TEXAS 8-10-20

TEXAS EDITION

GOOGLE ADWORDS:

How to Make Google Do the Work for You

COVER STORY

SHANA MARTIN FEATURED AGENT

VEN VRANIQI

Take My Word For It:

The Power of Testimonials & Making Word-of-Mouth Count

The Daily Schedule of a

SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

TEXAS EDITION

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SHANA MARTIN

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VEN VRANIQI

VEN VRANIQI CONTENTS 4) GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU

18) THE DAILY SCHEDULE OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

13) THINKING OF LISTING? NINE WAYS TO GET READY

22) TAKE MY WORD FOR IT: THE POWER OF TESTIMONIALS & MAKING WORD-OF-MOUTH COUNT

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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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SHANA MARTIN

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Top Agent Shana Martin’s brokerage, Martin Realty Group, in Fort Worth, Texas, includes in-house marketing, professional staging, photography, and extensive advertising.

With a true talent for real estate and business, Shana Martin has flourished in her career as an agent. She got her start as a property manager, but soon many suggested she would excel as a Realtor. “Everyone kept saying I should go into this field, so eventually I did, and my business exploded quickly,” she says. “I was overwhelmed by the growth in less than three years, but within five years, with as much as 55 transactions just on my own, I added a team to handle over 100 transactions.” During this time, Shana found 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

herself in the top 1% in sales for DFW agents one year. It expanded from there, with Shana now having her own brokerage, Martin Realty Group, in Fort Worth, Texas. “I only work with repeat and referral business,” she says. “I’ve got about 95% repeat and referrals at this point.”

Shana’s success is partly due to her frequent engagement with past and current clients. “We have a huge database,” she says. “We host about 4-5 parties and events a year for all our clients, Top Agent Magazine

so we get to see them all year long. Building and maintaining relationships is an important part of the clientele becoming a part of the Martin Realty Group Family. “We not only care about helping with real estate needs, but we also are here to help them in any way and to have fun together.”

Moreover, “Our customer service is fantastic, we’re always checking in and doing pop-bys, sending Top Agent Magazine

handwritten notes, and more.” When it comes to marketing, Shana’s brokerage includes in-house marketing for all agents and clients. Additionally, the brokerage goes above and beyond, offering professional staging, photography, and extensive advertising. “Our listings are gone mostly in 3-4 days, we will start off with open houses to get them going.”

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Word spreads fast about Shana and the rest of the Martin team, with past clients leaving glowing reviews about their work.

They have a perfect 5.0 star status from over 100 Google Reviews.

Word spreads fast about Shana and the rest of the Martin team, with past clients leaving glowing reviews about their work. They have a perfect 5.0 star status from over 100 Google Reviews. One recently said, “Shana and her team took great care of us. She always had great communication and helped make sure everyone was staying on top of things to make the closing as smooth as possible.

My family and I highly recommend Shana Martin and her team. Thanks for everything!” Another wrote, “We love working with Shana and this sell/purchase was a dream come true! Shana has a great network of clients in her area and because of this she was able to help our family find the Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

perfect home before it even hit the market! Not only did she guide us through the buying process but she helped us sell our home as well. We were under contract in just a few short days. Shana acted quickly during each step of the process to ensure a smooth and seamless close on both homes. Thank you MRG!” When Shana isn’t working, she’s giving back to the community. The brokerage gives back 10% or more per year to the community. “We give out a scholarship every year to a senior in high school, this past year we were able to give away 3 scholarships,” she explains. “We’re also preparing to Top Agent Magazine

announce and reward our first Hometown Hero Award in August.� Other areas of the community who have benefitted from Martin Realty Group are local charities, school districts, hospitals, and the church. A favorite brokerage team event was serving together for a charity.

To continually make herself and brokerage even better, Shana has placed herself with an excellent Top Agent Magazine

real estate coach under the famous Tom Ferry program, and loves to help the agents on her team grow through what she learns. Additionally, Shana is invested and dedicated to continually learn to offer the best as shown by receiving her CRS designation this year. This is the highest credential awarded to residential agents and brokers with the topmost level of expertise, education, advanced training, acquired skills, proven Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

experience, and success that only 3% of realtors nationwide have.

Looking ahead, Shana wants to remain a boutique brokerage so she provides a family for her agents, and so she can give back to her brokerage by providing the best coaching, training, advanced technology, and resources for her agents to be the best they can be to provide top-notch service to their clients. The appreciation of how she invests in her agents is reflected in the fact that in two

short years since she started Martin Realty Group, she has quickly grown from an extremely small brokerage of eight to now having around twenty agents and staff. She loves every minute of her work and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

“If I could provide advice to a new real estate agent, it would be to not give up and keep following your dreams. I never thought I would be doing this today, but now that I am, I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

For more information about Shana Martin, call 972-672-5305 or email shana@martinrealtydfw.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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Thinking of Listing?

Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home.

With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved.

Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time.

1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at

inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable.

Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time.

2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and

extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing.

3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching

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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces.

Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister.

4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a

Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.

5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up

the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings.

6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.

Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.

7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they

will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.

8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome

as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things.

9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing

touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.

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VEN VRANIQI

Top Agent Ven Vraniqi works solo at Coldwell Banker Realty in Plano, Texas, serving the immediate vicinity and its environs.

Ven Vraniqi says he’s always had a passion for homes and real estate and was inspired by a friend who was in the business to pursue his license. “I started out in the mortgage industry as a loan officer, which was great, but I knew I’d ultimately make the move to become a full-time agent,” he recalls.

because they trust me,” he notes. “I am extremely honest, fiercely loyal, and I always keep the lines of communication open.”

He is now working solo at Coldwell Banker Realty in Plano, Texas, serving the immediate vicinity and its environs. Last year, Ven’s volume was at 25 transactions. “I’m currently on track to double that number,” he notes. In 2018, he earned the Rookie of the Year award and in 2020 earned the Five-Star Agent award.

It’s no wonder past clients give Ven stellar reviews.

Writes one recent customer: “I had the pleasure of working with Ven to buy my first home. He took the time to explain the entire process to me, even before I committed to working with him. Seeing his knowledge and passion for helping his clients made the decision to work with him so easy. He kept me informed throughout the entire process and was always responsive to my questions. I would absolutely work with Ven again and highly recommend!”

Ven reports that his business is up to 50% repeat and referral clientele. “I believe people return and refer

Ven loves to maintain contact with his clients by reaching out with care packages and personal notes.

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“Last year, I gave out barbecue baskets, which everyone loved and appreciated,” he says. He also mails out occasion cards, makes phone calls, and sends out emails.

To publicize his listings, Ven utilizes the latest internet marketing tools to expose client properties to the largest group of qualified buyers. “Why should you choose me as your Realtor®?” he poses. “To start, I am extremely enthusiastic about Real Estate. I operate my business with the highest level of integrity, and I will always make my client my highest priority. I have exceptional attention to detail, an outstanding work ethic. I will always put honesty before any real estate transaction, and I will always be loyal my client. I operate my business as an advocate, always working to ensure that only the highest level of service is provided to the client and that they never doubt my devotion to them.”

What Ven loves most about his profession is putting first-time home buyers into a new house. “Watching the process from beginning to end is so satisfying,” he says. “Seeing the smiles on their faces, the happy tears, makes it all worthwhile.”

Just before the COVID pandemic hit, Ven had planned to become involved with the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

“Unfortunately, that had to be put on hold,” he says. “But he does try to give back to the community by donating and volunteering for kids in need when he can.”

When he does have time off, Ven loves to travel. “I want to travel the world,” he says.

“If I can, I travel three to four times per year.”

As for the future, Ven will begin to grow a team of like-minded agents. “It’s be so important to build a group with unity and a strong desire to be there for our clients,” he says.

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To learn more about Ven Vraniqi, please email vendim.vraniqi@cbdfw.com, or visit venvraniqi.com, or call (972) 559-0226 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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Take My Word for It:

The Power of Testimonials & Making Word-of-Mouth Count Ratings, reviews, and testimonials are among the most powerful tools an agent or real estate professional has at his or her disposal. Think of it this way: almost all of us go online to get a sense of dining options, film scores, and product reviews. When it comes to real estate pros, people what the same measure of comfort and advice from those who have already experienced your services. The 22

bottom line is this: testimonials create a relatable emotional appeal to others, while giving potential clients some first-hand insight into your ability to deliver.

With all that in mind, consider the valuable rationale behind testimonials and word-ofmouth attention: how to harness it, and what it can do for you and your business.

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Testimonials and word-ofmouth buzz build your brand If you aren’t displaying positive testimonials and reviews on your social media outlets and website, then you’re missing out on a key opportunity. Those exploring your pages are likely seeking real estate representation, and reviews and testimonials serve as a first-hand glimpse into who you are and what you can do.

If you can, try to tie reviews and testimonials to specific names or social media handles, as you’ll be highlighting the interpersonal component at play. Think of it this way: potential clients are more likely to trust the experiences of past clients than to place blind faith in your pitch, which is crafted to create a sale. Most customers would rather look to the experience of fellow consumers before taking your word for it, sight unseen. Well-place testimonials and personal reviews can bridge the gap when it comes to your brand and the prospective client.

Testimonials and word-ofmouth buzz demonstrate your value compared to others Good agents are a dime a dozen, but top agents stand apart from the pack for a variety of reasons. Chief among those reasons is the ability to differentiate themselves from the norm by highlighting their personalities, their track records, their values. Testimonials and wordof-mouth buzz don’t just focus on whether an experience was good or bad. It dives into the details of personality and consumer relationships. While the qualifications of many agents might be similar, you can stand out by showTop Agent Magazine

casing stellar reviews and testimonials that shine upon your character and delivery. When pitched by two agents with similar experience and credentials, but only one has the testimonials featuring positive experiences and lasting relationships—wouldn’t you be more inclined to work with the agent who has a proven track record of success?

Do your homework and compile the testimonials that will drive your business At the close of a transaction, consider providing a comment card with room for clients to write a few reflections, or create an e-mail ready online form that makes submitting feedback a breeze. You can also touch base via e-mail and ask politely for a review of their experience with you. Referred or repeat clients are excellent candidates for testimonials, as they will already know your business well, or will likely be happy to contribute their perspective.

If asking for testimonials makes you cringe, you can always incentivize this process in minor ways. For example, you could offer a fun, cost-effective gift certificate in exchange for a testimonial.

Whichever way you gather testimonials that speak to your positive performance, there is no question that these documented first-hand experiences are priceless when it comes to drawing and retaining clients. If you want to inspire interest and build a living brand, there is no better method than by having clients vouch for your working style.

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