The Relationship Revolution

New Year, New Opportunities

Time flies. It's hard to believe that the end of the year is here! And, what a year it's been. NOW is a critical time to reflect on your 2008.  Not the economy of 2008 or the election of 2008, but the role you've played in shaping this past year for yourself and others.  

Even without having to think too hard, there is bound to be an assortment of good and not-so-good aspects to the year as a whole, and certain to be some good and useful lessons to be learned. The old saying about those who do not learn from history being condemned to repeat its mistakes applies well here.

So now's a good time to set aside an hour or two, to review and digest, give yourself a clear-headed appraisal of the last twelve months, and leap into the next, armed with a clear and specific plan.

We've all heard that New Year's Resolutions are made to be broken, but forgotten and neglected business goals will only hurt and deprive you in the long run. Look back, consider and learn. Then jump into the new year with a burst of new energy and a well thought-out course.

We're here to help support you, and are looking forward to helping you grow your business through the power of relationships in 2009!

The Gift of Relationships

Guest Opinion from the Fierce Inc. Blog:

As the holidays draw near, the stress of finding the perfect gift begins to build. In the past, the perfect gift would be the latest high-tech gadget, that shiny necklace in the window, or the “Tickle Me Elmo” toy. That idea of a perfect gift has changed. As the economy falls into a recession, some may feel it is having a negative impact on the holiday season and some may see it as a blessing in disguise.  I see it as a blessing in disguise. People are spending less money and are focusing more on spending time with their family and friends, building stronger relationships, and creating new memories.

Instead of spending money on frivolous items that get lost in the closet or someone only uses once, buy something that provides you with the opportunity to spend more time with those important to you.  Buy a ticket to a play or a gift card to a local hotel for a “staycation,” maybe even cooking lessons! This holiday season focus your gift giving on what really matters during the holidays − our relationships.

So, what are you giving for the holidays?

by Pam

Holiday e-Greetings!

Have you checked out the new e-Greetings for the holidays and New Year's?

Be sure to check out all the Holiday and New Year's e-Greetings available. Relationship Masters will be notified of Auto-Pilot sending dates in advance.  Remember, you can always turn off an Auto-Pilot and send a more customized greeting with your own personal touches.  Ask your Systems Coach if you need more details.  And, log on!  That's the only way you'll see all the new choices.

It's beginning to look a lot like ...

 

We're always on the lookout for great reasons to call your closest contacts, past clients and farming areas.  Everyone understands the concept of updating a personal mailing list near the holidays, so this is a natural calling opportunity.

So, group your contacts in the Relationship Manager and call them!  Let them know you've been thinking of them and wanted to be in touch.  Ask how they're doing, how the family is, and let them know that you'd like to be sure you have updated contact information. They'll be thrilled to hear from you. 

It's also critical that you ask for an updated email address.  This will allow you to send postage free e-Greetings for Thanksgiving, Seasons Greetings and New Years.  You can also choose specific greetings for Christmas, Eid, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

"Hi, __________.  It's __________.  How are you?

The reason I'm calling is that the holiday season is here and I'm updating my mailing list.  I wanted to be sure I have all the right info for you.  I have your mailing address listed as _________.   I wanted to also get an email for you.  I can include you on my e-newsletter list which always has great tips and market updates. <<remember, if you already have an email, use the opportunity to confirm that's it's the best address to use>> 

Thanks!  And, there's one last thing. Please don't forget that I'd love to help anyone you know who might be interested in buying, selling or financing.  Anyone come to mind that I could reach out to?

Get started!  Do it now.  You may just end up with some extra income for your holiday shopping!

While They Last ...

Generate new leads and give back this holiday season

A very limited number of holiday-specific notecards are available, tied to the Realtors Reach Out giving program.  We're winding up an incredible year with this program.  To date, PropertySource has contributed $30,000 through existing membership dues! 
 
If you're interested in the holiday-specific notecards, please contact your Systems Coach right away.  Requests will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis.  Instead of adding additional fees, you can renew your membership early, lock in the current rate and extend your current term by a full year.  You can also choose an ala carte option if you prefer. 

A great success

The Realtors and Lenders Reach Out program was originally launched following the events of September 11, 2001. An immediate outpouring of contributions and volunteer efforts followed, as thousands of agents provided information and resources via their PropertySource websites, e-Newsletters and e-Greetings. Over the years, PropertySource has continued its commitment to giving, and we’re now including our members in the process!  Maya Angelou’s quote on the cover of our new Referral Challenge holiday notecards says it all:

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”

Want to participate? Read on - Time is of the essence!

 

 

Our Relationship Masters are on the ball!

Last week when the agent notification emails went out prior to the sending of the Buyer/Seller eNewsletter, our Relationship Masters were quick to point out an issue with the photo on our very popular "Home of the Stars" feature.  We had inadvertently included a photo of Bobby Brown:

 

But the article was actually talking about the listing of Grammy winning songwriter and producer Jimmy Jam, pictured here:

 

Our Relationship Masters are paying attention!  The photo was replaced before any clients received the eNewsletter.  Thank you for the eagle eye! 

Economy Soothe-sayers

We heard some great tips from Relationship Masters during our Roundtable Webinar last week! I'm sure part of the reason for that is that we got suggestions in advance for topics to discuss, including "Crazy Times in Real Estate: How to Cope."

One comment that provoked a lot of discussion and note-taking came from Win Raynor in Virginia Beach. She found a way to respond positively to the negative news we're all hearing lately on the economy. "I'm finding that in this market my clients are nervous and need to hear from me more often." Win said. "Tomorrow evening, I've set up a roundtable discussion at my home with a financial guy so they can talk about the economy in a relaxed setting." Great idea! I pointed out that bringing in an additional expert is also a great way to avoid feeling put on the spot.

Other tips and comments about the times we're in that I'd like you to hear in case you couldn't join us:

• Mikki Stockwell, Bloomington: "This session was helpful in making my attitude more positive. As the old saying goes, Real estate is 5% knowledge and 95% attitude."
• Connie Williams from Fayetteville: "Thanks for the tip about printing out the Articles of Value and using them at an Open House!"
• Donna Caddell from Buffalo: "I'm using the Listing Tools for both new listings and ones that aren't moving as fast as I'd like them to."
• Dick McLeod from Louisville: "There is activity; people are buying. Houses are still on the market a little longer, but people are buying and selling. When the going gets tough, we get back to basics."

That's what it's about. The top 3 things to remember in these "Crazy Times" are:

1. Get calm. You're not going to be a welcome resource for your clients otherwise.
2. Get perspective. This downturn is temporary. Keep an eye on those developing trends.
3. Get a plan. And follow it!

Hope to see you on the next online Roundtable. We can learn a lot from one another.

Masters of the Round Table

A Review from the August 28th Round Table

We recently had an enlightening Round Table discussion via Webinar with a great group of our Relationship Masters.

We reviewed a topic that might have been surprising to many - utilizing social networking websites. We compared various sites such as Linkedin, Facebook and even briefly delved into the realms of Myspace! Linkedin is a great source for the upbeat professional, and can help network your contact world right at your fingertips. The popularity of using the internet as a social networking tool is growing and could very well be a common practice for professionals in the near future.

Connie Williams confided to us that she had never used a social networking group via the internet before, but was interested in learning how it would benefit her business and wants to give it a try.  Allen Gordan said, “There is no point in dragging your feet as it is what is up-and-coming” in regards to utilizing the internet for social campaigning.

We also talked about the Olympics and how to take the inspiration you might feel when watching the games and turn that into renewed commitment to build your Real Estate business.  Bob was recently in Beijing leading up to the Olympics and his observations astoundingly hit the mark on how to keep your Real Estate business at top performance while reflecting on the qualities one would need to be the very best. As you know, Olympians aren’t found in everyone, you have to possess the drive, focus, passion and determination to attain that exemplary level of excellence. This is a great recipe for succeeding in life and real estate.

We also polled our Webinar attendees and concluded that many are shy of their revenue in comparison to last year’s market; however, some had equal to or better than sales production than in 2007.

In conclusion we ended the Round Table discussion covering prospecting and how this is especially important in today’s market.

Undecided on whether the next Round Table discussion is for you?  Rachel Garrett's feedback might be the little nudge that you need! 

"I LOVE these sessions and wish we could have more of them. I appreciate Bob's knowledge and his willingness to share his ideas and perspectives with us. While we all are marketing 'gurus' in our own way, it sure is nice to have the opportunity to interact with realtors from other parts of the country and hear what is working for them. Keep up the fantastic work!"

We would like to encourage you to try and participate in the next Round Table discussion. Our next Round Table Discussion is Thursday, October 9th from 11:00am - Noon Eastern.  This session is reserved for our Relationship Masters.  If you are a Relationship Master and would like to attend, please call 1-800-298-5055 and one of our Systems Coaches can help you to get registered. 

Profiling home buyers' behavior

In the DAILY E-NEWS from rismedia.com, they highlighted a demographic survey about online home shopping as the top story. The survey sponsor, Obeo, is a company specializing in services like virtual tours to enable consumers to take "psychological ownership" of the real estate they view online. They sponsored a survey in January of this year to determine the online home shopping behavior and preferences of different demographic groups.

Among the interesting findings, more women (41%) than men (25%) begin their home search online. The sponsors particularly wanted to profile preferences by gender. The study also confirms NAR's earlier findings - as many surveys do - about the Internet as a first step for most home shoppers. It also showed that this behavior is consistent across all age, economic and ethnic breakdowns. As the article's author Glade Jones says, the times they are a'changin'.

Real estate agents turned up as the #2 most useful source of information. As this table shows, 22.16% had  that experience. The least useful source of info was reading home ads in newspapers (4.55%), which is not really a surprise, followed by "Driving through desired neighborhoods" (10.04%), which is a little unexpected. Only 6.25% listed "Went to open houses" as the most useful source.

To get a broader picture of their interests in particular categories that are a typical part of the online listing, go to the article and download the survey. There's always more to know!

"Official" Won't Get It Done

I was talking to our marketing director the other day, and she related this story. Jean called her financial advisor, Marcia Cammack, concerned about the AIG meltdown. I'll let her tell it:

"During the conversation, I asked Marcia if she'd received the paper I signed earlier, agreeing to move some money out of AIG. Marcia turned her head and spoke to her assistant, Wendy, this way: 'Wendy, do you have handy that paper Jean Walker signed?' Amazingly, she did.

"Now, this struck me as extraordinary," Jean continues, "for several reasons. For one, Marcia probably handles dozens of clients - most of them with a lot more money invested than I have! For another, she didn't specify for Wendy what 'the signed paper' was about. Yet her assistant knew right away. We joked about what you had to pay to get assistants to read your mind, then Marcia said it was really about her relationships with clients, and that Wendy buys that philosophy 100%. For that reason, Wendy knew that I've been moving a lot of investments around in the last 3 months. (And which ones were most recent.)

'We want our clients to know we're connected to them,' Marcia said. 'That's why we don't greet them with questions like [in an official monotone], What's your social security number? Or, Give me the last three addresses where you lived. Or, What color was your last neighbor's mailbox? You know ...' I laughed with her and said, yes, I sure did, having 'official' conversations with service companies as a regular thing.

"I pointed out to Marcia that when I'd called that morning, she picked up the phone herself (her direct line), and said, 'Hi, Jean. How are ya?' I can't think of the last time THAT happened with an organization providing me a service. Most of them seem to be about trying to impress me with their importance, rather than insisting on mine. 'Well, of course!' Marcia said. 'If we did that around here, I'd be bored to death. I'd have to quit! I don't want to have those kinds of conversations with my clients.'

"We laughed a bit more, took care of business, and signed off. As always with Marcia, I felt an almost physical sense of relief that she is looking after my affairs and actually knows who I am and what my concerns are. And is dedicated to supporting them. How important is that in this kind of economy?!" Jean said.

As I've heard somewhere before, Priceless. So here's a question for you: Do your clients feel the kind of confidence in you that Jean has in Marcia? Consistent relationship marketing is key. Interesting coincidence (I swear I didn't notice it) that Marcia's firm has a key in its logo.