Category Archives: Education/Coaching
Education/Coaching
If you list it, it will sell!
OK, so I told you so! Whew, had to get that out of the way right up front. Yes, it felt good to say. So for the past 3 months I’ve been standing up at sales meetings and preaching that the inventory drop we experienced in October last year through the holidays was not
showing the normal signs of increase and that we would be seeing this in the news by March/April… Well here we are, the articles are finally being published in the news publications, yet we’ve been living this for 3 months now. And here we are as an office with over 80 sales for March (beating last March), and on our way to 90 new sales for the month! Yes, the market is hot, but our agents are definitely getting a large portion of the business too!
What does all this mean? Well, the bottom line is that “if you list it, it will sell!”… Be reasonable on the price, have professional photos, stage the property if necessary, and use all of the Coldwell Banker marketing and advertising, you will not only sell your listings, but you’ll likely have multiple offers! And if you are a really good negotiator, strategic thinking, and follow the multiple offer strategies, you’ll likely get a higher sales price for your sellers!
As Realtors, we need to get the word out to any sellers who tried to sell and failed in the past year. Share the current market climate and show them how our Coldwell Banker marketing strategies, and massive advertising/exposure, can help them get top dollar or their home right now!
Will this last? Who knows!? But my bet is that it won’t and that inventory will begin to rise and level off over the next few months. While we will still be in a great market, there are amazing opportunities for home sellers right now to have less competition and maximize their sales price!
As always, whether you’re with Coldwell Banker or not, it is my pleasure to share ideas, thoughts, and strategies to help you grow your business so don’t hesitate to reach out for a free coaching meeting! And don’t forget to subscribe above to receive all of my posts instantly as they are written!
Best wishes!
Brad Pearson
Call/Text 714-782-2723
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Day 1, Q4, 2015! Lot’s of opportunities!
Today signifies the beginning of the last quarter of 2015. This is the time to step on the gas to ensure you end the year strong! Important numbers to recognize: Q4 2014 in Orange County there were 5998 properties sold, each of those had a buyer making almost 12,000 opportunities for a pay check! 6726 homes closed escrow delivering almost 13,500 actual pay checks to Realtors in OC! Listing inventory dropped from 7049 to 5190 (almost 30%!) during Q4 opening massive opportunities for those who work expired and cancelled listings and creating a lower inventory market for home sellers looking to capitalize on the opportunity to get more money for their homes and negotiate with SERIOUS buyers! Do you have a plan to make sure you capitalize on all of this opportunity to end 2015 strong and begin 2016 with momentum? While so many Realtors will be slowing down and talking about the market slowing down, YOU know the truth and must stay focused!
As always, I am here to help build and implement your strategic plan and coach you to success! Just call/text 714-782-2723 or email at Brad.Pearson@camoves.com
Click here to read my post on how to win with Expired Listings:
If you’re not already with Coldwell Banker and enjoying all of the coaching, education, and marketing support we offer, then let’s talk! Click below for more information on this phenomenal firm!
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Get more listings with a simple sign rider and sell your listings faster!
Sometimes in our business, it’s the most obvious things that are overlooked as the biggest opportunities for both Realtors and their clients. So many things in our industry are done only because that is what others do, or because what is believed as the right way, when in reality, so much of what is done in real estate now has become the absolute worst and in many cases the laziest ways of doing things. In this post, I plan to address one of the most ridiculous assumptions and most common mistakes Real Estate agents are making and how it could be hurting their clients.
Let’s deal with some reality for a second… MOST buyers are moving from somewhere verses buying as an investment/rental, and the best qualified and most motivated buyers are those that are selling a home to either move up or move down from their current home. Yet, in our industry, the “contingent” buyer is the LAST buyer that many real estate agents would advise their clients to accept an offer from and frankly the term has become almost tabu. The overwhelming common belief is that a “contingent buyer” is the most risky. Even if the buyer/sellers current home is in escrow, many real estate agents will advise their sellers to take the non-contingent buyer even when they are going to pay CASH upon the closing of their home. This is a scenario that has perplexed me for years. I’ve preached a million times about what a ridiculous practice this is. This practice and belief is so deeply ingrained into real estate agents in our industry that regardless of the common sense and logic behind it, so many continue to push away these great buyers sending them back home discouraged and often causing them to just give up on the whole process.
Let’s analyze this for a minute. EVERY single buyer is “contingent” upon one thing or another. Whether it’s financing, inspections, appraisal, etc. So the thought that any buyer is a lower or higher risk than another because they have a home to sell/close is ridiculous. In reality, the highest risk buyer is the buyer with the lowest MOTIVATION! All things being equal, a buyer who NEEDS to buy verses WANTS to buy is the one who is most likely to do whatever it takes to close. But even better is that the buyer who NEEDS to buy is almost ALWAYS willing to pay more and overlook small issues like inspections/repairs, and they are committed to closing the escrow on time!
My contention and the reason for this post is that I would like to end the unfair pre-judgement of serious contingent buyers who simply have a home to sell or close since in reality, many of these buyers are not only good solid buyers, but the best buyers a seller could ask for in today’s market.
Now as promised in the headline of this post… A simple strategy to get more listings while helping sell your listings and do a great job for your sellers; JUST SIMPLY HANG A SIGN RIDER ON YOUR FOR SALE SIGN (AS WELL AS WRITE IN THE REMARKS IN THE MLS, “CONTINGENT OFFERS WELCOME”. This simple strategy will help prospective move up or move down home sellers to reach out to you and ask you about your offering. It will attract buyers (who have a home to sell) that have been turned down by many other sellers/agents to reach out to YOU to see your listing. Of course, you need to do your homework and make sure the buyers are qualified and they price their existing home within salable market value, but frankly that is the easy part.
REMEMBER… The biggest fear for any seller is their ability to find a place to move to once they sell their home. As Realtors, whenever we can provide a solution to that problem, everything else becomes secondary and so on. By offering your listings to contingent buyers, you help solve the problem and this will get you listings!
I’d even go so far as to become and signify on my marketing that I am a “Contingent Buyer Specialist”!
Now how many of you would be opposed to taking a new listing and selling them your listing, contingent? I doubt anyone.
Think about it!
Oh… And try sharing this strategy on your next listing presentation and you’ll look like a genius! 🙂
Thanks for listening,
Brad
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Why “Corporate” is NOT a BAD word…
Regional Corporate Office in Irvine, CA.
Well if I’ve heard it from our competitors once, I’ve heard it a hundred times… “Corporate owned is bad, Corporate owned is slow, etc. etc. etc.” For many years I believed the same thing and perpetuated that belief. Which unless we have been there, done that…bad on all of us to make such assumptions on anything, anyone, or any company, really without walking a day in those shoes. And then after nearly 20 years of working with several smaller independent brokerages and frankly loving many things about them, I made the move to the largest corporate owned Real Estate company in America. To say that I was a fish out of water would be an understatement! Almost immediately I was issued a “worldwide ID number”, given a list of usernames and passwords, and a 3 inch thick packet of orientation pamphlets, instruction sheets, and welcome letters. Of course, understand I was an employee and not an independent contractor…but I was certainly taken back regardless. Within a few weeks I was in a full day orientation meeting followed up with online ethics, anti-harassment, and, international commercial bribery classes. Not how to do it of course but what NOT to do! The look on my face when I got my tour of the enormous regional corporate office and support staff was reminiscent of the Clampetts when they arrived in Beverly Hills.
Now I’ll admit, I spent some time looking back early on in my corporate relationship and at times missing the simplicity and informality of my previous lives at the smaller independent highly personality driven firms. There was certainly some advantages to being small and nimble and I definitely admire the enormous personal investment an independent entrepreneurial owner brings to the equation when it comes to competing in a highly competitive industry like Real Estate, especially with the big brands at play in the sand box.
However, what I have learned in the past year and a half working within a very large corporation, would surprise many. The advantages FAR OUTWEIGH any of the perceived negatives. As a matter of fact, many of the things that I and others perceived as “negatives” are precisely what makes the company so great, so financially stable, and so professional. And when the perspective is changed to analyze the actual reasons behind many of the systems and processes, it becomes blindingly obvious that this is how any professional organization should be ran in America today.
Allow me to share some specific reasons a large public company offers so many more advantages and benefits to all of those affiliated with, employed by, or a customer of such a firm:
1. MAJOR DECISIONS ARE NOT MADE IN HASTE OR TOO QUICKLY – For a major decision to benefit an organization, it’s associates, employees, and the customers, time should be given to analyze and ensure that the decision can be announced, and executed upon in a clear and systematic approach. All departments involved have the opportunity to share input on their role and ability to deliver, a solid timeline is determined, and all front line employees are clearly directed on their specific roles, trained if necessary, and supported to deliver to the field. When time is given to properly and by the appropriate people, then once the decision is made, you can take it to the bank with a large company like Coldwell Banker. When a product is rolled out, it is here to stay and will not go away unless it is for an improved product/upgrade.
2. FROM THE FIELD TO THE BOARDROOM: I always though a corporate company leads from the board room down. Not here. It lives and breathes from the field to the boardroom. Input from the field is bigger than life in vison, philosophy and execution. Not only do employees and departments bring ideas, feedback and input but independent contractors and customers ideas and feedback is weighed heavily.
3. NO PERSONAL BIAS – In a large public company, decisions are made on the merit of the business objective. It is included in our education process and managed closely so that there is not a conflict of interest at any level. It’s really simple. We ask the right questions and evaluate the opportunities with full disclosures, proper checks and balances. Will it help grow the business, make the business more efficient, assist our independent contracts and customers, and reduce risk and liability exposure for all involved? It’s not about the person proposing it, or someones personal feelings or agendas. If the business and it’s people and customers will benefit, then it’s a no brainer and put into the queue to ensure a successful implementation at a strategically appropriate time. No… It doesn’t happen overnight, but it happens at the appropriate time and for the appropriate reasons. It happens right the first time and with no chaos.
4. LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP – While it’s great to say that “the buck stops here”, no one person in a large public company has the power to hurt the entire business unit. Certainly not for long before change is made. Everyone’s focused on delivering a positive result and outcome and having levels of leadership and approval processes ensure that everyone is protected with proper gate keepers that ensure the success of the organization as well as it’s longevity!
5. NO DRAMA – Just business! Drama serves no business purpose. Only personal agendas. It is unfair as well as unprofessional for drama to be brought into a professional organization at any level. Large corporations are able to manage this a lot more effectively than smaller mom/pop shops where personal dramas not only can interrupt business emotionally but financially.
6. SUCCESSES ARE REPEATED, FAILURES ARE NOT – Large public companies are held on high expectation and performance plans NOT to repeat them, especially in this day and age. Failures can make national headlines in large public companies as we have seen in past years. This scrutiny forces better decision making processes. This is good for all who are involved in and around corporate companies. Sign me up!
7. TRUE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT SUPPORT- The people make the business and in large public companies there is no higher priority than the fair and respectful treatment of its people. No one is above the law or the rules regardless of position in the company. Checks, balances, processes, and
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experienced HR personnel are in place to ensure everyone is treated fairly and properly. Continuous training/education is in place to keep everyone abreast and up to date on all applicable laws, policies, and procedures. This creates a phenomenal work environment for everyone in the company leading to higher levels of productivity and service. Everyone knows exactly where they stand in the company at all times.
8. FINANCIAL RESOURCES – It goes without saying that with the extraordinarily large dollars in resources that better decisions are made, problems can be solved, and time and support can be given to realize bigger and better objectives for all. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage with its size and power is the only firm I know of that even offers their own legal assitance program vs just insurance which includes claims/disapprovals, large deductibles and probable delays and red tape. Coldwell Banker’s Legal Assistance program is the only one I have ever heard of that goes all the way to $20,000,000 per transaction in claim assistance with a NO Independent sales associate dollar participation – meaning that the independent sales associates are in good hands in the event of a legal challenge. On a good note, with large financial resources, it’s no wonder CB can offer so much more advertising, technology, branch and corporate staffing -including a marketing coordinators in each branch onsite, and world class facilities.
9. FINANCIAL STABILITY – A well ran large public company will do what is necessary, absent any ego, to ensure the longevity of the business for the good of the people within it and it’s customers and shareholders at all times.
In the past year and a half, I have learned to LOVE the large corporation from a business as well as a personal perspective. I have learned that good solid business principles with healthy accountability help to dramatically clear a path for employees, and independent sales associates to focus on and thrive in their jobs at work and their families at home while having the confidence that the business will be around for a very long time. With that said, I’d say that the biggest “aha” was in seeing all of the people who have affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage since I joined, fall in love with this organization and it’s immense professionalism with no complaints about it being too “corporate”. There’s no question that there are incredible smaller companies that are amazing places to work and do a phenomenal job so this article is not intended to take away from their amazing accomplishments but rather end/clarify the perception that large “corporate” is bad in comparison. Let’s just say that there are clear benefits to each and this article was to provide another perspective – mine, one I have personally lived through for over a year and half and feel quite qualified to comment on. These are my opinions and observations and should not even be construed or reflective as the view or opinion of Coldwell Banker or other corporate companies.
In closing I would challenge anyone who is still holding on to the belief that a big “corporate” organization is bad, to pick up the phone and call any of our independent sales associates who have joined us from a smaller or non-corporate run company and ask them what they think after affiliating. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised that the last thing they say is that “Corporate” is a bad thing or a bad word! Corporate to them is resources, stability and FUN!
If you’d like to come find out why Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is such a great place to work, then feel free to email or call me at Brad.Pearson@camoves.com or 714-782-2723 for a confidential appointment.
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Brad
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
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The 6 reasons homes fail to sell in today’s market!
Like the old saying goes; “if all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail”, for many real estate agents, their solution to every single homes failure to sell is to “reduce the PRICE”. Some agents work expired listings and actually do nothing more than over focus on getting a price reduction rather than actually analyzing the overall marketing efforts and other factors that could have caused the failure. Unfortunately many home sellers don’t interview enough agents and/or select their agent based on commission, price opinion, or because they got a notepad left on their doorstep and after a month or two for sale the agent begins to send emails recommending price reductions. While certainly in some cases price is the issue, until the 5 other items are examined and executed on thoroughly it is absolutely premature to ask a seller to reduce their price in many cases. I’ve said this a million times if I’ve said it once, asking a home owner to reduce their price should be taken very seriously and treated like a doctor prescribing surgery to a patient. Just as a good doctor would not prescribe surgery to a patient without exhausting all other options, a good real estate agent should not recommend a price reduction unless all other options have been exhausted and of course as long as the home is priced fairly amongst the competition and comparables in the area.
Here are the 6 primary reasons a home fails to sell in today’s market:
1. EXPOSURE – Lack of exposure, negative exposure, over exposure, bad marketing, MLS misuse.
(While we all know that Exposure Creates Demand and Demand Drives Price, it also drives the sale! Not all agents and companies can provide adequate exposure. In past markets with low inventory levels and a high number of distressed properties on the market many companies and agents got by without much marketing and advertising. In today’s market, cutting corners can cost a seller money and cause some agents to over focus on price since their ability to market and advertise adequately is limited. When a home owner interviews a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Realtor they are often blown away by the amount of advertising and marketing we do for every listing in comparison to some competitors.)
2. TERMS – Impossible or difficult to meet terms can dramatically reduce the buyer pool. Ex. Cash only, Conventional only, difficult to finance properties, no contingent buyers, and even overly paranoid agents who use the agent remarks in the MLS to make it very difficult for buyers to submit offers. Ex. Unreasonably/unnecessarily large deposit required, unnecessary cross qualifications, other terms and restrictions listed unnecessarily in MLS.
(Always as sellers if they are open to carrying a first or second loan for a buyer, always fully explain the advantages and disadvantages of offering the property to contingent buyers as many sellers may not mind the risk and extra time in exchange for a higher sales price. Remember, it never hurts to get more offers and the seller can always counter terms during the negotiation process!)
3. DESIRABILITY – i.e. Condition, Location, Functionality, etc.
(Some of these you can control and improve and others you cannot, but addressing this is critical. Improving the condition of a home is something fairly easy to do if the seller can afford it, but there’s little that can be done about location of course.)
4. ACCESSIBILITY – Restrictive showing instructions, no lockbox, limiting showing hours, appointment only, etc.
(With thousands of homes on the market, many agents are looking to make their jobs easier and difficulty in showing will cause a reduction in showings, leading to fewer potential buyer opportunities. Unfortunately this is a reality, especially in higher inventory markets.)
5. COMMISSION – An uncompetitive co-op broker/buyers agent commission offering can potentially limit showings. While it may not be right or fair, let’s be honest here… If there are 3 similar homes on the market and one is offering 4%, another is offering 3%, and the other is offering 2%, which one do you think the buyers agent is going to go out of their way to show and sell? In most cases, a buyers agent has shown 20, 30+ homes over several months in some cases, it’s impossible to believe that they aren’t at least taking a passing glance at the commission being offered on the homes they are showing.
6. PRICE – A home should be priced very carefully and thoughtfully within a reasonable range of closed, pending, and active listing comparables while taking into consideration the current market factors, condition of the property, location, amenities, and many other factors. The best agents use very many factors as well as their depth of experience to properly recommend the right asking price for the property. If a home is not selling after adequate time on the market, and after the above 5 other items have been thoroughly executed, then it is reasonable to determine that price is the issue.
So whether listing a home for the first time or prospecting expired listings, being able to articulate the importance of 
these 6 items while providing a clear and concise analysis of each one along with a comprehensive plan to execute on the plan with guarantee success while ensuring that your seller achieves top dollar for their home.
As a Coldwell Banker agent, you have the most extensive marketing and advertising and will have no problem showcasing your ability to reach more potential buyers than any other firm. From our View Magazine with 1.2 million in distribution per month, to our massive online exposure, you can easily show a prospect that they have the best possible chance at achieving their price. Using the list above will enable you to have a professional discussion with your clients that will allow them to make solid financial decisions based on facts rather than opinions and they will know that if you are having a price reduction conversation with them, that you are doing so only after exhausting all other efforts.
If you are not with Coldwell Banker and you feel like your current firm has limited tools to enable you to adequately expose your listings to the market place, then it may be time to explore the opportunities at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage!
As always, it is my goal to help all agents grow and achieve success in Real Estate. If you are not already a Coldwell Banker independent sales associate, and would like to explore all that we have to offer our agents and our customers, please give me a call or email at 714-782-2723 or Brad.Pearson@camoves.com. Or visit http://www.WhyCB.com
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Brad
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One of the nicest things you can ever do for a home buyer that will build your business too!!!
Escrow is closed and your buyer is moved into their new home! What an accomplishment in a market where so many transactions are wrought with challenges. We are so happy to have helped our buyers get their home, and often feel like taking a bow in front of them after spending 30 to 45 days or more at maximum stress level working through one obstacle after the other to ensure a successful closing. Even in the “easy” transactions that go perfectly, we are so shocked and surprised sometimes that we sigh in relief at the closing and can’t wait to hand over the keys to the buyers and fulfill their dream of owning this home. If you’re a Coldwell Banker agent, there’s no doubt that you set them up with our Concierge Service and covered every base to make their move as smooth as possible. But there’s one thing that we rarely address aside from our normal conversations with our buyers during a transaction… The almost immediate lonely feeling of being out of place in new surroundings. From going from knowing all of their neighbors, to waving uncomfortably at their new neighbors they’ve never met on the way to work in the morning…they’re starting all over.
In this blog post, I will share a way that WE as Realtors can help our buyers feel more welcome in their new neighborhood, bring people together, and make a strong impact on them that they will never forget. By doing this simple and kind thing, you will strengthen your relationship with your buyers, as well as make a phenomenal impression on the immediate neighbors and very likely get more business from that neighborhood and more REFERRALS from your buyers.
For about $2-$5 you buy a large “Welcome to the Neighborhood” card (here’s a link to some
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http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-neighbourhood-cards/houses-welcome-to-the-neighborhood-583399?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_base&campaign=googleshopping&gclid=CLzStvbWvMACFSpp7AodoTEA9Q). Then simply go and knock the doors of the surrounding neighbors and ask them if they would like to write a short welcome message to your clients. NO ONE will say no, and most will be so appreciative of the proactive and thoughtful gesture you are making to gather these welcome messages. I’ve also suggested carrying extra cards with stamped envelopes for those neighbors who are not home with a note from you and your business card attached. If someone says they don’t have time, hand them an addressed and stamped card and envelope for them to take and write their message and drop in the mail later. How many should you do? My suggestion is to at the very least, try to get the immediate 10 homes across the street, and the 5 on each side of their home, but the more the better of course! Another great touch is to write a letter of introduction to your clients, with their permission of course. Here’s a great article that you could even use as a handout with the introduction letter: http://www.wikihow.com/Welcome-New-Neighbors
I can assure you that if you begin doing this for every buyer on every transaction you close, you will NOT have to even ASK the neighbors to list with you, or ask your buyer for referrals. YOU will have their business! Every agent that I’ve talked to that has done this has stories about their buyers literally getting emotional with sometimes tears of happiness when they read the notes from the neighbors. Another interesting thing happens very often too. Some of the neighbors are inspired by your gesture and actually go introduce themselves to the new buyers and a new relationship is sparked. All because of what YOU did.
Of course, if you are the type of person that likes to take things to a higher level, you can even host a “Let’s welcome our new neighbors!” party at the local home owners association, a local restaurant, or even another neighbors house.
Another great thing to do is to go visit all of the closest local businesses, restaurants, etc. and talk to the owner or manager, and ask them if they would like to sign the welcome card. You’ll find that many of them will even offer small gift cards & coupons that you could include when you deliver the finished card.
As always, I enjoy sharing strategies and ideas on ways to grow your business and improve the level of service we all provide to our clients. Of course, this is one of many unique strategies I share with the agents I work with and coach on a regular basis, and I am always open to sharing how a move to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage can help you dramatically grow your business! For more information please don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me at 714-782-2723 or Brad.Pearson@camoves.com .
To your continued success,
Brad
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Win with Expired Listings! by Brad Pearson
It’s 8 in the morning and you start your day (hopefully) by running that days expired listings. You review each listing and
after years of being taught that if a home failed to sell, “it must be the price” so you start to figure out how big of a price reduction is needed to make each listing salable, subject to seeing the home of course. Then you start making your calls or visits to set appointments to get the opportunity to try and get the listing at lower price so you can sell it. In this blog post I will offer you a much better strategy to get these listings and actually show the seller that YOU are the best choice for them to provide the opportunity to sell their home.
Let’s start with a addressing the elephant in the room… PRICE! The LAST thing these sellers want to hear is that they need to list with YOU and drop the PRICE. If PRICE was the only reason their home failed to sell, then they really don’t need to change agents, they just need to change the PRICE. So how much sense does it make to tell a seller that you’re the best agent with the best company, best marketing, advertising, etc. but they still need to drop their price $25,000? The whole scenario begs the question “If you’re so great, and we should list with you, then why are you telling us to drop our price?” This is why any agent worth their value propositions, should be willing to take that listing and at the least give everything they’ve got to try and accomplish what the other agent couldn’t do before even discussing price. A simple comparison to going right after price would be if you went to the doctor with a stomach pain and the immediate diagnosis is surgery. Any good doctor would try everything they could before deciding that surgery is the answer. In the same way, we as Realtors, should do anything we can to make absolutely sure that when we recommend a price reduction that we’ve exhausted all other options because to a homeowner, a price reduction is major surgery to them.
Let me suggest a simple, yet powerful strategy:
1. Run the full printouts and examine all of the data, photos, accessibility, location, commission, unnecessary hoops to jump through in agents remarks, etc. and look for reasons, other than price, that could have contributed to the home not selling.
2. Once you’ve discovered the areas that YOU could and would do BETTER, then go to the sellers home and share this with them with the following script;
“Mr. & Mrs. Seller, I’ve reviewed your previous multiple listing information and have determined that with some changes and improvements to the marketing of your home and the exposure that my firm and I can provide, that I may be able to get your home sold. What I can assure you is that IF I cannot sell your home in the next 30-45 days, then we will be able to accurately make the determination that price is the issue. But only after I do everything I can to properly expose your home to the market would I even consider suggesting a price reduction. I’d love the opportunity to sit down with you and show you everything that I and my firm do differently to get top dollar for our listings.”
With this approach it completely supports your entire listing presentation and value propositions. It also provides with the seller a solid and legitimate reason to list with you over re-listing with the previous agent who was likely pushing for a price reduction for weeks before the expiration.
Now it’s important that you actually can improve the marketing and offer improved exposure and presentation to the market! Here at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage we have incredibly powerful tools as well as an in house marketing expert that you can utilize to actually demonstrate to your prospect that you CAN and WILL dramatically 
increase the advertising and marketing for the home when they list with you. Tools like the View Magazine with 1.2 million copies distributed each month, the View China for international exposure, our exclusive FAB+ program, our powerful and free Social Made Simple social media program, professional photography, staging, Quickview internal exposure program, YouTube On Location exposure, etc. etc. etc. will set you apart from every agent in your marketplace and instill confidence in your seller that you have what it takes to drive traffic to their home.
As always, I am here to offer ideas, strategies, and coaching to help you grow your business. For more information on Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage please feel free to email/text/call Brad.Pearson@camoves.com or 714-782-2723.
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Brad
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I hear it all the time… “I don’t care about Facebook, I don’t have time to write a blog, Twitter is a waste of time, Instagram is for kids, Social Media is a fad, Social Media isn’t my thing, I’m too busy to do Facebook, I can’t figure it out, etc. etc.” I even hear from agents interviewing with me, that some of my competitors are adamant that they not only do not “do social media” but that they don’t “believe in it” and in some cases they even elaborate extensively on their reasons why. In this blog post, I want to address the whole social media allergy that appears to exist in the Real Estate business in hopes to bring some common sense to the importance and necessity of this incredibly powerful medium.
First and foremost, I want to make the most direct and impossible to argue with statement with regard to the reason to 
utilize social media in your business….. It has NOTHING to do what you think, feel, or believe about it… It simply and only matters what your CLIENTS think about it. I hope that makes sense. My simple point is that whether you are using social media or not, the first thing that you must accept is that your clients ARE. The decision NOT to participate in the social media revolution is the same as deciding that you do not wish to be where your clients are. It takes an immense amount of either ignorance or arrogance to believe that you can grow a business efficiently without the use of social media nowadays. It only takes a minute to Google “social media stats” to figure out that the quickest and most efficiently effective way to connect with large amounts of people at a very low or NO cost, is via the many different social media sites. Whether we like it or not, if we want to be “relevant” to a large segment of our own customer base we need to be where they are. Especially in the Real Estate business!
So, here’s the breakdown of my heading to this post and why I’m such a believer… Only 350 subscribers to this blog, the blog auto posts to over 1000 of my LinkedIn members, and to 150+ twitter followers, Google+, my 1000+ Facebook friends, I have two business Facebook pages that I can repost this to and share with up to another 2100+ people, then I can choose to “Boost” the post and specifically target thousands more people by location and/or interests. So at a bare minimum, if I do nothing but simply hit “Publish” I’m connecting to several thousand people in my sphere of influence and beyond. By writing one post per week on average, I’m staying top of mind to a lot of people on a very consistent basis with solid content, information, updates, ideas, news, etc. And it doesn’t cost me a dime! As a cool bonus, I can even track my visits, views, and overall traffic to this post so I know how many people took the time to read it. I can also see where they came from, i.e. email, facebook, twitter, google, etc. and what geographic area their IP address is where they accessed the blog. Oh, and I can also see if they clicked via a computer or a mobile device!
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With all of that said, I don’t want anyone to read this and think that they should run out and spend all of their time on Facebook and Twitter. As I describe in my business plan(available at http://www.BradPearsonOnline.com), I believe that a healthy business should have a solid plan that consists of 80% of business development strategies to be conducted OFFLINE, and 20% to be geared towards a solid and consistent ONLINE strategy. The better the online strategy, the more effective your offline strategy will be.
Here’s some ideas on how to combine offline and online business development:
-Connect with your entire Sphere of Influence and Past Client list on Facebook and Twitter. Actively interact with them and their posts. Post relevant, fun, interesting posts, and always present the best “YOU” online. Not too personal, but not too much business either. Use common sense. You can learn so much about your sphere on social media just by paying a little attention. Nothings better than already knowing so much about your friends and clients and having a warm opening the next time you meet offline!
-Connect on LinkedIn with all of your clients, past clients, prospects, SOI, etc. This is a great place to share each others businesses and support those who support you.
-Gain followers on Twitter by first following those with similar interests, those you know, meet, etc.
-Create a blog on Real Estate and invite all of your clients, past clients, prospects, SOI, etc. to subscribe. Then take 30 minutes per week to write an informative post on the market, and other topics related to Real Estate. Promote your blog on other Social Media as well as all offline marketing.
-Create a YouTube channel and post videos on Real Estate, your listings, marketing, etc. and promote on all other media offline and online.
-Create an Instagram account and post fun pictures of your Real Estate activities, your marketing, listings, etc. Connect with other social media so posts go elsewhere. Add the Instagram logo to your marketing with the others. Look connected and cool at the same time!
Very simply, combine everything you do offline to an online version! Always be thinking about how you can combine one with the other!
In the end, I challenge you to set some time aside and implement a solid online social media strategy to dramatically enhance your business, stay connected with your customers, gain knowledge, and share knowledge!
As always, I am here to help you grow your business regardless of company affiliation by sharing posts like this, other social media sites where I post, as well as offline in a free coaching meeting upon request. If you would like more information about affiliating with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, feel free to call/text or email me for a confidential appointment at Brad.Pearson@camoves.com or cell 714-782-2723.
Thanks for following my blog! Check out the video below for some fun info on the power of social media and the internet!
Brad
Video:
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Facebook Groups for growing your business! by Brad Pearson
At least once a week I find myself in a conversation with a real estate agent who shares with me their frustration with being able to stay in front of their database, grow their database, and bring value to their database on a consistent basis that will yield a return in quantifiable repeat and referral business. I find myself sharing all kinds of ideas with them that all require them to be a very active 
part of the contacting process. From mailing out note cards, newsletters, and making phone calls, to the horribly ineffective old fashioned email campaigns, it just seems like the challenge will never go away. The constant pursuit of something easier, some magical program, seems to be the mission. Yet within minutes of our discussions on this topic, we all find ourselves checking in on Facebook, commenting on posts, and looking to see what everyone is up to, etc. This got me to thinking and being an avid Facebook Group user and member of many different groups, and seeing others using Facebook Groups fairly effectively for many different reasons, I felt it was worth sharing some ideas on how agents could use this free feature to build, manage, and stay in close touch with their database as well as build captured audiences around them by being the creator and moderator of a their own Facebook Groups.
Let’s first define Facebook Groups… Definition according to Webopedia: Facebook Groups are pages that you create within the Facebook social networking site that are based around a real-life interest or group or to declare an affiliation or association with people and things. With a Facebook Group, you are creating a community of people and friends to promote, share and discuss relevant topics.
The definition alone should spark some thought and ideas. One of the greatest benefits of the internet is the ability to collaborate with others on subjects and topics that you share in common. I belong to several Facebook Groups on Real Estate, my community, my hobbies, politics, and business. I visit these groups constantly and have my notifications set to alert me to new posts by other members. When a post of interest is made, I can simply go to the group and read it, like it, and comment. Often times, there are spirited debates that take place in these groups, difference of opinions, etc. but overall, if we are in the group together, we share a common interest. The groups are very interactive and incredibly collaborative in nature. In one real example, I was reading a post on a group I’m in about quadcopters/drones, and was able to avoid a huge and expensive mistake that I was literally about to make that would have destroyed my motors on my drone. Situations like this and others happen every day on these kinds of groups. The power of collaboration amongst like minded people with similar interests is immense.
So, as a real estate agent, whom everyone is your potential client, it only makes perfect sense to not only join Facebook groups that meet your interest, local groups that bring you closer to your community, but it makes perfect sense for you to start your own groups! And frankly the more the better in my opinion. Let me share some ideas, but feel free to explore your own creativity to discover great ways of using these groups.
-Neighborhood group! Farm or live in a particular tract or community? Start a group for that community for all of the neighbors to stay in touch, share local information, collaborate, discuss neighborhood watch topics, yard sale announcements, etc. etc. Offer to manage a group for the local homeowners association even. This is a no brainer for real estate agents since we are always deeply involved in our communities and neighborhoods. Simply start the group and notify the neighborhood with visits, mailers, calls, etc. and before you know it you will have a few hundred people involved and loving YOU for creating it!
-Past Client & SOI business networking group! Create a group where all of your past clients and sphere of influence can connect and network their businesses.
-Local Business networking group! Create and invite all of the local business owners to connect with each other on this group and share ideas on growth and the local business climate and opportunities.
-Real Estate Information group! Create a local group just for real estate information to those interested in the area.
-Local hobbies, interests, sports, groups! Coach a local little league team? Start a group where games can be announced, posted, pictures can be shared, etc. Love fishing? How about a local fishing hot spot group for all of the nearby lakes in the city? Poker, bunco, etc. groups where games are announced. Local Golf group where information on the local golf courses can be shared, pictures, special prices, golf tips, videos, etc. Cycling group. Arrange group rides and share safety tips.
-Best Friends group! How about just starting a group for all of your friends so you can all stay in touch and share with each other.
-Family Group! Create a group for all of your close and distant relatives and reconnect everyone with each other. This group will collectively refer business to you so stay in front of them while bringing them all closer together.
-Charity Group! Create a group to support the local charities, or the cause that interests you the most. Love helping animals? Connect with others who are passionate about helping animals!
-Health and Fitness/Dieting group! Create a local group for people in the community that are focused on getting and staying healthy. Support people who have weight loss goals.
I can go on and on with ideas! There are no limitations on topics that will interest people. And if you are the person bringing this to them, then you end up with a captive private audience to promote yourself to subtly on a consistent basis while bringing something of value that they use daily.
As you’ve no doubt heard me say before, we as real estate agents need to give first, and be on a mission to help our communities and clients. Because none of us are completely defined by our jobs, it is important that we stretch beyond just the topic of real estate and work to connect and bring our communities together. A simple Facebook Group can help do that, and ultimately make you the real estate agent of choice amongst the group members!
Here is a link to learn how to create a Facebook Group in just a few simple minutes: https://www.facebook.com/help/167970719931213/?q=how+to+create+a+page&sid=0OK4UtwGVxhISdfMo
As always, I am here to help you grow your business regardless of company affiliation which is why I write this blog. With that said, I am always looking to add more great agents to our firm and office, so don’t hesitate to give me a call or text at 714-782-2723 or email at Brad.Pearson@camoves.com if you would like to discuss the opportunities at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage!
Now go create your groups!
Brad
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Yes… It really IS a numbers game! by Brad Pearson
So, after 21 years I’ve seen a thousand different ideas, tools, marketing programs, etc. on how a real estate agent can become productive or grow their business. Some are as simple as door knocking and as complicated as using neighborhood algorithms to try and determine who is going to sell their home next, but regardless of what the “strategy” only one thing remains the primary critical component to make ANY of them work…. NUMBERS! When it comes to growing a business, until and unless there is a strategy to contact, connect, and expose your offering to A LOT of people on a consistent basis, then NOTHING will work. In this blog post I want to just share a few examples of how you can take the simplest of strategies and grow your business exponentially.
Let’s look at the power of relatively small “numbers” combined with a couple of simple strategies that anyone can do:
1. If you simply wrote 5 handwritten personal notes to past clients, SOI, thank you’s, great meeting you’s, etc. per day, 5 days per week, 250 days per year only (allowing for a 2 week vacation), that would equal 1,250 handwritten personal notes! Considering the “high touch” factor of a personal note, it would be a near impossibility to not yield a good return of at least 1/2 of 1% at the worst case scenario, which would be 6 closed transactions at an average commission of $10,000 in Orange County, that’s $60,000!!!!
2. If you simply committed to handing out 5 of your business cards per day to perfect strangers and said “Hi, I’m ______, I know this is out of the blue, but I’m a local Realtor and looking to grow my business in (city/area), if you or anyone you know is thinking of buying or selling a home, I’d love to help!” This would be the same numbers as the above example and worst case scenario, add another 1,250 contacts and $60,000 to your bottom line!
3. If you simply CALLED 5 people per day that you know, or even that you don’t know, and simply offered your services as a Realtor once again, that would be another 1,250 people that you connect with, and another $60,000 in a year!
With these 3 extremely simple strategies, it is hard to dispute the sheer impact of the numbers with a modest 1/2 of 1% return over a year period, that would make you at least $180,000!!! Now if you are skeptical on my return percentage then go ahead and cut in in half… Then it’s still $90,000 for doing the most simplest of things on a daily basis! Cut in half again and it’s still $45,000! Not a bad return for writing a few notes, making a few calls, and handing out some business cards each day!
So now just think what could happen if you are a great presenter, great with scripts and dialogues, and relentless with follow up… what your return could be!
So why isn’t everyone making this kind of money in real estate? Here’s the answer… They don’t or won’t do these numbers on a consistent basis! And many just won’t do anything on a daily-consistent basis. Many agents will try different things and decide in a few weeks or a month that “it doesn’t work” and start looking for something new to do and then do that for a few weeks or months, and then keep repeating the process, yet if all they did was remain consistent and focused on building up the numbers with A FEW strategies, they would begin to see a huge return over time.
It is my absolute belief that those who decide to just stick with a few simple strategies on a short and long term basis, that they will, as many others do and have, find tremendous success in real estate!
As always, I am here to help, and talk about how a move to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage along with my free coaching could dramatically change your career for the better! Feel free to call or text me at 714-782-2723 or email me at Brad.Pearson@camoves.com .
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