Agent Rise Podcast

Have you heard that Facebook changes are on the way? It's understandable and I actually love the things that Facebook is going to do. The reason I say that is that lately, Facebook has become less of an enjoyable place for me to spend my time, and that means the people I want to engage with aren't spending as much time there either. Why has it become so unattractive? It's because of all the clickbait and irrelevant posts that wind up in my Facebook feed. But the changes Facebook is making here at the beginning of 2018 are going to help us be more effective in reaching the very people we want to connect with. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I explain why.

The Facebook changes happening are focused on people more than brands. But don’t panic, it’s a good thing for you media companies that happen to sell real estate

It may sound funny to say it this way but the changes Facebook is making and its algorithm are focused more on people than they are on Brands. Yes, Facebook is still an advertising platform and they will still sell advertisements and enable you to target their audience, but it looks like they are tired of user's Facebook feeds being crammed full of junk. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I clarify exactly what Facebook is doing, why the changes are happening, and the impact it should have on us media companies who happen to sell real estate.

Using engagement bait on Facebook is not going to work anymore - it’s going to accomplish ZERO reach on in days ahead. Stay up with these changes

If you have been using Facebook as a place to post clickbait type content, you are about to receive a big wake-up call. Those kinds of posts will no longer even show up on Facebook feeds because Facebook has changed its algorithms. The post that will be highlighted the most are the ones that get engagement, actual comments and conversations going on. That means as a media company that happens to sell real estate, you need to rethink your strategy and build relationships through Facebook, which is what you should have been doing all along. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I highlight the ways we can approach these changes that will be beneficial to us and to those we're trying to reach.

For people who truly want to use social media to build relationships, the Facebook changes coming down the pike are a wonderful thing

If you've been using Facebook and social media in general for that matter to build relationships with people so that you can serve them better, you'll be happy about the changes that are coming to Facebook in 2018. It's wonderful to know that all the junk that is aimed at getting people to click, share, and take some sort of action to purchase the product, are going to go away. Facebook's plan is to highlight engaging content that truly connects people. Isn't that the purpose of social media in the first place? I love it, and on this episode, Jason Frazier and I are going to discuss how you should think about these changes in why you should consider it to be a good thing.

Live videos are going to be even more important as the changes coming to Facebook are rolled out

If you have already been doing live videos you know the power they have when it comes to engaging with people. That is exactly the kind of results that Facebook's changes are aimed at producing. That means that live video is going to rank much higher and be more noticeable in Facebook feeds than ever before. So if you are not doing live video, you need to start. Figure out a way to focus on a cause or a topic that will engage the audience you're trying to reach. That's going to make your posts rank higher, give you the opportunity to build authentic relationships so that you can be known, liked, and trusted, and eventually wind up with new customers because of that engagement. This episode highlights everything we know so far about the Facebook changes coming down the pike.

Outline of this great episode

• [7:33] Facebook changes are freaking people out - Jason’s going to run it down
• [8:06] A new focus on relationships with people
• [8:48] How the Facebook changes are being implemented and what it means for you
• [12:15] People who’ve been doing this wrong (non personal) are going to be hit
• [18:04] Why you should never hire another company to post on your behalf
• [22:45] We aren’t sure what tactics are going to work - but be personal most of all
• [25:20] Working to adapt to the changes can be an exciting thing
• [30:20] Why Jason has stopped making jokes about LinkedIn

Our sponsors:

• Mason McDuffie Mortgage
• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Social Media Examiner post about Facebook’s changes
• LO Social Bot
• Buffer
• Hootsuite

• Text “OJ Notes” to “44222” to get the notes for this episode (you’ll need them)
• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… my personal website - NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching website here

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

When it comes time to make a course correction in anything that we are doing, it can be a very disconcerting time. In the last episode, the course correction I announced must have seemed like an entire change of focus to many of you. I know that by the feedback I received via social media, especially in The Onion Juice Facebook Group. I get it. I didn't intend to discourage any of you, I wanted to give you a tip about where I see things going. In this episode, I'm trying to clear up the confusion and give you some tips about making the course corrections that fit where your tribe is in their social media journey.

I knew the last episode of this podcast was going to be hard to swallow. I didn't know it would be THAT hard to swallow

The feedback I received from my last episode - the one where I changed my tune a little bit and said that I actually DO think there are some types of bad media - was nothing short of amazing. I had people telling me that I confused them, that their entire media approach was now in question, and one person said they were wrecked by what I had to say. That was not my intention at all. I'm sorry to have discouraged anyone. My goal was to point out that things we have done thus far in our media approach to our businesses - that may have been working at one point - often stop working as the media landscape changes. What do you do then? You make a course correction. If you don't, you will wind up wasting your efforts because less and less will come from them. So, in this episode, I'm making the attempt to get rid of the confusion by clarifying what I meant. I hope you'll take the time to listen.

When you have to make a course correction you can wind up feeling like everything you've done so far was a waste. The truth is, everything you've done has set you up for success

When I first started applying the idea that I needed to be a media company that happened to sell real estate, I produced a game on Facebook called Mathweg Monday Trivia. It was a blast to do and I had a lot of fun getting to know people in my area - Madison Wisconsin. My sole focus was to build relationships with people, which happened in spades. I also happened to get 30 to 40 home sales per year from the connections I made through the game. But somewhere along the line, the momentum that came from that approach to media began to change. I had to make a course correction or else I would suffer diminishing returns. In this episode, I want to help you evaluate your media efforts in order to thoughtfully determine whether it's time for you to make a pivot.

Aspire to be a media company that happens to sell real estate? Then understand that the people who respond to you have something in common. Discover it and lead them

Being a media company that happens to sell real estate is about being a leader to a very specific group of people, you might call them your tribe. They are people who see the world the same way you do, care about the things that you care about, and want to work with people who are generally like them. The point of being a media company that happens to sell real estate is not that you get to have fun creating social media stuff. The point is that you use media as a tool to connect with the people who uniquely resonate with you and your message. But before you get the cart before the horse, you need to find the horse - and that is the cause you will champion that will draw your tribe to you. I explain this a lot better in the audio of this episode so make sure you take the time to listen.

A course correction is not a failure, it is the application of wisdom that allows you to make changes that will sustain your success

I fully expect that everyone who is striving to be a media company that happens to sell real estate will have to make changes in their media approach over time. Very few of us get our message and approach exactly right the first time. Even if we gained a lot of traction with our initial efforts we should still expect that we will have to pivot, at least in some ways, somewhere along the line in order to continue being effective. It's not only because we are always refining our message, it is because people in the world change as time goes on. If we don't change along with our culture and region we become the dinosaurs. Listen to this episode to learn what I've discovered about discovering the need for those kinds of impacting course corrections.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:27] Why such a bad name for this podcast - and why this episode is talking about the last episode
• [3:20] My hesitation to bring up this issue last episode in the first place, I didn’t want to wreck you. Sorry :(
• [09:55] Bad media used to work. No regrets allowed, but when things changed, you could feel it
• [12:30] Finding your tribe and pivoting to fit their interests better is essential
• [15:40] Start somewhere - pivots will likely have to happen - it’s not that your media sucks

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Last week’s episode - 121 - Bad Media: Can There Be Such A Thing?
• The Real Estate CIO - Jason Frazier
• See Shannon Milligan’s videos on Facebook
• Check out Silas: Silas Gets Real - and consider possible pivots he could make

Our sponsors:

• Mason McDuffie Mortgage
• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

 

• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… my personal website - NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching website here

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

On this episode I am going to say something and that you probably thought you would never hear me say. There is such a thing as bad media. As the social media landscape changes, our approach to social media has to change with it. In this episode, I am going to walk you through some of the changes I have made and why I think that the things I've done in the past won't actually have the same beneficial impact they had back when I first did them. It's a surprising episode that you won't want to miss, so be sure you guzzle the juice on this one.

A couple of examples of “bad media” publication and how these guys made incredible changes that are making a difference

I don't mean to throw anyone under the bus and the guys I'm going to talk about on this episode know that that's not what I'm doing. In fact, they agree with me entirely about the things I'm going to say. Here's the scoop: some of the agents I coach used to do a daily Facebook LIVE show that highlighted current issues. Their hope was that they would get exposure and find potential clients through those daily interactions. But it simply didn't work. It wasn't targeted enough and it wasn't aligned with a cause that would enable them to pull in a specific audience. One of those guys has now adjusted his approach to focus on Veterans and things are beginning to take off. Find out how you can make the tweaks to your media approach that will bring you greater success, on this episode.

Instead of just putting out content, we have to be putting out the RIGHT content for our audience. And we may need to target an entirely new audience!

Every real estate agent can serve every buyer or seller. That is the basic fact of the way the real estate industry works. But not every agent SHOULD be serving every buyer or seller. The reason is, there are people out there with specific needs and interests who are looking for someone with those interests in mind to be their agent. When you are able to center your media efforts around a certain type of buyer or seller and focus all of your media content on that specific demographic, you are able to build momentum like never before. Find out some of the ways that successful agents are making it happen. on this episode.

Media efforts that were working 2 years ago could be adding to the noise now. Find out how to make tweaks to your approach to fit your audience better

I first got the idea that being a media company that happens to sell real estate was the way to go when I began doing my Monday trivia game. I got tons of interaction with the game, it was a lot of fun for everyone involved, and I sold 30 to 40 houses per year from the leads I got interacting with people through the game. But I'm not certain that approach would work today. It's too broad and it doesn't focus on attracting a specific group of people. In this episode, I walk through some of the approaches I've seen work and why I've changed my focus to a very niche, specific type of customer - the trailing spouse.

If you can’t find a cause to champion that you can focus your media around, you're publishing bad media

If you have never heard episode 3 of this podcast I want you to go back and listen to it as soon as you stop listening to this episode. The Reason? In that episode, I talked about the importance of championing a cause and the concept is still at the foundation of everything I do when it comes to publishing media. When you publish media that is not focused around a cause, you are publishing what I consider to be bad media. It's media that is taking up lots of your time but not getting you anywhere because it doesn't attract the specific people you should be attracting. In this episode, I'm going to explain to you how you can avoid the bad media trap.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:34] Why it’s important that we consider whether our media efforts are bad media
• [6:27] Neil’s first taste of being a media company - and what he said then
• [7:50] Why it’s important to have some REASON or CAUSE behind your media
• [12:23] Why the media efforts that worked 2 years ago are just adding to the noise today

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Episode #3 - Championing a Cause

Our sponsors:

• Mason McDuffie Mortgage
• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… my personal website - NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching websitehere

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

On this episode, I talk to my friend and coworker Caleb Jahr about vlogging. Yes, I said vlogging. If you are unfamiliar, vlogging is a video blog. Caleb is one of those real estate agents who understands that being a media company that happens to sell real estate is a great way to build trust, be vulnerable and real and help people get to know you. Caleb talks about how he turned a discouraging piece of advice into a successful brand, and how vlogging can add value to your real estate business.

The challenging way is probably the right way

Sometimes the traditional approach is the right approach. In Caleb’s case, that is just the opposite. Soon after starting out as a real estate agent, Caleb approached a mentor to ask about how to sell real estate. His mentor, while well intended, offered that his vlog seemed scattered and made him vulnerable, and he was not sure how it was helping Caleb. This of course would be discouraging, so Caleb stopped vlogging...and the world waited in anticipation for him to publish more content. When he finally started publishing again, he got tons of positive feedback. I should know, I’m addicted to watching his stuff. Caleb’s vlog, which he publishes to a few times a week, documents what he is working on in a day, or life events, such as the birth of his new baby.

You are one piece of content away from breakthrough

Caleb’s videos have not gone viral yet, but that does not discourage him. The reality is, if you are publishing content to youtube or facebook or Instagram, you may be one piece of content away from a breakthrough! You never know what video or picture or caption may speak to someone, who then shares it or likes it and launches your real estate business to new heights.

The long game is 18 months

If you are thinking about starting a vlog to help you sell real estate, keep in mind the long game. On average, it takes 18 months of consistent content before your brand may gain momentum. Don’t get discouraged if you publish a video and only a few people like it initially. At some point, people will look back and see that you have a long history of pushing relevant content, and that will help you build even more credibility!

So you want to start vlogging?

So, you want to start a vlog? Caleb Jahr is someone you should pay attention to in this space. He has even published a video that details the process of how to start a vlog! His advice to agents just starting out is to not overthink it. Nobody is automatically comfortable on camera, content does not have to be polished and perfect, people (usually) don’t yell at you for having a camera on all the time. He also said that when he first started, he did not publish consistently, and that may have hurt him a little. He recommends figuring out a schedule, then creating a theme or an overall story that you want to tell. In the post-editing, add some upbeat music and keep the video short. Check out his “how-to” video below!

Outline of this great episode

• [1:15] Neil on how vlogging can help real estate agents
• [10:00] Neil introduces Caleb Jahr live in the studio!
• [12:00] How Caleb got started Vlogging
• [13:15] The traditional approach may not always be the right approach
• [18:00] The Youtube vs. Facebook dynamic
• [20:30] Caleb shares how to vlog

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Caleb Jahr
• How to start a vlog VIDEO
• Casey Neistat

Our sponsors:

• Mason McDuffie Mortgage
• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

 

• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… my personal website - NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching websitehere

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

Merry Christmas, Juicers! You have heard me talk about being a media company that happens to sell Real Estate. In this episode, you can join me behind the curtain to see my approach to starting a media company. I go into detail about how I built and launched the I Love Madison Show! Check out this episode for some great tips on how you can launch your own media company! If you are new to the Onion Juice and want to catch up, you can go back and ear guzzle the last 118 episodes! Don’t worry, they never get stale!

What is the I Love Madison Show?

The I Love Madison show is all about connecting people in the community, especially the “trailing spouses.” If you moved to Madison because your spouse took a new job, it can be very hard to make new friends or find people who share similar interests. I hope the show will help people build community, and highlight all of the amazing places around the city that Madison residents enjoy. Every week, my team will highlight a new meetup for you to explore, interview a Madison resident about their recent move and how they got connected, and feature a local influencer from the city. As a result of these connections and community meetups, I get the chance to meet people in the community, and if the need arises, offer my services as a realtor. This is the power of being a media company that happens to sell real estate.

The ILM Brunch Club

I love Madison is more than just a podcast! Each month leaders from the community will host an event called the I Love Madison Brunch Club. This 90-minute event is designed to connect people to each other and to the needs of the community. Attendees will have 30 minutes to network, followed by 30 minutes of talks based on the idea of “lifestyle.” After the lifestyle talks, there will be topic tables where community members can go to get more information on a particular subject or interest. The goal is to launch the Brunch Club in January of 2018!

The Game of Magnets

There are tons of fun things planned for the I love Madison Show, including the Game of Magnets! There will be magnets with a number and the I Love Madison logo all over town. If you see one of those magnets you can take a picture of it and post to social media. This will “ register” that magnet under your name, and put you in the running to win several prizes. Check out the I Love Madison website, or Episodes 1-2 of the I Love Madison podcast on iTunes for more information!

The Madison Food Tournament

Food is a great way to bring people together, so I decided to host the Madison Food Tournament! Each month, I will choose a restaurant category to feature, then ask all of you I Love Madison listeners to submit your favorite restaurants. The submissions will be narrowed down to a top eight, then top two and a champion will be crowned! I can’t wait to launch this, so make sure you check the I Love Madison website to learn more!

Outline of this great episode

• [1:00] Sponsors
• [3:50} I Love Madison Show - connecting people that are new to Madison
• [4:45] Neil explains each segment of the show
• [5:15] What is a trailing spouse?
• [6:15] The I Love Madison Brunch Club - lifestyle networking
• [7:40] The Insiders guide to Madison
• [8:40} Game of Magnets
• [9:40] Madison food tournament explained-
• [11:00] The tide raises all ships - how being a media company can help you attract more business

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• I Love Madison

Our sponsors:

• Mason McDuffie Mortgage
• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

 

• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… here’s the company I work with in Madison, WI - NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching websitehere

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

Welcome back to the Juice Bar! This is my Q&A session of the Onion Juice Podcast where I answer your real estate questions. On this episode, I’ll be answering questions about agents with ego, handling rejection, and how to plan your most successful open house. I will also give you a few tools you can use as a real estate agent that will help you be successful! Thanks to all of the agents who submitted questions, you guys are awesome! Remember, the juice bar is open every 10th episode, so you can go back and ear-guzzle the previous episodes to hear questions other realtors have submitted, and submit your own questions for future episodes!

The tide raises all ships

As a real estate agents, we want to be successful, but it is easy to let that success go to our heads. I have encountered a number of agents that develop a large ego after attaining a measure of success. Instead of staying humble, these agents elevate themselves over others and usually operate with a scarcity mentality or the mentality that they will not share success because they have to “protect what is theirs.” I think that this mentality ultimately hurts the real estate industry and causes division between agents. Contrastly, operating with an abundance mindset means that there is room for everyone to succeed. If you are working alongside someone who has lost focus on growing together, I would encourage you to continue running your own race. Stay focused on how you want to practice generosity and encouragement. These are the things that will sustain your success long-term. Check out this section of the episode to learn more.

As an agent, how can I deal with rejection?

Many agents struggle with the feeling of being rejected or passed over for a real estate deal. It can crush your spirits and cause you to feel disheartened about your work. I have been in that position many times myself, so I would offer this advice to realtors struggling to maintain confidence through rejection. First off, remember that you are not entitled to anyone’s business. You may be running ads, paying for leads and spending a lot of time looking for new leads. This can lead to a feeling of entitlement, and when that expectation is not met, it turns into frustration. Secondly, I would advise you not to let your successes or rejections become your identity. I have put together a list of resources that you can use to build your confidence and help you handle rejection, as it relates to being a real estate agent. To get your hands on those resources, text the word “strength” to 44222.

How can I drive traffic to my open-house events?

Open-house events are a terrific way to network with people, build trust and create a list to reference later. First off, some of you may just need to be more consistent with hosting open houses. Once or twice a month may feel like a lot, but you may need to host one everyone weekend, depending on your goals. You can also adopt a joint-marketing approach by partnering with other realtors to show several listings. You can host a “poker run,” where your guests travel to five different properties. At each place, your guests receive a playing card, and at the end, whoever has the best hand wins a prize. Jason Frazier also suggests offering a bottle of wine as a free raffle item to your guests. Once the open house is over, you can reach out to the winner with the prize! This is a great way to build trust and likability. It’s important to remember also that there may be multiple buyers who attend your event, so having other options available if the one you are showing sells is a smart idea. I have used an old-school approach and actually knocked on the doors of other houses in the neighborhood, to see if anyone is interested in listing. If you are hoping to up your game in this area, check out this episode! You can also check out episode #101, which focuses just on open houses.

I am on a budget, should I start with the Roundbox Coaching Program or buy an Easy Agent Pro website first?

The best answer is...it depends! Both Roundbox and Easy Agent Pro offer tremendous value to real estate agents, so I would start out by saying if you really want to expand your business, you should consider both long-term. If you are just starting out selling real estate, and you don’t have a clear idea or plan as to the direction you want your business to go, I would love to help you get started. Once we have that plan in place, you will need a place to send your leads and gather information, which is where the Easy Agent Pro website comes in.

Outline of this great episode

• [6:00] Welcome back to the the juice bar
• [11:00] Question #1: What approach should we take when dealing with another agent’s inflated ego?
• [18:15] Question #2: How can agents deal with rejection and lack of confidence?
• [27:30] Question #3: How can I drive traffic to my open houses?
• [33:00] Question #4: How can I get more client reviews for my website?
• [36:30] Question #5: Should I invest in Roundbox coaching or an Easy Agent Pro website first?

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Jason Frazier - Open House Interview
• Text “Strength” to 44222

sponsors:

• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)
• Mason McDuffie Mortgage 
• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

• roundboxcoaching.com

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

I met Leah Roe at a networking event in Madison, Wisconsin called A Million Cups. She is very well connected in the Madison area and spends a significant amount of time giving back to the community. Ever since Leah told me about the company she started, I have been excited to have her on the OJ as a guest! If you are a real estate agent who is considering hiring a virtual assistant, listen to this episode first, it’s a game-changer!

Military Affiliate Virtual Assistant Network

Leah said she had no intention of starting a business when she asked her sister to be her virtual assistant. Leah wanted to have a greater impact in her community through her work but realized she would need someone to help her handle all of the little details that seemed to eat up her day. Her sister agreed to the position, and did such an outstanding job, Leah’s clients and connections started asking where they could hire a virtual assistant of such high caliber. The result was MAVAN or Military Affiliate Virtual Assistant Network. The goal of MAVAN is to help military spouses re-claim or recreate their professional identities and help professionals increase their impact.

The intersection of identity and Impact

The reality of being a military spouse means moving frequently, often with no control over the destination. Companies are often hesitant to hire military spouses, due to long onboarding processes and a high turnover rate. Leah’s sister, Anna is a military spouse and has experienced all of these setbacks before becoming a virtual assistant. As a MAVAN, Anna has been able to reclaim her professional identity, create another source of income for her family and be the ever-present parent that her children need. The MAVANs Leah hires all have Master’s degrees and several years of business experience. This level of training ensures that each assistant is able to help professionals expand their business impact.

Creating a transformational relationship

Leah says MAVAN creates relationships with impact-driven professionals that are “Transformational, not just transactional.” She looks for clients who want to connect with their assistants and help empower their careers. For the MAVANs, working as a virtual assistant offers the chance to get excited about the work they are doing, provides career advancement opportunities and a community of like-minded individuals. Leah creates these relationships by finding professionals and asking them what tasks are preventing them from making their biggest impact. Once she has a list of the tasks, she reaches out to the MAVAN network to see who is interested in that kind of work. From there, she facilitates a conversation between the professional and the MAVAN.

When real estate agents and MAVANs connect, great things can happen!

As a real estate agent, your day may be filled with small tasks that are preventing you from making the biggest impact possible. Scheduling showings, following up with clients, setting appointments and managing your social media are all valuable, until those tasks prevent you from forming new relationships and acquiring new clients. If you want to take your business to the next level, you should strongly consider hiring a MAVAN! Listen to Leah Roe talk more about how she is helping impact-driven professionals on this outstanding Onion Juice episode!

Outline of this great episode

• [4:00] The OJ has a new sponsor, Jason Frazier!
• [9:30] Neil introduces guest Leah Roe, founder of MAVAN
• [11:00] Leah explains the mission of MAVAN
• [16:45] How professionals can impact the lives of military spouses
• [20:15] What’s in it for MAVAN?
• [23:00] How impact-driven professionals can use MAVAN

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Leah Roe
• Mavanetwork.com
• 1 Million Cups
• I Love Madison Show

Our sponsors:

• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)
• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

• roundboxcoaching.com

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

 

Most people think that branding consists of your logo and a slogan that you pitch on your website and social media. Jason Frazier, the founder of realestatecio.com joins me to talk about what branding really is, common misconceptions associated with branding and how real estate agents can build a strong brand that helps establish trust.

The 3 pillars of branding

Do your customers choose your brand first? This question gets right to the heart of branding. Branding isn’t about logos or slogans. Branding is about forming a relationship with your customers — a relationship where they know your brand, they like it and trust it. Jason says branding is “what consumers say to other consumers about your business.” Do consumers know about you? If they do, do they like working with you? Lastly, but most important, do they trust you? These are the three critical pillars of growing a successful real estate business. Listen to the rest of the conversation to hear more about building a strong brand!

Commodity vs. brand

There has been a recent shift in how people approach buying and selling real estate. Everything looks the same, agents are all using the same techniques and pitches, companies are trying to feel more personal and individual agents think they need to look for corporate. Essentially, the real estate industry is being commoditized. Jason shares that a commodity just results in a simple transaction, but a brand creates an experience and a uniqueness that people will want to experience over and over.

Camera-first branding

For a long time, “branding” referred to your logo and slogan or the print material your company produced. In today’s camera-first world, logos and slogans are hardly relevant anymore, certainly in the real estate world. Consumers relate to people, not slogans. Jason Frazier says “the about page on a realtor’s website is the second most visited page,” a sign that people care more about who they are working with than what the company logo looks like. If you are a real estate agent publishing content, don’t worry about polishing the content or making everything perfect, your clients don’t care, I promise! Publish content, be personal and vulnerable, and make mistakes...it will pay off in the end!

Jason shares branding tools and tips

Unlike your video and social media content, there are a few things Jason Frazier says every real estate agent NEEDS to do. “Take the time to set up a professional email,” Jason says. It’s easy for free mail services to be replicated by malicious parties posing as you, which can cause huge headaches and even potential scams directed at your clients. “I am not going to work with a mortgage lender whose email ends in @gmail.com,” says Jason, “it’s risky sending personal information over those channels and it makes it harder to establish trust.” He also recommends having your own website in addition to a corporate bio page, if you are working at a large real estate firm. This offers some flexibility regarding the look and feel, allows you to present your personal brand, and “travels” with you if you decide to leave that company. Jason also introduces an amazing software called G Suite, that allows you to streamline your process if you have multiple domains and emails to keep track of.

Outline of this great episode

Integrates into everything, multiple emails, alias domains and other entities

• [7:45] Neil introduces Jason Frazier
• [10:30] The 3 pillars of branding
• [13:00] How a strong brand can help you build trust 
• [17:15] Commodity vs. brand
• [21:15] Why your “about page” is the most important page on your website
• [26:45] Adopt a professional approach
• [30:30] Jason explains G Suite software

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Jason Frazier - Real Estate CIO
• Katie Lance - Katie Lance Consulting
• Gary Vaynerchuck - Vayner Media
• Onion Juice - Questions to ask yourself when writing a bio
• G Suite Software
• Wisestamp email signature plugin

Our sponsors:

• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)
• You know I always talk about being a media company first on the OJ, when it comes to Real Estate. Now I would love to introduce my newest sponsor who is a mortgage company who feels the same way. www.masonmcduffiemortgage.com 

 

• To get a clear plan for your business, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• NeilMathweg.com

Connect with me!

• roundboxcoaching.com

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be true to yourself, to listen to your heart and follow your vision. This onion juice episode is inspired by a conversation I had with a good friend of mine, Caleb Jahr. Caleb is a talented young man and a fellow realtor at Realty Executives here in Madison. Caleb understands the power of being a media company that happens to sell real estate, but like many of us got sidetracked on his vision after some discouraging advice was offered. I had a feeling Caleb may not be alone, some of you may have also experienced this, so episode 115 is focused on courage, specifically the courage it takes to follow your vision.

The courage to be true to yourself

If you are a media company who happens to sell real estate, there's a good chance not everyone will understand your approach. In the real estate business, there are many agents who follow a very traditional approach. Be professional, network a lot, polish everything...this is how you generate business. While this approach works for many realtors, the opposite is also true. People relate better to imperfect people, or videos that are unpolished. I have received the most views on my videos that are spontaneous or something unexpected happens. The key to being successful here is understanding that not everyone will understand why you present content this way, but it is important to retain your own voice and style.

If you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two

Caleb Jahr is not a man who lacks vision. Through his daily Vlog, he has not only built a following around Madison but has earned the trust and the business of several individuals. He is authentic and real and fun to listen to. When a mentor tried to encourage him by telling him that the Vlog would ultimately hurt his reputation because it was “unprofessional,” Caleb adopted a different vision, ruining the first one. For a while, he stopped Vlogging and started using a traditional approach. Andrew Wommack, a teaching pastor I listen to often said: “if you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two.” Caleb had two ideas of how he should build a client list and generate business, both very much in conflict with each other. The mentor was not intentionally trying to undermine him, he just didn’t understand Caleb’s vision.

Enjoy the climb

I know that many of you juicers enjoy the process as much as the end results. It’s so important that you are having fun while you are attracting business. I could jump on Zillow and generate leads to build my team and probably see an increase in business, but I would not enjoy it, it would not fulfill me. I am launching the “I Love Madison” show because I love the climb. I believe at the end of the day this nontraditional strategy will work because I love what I do and people see that.

Borrow someone's courage

If you are at a roadblock, being a media company that happens to sell real estate and you are struggling, call me, I want to talk you through it and help you keep going! If you are afraid to start, call me. It’s hard to start, but once you get going, it won’t be long before you are comfortable, then you will be celebrating the one year mark, then two and it keeps growing from there. Mathweg Money Trivia and the Onion Juice are examples of this. Even today, I am reliving these principles as I launch the “I Love Madison” show. I feel like I have built this giant jet plane and I am not even sure if it will fly, but it is something that I believe in, and believe it will have an incredible impact on my community.

Outline of this great episode

• [1:30] Caleb Jahr’s story
• [9:30] Traditional thinking will dictate perfection
• [11:45] If you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two
• [13:45] Learn to enjoy the climb
• [17:00] Business are built by being personal
• [18:30] Borrow someone's courage

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Caleb Jahr
• Get Naked, Patrick Lencioni BOOK
• Andrew Wommack, teaching pastor
• Gary Vaynerchuck
• Ilovemadisonshow.com

Our sponsors:

• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

 

• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… here’s the company I work with in Madison, WI - NeilMathweg.com
• Connect with me! You can find my personal real estate coaching website here

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

Chelsea Peitz is a content creator, author, and Snapchat pro! She has just launched her new book, “Talking in pictures - how Snapchat changed cameras, communication, and communities,” and joins us today on the onion juice to share how real estate agents can use camera-first platforms like Snapchat to build a brand and build trust through authentic relationships. Chelsea spent nine months documenting her own process of using camera-first social platforms to grow a business and establish a strong brand. The OJ nation knows we want to be companies that attract business, not chase it. Chelsea’s book and the tips she shares on this episode can help you do just that!

How Snapchat made it personal

At some point in the evolution of social media, the major platforms like Facebook and Instagram lost the personal connection. Perfection was the standard, even if it was content from a smaller company or an individual. If not for Snapchat, this trend may have continued. Chelsea said that the Snapchat platform has encouraged people to be authentic and relatable, even unscripted. In doing so, they have revitalized how people are connecting and sharing ideas and content. Events are being shared in real-time, groups are being formed around shared interests and networking feels more intentional. If you are unsure how Snapchat or other camera-first platforms can help you establish or grow your brand, you need to listen what Chelsea shares in is this episode!

Authenticity builds trust

For real estate agents and media companies, Snapchat offers an unpolished approach to networking and sharing content. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but Chelsea makes the point that people can't relate to perfection. They can, however, relate to real people and real stories. If you are authentic online, clients will feel like they already know you when you meet face to face. This is a powerful way to build trust and create a great experience every single time.

The most underutilized marketing tool you have

Chelsea shows the same personality and interest in people on Snapchat as she does in person. She has not tried to make her brand look or feel more corporate, but instead shares life stories and advice and interacts with each of her followers. She feels that realtors and small business owners have an advantage over large brands because they can market a personality, not just a company. “Likeability is the most underutilized marketing tool we have,” Chelsea said.

The power of being vulnerable

So many people don’t understand the power of being vulnerable. People see the word and they run from it because they don’t understand it. As media companies who happen to sell real estate, we need to understand that being vulnerable makes it easier for people relate to us. I can say from personal experience, the social posts that have the most engagement are the ones where I am the most real or vulnerable. The reverse effect is also true. If people cannot relate to you or your story, they are less likely to support your cause or business. Chelsea mentioned that It takes time to get comfortable in front of a camera, but eventually you will get to a point where you feel you can open up to your audience on a more personal level. As you master these skills, you will attract more business and build deep, meaningful relationships, and THAT is a reason to smile today!

Outline of this great episode

• [4:45] Neil introduces Chelsea Peitz
• [6:30] Chelsea on launching her new book Talking in pictures - how snapchat changed cameras, communication and communities
• [8:35] How Snapchap changed the social media game
• [10:20] How to build authentic, caring relationships on social media
• [11:45] Chelsea shares advice on how to launch a brand or personal business
• [14:30] Relatability is the most valuable marketing tool you have
• [17:45] The power of being vulnerable
• [20:20] Chelsea shares highlights from her new book

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode

• Talking in Pictures BOOK
• Snapchat APP

Our sponsors:

• www.KnightBarry.com - check them out for all your title needs.
• www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)
• To get my free pdf business plan, text “roundbox” to 44222
• To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
• To contact me about coaching, check out Roundbox Coaching
• Join the FACEBOOK Group: Onion Juice - Ideas for Real Estate Agents
• And… here’s the company I work with in Madison, WI - RealtyExecutivescs.com

Connect with me!

You can find my personal real estate coaching websitehere

And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)