Top Agent Happy Hour Podcast

How they got started in real estate {1:20} What was their catalyst to switch brokerages {3:00} What does their typical day look like? {5:10} How they prospect {7:00} How do they stay positive through tough transactions? {10:00} How to set expectations with their sellers {12:30} What is their current production and goals for 2020 {15:15} How do they divide responsibilities as a married couple & business partners {16:30} The advantage of hosting an open house as a couple {22:30} What has been their #1 lead generating lead source {25:00} How they stay in touch with their sphere of influence {29:00} What’s been the biggest game changer for their business {33:00} What was the biggest mistake made in marketing {40:30} To contact Courtney Hamner Brown and Philip Brown on Instagram @brownteamrealtors on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thebrownssellva/ courtney@brownsellva.com To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com To contact Dustin Fox – Devon and Dustin Fox- Pearson Smith Realty https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com

How Alex got started in real estate {1:40}   What does your typical day look like {5:00}   What Alex learned from growing a team {7:45}   What are Alex’s team production and goals for 2020 (11:00)   How does Alex stay focused with a busy schedule {13:00}   What is Alex’s #1 lead generating source {15:00}   How Alex maximizes his sphere of influence with constant touches {17:45}   Why a unique value proposition so important?  {21:00}   Secret to making an ISA program successful {23:00}   Why Alex ultimately decided to hire a real estate coach. {29:00}   Biggest mistake Alex sees other agents making {31:00}   What Alex would change looking back at his career {33:00}  Big picture goals {38:50}  To contact Alex Bracke – alex@alexbracke.com or call 571-393-1080  To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com  To contact Dustin Fox – Devon and Dustin Fox- Pearson Smith Realty https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com

How Austin got started in real estate {1:21} How he was able get past the “too young” stigma (4:00 & 7:25) How Austin uses YouTube to educate his clients (13:00) How unique selling propositions help differentiate himself from other agents (18:00) Where is Austin placing his marketing dollars and why {26:00} How Austin is utilizing video testimonials to build credibility {27:45} Why YouTube targeting is better than Facebook ads {39:00} What are you most proud of in the business (49:00) To contact Austin Harley – austin@ahsells.com To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com To contact Dustin Fox – Devon and Dustin Fox- Pearson Smith Realty https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com  

How did you go from traditional to Redfin? {21:30} What are the strengths of the Redfin model (34:00) How to overcome Redfin objections from clients (38:40) What does your current day-today business look like (40:00) Why do agents get less sign calls {42:00} What are the 4 pillars of your business? {43:00} What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in real estate {45:05} Biggest mistake Jon sees other agents make? (53:20) Why backup offers help everyone (55:00) To contact Rob Whittman @RobWhittman on LinkedIn To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com To contact Dustin Fox – Devon and Dustin Fox- Pearson Smith Realty https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/

How To Educate & Empower Women In Real Estate w/ Karen Cooper & Vicky Noufal The importance of a hiring philosophy {7:00} Knowing how to coach & inspire stretch goals {16:00} Developing & systemizing your client care program {22:00} How they are empowering over 9,000 women in real estate {25:00} Books that have made the biggest impact in their career. {34:00} What is the single thing they are most proud of {41:00} Why professionalism and respect with agent across the table is so important {44:00} Best advice ever received {47:00} To contact Karen Cooper & Vicky Noufal Vicky Noufal https://www.instagram.com/vickynoufal/ Karen Cooper https://www.instagram.com/karen.w.cooper/ Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoPlatinumGroup/ https://www.facebook.com/EmpoweringWomenInRE/   Join the Empowering Women In Real Estate community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringwomeninrealestate/   To learn more about Empower Coaching by Karen Cooper … Coaching and marketing systems for women in the real estate industry, go to www.EmpoweringWomenInRealEstate.com and click on “Membership”.     To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com   To contact Dustin Fox – www.FoxesSellFaster.com  https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com

6 Books That Every Realtor Should Read (Pt 2.) 1) Influence - The Psychology Of Persuasion - Dr. Robert Cialdini https://amzn.to/2LgI9nJ 2) Ultimate Sales Machine - Chet Holmes - https://amzn.to/2NbgYNC 3) Ultimate Sales Letter - Dan Kennedy - https://amzn.to/2N8BPRH To contact Dustin Fox - Pearson Smith Realty www.FoxesSellFaster.com dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com 1) Start With Why - Simon Sinek - https://amzn.to/2IJQ4bL 2) 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey - https://amzn.to/2J7WrUY 3) Compound Effect - Darren Hardy - https://amzn.to/2KBFjdu To contact Richard Bridges - richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com 703-927-1461

6 Books That Every Realtor Should Read (Pt 1.) 1) Influence - The Psychology Of Persuasion - Dr. Robert Cialdini https://amzn.to/2LgI9nJ 2) Ultimate Sales Machine - Chet Holmes - https://amzn.to/2NbgYNC 3) Ultimate Sales Letter - Dan Kennedy - https://amzn.to/2N8BPRH To contact Dustin Fox - Pearson Smith Realty www.FoxesSellFaster.com dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com 1) Start With Why - Simon Sinek - https://amzn.to/2IJQ4bL 2) 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey - https://amzn.to/2J7WrUY 3) Compound Effect - Darren Hardy - https://amzn.to/2KBFjdu To contact Richard Bridges - richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com  

 To contact Dustin Fox - www.FoxesSellFaster.com  703-927-1461 or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com  To contact Richard Bridges - richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com

How To Go From No Deals Your First 8 Months to 300 deals three years later w/Eric Pearson   How Eric instills a motivating & knowledge sharing culture in his brokerage {10:00}   Ignoring the haters {15:15}   From no deals his first 8 months to selling over 300 transactions as a team three years later (29:45}   How to make a every client a raving fan (26:00)   Why are agents to afraid to ask for the business? (28:30)   How to consistently provide more for your agents (32:00}   What are you most proud of? {51:00}   To contact Eric email him at eric@pearsonsmithrealty.com or schedule a one on one with him - https://calendly.com/ericpearson   To contact Dustin Fox - www.FoxesSellFaster.com  on https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ 703-927-1461 or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com   To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com  

How To Go From 60k A Year To 25 Signed Listings w/Jon Granlund   How Jon eliminates negative energy from his business & his life.   Know when your business is ready to add an assistant without the risk.   What was his biggest Ah-Ha moment in the business (22:00)   Understanding that leads are plentiful. Lead conversion is where the money is really made and how he does it. (23:40)   Why are agents to afraid to ask for the business? (28:30)   Biggest mistake Jon sees other agents make? (29:50)   What’s the big picture look like for Jon Granlud? (36:30)   To contact Jon Granlund email him at jongranlundteam@gmail.com   To contact Dustin Fox - www.FoxesSellFaster.com  on https://www.facebook.com/DevonAndDustinFoxHomes/ or dustin.fox@pearsonsmithrealty.com   To contact Richard Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/brokerbridges/ or richard.bridges@pearsonsmithrealty.com  

How To Sell $50 Million Your First Few Years w/Dustin Fox To contact Dustin Fox: Devon and Dustin Fox- Pearson Smith Realty 14827 Wood Home Road Centreville, VA 20120 www.FoxesSellFaster.com (703)927-1461

In real estate, your results and level of success depend greatly on the time and effort you put into it. How can you get on top, and stay there? What can you do to make your name synonymous with real estate in your area? On this episode, we talk with Pearson Smith Realty Team agent, Noel Tuggle, as he shares his advice for how to improve as an agent.   Get out there and make sure your name is synonymous with real estate. -Noel Tuggle   Three Things We Learned From This Episode In real estate, you can’t afford to dwell on your downfalls. In the time you take to worry about the deal you didn’t get, you could be out closing others. Keep your morale high and remember that it’s not the end of the world when you fail.   Stop being timid in business. Developing a more aggressive approach is a game changer in real estate. Make sure you’re making a name for yourself in real estate and don’t allow fear or shyness to hold you back.   The best way to find out where you’re going wrong is by asking. When you meet with prospective clients, ask them what you could have done better. Use this constructive criticism to make your business better.   Become the master of your own mindset, and never think you’re past the need for improvement. Even when you’re on top, remember that your job is to serve your clients. Make sure you’re listening to their concerns and their criticism, and continue to develop your expertise.   Guest Bio Noel Tuggle is an agent at Pearson Smith Realty Team. After completing his studies in marketing and business management, and subsequently bartending for 10 years, Noel decided to try his hand at real estate. Thanks to his knowledge of the county (having been a Northern Virginia resident for over 15 years), and his passion as a ‘people person’, Noel has had great success as an agent. To find out more about Noel, head to: https://dmv.psrhomesearch.com/agents/79838-Noel-Tuggle/ You can contact him via call or text on 7035549382, or email at noel@pearsonsmithrealty.com

Platforms like Zillow bring a lot of opportunities to agents. How can you make the most of the platform? Which mistakes do you need to avoid if you want to have great results? On this episode, we’re joined by Matt Johnson to discuss how you can use Zillow and AI more effectively.     Three Things We Learned Embrace artificial intelligence. Clients want to push a button and have an appointment. One of the biggest mistakes agents make is not responding to clients on Zillow. Stay active on the platform. When responding to reviews, include personal details. You want people seeing the reviews to know you have great relationships with your clients.   Online platforms are often seen as impersonal because of their reliance on artificial intelligence. However, platforms like Zillow actually allow you to showcase your connections with past clients. Embrace artificial intelligence for its convenience factor, but remember that the real estate industry requires human interaction.

Helping others always comes back to you. What can you do to ensure you’re not only doing well in your business, but genuinely helping your clients? Should you dedicate more of yourself to your business, or can you make an impact outside of your work? On this episode, we talk with Jennifer Mack of Jennifer Mack Properties. Jennifer is known for going above and beyond for her clients, and strives to provide heartfelt solutions to everyone she works with while staying present in her personal life.      Three Things We Learned Surround yourself with positive people who uplift you and support your goals. Hire help to delegate the tasks you don’t need to do yourself. Use a range of strategies to stay top-of-mind Never stop striving towards being generous, improving your knowledge, and sharing what you’ve learned with others. Have an abundance mindset, and never limit yourself. The world is becoming smaller by the minute— why not take advantage of that? Make new contacts and stay in touch with the old ones. However, never forget that generosity begins at home. Allow yourself time to exist in contexts other than work. By giving this to yourself, you will be able to give to others in the most genuine manner.

For new agents in the industry, making your mark can be a long process. How can you foster other people’s trust in your ability to get them the best deals and the best homes? Does it take years, or can you accelerate your reputation and impact? On this episode, we talk with Casey Menish, who is proof that being new to the industry should never be a hindrance to your success. Casey made a name for herself in real estate despite discouragement from seasoned agents early in her career.     Three Things We Learned From This Episode Building relationships is important Having social relationships with clients can help to bolster your professional relationships. Meet for happy hour or small gatherings, rather than huge client appreciation events. By building personal relationships, you’re more likely to keep getting referrals. You have to stay top-of-mind While you should be visible to past clients as a friend, make sure they don’t forget you were their agent. From time to time, and on anniversaries of their transactions with you, send them details of the neighborhood they bought in. By reminding them that you are not only their friend, but also their agent, you’ll be the first person they think of when they need to sell their home or buy a new one. Being easily reachable is crucial When you’re contacted by a client, respond as soon as you can. Not only is it easy when you have a cellphone with you, it also goes a long way in building a trusting relationship.   In real estate today, it’s important to have a bond with your clients. After all, you’re playing a big role in their lives by finding them a home. Build relationships and stay close with those you work with. You’ll not only have a great social circle, but a loyal client base.   Guest Bio Casey Menish is an agent at Pearson Smith Realty. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in marketing, Casey decided to start a career in real estate. However, she was met with discouragement from a family friend who told her she was too young. Undeterred, Casey went on to meet with CEO and founder of Pearson Smith Realty, Eric Pearson. With his encouragement, Casey started flourishing at the agency by leveraging her knowledge of social media. Nearly 6 years after starting her journey with Pearson Smith, Casey continues to bring in business by ensuring she has genuine connections with her clients. In addition to strengthening ties with clients, Casey pays it forward in her community through her involvement with two charity foundations, as well as fostering dogs. To contact Casey, you can connect with her on Instagram: @caseymenish .You can also email her on casey@psrcollection.com To find out more about Casey and Pearson Smith Realty, head to: https://dmv.psrhomesearch.com/agents/28223-Casey-Menish/ If you’d like to find out more about the charities Casey is involved with check out: Wholehearted Foundation:https://www.wholeheartedfoundation.org/ Paradigm Foundation: https://www.paradigmfoundation.org/  

The real estate business is constantly evolving, and it’s critical to keep learning. We also need to recognize the value of creating a bond with our clients. How do we remain high-performing? How do soft skills impact our sales? What is our role in mediating information? In this episode, Robyn Burdett shares how we can improve our performance and client relationships in real estate.     Three Things We Learned Finding your whyTo stay excited about real estate, we need to have a vision bigger than ourselves and a reason for doing what we do. Our reasons can be personal or professional, as long as they are important to us. Once we know what we are doing it for, we become mentally invested, and it’s easier to maintain high performance. How to sell through listeningWe are not typically taught how to understand body language and work with different personality types. Learn to listen and form a bond with people in order to make successful sales. Share the right informationOur relationship with clients has changed with increased access to information through the internet. There is too much information out there for people to focus on, or to know what works and what doesn’t. We used to be the information brokers, and now it’s our job to make sure the clients get the right information. Being an agent today means working with people in new ways and being ready to adapt. Information is readily available online and digital marketing plays an important role, but we need to be able to focus on and share the most valuable information with our clients while also building a meaningful relationship with them. When we pay this extra attention to our clients, we are better equipped to do our job well and increase our sphere of influence.     Guest Bio Robyn Burdett is the Founder and CEO of the Robyn Burdett Real Estate Group and is the Associate Broker at RE/MAX West End. She has been in the real estate business for 31 years, selling homes throughout Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William Counties. Robyn was awarded the Washingtonian Magazine 2017 Top Agent, the Washingtonian Magazine Top Team, the Northern Virginia Magazine Top Agent, the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, and is in the RE/MAX Diamond Club and the RE/MAX Hall of Fame. She studied at George Washington University and is a certified Residential Specialist. Learn more at https://www.robynburdett.com/

A lot has changed in real estate, and leaders have to be able to continuously train agents and keep up with evolving models. How do we encourage continuing education for our agents? How can we distinguish between working out of ego vs. doing it because it’s what we actually want? On this episode we're joined by Pat Hiban, the founder of Rebus University and Gobundance, and host of the #1 real estate podcast. Pat shares on his real estate journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way.      Three Things We Learned From This Episode Why youth isn’t a disadvantage Being young or new in the business is something you can use as a strength, especially now. Younger people have more experience with the online world, which is where most consumers are doing their home searches. Having fewer clients is can also be an advantage because it means that you can be more dedicated and give clients undivided attention.   How lead follow up has changed Follow-up is so much more important now because buyers are looking at homes 6-8 months in advance, meaning the ISA is crucial in the process.   How the sphere of influence changes when you get out of production When you go out of the business and someone else takes over the team, your sphere of influence will be affected. If you don’t have a system to communicate and stay in touch, the SOI is going to get crushed.   For a lot of real estate agents, we get into the game and become driven by ego. In order for us to have real staying power, there has to be a lot more motivating us than accolades and recognition. Instead of focusing on those things, prioritize getting better everyday, pursue education, and push through to reach our goals.    Guest Bio Pat is the founder and Chairman of Rebus University, Gobundance, and the Hiban Group. He is also the author of the book 6 Steps to 7 Figures, and is the host of real estate podcast Real Estate Rockstars with Pat Hiban. Go to https://www.rebusuniversity.com/ to find out more about the courses, go to http://www.gobundance.com/ if you’re interested in joining. Listen to the podcast https://hibandigital.com/.   To get a copy of Pat’s book 6 Steps to 7 Figures, and to get access to Rebus University’s courses for $127 a month, go to https://freesixstepsbook.com/.  

Independent brokerages offer many great opportunities and benefits, but they require a leader with vision and focus. Why is culture so important in this model, and how do you make it something real and tangible at every level of the business? How can you create a collaborative environment? On this episode, independent brokerage leader John Costello shares on what it takes to go from 20 to 170 agents in 2.5 years.      Three Things We Learned From This Episode Why John switched from flipping to buy-and-hold As more contractors have gotten into flipping, the profit margins have shrunk. You’ll find yourself bidding against people who can do the work cheaper. John switched his strategy to a "buy and hold" model. From a profitability standpoint, putting 20-30% down and then earning between $500 and $1,000 a month is a solid return.     The benefits of livestream training Offering livestream training to agents creates a huge learning opportunity at their own convenience. It’s evergreen, they can consume the content from anywhere, and they can never give the excuse that training wasn't made accessible to them.   The biggest mistake agents make One of the biggest mistakes new agents make is jumping onto too many things to the point where they never really get any traction. What really helps you get moving in the beginning is consistency and long-term thinking, not short-term gratification.   Independent brokerages are ships that can move and steer easily and quickly, but running them correctly still requires planning and real intention. Success for independent and non-franchise brokerages comes down to having the right partners and being very culture-driven. As the leader, you have to have a clear vision, verbalize what it is, and then build a plan around it.   Guest Bio John is the founder/owner of Costello Real Estate and Investments. Go to https://www.costellorei.com/ for more information.

Digital marketing is crucial to succeed in today's industry, but not everyone understands how to implement it correctly. As many who have used online platforms will attest, using digital media to market yourself or your business does not mean automatic success. How can you cut through the mountains of online content and see offline results? Have you been using the platforms incorrectly all along? On this episode, we talk with James Rembert of Digital Natives about using social media to get tangible results.     Three Things We Learned From This Episode Facebook is not a lead generation platform Facebook is helpful to agents because it allows them to collect data volunteered by potential clients, and because it allows for the distribution of marketing. However, it is not a lead generation platform. Facebook is unique in that it provides information you need about your market more easily, but further than that, you should think of it as an information platform and not a lead generator.   Video is crucial The most popular content on the internet is video. More specifically, video that shows knowledge of a particular thing. If you create video content of yourself, doing or speaking about something you really know about, you’ll get a following because the audience sees you as genuine. Once you’ve established that you are genuine, you can start telling people you’re an agent. It all starts with the audience liking, knowing and trusting you first.   Work with the platform The digital era is here to stay, and years of experience are irrelevant to the online audience. Learn to work within the system. That means transparency and omnipresence. For those who fail to adapt, this will be a major issue.   Digital media offers numerous opportunities to those who use the tools correctly. Develop an intentional social media strategy, and don’t get too attached to the traditional ways of leads generation. We are in an entirely new system and must adapt to the rules of a new game.   Guest Bio James Rembert is a licensed agent. After four successful years, James sold his last house in 2016 and went on to run Digital Natives. Here, he’s been at the forefront of exciting digital campaigns. James is passionate about teaching people how to use the tools we have at our disposal in a digital world. Go to http://www.jamesrembert.com/ to learn more.

The bar for customer service in real estate has typically been set pretty low. While it gives agents a bad name for some people, it also gives us the opportunity to be better. How can we build our business on an excellent client experience? What is the difference between passive referrals and raving referrals? Why did our guest choose to market to existing clients over cold marketing and outreach? On this episode, agent, speaker, and founder of Client Giant, Jay O’Brien shares on branding himself differently and the value of creating a high-level client experience.   Acquiring a new client is exponentially more expensive than keeping an existing one, but real estate agents’ practices often don’t tie into that at all. -Jay O’Brien   Three Things We Learned From This Episode   Why the most expensive gift isn’t always the most impactful The closing gifts we give can quickly quantify a human relationship. Just because we get the most expensive gift, if the value of that thing is not relevant and impactful to the client, it won’t be of real sentimental value. Give gifts that are relevant and actually solve a pain point for the buying or selling process. Cold marketing vs. nurturing existing relationships Most agents spend a lot of time and money on cold marketing, but the lowest hanging fruit are existing relationships. The marketing is cheaper, they already know us and like us, and we can build an army of people who are happy to refer us. The variable that matters most for agents Of all the qualities we sell to people, whether it’s skill set, experience, or knowledge of an area, the most important factor is that they like us. Without this, the expertise and qualifications matter very little or not at all.   As real estate agents, it can be easy to become too preoccupied with reaching for new clients. If we can shift that focus to giving a higher level of service to our existing clients during (and after) the transaction, we would immediately raise the bar of service in our industry. Being organized and on time simply isn’t enough. We need to learn from other industries and give a service that rivals some of the best organizations in the world. This way we’ll really stand out and create raving fans for life.    Guest Bio Jay O’Brien is a licensed REALTOR®, Managing Partner of RE/MAX Prestige, speaker and co-founder Client Giant, the World's First Client Experience Agency. He is helping agents and consumers alike rethink their real estate reality. Go to https://www.jayobrien.com/ for more information and https://www.clientgiant.com/ and email concierge@clientgiant.com to find about joining. To follow Jay on Instagram, go to https://www.instagram.com/antirealtor/.

Social media can feel like a super long-term strategy when it comes to marketing, and for agents who want business right now, it may not seem like a worthy time investment. Why is this mindset leading agents to miss out on valuable leads and connections? How can we use Instagram to generate leads and get in front of more people? On this episode, Steve Bradley shares why the biggest marketing opportunity right now is on Instagram.   The conversations I’m having, even the casual ones, are going to bring me business later. -Steve Bradley   Three Things We Learned From This Episode   The power of having frequent conversations Regularly put yourself in the position to have conversations with people. For Steve, that’s frequently visiting his favorite coffee shops in his local area. The goal isn’t just to be top of mind for people looking to buy or sell; it’s being top of mind with everyone.   Why you should respond immediately on social media Treat social media notifications like internet leads. You have seconds to respond, not minutes. The sooner you reply, the better. If you don’t reply, you have zero chance of building a relationship with that person.   How to avoid getting forgotten on Instagram Take advantage of the Instagram story feature, rather than just creating posts. You only have a few seconds to be seen as someone scrolls through their timeline, and you’re competing for attention with so many people. With an Instagram story, you’re going to appear at the top of their feed for hours.     With the real estate industry feeling squeezed by platforms like Zillow and Trulia, there’s a huge opportunity right at our fingertips. Our answer to beating these platforms from stealing our leads is social media. A lot of younger consumers don’t even bother with online platforms. They go straight to the agents they want to work with through social media. By crafting the right content, posting and engaging consistently, we can start getting results from the time we spend on Instagram.   Guest Bio Steve is the Principal Broker/Owner at Bradley Group Realtors, he is also the author of Consider it Sold!: Northern Virginia's Home Selling Survival Guide. To get in touch, call or text him at 703.895.2242 or follow @captainrealty on Instagram.

As leaders, staff retention is one of the key metrics we have to pay attention to in our business. How does it compromise our retention to make agents choose between buyers and listing? Why doesn’t today’s guest have an ISA model in his business? What are some of the biggest mistakes agents are making in business? On this episode, Mike Hogan, Hogan Group founder and leader, shares on how he has built and maintained an A-class team.     If you’re trying to focus on 15 different places to generate business, you’re never going to do all of them well. -Mike Hogan     Three Things We Learned From This Episode   Why agents should work buyers and listings As agents are pigeonholed into doing only one side of the business or the other, they start to feel disenfranchised, because they don’t feel like they are being given enough opportunity. You can easily lose an agent by only making them focus either on the buy side or the sell side, so it’s better to allow them to work both.   Why Mike’s company doesn’t run the ISA model With the cost of leads going up, it’s hard to pay an ISA because the profit margins aren’t there. At the end of the day, the consumer wants to talk to the person with the information, and the person that can answer their questions about property. That’s why it’s better to connect the consumer to the agent as quickly in the process as possible.   Why the most expensive zip codes don’t mean the most business Everyone thinks they want to be in the highest prized zip codes in the area to get the business but that’s not the best place to be invested in when it comes to portal leads.   If you want to go far in this business, it’s important to actually see it as a business and not a job. Once you see it only as a job, you immediately limit yourself and what you can achieve. Put money away to invest in yourself, and have focus. Don’t just get good with a lead generation pillar, actually master it before you move onto something else. If not you’ll always just be selling real estate and you won’t level up or grow as an individual. Guest Bio Mike is the founder of the Hogan Group. Go to https://www.themikehogangroup.com/ for more information.

Video marketing paired with hyper-focused local content can elevate our businesses in a major way. How can we make sure we’re leveraging the content the right way? Why does selling to clients become a lot easier when we put out relevant content? Why is it better to be focused on a local area instead of casting a really wide net? On this episode, JC Silvey shares on what it takes to become a real estate video influencer.   If you’re trying to run Facebook ads and build an audience, the message has to be consistent. -JC Silvey     Three Things We Learned From This Episode How to avoid being a commodity Giving great service isn’t a strong enough value proposition. You have to add more layers of value. Without it, you become another commodity because everyone is claiming great service. You might as well compete on price.   The mistakes people are making with video content Many agents make the mistake of putting a link on Facebook to the MLS, YouTube channel, or their website, instead of natively posting to Facebook. Facebook is competing with YouTube, so they won’t want to send people to YouTube to view your video.   How to become a local area expert Go deep in your local area, instead of wide to many areas. Your market reports will show that you know your area very well. That is very valuable.   In the world of video marketing, it’s important for people to see you frequently. The key is to keep the content fresh and make it relevant to the audience socially. It’s the most work we have to do, but it will pay off. If we put a lot of the right content out, getting the business becomes much easier. Guest Bio JC is the leader of Silvey Residential. He is a Certified Real Estate Appraiser and Realtor, and co-creator of Inside Loudoun. Go to https://silveyresidential.com and https://www.facebook.com/SilveyResidential/ for more informat to check out their video content, go to https://www.facebook.com/InsideLoudoun/.

Some agents put too much emphasis on the homes they’re selling and not enough on the service they are providing to each client. Why is it so important to focus on how we’re treating people and helping them meet their needs? How do you get your clients to actually become marketers for our service? Where are a lot of agents lacking and falling short, and how can they change this? On this episode, Tony Rivas, Pearson Smith Realty’s top agent of 2017, shares insights on his success and how he runs his business.     My clients will evangelize for me, and word of mouth is better than any other type of marketing material. -Tony Rivas   Three Things We Learned From This Episode How Tony does 80 deals a year, on his own, without damaging his quality of life Tony has been able to do 80 deals a year while still managing to be a family man. For him, it’s all about saying “no” to the things that don’t produce business and respecting his schedule down to the last minute.   How to be intentional about viewing homes   People think that their job as a buyer’s agent is to show as many homes as possible, but the truth is that just makes the process more overwhelming. Instead we should listen to what the client’s needs are and show a select group of homes that match what they are looking for. The power of service as a differentiating factor The thing that sets us apart is the service we provide. That’s what makes people refer us and work with us repeatedly. It’s ultimately the biggest differentiator that makes prospects choose us over other agents.   The greatest amount of value you can bring to your clients is the level of service you offer. They probably know a lot about a home from internet searches already. Your job is to help them see that you are the one who will take away their troubles and help them ride the emotional train of buying or selling a home. Show that you like them, that you want to get them into the best possible house, and that you’re genuinely looking out for them.    Guest Bio Tony Rivas was fresh out of high school when he decided to start his real estate career in 2005. Today, Tony has helped hundreds of homeowners and their families avoid foreclosure resulting in his business growing year after year fueled by his overwhelming passion to save 10,000 homeowners from foreclosure. Tony proudly serves in Virginia, Maryland & Washington D.C. as a real estate agent and servant. To get in touch, email tony@teamservant.com.

Sometimes the best way to set up for a successful real estate career is to start behind the scenes, learning the skills before you even begin. How did 10+ years of working as an admin assistant make our guest a better team leader now? How does she generate leads at a high level? Why is it so important to have a niche? On this episode, LeAnne Anies shares her career journey and how she keeps her business running so well.     We’re either going to work for someone else, or build our own path and determine our own destiny. -LeAnne Anies     Three Things We Learned From This Episode   How LeAnne was able to make switch from assistant to agent For 10+ years LeAnne worked in the admin role for a real estate team, and everything she learned from working with a top producing agent helped her become a top producing agent herself. The early experience allowed her to have an idea of what she would and wouldn’t want in her own business.   LeAnne’s winning lead generation system LeAnne’s team sends out 500 pieces of mail a month, and in 2017 she had a 501% ROI on every door direct mail. It’s a huge amount to send out, but it brings in the leads.     The biggest mistake newer agents make Going after too many things at one time and not working to find a niche is the biggest challenge agents face. It’s key to find a niche to dominate so that it’s easier to serve people and really drill down to what the market wants. With over-saturation of agents and reduced commissions, it’s crucial to find a niche instead of trying to work every single corner of the market. When focusing on community events and involvement, consistency is the key to success. We have to show that we want to be a resource, and that we are genuinely interested in building long-term relationships. Guest Bio LeAnne is the team leader at LeAnne & Co at Pearson Smith Realty. For more information go to http://leanneandco.com and to get in touch email leanne@leanneandco.com or call 202.409.7513.

Many agents build their business on adapting their service to different client experiences, instead of attracting the right people to their experience. How can you actually grow your business by being specific about who you work with, and still provide value to everyone else? How do new agents push themselves out of the business? What are the biggest game changers that can give us longevity in real estate? On this episode, TD Realty Group leader Travis Davis shares on his real estate journey, the lessons he’s learned, and what keeps him motivated to keep performing at a high level.      Takeaways & Tactics How to build a steady stream of leads Travis has cultivated a great reputation in his market which has led to great opportunities. By building relationships with builders, he has a steady source of leads throughout the year so the business isn’t as affected by changes in the market.   Travis’ mindset on prospecting and sales Don’t let them walk away without knowing the reason they aren’t buying. This won’t give you the chance to really dig in and find out what’s holding them back so you can move forward by overcoming those objections.   Why we must avoid putting our own personal feelings into the deal One of the biggest mistakes agents make is putting their own personal feelings into the deal, and letting that influence their actions including negotiating with the other agent as if they have control over the client’s money.   When we really care about the client and their needs, we first think about giving them the best possible experience according to what they want. We also have to accept that some clients won’t "gel" with our way of doing things, but that’s okay. We can lead those clients to agents who would be a better fit, and the law of reciprocity will take care of us. If we get too caught up in the deal, we risk losing sight of the client’s needs, which we need to keep at the forefront.   Guest Bio Travis is a Realtor and team leader at TD Realty. Go to https://www.wvhomematch.com/ for more information or contact Travis Davis directly 304.553.6536.

In real estate, the failure rate and number of people leaving the industry is high. What are some of the mistakes driving the frustration people have in the business? How do morning routines contribute to having a successful day? How can we create a bottom-up team culture that will encourage growth and accountability? On this episode, industry veteran and top-producing team leader, Gina Tufano, shares the lessons she’s learned and talks about what has kept her going for over 20 years.     Takeaways & Tactics Why downturns are a time of opportunity Gina’s business grew the most between 2006 and 2011, a time where growth felt impossible. The lesson is even if the market is bad, people will always need to move and they will always need help. If we can provide it and do that well, out businesses won’t shrink it can actually grow.   Don’t see leverage as a cost, see it as an investment Many real estate agents see an assistant as an expense and something negative, and they feel like giving an agent a lead means you’re losing half of the money. It’s important to realize that getting help and sharing the load improves our quality of life. The money we spend, or cut in half is actually an investment in our quality of life.   Why we have to “stay the course” in business When business isn’t going as well as we’d hoped, it’s natural to feel the need to take on a part time job to make more money. But the truth is, our businesses won’t get better if we devote less time to them. Growing a business has many phases, and one of the most common ones is frustration. There are going to be days where it feels like nothing is working. Even for the best agents, frustration sets in, but we have to be able to stay the course. Whether we’re trying out a new lead source or marketing tactic, we have to be able to push through the more difficult moments. Success in real estate doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible—and even likely— if we follow the right steps.      Guest Bio Gina is the CEO & Team Leader at Team AGC. Go to http://teamagc.com/ for more information.