OHIO 12-7-20

OHIO EDITION

COVER STORY

REGINA MILLER FEATURED AGENT

JOY LARSON

24-HOUR TOUCH-UPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PRICE LIST

Every Player is Valuable:

HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAM’S MORALE

3 MENTAL TRICKS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

OHIO EDITION

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REGINA MILLER

4) ARE YOU A VALUE-ADDED AGENT?

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JOY LARSON

Top Agent Joy Larson – Lead of Keller Williams Elevate The Joy Team in Strongsvill Ohio – is passionate about hel ing her many grateful clien achieve their real estate goal Hardworking, dedicated an deeply knowledgeable abo the industry in which she work JOY LARSON Joy has built her business on a foundation of honest integrity and true empathy for her buyers and sellers.

Joy became a licensed real estate agent in 2015. “I g started in the business because my husband is an invest and was buying rental properties,” recalls Joy. “W CONTENTS were going to be a tag team. I would be the real esta agent for the properties he buys, so that’s how it began Since24-HOUR then, Joy hasTOUCH-UPS built a thriving TO business based o 17) her exceptional customer service and ability to put h MAXIMIZE YOUR PRICE LIST clients at ease during even the most convoluted of tran actions, among many other factors.

13) EVERY PLAYER IS VALUABLE: HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAM’S MORALE

22) 3 MENTAL TRICKS THAT Currently, Joy –YOUR who oversees a small but equally-de WILL TAKE BUSINESS icated team – can claim that a significant and growin TO THE NEXT LEVEL portion of her overall business is based upon referra

from satisfied clients. “We want to bring joy to o clients, hence the name The Joy Team,” she explain when asked how she manages to inspire so much tru and loyalty amongst those she works with. “We want o Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 clients to be happy just in general, and with the enti mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com transaction.”

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 taken to ensure the accuracy published and the scor Joy is are clearly succeeding in thatofmission, materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. of glowing five-star reviews on Zillow.com – on whic To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. site she is a Premier Agent – attest to that assessmen Published in the U.S.

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Just one of many reads: “Joy was not only extremely fa moving, responsive, and helpful, but she was an absolu delight to work with. We started looking at a couple Topwe Agent Magazine homes we found on Zillow, but weren’t successful finding something we really liked. After talking to Jo

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Are You a Value-Added Agent?

I’ll bet if I asked ten real estate agents, all ten would answer ‘yes’ to that question. Yet, when I ask agents how they are value-added, they say things like: • I communicate regularly with my clients.

• I have a written listing presentation.

• I am honest.

• I am trustworthy.

Are these ‘value-added’ attributes? Or, does the client expect these attributes and services?

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Are these exceptional services or average services? I’m writing this article at the beginning of a New Year. It’s a perfect time to re-assess your professionalism and master being that ‘value-added’ agent.

Client Expectations are Higher than Ever Unfortunately, too many real estate agents assume they are ‘value-added’ because they are providing the services they want to provide— Top Agent Magazine

the services they think the client values. However, there’s a real client out there, and the client has different expectations. How do I know that? Because so few agents regularly survey their clients. In fact, when I’m speaking to an audience, I survey them, and find that less than 25 percent gather after-sale surveys! So, the majority of agents don’t know if the services they are providing are average or exceptional.

Why Bother Being Exceptional?

• Because you want to set yourself apart.

• You want to create client loyalty.

• You want to create at least 50 percent of your business from client referrals (the latest National Association of Realtors survey Profile of Members found that the average Realtor got only 18 percent of their business from referrals. That’s a hard and expensive way to run a real estate business!

• Because you want to run a more pleasant, profitable business.

Four Actions Value-Added Agents Take How can you identify value-added agents? By their actions. Here are four actions I believe show agents that are above just ‘average’. The principle here is:

Watch the actions, not the words.

If I were a manager, or a seller or a buyer, and I wanted to find a value-added agent, here’s what I would look for: Top Agent Magazine

1. Has a database and populates it This agent is committed long-term to his clients and to his business. He uses a contact management program (CRM) to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost — and clients do not feel neglected. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take.

Actively using and maintaining a CRM means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time.

Other demonstrable actions concerning the agent’s CRM are: • Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via email. (The average client expects a response within eight hours—but a recent survey showed the average agent responded in 50 hours!).

• Has a method to follow up on all leads until they ‘buy or die’. As a client, that means I won’t get lost. As a seller, it means my agent will follow up with all leads and give it 100 percent to sell my home.

2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have This agent makes every decision based on their vision of their career at least three to five years in the future. For example, instead of selling someone a house anywhere just to get a sale, my value-added agent sells only in an area they define as their ‘target area’. That way, they’ll get known, and can build on their reputation.

The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business! Because they care more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, they learn to 5

‘tell the truth attractively’, and work harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

Adding those Client Benefits to your Dialogue

3. Works for referrals, not just sales I said the agent learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, even if the buyer or seller may not want to hear it. For example, if it’s in the best interests of the seller to list their home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller won’t be well served by pricing higher.

Of course, it’s not enough to actually take these actions. You need to explain to the client why these actions are in their best interests, and how you stand apart from most agents by employing them. Why? Because your client won’t know you run your business so professionally.

And, the client probably doesn’t know most agents don’t run their businesses this way!

And, this value-added agent has the intestinal fortitude to walk away if they know the home will not sell at the client’s desired price (but doesn’t have to too many times because they create a stellar reputation amongst their clientele).

TIP: Always show your clients, don’t just tell them. You do have a Professional Portfolio and evidence on your website, don’t you?

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind Our value-added agent makes every decision to grow trust, not just to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple and finds out they can’t purchase right away and creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, the agent keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

Put Yourself to the Test

How many of these actions P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips do you exhibit?

What do you want to work on to become a true 1. Call each of your agents’‘value-added’ phone mails.

What’s the impre agent?

Are they professional? Do they state the company n TIP: represent your culture and image?

Managers, give your agents a 2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the ‘test’ on these four points.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyHow many pass? this blog. er agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cros

Carla Cross,CRB, CRB, MA, is theoffounder andSeminars, president Carla Cross & Carla Cross, MA, President Carla Cross Inc.,ofand Carla real management and sales.

Herspecializing internationally s Crossestate Coaching, is an international speaker in realbest-selling estate management and Running business planning for all professionals. agents, Up and in 30 Days, is real nowestate going into its 5thHer edition sevenexperience internationallyas published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days , vast a top-selling agent and award-winning manage and 20 agent and management programs have helped thousands of real sales podium, blending her musical background with her proven estate professionals to the greater productivity and teaches profitability.someone Reach Carla strategies (she uses piano AND even to at play—f 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com. and practical). Find out more at www.carlacross.com.

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REGINA MILLER

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Top Agent Regina Miller got her first real estate license in 2019, but she has hit the ground running.

At the start of November 2020, she has already completed forty-two transactions.

“My passion for this job sets me apart,” says Regina Miller, a top agent from Middletown, Ohio. “I love giving someone the confidence they need to be successful in a real estate transaction.”

She laughs. “Don’t get me wrong, I love 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

getting compensated for my work! But that’s not what drives me, and people see that. When I started in real estate, I was really searching for a purpose. So, to me, guiding someone through this is very personal.”

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Regina first got her real estate license in 2019, but she has hit the ground running.

At the start of November 2020, Regina has already completed forty-two transactions. “It’s unbelievable, especially during a pandemic!” she says. “I’ve been able to do almost five million dollars in business in my first full year out.

I’ve been very fortunate.”

through that platform,” she says. “For example, back in March, I had a lady reach out to me via a private message.

I’d never met her, but she had been following me for months on Facebook.

She introduced herself, said she had preapproval, explained she was looking to buy her first home, and asked me to be her REALTOR®. It’s amazing.”

When it comes to marketing her listings, Regina utilizes Facebook and social media. “I’ve gotten several referrals

Regina is extremely involved with her community. One organization that is very near to her heart is The Lit-

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tle Miracles of HOPE, a group which provides support to ensure that no child is left wanting during the holidays.

“I’m very passionate about that because it allows me, after losing my son in a car accident, to make donations in his name,” says Regina.

She also looks for opportunities to give

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back on a more personal level. For instance, she is heavily involved with Hope House Mission, a shelter in Middletown. Each Thanksgiving, Regina donates funds to ensure all families have a holiday meal. Then, when COVID-19 began to spread, Regina stepped up.

She provided eleven laptops to students through Hope House, volunteered to

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provide lunches, and made sure hand sanitizer was available for kitchen workers and other volunteers. She also donated 2000 clear bags to local schools in efforts to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, Regina often does porch drop-offs for those in need.

“I say on my website that if you’re hungry, if you need supplies, reach out to me,” says Regina. “I will porch deliver those items, no questions asked. I’ve done that several times.”

When she isn’t hard at work building Top Agent Magazine

her real estate business or serving her community, Regina loves nothing more than spending time with her family.

“My grandbabies are my outside of real estate fun,” Regina says. “I love to take them to our camper in southeast Ohio.

We do a lot of things there. I enjoy my family! It’s all about family.”

Looking to the future, Regina’s plans really are all about family. “The future of my business is the legacy going to my children,” she says. “As long as they continue to see my passion, I’m 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

happy. I’d like to pass this to my kids.

I have a daughter in her mid-twenties, and she is thinking of a career in real estate. I hope that’s the case!” No matter what the future brings, Regina

looks forward to continuing to help her community with remarkable dedication. She says, “Whether in real estate or not, my journey is to continue to serve people.”

To learn more about Regina Miller, call 937-580-0542, email rockinrealestatewithregina@gmail.com, or visit rockinrealestatewithregina.com.

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

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

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

Here are some things that you can do to increase morale and productivity in your workplace: 13

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Laughs!

We’re still here!

Making the workplace happy is what we do.

A Graham Harrop Cartoon can enhance office materials, training manuals and add zing to that worrying power point presentation.

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Companies large and small call on award-winning cartoonist Graham

the power Harrop to create unique, funPutting and of humour to work memorable cartoons especially for them…

for you!

Working with you to highlight aspects of your organization or celebrate that special someone, Graham is just an email away! gtoonist@shaw.ca

grahamharrop.com

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24-Hour Touch-ups to Maximize Your List Price Sometimes it takes a full-scale overhaul to prepare a house for market. Other times, only a series of small adjustments are required to make a listing’s true potential shine. Whether you’re gearing up for an open house, assessing a list price, or maximizing a property’s appearance prior to photography—the devil is in the details. However, touch-ups and refreshes don’t have to dominate your schedule or break the bank. For a few ideas of where Top Agent Magazine

to begin, consider our handy check-list below for quick home projects that will fortify your bottom line.

Refresh grout for a sparkling clean look.

Perhaps the quickest and most cost-effective way to make bathrooms, kitchens, and other tiled areas shine is to refresh grout until it looks

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good as new. Specialty grout stain removers and cleaners are inexpensive and sold at most home improvement stores. Plus, the project only takes a bit of elbow grease and an hour or two for a major makeover effect. Suddenly, dark, stained, and worn-down bathrooms gleam as if tile has just been placed.

Create mood lighting with soothing bulbs and fixtures.

A warm white light from specially chosen LED bulbs creates a welcoming environment when potential buyers come calling.

If outdated fixtures are bringing down a home’s otherwise modern styling, consider more design-neutral replacements that won’t

detract from the property’s charms. These are inexpensive but highly noticeable and impactful upgrades that shift a home’s ambiance for the better.

Repaint doors for an updated and inviting entryway.

It may sound like a hassle, but repainting doorways with a fresh coat signals a wellkept property—and that’s before prospective buyers even pass through the threshold. You can also change out generic doorknobs and switch-plates to add an updated flare while on a budget. Color-of-the-year trend choices can turn heads, while neutral paint choices signal less hassle for future homeowners.

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scrub, or with the addition of new shelves or styled bulbs.

Make windows shine— both inside and out.

Cleanliness goes a long way in communicating a well-cared for home in which buyers can imagine themselves. Cleaning the inside and outside of windows not only refreshes a room, but it allows light to infuse the space while appealing to the move-in ready crowd.

Closet spaces are not an afterthought.

Every prospective buyer wants storage options, and you’ve surely led a home tour where guests inspect closets and pantries.

Don’t let these hidden spaces go overlooked. Make sure they’re clean, cleared as much as possible, and you can even touch them up with fresh paint, a good

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Remove tough appliance stains with a bit of elbow grease.

If you’re packaging appliances with the sale of a property, you’ll want to make sure those big-ticket items are also in top shape to showcase their value. Stainless steel polish, electric cooktop polish, and stain removing pads for the kitchen sink can make your appliances look five years younger with nothing more than an hour or two’s labor.

Organize garage and basement areas to maximize storage and hint at bonus space.

It may take a labor of love, but organizing and decluttering these special storage spaces

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can add significant value to a property. Instead of telling prospective buyers how much storage space there is—let these areas speak for themselves by giving them a neutral, airy bout of cleansing. That way, craft-lovers, car aficionados, and buyers with interest in renovating basement areas can witness the potential immediately.

Individually, these bit to-do list items might seem like extra work without the promise of 20

a major return. But combined? These small tasks go a long way in crafting a home’s image and projecting pure potential. After all, prospective buyers imagine their lives unfolding inside those walls. That’s why cobbling together these small-scale projects can have a big payoff in the end. Not only will a home present itself in a cohesive, attractively-packaged form, but it can also translate to higher interest and a significant pay-off—in more ways than one.

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JOY LARSON Top Agent Joy Larson – Leader of Keller Williams Elevate’s The Joy Team in Strongsville, Ohio – is passionate about helping her many grateful clients achieve their real estate goals.

Hardworking, dedicated and deeply knowledgeable about the industry in which she works, Joy has built her business on a foundation of honesty, integrity and true empathy for her buyers and sellers.

Joy became a licensed real estate agent in 2015. “I got started in the business because my husband is an investor and was buying rental properties,” recalls Joy. “We were going to be a tag team. I would be the real estate agent for the properties he buys, so that’s how it began.”

Since then, Joy has built a thriving business based on her exceptional customer service and ability to put her clients at ease during even the most convoluted of transactions, among many other factors.

Currently, Joy – who oversees a small but equally-dedicated team – can claim that a significant and growing portion of her overall business is based upon referrals from satisfied clients. “We want to bring joy to our clients, hence the name The Joy Team,” she explains, when asked how she manages to inspire so much trust and loyalty amongst those she works with. “We want our clients to be happy just in general, and with the entire transaction.”

Joy is clearly succeeding in that mission, and the scores of glowing five-star reviews on Zillow.com – on which site she is a Premier Agent – attest to that assessment.

Just one of many reads: “Joy was not only extremely fast moving, responsive, and helpful, but she was an absolute delight to work with. We started looking at a couple of homes we found on Zillow, but we weren’t successful in finding something we really liked. After talking to Joy only a couple of times, she listened to what we liked and didn’t like, and she found us exactly what we were looking for! I would recommend her to anyone.”

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Other reasons for Joy’s success would be her expert negotiation skills. Joy learned many valuable negotiation skills through her investor background. These skills come in handy in today’s hot market. Also, another component to her success is her thorough and intelligent approach to marketing her listings, both of which translate into fast sales for top dollar, not to mention happy clients.

“My favorite part of this job is investing in people,” says Joy. “I like getting to know people and building lifelong relationships with my clients.” Joy does so through newly instituted client events, and by working hard to maintain a connection to past clients long after the closing table.

When she’s not working, Joy enjoy spending time with her husband and their three children, and the entire family are avid travelers who enjoy visiting other countries and experiencing different cultures. Joy also likes to give back to the community any way she can, and she is currently planning a food drive amongst her clients to benefit the underprivileged.

Joy’s plans for the future are fairly straightforward: to continue growing her business exponentially, and to add new team members who share her client-first business ethos to handle that growth. Above all, however, is her primary objective: to continue offering the exceptional customer service that has become her calling card.

For more about Joy Larson, call 440-503-1730 or email joy@soldwiththejoyteam.com 21 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

3 Mental Tricks That Will Take Your Business to the Next Level It’s no secret that running a successful business requires careful planning and a tireless work ethic. Beyond those obvious ideals, it also takes the right mindset in order to capitalize on professional opportunity. In the world of real estate and mortgage lending, mental fortitude is a major component to reaching the next 22

level and achieving longevity in a sector that requires so much self-discipline. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few key mental tricks you can employ to reinvigorate your working philosophy. Incorporate these techniques into your daily mindfulness routine and your business will surely benefit.

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Visualization helps you work efficiently and keep your cool.

This may sound like one of the oldest tricks in the book, but there’s a reason why Olympic athletes and those serving in first-responder positions use visualization as a time-honored mental technique. Not only does visualizing your daily tasks help you organize your mind, but it amps up your ability to focus on what’s important. Visualization also helps reduce stress in the moment, since you’ve already created a mental expectation of the task ahead. Whether you’re preparing for a negotiation or a pitch to new a client—visualization primes your brain and affords you an extra sense of control as you tackle your day.

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Distill concepts into their simplest terms for ultimate understanding.

As an agent or loan officer, you’re likely juggling numerous clients and commitments on any given day. That’s why it helps to distill your responsibilities in clear, definitive terms. Let’s say you have a meeting set with a client to outline a marketing approach for their property. You may understand the broad strokes, but beforehand, try verbalizing the exact takeaways you’d like to impart to your client.

This may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to clarify your communication and ensure your com-

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plete understanding of a subject is to explain it aloud in its simplest terms. This crystallizes your main point and can come in handy if you drift off-topic or need to double-down on your message.

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Accept that mistakes will be made.

While it’s natural to fear failure, sometimes the dread of making an error can overwhelm your ability to perform. As the saying goes: don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

If you accept in advance that set-backs will occur, challenges will come, and things won’t always go accordingly to plan—you’ll be less confounded when hurdles do arise. What matters is keeping an even keel as you sort through unexpected delays or mishaps. Accepting that mistakes will happen allows you to shift your focus towards a solution or contingency plan. In other words, don’t spend your energy trying to achieve perfection. Aim high and work hard, but be in touch with reality: upsets are bound to occur. Accept this and you’ll be ready when they do.

The path to lasting success is ongoing, and there are bound to be challenges along the way. It takes mental fortitude to make it to the top, so keep these tricks in mind as you continue to grow as a person and a professional. Seeing situations in a new light can make all the difference as you adapt, evolve, and take your business to the next level.

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