Archive for Marketing
Everything You Need to Know to Leverage Publicity
Posted by: | CommentsIn an earlier blog, I gave you advice about how to create a steady stream of publicity as a recruiting and image-making tool. Now, I’d like to share a few more tips on writing articles and blogs.
From writing all those articles (over 300 published to date), here are the three most important lessons I’ve learned:
- A smaller topic is better
- Less ideas are better
- More examples are better
So, in about 400-500 words, you’ll only have time for one to three ideas and examples. Make the examples ‘real life’. Also, be sure your article is as perfect as you can get it before submitting. These editors don’t have time to work with any of us in extensive editing. The person who submits articles “ready to go” gets published much more often!
How to Find Appropriate Publications for Your Talents
Pick up your favorite real estate magazine or newsletter. See the kind of articles that the publisher likes. Note the length. Ask yourself: Why would my articles be a benefit to that publication? Then, contact the publisher for article specifications and submission policies. You’re on your way to standing out as an exceptional manager!
Make a list of hard copy and Internet-based magazines and newsletters. That becomes your ‘distribution list’. Each month, I submit at least one article to my list—all at once (your contact management program is invaluable to put your PR contacts in a field so you can communicate easily). I have a ‘template’ that I use, which points out the link to the article. I ask the editor to include my biography with ‘hot links’ so readers can get the free documents I usually provide with each article—and can go to my website.
Make Publicity Distribution Really Simple…..
A new resource I just discovered: Recently, I signed up for an article submission service, so I could widen my scope of influence. Check out Submit Your Article.
Now, you are on your way to free publicity, a heightened image, and much improved recruiting, and it didn’t cost you anything!
Press Releases: The Hidden PR Power Tool
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You’ve just created a new real estate course that is getting great results. But, nobody’s showing up. You just hired a top agent, but no one knows. You need a method to differentiate yourself from all those managers telling agents “You should join our team”. You need a press release to the rescue! Few managers take advantage of press releases, and yet, they’re very effective–and very cost-effective (from $0 to a few bucks a month, if you use a service like Newswire or PR Web.)
Did you know that about 85% of the ‘news’ is planted? That includes press releases and articles. Whether you’re a company with one (that’s YOU) or 1000, you should be putting press releases into your marketing mix. Why?
1. They raise your credibility
2. They deliver the messages the way you want them delivered
3. You have no competition–most companies don’t bother
4. It’s no cost or low cost, and delivers big returns
Getting Started
What’s your reason for a press release? It could be
- a new class
- a designation
- an honor
- a publication you’ve been featured in
- a new concept you’ve launched
- a charity you founded or participated in
To create that first press release, just follow my template here. I’ve also given you an example. Let me know how press releases work for you.
Get Press for your Agents
Why not assist your agents in promoting themselves? Several of my agents had just made personal brochures with my guidance. So, I called our local newspaper and got a full-page article, with a color picture of my agents, explaining the concept and how the agents used it. Then my agents used those brochures in all kinds of promotion to help clients understand their approaches. It was a great retention tool!
Press release template and example
How’s your PR? What PR?
Posted by: | CommentsHow’s your PR? What PR? Are you taking advantage of FREE marketing? You should. I hear brokers say ‘I’m too small a broker’. ‘I don’t have a marketing budget’. Good. You don’t need one. Use the strategy below and reap big recruiting rewards.
Do you want a free recruiting tool? You’re a real estate professional. You have limited advertising/recruiting funds. You want to recruit more. You want to establish your credibility as an industry leader. One of the best strategies is to write articles that get published, and use those articles in all of your marketing strategies. Here are the steps to follow to write articles that are valuable and that get published every time. The best thing about this strategy: It’s absolutely free! Any broker of any size can do it.
The Process: Simple and Straightforward
Writing an article follows the same process composers use in writing a popular tune: It starts with the theme (A), continues with the middle, where you expand on the idea and example (B), and ends again with the theme. When I’m teaching my “Train the Trainer” course, we practice this simple structure when we create training programs.
The Eight Simple Steps to Get Started
Here are the simple steps I’ve used over the years to create articles that have gotten published hundreds of times in major real estate magazines and newsletters:
1. Decide on who your audience is, so you realize for whom you’re writing
2. Decide on the challenge (s) they have that you want to address
3. Jot down all the ideas you have about the challenges and solutions
4. Narrow the topic so you can zero in specifically on what you want to write about. The biggest mistake writers and teachers make is to choose too broad a topic for the time or word framework. For example, it’s difficult to write 500 words on how to create a team. You CAN write 500 words about why to create a team; or three strategic tips in creating a team.
5. Choose one to three ideas to discuss.
6. Arrange the topics in the order you want to discuss them
7. To expand on the ideas, present the idea clearly and then give an example. One commonality I’ve found among editors is that they want examples with the idea. Otherwise, the reader doesn’t really get the picture.
8. Close the article with the reiteration of your challenge and solution. Give your audience positive motivation to take action.
In my next blog, I’ll discuss how to build your distribution list easily–and how to distribute your articles. You’re on your way to an awesome free recruiting tool!
Managers: Develop this skill and then teach your agents how to use PR effectively. Use this skill in the interview to show agents how you’ll help them expand their reach.
Social media: Usually today, articles are published electronically. When your article is published, put it on your Facebook business page and LinkedIn. Invite peole to share the article. Instant PR!
Everyone is trying to sell your agents high tech, automatic return programs. And, they’re not cheap. But, there’s one tool that brings a bigger return on investment than any tech tool–and it’s free. Having hired and trained probably hundreds of new agents, I know the myriad of questions they have. So, here’s the simplest, yet most effective thing you can teach your new agents (and your experienced agents) to do.
The Combination that Gets you Business
Here’s the answer to the question, “What is the one thing I should do to get business?” Yes, people are always asking me that. I think it’s because I’ve written two resources for would-be and new agents: Become Tomorrow’s Mega-Agent Today and Up and Running in 30 Days. Now, we know that becoming a skilled real estate agent isn’t just one answer. But, there is one thing new agents can do that requires
No skill
No experience
No money
Little time
And, this one thing will make your agents stand out from the crowd better than any other one thing they could do! What is it? Simply:
Write a thank you note (a real hard copy note, not an email)
Why?
Because manners and ‘thank yous’ have gotten increasingly uncommon! You will stand out simply because you’ve taken the time, thought about that person, and cared enough to write—and put that stamp on it.
Write More Than One Note
I’m not going to tell your new agents to write a certain number of notes per day. You and your agents can set your standard (that means the minimum you’ll do).
What to Say
Thank you. Thinking about you. I appreciate you. I used your advice. Here’s something for you that would be helpful. I found the information you wanted.
Note to managers: This is also one of the strongest motivational tools you’ll ever have–writing notes to your agents with encouragement, thanks, etc. Do you do enough of it? Set your own goals now.
Big important sales principle:
Contacting people is simply finding an excuse to write, pick up the phone, or go see. Retaining salespeople is similar!
My challenge: How creative can you get?
Your agents are more creative than they think they are. Now, get them to sit down and think hard about 5 people they’ve started to work with, but need to contact now. What about them fits into any scenario for you to write that note, pick up the phone, or go see?
They are now using ‘advanced’ sales techniques, and they already know how to do all of this.
Sales meeting tip: One of the managers I know actually has agents write these notes during a sales meeting, and brainstorms the reasons one could write a note.
Proof is in the Pudding
My first year in real estate, I sold 40 homes. Also, I sent more things in the mail than any other of the 30 agents in my office. Why? Because I wanted to create a ‘critical mass’ of people who thought I was wonderful. Yes, an agent can also do this with social media. But, you want to stand out. And, you will stand out much more if you write to one person than to many. After all, you are working with that one person who will pay you thousands of dollars. He/she is worth that special, individual effort! That’s the one thing your agents should do to get business.
Managers, heads up: Do you always write a ‘thank you’ follow-up note after you speak to a candidate? If you just don’t think you have time, write a ‘master’ note and have your assistant write them. You’ll recruit more.
From a Musician’s Perspective: How to Create a Follower and a Fan
Posted by: | CommentsI just created a new business page for Carla Cross & Co. on Facebook. (Hey–join and take part in contests, sweepstakes, etc.). It occurred to me that the words “followers” (Twitter) and “fans” (Facebook) are borrowed from the performance world–a world I lived in for many years. I thought you’d like to get some skills in creating ‘fans’ or ‘followers’–not just how to use these programs, but, more importantly, how to create FF’s–admirers.
What’s ‘Admirable’?
If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably involved somehow in managing people (that includes managing families, too!). So, it would be helpful to know how to create admirers–in the best sense of the word. Why? Admirers do several things for you (and you must do several things for them, of course):
They refer others to you with enthusiasm
They provide ‘positive grapevine’ promotion for you
They help you discover strengths you may not have known you have (think branding)
They see the best in you when you’re sometimes not seeing it in yourself!
What You Need to Do to Create ‘Admirers’
I worked my way through college and graduate school playing piano in bars (I sure learned a lot about human nature!). As a musician, I learned, to have admirers, I had to do 2 things:
1. Play the music they wanted to hear
2. Play the music they wanted to hear the way they wanted to hear it
To do this, I learned literally thousands of tunes and dozens of styles. Now, I was set to gain followers/admirers (and tips, of course!. In other words, you have to make yourself someone that can be admired (when did you take your last true ‘people management’ course?)
What does that mean to you as a manager? You have to figure out the needs that they want filled, and fill them the way they want them filled. I did a webinar, Light ‘Em on Fire, for the Learning Library of the National Association of Realtors, and discussed the ins and outs of motivation–a mis-understood yet incredibly powerful tool.
Appreciation: The best Tool to Gain Admirers
There are many ways to gain ‘followers’. The easiest is to lavishly use appreciation. How often do you appreciate? Probably not as often as you could. This is one of the most effective, low-cost, and happy methods to motivate and gain admirers you can imagine. Yet, few managers use this effectively (and I mean to be sincere about it, of course). I’ve created a white paper on the principles of motivation, along with over 25 ways to appreciate. Click here to get your copy.
I appreciate you and your support and comments on this management blog
Help New Agents Take Their Whole ‘Lives’ With Them into Real Estate
Posted by: | CommentsDo you feel that your new agents are more tenuous than they need to be? Are they holding back from making lead generating contacts because they’re not confident enough? Here’s how to help them.
Most new real estate agents, think they don’t know a thing. (And even very seasoned agents don’t take advantage of the strategy I’m sharing with you here). After you read this blog, you’ll see that’s not true that agents are really ‘new’–or that agents can’t use your skills, qualities and talents as a seasoned agent.
I just did a series of complimentary coaching calls for those people in the Up and Running in 30 Days coaching program. First, let me congratulate one of the agents in the program, Carlena, for attaining 108 lead generating contacts in a week! I wanted to have a little fun and competition in the call, so I set up a friendly contest: Which caller on the line made the most lead generating contacts in a week? Callers could pick any week of their Up and Running program.
Note: Look on this blog for interviews with Carlena and Emily, both doing a great job in generating many, many leads with the start-up plan as their guide.
Agents Need Confidence to Succeed in Sales
To help the agents on the call get much more confidence, I did an exercise with them I call Bringing your Skills and Talents to Real Estate Clients. I’m sharing this with you so you can use it in your office with both new and seasoned agents.
Why is this important? When we’re new agents, we think we know nothing. We’re constantly humiliated with our lack of knowledge, and inability to handle objections. We get so tired of ‘nos’ that sometimes we forget that we are capable, honest, caring, responsible humans. We actually come into real estate with a whole adult experience of widely developed skills, qualities, and natural talents. These are much more useful to us than we give ourselves credit for.
How is Music Helpful to Real Estate?
Let me give you an example. As many of you know, I was (and am) a musician since age four. But, when I went into real estate, I felt like I knew nothing! And, it is true I didn’t know anything about selling real estate. But, I carried with me many great skills into the business that in turn carried me to success fast. Can you guess what some of those skills were—and are?
Had to practice piano 2-4 hours Tenacity
Put off mastery for years Persistence
Followed direction of a coach Coach ability
Application
How could I show one of these, tenacity? I actually presented an offer and got 10 counteroffers! I just never gave up, because I felt it was in the best interest of both parties to buy and sell from each other. I could show that marked-up purchase and sale agreement. Where could I share that quality? I could show testimonials from my clients in social medial, and in my Professional Portfolio.
Bringing your Skills and Talents to Real Estate Clients Exercise
Have your agents draw three columns. Name the first ‘skills and talents’. Name the second ‘benefits to clients’. Name the third ‘how/where to show clients’.
Now, list at least three skills and talents from your former business life. What about these skills/talents are benefits to clients? How would you show this? Where would you show this?
Enlist a Partner
If your agents are having some ‘mind blocks’ on how and where to show these benefits to clients, have them enlist a partner to brain storm
the possibilities with each agent. Once agentsstart crafting these, they’ll get much more excited about their ability to help people—along with that confidence to expand their leads and help more people.
Managers: Use this exercise to relate to potential recruits. What skills and qualities did you ‘attach’ as benefits to recruits? How did that raise your confidence?
How to Write an Article and Get it Published
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re like most managers, you’re not exactly rolling in cash. Yet, you need to promote yourself and your company. You need to reach out to more potential recruits. Writing articles is a great way to expanding your marketing reach–without putting out any dough! Here’s how to do it.
How to Decide What to Write and Who to Write For
Pick up your favorite real estate magazine or newsletter. See the kind of articles that the publisher likes. Note the length. Ask yourself: Why would my articles be a benefit to that publication? Then, contact the publisher for article specifications and submission policies. You’re on your way to standing out as an exceptional manager!
How to Construct your Article
Writing an article follows the same process composers use in writing a popular tune: It starts with the theme (A), continues with the middle, where you expand on the idea and example (B), and ends again with the theme. When I’m teaching my “Train the Trainer” course, we practice this simple structure when we create training programs.
Steps to Create and Publish your Article
Here are the simple steps I’ve used over the years to create articles that have gotten published hundreds of times in major real estate magazines and newsletters:
1. Decide on who your audience is, so you realize for whom you’re writing
2. Decide on the challenge (s) they have that you want to address
3. Jot down all the ideas you have about the challenges and solutions
4. Narrow the topic so you can zero in specifically on what you want to write about. The biggest mistake writers and teachers make is to choose too broad a topic for the time or word framework. For example, it’s difficult to write 500 words on how to create a team. You CAN write 500 words about why to create a team; or three strategic tips in creating a team.
Note: You can write a longer article (1000-3000 words ) and then break it down into 400-600 word sections for a blog series.
5. Choose one to three ideas to discuss.
6. Arrange the topics in the order you want to discuss them
7. To expand on the ideas, present the idea clearly and then give an example. One commonality I’ve found among editors is that they want examples with the idea. Otherwise, the reader doesn’t really get the picture.
8. Close the article with the reiteration of your challenge and solution, and give your audience positive motivation to take action.
Biggest Lessons
From writing all those articles, here are the lessons I’ve learned:
- A smaller topic is better
- Less ideas are better
- More examples are better
So, in about 400-500 words, you’ll only have time for one to three ideas and examples. Make the examples ‘real life’. Also, be sure your article is as perfect as you can get it before submitting. These editors don’t have time to work with any of us in extensive editing. The person who submits articles “ready to go” gets published much more often!
Recruiting: What Do Candidates Want?
Posted by: | CommentsWe talked about the recruiting magnets that are the strongest. In order of weakest to strongest magnets, they are:
Company magnets
Office magnets
YOU
In the last blog, we investigated how to make your magnets, and how to reveal them to the candidate during the interview. The steps were:
Develop your ‘theme’
Who are you?
Relevant history (to those you are interviewing)
What you learned as a result of your life experiences
Why is that relevant?
Relate this to your candidate
The Other Side of the Coin
Now, we know the strongest category of magnets. We know how to develop our own magnets. But, we must also match those magnets to what candidates want. Even more than that, we must match them to what the candidates want that YOU want to hire!
First: Who are You Looking For? and Why?
Every situation is different. Before you finalize your magnets, you need to do a strong, critical description of the kind of agents you need for your specific situation.
Example: My Situation when I Took Over a Failing Office
Here was the situation in that failing office. Can you guess the kind of agents I needed to turn it around?
Here’s my description of the kind of agents I needed.
Make a list here of the traits, qualities, and skills you’re looking for in an agent.
What Gen X and Y are Looking For
This is a recent study of generation x and y candidates, and what they said they wanted:
How are you delivering to these needs? Do you have an agent leadership council? Do you have an open, participative leadership style? Have you ‘flattened the hierarchy?
In a future blog, we’ll discuss much more of the new environment we must create to attract our next best agent.
Note: My leadership subscription series, 365 Leadership, addresses these issues, plus many more. The next full series starts in September. Find out more at www.365leadership.net. I’ll help you put into the action the latest leadership strategies to propel your office into the future with much more profitability. Great for those with 2 agents and those with 200 agents!
Recruiting: Are Your Magnets Strong Enough?
Posted by: | CommentsDuring my 365 Leadership series, one of my members said she was having trouble creating reasons why people should join her company. Those reasons are your ‘magnets’. Think of a magnet as a powerful attractor to the agents you want. The more strength the magnet has, the easier it is to recruit.
Key: The Magnet Should Attract Those You Want
Now, that sounds obvious, but, too often, we use magnets that are easy for us, like,
“You’ll love it here. We’re a big family.”
Now, who does that appeal to? The agent who doesn’t intend to do much business, and wants to be in a secure environment! (Not always, but most of the time).
What magnets are you using now? Are they the magnets you need to attract the kind of people you want? In a later blog, we’ll create descriptions of the kind of agents you want. Then, it’s easy to draw conclusions about what will attract this type of agent.
The Weakest Magnets Are not What You Think
Historically, recruiters relied on company magnets to recruit. Today, those magnets have moved way past what the company offers, or even what your office offers. In fact, the weaker the recruiter, the more he/she relies on the company magnets to attract an agent. Example:
“Join us. We are larger than any other company. You have to be with us to succeed.”
The Strongest Magnet is YOU
I have been associated with two very large successful regional companies, and one very large international company. I’ve observed, from these experiences, that some of the offices in each of these situations had great agents, and some had not-so-good agents. What was the difference? Let’s take one company. There were 19 offices. Five of those offices were stand-outs, with strong agents and great recruiting. The others drifted down from so-so to pretty desperate. Yet, they were all the same company. If it were true that the company provided the strongest magnets, you would think that all the offices would be equal. What was the difference? The specific manager. In a later blog, we’ll investigate how to build your own magnets, based on your strengths, and create your story.
Capture and Analyze Your Magnets
Below is a worksheet for you to use to capture the magnets you’re using now. How many magnets can you name in each category—company, office, and YOU? Which do you count on the most? Who do your magnets attract? Are they attracting the kind of people you want, or repelling the people you want?
Tell me your best magnets. Let me know what you’ve changed in your recruiting strategy to deal with the challenges of the market today. Tell me the changes you’re making in your recruiting strategy as a result of analyzing your magnets.
Trainers and Presenters: How to Promote that Webinar
Posted by: | CommentsYou’re worked hard to present that webinar. Now, how can you optimize it? How can you give it staying power? There are 10 ways.
1. Record it. Many webinar platforms today allow you to record your webinar. Then, you can put it on your website, distribute it through email, or even post it to UTube! Why? Because it’s now a video. (By the way, be sure to check your recording format, to assure it is easily playable)
2. Post it on your website. To post it to my website, I use www.Cincopa.com. I can save it in Cincopa, and post any audios or videos to my website.
3. Post it to www.SlideShare.com or www.SlideRocket.com, and edit it, then distribute it to many or few.
4. Do a promotion using your webinar recording service (less than 1 minute) or SlideShare or SlideRocket. Now, you can promote your webinar with a very short webinar.
5. Make a PDF of your slides (I save them 2 to a page, in color), add links, and distribute, either on your website, blog, or via email.
6. Create handouts, and provide a form so your audience can request 
the handouts. I use www.gravityforms.com to capture all those who request a handout.
7. Promote your next webinar on your present webinar. Be sure, at the end of your webinar, to promote what comes next.
8. Create a slide at the beginning of your webinar that explains who you 
are and what you do, and where the attendee can go to get more information. ‘Play’ this slide while the audience is logging in to the webinar. I alternate between my ‘home page’ slide and my bio slide. Then, when it’s time to start my webinar, I just place the ‘home’ page there again and start.
9. Afterwards, contact each attendee to get feedback.
10. Have a great offer to attendees to buy a resource, get coaching—whatever you think that next step will be.
You’ll see me practice what I preach when I do a webinar with my friend Verl Workman, scheduled for the first week in June. Watch this blog for more information.