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 When I first met my wife, she had been hit in the head trying to dance with someone who only knew one or two good dance moves. This was my lucky moment to step in.
I spent many hours at dance classes practicing, and because I knew all the right steps, we began dancing. Now, we’re partners for life.
Many times we all are like the dancer that hit my wife in the head. We may be really good at creating flyers or talking to people but not so good at paperwork. We might be really good with technology but not so good at getting new clients every week.
In order to create clients for life, you must take time to learn all the right steps.
Don’t be a Whiner
So what is one of the steps that people miss and trip themselves up on? First and foremost, whenever you believe you’re a victim. Whenever something happens to you, you have a choice on how to react.
Here is what stellar agents do and those who miss this vital step:
Fall a victim: “The market is awful! If the market wasn’t so bad I could make a living.”
Rise a champion: “The market has some great opportunities, and I’m going to take
advantage of them.” (Today's market has a plethora of opportunities, look around.)
Fall a victim: “Mr X Agent from X company is awful to work with.They never answer their phone and they are making this deal so difficult.”
Rise a champion: What voicemail message can I leave so they will call me back fast? What nice thing can I do for this agent?
If you are too busy complaining about other agents, politics, the market, the lenders, and your clients, what time do you have left to make money?
Stellar agents take responsibility and create results. They create results instead of focusing on excuses. So go ahead and take a right step in the right direction and rise a champion!
Dave Robison, known as “Utah Dave,” is a broker of Robison & Company Real Estate.
 As we reflect on 2007 and strategize for 2008 what started as a joke and clever marketing title — “Power Couple” — has taken a true meaning in our lives.
When we first started in real estate it was a way to supplement our income, work from home, and be available for our four children. A few years later we exceeded our income goals and comfortably work from home, but as our business grew and expanded, we seemed to constantly battle for quality of life and personal time.
So we decided to take a Power Approach and implement strategies that allowed us to enjoy our life beyond real estate. Here’s our guide to having a successful real estate business and a real life at the same time:
- Let go of your “I can do everything” complex. We like to joke that to be in real estate we have to be attention deficit individuals because we have to juggle so many demands and hats. From chauffer, counselor, financial planner, and transaction manager … do we need to go on? We have to stop being all things to everyone else and then giving ourselves nothing. And, we need to stop beating ourselves up about what doesn't get done.
For example, we get up every morning at 6 a.m. to get our pre-teens up and ready for school. At the same time we are unloading and loading laundry, making school lunches, and dealing out breakfast — all within 45 minutes. We don’t have time to worry about if we sent handmade Valentines to school — the generic -rip and insert- cards are just fine. We get done what we can and accept what we can't. After all, in order to excel
and avoid burnout, we’ve learned that some things can wait or be delegated, while others need to be removed from the agenda altogether.
- Give yourself validation. When you’re up all night finalizing a contract or just watching a Judge Judy marathon, you must accept that you may not be as effective the next day. The truth is that this is the reality of your life – some of us work 12-18 hour days in this profession. Each of our dilemmas may be different but the key is to create time just for you, even if it means returning your client calls tomorrow.
- Provide yourself with viable options. Will creating a niche market allow you to focus on an area of expertise and cut down on your nonproductive marketing demands? Will hiring a housekeeper even just twice a month keep you from having to spend your Sunday sanitizing the bathroom and dusting the windowsills? Do you need to streamline your approach to your business to cut down on your workload? No matter what your earning level or years in business we all have options, that if implemented, could assist us with having a rewarding real estate career and more fulfilling life. So give yourself some options — and ask for help when you need it.
This year take our advice: Strive to be a top producer, to break that sales record, and to be a leader in your office. Set the example of what it truly means to be a REALTOR®.
Yes, go for it all, but just remember that awards collect dust, that next year there will be a new kid on the block who wants to be you and your record too will someday be broken.
We are young professionals, so don’t forget to enjoy your youth and make every moment count — in and out of the office!
Melvin and Tiffany Pigee, of Keller Williams Realty, in Augusta, Ga., are a young power couple, who strive to find balance in their hectic lifestyle in raising a family and expanding their business opportunities.
 Advertising executive, religious writer, copy writer and United States Congressman Bruce Barton once said:
"When you are through changing, you are through."
Could anything be truer for real estate?
Many of us are in “changing markets” or “soft markets” and are wondering how to make it through these tough times and still generate leads. For many, that means finding low-cost or no-cost marketing ideas.
Here are a few simple suggestions to cut down on your marketing expenses and still steady yourself in times of change:
1. Evaluate what you are already doing.
What’s working? What isn’t? What is generating business and actually bringing in leads that get you to the closing table? Look back at your past marketing and plan your 2008 marketing accordingly. And from now on, keep detailed records of the effectiveness of each piece.
2. Get writing!
Blogs are big! Of course you know that — since you’re reading one right now! The best part is, they can also be FREE. Chances are you’ve thought about starting one. Starting a blog is a great way to reach out to your clients (and gain potential clients). Then you have to promote it.
Put the link everywhere — business cards, flyers, your Web site(s), and signage. What you
have to say is valuable. So put it in writing and then tell the world about it!
3. Market to your biggest cheerleaders.
This includes past clients, sphere of influence, friends, and family. These are the people who want to help you with your business and want to see you succeed. Focus your marketing on them. Send them items they can use – market news, household gadgets (jar openers with our logo have been very successful for us), anything that promotes you but is still useful and valuable.
For better or worse, the key to successful marketing is to change with the times! Remember, the housing challenge is a cycle, not a disaster. When there are downs, that only means that there are ups on the horizon!
Maura Gebhardt, ABR®, MA, is the marketing and advertising director for The Gebhardt Group, RE/MAX Greater Atlanta, as well as a buyer specialist.
 Everyone who works for a living will get discouraged at least once throughout their career — that's a guarantee. With being so young and new
to the business I have already had my fair share of these letdowns.
Take, for example, the time I accidentally set off a house alarm at a showing and then had a police officer arrive in the middle of the showing to write me a ticket for a false alarm. Not exactly the best impression to make in front of a buyer! Then, at a very important building tour, my car got towed from the parking lot — I'm going to assume that wasn't exactly a great first impression either.
Despite these unlucky events, I am lucky enough to keep an open mind about everything. And I challenge you to do the same.
Granted, I'm fortunate to have a great mentor in the business, Jim Hodur, to guide me along the way. He has experienced all of the ups and downs in the business and has achieved a lot of success in the business. He has shown me how to right my wrongs and learn from my mistakes.
For example, awhile back when the commercial market was going through its nine-month downfall, I started to question if there were any positives to this business. Jim was there to get
me through it and remind me that I needed to apply my open mind and not wallow in doubts and bad news.
He was right. The commercial market is booming. I now work with multiple buyers and get a couple of new listings every week!
I could have let some of my rookie mistakes — or house alarms — scare me off. But I'm glad I didn't because I earned a valuable lesson: It's not just how you act, but most importantly, how you re-act to situations that will get you through.
Eric Walowitz is a commercial associate with Coldwell Banker in Chicago.
Give us 10 minutes of your time and we'll give you the chance to win an iPod Nano. Sound like a good deal?
The Young Professionals Network wants to grow our group in the direction that better meets your needs. But we need your input!
We want to know the burning career issues on your mind, how you like your news delivered, and what services you need to succeed. You tell us all that — and a little more — and we'll enter your name in a drawing for a chance to win a free iPod Nano.
Not to mention, your valuable input will be used to guide future YPN events, resources, and even this blog.
So take the online survey and tell us what you think!
All surveys must be submitted online by Feb. 1 to be entered in the drawing for an iPod Nano. Survey responses are confidential.
Take the Survey >
 When I started in this business I spent substantial time researching and selecting what prospecting methods I was going to try in my first year. After some discussions with top agents and my broker, I decided I would focus my first few months on open houses, cold calling, and "floor time".
After I got my first listing from cold calling, a top producer suggested that I start "farming" the area around my listing. So I did some more research and decided to give it a try.
I mapped out about 220 homes in the immediate area of my only listing and started "farming". I sent out "Just Listed" postcards, "Free Market Analysis" postcards, and "Open House" postcards. I even knocked on each and every door to deliver a business card magnet and personally introduce myself to each home owner.
I kept up my efforts with more postcards and personally delivering bi-weekly newsletters packed full of area sales activity and real estate related news.
Within six months, I ended up with five listings and even more buyers looking to buy in my farm area — another success!
Looking back now, the people living in my "farm" accounted for nearly 80 percent of the closings in the first 12 months of my career. I also developed credibility, a great reputation, and most importantly wonderful relationships with the home owners in my farm.
The fact is the relationships I built farming gave me a better return on my investment than any other prospecting method I have ever used. So my suggestion to new and veteran agents alike: Do some research and start farming — it'll pay off!
Travis Broadwater is a real estate practitioner with Kennen & Kennen REALTORS® in West Virginia and strives to use the latest technology and marketing tools to serve his clients.
BY WENDY COLE
Senior Editor, 30 Under 30 Coordinator
REALTOR magazine
 Even when the housing market was robust, succeeding in real estate required impressive drive and commitment. Today, it requires a combination of guts and creativity that deserve a full salute.
The 427 of you guys and gals under 30 (you know who you are!) who beat REALTOR® magazine's "30 Under 30" application deadline this week have created huge stacks of paper on my desk that now serve as tangible proof of the field’s enduring vitality. You all are the ones digging in and getting it done, refusing to let dour news headlines roil your spirit.
Now our heavy lifting begins as we wade through the piles to come up with the Class of 2008.
While total 30U30 applications were down about 30 percent from a year ago, this year’s group is deeply talented. Many of you have managed to rack up notably higher sales in troubled 2007, and have had the smarts to zero in on growth areas like foreclosures and short sales.
Some of you have diversified your businesses to include investment properties and insurance products. And others have figured out how extracurricular interests -- like rodeo riding and beauty pageantry -- can contribute to professional success.
Narrowing the field to 30 will be tough, but we’re not looking to do things the easy way any more than you all are. Congratulations for submitting those forms on time, and stay tuned!
 As I interviewed an agent a few weeks ago, I was taken aback by one of her questions.
She bluntly asked me: “How old are you?”
At first, I was surprised at her boldness and tone. Age is hardly an appropriate question to ask someone who is interviewing you!
But after a second of rationalization, I figured that the question wasn’t really about me, but about her personal reservations in entrusting her career to someone who appeared youthful.
In her mind’s eye, youth may mean inexperience, which in turn could lead to lost time and money amidst a challenging market.
My old sales mentor had taught me the risk we take when we make assumptions and he taught me the virtue of clarifying objections with good questions.
Therefore, I smiled politely, thanked her for her question, and asked her to expand her original question so that it included a possible benefit to her.
She looked puzzled. But after a few moments she asked: “How does having a younger manager give me an advantage in a struggling market?”
At that point, I quickly pointed out the tech and marketing know-how that agents I coach use to consistently sell and list homes.
Amazingly, just like that, the objection dissolved and we moved on to talk about other pertinent issues.
In my opinion, younger professionals need to create, practice, and deliver a dialogue that addresses experience questions. Sellers and buyers demand that the real estate practitioner they choose to hire have the professional maturity to cope with today’s competitive marketplace.
Moreover, be careful with assumptions and take some time to delve deeper to the objection. You may find that it’s not only an opportunity to gain some insight on the person you’re speaking with but also a chance to use this knowledge to develop a client!
Hugo Torres, e-PRO, is an agent coach, mentor, and guide to real estate practitioners at Century 21 Adams & Barnes in Monrovia, Calif.
 Taking designation courses early in my career has helped me avoid mistakes, instead of having to learn from them.
I constantly remind myself to "work smarter, not harder." To do that requires writing down your business plan, setting your goals high, acquiring new skill sets, conquering your fears, and consistently working on your business, as you efficiently work in the business.
So when my-then broker introduced me to the idea of getting designations to help me achieve all of this, I became hooked. I took a real estate foundation course offered at my local REALTOR® board, which was also the equivalent to one whole credit for the GRI designation.
That one course was enough to spur me to go designation crazy — it was phenomenal!
I suddenly had a different outlook on the real estate industry and how to work it with my personality.
Besides GRI, which offers training in everything from contract law to finance and sales and marketing, I've now earned designations that make me a senior real estate specialist, international property specialist, buyer representative, and transnational referral specialist. Not to mention, I now get to add a bunch of letters after my name -- ABR®, SRES, CIPS, GRI, and TRC.
Is it Worth It?
Going designation crazy was a no-brainer for me because agents in my office who had the designations were doing five times more business than those who didn't have a single
designation.
When you're new in the business, it can be hard to budget for these designation courses. I spent about $3,000 on my five designations. It can be pricey, but I consider it an investment.
Getting designations was my way of overcoming the "kid in a suit" complex because I look and sound young (which I can't help!). Designations, however, give instant credibility, and I've had many customers tell me they're glad to know I've taken the initiative to learn everything that I can about my business. Plus, my designations help them feel more comfortable in referring me to their friends or family because they know I'm well-trained to do the job.
Dina Takai, GRI, ABR®, SRES, CIPS, TRC, is a broker associate with Park Bench Realty in Arlington Heights, Ill.
REALTOR® magazine online is on the hunt for the most effective and memorable promotional giveaway. What do you give prospects to get them to remember you?
The best ideas will be included in an upcoming interactive article on REALTOR® magazine online.
To be considered for the article, you must do two things:
1. Send a description of your giveaway and why it's so successful to Associate Editor Melissa Tracey, mtracey@realtors.org.
2. Send one of your promotional giveaways in the mail to:
Melissa Tracey / Best Giveaways
430 N. Michigan Avenue, 9th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
Please note that giveaways will not be returned to you.
 “When do you think the market will turn around?”
This is a question I consistently hear from my clients.
In answering this question I think it’s very important that we do not pretend to know the future. I believe that the current slump is temporary and given the lower prices, favorable interest rates, and pent up demand it is a great time to buy.
But obviously I cannot predict the future — even if doing so will help reassure a buyer and close a deal. I am not a lawyer, building inspector, appraiser, and certainly not a clairvoyant.
It is sufficiently emphasized in real estate training and publications that giving professional advice outside the scope of our expertise is unwise. Is making predictions about the future of the real estate market outside our expertise? After all, our job is to know the market inside and out.
The key is to provide the client with a well-informed opinion, while expressing that it is an opinion, and also providing relevant information as support.
The National Association of REALTORS®, local real estate associations, and the media provide reliable statistics and predictions about the market that we can pass on to our clients.
For example, I can say definitively that current interest rates are very attractive compared to historical rates. I can provide hard data that points to a favorable market, and explain the data clearly and concisely to my clients. Also, it is extremely important to be honest and encourage clients to view real estate as a long-term investment.
In other words, I make sure my clients have an informed opinion about the market, without telling them what will happen in the future.
Howard McAuliffe is a licensed agent for Premier Realty Exclusive in St. Louis and is pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development at St. Louis University.
Do you have what it takes to be a “30 Under 30?” Each June, REALTOR® magazine features 30 rising young stars in the real estate industry — and you could be next! Don’t forget to submit your application online by Jan. 14.
Any REALTOR® who will be under the age of 30 as of May 31 and who hasn’t previously been featured in “30 Under 30” is eligible to apply for the 2008 class. The magazine looks for candidates with creative marketing ideas, leadership skills, and successful sales.
Is that you?
Read more about entry guidelines and past “30 Under 30” classes at REALTOR® magazine online.
Submit your application online.
 What works for you in this market? Is it your advertising? Do you use print advertising, or do you advertise online? Or maybe it's your brilliant marketing or referrals?
To find out, I talked to someone who knows what works — my broker, Rudy Soltesz, with Pro-formance Realty Concepts, who was once a top producing agent.
Here’s some of his advice for making it in any type of market:
1. Expand your reach. His biggest source of business came from using door hangers and newsletters and calling FSBO’s (For Sale By Owners) and expired listings. Another way to drum up more listings: Contact out-of-state owners by phone, e-mail, or snail mail.
2. Be consistent. No matter what you choose to do, it’s all about the message you send out and the consistency you use it. Don’t try to save a few bucks by scaling back your marketing and advertising. Realize, your message takes time to reach your audience, and if you stop your advertising and marketing, it’s going to take time for it to get going again. So make your message specific and consistent.
3. Tailor your message. For example, I speak English and Spanish so I decided to make one of my target audiences the Spanish speaking community. I have already started my marketing in English and Spanish so that I do not miss out on the opportunity to make new clients I might otherwise miss.
With a plethora of homes on the market at low prices, it’s an ideal time for you to advertise and
market yourself to investors. Buyers can ask for many things they may not have had the opportunity to ask for in the recent real estate boom. Sellers are more accommodating and willing to pay for closing costs, and make repairs on their home than they would have in the past. Investors are looking to snag the next big deal — so help them!
4. Specialize. For example, you can become a specialist in listing homes on short sales — a timely specialty given current market conditions. Many people are facing the inevitable loss of their home, and many others are at risk of being put in a similar position. This can become a niche for your business.
Also, banks are not in the business of real estate so any bank-owned/real estate owned properties they have are in serious need of selling. Banks do not like to have homes they own in their portfolios. So this too can become an ideal source of extra business.
In any case, the opportunities are there. It’s a matter of what you want your niche market to be and how consistently you approach it with your advertising and marketing that will make all the difference.
Ulises Romo, is a REALTOR® for PRO-formance Realty Concepts in Phoenix.
 “Marketing 2.0” is an industry buzzword that you cannot ignore. It describes more interactive marketing methods that will become dominant in 2008. Is your business ready for it?
The old way of marketing (Marketing 1.0) involved putting out a consistent message over a span of time to a targeted audience, then measuring the result. While consistency is still key and correctly targeting the right audience is vital, consumers are demanding personal communication that speaks to the individual’s needs.
That's how Marketing 2.0 came about. It includes the use of blogs, online social networks, targeted e-mail marketing, and video to reach new clients while staying in touch with your sphere of influence. Marketing 2.0 can be measured and is consistent, but creates a more personalized experience.
Social Networking and Viral Marketing
If you haven’t bought into the value of online networking, you’re going to miss the boat in 2008. Social networks, blogging, and social media sites help you find people with similar interests, create fans and a following, and let your target audience get to know you before they have a full conversation with you.
If you have a hobby, talent, expertise, or interest, you should use online tools to showcase your passion. Even better, try blog platforms (such as TypePad or Moveable Type), social networks (Facebook and Myspace), and social media sites (such as Flickr) to create new posts, upload video, and send photos to your account using your mobile phone.
Mobile Marketing of Listings
Another way to grab attention: Impress sellers and potential buyer clients with mobile marketing of your listings. I enjoy using mobile applications to market listings because they help me stand
out from my listing competition while efficiently providing information to buyers.
Here are some ways you can do it:
1. Send flyers to mobile phones. For example, you can use Vflyer.com, a virtual flyer service. A similar service is Postlets.com. Once you create a virtual flyer, you can send it to your sphere of influence via e-mail or SMS text message with the click of a button. This is in addition to being able to post it to your Web site or other classified ad Web sites, such as Craig's List.
2. Use text message listing signs. To do this, use such services as DriveBuy Technology or CellSigns. Prospects can drive by a listing and retrieve property details or even photos through their cell phone. DriveBuy is an Austin-based company that offers add-on services such as mobile coupons and Web sites.
Manage the Office From Your Mobile Phone
Many of you already have a Blackberry, TREO, or Windows Mobile compatible phone. If this is the case, there are already a number of affordable mobile tools that can keep you productive on the road for a small upgrade fee.
Two options include:
- Top Producer database is the No. 1 tool I use to track listings and closings, manage my schedule and contacts, and check off to-do lists — all from my TREO 650 mobile phone using the Top Producer Mobility upgrade. Top Producer Mobility is compatible with Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Palm OS platforms.
- Need to write contracts on the road, but don’t want to use your notebook computer? Send contracts to clients from your mobile phone using Zipforms Mobile.
Dee Copeland, known as the Mobile Marketing Diva, is principal of the Copeland Group at Keller Williams Realty, specializing in new construction, second homes, relocations, and investments.
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