Just as the real estate market was starting to pick up across the country we’re hit with a pandemic like none of us have ever seen before. While this business already has its fair share of uncertainty, this is something none of us have ever experienced before.
Schools closing, businesses closing, the stock market tanking, people deciding to not list their homes…all of these are things you cannot control. So instead of focusing on these short term negatives we’ve put together some ideas for things you can control during these uncertain times. The following are ways you can be a leader to your clients and community – and also a few suggestions of how to stay in a good place mentally as we navigate these times together.
1. Reach out to your active and upcoming clients
This is number one. Everyone you’re currently working with and any buyer or seller coming up in the next few months is freaking out right now. They’ve got questions…are agents still doing showings? What if I miss a mortgage payment? Are people still buying right now? Is the market going to tank? Is it still a good time to list my home?
There’s virtually no news out there on how the real estate market is being and will be affected, so first things first – reach out to all of your clients.
– Let them know what you’re seeing out there
– Tell them you’ll keep them updated as things progress
– Let them know they always have a choice – this is BIG. Give your clients options and empower them to make the decision that’s right for them
– Just listen and ask what you can do to help
You might choose to do this through individual videos or phone calls or maybe you can send out a mass video to all your active clients and follow up with individual calls.
Next it would be helpful to release some sort of response to your database and to your social media network. As mentioned above people are looking for answers and there is very little news on how this is affecting and/or will affect real estate. The plus side is that people are home and constantly checking Facebook. You have a captive audience!
– Let them know what you’re seeing out there and what your predictions are moving forward
– Provide tips and advice on navigating these uncertain times
– Be vulnerable and let them know how you’re handling this personally
This would be best done by video – emailed to your database and posted to your social media channels. You can follow up the video with regular social media updates – share helpful and positive information, have fun and be respectful. Here are some great examples of posts we’re seeing online right now.
3. Help
What can you do right now to make an impact? Are there any families, vulnerable people or elderly members of your database who could use some extra help?
How about:
– Delivering supplies or help them setup an Amazon order
– Calling people and catch up (people are lonely and bored right now!)
– Setting up a video conference to have a drink and catch up with people virtually
– Sending an Amazon or Skip the Dishes gift card to a few people
4. Use this as a chance to get stuff done
All of you have business and personal projects that you’ve been hoping to tackle for a while but haven’t had time for. This is the perfect time! Not only will you tick something off the list but it’ll make you feel like you’re moving forward and taking back control – which can be huge for our mental wellbeing right now. Here are some ideas…
– Update your business plan for Q2
– Create a video policy manual for your team members or assistant
– Update your buyer and seller presentations
– Update your buyer and seller checklists
– Bank some content for the future (create videos & write those blog posts)
– Do a database purge and update
– Take a professional development course or learn a new skill
– Read
– Do your taxes!
– Do some spring cleaning or tackle a project around your home
5. Take a staycation
While you might not get to go to the beach right now, you can still get a mini vacation and spend time with your family in a different way.
If you’re going to take time off the best advice we can give is to plan your days off like you plan your days on. It may seem counterintuitive but without a plan we’ll end up doing what’s easiest in the moment – ie. watch Netflix and eat chips all day. And maybe that’s the plan and if so, that’s cool! But humans are terrible at deciding in the moment what will actually make us happy. So decide what a perfect day at home looks like to you and act accordingly. You’ll end up feeling more refreshed and satisfied overall.
We always have a choice of what to focus on – and while there is a lot of crap out there, over all the positivity online is overwhelming.
Maybe you’ve just been given your first public speaking gig, or perhaps you’re a veteran. Either way, here are some unique approaches to public speaking to take your public speaking game to the next level.
Who do you look to, to improve yourself as a speaker, or to improve your delivery?
Sometimes when I’m watching speakers at events, I end up looking at my watch, wondering how much longer I’m going to have to endure this talk. Then I saw the power of Tony Robbins in Toronto, who had me on my feet FOR HOURS without even realizing. There’s a definite art to public speaking, and humour and audience engagement is a massive part of it.
What can you take away from stand-up comedy that can help you in your public speaking?
The thing is, when you’re on stage, you don’t necessarily have to use humour as a tool to keep your audience engaged, but it can also be challenging to read the room and to tell exactly how well your talk is going. This is not the case with stand-up comedy, though, which is a great tool to improve your public speaking.
As Taylor makes clear, the method when it comes to stand-up comedy is to work as a boxer and jab until you find the range and then cluster. Use testers to see what your audience wants and then flurry upon that. This type of public speaking is the best way to test this tactic because it’s so easy to read your audience – they’re either laughing, or they’re not!
Mindfulness, taking notes (be that mental notes or on paper), and just general awareness is an extremely effective way to approach public speaking. In the case of stand-up comedy jokes that fail and you won’t tell again, and your ability to perceive what the audience thinks will get better and better. The skills required may be more nuanced, but they’re the same in all types of public speaking.
Some things to look out for and what you want to see
When you’re on stage, look for whether you are getting any engagement from your audience and whether you’re feeling excitement from your audience. A good way of quickly seeing how interested people are is by scanning the crowd of people for anyone that’s leaning forward. Seeing people leaning forward is a sign that they’re playing close attention to you!
As with anything, though, the more public speaking you do, the better you will get, as long as you’re mindful of your audience and willing to tweak things to improve them mid-talk or for your next talk.
Share with us!
Need help creating ads for your next speaking gig? We can help! You can book your free consultationhere. We’ll discuss your target audience and create the perfect ad for your event.
Got any topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode or a guest you’d like us to sit down with? Or perhaps you have some great public speaking tips? Let us know in the comments below! You can also reach us onFacebook and Instagram.
How often have you looked into a product or service, became interested, then saw that the company did not have any recent reviews or simply none at all? Did it make you question your purchase or commitment?
Your reviews can really make or break a potential client.
Ask For Reviews
“Ask for reviews from people you didn’t sell a house to, but created a relationship with.” – Taylor Hack
As Taylor mentioned in this Over A Pint episode, don’t feel like you can only ask clients that you have sold or purchased with. One of the best reviews I received, when I was selling, was from a family I had recommended not sell.
“It’s the documentation that a relationship exists.- Taylor Hack
Think of it as a “thank your exchange.” For example, when someone calls you asking for a free valuation of their home today or to consult with you on whether or not they should sell, as soon as they thank you for your time ask them if they wouldn’t mind giving you a 5 star review on your prefered platform.
Not only have you created a relationship with a possible future client, but you’ve given yourself the perfect opportunity for someone to let other strangers know how much you care.
At the end of the day, the client’s decision is an emotional one. Even if you have the best stats in town, if people don’t enjoy the process of working with you and share that experience with others, clients will move onto the next realtor.
We Want To Help You Optimize Your Reviews
We can help you optimize your reviews online!
You can book your free consultationhere. We’ll discuss your goals and figure out the best way we can help you succeed online.
Got any topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode or a guest you’d like us to sit down with? Let us know in the comments below! You can also reach us onFacebook andInstagram.
Your business is growing and it’s time to hire your first employee. It can be a bit daunting to hand over some control over some aspects of your business. You’ll see it’s worth it in the end.
In The Beginning
When I started Just Sell Homes in 2015, it was a one-man show, as it is for many entrepreneurs in any industry. Originally, my services were much cheaper. I would take care of all of a client’s ads for only $425 per month. Within about 6 months I reached $17,000 in revenue per month. I often gave discounts to friends and family, sometimes as low as $250/month. I had well over 40 clients and was working 12 to 15 hours everyday.
Entrepreneurs run into this issue all the time. We start out undervaluing our product or service, take on every client, and do everything ourselves. This leaves us exhausted, overwhelmed, and overworked.
Once I realized I was undervaluing my services and raised my prices, most of my clients left, with only a couple remaining. My business has grown since and not only did my pricing change, but so did my ideal client profile. Today, we sometimes talk people out of hiring us just as much as take clients on.
Time To Hire
So, the business is growing, it’s a one-man show, and you’re working during every waking hour. Maybe you have a significant other. Maybe you have a child on the way. Either way, chance are you’re having difficulty creating a healthy work/life balance.
It’s time to hire someone you can trust to help your business reach new heights while allowing more time for other important things in your life. (I.e. sleep…)
Now that you’ve decided to hire, you need to make a list of the main criteria you’re looking for in an employee. Read this blog post to learn more on what to look for in an employee. Next, write up the ad for your job listing.
Time To Type Up Your Ad
My top 2 tips for writing up a job listing are:
Write it in your own voice
Add a hidden question/request at the bottom of the ad
Writing it in your own voice is an easy way to display your company’s culture. It will attract those who can connect with it. Adding a hidden question or request is a great way to narrow down your applicants, especially if you receive a large number of them.
For example, a year ago I put out a job listing for a social media marketer. When it comes to hiring, a good work ethic and fitting in well with the Just Sell Homes culture are the most important criteria. When people apply I focus on the cover letter and don’t spend as much time looking at their credentials.
In the job listing, down at the bottom, I asked the applicants to include the name of our private Facebook group. You’d be surprised how quickly we were able to narrow down the applicants. We started with over 100 applicants and narrowed it down to around 15 people in one shot.
Most people mentioned our Facebook page, some said it was a trick question, others simply didn’t mention it. Either people didn’t take the time to really read the ad, or they clearly did not understand the basics of social media.
Extra tip : If you already have employees and are looking for a new hire, pass on your shortlist of applicants to the person they will be working closest with for the initial vetting.
The person we hired not only had experience with social media and presented a detailed pdf with details on how they would improve our platforms, but their cover letter indicated they’d clearly done their homework and connected with the culture of our company.
Just like anything else, it’s a learning process and you’ll find the best and most effective system that works for you and your company. In the end, you want to build a team that will keep things running smoothly even when you have to step away from the office for a longer period of time.
We Can Help You
“Andrew, you’re right, it’s time to hire my first employee!”
We can help create the ad for your job listing and target it to your ideal employee. You can book your free consultationhere. We’ll discuss your goals and figure out the best way we can grow your successful team!
Got any topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode or a guest you’d like us to sit down with? Let us know in the comments below! You can also reach us onFacebook andInstagram.
We’ve noticed, through many of our Over A Pint episodes, that one of the most common issues that REALTORS® face is the overflow of work and their need for an assistant. Many REALTORS® are unsure of how to hire an assistant or train them. “What kind of criteria should I be looking for?”“How do I know they’re the right person for the job?”“What if I don’t have enough work for them?”
Start With The Application Process
Once you’ve selected which websites you want to use to find your new assistant (click here for Canada’s 10 Best Job Search Websites), it’s time to type up your job listing. The trick is to include something in your listing that will think out the herd.For example, when I was looking to hire a social media marketer, I included a hidden question at the bottom asking applicants to mention our Facebook group. We had about 130 people apply for the position, around 80% did not answer the question, and only 7 people answered correctly. From the 7, I hired the person that best fit the job requirements and the personality of our company.
Capacity Talent vs. Cul-De-Sac Talent
Next, you need to figure out exactly what time of assistant you need to hire. Rick Sergison, one of our special guests in the above Over A Pint video, mentioned 2 different types of talent that we’ve described for you below.Cul-De-Sac Talent : a person with cul-de-sac talent “is someone who can do the current job really well, but who does not have the desire or ability (thus the capacity) to learn and take on new tasks and responsibilities.” Capacity Talent : this person is someone who can do not only the current job really well, but who also has the desire and ability to learn and take on new tasks and responsibilities.”Rick gave an example where an assistant, who previously worked with him, had come into his office with a question. Because Rick was on the phone with a client, the assistant chose to sit down and wait another 20 minutes before Rick ended his call. This is a perfect example of someone who doesn’t have the motivation to use every minute productively.He then decided to put a job listing up at their local school. He hired a mother who wanted to get back into the workforce while having flexible hours to take care of the kids. Though she didn’t necessarily work a 40 hour week, worked part-time in the summer, and took days off when the kids weren’t in school, she was a fantastic worker! This assistant not only did the work assigned to her, but went out of her way to research and provide extra services that helped Rick grow his business and giving clients that extra personal touch. She didn’t need her hand held every step of the way and was proactive.
Ask The Right Questions
Here are some examples of questions you can ask during an interview that will help you find an assistant with capacity talent!
Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react? What did you learn?
Recall a time when your manager was unavailable when a problem arose. How did you handle the situation? With whom did you consult?
Describe a time when you volunteered to expand your knowledge at work, as opposed to being directed to do so.
Now that you’re ready to hire an assistant, we want to help you with online marketing! You can book your free consultationhere. We’ll discuss your goals and figure out the best way we can help you succeed online.Got any topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode or a guest you’d like us to sit down with? Let us know in the comments below! You can also reach us onFacebook andInstagram.Source : Ward Real Estate
