Kevin Ward's YES Talk | Real Estate Coaching and Success Training for Agents

You have the power to create and shape your own life through the choices you make.    You, as a creator, have the personal responsibility to choose your own path and commit to it. By making conscious choices and committing to them, you are able to move from your current reality to what is possible for you.   For sure, you're going to face adversity and challenges along the way. You might even think about quitting on your dreams because things are harder than you thought.   But with  perseverance and an unstoppable mindset that's focused on creating the future that you want… anything is possible.    You have the power to create the life of your dreams.  

The key to winning is to acknowledge and address the areas in your life where you are losing or not doing well. This requires the willingness to face discomfort and change.   Here are five questions to ask yourself to help you live your best life:     1. What specific thing have you been putting off doing because it's uncomfortable or you're not ready? It's time to confront it head-on because the discomfort you feel is a sign of growth. Make that commitment, and start taking the necessary steps towards your dreams.    2. Where have you been pumping the brakes when life has been telling you to hit the accelerator? Fear often holds us back from progress. But a life of greatness is not achieved by playing it safe. Trust that you are capable of facing whatever challenge comes your way. It's time to speed towards your dreams.   3. When did you stop dreaming and start living to please others? Your dreams matter. Reclaim that childlike imagination and dream bigger. Don't let the expectations of others stop you.    4. Where have you been deceiving yourself, denying the truth about what's not working? Deep down, you know what needs to change. Acknowledge those areas of your life where you've been settling, suppressing your discontentment. Be willing to face the truth and make a commitment to change (no matter how uncomfortable).  5. What is that one thing you've been avoiding due to discomfort? The breakthrough you seek lies on the other side of your discomfort. It's time to confront it head-on. Refuse to let fear hold you back any longer. This is your life, your championship season. Give it everything you've got!  

Three Things the Best in the World Do: 1. Produce something that creates a desired result. Do the specific actions that would produce something that actually creates a desired result (i.e., money). If it doesn't make money or close deals, it's not producing.  Talk to people. You want to grab people's attention, and then build relationships that build credibility and trust for you. The key is to put yourself out there. Whether it's through social media marketing, making phone calls, or doorknocking. 2. Do less, not more. Whenever you're about to do anything, ask yourself, “Does this activity that I'm about to spend time on actually move the ball down the field and put points on the scoreboard?” If it does nothing to make you better or let you recover, let somebody else do it. Make sure you're not kidding yourself that you're “producing more” when you're actually just doing too many things that are perpetuating the same problem you already have. 3. Lead people to decisions. Help people make a decision that's in their best interest through prospecting, lead follow up, going on listing appointments, showing buyers, or negotiating contracts. If you want more deep-dive training on how to be the best in the world at what you do, then go and preorder your copy of my new book, More Yes More Success.  When you preorder now, you get immediate exclusive access to training that gets you more leads, listings, and sales with less resistance. Get all the details here (while the bonuses are still available!).    

The key to building a business is connecting with people and taking that relationship beyond the initial meeting.   Whenever you meet someone, make an effort to get into a conversation with them. And then, at the end of it, remember to ask for their contact information.   It's not enough to just give them your business card, because there's a great chance it's going to end up in the trash. Without any exchange of contact information, you have no connection and have not started a relationship.    Connect and start the relationship, it's going to be priceless for you both.  

Relationships before real estate. People matter more than money.    You reap what you sow. When you sow the seeds of your relationship and nurture them, it's only a matter of time before you reap the rewards. Not just your clients, but also other agents and their clients, will love you.   And one powerful way of sowing the seeds is by sending personal videos.   As was the case for one of my top coaching members, Jose Contreras... He did what most other agents never do: He sent a personal video to the seller's agent (Jose was representing the buyer), and got their offer accepted, even though theirs wasn't the highest offer.   But as you're building relationships, you're sometimes going to have people in your Personal Circle choose a different agent over you. Don't let that break your heart. Instead, go and wish them well, and keep nurturing the relationship. Sooner or later, they will come back to you (especially after they start to regret using the other agent).    

What do you do when you fail or get rejected?  Never quit because it is only a temporary defeat.  In the case of one of my coaching members, Julia Rogel, she didn't give up even though she hasn't had any success with Expireds for the longest time. She trusted the process and regularly sent them personal videos.  Through those videos, Julia genuinely showed them that she cared and wanted to help them. In the end, those Expireds trusted Julia and made her their agent for life.    What are Personal Videos? Personal videos are videos that you text to anyone you've just had a quality conversation with (i.e. an Expired, someone from your personal circle, a new referral, or somebody you met at an open house event).  Simply shoot a video with a simple message telling them that you're there for them, and if there's anything you can do to help, they can just reach out to you. And then, send the video through text, directly to their phone.    

The most powerful and highest money-making skill in real estate is the ability to lead people to a decision to work with you.  But what will make them say YES to you?  Certainty. Their feeling of certainty about you will make them want to hire you. But that certainty will come from you. For instance, as you're talking to them, have that energy of certainty that you're knowledgeable about the current market situation. When you show up with confidence, commitment, competence, courage, and compassion, people are irresistibly drawn to you. The key to gaining the trust and certainty of others is to have certainty in yourself. Understanding the psychology of decision making. Your ability to lead people to a decision is directly related to your skill at decision-making. If you can't make decisions for yourself, then you won't be able to lead others to a decision. Decision-making is an uncomfortable process because pressure is what drives us to make most decisions. Learn how to open up a space where people can feel pressure, and then lead them to make a decision immediately.

How do you bounce back from a traumatic past and win in your business and your life? Answer: Commitment + Association.  Motivation is not enough because this is fleeting. Instead, you want to be committed. It starts with a decision… a commitment to having the discipline to take action towards achieving your goals. Discipline forces you to take action, until you see results. Surround yourself with the right people who are going to help you stay true to your commitments.  And when you take care of all areas of your life (your health, relationships, etc.), your business will take off because you're able to show up as the best version of you for your clients.  One of my top coaching members (and good friend), Sergio Nazzaro, has made $1M in only 8 months. But he's no smarter or better than anyone else. He simply does the work and hangs out with the right people. Trust the process, trust your coach, and do the work.

Put everything on the line.   This requires honesty as you confront yourself. Be honest about what you want in life, and how far you're willing to go to get it.   Stop worrying about other people's opinions. You don't need their approval.   Have the courage to lead and be the king or queen that you are.   Don't succumb to a life of regret. We've got only one chance at life. Make the most of it.    That's the only way to truly live. Choose that kind of life.   Set a new standard for yourself. Change your life, upgrade your life, and make a difference in the world.   Don't wait. Do it NOW.  

Most people know what they want but don't know how to get there.    The first step is to be honest with yourself… What are you committed to absolutely having? And are you willing to do whatever it takes to get it?   The tactical steps to get there are easy. The hard part is digging deep inside you to figure out what you MUST have, no matter what.   Decide whether you're willing to pay the price for it. And then take action.   What are the immediate actions you need to take to move closer to your goals?  

If you want to win big, you got to think different, you got to play different.   Show up like a PRO.    Keep your commitments.    Show up early for appointments. Because when you're late, it tells people that you don't keep your word. And when you don't keep your commitments, people don't trust you.   Nobody cares about your reasons for being late. All they care about is that you broke your commitment to show up at a certain time.    It doesn't matter if you have the best strategies in the world. Until you learn how to show up like a champion, nobody's going to follow you.   If you want to win championships and change your life, play like a pro.

Most people say they want to go to the next level. But as the greatest achievers know, there is no “next level”. There is only ascension and descension (no middle ground). And as you ascend, you will meet a lot of resistance. For you to ascend & achieve, you must first get CLARITY on what you want and COMMIT to having it no matter what...even if it requires you to go out of your comfort zone. Yes, you are a king or queen, but it's not your job to save everybody. You are the ruler of your life & your business. That is your kingdom. With all the real estate strategies you have, practice and do the work. What do the greatest achievers in the world all have in common? They trust their gut. Because of that, they don't need other people's approval, and they make decisions quickly. If they make the wrong decision, they learn from it fast and course correct.

The Real Estate Vortex is the framework of a high 6 or 7-figure business. Like a swirling storm, it attracts business to its center. And at the core of the Real Estate Vortex is YOU. You are the eye of the storm (where it's calm).   The YesMasters Mantra: “I am the eye of the storm. I remain calm & centered regardless of anything.”   How do you make more money & achieve big dreams?   First, you have to learn to dream bigger. The way you do that is through EXPOSURE.   Expose yourself to more expensive things, higher accomplishments, bigger achievers. This helps you realize that what you used to think impossible is actually possible.   But here's the problem…   Subconsciously, we try to justify not having something nice because we can't afford it. We create a story in our heads and tell ourselves that we don't want it, in order to justify why we don't have it.   If you want to make money, you have to dream bigger. Are you up for the challenge?

There are 4 things that stop you from being successful. The 4 Destroyers DECEPTION-.When you're not honest with yourself about where you are right now (i.e. in your business), thinking that everything is fine, you don't do what it takes to succeed. DODGING- You creatively avoid doing what you know needs to be done. You make excuses for not doing it. Dodging=Procrastination=Lack of courage. The key to fighting procrastination is to face your fears. Just do what you need to do to move your business forward, even though it scares you.  DRIFTING- It's when you go about your daily tasks with no focused goal, clear direction, or strategy.  DISTRACTION- Getting sidetracked by social media or unimportant phone calls stops you from being productive.

The biggest money-making video strategy for realtors is called the Personal Video.  Here are the 3 types of Personal Videos: Personal Introduction Video- a video that you would text message to somebody that you've just met or that you've just talked to on the phone (i.e. a new prospect, lead, or someone you just set an appointment with). The exact script is at the 3:02 mark in the audio. Personal Appreciation Video- a video that you text someone you already know, after having a conversation with them. (Exact script at the 6:03 audio timestamp) Personal Collaboration Video- a video you send to somebody that you are in a transaction with (i.e. If you're the buyer's agent, you send this to the listing agent on the other side of the transaction). (Exact script at the 7:35 audio timestamp) The key with these videos is… they make the recipient feel important, appreciated, and these videos help you stay top-of-mind with them.

Why don't business plans or New Year's resolutions help you reach your goals? 1. Your business plan is too vague. The more specific and detailed you are about how you're going to accomplish a goal, the better your chances of achieving it. 2. You set it and forget it. When you set your goals and then forget them, they don't drive your daily actions and focus. You then lose direction of how to reach your goals. 3. You give up too easily. No matter how great your business plan is, if you easily give up with every small mistake or failure, you will never succeed. 4. You don't do what you say you're going to do. Lack of commitment is the number one cause of failure. When you don't commit 100%, you still give yourself the option to fail. Decide on what you are committed to accomplishing in your business and in your life this year. Figure out what it takes to achieve those goals…and do it! No shortcuts.

Three Reasons Why Realtors Need Real Estate Investors Investors buy and sell real estate all the time. No matter the market condition, most real estate investors still buy and sell property.  Investors are not emotional. They don't allow fear or uncertainty to rule their business decisions. Once they decide to buy, they close & get you paid. You can learn from investors. Because owning real estate is one of the best ways to get financially free & create cash flow, an investor is the best person to learn from.   WHERE TO FIND REAL ESTATE INVESTORS Meetup.com. Join 2-3 real estate investor meetup groups, and meet with them in person once a week. Don't introduce yourself as a realtor right away & offer your services, because this tends to turn them off. Instead, be genuinely interested in learning more about real estate investing from them. On your MLS, look up all the cash closings in a specific market area in the last 3, 6, or 12 months, six months, or 12 months. Pull up the tax record to get the tax billing address, and send a direct mailer to that investor. Or, do skip tracing to find their phone number and call them.  The key to success with real estate investors is to connect with & build a relationship with them. They will become a source of business for you over and over and over again.   

Here are 5 Strategies to getting more YES (For the exact scripts, get your FREE copy of The Book of YES here) Always expect YES. Your expectation determines your attitude. Your positive energy will radiate in your conversations with them. Believe that they will say YES because they need you. Affirm their NO without resistance. "Okay got it, so right now you're just thinking about taking it off the market. Makes total sense." Here, you're reframing their NO from an absolute to a possible option. Adjust the conversation. Go from trying to talk them into selling, to just saying,"What can I do? So if it had sold, what was your ideal outcome?” You're just genuinely curious, not interrogating them. Accept the NO as temporary. Graciously accept that their NO is not final. Appreciate them with a personal video. This is not a hard-sell video. Simply shoot them a quick video, thanking them for their time and letting them know that you're there for them if they need help. And then, text them that video. Or, you can send them a personal handwritten note with a business card and your face. Make sure to include the link to your website where you can talk to them on video. *Touch base with them 2-4 weeks later.

6 Shifts To Make To Grow Your Business & Income In 2023 & Beyond Get tougher. Toughen up your commitment. The story inside your head must get tougher, to a point where you can handle rejection & failure. Be 100% determined to win at all costs. Train with a coach. Find somebody that can guide and help you with systems, strategies, skills, and mindset to help you grow your business. No one ever succeeds alone. Tighten up your schedule. Use your time in a more productive way. Track your numbers. Track your total number of… Conversations (How many conversations are you having in a day?) Connections (How many new relationships are you creating?) Commitments (How many appointments are you setting?) Contracts Closings Cash Talk to more people. Spend at least 90 minutes a day getting into conversations with people (whether it's prospecting or talking to people you already know).Focus on building relationships the ff people (they will help FIX your business):F- FSBOs I- Investors X- Expireds    Take only YES for an answer. Don't give up too easily when people first tell you NO. Be friendly, not aggressive.  

What are the 3 secrets to success in a market shift for realtors? The Power of Commitment. Be willing to go ALL IN 100% (this is not the time to be a part-time agent). Your commitment is what drives you to do the work consistently. Don't give yourself an option to fail. Mastery over your feelings. Your feelings are probably the most powerful part of your life, because they drive your behavior. The highest achievers in the world follow their commitments rather than allow their emotions to control them. Stop seeking other people's approval because their opinions don't determine your success. Having an Energy of Certainty. Especially during times of chaos, people turn to someone with absolute certainty & confidence that they know what they're doing. Sellers & buyers are looking for an agent they can trust to help them. Trust yourself first before you can earn their trust. Your commitment drives your actions towards mastery of your feelings and the skills to become great at what you do. You then become more confident, show up with certainty, and get people to trust you.

The first step to having a more profitable business is to build relationships with people you know. You want to create Top Of Mind Awareness with them by adding value to them and genuinely making them feel special. You become unforgettable, and they will refer business to you over and over again. Here are 4 Strategies for Getting More Business Through Your Relationships Care about people.  Send out personalized handwritten “Happy Thanksgiving” notes.  Call (or leave a voicemail) or send a text message, greeting them a Happy Thanksgiving.  Shoot them a personal Thanksgiving video greeting & text it to them. Give people something of value. You can do a Pie Giveaway. Call them up, say, "Hey, I want to get you a pie. I'm ordering you a pie for Thanksgiving. Would you like pumpkin or pecan pie?" And then you're going to deliver those pies to them. Promote local businesses on your social media channels. (i.e.Post a quick shout out to your favorite local coffee shop on your Facebook page.) WOW your past clients. Give them something above and beyond what you'd normally give everyone else. This is not a closing gift. Instead, you send this to them 6 months after closing. Just say, "Hey, I appreciate you as a client. Anything I can do for you. I'm here for you and this is just a little token of my appreciation." And then, give them something that is worth 3 to 5% of the value of the transaction.

How do you deal with sellers going through a divorce (and get the listing)? #1. Get into a conversation with both of them. Ask for the other spouse's contact information and reach out to them to see how you can help. Or, do a three-way conference call with both of them present. No matter your track record or how close you are to one of them, it's the first agent that gets into a conversation with the husband and the wife and makes them both feel comfortable that gets the listing.  #2. Identify the motivation of both parties.  Who's living in the house right now? Do they want to save the marriage? Does one of them want to keep the house? Who's currently making the house payments? How is the money going to be split between them? If one is getting more than the other, that will affect the other's motivation to sell. #3. Never take sides. Reassure the other spouse that you don't know well that you'll represent them both fairly. #4. Get them both to agree on one thing: selling their house for the most money in the least amount of time #5. Stay in 3-way communication. Throughout the entire process, keep both parties informed. You can do group text, group chat, or group email.   

Here are 3 Emergency Steps to take to help your business thrive in the face of the current economic crisis & real estate market shift.  Accept reality. Although your business did well last year, this is not the time to be complacent. You have to persevere because what's coming up is going to be worse than the Great Recession of 2008. Focus on building relationships. In times of crisis, people will only listen to someone they trust. Do not convince people to buy or sell. Now is the time to connect, build relationships, and earn their trust by letting them know that you're out there to help them make a decision that's in their best interest. Communicate certainty. With every conversation you have, you must communicate certainty. But first create certainty within yourself. Know what's happening in your market, and then you become a resource person. When you show up with absolute certainty, people will listen and follow you. 

With interest rates going up, is this a good time to buy?  YES, if at least one of these applies: The buyer wants a place to live and plans to stay for 5-10 years.  You're in a market where buying is cheaper than renting. You as the agent can help the buyer negotiate the best terms and price. You can negotiate to have the mortgage company buy down their interest rate (with seller concessions)  What to do with a lead or prospect that wants to wait: Identify their motivation. The most important thing is to identify their reason for wanting to buy a house  Be the problem solver. If their problem is high interest rates, give them several options (i.e. you can negotiate to have the seller do a concession to buy down your interest rate, figure out ways to make it as good a deal or better than if they had bought 6 months ago. Keep building the relationship. Shoot straight with them, so you earn their trust. And stay Top of Mind with them, so when the time comes that they're ready to buy, they will reach out to you.    

Is it a good time to sell your house, or should you wait?   Right now, interest rates are high, inflation is up, the stock market is down, businesses are not doing well, and more layoffs are happening.   3 Ways to Approach This (As An Agent)   Identify their motivation. Find out WHY they want to move. Be the problem solver. Guide and lead them to a decision by giving them the pros & cons of moving & selling now. Build & value the relationship. Be honest & always make it about what's best for them (not your commission check).   3 Reasons That It's a Good Time To Sell They're thinking about downsizing. The price of their home has gone up over the years, and they no longer need to live in a big house. They want to get the most equity out of the property. In some markets, prices are starting to drop, so it's best to sell now to protect their equity. Planning to buy right away. Interest rates are already up and are going to spike even more in the future.   People have to understand that historically, when prices go up & down, it takes months or years for the market to shift back.

Three reasons why a market downturn is great news for real estate agents ready to explode & grow their business. Motivation to sell jumps dramatically. People who have been putting off selling their homes suddenly get the urge to sell because as the market shifts, home prices start to drop. Scared people will listen. Whenever people start seeing the market turning, they start getting scared. And when you have market knowledge, understanding, and expertise, all of a sudden, they're going to start listening to you, trusting you, and they're going to hire you. Most of your competition will disappear. A lot of real estate agents (mostly those who are not doing the work) will panic & flunk out of the business because deals aren't coming to them anymore. Even top producers will consider retiring now.  Be willing to do the work and master the skills, strategies, and systems to succeed…and the opportunities for you are going to be massive.

What do you do when an Expired says that they're never moving out unless it's the right price? 1. Start the relationship. Connect with them through text. First, respond with a text message saying, “Understood” (with a thumbs up emoji). And then add, “What would be the right price?” If they text back with the price, you then reply, “Great. When would be a good time to jump on a quick call?  2. Get into a phone conversation. Over the phone, you can identify their motivation and start building rapport.  If they're motivated to move, go ahead and set the appointment. If they're not motivated, say, “Okay, great. Understood. If anything changes, let me know.” (The complete script is in The Book of YES. Get your FREE copy here.) NEXT: After getting off the phone, send them a quick video and say, “Hey, Mr. and Ms. Smith, thanks for taking time to talk to me today. I understand right now is not really the time you want to sell. So I just want to send you a quick video, personally introduce myself, and let you know if I can help with anything, I'm here to help you. And whenever things change, please let me know. We'll talk soon. Have a great day.” 3. Build the relationship. Touch base with them every month through a quick phone call or  text. 

Did you get into real estate just for the money? Or is there more beyond real estate? To be really successful in real estate, you have to be winning in all areas of your life because they're all connected. When you fail or succeed in one part of your life, it affects everything else. To give you a framework, here's an overview of the 7 Domains of Life: FINANCE. Are you making enough money to secure your family's future? FOCUS. What are you focused on? What is your major purpose in life? FEELINGS. Your emotions (whether it's fear, uncertainty, or confidence) drive your actions. FITNESS. Watch your health because your body is the only vehicle that will help you achieve your goals. FAMILY & FRIENDS. How are your relationships with the people that matter most to you? FUN. Laugh, play, and do something you love so you can recharge & function well in the other domains. FAITH. This is not necessarily religious, but what do you believe? It's your moral compass. It's your values of what you believe about right and wrong and about power and about the universe, about God, about people.