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  • The Bare-Bones Basics on Being an Organized Agent

    The Bare-Bones Basics on Being an Organized Agent

    Last week, I talked about Simple Skills that Make the Most Impact. 

    I’m constantly amazed at the number of REALTORS® I meet who don’t seem to realize that they’re running a business and they lack the most basic organizational skills. They just sort of get up in the morning and start reacting to whatever is going on with no specific plan.

    Does that sound familiar?

    Before I started Agent Skills, I did one-on-one training with a few local agents, and there was one incident that still sticks out in my mind. I asked my client/student to get out his calendar to block off some time for study and practice before our next meeting. Here’s what he said:

    “I don’t have a calendar.”

    What? How do you keep track of your appointments?

    “I just remember everything.”

    My jaw dropped. I stared at him with my mouth wide open for a full minute without speaking.

    I’m imagining him reading this right now and laughing out loud because he’s come a looong way since that day. At the time, he was wondering why he had no business, and now he’s hopping busy, and organized!

    Thinking about that incident, I thought I should take a step back and talk about some bare-bones basics. This is for all of you who are feeling out of control right now!

    Your To-Do List

    Whatever email platform you use, you’ve also got a calendar and a task list. These Apps all work together with each other.

    I use Gmail, but it doesn’t matter which email platform you use. For today, all I want is for you to get waaay better at keeping track of your to-do’s. ✔️

    Here is the most important organizational rule that you should implement right now:

    Stop trying to remember things!

    If you’re not already using your built-in tasks (to-do) app that works in conjunction with your email, start now. 

    Make sure you set up the app on your phone to access it with a single tap. For example, I have these four Apps in the bottom tray on my iPhone – phone, messages, email, and tasks. 

    That’s how important my Tasks App is. I need to access it with a single click because I use it all day, every day. 

    Even if I know I’m going to complete a task in 30 seconds, I add it to my Tasks List first. I’ve learned how easy it is to become distracted and forget things, so I’ve trained myself to never rely on my memory. After all, it only takes two seconds to jot the idea down. 

    I have a name for my tasks list – The Brain Clutter List. It allows me to remove all the clutter from my brain by simply writing things down. Out of the brain, onto the list. 

    This reduces stress and allows me to think more clearly, amongst many other benefits. That’s why I named my system the Clear Brain System.

    Writing down all your “to-do’s” is one thing. Next, you need to ensure you’re regularly knocking things off your list. If you’d like to learn more about how I do this, just send me an email, and I’ll send you a copy of my eBook – The Clear Brain System.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting that good enough is good enough. It isn’t.

    Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here.

    “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

  • Simple Skills that Make the Most Impact

    Simple Skills that Make the Most Impact

    Last week I went off on a wild raving rant about Mega-Agents. I needed to vent a little pent-up steam, don’t you know?

    (I will reveal the reason I tend to go off on tangents within this article.)

    The week before last, I talked about The Three Pillars of Success in Real Estate (real estate skills, people skills, and business skills). Let’s continue that discussion with the most important of the three pillars—business skills.

    Did you just cringe and want to stop reading? Yeah, you’re a hot mess, aren’t you, first name?

    Haha! J.K. Actually, you’re perfectly normal. For a REALTOR®, I mean… 

    Systems and Procedures

    Here’s the #1 most important business lesson I ever learned:

    You cannot be successful in business without clear-cut systems and procedures that you follow daily.

    I learned about the importance of systems and procedures in the motorcycle parts business long before becoming a REALTOR®. But business is business, and you can’t grow any business without simple, repeatable systems and procedures.

    I learned this by trial and error through the school of hard knocks and, more importantly, following the advice of successful people I looked up to.

    Many people think I’m naturally super-organized! Haha! Fooled you all! 

    In my natural state, I’ve got severe A.D.D. However, I’ve taken steps to overcome this by implementing simple systems and procedures into my business and personal life, one simple step at a time. 

    These tools keep me focused, calm, and organized, despite my natural messy inclination.

    Other people say they’ve got A.D.D., and that’s their excuse for being a hot mess, like there’s absolutely nothing they can do about it. That’s a total cop-out. Sorry. Not sorry.

    If I can do it, so can you. Besides, I think having a little A.D.D. is actually an advantage in real estate if you know how to control it. 

    My First Day

    When I first became a REALTOR®, I had zero clients and zero prospects, but I was still as busy as a beaver building a new dam.

    With zero clients to distract me, I directed my energy towards gnawing wood and assembling the chunks into something useful that I knew I would need later. After doing all that work, when I finally landed my first client, my business took off like a rocket. 

    Hey, check out the rocket on my home page! Seriously, click on the link. Isn’t it cool?

    (Oops, there’s my A.D.D. kicking in. This happens to me all the time. Now, what the heck was I talking about?)

    Oh, right, getting organized…

    Months before I had my first client, I was implementing systems and procedures every day, building a website, building a listing presentation, and lots of other important biz stuff.

    Did I have perfect systems and procedures and an awesome website and listing presentation from day one? 

    No, they were all garbage. ️

    After all, I had no idea what I was doing. But you learn by doing, first name. 

    What I did have was a foundation to build upon, which I did by continually tweaking all my business systems and procedures every day for the rest of my career. 

    For a guy with A.D.D. and poor people skills (at first), I did pretty well by most standards. Even though it took me months to get my first client, I still earned $186,000 in commissions in my first year. After that, I earned between $590,000-$865,000 for 12 consecutive years, all as an individual agent.

    I did that without once chasing after a crappy Internet lead, by the way. In fact, I attribute almost all of that success to implementing simple business systems and procedures. 

    There’s no reason whatsoever that you can’t do the same thing if you choose to. In fact, you’ve got a massive advantage over me because you don’t need to learn all this stuff from scratch as I did.

    If you’re in business (you are) and your business skills suck (they probably do), you should quit making excuses and do something about it.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting that good enough is good enough. It’s not.

    Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here.

    “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

    Ted Greenhough

    I teach GOOD REALTORS® how to become GREAT REALTORS® with a simple, logical, easy-to-follow, easy-to-implement, inspirational step-by-step program.

    AgentSkills.com

    Knowledge + Action = Skill

  • The Mega-Agent Illusion

    The Mega-Agent Illusion

    There’s a mega-agent in almost every major market.

    You know who I’m talking about; the slick dude (or gal) with the beaming smile plastered all over the billboards and the cheery voice emanating from every radio and TV station. 

    They often have the standard paid celebrity endorsement also: If I need a REALTOR® in ‘insert city name here,’ I would hire ‘insert agent name here.’ 

    Do they really think people are that gullible? I guess enough of them are.

    Of course, the mega-agent is always the #1 agent in town. This is determined by accumulating the total commissions earned from every agent on the mega-team (sometimes 50 or more) and then comparing that grand total against each individual agent, partnership, or small customer-service-focused team, within the specified market area. 

    Not exactly a fair or meaningful comparison. And yet, they boast about this like they’ve won an Academy Award or something.

    Of course, none of this is common knowledge to the general public or the unsuspecting rosy-faced newbie agent. Not knowing any better, the newbie gets sucked in by a powerful recruiting message from the famous mega-agent, enticing them to quit the struggle and join the biggest, most successful team in town, where life is always sugar plums and Lambo-Guzzis.

    The lure of team camaraderie and the opportunity to learn at the feet of the famous mega-agent is a compelling message. Unfortunately, it turns out that the training provided by the mega-team is mostly limited to two things:

    • How to recite scripts like a robot, and;
    • How to chase after leads generated by the mega-agent’s Internet lead-generating machine.

    If you’re willing to do this type of work, you’re hired!

    Actual real estate and customer service skills? Bah! Who needs those?

    Make no mistake; lead-generation—not real estate—is the mega-agent’s business, and they’re damn good at it. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on advertising (in some cases, millions), generating tens of thousands of Internet leads.

    Then, they try to convince the public that they’re spending all that money “marketing your home.” 

    Ha. Haha. Hahaha. Ya, it’s not very funny.

    Of course, we all know the money is being spent on marketing themselves and creating leads for the team members to chase. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! 

    Just please don’t insult my intelligence and try to convince me, as a potential seller, that you’re spending that marketing money for my benefit. 

    This type of misleading advertising is one of the biggest reasons why the public perceives REALTORS® as a bunch of bungling sleaze-bag amateurs, which is a real shame.

    And honestly, I feel terrible for those rosy-cheeked newbies who join the local mega-team and end up with a completely false sense of what it takes to be a successful agent.

    For more ranting and raving on this topic, check out this article published recently in Housing Wire: In Defense of the Individual Agent.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting that good enough is good enough. It’s not. And, here’s a message to you rosy-faced newbies: Forget about joining the Mega Team. That’s a highly stressful dead-end job. And make no mistake, it’s a job, not a career. There’s only one person who truly benefits from your hard work; the boss.

    Why not learn the skills it takes to build your own rewarding career? Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here.

    “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

    Ted Greenhough

    I teach GOOD REALTORS® how to become GREAT REALTORS® with a simple, logical, easy-to-follow, easy-to-implement, inspirational step-by-step program.

    AgentSkills.com

    Knowledge + Action = Skill

  • The Three Pillars of Success in Real Estate

    The Three Pillars of Success in Real Estate

    If we break down what is needed to be a great REALTOR®, each skill falls under one of these three major pillars:

    1. Real estate skills
    2. People skills
    3. Business skills

    Let’s briefly review each of the major pillars:

    Real Estate Skills

    This is the technical stuff, such as pricing, what important factors may affect the future resale value of a property, and how to effectively use your real estate-specific software and contracts.

    Aside from the art and science of pricing, real estate skills are the easiest of the three broad categories to learn. 

    Even pricing skills are not as elusive as they may seem if given the opportunity to learn from a pricing master. (We do not learn these skills in Real Estate Kindergarten.)

    People Skills

    I’ve noticed that many REALTORS® regard themselves as experts when it comes to people skills. They are then shocked to discover how little they know once they actually study and practice this subject in-depth.

    REALTORS® are often naturally outgoing and friendly, which is certainly advantageous when dealing with other outgoing, friendly types. However, without realizing it, they are often not as effective with folks who are more introverted or slower-paced, or analytical. 

    Many agents have developed the skill of mirroring their client’s communication style, but this is only the basic surface-level of understanding this topic. You need a deeper understanding of what actually motivates different personality types to be truly effective.

    Business Skills

    How organized are you? Do you have solid systems and procedures? Are you good at controlling your calendar and getting stuff done? Do you have strong presentation skills? 

    These are all business skills, and If you’re not great at some or all of them, you’re not alone. Business skills are arguably the most neglected and, in my opinion, the most important of the three pillars of success in real estate.

    Most of us become REALTORS® because we love real estate and people. That covers the first two pillars. But being a REALTOR® means, like it or not, you are a businessperson, and you need business skills.

    The irony is that business skills are easy to learn, and they can have the greatest impact, making your life much more enjoyable and productive.

    Combining Skills

    Being highly proficient at two of the pillars and not the third is like being a hockey player with amazing stickhandling and shooting skills who can’t skate. Sorry, but if that’s you,  first name, you’re never going to make it in the big leagues.

    If you truly want to make it as a professional real estate agent, you need highly refined skills from all three pillars of success. So, how can you improve?

    All successful people set aside time for self-improvement, whether that means reading, listening to audiobooks, taking courses, or joining a mastermind group. 

    If you feel inspired to improve one or all of the three pillars, I suggest you schedule a weekly one-hour recurring appointment in your calendar for self-improvement right now. Don’t put it off any longer. 

    Don’t worry about what you’re going to do in your first session. Once you’ve committed yourself (by scheduling the appointment), you’ll be surprised how your brain starts working in the background, coming up with ideas. When the time comes, if you haven’t thought of anything yet, use the time to take the 70-Skills Challenge. This is a great first step to identify your weaknesses.I guarantee that in one year from now (after 52 hours), you’ll be blown away by how far you’ve come. Just take it one step at a time, first name.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting ‘good enough.’

    Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here.

    “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

    Ted Greenhough

  • Reality TV and How to Get an Awesome Car

    Reality TV and How to Get an Awesome Car

    You’re watching Celebrity Agents of L.A. on HGTV.

    Somewhere up the coast, Lance cruises into view in a canary yellow Lambo-Guzzi F518 Spyder. He’s perfectly coiffed, dressed to the nines with all the trimmings—Patek Phillippe watch, Bulgari shades, diamond cufflinks—virtually dripping with swag and confidence.

    He’s on a call, “That’s their best and final, Bobby! If it’s a no-go, they want to move quickly on their Plan B, so let me know right away, aiiight?” 

    There’s no Plan B. Lance just smiles as he taps his AirPod to end the call. He knows the sellers will cave. 

    Even if they don’t, he knows Bobby won’t give up just because he said “last and final.”. There’s a $120,000 commish on the line for each of them, and they’re going to get it done. 

    He bounces out of the car and takes in the view. Lance is accustomed to seeing homes of this caliber, but still, an involuntary “Wow-zaa!” escapes his lips as he slowly removes his $1,500 shades to get a better look.

    The home is architecturally brilliant, concrete and glass, clutching the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. The drone camera frames it perfectly, capturing the setting sun in the background dripping onto crashing waves. There’s a synth riff of ‘The Final Countdown’ playing in the background, which somehow seems appropriate.

    Lance’s Lambo-Guzzi is angled perfectly in the driveway, like a special-edition Hot Wheels, carefully placed there by some gigantic kid with coke-bottle glasses and a face full of zits.

    The camera zooms in on the massive front door as it swings open with authority, and Suzy struts out on 4-inch heels, beaming a dazzling white smile. She’s 40-ish, fit, sharp as a whip, and freshly divorced. She’s got plans and wants the house sold as soon as possible. 

    After a minute of chitty-chatting and a quick tour—the interior is as stunning as expected—Lance and Suzy get down to business. There’s a minor dispute over the list price; Suzy thinks it’s a slam-dunk at $9M, but Lance insists the most they will get is $8.5M. They have a 5-minute discussion and agree to list it at $8.75M. They both seem happy. 

    Wow! That was easy!

    Later in the show, the house sells for $8.5M, just like Lance said it would. Cash deal. No contingencies.

    Yeah, right.

    It doesn’t take long to figure out that these shows are as real as a three-dollar bill. If you didn’t know before, it sure didn’t take long to figure out after starting your real estate career.

    Remember how excited you were when you first got your license? You aced the final exam and were all set to start raking in the big bucks. You tried not to be overly confident but still allowed yourself to ponder what color Lambo-Guzzi you might get within a couple of years.

    Then it hit you like a ton of bricks. You had a real estate license but no clue what to do next. 

    It turns out the textbook scenarios in Real Estate School (I call it Kindergarten) were about as close to reality as the Lambo-Guzzi I made up for this story. 

    Sorry if you Googled “Lambo-Guzzi.” And, by the way, Happy April Fools Day!

    Oh, the title? You want to know how to get an awesome car?

    April Fools again!

    Lance isn’t real. His car isn’t real. But that doesn’t mean you can’t build an amazing real-life real estate career. All you need are better skills. And this time, I’m not fooling!

    Please check my website for more information. 

    AgentSkills.com.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting ‘good enough.’

    Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here. “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

  • The Ultimate Listing Presentation

    The Ultimate Listing Presentation

    Have you ever lost a listing to another agent and had the seller tell you it came down to a coin toss?

    “We really liked what you both had to say, and it was a very difficult decision. Thank you so much for your time!”

    That’s a kick in the guts. I’d rather be told that the other agent was ten times as good as me. At least that’s a clear explanation.

    There are two potential reasons for the coin toss explanation:

    1. The clients are being kind and trying to let you down easy, or;
    2. It really was a coin toss.

    A coin toss doesn’t necessarily mean you both had equally strong presentations. Actually, it’s far more likely that they were equally unconvincing, and the seller picked the agent “they felt more comfortable with.” Have you ever heard that kick-in-the-guts?

    But a powerful, convincing presentation will overcome “who they like better” every time.

    The Amateur Presentation

    A CMA on its own is not a presentation. You’re supposed to be trying to convince people to hire you, not merely determining the price. The CMA is just one piece of a large puzzle.

    I’ve seen probably 50 REALTOR® listing presentations, and most of them simply did not have a convincing explanation of why the seller should hire that agent over any other agent. 

    When it comes to a one-on-one pitch to sell your services and potentially earn a five-figure commission from a single transaction, the lack of professionalism in our industry is astounding to me. Sorry. Not sorry.

    I mean, think about it, first name. You worked very hard to get to the kitchen table, ready to make your pitch to get the listing. And now you’re leaving this last and most vital step up to a coin toss?

    That’s like hitting an in-field homer and then deciding to walk from third to home base. 

    Watch the Demonstration

    It’s not nearly as difficult as you might think to produce a highly impactful, educational presentation that builds trust and rapport, and blows every other agent out of the water. And, here’s the most important part:

    It’s about much more than merely winning more listings.

    My clients were often so impressed with my presentation they started recommending me to their family and friends before I had even listed their property. Then, they were way more cooperative with me throughout the process, looking to me with respect and following my advice, having already established myself as an expert during the listing presentation.

    That means the listing itself was more successful, my clients were thrilled, and I got more referrals.

    That’s the opposite of a vicious cycle!

    Would you like to see my presentation? Simply reply to this email, and I’ll send you a Zoom link to watch it from start to finish, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (MST) tomorrow, March 26.

    You’ll notice a few things that are unique about my presentation. For example, I never once mention myself or my accomplishments. Why? Because nobody cares. 

    My presentation is all about educating and creating trust and rapport.

    See you tomorrow!

    This article was inspired by module #14 – The Ultimate Listing presentation – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘The Ultimate Listing Presentation,’ I explain step-by-step how to create a powerfully persuasive and personalized slide presentation, including six major segments: The Market, The Price, Preparation, Marketing, Communication, and Negotiation. Never lose a listing you want, ever again. Here’s another article inspired by the same module: How to Educate Your Clients

  • The Prime Space on Your Website

    The Prime Space on Your Website

    Last week, I talked about How to Add Life to Your MLS Description.

    Potential buyers are flipping through many listings, and just like most everyone else in our fast-paced world, they have short attention spans. 

    To catch their attention, Step #1 is to have exceptional images. Step #2 is getting straight to the point and describing the property’s best features, preferably in the first sentence of your MLS description.

    This philosophy is remarkably similar to how you should present yourself on your website. Ask yourself this simple question:

    Does your website clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY your potential client should hire you?

    If not, perhaps you should reconsider the design of your website.

    Here’s another simple question:

    What is the most important part of your website?

    It’s the part at the top of your home page that is immediately visible when the user first lands there. 

    This is where you should have two things:

    1. A current awesome image of yourself and;
    2. Your Personal Brand Statement.

    Your Personal Brand Statement should briefly answer all the key who, what, and why questions I listed above. Here’s mine from when I was a full-time agent:

    “Hi, I’m Ted. Over the past 14 years, I’ve completed over 1,000 successful Real Estate transactions, one at a time, with care and concern to create the best possible result for each individual client. That’s why I’m proud to say that almost all my business comes from repeats and referrals.”

    It’s only 50 words, but it says a lot, right? Here’s another one I did for Suzy Seller. She’s the brilliant made-up agent I use throughout the Agent Skills Master’s Program:

    “Hi, I’m Suzy. For over ten years, I’ve continually improved my knowledge and skills, providing the best possible expert advice and service to each of my clients. As a result, I’m proud and honored that the majority of my business comes from my past clients referring their friends and family. If you’re looking for straightforward, honest Real Estate advice, please contact me.”

    That’s 62 words, still within the size range (50-75 words) that I recommend. Then, your site should have a “Learn More” button immediately below that links to your About Us page, where the reader can learn more details about you and your team.

    I’ve made Personal Brand Statements for other agents. Each one is unique because it has to honestly reflect your personality and contain the subtle but powerful message you want to get across. Most importantly, it must answer those key “who, what, and why” questions.

    The #1 Mistake Agents Make on Their Website

    The biggest mistake I see most agents make on their website is wasting that prime space at the top of the home page on one of these two things:

    1. A stock image of a happy couple/cool kitchen/fancy exterior. It looks nice, but who cares? This is like paying for a TV commercial and wasting the first 15 seconds showing pretty pictures of things that have nothing to do with the product you are selling (you).
    2. A search tool. OK, if you’re going to spend piles of money on generating terrible Internet leads, go ahead. But that’s the antithesis of what I teach. Honestly, why are you even reading this?

    Your website should be the place that people go to find out about you. 

    If your current website isn’t performing this primary function, watch for Agent Skills Websites, coming soon, including your own Personal Brand Statement carefully hand-crafted to your satisfaction by yours truly!

    We’re still in development, and it will still be a few weeks before we’re ready to launch. But if you’re interested, simply reply to this email, and I’ll keep you informed.

    Having a powerful website that describes who you are, what you stand for, and why clients should hire you is one important way to build a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of incoming referrals— the foundational doctrine of the Agent Skills Master’s Program.

    This article was inspired by module #13 – Marketing Yourself – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘Marketing Yourself,’ I explain step-by-step how to create a simple but highly effective website, write a powerful personal brand statement, get and leverage testimonials, and create a powerful strategy to maximize the benefits of both organic and paid social media.

    Here’s another article inspired by the same module: The HUB of Your Marketing

  • How to Add Life to your MLS Description

    How to Add Life to your MLS Description

    Are you sick of reading boring MLS descriptions? Me too! 

    In fact, if the Lizard People from Xenon captured me and wanted to know all my secrets, they could simply pry my eyelids open and force me to read MLS descriptions all day. I’d spill my guts in less than ten minutes.

    It seems to me that almost all MLS descriptions are painfully boring, don’t you think? But, do you know what’s even worse than boring, repetitive MLS descriptions? Those written by agents who secretly want to be novelists. 

    “The majestic front door swings open with authority, securely supported by four over-sized oil-rubbed bronze hinges. As you step into the foyer, you are awestruck by the soaring ceilings and magnificent chandelier, impossibly suspended high overhead, simultaneously both grand and ornate. Your heart swells as memories of that bygone Tuscan villa come rushing back.” 

    Sorry, but nobody wants to read that in an MLS description. Perhaps in a novel, late at night, in a bubble bath, with a glass of Brunello.

    No, I changed my mind. Not even then.

    So, what makes a great MLS description?

    Imagine the potential buyer of your listing flipping through many different properties on the Internet. They’re looking at the images first, and then deciding if it’s worth the pain to read the description.

    And what is the purpose of reading the description? Is it to decide if they want to write an offer?

    Of course not. They’re simply deciding whether they want to book a showing, or not.

    The sole purpose of your MLS presentation is to generate as many high-quality showings as possible.  

    Now, imagine that your potential buyer—the one flipping through listings—has a short attention span. Why? Because practically all of us have short attention spans in today’s fast-paced, over-stimulated world. ‍♀️

    It’s a mistake to describe every tiny, inconsequential detail of the property (things that have nothing to do with whether the reader books a showing or not). 

    By including too much detail, you are actually diluting the impact of your presentation and reducing the likelihood of generating a showing.

    When deciding to view (or not to view), the reader doesn’t care about tiny details. For now, what they want to know are the most important and best features of the property. Period.

    So, tell them!

    The most important part of the description

    Try this exercise: Write a description of the property’s best features in a single sentence. Like this:

    “Beautifully renovated throughout, including a spectacular designer new kitchen and spa-like luxurious ensuite, plus a triple-car garage, and backing onto a park!”

    That’s your first and most important sentence. That one sentence contains 95% of what a potential buyer needs to know to decide on whether to view the property, or not.

    But you don’t know which one of those features is most important to the reader. That’s why you need to ID (identify and divulge) the most important features, immediately. It’s crazy to wait until the end of the description to divulge a critically important feature.

    I teach many other tips in “Marketing the Listing” to create a powerful and impactful MLS description, but getting straight to the point in the first sentence is the most important one.

    Learning how to market your listings effectively is one way to create a raving fan base, and build a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of incoming referrals. This is the foundational doctrine of the Agent Skills Master’s Program.

    This article was inspired by module #12 – Marketing the Listing – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘Marketing the Listing,’ I explain step-by-step how to consistently produce the most compelling MLS presentation possible, ensure your listings stand out from the crowd, attract the most attention from buyers, and thoroughly impress your clients. It’s not WHAT you do. It’s HOW you do it.

    Here’s another article inspired by the same module: The #1 Most Important Marketing Tool

  • Buyer Psychology – The Perception of Value – Part 2

    Buyer Psychology – The Perception of Value – Part 2

    Click here to read Part 1

    Last week, I wrote about the fundamentals of why buyers buy, and how the brain must perceive good value (consciously or otherwise) to trigger the “let’s write an offer” response.

    So, what if a buyer does not perceive good value?

    Simple: They focus on a negative.

    For example, let’s say your new listing has inferior-quality kitchen cabinets compared to other similar-priced listings in the area. It’s got lots of good stuff going for it too, but the cabinets are one of the negatives.

    Of course, every listing has pros and cons. That said, every factor, good and bad, needs to be taken into account when you set the list price. Otherwise, here’s what can happen:

    During the “initial flurry” immediately after you list, buyers Sam and Suzy view the property, but they do not perceive that good value is being offered. They focus on the inferior kitchen cabinets and decide they don’t like the home.

    Two weeks later, you realize you’ve overpriced the property, and the seller agrees to a $10,000 price reduction. Sam and Suzy notice the price adjustment. Will they now reconsider the property?

    Not a chance. They recall, “Oh, that’s the house with the crappy cabinets”. 

    Sam and Suzy have made up their minds. ‍♀️

    Now, the initial flurry of activity is over, and the showings slow down dramatically. You finally sell the property months later, after two more price reductions. The sellers are not thrilled, and you can be confident they won’t be sending you any referrals. 

    Pricing it Right From the Start

    But what if you had priced the property $10,000 less, to begin with?

    Same scenario: Sam and Suzy view the property shortly after it’s listed. This time they perceive good value. They still notice the kitchen cabinets aren’t great, but now this feels like no big deal, compared to all the positive features being offered. Sam and Suzy agree that they could upgrade the cabinets later.

    Because it’s a new listing, they write a strong offer, and an agreement is reached quickly. 

    Everyone is thrilled, particularly the sellers, who got their home sold quickly, for the highest possible price, and with minimal hassle.

    Who’s the hero?

    You are.

    Why? Because you had the necessary set of skills required to convince your sellers to price their home correctly from the start.

    One more sale in the books! But far more important than any single sale, you’re building a raving fan base and a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of referrals. 

    That’s the foundational theme of the entire Agent Skills Master’s Program. You don’t get referrals by asking; you get them by deserving. 

    This article was inspired by module #11 – Pricing Psychology – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘Pricing Psychology,’ I explain step-by-step how to demonstrate the importance of pricing the property correctly from the start, to sell quickly, for more money, and with the least amount of hassle. Clearly show your clients how making smart choices will positively affect their results.

  • Buyer Psychology – The Perception of Value – Part 1

    Buyer Psychology – The Perception of Value – Part 1

    Why do buyers buy?

    The reasoning is not much different in real estate compared to anything else. Buyers are comparison shoppers. They review all the available “goods” on the market and then choose the item that gives them all the features they want. And most importantly…

    The one that is offering the best value.

    Obvious, right? So why are there always so many over-priced listings on the market?

    It’s not the seller’s fault. It’s the fault of their agent who lacks one or both of the following skills:

    1. The ability to determine the list price with the highest probability of maximizing the sale price
    2. The ability to explain this in simple, straightforward language

    It’s the second skill that most agents struggle with. They get frustrated and blame the sellers for “not listening to their simple logic.”

    So, why did I never have this problem? Did I just get lucky and always got the smartest sellers who figured out the best price all on their own?

    I’m not bragging. I’m just pointing out that there’s a skill to educating your clients on choosing the correct price. And, as with all skills in real estate, there’s a direct correlation between skill level and income.

    All you need are the right tools. 

    I teach how to use the right pricing tools within three full modules of the Master’s Program (Setting the Stage, The Big Picture CMA, and Pricing Psychology).

    Wait. Is this a blatant self-promotional attempt to sell my online course?

    Why, yes. Also, I genuinely want you to be more successful.

    If you want to be one of those agents who are sought after, you need to understand that this business is not about completing one transaction at a time.

    It’s about creating a reputation as an expert.

    Being a pricing expert in real estate is not about merely knowing the right price. Most experienced agents are at least reasonably good at that.

    It’s the agents who are the best at educating, who achieve the greatest success.

    This is one of the most important skills needed to create a raving fan base and a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of incoming referrals. 

    That happens to be the foundational doctrine of the Agent Skills Master’s Program.

    This article was inspired by module #11 – Pricing Psychology – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘Pricing Psychology,’ I explain step-by-step how to demonstrate the importance of pricing the property correctly from the start, to sell quickly, for more money, and with the least amount of hassle. Clearly show your clients how making smart choices will positively affect their results.

    Here’s another article inspired by the same module: The Only Three Stats You Need.