SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 3-2-20

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

Things You Can Do to Anticipate Your Client’s Needs 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get More Referrals How to Build a Team that Will Win Big No Matter its Size

FEATURED AGENTS

DEAN & SARAH O'DELL COVER STORY

ANNE SCHREIBER & JACK ARCHIE

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

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ANNE SCHREIBER & JACK ARCHIE

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DEAN & SARAH O'DELL

CONTENTS 4) IF IT’S GOOD FOR THE SOUL, IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

15) THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ANTICIPATE YOUR CLIENT’S NEEDS

6) HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

19) ARE YOU IN OR OUT? 22) 5 SURE-FIRE WAYS TO GET MORE REFERRALS

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Published in the U.S.

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If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night?

The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning.

REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their 4

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing.

Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says.

“There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.”

The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

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Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home.

For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!”

Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie.

We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured Top Agent Magazine

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How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

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So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

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Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

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Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

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help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

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Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

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ANNE SCHREIBER & JACK ARCHIE Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agents Anne Schreiber & Jack Archie of The Schreiber Team serve the entire San Diego area— accomplishing $74 million in volume last year.

The Schreiber Team isn’t motivated by the deal. “We’re motivated by the client,” team owner Anne Schreiber says. “We’re comfortable pacing things at the rate the client needs, and we’re willing to wait until the 10Copyright Top Agent Magazine

right time to get our clients their favored outcome.”

“It’s part of the culture of the team that impacts everything we do,” says Jack Archie, Top Agent Magazine

Sales Partner with The Schreiber Team.

“We provide a high level of service, and it’s evident from the first time that clients meet with us that we’ll place them first. It’s about their priorities, not our paychecks, and that’s a refreshing change for people.”

Anne has been in real estate for nine years, after a successful stint as a fitness Top Agent Magazine

professional and kindergarten teacher. “I had the opportunity to go through a bunch of real estate transactions in a short window of time, and it gave me the idea that I could offer a better service experience than what I saw,” she says. She found success immediately, earning her way to the top 1% internationally quite early in her career.

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“I love the trust that is exchanged between our clients and our team,” Anne says. “Buying or selling a home is a profound life event for families, and I like being the problem solver and the voice of confidence and reason.”

Jack, meanwhile, grew up in a real estate family. “Coming from a top real estate family in Wisconsin, I always knew it would either be real estate or baseball!” he says.

Jack has five years experience under his belt, and he finds that his degree in Business Psychology often gives him the edge in transactions.

The Schreiber Team serves Anne’s hometown, the entire San Diego area, and last 12Copyright Top Agent Magazine

year they accomplished $74 million in volume, with about 40% of their business coming from repeat and referral clients.

The culture that sets The Schreiber Team apart comes from the top down. “I love the trust that is exchanged between our clients and our team,” Anne says. “Buying or selling a home is a profound life event for families, and I like being the problem solver and the voice of confidence and reason.”

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“Whenever something pops up I dig my heels in to get results,” Jack agrees. “Solving these high level issues earns you not only lifelong clients, but also friends.”

“We care about every single person we get a chance to interact with,” says Anne. “We feel blessed and humbled to sit at the table for such an important moment in someone’s Top Agent Magazine

life, and everything we do is through the lens of understanding what a big deal this is for people.”

Looking to the future Anne thinks in five and ten year increments. “The next five years is to grow the infrastructure,” she says. “There’s a point where a team gets too big, so while I want to grow the team Copyright Top Agent Magazine13

I want it to grow with quality people, and to take our time finding them.

“The most important thing,” she continues.

“Is to respect the culture and the productivity

of the team. I want to provide more opportunities for my agents and then, when we get past that five year mark, for me to move more towards coaching and being an accountability partner, guiding the brand and the vision.”

To find out more about Anne Schreiber, Jack Archie and The Schreiber Team, visit their website at theschreiberteam.com, call 858-367-8471 or www.

email them at anne@schreiberhomes.com and jack@schreiberhomes.com

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Things You Can Do to Anticipate Your Cleint’s Needs First and foremost, the real estate industry is a customer service business. The key to any successful real estate business is one that can build a reputation by providing an unsurpassed level of care. That usually means a transaction that is seamless and stress-free as possible throughout the whole process. Your client’s experience is what keeps them not only coming back, but gets them to recommend you to their friend and family.

tise. By showing you can not only anticipate their needs, but have insight into any potential problems that might arise, they will have complete confidence in you. Achieving that level of trust is the key to a transaction that is as stress-free as possible.

The key to creating a great experience is anticipating your client’s needs. They are relying on your professionalism and exper-

From the moment, you meet a po-tential client, your goal should be to find out not only what they are looking for as far as their real estate

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GET TO KNOW YOUR CLIENTS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL

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goals, but who they are as a person. Listening and asking the right questions from the start is one of the most important aspects of the job.

You almost have to become an amateur psychologist, really honing in on the emotional reasons behind their real estate transaction.

Taking time upfront not only gives you valuable insight into your client, but it is the first impression your clients have that you truly care about them, and that this isn’t just another commission check for you. This goes miles in helping them feel comfortable enough to rely on your guidance.

Knowing who your client is on a deep level will help you navigate the transition ups and downs, allowing you to anticipate the best way to handle it.

SPOT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS Having insight into your client’s per-sonality type will come in handy when you anticipate an upcoming snag in the transaction. Most people find the process to be stressful even under the best of circumstances. One of the best rules of thumb is to always provide the solutions to anticipated problems when you present them to the client.

This should be the case even when the problem isn’t on you. Anything that can ruin a client’s overall experience can reflect poorly on you, whether you deserve it or not. This is a business philosophy called “zero risk”. You don’t want to take any chances with having an unsatisfied customer.

This is where your experience in the business pays off. You’ve probably seen most things and can easily anticipate problems that are 16

likely to delay the process. Remember you are in charge. You are the expert. And, remember, part of avoiding potential problems is making sure your client knows what to expect upfront, always communicate openly and honestly.

Telling people what they want to hear and knowing you can’t deliver it, is destined to fail, and will always reflect poorly on you.

FIND WAYS TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS Recognizing ways to exceed a cus-tomer’s needs is just as important as looking out for potential problems, when it comes to creating an exceptional experience. Have a vetted list of trusted service providers. Be hands on.

There are Realtors® who are out there helping clients pack, mowing lawns, and picking kids up from school. They are there for a client in ways that are unexpected. Having one thing taken off your plate during a stressful period in your life can feel like a lifesaver and is not soon forgotten. It is those “little” things that will turn a client into a lifelong advocate for your business.

TAKE IN FEEDBACK A good service provider is always trying to do better. Many Realtors® have clients fill out surveys after the transaction is over. This serves two purposes. It helps you become better at your job and it shows your clients that you care about them and their opinions. You can also use social media to get feedback via analytics and interactions. All of this information can then be used to create better customer experiences in the future. After all, this is a customer service industry. Treat it like one and you’re bound to succeed.

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Are You In or Out?

by Barry Eisen

Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the right things but your wheels are just spinning? You’ve invested a lot of time into a business, a job, a relationship, a sport, a course of study, but the results don’t justify the effort or time. You have so much invested, you just can’t walk away. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel but it doesn’t seem to be getting closer.

What to do, what to do?

As a business/personal coach I hear feedback every week from those who feel frustrated, powerless, and stuck in one or more areas. The reasons, or justifications for continuing doing things they tolerate rather than love are many. But, like panic attacks, unless you address the issues and make changes they get worse and you get more of them. For most, not paying attention and continuing in the same direction is a mind numbing experience, which produces a low selfesteem and is a recipe for a boring life.

Ask yourself the question, “What area Top Agent Magazine

or areas of my life am I tolerating and simply taking the path of least resistance?” In other words, “Where am I painting by the numbers?” (That’s a reference to the over 50 reader.)

Without being defensive (that’s the part of the ego that says everything is all right and points the finger of blame outward rather than to the real inward source) are there areas in which you’d like to be more passionate, confident and more in tune?

When I ask those who feel stuck or trapped if they know what to do to make the positive change, most everyone knows their own truths. Knowing and doing are very different. As Khalil Gibran once said, “To know yet not to do is to not really know.” And most are honest enough to admit that they’ve lost their vision of what was important and let distractions get in the way.

(Damn those bright shiny objects!)

A remedy that works most of the time is to refocus by identifying the area of concern, setting a short term goal 19

Visualize the success you desire. Top performers do this in every field. Do it too...with consistency.

(such as six months), creating a plan of action and following through like your hair’s on fire for that period of time.

Six months simply represents a period of time to get past the learning curve of establishing new attitudes and actions.

At the end of the six months, do a reality check. Is the success you’ve created by doing things right without excuses worth the effort you’ve put in? Or, was the victory not so satisfying? If not, move on to something else. But whether you stay focused on your successful makeover or decide to move on, you decide KNOWING, not playing mental gymnastics with yourself. Not knowing is the pain of guilt many carry. “What if?!”

Passion, confidence and a positive self-esteem don’t develop by working on them, they happen by creating victories.

Keys to getting unstuck: 1) Be willing to own your shortcomings 20

and poor attitude as well as your strengths. The truth CAN set you free.

2) Be teachable and open to learn better ways of thinking and acting.

Learn from those ahead of you, not the ones behind you.

3) Associate with those who will support, not tear you down.

4) Consistently read or go to seminars, from those who have done their homework, to get new ideas and reinforce the basics.

5) Accountability buddies and coaching work. Live up to goals.

6) Visualize the success you desire.

Top performers do this in every field. Do it too...with consistency.

Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 Top Agent Magazine

DEAN & SARAH O’DELL Dean O’Dell grew up in the real estate business, with his parents both being REALTORS®. After graduating with a Finance degree, he forged a successful career as a solo agent. Sarah O’Dell, his mother, had a flourishing career at that time.

In fact, Sarah and Dean were the two top producing agents at their office. It didn’t take long for Dean and Sarah to realize that by joining forces they could serve more clients, and serve them better, so in 1994 they formed The O’Dell Group.

“I believed the future of this business would be teams, and running it like a business, rather than a one-man show,” Dean says. “We also understood the dynamic of being male and female, from different generations meant we could offer something no one else was. We checked our egos at the door and made it about the client.”

“We wanted to offer the client a better service level, and have scaled that to what we offer today,” says Sarah.

Since coming together as a team The O’Dell Group has grown, adding a robust support staff so that their sales team can focus on being market experts. “When you take the processing off the agent’s plate, they can really focus on knowing the market,” Dean explains.

“The client’s going to get a true expert who is hyper-focused on creating results and spends their time knowing the market, instead of handling the endless amount of paperwork and procedural tasks required. Most good sales people are not good processors; so we take the best of people and combine them to create a hassle-free, value-add experience for the Customer.”

That’s been a key part of what has rocketed The O’Dell Group to success. Serving East Orange County, specifically the Tustin area, they have seen a stellar return and referral rate, a testimony to how their system works.

Last year they did a whopping $125 million in volume, with an average price of $1.2 million and ranked #9 in Orange County, California for transactions closed.

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“It’s not about the numbers and it’s not about us, it’s all about helping the customer, and we won’t compromise on that,” Dean says. “We spend the money to make our listings look great and expose them to the largest target audience; we have all our experience to negotiate the best prices and a smooth transaction. We do not take short-cuts and clients see it and they appreciate it; there is no better feeling as good as seeing a glowing, unsolicited testimonial show up on social media. That’s when you know you served the customer’s needs best.”

“Our team has three generations of agents and seven of our family members who contribute to sales and processing, all backed by our experience, I’m confident the value and service we provide is rarely matched,” adds Sarah.

Dean also has big plans for the future. “The quality of our Agents and Staff is really high,” he says. “They train and learn along with us. We don’t want the future of our business to be about Dean and Sarah O’Dell; I want people to know when working with an agent from The O’Dell Group always means you’ll have an excellent experience.”

For more about Dean and Sarah O’Dell visit northtustin.com, call 714-665-7107 or email dean@theodellgroup.com www.

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5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get More Referrals

by Bubba Mills

Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to market your services? Just serve and help clients all day—it’s why you chose real estate in the first place, right? To help people. But if you’re like most REALTORS®, you’re likely working your butt off just to get those clients.

So what’s the answer? Referrals— from your current and past clients, family, friends and acquaintances.

Imagine what your business would look like if everyone you knew gave you just one good buying or selling referral. Yeah, savor that feeling for a minute.

savings. Remember this: when you take exceptional care of your clients, they’ll do your marketing for free.

Referrals are where the money is and here are five tips you can start using today to get more: 1. Make your service downright unforgettable. Past clients can’t refer you if they don’t remember you.

Help them remember you by giving them memorable service. Take time to brainstorm ways to increase your service. Remember that referrals are earned, not paid for. By the way, I teach a seminar called Marry Me! Getting Your Clients to Say ‘I Do!’ that gives tips on how to offer service that yields referrals. Visit http://getbubbasnotes.com/marryme and get them free.

Run the numbers. Your average client who sticks with you is worth $25,000 if they move three times (first average commission is $5,000; they move in five years, that’s another $10,000 for the buy and sell. Same with the third 2. Cross promote and partner with move, another $10,000.) Then if the other businesses. Think about all the client refers two people, suddenly local businesses in your city and you’re talking $75,000. And that’s then ask this question: What can I without marketing, so add in that do to help those local businesses 22

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while promoting my business?

Think coupons for your clients and leaving your business cards in their stores.

3. Think A.B.A.—Always Be Asking. If you don't ask, you don't get referrals. Add a P.S. to your email signature. Something like this: “P.S. If you know anyone thinking of buying or selling real estate, please tell them about ABC Real Estate and hit the reply button and tell us how we can help them!”

Also, put some serious thought into your closing gifts. I’ve given Cutco Knives with my name engraved on the blades. Every time they use the knives, they think of me. Give gifts that have a shelf life.

4. Get involved in your community.

People are more likely to refer to someone they believe is a good person – someone that gives back to the community. And remember, it’s not your signs all over town that make you a community icon; it’s what you do for your community.

Volunteer at retirement centers, help rebuild and paint local parks, serve food at the local soup kitchen, take part in fundraisers and be seen at block parties and street picnics.

5. Show your gratitude when you do Top Agent Magazine

get referrals. Thank your referrers for their help, and keep them updated on how the new relationship is going.

The referral system is built on strong relationships and shared value.

Share what’s on your mind. How much time are you spending to get referrals? Can you improve your referral numbers? If not, why not?

What’s preventing you from getting more referrals? What successes or failures have you had with asking for referrals in the past? Please send any comments or questions you have to Article@CorcoranCoaching.com or http://www.facebook.com/Corcoran Coaching.

Bubba Mills is co-owner and executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching. com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into Real Estate Companies, Mortgage Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies.

To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.Corcoran Coaching.com.

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