April 14th, 2010
Foursquare may already have a place in Real Estate
So you may have heard of this new Social Media phenomenon using geo-tagging called Foursquare. It is the newest fastest growing game in the smartphone social media arena today.
If you want to get a great idea on how it works here is a great article from Realtor Magazine’s blog that gives you a better understating about the application.
I have only been using foursquare for a few days now but as I use it I find myself seeing ways that it would benefit the Real Estate Agent.
Think about this scenario.
You now have four square on your phone and you holding a Open House this Saturday. Foursquare is syndicated to your facebook account as well as your twitter account. When you arrive at your open house you now check in and mention that two blocks away is a great coffee shop so if your in the area you might want to grab a coffee and stop by this great home that you are holding open. If fact you may have checked into the coffee shop your self prior to arriving at your open house because you are the Mayor of that particular coffee shop! For the people in your network via twitter, or facebook, you have just pinged them with that info and who knows they may just stop by, if they are out and about. It is just another way to have a touch point with these individuals who use these applications daily.
Quote for the Realtor Magazine artilce that we should all think about
“Are you ready for this?
It’s coming. Apps like foursquare are the future of social media. The lines between online and face-to-face are blurred. Information is immediate, and can be pushed to a client, simply based on their location. It’s a huge opportunity and a scary risk, all at the same time. If you’re evaluating foursquare based on ROI, I think you’re missing the point. REALTORS® will need to be proficient on networks like these in the future. Might as well start figuring them out by playing this silly game. Now, who wants to go out and earn a “Don’t Stop Believing” badge with me tonight?”
So I want to know where will your next check in be?
March 25th, 2010
You need to put some thought into your social media engagement.
So because I have a blog and I am engaged everyday in social media this blog post and video from Social Media Examiner really appealed to me and I think you will find some great tips in it as well.
The main points I pulled from watching this is below.
1. You have to listen. Too many times we want to talk and get out what we want to say but if there isn’t an audience that wants to listen then it is wasted breath.
2. After you listen think a bit about how your going to engage. Be insightful, and don’t try to be interesting but rather be interested, there is a difference.
3. DON’T SELL!!! I can’t express this enough.
4. Stay focused on what it is that you are interested in, the people you are engaged with are there because of that particular topic.
5. Don’t try so much to get new people but really focus on the people you already have, and with that new people will come.
Would love to know if you have any additional ideas on this topic.
Thanks for taking the time.
March 22nd, 2010
What I learned at RE Bar Camp in Seattle last Friday!
It is always interesting what you are going to learn when you attend a BARcamp. Social Media was a very hot topic this year. I attended A few facebook classes and I also attended a few video blogging classes.
In the facebook class it was very obvious that agents are still a bit unsure of how to interact in this world. We are so ingrained to want to sell that we forget that Social Media doesn’t have the word sell in it. It was very clear that tools like Postlet’s auto facebook program is very frowned upon by facebook users. Just really posting listings in general is not something that anyone felt was a good idea. They went as far to even say that on Business pages it wasn’t a good idea.
If your going to use social media then here are some good things to think about.
- Be relevant: Reading that you just had breakfast, or your tired, doesn’t really count
- Add value in your post. If you do post a listing on the rare occasion then tell us what is great about that home or why do you find it so unique.
- Be a facilitator: People everyday on face book have questions and needs. Identify them then facilitate answers or resources for those individuals.
- Engage: A single sided relationship is just that. It will never be successful.
- Listen to what people are saying: My dad told me we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.
- Use Lists to sort your friends: Facebook has a great sorting tool with creating lists. This way you can better focus your attention on the people you want to interact with daily.
- Be a real Person: Remember these are your friends you are interacting with and they want the real you, not the stuffy sales person always talking business.
March 17th, 2010
Don’t be the shut in non social neighbor!
Have you ever been sitting inside on a warm sunny day with the windows open and you hear lots of chatter outside? You open the front door only to find all your neighbors out in their front lawns talking, their kids are playing and climbing trees. So you venture out and next thing you know and hour has gone by and you have enjoyed interacting with your neighborhood.
The real estate business 10 years ago vs today is still the same. Being successful is based on building strong, solid, trustworthy relationships. It is about interacting with your tribe and Seth Godin would say. Well look at this news as of yesterday.
Yep! Facebook visits beat Google. What does this mean?
It means that the neighbors, about 425,000 of them are out in their social media front yards talking with each other every day. If you are not on facebook then it is the equivalent of being a shut in your home on a sunny summer day with all the windows closed and the shades pulled, not able to hear the chatter.
We all know what neighbors say about that person living in that house don’t we? Don’t be that person. Get out there and facebook.
March 15th, 2010
Are you genuine with your customer base?
Recently I had the pleasure of sitting down with Julie Hall over a cup of coffee to talk about her approach to being a successful gen Y real estate agent. Julie is a successful Associate Broker in our Renton office but her approach to engaging with her clients is different than what a traditional agent is doing today.
Julie is in her 4th year in real estate getting her start in 2006. In her third year in the business she was one of the high-producing agents in her office during one of the worst years in real estate. I was curious how a 28 year old new agent could do so well compared to many veteran agents in the real estate industry who were struggling.
My first question for Julie was “where does your business come from?” Here response was “Facebook.”
Julie has a very simple, genuine, and direct approach. She said by being involved in Facebook, people in her circle of friends post life changing events everyday and that allows her to be in their life. All she does at that point is interact with those individuals, whether providing a resource, lending an ear, or telling them she “likes” what they are doing. You won’t see her selling or bragging about her business. What you will see is Julie being Julie. On any given day you may see her say things like:
“CONGRATS to the Cronk’s today! We are doing final walk-through and signing for their new Quadrant home.” or
“Helping my client clean his hot tub, now keep your fingers crossed that it works! Can’t wait for hot tub Thursdays!”
In addition to celebrating client’s opportunities and victories you may also see Julie supporting her friends and their accomplishments, for example:
“Lisabet is great ~ if you think you want some spa love during the day think about using Mod Beauty Squad! Fan them on FB too.” (after recently seeing Lisabet on Evening Magazine).
I asked Julie to sum up for me what it is about Facebook that allows her to stay so connected to her circle of friends?
She replied “I get an opportunity to be a part of the small things in their lives that a cocktail party might not reveal; little things that can start huge conversations. There are many ways to integrate yourself into a conversation without being in their face all of the time. I also have the opportunity to meet people connected to my friends that I could not necessarily meet in another way - I have had many couples become clients because I have stayed in touch with them throughout their transition, whether a wedding, divorce, or a move. I look for change. Facebook is also a good chance to quickly brand yourself as an expert - I get many questions from friends because of how easy it is to use FB while staying in their comfort zone (and not scary to call up a real estate office).”
Julie wants other real estate agents to know that this has not happened overnight. She makes a conscious effort to grow her pool of friends and create quality relationships. She joined Facebook about 6 years ago. Since then Facebook has become a larger tool for social networking.
Now, go make friends and Facebook!
March 2nd, 2010
Something to consider when buying a home…
Having lunch today with a friend and we got on the topic of customer service. He was upset because over the weekend he was working with a very large bank that will remain nameless, trying to approve a business line of credit. He was frustrated because he felt as if he was being treated like a number, just a small cog in this big banks red tape process, and no one seemed to really care about him
whatsoever. I asked him to tell me what he would deem to be amazing customer service.
The first thing he said was that he wanted to at least feel like they care. I said, “Well, how do you measure that? How do you know at any point they care?” He said:
· when he feels like the relationship is genuine
· when the conversations is more about why he needs this line, vs. what the process is to get the line
· when there is daily communication, good or bad, about what is needed
· when questions are answered before they are asked
· when the person working for him is two steps in front of him making sure that any possible problems are anticipated and dealt with together, keeping him in the loop
· when his questions are answered in a timely manner
At the end of the day, they know who he is and what he is about. They are now on his side making sure the services he is getting will end with a positive result. And no matter what it takes, the job will get done, and there are no surprises .
He said, “I’m not asking for a miracle I just what a loan!” I laughed, but he had a point. So now I was curious. I wanted to know what other people deem to be great customer service. What better place to go then to yelp.com and see what is being said.
Here are just a few I found.
“She doesn’t just know her way around houses, she is very well versed in real estate law, and can handle even the trickiest of transactions with grace and a genuinely vested interest in the happiness of both parties.”
“He worked wonders in negotiation and helped us land an amazing house. I fully recommend Kevin, he is a good soul that wants to see you happy in your new home!!”
“Kimberlee is a one of a kind agent. She takes your real estate needs and expectations personally and ensures everything goes smoothly. Kimberlee gives a 150% to all her clients!”
“I really can’t say enough good things about Desiree and also her assistant Jesse. Bottom line is that their attention to detail, expertise, friendly and amazing service have made a daunting process accessible and almost pleasurable. If you’ve ever bought your first house you’ll know it’s a roller coaster no matter who your agent is because of all the emotional attachments plus the seller, lender, inspection issues. Good agents practically become counselors – helping you to manage your expectations and emotions and stay focused and on-track with what is really possible and achievable and Desiree really excelled at this.”
“Through the whole process, even though she had other clients, we always felt like the top priority. They say that buying a house is stressful but we didn’t think so. Domenica even helped us find a great mortgage broker. The whole process was totally painless, she let us make decisions and was frank and honest when reality checks were needed.”
As you can see, they all have a common theme, just like my friend wanted. You! The customer wants to know that he or she is taken care of, that the company cares, that the company is professional at what we do. And that your stress is minimized because someone has your back. So the whole point to this post is this: As you demand quality services, seek out the professionals that have a proven track record, or come highly recommended. Find the individuals you connect with and then establish a relationship that is based on trust and great communication. If you do this, I guarantee your customer service expectation will be exceeded.
February 17th, 2010
What makes a great leader?
This came to me today via e-mail from a co worker of mine (Scott Wetzel). I got to thinking about our business in real estate and how we may come across sometimes to our clients. In today’s world your buyers and sellers need a person to lead them down a road of success and home ownership. In reading these guidelines they fall right in place in terms of how you as a real estate professional should be showing up and working with your clients. I say this because I have seen in our business where we beat our own chests and fight for power, and place big titles on ourselves to try and make us look bigger and better than we are. The fact of the matter is that doesn’t work. So read this and see, Are you a good leader?
What gives a man or woman the right to lead?
It certainly isn’t gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank, or degrees doesn’t qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn’t come automatically from age or experience, either.
No, it would be accurate to say that no one can be given the right to lead. The right to lead can only be earned. And that takes time.
The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. You must become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go.
As you prepare yourself to become a better leader, use the following guidelines to help you grow:
1. Let go of your ego.
The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. Perhaps that is why Lawrence D. Bell remarked, “Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things, and I’ll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things.”
2. Become a good follower first.
Rare is the effective leader who didn’t learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United State Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first - and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School.
3. Build positive relationships.
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. That means it is by nature relational. Today’s generation of leaders seem particularly aware of this because title and position mean so little to them. They know intuitively that people go along with people they get along with.
4. Work with excellence.
No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.
5. Rely on discipline, not emotion.
Leadership is often easy during the good times. It’s when everything seems to be against you - when you’re out of energy, and you don’t want to lead - that you earn your place as a leader. During every season of life, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.
6. Make adding value your goal.
When you look at the leaders whose names are revered long after they have finished leading, you find that they were men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential. That is the highest calling of leadership - and its highest value.
7. Give your power away.
One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. You’re meant to be a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp.
February 17th, 2010
The new Windermere Beta search site launched.
Yesterday Windermere launched their improved home page. Preview.windermere.com After lots of feed back from the public we realized there were some features that we needed to bring back. You will now see on the main page the ability to use a general map, advanced search parameters, and better organization of over all information. You will also notice a red feedbcack tab. We really want to hear from you as to what you like and what you don’t like, and don’t hold back.
Thanks for taking the time
February 4th, 2010
What do you know about your customers?
Think about this for a min “Today, if you go to an important meeting and you haven’t bothered to Google the person and their company, it’s practically an offense. Your about to spend an hour together and you couldn’t be bothered to look them up? It’s expected, no longer amazing.”
With the Internet being what it is today there is a lot of information you can find out about someone for the sake of establishing a better more personal relationship. The business you are in is based on a foundation of strong transparent relationships. What do you know about your customer so the next time you meet with them they are impressed that you remembered. Remember showing up just as a business person isn’t all the matters today. Learn to connect and find the little things that make a big difference.This post was sparked by an article I read from Seth Godin’s blog. Called
What’s expected vs. what’s amazing
February 3rd, 2010
There isn’t an app for that!
As I was driving in today to work and listening to track 13 of the new Black Eye Peas CD called (Now Generation) it made me think about the world we live in today. We really have become a now generation. We want everything to be instant and without flaw and to have little face to face interaction. This week I was out on a walk with a friend of mine and we were looking at beautiful homes in Capitol hill. He said” hey how do I find out what these homes are selling for?” He pulled out his I phone and said” isn’t there a app for that?” I just laughed and said yeah there is a ton. He procedded to open one up and it wasn’t working to his satisfaction so he said “don’t they understand this frustrates me?” Again I laughed and realized that this has become the world in which we live in. As a company that prides itself on customer services and making sure we take care of our buyers and sellers to the best of our ability we have to better understand the now generation.
We can make all the wiz-bang applications that give information to hand held devices, and have websites that search with a fine tooth combs but what really matters at the end of the day is the quality of the Real Estate professional who understands the ins and out of this maze your are about to embark on with buying or selling a home. With the litigious society we live in and the complication of a real estate transactions today you need to know that the professional you decide to hire is prepared and skilled at guiding you through this process with little to no injury. And I have to tell you there isn’t a app for that!
