Six Steps to selling with Social Media for Real Estate Agents

There are many plans and ideas, and even countless more ways and websites that all claim to help real estate agents make better use of social media outlets. Most of them are good, some are fantastic, and others, not so much. But the one thing most Agents fail to do is prepare themselves properly prior to, during, and even after using social media.
Social media for real estate agents IS NOT recreational. You can use your Facebook account to keep up with your friends, and your blog to write about your triathlete training, and google plus to check in, but you also have to use those sites for business- and when you do, you have to be prepared. You have to have a plan. You have to have the right tools. you have to know the best site to use to share the message that you are trying to get out. And the prep work is what makes it easier. And it’s what will give you a bigger return on your time and money investments. And it quite possibly is the funnest part of your job.
During my Selling It Social seminars, i break the six steps into two sessions- namely because it is a lot of material to digest over a few hours. So here they are- take your time through each and the rewards on the other side will be huge!
Step 1- Gather the Tools you need to be successful- And more importantly, KNOW HOW TO USE THEM- all of them. You need to be confident in sharing files, changing photo sizes, creating banners, shooting videos, and doing tasks online and on your computer- A successful Social Media Campaign is very computer heavy- that is why it’s called ONLINE.
The tools you need: A Good computer with a lot of available hard drive space, a good graphics card, and a high speed Internet connection. A Smart phone. A Tablet computer is good as well. A stand microphone for your computer and a wireless lapel microphone for your video camera. You need a good digital SLR or point and shoot camera. A Video or Flip style camera.
Now that you have the tools that will make it easy to create and share your messages online- and you KNOW HOW TO USE THEM and ALL OF THEIR FEATURES, it is time to begin thinking about STEP 2- Building your Online Brand.
Your brand is your image. It is the message, the persona, and attitude that you project to the online world, the one that customers interact with and get to know. Spend the time NOW thinking about the following, and it will make creating your online profiles and your social media marketing plans so much easier.
Create a name for your website, a catch phrase or tag line for yourself, Think about the colors of your sites, the fonts you will use, the layouts you like, and photos you want to advertise- Think like a big company- if you go to their website, their Facebook page, their YouTube channel, their twitter page or any other site they are associated with, you will see consistency with the layout, colors, and message they convey. It’s easy to do this but you HAVE to think of it it NOW!
You also need to create video intros, credit pages, flyer layouts, and any other marketing materials you use with the same elements. This is good time to figure out WHO you are, WHAT you do, HOW you do it, and WHY people should buy and sell with you. Be BOLD, be FORWARD, and most of all, BE CONFIDENT!
Now you are ready for step 3- getting your self online.
Sign up where everyone else is- Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, a Blog site like WordPress, and any other sites you are likely to find YOUR customers. Fill in your profiles and Bios Completely and with CONSISTENT information- the ideas you came up with while thinking of your brand. Make sure everything looks good. Be sure to link all of the sites together, link in with a Customer Database, and test everything out. For more information on this step, check out my YouTube videos and other blogs, or call me to discuss coming out to your office or board for a seminar- they really are helpful!
Now that you are Online and signed up on all of the social Media Sites, it is time for Step 4. PLANNING YOUR MEDIA PLAN. Notice that to this point you STILL haven’t logged in to any of the sites and shared message or posted or tweeted or anything of the sort- Be patient, you will soon enough.
When creating a Social Media plan, keep in mind there are 3 Goals- one, to GET MORE CUSTOMERS to fill your database with so you can share more information and potentially create more prospects. Two, is to help you move the inventory you have and to share the information you know. And Three is to help you become an expert in your local market.
Everything you plan to do with social media needs to be based on one of these three goals. If it’s not, get rid of it- it will only waste yours and your clients time. Now is the time to think of the messages you want to say, why you want to say them, and what is important. Write down what you feel is important to you, and expand on it.
Now for Step 5- the fun part- Going Social.
Take your messages online- post, tweet, upload videos, write a blog, host a LinkedIn group, share photos and listings, become compelling, and share what you know. you have multiple avenues to share your ideas, make sure to use them all in a variety of ways. And INTERACT with those who make comments or forward your ideas along to others. This is what puts the SOCIAL in social media- interacting!
And Now for Step 6, and probably the second most important step behind learning the tools- Engage, Interact, Review, and UPDATE. What is working. how is it working? Who are you interacting with. Did something catch their eye? How are you connecting with people? What is attracting them? Are you reviewing the analytics of your messages, friends, contacts, and website traffic? When you can answer these questions, you can then UPDATE your goals and marketing plan to be even more efficient.
By properly progressing through these six steps, you can set your self for a successful online campaign, one that will bring more prospects, customers, and closings into your life. Take the time to do it right, and you will see the results without the frustrations. Good Luck, and remember, there is nothing like SELLING IT SOCIAL!

The Perfect Presentation- Part 4: “Present With The End In Mind”

The END FACTOR by Michael Dumas

There are twelve factors that can make your listing presentation THE perfect presentation- one that will instill the utmost confidence in you to get the listing EVERY TIME.  In Part 1 of this series, “Are you maintaining control during the appointment?”, the point was made that your goal, as the agent, was to get the sellers out of their pre-conceived idea of what a listing appointment should be, and move them in a totally different direction that is focused on their needs and wants. In Part 2, “Are you getting the customer involved in the sale?”, it was discussed how you as the sales agent needs to get the customer, as the buyer, to take a “hands-on” approach and get them involved- that way they have some “skin in the game” and will feel compelled to take action. Part 3, ” Take it and break it” was a discussion on taking your sales presentation, breaking it into smaller pieces that can be analyzed, and then rebuilding it to ensure each section, each piece used, each collateral piece, is there to serve a purpose and for you to understand what that purpose is..

Let’s start with some doses of truth:

Truth #1- YOU CONTROL THE STAGES AND FLOW OF THE APPOINTMENT. Period.

Truth #2- THE PERSON WHO TALKS LEAST ABOUT THEMSELVES AND MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON WILL LEAVE WITH THE LISTING AGREEMENT. Always.

Truth #3- WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY EACH PIECE OF YOUR PRESENTATION IS THERE, YOU WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE THAT PIECE. Knowledge.

Truth #4- WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, IT WILL BE EASIER TO STAY ON THE PATH TO GET THERE. Experience.

Begin with the end in mind. A simple statement. But do you know where the end is? When you go into an appointment, do you know what your goals are? Your mission? Your end-game? Do you know what you want to achieve? Do you know the measurements to know when you have achieved it? Is your mind focused on that goal? This is a lot of questions to ask, but is necessary for understanding that gravity of that one statement. The end. In Mind.

During your sale “pitch”, is everything that you are doing, saying, sharing, showing, and asking being done, said, shared, shown, or asked to help you achieve your end game goal? A football team prepares hours upon hours for one simple goal- to get into the end zone. And they prepare weekly for that goal. and to repeat it. Over and over, knowing if the goal is accomplished several times in a game, they just might win. It’s the same with your end goal.

Tell the customer- many times in fact- what you goal is. Tell them that by using your expertise and knowledge about the market and your product, you can help them. That you both have the same goal. A successful closing. Or increasing revenue. Or decreasing costs by improving efficiency. Whatever the goal, explain it, tell it, bring it out in the open for all to see and share.

Getting to an end point, or closing point, is a problem that most sales people face. Why? Because the customer winds up controlling the flow of the presentation. How? With objections. With excuses. With concerns about price or costs. The average sales person usually leaves the presentation frustrated, confused, and upset when these things occur. If the customer controls the presentation, and does not know WHY you are there, and what YOUR goal is, you will never get a chance to get a closing point. No close. No agreement. No Sale. No Money.

What is your job as a sales professional. To sell. Period. You might have other jobs, like preparing. Reporting. Processing. Prospecting. But your number one job is to sell.  And if you don’t know what you are trying to accomplish when you present, you will not sell. Period.

Before you go into your next presentation, make sure you know what you are selling. Make sure you are prepared with your presentation and your sales collaterals. Ensure you have your contracts ready. But most of all, be ready with your end game. Know why you are there. And work towards that goal. Keep your eyes on that goal. The prize is there for you to take. Are you ready?

 

The Perfect Presentation- Part 3: “Take It and Break It”

The BREAK IT FACTOR by Michael Dumas

A perfect listing presentation is what every real estate agent longs for- that “killer” presentation that will get the seller to sign, the “Home Run” that will get a sign in the yard, and that “Knock Em’ Out” appointment that leads to more listings and more closings. That presentation is readily available to each and EVERY agent out there- if they just take the time to build their presentation right. There are twelve factors that will make your listing presentation THE PERFECT presentation- one that will instill the utmost confidence in you to get the listing EVERY TIME.

In part 1 of this series, “Are You Maintaining Control During The Appointment?”, it was discussed that your goal, as the agent, was to get the sellers out of their pre-conceived idea of what a listing appointment should be, and move them in a totally different direction that is focused on their needs and wants. In part of this series, “Are You Getting The Customer Involved In the Sale?”, it was discussed how the agent needs to get the customer to take a “Hands-On” approach and get them involved- that way they have some “skin in the game” and will feel compelled to take action.

Part three is a little different- this one does not involve the customer. So Let’s add another brick to the building, factor #3- Take It and Break It

The Doses of Truth discussed thus far:

Truth #1- YOU CONTROL THE STAGES AND FLOW OF THE APPOINTMENT. Period

Truth #2- THE PERSON WHO TALKS LEAST ABOUT THEMSELVES AND MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON WILL LEAVE WITH THE LISTING AGREEMENT. Always.

Truth #3- THE PERFECT LISTING PRESENTATION STARTS AS AN IMPERFECT COLLABORATION OF MATERIALS AND IS TAILORED TO YOUR PERSONALITY AND STYLE TO ACHIEVE A DESIRED EFFECT. Broken and the Perfected.

The best way to improve your listing presentation is to take it in its entirety and put it all on the table in front of you. Every thing you use: your scripts, your photos, your marketing reports, your website, your marketing analyzis form, your virtual tours, your flyers, your advertising pieces- all of it.

Once you have everything laid out in front of you, WRITE OUT your entire presentation. Line for Line. Word for Word. Make note of the collateral pieces you use. When do you show your website? When do you show your marketing reports, when do you show your advertising flyers? Also make note of WHAT you say when you use those pieces, HOW you HOLD THEM and DISPLAY THEM, and WHAT INFORMATION you discuss on them.

Finished? Now break it apart. Break it into little pieces or segments.

Now analyze everything. Ask yourself why each collateral is there. Why you say the words you use. Why you go in the order you do. What is the benefit of each piece? What does it do for the sale (the listing!). WHO does it benefit, you or the seller? Does it help you get to the sale, or is it a hinderance? Is it there to make you feel good? To pound your chest? To Feed your ego? How does it look to the customer? Can they understand it? Does it make sense? Will it help them to make a call to action?

Here’s another important question: Is it something that every other agent in your office or market uses? If you answer YES, then GET RID OF IT- come up with something unique and that fits YOUR BRAND, not everyone else’s!

Once you have broken them, now go through the whole presentation and ask yourself if it flows with your collaterals. Do they work well together, does it flow? Does it lead to a call to action? Are there MANY closes to get the customer to say “Yes”?

Now it is time to put it back together- use these eight simple steps:

1. Brainstorm new ideas and new ways to present the material you already have.

2. Write down your goals and desires-know what you want to accomplish.

Now Sleep on it for a few days.

3. Edit your presentation into a working draft that you can practice

4. Prepare a final edition

5. Get a critique- I suggest several. And get them from people both in and outside real estate.

6. Mark up any corrections from the critiques and redo a final edition.

7. Sit down one more time and ask yourself if you have all the ingredients that you want.

8. Finally, Practice. Practice. Practice Again. Keep Practicing!

You will absolutely see a marked increase in your closing ratios if you will just take the time to break your presentation apart and retool it- Guaranteed!

Good Luck, and Happy Selling!

 

 

The Perfect Presentation- Part 2: ” Are You Getting The Customer Involved In The Sale?”

The INVOLVEMENT FACTOR by Michael Dumas

There are twelve factors that can make your listing presentation THE perfect presentation- one that will instill the utmost confidence in you to the listing EVERY TIME.  In Part 1 of this series, “Are you maintaining control during the appointment?”, we made the point that your goal, as the agent, was to get the sellers out of their pre-conceived idea of what a listing appointment should be, and move them in a totally different direction that is focused on their needs and wants.

It’s time to add the next brick to the building, factor #2- Get the customer involved.

Let’s start with some doses of truth:

Truth #1- YOU CONTROL THE STAGES AND FLOW OF THE APPOINTMENT. Period.

Truth #2- THE PERSON WHO TALKS LEAST ABOUT THEMSELVES AND MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON WILL LEAVE WITH THE LISTING AGREEMENT. Always.

During a listing appointment, most real estate agents spend too much of their time shhowing the sellers their sales collaterals, their presentation, and their market analysis. It’s as if the customer will be so impressed by what they see written down that they will immediately beg the agent to let them sign a listing agreement at whatever price the agent wants- and do it right now! That may be an exaggeration, but that IS what is in the mind of most agents- and completely opposite from what the seller is thinking. The slide show, presentation and the market analysis are about YOU- not the customer. It’s as if the agent is saying, “hey, look how pretty my website is, or how many times my name pops up in a google search, or how flashy my powerpoint presentation is.”

Don’t be like that. Instead, learning how to engage the customer, get them involved, and make them feel a part of the process. This is not a dog and pony show. You are trying to sell someone’s home- so don’t insult them (and lose the listing!) and put on a show. The seller has not invited you in for that. They want to know what you will do to help their ease their pain (a.k.a. sell their home!) and achieve their goals.

I love a 5 to 1 rule. For every minute that you spend on a collateral piece, your marketing analysis, showing them a picture or graph, or talking about yourself, you should be spending FIVE minutes talking with the seller, explaining how you can help them, answering their questions, and discovering their issues- and letting them talk. If you do the math, in an hour long appointment, that means you should only be talking about 12 minutes. Or presenting. Or discussing your marketing. the other 48 minutes should be spent on them.

 What is the best way you can do this? Asking questions. Lots and lots of questions. About their home. Their goals. Their dreams. Their plans. What they like about the home and neighborhood. What they don’t like. Why they are moving. What the homes best features on? Question. Probe. Get them thinking. Get them involved.

A Tell-tale sign of a powerful listing presentation, and one that will almost certainly end with a signed listing agreement, is when a customer takes a hands-on approach as opposed to sitting on their hands. And how do you do that? Get them involved!

Are you keeping a sales journal?

Are you keeping notes on your sales activities? Do you have a place to put ink to paper and track the what, when, who, why, and how of your daily interactions? Do you have notes on that customer or prospect? Do you track how many times you speak to them? Do you take notes on what works and what doesn’t when you make a call, or present a product, handle an objection, or make a pitch? Because if not, then you are missing more opportunities, and probably working many times harder, than you should be… Ever watch a baseball game where they show the manager and the pitching coach in the dugout? Usually, you see one or the other looking into a three ring binder- know what’s in there? Notes. Notes on every pitch that a batter has faced from every pitcher in their career, at every point in the game, and at every count in the at-bat. The notes are deep and meticulous? Why? So they know how to pitch the guy to get him out. Your notes on your prospects should be this in depth as well, so you know how to hit the home run. What did you say? How did you say it? What did you wear? What time of day or month was it? What worked and didn’t? You see, if you start keeping a sales journal, you’ll have a something to turn to when you can’t figure out a customer, or when you need a different technique to close- and it will help you see what works, and more importantly, what doesn’t. With a written journal of your sales, you’ll have a picture of your skills. Try it for 30 days… Guaranteed it will change your sales game…