocate to a different state, always having the home ready for showings, and knowing that the home is protected and someone is checking on it while they’re away. For buyers, it means understanding what they’re looking for, having that great communication with other agents, and networking to get them the best possible home.”

In the future, Doug says he plans to “elevate to a different level” with his move to Premier Sotheby’s. “This change has opened up so much in the realm of marketing, client input, and client benefit,” he says. Doug plans to continue growing, especially in his referral and relocation business.

Doug emphasizes the importance of Realtors® working together to help their clients achieve great results.

“Just as important as it is to communicate and network with clients, it’s also important to have that with other agents,” Doug says. “Teamwork is the answer.”

When it comes to marketing, Doug invests in advertising in local print media as well as on social media including Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor. With his recent move to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty this past June, Doug has also gained the advantage of global and international marketing.

Even when he is not working, Doug can’t stay away from his passion for real estate: he and his partner enjoy buying renovation homes in the area and flipping them.

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For more about Doug Bean, call 704.231.6505, email doug.bean@premiersir.com, or visit dougbean.premiersothebysrealty.com https://

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Developing Your Pricing Philosophy

By Dirk Zeller

Ask a dozen agents to explain their home pricing philosophy, and you’ll

hear a dozen different approaches. And if the talk reveals frank responses, you’ll also learn that the most common pricing strategy is no strategy at all.

Here’s my advice: Break out of the ranks by establishing and following a specific strategy for arriving at the ideal selling price for each home.

Adopt the philosophy that, in real estate sales, price is king. Price trumps all other factors—including marketing approaches, home condition, market competitiveness, and sales approach. I believe that, in the end, marketing and condition of the property are controlled by the price.

The alternative, advocated by many agents, most sellers, and even some sales trainers, is to emphasize marketing over pricing. Rather than working to set the ideal price, they believe success will come from optimizing the home’s condition and presentation and then marketing it with skill and savvy.

I take the opposite belief, based on years of experience working with sellers who wanted unrealistic prices for their homes and who experienced firsttime sales failures as a result.

Over my sales career, I resurrected and re-listed more than 600 expired listings—nearly 75 a year. Among all those transactions, I never met an owner with an expired listing who thought that an unreasonable price had anything to do with the home’s failure to sell. They all blamed the previous Copyright Top Agent Magazine 20

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agent and that person’s approach to marketing. Each sought some magic marketing strategy to change the reality of the law of supply and demand.

There is a magic strategy: Price the home correctly.

Price is the only factor that can overcome sales obstacles, compensate for a home’s deficiencies, and motivate a purchaser even if the condition of the property and your marketing approach is less than perfect.

Getting the listing at any cost Does this scenario sound familiar? An agent (usually a newer agent) is short on business or maybe even desperate for the chance to stake a sign in someone’s yard. The agent wants a listing at any price – even if the chance Top Agent Magazine

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to seal a deal erodes the likelihood of selling the property. To gain a seller’s nod of approval, the agent makes a flatteringly high pricing recommendation, throwing out a number the client wants to hear and then hoping something good will result from the bad situation.

I can think of few examples, if any, where this philosophy works. Hope isn’t a successful pricing strategy. Worse, the please-the-client mindset is a hard one to abandon. Agents who achieve listings with unrealistic prices find it hard to later counsel their clients honestly.

If you take and price a good listing competitively, it will sell. You can’t keep a good price a secret!

The pitfalls of a “please the buyer” approach are many and significant. By overpricing, you can practically count on a reduction in your productivity, profitability, and salability, and here’s why: It’s impossible to keep your productivity high when your time is spent in conversations with an unsuccessful seller who lacks motivation to take corrective action. The seller’s negativity, concerns, and phone calls will only increase with each week or month the house remains on the market.

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As time goes on, you’ll devote more and more time unsuccessfully trying to create a sale not only for your seller but also for yourself. This will pull you away from activities that are more likely to deliver income. The ensuing frustration will de-motivate you and stunt your ability to secure better appointments that create other income opportunities.

An unsold, overpriced listing negatively impacts your profitability because it costs you time and money to service while it delivers no revenue to your business. And the situation only gets worse the longer the listing languishes on the market. You’ll end up deducting the expenses of this in-limbo listing from the proceeds generated by any revenue-producing deals you manage to close in the meantime, reducing your net profit and business success.

Unsold homes that linger on the market seriously diminish your salability, which is the term that describes your sales success track. Your salability is based on such key statistics as your average ratio of listing price compared to sale price and the average number of days your listings are on the market.

Obviously, these statistics, which prospects rely on when choosing one agent over another, can be crushed by a “get the listings at any cost” philosophy. They’re also harmed by the “start high and reduce later” tactic.

If you take and price a good listing competitively, it will sell. You can’t keep a good price a secret!

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President and CEO of Real Estate Champions. Copyright©, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved.

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