Selling Soulfully with Jennifer Allan

Prospect with Soul for Real Estate Agents - The Cover Decision - THIS one? Or THAT one?

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:32:30 -0500

Hey, friends. Here's an easy Friday project for ya.

I just finished up the design of the cover of my upcoming book, Prospect with Soul for Real Estate Agents (well, I didn't DO the design, of course; but I micro-managed the process!). I'm down to one decision and the vote so far is tied 4 to 4.

Of these two covers, which one which one do you prefer? They're identical except for the placement of the subtitle.

I know, I know, hardly the most important decision in the world, but I can't seem to make it myself.

Help me out? Option 1? Or Option 2?

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

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Using Your Contact Management System to "SOI" - Free SWS Webinar on Thursday

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 07:17:24 -0500

On January 6th, in the SWS Virtual Studio, we did a little show on Using Contact Management to Sell with Soul. Judging from the post-show questions, comments and generally positive feedback, the topic is of much higher interest to the real estate community than I gave it credit for!

So...on January 27th (tomorrow), we're going to pick up where we left off and SHOW you (not just tell you) how to use your contact management system to generate business and referrals from your sphere of influence - that is - how to use the conTACT management features of your system to soulfully reconnect and stay in touch with the people you know... and the people you meet.

If you don't have a contact manager yet, don't despair! The show will still be helpful and informative and might just inspire you to take that next step and commit to getting a contact management system of your very own. I hope it does, anyway. It really is important.

Using webinar technology (that is, you'll be able to follow along on the computer screen as I demonstrate various techniques), I'll walk you thru how I use contact management technology to, to put it bluntly, make money. It's pretty simple stuff, actually, but in so many cases, simple is ... simply better.

We'll talk about acknowledging birthdays and other important dates; how to group and categorize your sphere without overdoing it; how to set up action plans and tasks to stay in touch your sphere of influence both on an individual basis and with mass-communications projects. Stuff like that.

Again, we'll be using webinar technology, so you'll need to be in front of a computer with a high-speed connection to get the most out of the show.

Oh, one more thing. If you don't have a contact management system and are looking for one, try mine. It's called Ixact Contact and you can get a 60-day free trial by signing up here: http://www.ixactcontact.com/JALM. I highly encourage you to explore the site a little before the show so that it looks familiar to you, which will make it easier to follow along.

Join us?

THE DETAILS
Date: Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Time: 8:00am Pacific / 9:00am Mountain / 10:00am Central / 11:00am Eastern (you'll need to show up a few minutes early to download the webinar software!)
Duration: 60 - 90 minutes
Equipment Needed: A computer with a high-speed connection and speakers.
Cost: Free to attend live, but you must register, HERE.

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR HERE!

THE CONTACT MANAGEMENT WITH SOUL SERIES
Part I - The Unanswered Questions
Part II - The Two Things a Contact Manager Should Do Very Well
Part III - Creating Reasonable Expectations for Your Contact Manager
Part IV - "But I Can't Afford a Contact Management System!"
Part V - Contact Management Pays for Itself - if you use it!
Part VI - Which System do I Recommend?

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Contact Management with Soul - Which System Do I Recommend?

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:55:15 -0500

(Maybe THIS post will get me over that 300,000 points mark!)

So, the burning question! Which system do I recommend...?

Well, I'll tell you what I use and therefore, feel comfortable recommending. It's not the only option, obviously; there are gazillions of (well, maybe a few dozen) real-estate-specific contact managers, and I'm sure some of them are fabulous (and I'm equally certain that some of them aren't).

Let me disclaim that I'm not an expert on contact management from a choose-the-best-one perspective. However, I am a bit of a power user of the two "jobs" I believe a contact manager should do well, and I have test-driven enough systems to know that all CMS's are not created equal in performing those two jobs (to read about the two "jobs" I think a CMS should do well, go here.)

I'm using and loving Ixact Contact. It's a Canadian company, but I haven't found anything in it that makes it "foreign" for USA'ers. It does (almost) exactly what I want it to do, (almost) exactly how I want it to do it, without much muss, fuss or extensive learning curve. I've been using it about two months now and have only found a few issues to, complain about gripe about mention to Ixact Contact management, some of which they've already addressed and others are on the list to address. But even these issues are pretty easily worked around in the interim.

What I like about Ixact Contact (well, one of the things) is that it does a lot of things without doing A LOT of things if that makes sense. No, it probably doesn't, so allow me to explain.

Anyone who has used Top Producer is aware of its steep learning curve. But once you've mastered the program, you probably love it because TP will do almost ANYTHING you can think of, if you can just figure out how to make it do it. But that's a big IF for most users. A huge IF. And many new Top Producer users throw up their hands in frustration after a few hours of messing with the program and kick themselves for agreeing to a one year contract on a program they don't understand.

Well, Ixact is what I call "Top Producer OFF Steroids." It does a lot of things, but not so many things that you can't figure out how to do the basics. As a former Top Producer power user, I do get a little befuddled occasionally with Ixact because it doesn't do some obscure thing I want it to do, but I'm realizing that's part of the beauty of it.

Anyway, I've gotten rave reviews from the agents I've sent to Ixact Contact, so I feel pretty good recommending it to anyone who doesn't yet have a contact management solution they're happy with.

It's $35/month (no set-up fee or contract required - woo hoo!). If you'd like to get the Friend of SWS 60-day trial (as opposed to the "regular" 35-day one they offer standardly), just go here.

And, join us on Thursday morning for the first ever SWS Webinar on Using Your Contact Manager to ‘SOI'!" Details and Registration HERE!

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Contact Management with Soul - Contact Management Pays for Itself! (If you use it, that is...)

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:12:10 -0500

A few days ago, I posted a blog about how I don't buy the argument that a real estate agent can't afford to purchase a contact management system because that extra $10 or $20 or $35 or $39/month just ain't in the budget. You can read it here.

Today I'll be a little more upbeat and a little less preachy and explain why I made the claim in the above-noted blog that good Contact Management can and should pay for itself, many times over.

There are two general ways a CMS pays for itself, both, not coincidently, based on the two general things I believe a contact manager should do Very Well (those would be contact management and conTRACT management).

Managing Your Contacts
First, a CMS should enable you to create and maintain a database of everyone you know. But it's what you do with that database that will make you money.

What can you do with your database to make money?

You can remember and acknowledge birthdays of the people you know. You can print out a list of your Group One (your social network) and ask two people from that list to lunch every week. You'll have a handy place to enter the contact information of new people you meet and add them to your go-to-lunch-or-coffee activities or send them your monthly mass-email and annual calendar. You can take notes on conversations you've had with friends and acquaintances and set a reminder to follow-up with them in a week or two to "see how it went" (whatever the "it" is).

Simple simple stuff! Yet, without a contact manager, even a rudimentary one, most of these easy, friendly, stay-in-touch activities simply won't get done. And I guarantee you'll forget all about 90% of the people you're meeting out there in the world...and they'll forget about you. A year goes by... and two... and three... and then you wake up one morning and realize you've lost thousands of dollars in commissions because you lost touch with most of the people you know, and never followed-up with all those people you've met. You didn't mean to, of course, but without a CMS, it's tough to do even a marginally good job of keeping track of those Very Important People In Your Life who can send you business.

If you don't have (and use) a CMS, I'll bet $100 that you've lost over $10,000 (at least) in potential paychecks every year you've been a real estate agent. Probably more.

Managing Your Contracts
The second way a CMS will pay for itself is by helping you stay on top of your transactions - that is - conTRACT management. And this will pay for itself in multiple ways as well!

When you're on top of your business, your clients are being well-taken care of - and they will notice! When you do the things you promised to do when you promised to do them; when you contact your client with updates before they have to contact you; when you head off problems before they even arise; when you always appear to be on top of their transaction - you'll have yourself one (or a dozen) impressed client(s) who will be delighted to spread the word of your impressiveness to the world.

But what's really sweet about having and using good conTRACT management is that you won't screw up - at least - not nearly as much as you might without it. When you have fully customized checklists and action plans keeping you on track, things don't slip through the cracks. And when things don't slip through the cracks, you don't have to open your checkbook to fix problems nearly as often. For example, once I got to pay for a thorough housecleaning on my listing after the seller moved out because he "forgot" to do it. So, my Listing-Under-Contract checklist now includes "Verify that seller has arranged cleaning after move-out."

Another time, I got to write a check because I hadn't verified that the HOA fee advertised in the MLS was correct... and it wasn't. We didn't find out until we were all sitting at the closing table and my buyer was, to put it mildly, annoyed. The listing agent (who made the error) wouldn't ‘fess up to his mistake, so it fell to me to make things all better. Which I did, to the tune of over $500. Now, right there on my Buyer-Under-Contract checklist is a line that says "Verify the HOA Fee."

So, the moral of these stories is to assure you that if you commit to using a contact management system in your business, it will pay for itself. Over and over. I promise.

p.s. On January 27th, there will be a live webinar in the SWS Virtual Studio on the topic of using a contact manager to, well, make money! Unlike previous such programs, this will be a show-n-tell demo (that is - there will be visuals associated with the show) where I'll demonstrate various ways you can use a contact management system to get in touch and stay in touch with your sphere of influence. Details and registration here: www.sellwithsoul.com/cms2. I'll be using Ixact Contact for the demo, but the principles will likely apply to any contact management system you already use or are considering.

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Contact Management with Soul - The Series - "But I Can't Afford A Contact Management System!"

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:07:43 -0500

First things first... I'm an old married woman as of Saturday! Yay!

Second things next... hoping today's blog puts me over the 300,000 points mark...

And now onto today's message...

After my first contact management teleseminar show on January 6th, I got a bunch of emails from attendees telling me they appreciated my passion for contact management, but simply couldn't afford it right now. Many asked if I knew of a system that was free or very low cost since, they reiterated, they couldn't afford an additional $35/month.

$35/month.

Okay, I totally 100% understand that times are tough. That budgets are tight. That every dollar coming into the household (or not, as the case may be) must be accounted for and spent wisely. Oh, how I get that and frankly, I'm proud of my listeners that they aren't just jumping on a bandwagon to spend spend spend just ‘cause I told them they should buy something!

BUT

Two things.

First, you should never purchase a system, tool or program that will not cover its cost, either in hard dollars or by saving you time (with which you can go out and earn some hard dollars). I will never recommend that you purchase anything for your business that won't, at the very least, pay for itself (assuming you use it), with the goal, of course, being that it pays for itself many times over.

So, rest assured that when I recommend that every real estate agent purchase a good contact management system, I do so with the expectation that they will make money from their investment.

Second (brace yourself, this might sting a little), you are in business for yourself. You are self-employed. You made the leap of faith into selling real estate knowing (hopefully) that you would no longer be protected by that regular-salaried, benefits-included, vacations-paid J O B you left. Selling real estate professionally is not a hobby. It's not (hopefully) a side gig that you do because you have a little spare time. It's your career; it's your profession. And it's up to YOU and YOU only to invest in the tools you need to be successful. And if you're at the point where $35/month breaks the budget, it might be time to re-evaluate whether or not you're doing the right thing by you and your family by being self-employed at this time.

Oh, sure we all have tight months - myself included - where we truly don't know where the money's gonna come from to pay for our Rainmaker blog or send out that month's marketing postcard or, shoot, feed the dogs. But that shouldn't be your reality month-to-month-to-month. If it is, it may be time for a little soul-searching. But that's a topic for a different day.

Back to contact management, is that $35/month you'll pay for contact management the magic bullet? No, not at all. ‘Specially if you don't use it! Do you HAVE to have Contact Management to survive as a real estate agent? Again, no, not at all. But in this gal's opinion, having good contact management in place can change your professional life and should be on your list of investments to make in yourself and your business, preferably sooner than later.

Next time, I'll expand on what I mean by contact management paying for itself...

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Contact Management with Soul - The Series - Creating Reasonable Expectations for Your Contact Manager

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:31:05 -0500

Okay, picking up from yesterday's blog about using contact management to Sell with Soul, let's talk today about creating reasonable expectations for your contract management system (aka CMS).

There's a natural desire among us human being types (‘specially us self-employed creatures) to be as efficient as we can with our money and our time, and, apparently, the space in our purses or pockets. Thus, the evolution of the All-in-One printer/scanner/fax/copier/sandwich-maker, the smart phone data device and yes, the contact management system.

I wrote a blog last month about how I tossed my Palm Pre smart phone out the window and went back to having two devices - one to make phone calls and one to handle emails when I'm on the road. After trying out several all-in-one devices that promised the world, I found that, fancy as they were, none of them did much of anything to my satisfaction. Once I fired back up my old LG flip phone and my vintage Blackberry Curve, my life improved exponentially. I've never looked back!

Well, I think it's the same with Contact Management. Most claim to provide a kitchen-sink level of features and services; from email management to newsletter creation to market snapshots to CMA's to contract preparation.

Impressive.

But I'm not impressed. All these extraneous features, in my experience, are clunky and imperfect. Yes, they will do newsletters, but, oh wait, the ability to track opens or include your fancy signature isn't available yet, but will be in the next upgrade "sometime next year!" Yes, it will create a CMA for you, but not in all markets and, no, that particular report isn't available, but will be in the next upgrade! Yada yada yada.

Here's the thing. We claim to be professionals; therefore, it only makes sense that we choose to use the BEST systems, tools and programs to run our businesses. And it's highly unlikely that one system, tool or program can possibly be the BEST at everything you need a system, tool or program to do for you.

A CMS is simply one tool to help you run your business, and, as described in yesterday's blog, it needs to do contact (and conTRACT) management Very Well. If you can find a CMS that you are happy with in those two areas, you're golden.

Don't expect it to do everything else for you - does a surgeon have only one-size scalpel? Does your family doctor only prescribe one drug? Does your hairstylist only have one pair of scissors?

No, and as professional real estate agents we should search out and commit to having the best tools and systems, both to build our businesses with and to serve the clients we're honored to be hired by.

If I were selling real estate today, here are the various tools/systems/programs I would have, all (or most) provided by different companies:

Contract preparation software
Remote document-signing software
Off-line MLS software
A contact manager to keep track of my SOI and manage my transactions
A mass-email/newsletter program
A CMA program
A listing presentation "program" (this would just be Microsoft Word and Publisher)
A Blackberry or other mobile data device
A good cell phone, separate from the Blackberry
An internet aircard, in addition to my cable internet at home
A good printer
A scanner (hopefully I could use the one at my office when I need high-level scanning capabilities)
A GPS
A website with IDX and lead capture
A blog (or two or three or twelve)

Do all these systems/tools/programs cost money? Yep. Most anyway. Am I made of money? Nope. Not these days. But they are the tools of my trade, so it's my duty to have them.

And that's the subject of an upcoming blog - "But what if I can't afford...?!"

Until next time...!

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Contact Management with Soul - The Unanswered Questions - Answered!

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 10:07:09 -0500

Over 350 people signed up and about 75% showed up for last Thursday morning's show about Using Your Contact Management System to Sell with Soul. Wow - I guess it was a Hotter Topic than I expected it to be - I figured it would just me and a handful of other technologically-curious agents who had nothing much better to do on a Thursday morning. (If you missed the show, you can purchase a recording of it HERE for $3.99)

Anyway, lots of folks showed up and asked lots of good questions - 30 pages worth to be exact. Couldn't get to all of them during the show, so, as promised, here are some of the Q's (with A's) that went unanswered during the show.

(Oh, before I proceed, several listeners asked questions about the specific contact management system I recommended at the end of the show. I didn't have all the answers, so I've referred those Q's to my contact at Ixact Contact to answer for me... so... if you attended the show and don't see your unanswered question below, that's probably why! Stay tuned.)

Q from Loreena
Why wouldn't you use a contact manager as your sole contact management tool? That is - why do you use a separate email system? (I mentioned during the show that I use Windows Live Mail for my general email, not the email program in my contact management system.)

A from JA
I believe that you should use the best tool or system for the job, so I use a lot of different task-specific systems in my business. Windows Live Mail does email - very well, and doing email very well is probably more important to me than anything else. It's not worth it to me to sacrifice function for the simplicity of only having one "all-in-one" system. In my experience, contact managers are not fully-functioning email programs.

Q from Sabrina
What program do you recommend for CMA's? I use Top Producer, but that is all I use it for. I would like to switch to Ixact, and cancel with TP, but I do like their CMA's.

A from JA
I'm not familiar with TP's CMA's, but in my experience and opinion, the best CMA's are done through your own local MLS. I prepared my CMA's using reports from my MLS, not the actual CMA program because I was never quite satisfied with the information the CMA-specific program came up with. Just my opinion. But if the only reason you're using TP is to do CMA's, I'm sure there's a better solution locally!

Marie in Canada comments - Prospects is a relatively simple CMS with a great support system and it's FREE....covered by our fees with our Board

Q from Connie
Can you recommend a contact management system to install on your computer? (she's referring to a contact manager that is housed on the computer as opposed to accessed online.

A from JA
I've heard good things about Advantage xi and REST. I've never tried any of them, though. Any other feedback is welcome!

Q from Dee
If my Group 1 and Group 2 are very small should I start using a contact manager? (for the uninitiated, Group 1 is my social network; Group 2 is everyone else)

A from JA
Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps if you're using and paying for a contact manager, you'll be inspired to increase the number of contacts in it! But regardless of whether you use a CMS or not, the size of your contact database is directly related to the size (or rather, number of) your paychecks. The more people who know you, like you, and know that you sell real estate, the more real estate you'll sell. So, perhaps the first step is to meet more people, with a plan to keep them organized and stayed-in-touch with... which may very well include a contact management system.

Q from Sarah
What do you think about gifts for past clients around the holidays or new year to stay in touch? I make homemade chocolate sauce each year and I am not sure if is something to continue. It's personal..they like it....but is something like this tacky? I dont want to be the tacky realtor who gives gifts that people don't really want. Should a realtor ask a client if they are enjoying it?

A from JA
I think that's a perfect holiday gift and I don't see anything tacky about it at all. But if you're wondering if it's appropriate...ask yourself... would you enjoy receiving homemade chocolate sauce and/or would you think it's tacky? And give (or don't give) accordingly! (You might want to read my related blog: "Doo-Dad unto others..."). But no, don't ask people if they like it. It'll either sound like you're fishing for compliments or feeling insecure.

Q from Sarah
I'm in a book club. We never talk real estate..everyone knows that I am a realtor...I want them in my SOI.....I would love to meet them for coffee...it feels a bit "awkward" to meet them for coffee when the only reason I would meet them at the time is because I am in real estate, but I will do it and be good at it.....what is the end result of this? Is it keeping my name in their minds? or just keeping in touch?

A from JA
Great question! I advise that you go out for coffee with people you'd enjoy having coffee with. Period. If you stick to this strategy, you'll find plenty to talk about without begging for business (ugh). Don't try to be friends with everyone in the club unless you truly feel friendly with everyone! Just take it slow, one relationship at a time... and, as I'm sure you know, leave your sales pitch in the car and just be YOU.

Q from Maureen
How often do you suggest contacting people in our SOI? And, do you suggest contacting them with the same means in a row?? i.e. postcards each time, letters.

A from JA
First, you might want to read my series on this topic which begins here: "How often does your SOI need to hear from you?" Personally, I send a mass-email every month (of interest to them, not about real estate) and 3 postal mailings a year to everyone in my SOI. I also try to touch base with everyone in my Group 1 at least once a quarter with a coffee date, phone call or personal email exchange. But as you'll see in the comments of the series, everyone has a different opinion on the matter!

Q from Jennifer (not JA)
Should you house/store prospects you meet from Open Houses? Would these be Social Network/Group 1?

A from JA
I would enter contacts from open houses into my database if we made a connection and there seemed to be some mutual interest in pursuing a professional relationship. I would not add people who simply signed in (if I required sign-in which I don't) and left without a good conversation. In all likelihood, the folks I do add to my database would not be in my social network (Group 1) at this point, although that could happen later of course! Here's a short series I did on the topic of getting contact information from open house visitors.

Q from Brian
Do people in Group 2 move into Group 1?

A from JA Absolutely! Not all the time, but sure, if someone isn't a "friend" today but becomes a friend later for whatever reason... that's great!

Karen from Canada comments: I tried Agent Office and Top Producer...and recently changed to a system in Canada called Prospects that is so intuitive I don't even know where the help button is!

Q from Anonymous
What do you do if your contact doesn't have an email address?

A from JA
Are you asking if they don't HAVE one or if you don't know it? If they don't have an email address then you'll just have to stay in touch the best you can via other methods they are comfortable with. Don't fret about it or make any big effort; just include them in your regular mailings, whatever those may be and if you're comfortable doing so, call 'em up every once in awhile or go out for coffee.

Q from Loreena
I'm on the hunt to find a system that is trackable (opens, clicks, etc.). What are your views on the importance of knowing the trackable information?

A from JA
I used to find it fascinating to see who opened my emails and clicked on what, but I rarely look anymore. I'm sure there's some value to that information, but aside from curiosity, I'm not sure what. I suppose if you have a big enough sampling, you'll get a feel for which topics are "click-worthy" or which subject lines inspire the most opens. I do look to see how many people open my newsletters and the subject line does make a huge impact, but I don't look to see who, specifically, opened them. I'm also not convinced that the data is all that accurate.

Q from Antoinette
How often do you need to do email campaigns?

A from JA
See my response to Maureen, above, and do take a look at the blog series referenced there!

Q from Heather
I was wondering,,,I am having problems keeping track of who I have "touched" and how I "touched" them, Is there an easier way to do that?

A from JA
A contact management system will do that for you... if you let it! That is, if you add notes to your contacts' profiles after each "touch." You can also get a little fancier and set up action plans in a contact manager to remind you to do your touches, so you'll know that they're getting done. Curious - what sorts of "touches" are you forgetting about? Mailings? or more personal encounters?

Q from Kate
Will you talk about what is covered in the follow up class? Thanks!

A from Jennifer
Thanks for the nudge! I'm doing a follow-up show on January 27th (stay tuned for registration details) where I'll demonstrate on a live webinar the various ways I use my contact management system to generate business and referrals from my SOI. It's fairly simple stuff, by design, 'cause I believe simpler is usually better. Specifically, I plan to talk about acknowledging birthdays, setting up action plans to stay in touch, grouping your contacts without getting carried away; stuff like that.

If you'd like to comment on any of the questions and share your experience and knowledge, please do! And watch this space for an upcoming series on Contact Management - the topic has inspired me to write write write, it appears!

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Using Your Contact Management System to Sell with Soul (A Free SWS Teleseminar)

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:13:48 -0500

Contact Management! Woo Hoooooo! Now THIS is a topic you've been waiting all year (well, six days anyway) for, huh?!

Actually, I get more requests for recommendations on contact management than almost any other topic. Since I'm a big fan of running a Sphere of Influence (SOI) business, which naturally involves getting and staying in touch with one's Sphere of Influence, it seems obvious that I might be the perfect person to point you toward the perfect system for you.

Well, unfortunately, there is no perfect system and which one you choose will be a decision you'll need to make for yourself - which may involve some trial and error. However, part of the challenge agents have with choosing the right system for them is figuring out exactly what they want and need that system to do! They look at all the features and benefits and costs and platforms the various systems offer and get overwhelmed into inaction. I've been there... I get it.

But... good news! While I can't tell you with authority which system is best for you, I can help get you started sorting thru all the noise.

On January 6th, we're doing a little show about using your contact management system to run a Sell with Soul-style business. Managing your Sphere of Influence. Remembering to stay in touch without making your friends feel like a number. Not relying on a fancy system to do your staying in touch for you, but rather using it as a tool to help you do it yourself. Identifying who within your SOI is due for a coffee date or catch-up email. Grouping your SOI without complicating your life unnecessarily. Stuff like that.

We'll also touch on using your contact management system to organize your business, which, in my opinion, is one of the primary reasons to even have a contact management system!

This show will be an audio-only program - that is - I won't be demonstrating any of the contact management strategies I'll discuss during the show. BUT... later in January I'll be holding the first ever live SWS webinar where I will show you how to do the stuff I'm gonna talk about on January 6th! So, do try to tune in for both...

Join us?

THE DETAILS Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011
Time: 8:00am Pacific / 9:00am Mountain / 10:00am Central / 11:00am Eastern
Duration: 60 - 90 minutes
Equipment Needed: Nothing fancy - just a phone and/or computer
Cost: Free, but you must register below!

REGISTER FOR THE SHOW HERE
See you Thursday!

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Working with Buyers... It's a Process!

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:53:47 -0500

I just started working with my wonderful graphics gal on the cover design of my next book, Prospect with Soul. I have a wide variety of visions of how it's gonna look; what elements I want to include, what message I want the cover to convey, what font I want to use for the title and subtitle, etc.

We're in Phase One right now. I just sent over a whole mess of stock photos I grabbed online with explanations of why I like each and think it would be a nice concept to consider.

So, as it stands at this very moment, the cover of Prospect with Soul may include my SWS Zen rocks... an ecstatic woman throwing her hands in the air... a businesswoman in a yoga pose looking out over the ocean... a beautiful sunset... a glorious blue sky... some bamboo... my SWS Daisy... a starburst... some water ripples that wrap around the book and... and... and...

In other words, I'm all over the board. In the end, the cover of my book will likely be something completely, utterly different from what I have in my mind's eye right now.

Is my graphics gal frustrated with me? I don't think so. She knows it's a necessary part of the process. To explore different concepts, try them on; see how they feel. I throw out an idea; she sends me back a mock-up of it. She's perfectly aware that everything we're tossing around today will likely be tossed right out the window tomorrow. But she's not rushing me or pressuring me to commit to a concept just yet; she's playing along, again, because she knows, yes, it's part of the process.

It's the same with home-buyers, of course. They come into the game with an idea of what they're looking for, perhaps based on nothing but where a friend told them they should live or a fantasy of what they always imagined their dream house to be.

As you show them homes, their vision of that dream home may change and evolve. They may want to explore other neighborhoods or school districts. They may want to consider other property types or floor plans. They may want to raise or even lower their price range. They might even, <gasp> decide that they want to change their timeframe.

It's all part of their process and we aren't going to rush them through it. Or, at least, we shouldn't; it's not in their best interest, or, frankly, in ours. If the buyer feels uncomfortable pressure from his real estate agent to make a decision before he's ready, he may very well find himself a new real estate agent. Or perhaps he'll make an offer on a home he doesn't really want, and later have an attack of buyer's remorse (and we all know who gets blamed for that!).

Respect the process. And everyone wins!

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Self-Promotion for Real Estate Agents: "I Wanna Get My Name Out There!"

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 07:45:30 -0500

"What's the best way to get my name out there?"

I hear this question a lot. Agents, particularly newer ones, ask it wanting to know how they can best spread the word that they're open for business.

Usually, they're looking for advice on the best places to advertise - should they take out an ad in the newspaper? Issue a press release? Buy a promotional panel on the side of a bus or a magnet for their car? Or maybe they've been offered a great "opportunity" to include their personal brochure in a neighborhood mailer or door-hanging promotion. One guy wanted to know if he should pony up $1000 to advertise on a banner at his health club.

I always ask the same question of these hopeful agents. "What do you expect to accomplish with your investment?"

They always answer: "I want to get my name out there."

Um... Out WHERE? Out there in the universe of people who don't know you, don't care about you and wouldn't dream of remembering your name, much less calling you for real estate service? Seriously?

Would YOU call a total stranger whose face you saw plastered on the side of a bus or smiling out at you from your shopping cart? Would you run screaming for the phone to hire someone who hung a HIRE ME brochure on your door? Do you really care that so-and-so just joined such-and-such firm and is now happily accepting referrals?

Of course not. And even on the off-chance that someone might respond to this sort of thing, the chances are far too slim for someone on a limited budget to risk the expense.

My point is that "getting your name out there" is a concept promoted primarily by the industries who have something to gain by helping you "get your name out there." And they prey on the "young" (i.e. the rookies) and the desperate.

If you're wondering how to "get your name out there," you probably don't have the budget to do it effectively. And that's okay! Getting Your Name Out There is overrated anyway. Focus your efforts (and marketing dollars) closer to home, literally and figuratively. Before you spend a dime on self-promotion-to-strangers, make darn sure everyone you know knows you sell real estate (without pestering them for referrals, of course). Every day, go forth and smile - that is - go out into your world with the sole intention of making others' days brighter.

Don't worry about competing with the heavier-hitters in your market; there's no need. Real estate business comes in one client at a time. When you run into someone who has a real estate need, all you have to worry about is being the Best (Wo)Man for the Job, which has nothing to do with advertising or marketing or branding... it has everything to do with knowing your stuff - and knowing you know your stuff.

THAT's the best way to get your name out there!

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Onward to 2011 - with Soul - Your Favorite-est Topics & Tips

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 10:07:47 -0500

Did the last SWS Teleseminar of the year on Thursday morning. The topic? Ho hum... Business Planning.

Sorta.

We didn't go into the nuts and bolts of creating a business plan; it was more of a philosophical discussion of what you might want to think about in planning for the new year in hopes of making said new year better than the year that's nearly behind us.

Sounds like a "plan," eh?

I spent about 60 minutes wandering from topic to topic; tip to tip. At the end of the show, I asked the audience to share with me which topics and tips were most helpful to them, and here's what they told me.

Favorite-est Tip #1: Enjoy what you do!
Don't force yourself to do prospecting activities you dread. Life's too short to get up every morning and do something you don't wanna do. We all got into this crazy business because we liked the idea of running our own show and doing things our way... so let's DO THAT. Figure out what business-generating activities are fun and easy for you and do them well, do them consistently and have FUN doing them!

Favorite-est Tip #2: Review all your marketing material
Go through all your active marketing items and venues, including your: business card, blog, website, online profiles, newsletters, newspaper advertising, email signature, personal brochure, outgoing voicemail message and photo.

Make sure all are still accurate, interesting and up-to-date. I can pretty much guarantee you they aren't. Commit an hour a day to proof-reading, and checking links and photos. Listen to your outgoing voicemail message. Go through your website with an eagle eye.

Favorite-est Tip #3: Before committing to a prospecting activity, give it the SWS "test"
Any time you're considering adding a prospecting activity to your business model, run it thru the following test:

Ask yourself...
1) Is this an approach I'm proud of and excited about?
2) Is this an approach that would work on me if used on me?
3) Does this approach make me feel icky?

If the activity doesn't pass the test, either tweak it until it does, or head back to the drawing board.

Favorite-est Tip #4: Research where your business has come from in the past
Take an hour to go through your client (and prospect) list from the last few years and tally up where your business has come from. You may be surprised to find that one or two sources blow the rest away! Of course, those sources would good to focus on even more in the new year.

Other topics and tips from the show included: It's not necessary to plan out 12 months if you don't want to - 2 or 3 months at a time is fine; taking great care of your current clients is a viable prospecting strategy and should be included in your business plan; just pick one or two additional prospecting activities to try at a time.

So... here's to all our success in 2011 and beyond!

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Onward to 2011 - With Soul! A Free SWS Teleseminar

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:41:14 -0500

Ho, hum, yet another end-of-year show about business planning. Enough already with business plans - I know I need to do one, so leave me alone to do it!

But wait. Do you really NEED to do a business plan?

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on your personality and preference. Some of us function just fine getting up every morning and working hard without a detailed plan of where we hope to be in 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. Others thrive on having a comprehensive road-map detailing their goals, dreams, aspirations and commitments.

To each his or her own! However, this time of year does seem to be suited to evaluating your recent successes and challenges, and making adjustments for the year ahead.

So, let's just call it that. A session on evaluating what's worked, what hasn't and what we'll consider doing differently in 2011.

That's the topic of the final SWS Teleseminar show of 2010. Getting ready for 2011 by looking back at 2010 and figuring out what the heck you want to do more of, less of... and perhaps most importantly, WHY you want to do more or less of it in this new year.

Join us?

The DETAILS
Date: Thursday morning, December 16th, 2010
Time: 8am (Pacific) / 9am (Mountain) / 10am (Central) / 11am (Eastern)
Duration: 60 - 90 Minutes
Equipment Needed: Just a computer and/or a telephone
Cost: Free to attend live, but you must register below!

REGISTER FOR ONWARD TO 2011 - WITH SOUL!

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"Secrets of Successful SWS'ers" - The Unanswered Questions

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 09:06:43 -0500

On Wednesday evening, we had a fantastic discussion (if I do say so myself) in the SWS Studio about succeeding in real estate without selling your soul. In other words - doing it YOUR way, using methods and strategies that feel good, feel right and don't feel, um, icky! It can be done - in fact, it should be done! So many agents think they have to do things that conflict with their gut instincts to be successful... and then wonder why things aren't going as well as they'd hoped. As one of my guest-hosts asked, rhetorically: "So, how's that workin' for ya?"

Melissa Brown and Kathy Manoogian were my guest-hosts for the show and they were fabulous. They were open, honest, transparent and authentic about their journeys to success - from being frustrated, overwhelmed and discouraged rookie agents trying to do as they were told - to figuring out that most of what they were being told was WRONG (for them) and that they COULD listen to their own inner voices and do just fine. Better than fine, even!

We had a great crowd with some great questions. We didn't get to all the questions, though, so I promised to post them here and let my guests answer them when they get a chance. If YOU have thoughts you'd like to share, you're certainly welcome to as well; in fact, please do!

(See comments for responses)

Lisa asks - If you could do it all over again- what would you do as a new agent to build your business?

Vicki asks - Did either of the gals have an extensive SOI list? And, if so, did they work the list to obtain buyers and sellers - after they found their path?

John asks - I have been in RE over 2 years now and agree with SWS but I find I am not getting any new business because I am not known. How do I get the word out that I am in RE so someone will call me? I think I am a Master of my market too but who knows that but me?

Rob asks - I'm starting my RE career in a city where first-time home buyers need to spend $500,000 to $750,000 for a decent place -- is that a big obstacle right now? Am I better off trying to "work" lower-priced areas?

Rob asks - What are your thoughts on partnering with a seasoned agent, as a mentor, in your first year?

Lisa asks - I hate making phone calls. Even to my Sphere. Is this "normal"? How do I deal with this? IS IT something to be overcome?

Ron asks - Do you have a good way of asking a client to rate you as their agent on websites such as zillow? (I think Ron is referring to asking clients for testimonials.)

Marilyn asks - To farm or NOT to farm that is the question!

Gwen asks - Since most of you seem to not use business plans, how do you keep track of what you need to do daily for business? What do you do daily for generate business? (during the show all three of us confessed that we don't do formal business plans).

Tim asks - I'd like to know where their very first listing came from. Thanks!

Anonymous asks - If you don't listen to news or any media, do you risk seeming uninformed? I can't imagine not being able to comment on the Bronco's losing streak or the threat of eliminating the mortgage interest deduction. (Kathy mentioned that she stopped watching the news or reading the newspapers in order to keep her positive attitude and I concurred).

Jim asks - What kind of volunteer/community involvement do you engage in? Chamber of Commerce? Rotary Club (or similar)? Habitat for Humanity?

Jim asks - What are your voicemail greetings like?

Dan asks - Do you work with more buyers or sellers? How much competition do you have in your market?

Sherry asks - Does Kathy turn down any listings in the neighborhood she works? (Kathy mentioned that she has a 100% success rate on selling her listings.)

Sandy asks - I work at the largest brokerage in my market. The agents in my company know my SWS philosophy, and that I NEVER ask for business constantly tell me "Just think of how much you could do if you actually ASKED for business!" How would you reply to that?

Luci asks - What is the best way to 'master your market' and get your name out there? I recently moved from a large firm to a very small one... more of a hometown thing. Not sure how to get my name out there.

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Your Sphere of Influence - It's a Perfect Time of Year to Reconnect!

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 07:53:59 -0500

Pretty much everyone agrees that one's sphere of influence can be a great source of business. But lots of agents hesitate when it comes time to actually implement a sphere of influence campaign - they don't know how to take the first step without coming across as phony or even mercenary.

I mean, really, you have this list of people - some friends, some acquaintances - to whom you've never, ever written, and most haven't heard boo from you in years... and suddenly you're just supposed to start communicating with them out of the blue?

Seriously?

I hear ya. Even I struggle every time I send something out to my sphere - worried they'll "see thru" my attempts to communicate with them and <gasp> realize I'm doing it to subtly promote my business. And I've BEEN in touch with my sphere on a fairly consistent basis!

But here are a few thoughts to, perhaps, get you past this emotional hurdle and back in touch with your SOI.

First, ask yourself how you'll feel if you find out that five old friends hired someone else to be their real estate agent because they hadn't heard from you lately? Or, shoot, just one old friend?

Or how you'd feel if you heard that someone you "used" to be really good friends with referred a sweeeet listing in your favorite neighborhood to someone else because she wasn't sure you were even selling real estate anymore?

Or if, as scrolling thru your MLS Hot Sheet one day, you see a new listing come on the market - one you sold to your buyers a few years back, but-never-got-around-to-following-up-with-and-now-it-feels-weird-to-do?

Does that motivate you a little bit?

If so, consider this... the holidays are a GREAT time to reconnect! And you can do it without much fear of being held in suspicion by your audience (as long as your reconnection attempt has nothing to do with begging for referrals!)

Just do one of those tried-n-true annual family newsletters - make it interesting, authentic and include pictures (and this can be done after the holiday season if you're overloaded with holiday stuff before). Or, personally signed and short & sweet-noted holiday cards, if that's more your style. Or a customized photo-postcard with a cute & clever message will do the trick. Or, of course, your annual doo-dad (calendar, magnet or whatever) delivered with a card with a nice note.

Then... the trick is... once you've reconnected, keep up the good work throughout the year so you aren't in this position again next holiday season.

Hey, I know it's a busy time, but since we're all making plans to ensure a sweeter 2011, this seems like a great place and time to start making that happen!

Join us tonight for the "Secrets of Successful SWS'ers?"
Details and Registration Here!

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Selling Real Estate without Selling Your Soul (A Free SWS Teleseminar)

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 07:01:15 -0500

A few months ago, an agent wrote to me saying something like - "I love your book <thank you> and I can't wait until I'm successful enough to be able to do things the Sell with Soul way. Until then, I guess I'll have to keep doing all the Old School things my broker tells me to do."

No, no, no! You don't have to do things ANY WAY BUT YOUR WAY, even from Day One! Selling with Soul (to read more about Selling with Soul - just download the ebook below) is not a luxury enjoyed only by those who have already "made it!" Not at all - in fact, the sooner you figure out what works for you, what feels right to you and what you enjoy doing, the sooner success will find you.

And that's the topic of our next show which is this Wednesday afternoon/evening (tomorrow, December 8th). We'll be chatting about succeeding in real estate without selling your soul to do it. In other words - how to do it YOUR way, whatever that way may be, even if it doesn't involve pestering strangers, harassing your friends or spending a fortune (unless, of course, THAT's your thing!).

I'm bringing on three successful SWS'ers (that is, agents who Sell with Soul) who are willing to talk to me (and y'all) about how they've succeeded in their real estate careers without Selling their Souls to do so. How they've done it their way, using techniques and strategies that feel right to them, that don't make their skin crawl or reduce them to smiley-faced, cheesy real estate hucksters. How they've resisted the pressure of their brokers, trainers and associates to Suck it Up and Just Do It in the interest of generating business... if that "it" is something they don't feel comfortable doing.

Join us?

THE DETAILS
Date: Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
Time: 4pm Pacific / 5pm Mountain / 6pm Central / 7pm Eastern
Duration: 60 - 90 minutes
Equipment Needed: Nothing fancy - just a phone and/or computer
Cost: Free, but you have to register HERE!

Be assured, this is not a sales-pitch for any SWS program or product. Just an hour or so of intelligent, common sense discussion on ways to succeed selling real estate without becoming someone you don't recognize... or even much like.

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Selling with Soul?
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