TEXAS 3-7-22

TEXAS EDITION

5 TIPS TO GET NEW CLIENTS CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS FEATURED AGENTS

CHAD WHITE SHERYL GIBSON ZINA RODENBECK

7

SIMPLE TIPS THAT ARE PROVEN TO HELP YOU STAY AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION

THINKING OF LISTING? NINE WAYS TO GET READY COVER STORY

THOMAS PHILLIPS

TEXAS EDITION

SHERYL GIBSON ZINA RODENBECK

In the greater Burnet County region properties, she guides mark Born and raised in the th 7 heart of Texas, Sheryl 17 22 25 of to Texas, Gibson has always been driven serveZina oth- Rodenbeck’s name has the way, personalizingderst her become synonymous with real estate. needs. “When you ask as th n ers. For twenty years, she built a successful work career in the corporate world,Having whereworked she de-in the industry for nearly you have an opportunity decades,sershe’s developed a reputation client’s expectations,”a she pro veloped elite foundations intwo customer for delivering unmatched service to buyour c vice while working on nationwide accounts. focus on that one special t ers, sellers and investors. She got her start a bu Over time, though, she found herself seeking them grow not only throu after working with her family in their real also a new opportunity that better spoke to her also through personal we estate ventures. “A friend of mine sugthrou entrepreneurial spirit. Then agested colleague y I earnrecmy license and start helping I always tell my clients, targe ommended that Sheryl go into real estate, houses to be a millionaire people with their real SHERYL estate dreams, THOMAS PHILLIPS WHITE GIBSON so ZINA RODENBECK THOMAS CHAD noting her outgoing personality, acumen, that’s strong what I sales did,” she explains. Zina never regretted After the transa PHILLIPS and genuine sense of compassion. she decidtheoptransaction is neve makingInspired, that decision, as it’s ledFor her Sheryl, to endless impressed they ed to pursue her license and proceeded author anTodaykeeps touch with experience. all her vendo portunities andto fulfillment. she isin a producing On broker/owner of Zina estab& Co. in Marble Falls,through which her likecustomized seeing an o accomplished, 18-year career in the CONTENTS business, and clients consists of ten and two administrative she was eng lishing a network of satisfied clients andagents colleagues ing as their assisongoinged,home advoc tants. “Our office has such variety individuals, and p 4) 5 the TIPS TO 20)aTHINKING OF career, so that spans country. come.of In her shehelpful has earne to the majority of WAYS the pop- Texas, helpfulwith tips thro GET NEW CLIENTSwhich allows us to relate LISTING? NINE utation throughout the ulation pretty well,” Zina explains.

“We also genufell into place, TO GETherREADY Today, Sheryl leads a team through Keller Williams volume coming from repeat clie inely enjoy what we do.” mindmillion and went 14) CONNECT BEYOND Heritage, where she assists clients throughout the Having completed $16.1 in accept the best o ESTATE TO ATTRACT 23) THAT TexasREAL Hill Country—from San Antonio to Austin.

A 7 SIMPLE alone, sheTIPS remains focused on the This passion is evident throughout their work, giving FUTURE ARE PROVEN HELP top producer in CLIENTS her region, she has founded her team that haveTO distinguished her in the m clients a sense of comfort andSTAY trust. “We really OF try Aside from real YOU AHEAD around the proven values ofto openness, integrity, and andness down togiving threeback things: exceed their expectations, we comes do everything to h THE COMPETITION expertise, allowing her to meet the needs of even the delivering outstanding results, and we can to create a seamless, stress-free experience,” hosted a food d most discerning buyer or seller. that consistently deliver to ouw Zina says. For their buyers, this means guiding them “Wevalue partnered ing them see the big picture rea throughout the transaction and answering questions pets forand adoptio Phone 310-734-1440 | before Fax 310-734-1440 When listing a property, Sheryl employs diversified make their they area asked.

They takewethecan time to get to transaction and their spark pets.” strategy.

After helping her clients fully prepare their mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com know their needs and tailor-make an approach that which is a brea best itsuits their individual goals.

Whether it’sestate, findfire department. home for the market, shares via blend of flyers, real Sheryl is dedicat No portion of this issue she may be reproduced in anya manner whatsoever without priorBeyond 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 the perfect to raise a family, or locating the and resources fo postcards, magazine ads, anding social mediahome campaigns. nity, raising funds Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. most profitable investment Zina &such Co. as goher As Zina & Co. c subscribe or change send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Along Tothe way, she address, conducts highly targeted doorproperty, nizations, local food ban Published in the U.S. above and beyondneighborto make their buyers happy. ahead, what they do knocking campaigns to the surrounding year. Looking she also hason panding hoods, expanding each client’s reach while ensuring a the future of her business.

Asand heradv The same effort goes into their work with sellers, as to their team. “ seamless transaction. its steady growth, 2 Top she Agentintends Magazineon add they advertise their listings far and wide to capture we get to meet while scaling the boutique model o as much attention as possible. Having worked as a

It’s so fun to be

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

3

5 Tips to Get New Clients

4

If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve probably built up a healthy percentage of repeat and referral business.

Although it can be tempting to just maintain those relationships rather than generating new business, there’s something to be said for staying on top of

your game by never resting on your laurels. Actively pursuing new clients is not only a way to generate more business, but depending on how you do it, it could even lead to a profitable new niche. Here are just a few ways to build up your new client base.

Top Agent Magazine

1

Become a referral partner with industry peers

2

Cold Call Expired and FSBO Listings

Everyone from mortgage lenders, to financial planners, to insurance agents, can be potentially lucrative referral partners for a Realtor®. You may already have great relationships with some that just need to be more formalized. But, you don’t just want to partner with anyone, make sure these are people you also feel completely comfortable referring your clients to - people who share your values and work ethic.

Another avenue to consider is divorce attorneys – yes, you heard that correctly. Helping people go through this difficult period actually requires a very specific skill set.

You need to be able to handle the legal aspects, as well as the emotional ones. There are numerous training courses you can take if you decide to take this route, which could end up being a lucrative and much-needed specialty.

This is a route a lot of agents take when they are just starting out, that usually leads to great success. You probably haven’t cold called since you started out, and this is a great skill to build up again.

It will not only sharpen your sales skills, but could generate a lot more business.

People with For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) and expired listings, are usually very motivated to sell. This is a great chance for you to really hone in on why they need to hire you. Do you offer innovative marketing plans? Access to a large sphere of influence? Expired listing clients are looking for ways to sell a property that seems impossible to move. With FSBOs, you need to show them how you can get them more money in their pocket, even

Top Agent Magazine

with paying you a commission. Pursuing both will really engage your mind to think outside of the box, which will not only get you more business, but make you better at what you do.

5

3

Partner up with a Relocation Company

4

Become a Builder’s Realtor® of choice

This is another niche market that you can really capitalize on if you want to pursue a new specialty. But, it is a specialty, so getting educated on the process will help you generate the business you want. It’s a complicated area of real estate, you’ll often

times be helping to facilitate dual transactions, as you try and secure a property at the same time you are helping your relocation client sell their previous home. This specialty is becoming an in-demand skill in areas that have major corporate headquarters.

This can be a real score for any Realtor®.

The competition might be fierce to land a client like this, but there are numerous ways to make yourself stand out from the rest.

Gain certifications and become knowledgeable about the construction process. Be wellversed on what trendy materials, features, and finishes will add value to a property.

Get the builder on board with you by offering to take just a segment of the subdivision then wow them with your marketing skills.

Take on properties they haven’t been able to sell. You can even offer to throw an open

5

Create a Website that Offers Real Value to Potential Clients

Perhaps the most useful way of getting contact information for people looking to sell is by adding a home valuation feature to your website. When people are first considering selling their home, finding out how much 6

house for them. This is another way to show them the level of service they can expect from you. These clients might be harder to land, but the payoff will be enormous.

it is worth is one of the first questions they want answered. By becoming a resource to potential clients (and current clients!), you just might be the first person that comes to mind when they’re actually looking to sell.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

THOMAS PHILLIPS

7

THOMAS PHILLIPS Clients value Top Agent Thomas Phillips’s availability and communication. “I provide top notch service and make sure I always stay in front of my clients and communicate with them.”

Thomas Phillips’s passion for real estate began early on. “I’ve always had an interest in real estate,” Thomas recalls.

“Growing up I would go with my mom all the time to look at houses just for fun, and my dad was a real estate agent who 8

eventually became a vice president for a Coldwell Banker office in San Antonio, so it was in the family.” After college, Thomas worked as a business analyst for several large companies. When it was time for a change, real estate was the Top Agent Magazine

natural choice. “I figured, let’s go after that dream and become a REALTOR®,” Thomas says. The rest is history, and Thomas is now in his 9th year helping his clients achieve their real estate goals.

Thomas serves the Houston metro area, with a primary focus on the inner loop and downtown market. Clients value his availability and communication.

“I provide top notch service and make sure I always stay in front of my clients and communicate with them,” Thomas Top Agent Magazine

explains. “I do a weekly update call with all of my current clients to let them know what’s going on with their listings.”

Thomas also draws on his comprehensive resources to assist clients with their needs, going the extra mile to make the process as smooth as possible. “I have an extensive list of contractors and service providers for my clients,” Thomas says.

When it comes to marketing, Thomas uses a comprehensive data-driven approach 9

to ensure optimum exposure. “I market listings primarily online, with targeted ad campaigns on social media,” he says.

“As part of our CRM at Keller Williams, we have a great tool that allows us to see where people coming to the Houston area are moving from. So instead of just running a Facebook ad campaign for the listing in Houston, I’ll run it in another city such as Austin or Tucson as well to target people who are moving from there.” That’s in addition to traditional mail-out marketing campaigns including just listed flyers and other tried-and-true methods.

10

Top Agent Magazine

Giving back to his community is important to Thomas. He is actively involved with Kids Meals, and also supports AIDS Foundation Houston. Thomas recently became a committee member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he volunteers. When he’s not working, Thomas is an avid CrossFit enthusiast and road cyclist, participating in the annual MS150 ride to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Looking toward the future, Thomas says, “My next goal is to start scaling towards more transactions, add a team member under me and start growing a team.”

Above all, he looks forward to continuing Top Agent Magazine

11

to bring his clients the best service possible. “My favorite part of real estate is that I get to meet people from all walks of life, to learn about them and their families and what they’re going through. I get

to help people through some of the struggles they might have to go through with purchasing a home. It’s very rewarding be out there giving something back and helping people.”

To find out more about Thomas Phillips, you can call him at 832-305-7848, or email at t.phillips@kw.com.

You can find him online at t-phillips.kw.com www.

12

Top Agent Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

13

CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

14

Top Agent Magazine Top Agent Magazine

n

Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

15 Top Agent Magazine

secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

16

Top Agent Magazine Top Agent Magazine

CHAD WHITE Top Agent Magazine

17

CHAD WHITE

Outworking the Competition After graduating from Texas State University, Chad looked into the real estate market and investment properties. Living in the small town Texas environment of Caldwell, surrounded by farming and ranching, he had always loved the land around him. The thought of getting directly involved with land transactions had always been on his mind, and he decided to pursue becoming a licensed Realtor®. With his wife Kassi in home health care and his six and eight year old sons running around, it was a perfect opportunity for him to set his own hours and keep his family at the forefront as needed.

Jumping into the environment around him, he immediately embraced farm, ranch and 18

residential properties. He quickly became one of the top agents in central Texas, although he’s been spreading further north and going where the business takes him throughout the entire state. In the farm and ranch world, the tracts of land he deals with, including pieces over 800 acres, often come with an extensive generational history. A driving passion of his is learning the history of a plot of land that was passed along through time to the modern sales space. Bringing the land to life through that history is integral to understanding what his clients want and need.

From a buyer side, Chad relates to them directly as he and his wife settled into their dream property with their own family Top Agent Magazine

home. Sometimes the buyer is a new couple finding their first home, or it can be a couple settling down in Texas for retirement, or someone looking for an investment opportunity. Chad takes the time to learn the needs and dreams of each individual client and stays set to the grind until he fulfils those dreams for them. By helping both buyers and sellers, Chad has produced over $10 million in sales in his first full year in the industry.

Chad prides himself on being a hustler, being committed to providing great results for his clients and a top-notch customer service experience. He’s extremely particular about the photos and videos used to present a ranch, from staging a property to the public perception, tapping on years of sales and marketing experience. Then it’s on to social media and major real estate websites for marketing, using traditional methods as well as outside the box videos. Chad’s years of sales and marketing experience give him the upper hand when thinking outside the box to present a property to the public.

Chad is deep in the small town experience, running his town’s youth football league as well as coaching his sons Cougar & Riggins in multiple sports. He is in an attendance for many community events like the county fair, high school football games and Texas Ranch Gatherings to network with other ranchers. It’s been an absolute whirlwind experience and he plans on continually learning and growing as he redefines farm and ranch real estate. Moving forward, he’ll be doing what he always does – keeping to the grind and making sure no one outworks him.

Top Agent Magazine

For more info, email Chad White at Chad@ArmstrongPropertiesTX.com or call Cell: 979-406-9550 Office: 979-567-7653 19

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

up baseboard moldings and doorways and open wall spaces in high-use areas 20

Top Agent Magazine

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.

Top Agent Magazine

21

SHERYL GIBSON Born and raised in the heart of Texas, Sheryl Gibson has always been driven to serve others. For twenty years, she built a successful career in the corporate world, where she developed elite foundations in customer service while working on nationwide accounts.

Over time, though, she found herself seeking a new opportunity that better spoke to her entrepreneurial spirit. Then a colleague recommended that Sheryl go into real estate, noting her outgoing personality, strong sales acumen, and genuine sense of compassion. Inspired, she decided to pursue her license and proceeded to author an accomplished, 18-year career in the business, establishing a network of satisfied clients and colleagues that spans the country.

Today, Sheryl leads a team through Keller Williams Heritage, where she assists clients throughout the Texas Hill Country—from San Antonio to Austin. A top producer in her region, she has founded her team around the proven values of openness, integrity, and expertise, allowing her to meet the needs of even the most discerning buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Sheryl employs a diversified strategy. After helping her clients fully prepare their home for the market, she shares it via a blend of flyers, postcards, magazine ads, and social media campaigns.

Along the way, she conducts highly targeted door knocking campaigns to the surrounding neighborhoods, expanding each client’s reach while ensuring a seamless transaction.

Elsewhere, Sheryl is just as committed to her buyers, leaning on her years of experience to help them uncover the right home for their best interests. Leveraging her in-depth knowledge of investment

properties, she guides them each step of the way, personalizing her approach to their needs. “When you ask the right questions, you have an opportunity to truly meet a client’s expectations,” she says. “If we just focus on that one special thing, we can help them grow not only through real estate, but also through personal wealth. After all, as I always tell my clients, you only need four houses to be a millionaire.”

For Sheryl, the transaction is never finished, as she keeps in touch with all her vendors, fellow agents, and clients through her customized database, standing as their ongoing home advocate for years to come. In her career, she has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Texas, with the vast majority of her volume coming from repeat clients and referrals.

Having completed $16.1 million in volume in 2021 alone, she remains focused on the leading standards that have distinguished her in the market. “This business comes down to three things: communicating, delivering outstanding results, and building systems that consistently deliver value to our clients. By helping them see the big picture and realize their dreams, we can make their transaction sparkle.”

Beyond real estate, Sheryl is dedicated to her community, raising funds and resources for charitable organizations, such as her local food bank, throughout the year. Looking ahead, she also has exciting plans for the future of her business. As her volume maintains its steady growth, she intends on adding onto her team while scaling the boutique model of service that has anchored her success. “Real estate is our life,” she says. “More than anything, my team and I want to create an extraordinary experience for our clients, helping them both today and tomorrow.”

To learn more about Sheryl Gibson, email sherylgibson@kw.com or call (830) 832-9055.

22

Top Agent Magazine

7 Simple Tips that are Proven to Help You Stay Ahead of the Competition So you’ve created a successful business, congratulations! You probably did it by providing an unsurpassed level of customer service that not only meets customer expectations but exceeds them in a way that has made you stand out from the rest. As anyone can tell you, starting a successful business is not easy.

Now comes the even harder part. Not only sustaining that high level of performance, but continuing to grow and outpace the competition. There is no resting on your laurels in a competitive business market. Companies that stay successful for the longterm, make an active effort to keep on top. Here are just a few ways you can do the same.

Top Agent Magazine

1. Know the competition It’s not enough to know what you excel at or what makes you unique, you need to know what your competitors are offering that makes them stand out. This serves two purposes: it will allow you to more clearly define your differences, or it may help you identify an area that you hadn’t considered before, opening up a potentially new way in which you can excel above the rest.

2. Know your customers You might know your clientele very well, but as economic conditions change, so does your

Top Agent Magazine

23

customer’s needs. What might have been a priority a year ago, won’t be if we are in the midst of an economic downturn, for example.

As a business owner you should always be evaluating your strategies in every area constantly, knowing what your customer wants and needs from you is key. In fact you should be using your expertise to analyze potential market changes and anticipate those needs to stay ahead of the curve.

3. Have a strong understanding on what makes you unique Once you accomplish the first two, you should have a clear idea of what unique advantage you offer people. This needs to be clear to everyone, so you can then take that idea and run with it. Find your niche and then market yourself with a focus on that idea. If you have a clear thing you’re selling, it is well worth the investment to market yourself to the hilt with that in mind.

5. Think like your competitors One way your competitors looks to gain customers is by potentially taking yours. It goes without saying, you don’t want to let that happen. You’ve probably built great relationships, so really maintain those relationships by not only providing great service, but service that truly goes above and beyond. Find ways to give more to your customers. You might even want to start offering surveys, where your clients can tell you exactly what they’d like to see.This makes your clients not only feel heard, but blown away when you implement any changes they suggest.

6. Look for untapped markets Don’t settle for maintaining what you have, there could be untapped markets out there.

IF you don’t get to them, your competitors will. So even if they come eventually, hopefully you’ll already be the dominate force in that market.

4. Keep up to date

7. Be a great boss

This goes for everything from technology to systems, marketing, and even your own personal image. If you have a brick and mortar location, you want to also keep things looking fresh and modern there, as well. First impressions are important for a reason. Everything about your business should tie into your marketing and branding. What are you selling and does everything line up to support that, from your business cards to your social media pages. Remember the key to branding and marketing is a consistent message.

One of the best things you can do to keep ahead of the rest, is by being a company where top talent and motivated newcomers want to be. Be the company that offers more than a competitive paycheck. Be a place that fosters talent, and offers scheduling and compensations packages that appeal more to people who think outside of the box. This will attract more innovative thinkers who value flexibility. Not only will you benefit from their talents, more importantly, your competition won’t.

24

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

ZINA RODENBECK In the greater Burnet County region of Texas, Zina Rodenbeck’s name has become synonymous with real estate.

Having worked in the industry for nearly two decades, she’s developed a reputation for delivering unmatched service to buyers, sellers and investors. She got her start after working with her family in their real estate ventures. “A friend of mine suggested I earn my license and start helping people with their real estate dreams, so that’s what I did,” she explains. Zina never regretted making that decision, as it’s led her to endless opportunities and fulfillment. Today she is a producing broker/owner of Zina & Co. in Marble Falls, which consists of ten agents and two administrative assistants. “Our office has such a variety of individuals, which allows us to relate to the majority of the population pretty well,” Zina explains. “We also genuinely enjoy what we do.”

This passion is evident throughout their work, giving clients a sense of comfort and trust. “We really try to exceed their expectations, and we do everything we can to create a seamless, stress-free experience,” Zina says. For their buyers, this means guiding them throughout the transaction and answering questions before they are asked. They take the time to get to know their needs and tailor-make an approach that best suits their individual goals. Whether it’s finding the perfect home to raise a family, or locating the most profitable investment property, Zina & Co. go above and beyond to make their buyers happy.

The same effort goes into their work with sellers, as they advertise their listings far and wide to capture as much attention as possible. Having worked as a

marketing teacher in the past, Zina understands its power. They offer staging as needed, host open houses, and network with other agents. “When we have a property that we are about to list, we let our colleagues know, as they might have a buyer that is interested.” Zina & Co. also maintains an international presence through several publications, and runs targeted ads on social media.

After the transaction, clients love to tell others how impressed they were with their buying or selling experience. One recently said, “Meeting Zina was like seeing an old friend. From the first time we talked, she was engaged, interested in my situation, and so helpful and patient. She offered good advice and helpful tips throughout the process. When the pieces fell into place, she clearly had my best interest in mind and went above & beyond to determine and accept the best offer.”

Aside from real estate, Zina also loves spending time giving back to her community. Last year, Zina & Co. hosted a food drive and an event called Santa Claws.

“We partnered with a local animal shelter and offered pets for adoption, as well as free photos of families and their pets.” They also participate in Pink Out, which is a breast cancer awareness project with the fire department.

As Zina & Co. continues to grow, their excitement for what they do only increases. They hope to keep expanding and adding more talented, motivated people to their team. “It’s an ever-changing industry, where we get to meet and work with new people every day.

It’s so fun to be a part of it all.”

For more information about Zina Rodenbeck, please call 830-265-0310 or email zina@zinasells.com Top Agent Magazine

25

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

26

Top Agent Magazine