Updates from July, 2010

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• Tips to Differentiate Yourself through Value-Added Selling

  MSC Marketing 10:55 am on July 28, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Best Practices (27), Business Development (25), competitive information (50), Listing Presentation (7)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development, Listing Presentation

  RISMEDIA, July 28, 2010—One of the most difficult challenges in selling is to compete against a competitor who is willing to cut cost. Businesses are free to compete on price, service or quality, and consumers are free to make buying decisions on these criteria. But competing on price will only cost you profit. Why do some companies offer discounts? Well first of all, it’s a way to buy market share, kind of like a loss leader in retail. They treat the loss as a way to gain customers. The problem is that if they ever want to raise their fee and make a profit, it will be very difficult to do so. They may get more market share…but not more profit. Both you and your company are sometimes tempted to cut a fee to get one more listing or one more percentage market share; only you can answer, is it worth it? (More …)

  
   
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• Finding Real Estate Success – Selling to the Four Temperament Styles

  MSC Marketing 5:10 pm on July 26, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Best Practices (27), Business Development (25), competitive information (50)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development, People

  By John Boe

  RISMEDIA, July 21, 2010—Have you ever wondered why you seem to hit it off right away with some customers, while with others it’s more like oil and water? That’s because we respond intuitively to the natural chemistry, or lack thereof, between temperament styles. Our temperament style not only determines our behavioral traits, body language patterns and buying style, but it also influences our compatibility with other people.

  Today we have access to innovative tools such as the Internet, cell phones, faxes and voice mail, all designed to enhance our communications and support us in selling more effectively. Nevertheless, even with all of these technological tools at our disposal, the alarming number of failed relationships, dissatisfied employees and lost sales all reflect the fact that none of us are as effective at understanding others as we would like to believe. For example, what about that sale you thought you had made, but for some unknown reason your prospect changed their mind and didn’t buy…or at least they didn’t buy from you. Chances are you lost that sale because of your inability to recognize and adjust to your prospect’s preferred buying style. This temperament mismatch is often referred to as a “personality conflict.” (More …)

  
   
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• Is It Time for a Marketing Reboot?

  MSC Marketing 11:51 am on July 16, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: Best Practices (27), Business Development (25), competitive information (50), Today's Marketplace (34), web exposure (27)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development, Marketing, Web

  RISMEDIA, July 16, 2010—“Real estate has shifted.”

  “Today’s buyer is more educated than ever before.”

  These statements echo throughout the real estate sector as agents attempt to adapt their marketing strategies to an ever-evolving consumer.

  It’s fitting then, that REBAC debuted a new course this spring, designed to help agents market themselves where consumers are already interacting: online and through social media.

  Real Estate Marketing Reboot is a one-day course that expands on marketing fundamentals, teaching students everything from branding and relationship marketing to social media technologies and practical business-building tips. (More …)

  
   
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• For Social Media ROI, Content Rules

  MSC Marketing 9:17 am on July 15, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Best Practices (27), Business Development (25), social networking (14)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development, networking, social networking

  The Real Estate Professor by Gee Dunsten

  RISMEDIA, July 15, 2010—If we turn the clock back 30 years ago, when we started down this path as real estate agents, it was all about “Call us if you want to sell your home or find a home.” Eventually, we moved from a selling and listing focus to a marketing and then social marketing focus. In the last 2-3 years in particular, however, our industry has experienced perhaps our most significant shift—we’ve moved from being a product-based industry to an advice-based industry. This is exactly where social media comes in.

  As real estate professionals, social media allows us to expand our reach and can help position us as what I call “knowledge leaders.” But this doesn’t happen just by posting or tweeting. Using social media effectively requires creating a specific strategy, and this strategy must revolve around providing content, because this business is no longer about us, it’s about understanding what we can provide in terms of advice. It’s no longer about who we know—it’s about who knows us and this is where social media plays a big role. (More …)

  
   
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• The 5 Fastest Ways Realtors Can Put Technology to Work Today

  MSC Marketing 5:23 pm on May 19, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Business Development (25), social networking (14), Technology (11), web exposure (27)   Filed under: Agent advice, Business Development, Technology, Web

  RISMEDIA, May 19, 2010—Technology comes in many shapes and sizes. When it fits, technology automates everyday routines, so we may focus on what it is as professionals we do best.

  Per usual, time is money, so speed-to-market must be considered when reviewing all new technologies. What is the implementation and training period? Is this something that everyday businessmen and women can use today?

  What matters most is what works best, and the fastest to help you achieve your goals. All things considered, here are five of the fastest ways Realtors can put technology to work for themselves today.

  Get Relevant in Your Social Media
  We know you love your kids. We all do. But is baby Bobby’s third birthday really relevant to the online audience? Facebook and Twitter all have righteous applications written for business. Don’t waste your audience’s precious time. (More …)

  
   
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• The Art (and Business) of Finding More Time: 10 Ways to Organize Your Time and Resources for Maximum ROI

  MSC Marketing 11:50 am on May 13, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Best Practices (27), Business Development (25)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development

  RISMEDIA, May 13, 2010—Time is money. We’ve all heard it before, but these days, it bears repeating. Yes, it’s always been important for workers to make sure that they’re doing the right things and staying on task. But in shaky economic times it’s a matter of survival (your own, career-wise, as well as your company’s). Yet nearly all of us are guilty of sabotaging our performances to some degree because we fail to go on the offensive against two specific threats: disorganization and poor time management.

  Well, that’s true, you might agree. Sometimes we get our priorities mixed up, and lose one minute here and there. But maybe you’re thinking: “I’m just a regular Joe—not an efficiency or organizational expert. How can I improve the way I spend my time?”

  A new book offers some insight. “Thriving in the Workplace All-in-One For Dummies®,” comprised of seven books in one volume, gives people of all ages, in any job, and in any type of workplace, the information, tips, and action plans needed to boost professional value, increase visibility, and manage stress, according to its publisher. (More …)

  
   
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• 4 Steps to Come Out of the Recession on the Upside

  MSC Marketing 8:56 am on April 22, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: agents (23), Business Development (25), competitive information (50), economy (72)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development, economy

  RISMEDIA, April 22, 2010—When asked to sum up the year ahead, Stan Ross, chair, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, believes values will further drop, foreclosures and delinquency rates will increase, and a limping economy likely will continue to crimp property cash flows. But capital will start to come in at a time when higher lending rates, more stringent underwriting, increased equity requirements and recourse terms will continue. So with all this doom and gloom, how do you survive during these times?

  This year, the real estate industry has to focus on survival and solutions, looking toward expansion and new opportunities in a distressed market. The best approach for coming out of the recession on the upside involves four steps: checking your assets and liabilities, performing an organizational restructuring, improving relations with lenders and going after some great opportunity ‘buys.’ (More …)

  
   
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• 3 Tips to Effectively Connect with Today’s Client

  MSC Marketing 2:51 pm on April 6, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: Agent advice (15), Best Practices (27), Business Development (25)   Filed under: Agent advice, Best Practices, Business Development

  RISMEDIA, April 5, 2010—There’s an awful lot of noise out there today. To rise above the din, Realtors and brokers must take a look at the consumers in their marketplace, while reviewing the various technologies available, merging both into a sound business practice that applies time-tested principles with the realities of new media.

  So how does one connect with today’s clients? How can technology be harnessed to communicate with them on their terms?

  In the real estate business–and in any industry, for that matter–the challenge is to cut through the clutter, reduce the racket and convert the clamor of commerce into a symphony of sales.

  Your ability to overcome the chatter of the crowd and differentiate your product/service will determine whether you sink or swim.

  But first things first: how connected are you?

  Connect yourself first
  Let’s not take anything for granted. There are various levels of connectivity, so the concept of “being connected” varies between professionals, but suffice it to say you need a smartphone to get started. Says who?

  (More …)

  
   
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• Going Paperless – What to Expect as You Begin to Transition

  MSC Marketing 9:27 am on March 25, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: Best Practices (27), Technology (11)   Filed under: Best Practices, Business Development, Technology

  

  By  James Kingery

  RISMEDIA, March 25, 2010—For starters, going paperless is a good thing and any organization “over the hump” will tell you the same. The benefits of paperless operation are well documented and include the elimination of filing cabinets and offsite storage, reduction in supply expense, faster access to files and information, elimination of lost files, elimination of lost documents from within a file, reclaimed office space, secure agent access to transaction files, compliant records and much more.

  More elaborate advantages come in the form of workflow, standardized processes for your specific requirements, coverage strategies and virtual operation. So what problems will we face implementing a paperless solution? How can we assure a successful launch? What expectations should I set? (More …)

  
   
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• 4 Tips to Profit from Niche Marketing

  MSC Marketing 3:17 pm on March 18, 2010 | Comments:0
  Tags: Best Practices (27), Business Development (25), competitive information (50)   Filed under: Best Practices, Business Development, Marketing, Motivation

  RISMEDIA, March 17, 2010—In 2009, the total number of available transaction sides per agent increased by a whopping 13%. This is the largest recorded gain in over 25 years. Simply put, there is still a lot of business to be had and a lot fewer agents going after it. Successful agents have embraced the change and are already profiting. The current marketplace is full of challenges but it also provides more niche opportunity than ever before. The following four strategies will help you profit from niche marketing in today’s market. (More …)