Today I want to impart some tips and insights that our team has learned over the years that you can use to save time and get to the income level that you deserve in your real estate career. We had some great one-on-one meetings this week, so I would like to share my takeaways with you.

One of my agents told me that he was making lots of calls but was not having any luck converting or reaching people on the phone. I asked him when he was making these calls, and he said he was making calls between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m because of other things in his life.

If you are calling out in the early afternoon, you are wasting your time—you would be better off going to the gym or going out for a bike ride. The best time to call is between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at night, and between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in the morning.

I have an agent who time blocked those periods for calls and she was making $10,000 a month. Her connect ratio was so much higher than if she had made the calls in the early afternoon. Success can be manufactured by properly structuring your day, such as reevaluating your time blocks.

Our team often feels like it is being pulled in 18 different directions—we are trying to door knock, work on our scripts, call FSBOs with Vulcan, write handwritten notes, check our emails, get sold leads, and figure out new ways to succeed in real estate without working.

My takeaway from my agents was that we were not focusing on the basics. While trying to juggle all these tasks, we were unable to do any of them exceptionally well. On this, I agree with the genius Gary Keller: You want to focus on one thing at a time.

Years ago in coaching, a friend of mine was struggling on the verge of bankruptcy in his business. I told him that he needed to focus on the fundamentals. He was trying to implement too many things at the same time.

“

”

Find your one weak area that, with improvement and mastery, will get your business where you want it to be. It could be mastering scripts or market knowledge. You will not master anything if you are trying to do 18 things at once. After meeting with many teams over the years, I’ve seen that top agents all master one area. That doesn’t mean you need to limit yourself, however. You can continue improving other areas after you’ve mastered one.

If you want to know what it’s like to be on a team and have the career and life you deserve, reach out to me. Here is to your continued success in real estate!

I’m back to share some more ideas and insights that I’ve gathered in my 25+ years in the business. I’m heading down to meet with some top agents in the next week which got me thinking about the keys to success.

Why do I travel to so many conferences like this? Because I want to surround myself with greatness. I like being in places where I’m not the smartest guy in the room. You need to surround yourself with successful people too. It will help you start thinking bigger.

You have an obligation to succeed. To yourself, to your family, and to the ones you love. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” However, it also works in reverse. If you’re in an office with average agents who sell five or six homes per year, you might be feeling really great if you have sold eight homes, but you shouldn’t.

My team sold 300 homes last year, but we stink. You know why? 6,000 homes were sold in the capital region last year. Our market share is so small and there is so much opportunity for us. The abundance of business is amazing.

If you’re not happy where you are in your career, give me a call. I’d be happy to go out for coffee, have a sit-down, and show you the path to true success in this industry. My goal in life is to grow people, and I’d love to do the same with you. 

There’s more business out there for everyone, so that’s why I’m offering you this opportunity. If you’re interested in going to Mike Ferry’s superstar retreat for free, give me a call and I’ve got a free ticket for you. Mike is one of the best minds in real estate and this will absolutely change your life.

“

”

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would love to hear from you.

All the top agents in the real estate industry have one thing in common: they control their clients instead of letting their clients control them. How is this done, though? Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518)861-7016 or [email protected]. Want to know something I’ve learned over the years about this industry? All the top agents have one thing in common: they control their clients rather than let their clients control them. By taking control, they’re being proactive instead of reactive.  Top agents “drive the train.” By that I mean they don’t let their clients dictate to them. Instead, they give them guidance from their own experience and let them make a decision. That’s what the clients are paying them for.   It’s important to manage the expectations of your client instead of jumping to them. This, of course, is easier if you have an abundance of clients; if you do, pick only the best ones. It’s not your job to be a chauffeur and show a buyer a hundred homes. Your job is to find a buyer a home that is suitable for them and let them live the American dream. If they have to look at 50 homes to do that, you’re doing something wrong. “ If you have to show 50 homes to the same buyer, you’re doing something wrong. ” The average person looks at seven or eight homes before making an offer. My agents try to cut that number down to four or five. They accomplish this through coaching and preparation. What happens when you don’t do these things? I put my own house up for sale a few weeks ago and got an offer the first day for $25,000 under the listing price. When I asked the buyer agent why this was, he told me that that was what his buyer wanted him to do.  That’s absurd! That agent should’ve told his buyer that that kind of offer was going to alienate the seller—me—because that’s exactly what happened. You should be prepared for a scenario like that. Have a script if you have to, for instance, and use it to tell your buyer why it’s a mistake to come in at such a low value.  Time and time again, I see deals fall apart because agents aren’t controlling the transaction and giving their clients good advice. They’re not driving the train; they’re letting their clients do that. In my opinion, real estate is a great business, but you have to control it. As an agent, you have to be in a position of power. Be honest and direct with your clients and tell them the things that they need to hear. If you have any questions on how my agents only show four homes, give me a call or shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected] I just got back from a great Mastermind conference in San Diego. I was able to meet and share ideas with some great businesspeople, including Shark Tank’s Daymond John and my former coach Jay Kinder. The average gross commission in the room for this Mastermind was $1.5 million and I learned so much. There was a tremendous amount of info that went back and forth, but one of my big takeaways was that success leaves clues. I always try to look for the common denominator that successful agents share. I happened to be sitting with Bubba Mills, who is the CEO of Corcoran Consulting and a great speaker and coach. One thing I noticed was that many of the teams in this room coached directly with Bubba, and at that point, it was obvious what I needed to do. I am excited to announce that I have hired Bubba to coach our team. He’s not cheap, but the value he will bring to our team is beyond measure. He’s going to start with training our buyer's agents on scripting this week. If you don’t have a coach, you don’t have to hire Bubba. There are certainly other coaches out there with great programs, like Hoss Pratt or Mike Ferry, who can help you with your business. If you have any questions about any of them, let me know. I’ve worked with pretty much every big coach in the business and can give you advice on who to hire depending on what your needs are. If you can’t afford a coach, I’d love to talk to you about joining our team, where you will be trained by one of the best. If you have any questions for me or any questions for me to ask Barbara Corcoran, who I will see in person in a few weeks, let me know via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. An interesting thing happened the other day. I overheard an agent in my office take a call from a couple who was moving in from Texas. They weren’t happy with their Realtor, so they reached out to us after hearing a radio ad. They called one of my agents and that agent converted that lead and is now working with that buyer, a $300,000 client!  Before hiring us, this couple had an agent they had found on the Internet. That agent used Facetime and videos to show them homes in the area. Unfortunately, the agent showed them a home with a floorplan that just didn’t work for the family for a number of reasons. The couple decided to test the agent by asking him what they thought of the place. On cue, the agent said, “This house is amazing! You better make an offer on it because it’s not going to last!” It was then that the family knew they had to find a more trustworthy, less phony, agent.  The takeaway? That agent lost the buyer client for not being authentic. If you are going to be in the real estate business, you need to be an expert and create massive value for your clients, whether it’s on the buying or selling side. On the buying side, when the market is this hot, authenticity is one of the most important traits as a young Realtor. Some of the most powerful things you can tell a client are the truth; you can’t be afraid to tell them a house is a piece of junk. We are expert consultants who create value for clients. You don’t want to put your clients in a home that doesn’t suit their needs. It’s not how you build a business, it’s not the way you build a career, and it’s not the way you build a referral base. You build those things by doing a really good job for each client by using your expertise.  The lesson today is pretty simple: Don’t be a phony! If you’ve ever thought about joining a team and are curious about what it’s like to have an endless supply of leads coming in, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would love to chat on the phone or over a cup of coffee about your business. I’d be happy to meet at any time!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. I hope you are all crushing it so far in 2016. Our team had a great month of January, with 28 closed sales worth $5.5 million. Today I want to talk about my recent trip to Toronto for the Craig Proctor seminar. I had a lot of takeaways from this event, but I wanted to talk about one in particular. Craig asked the audience what the biggest thing holding them back was from growing their business. There were a lot of different answers, but what Craig said is that it’s your real estate license that is holding you back. I could not agree more. When I think of people like Lars Hedenborg, Chris Tamm, and others who are selling thousands of homes per year, they all have one thing in common: They stepped out of their business very early-on. These guys aren’t going on listing appointments with buyers, but they are selling over 1000 homes per year. Getting caught up in the day-to-day of your business is very easy to do. I am unique in that I actually enjoy going out on appointments and meeting with people. However, the idea is to run your real estate business like a business, and that’s something not all of us do. What you want is a business that will run without you. I’m heading up to New Hampshire for a few days to go skiing, but my team will still be here with boots on the ground in Albany, selling homes.  Start working on your business this year instead of working in it. I take time every week to go to the library, take notes, and think about what I need to be working on for my business’ continued success. That’s the way to build the wealth and lifestyle you deserve. If you have any questions, or are curious about joining a team, let me know. We have an endless stream of leads, and are looking for talented individuals who want to take things to the next level. Give me a call or send me an email today!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. Happy New Year! We had an absolutely fantastic 2015. Thank you to everyone who co-brokered a property with us. My team ended the year with 260 home sales and $53 million in volume. My hat's off to the team; they absolutely crushed it this year. I recently returned from a Mastermind in the Bahamas and a meeting at the ESPN headquarters with Mike and Mike. I'm set to carry that great momentum into 2016. If you haven't already, now is a great time to plan your goals and to make changes going forward. This week, I want you to ask yourself, "What are you going to do differently in 2016 to achieve different results?" Today, I'm wearing my Susan Coleman tie in respect for all cancer patients. We do all we can to support them. The tie reminds me that if you have your health and the opportunity to make choices, you have an obligation to be the best Realtor you can be. So, what are you going to do to become the best Realtor you can be in 2016? At the Mastermind, I sat next to a great guy, Chris Tamm. Chris sold his company for several million dollars and he's starting a CRM business. He's a smart guy, and he said, "The seventh level of Keller Williams is not for everyone." The seventh level of Keller Williams involves stepping out of an active role in your business and letting the team run it. When Chris explained that, it made sense. Maybe you don't want to build a huge team. Maybe it's just you, but you want to get ten more transactions a year. Maybe you only want a small team with an assistant and a listing agent. There are different models for everyone. This year, cement the vision for what you want to do. Do you want a team? What can you do differently this year to make that vision happen? Think about the vision you have for your business. Find the model that works for you. If you do nothing else, hop on a plane and surround yourself with greatness. The Bahamas Mastermind was superb. There were forty successful professionals with the same goals learning from each other. That's where you really grow in real estate. If you have any questions for me, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. It’s that time of year again! We’re giving away several hundred pies this year, in addition to a 50” television. This is our way of thanking previous clients for continual business, referrals, and overall support. A pie giveaway is a great way for businesses to reconnect with previous customers. If you aren’t organizing one this year, it’s not too early to be thinking about 2016. If your real estate career isn’t where you want it to be, give me a call. It’s important to find a role model and get a cup of coffee. Lastly, I’ll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner myself with my wife. If you’re alone, please reach out. I’ll save a spot at our dining room table for you. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. I'm fresh back from an eventful week in Dallas, where I sat on a panel with some of the best agents from around the country. It was a fantastic experience with a lot of takeaways. The underlying theme of the week was (in order to have great success) that you need to have clarity on what you want, focus on what it's going to take to get there, and take massive action to make it happen. If you're new to the industry, or even if you've been in it for a while but can't seem to take your business to the next level, that simple theme is something the most successful agents and coaches harp on over and over again. I was privileged enough to get a chance to speak with Chad Goldwasser, a great motivational speaker and a former KW agent who was the number 1 agent worldwide for that company with $4.7 million GCI with 120 agents underneath him. Talking with Chad and hearing what he had to say, it became clear that he built a massive business with limited upside and return for him. The way he talks about it, it sounds like he wouldn't want to do it again - it was too transitional. Contrast Chad's experience with that of Mark Burlingame, a friend and great guy I was privileged to know well. He didn't have the most transactions, he wasn't the most powerful broker, but he was rich beyond belief in relationships. When you look at your business, at the end of your career, do you want to see it as built on transactions or relationships? Do you value the lifetime value of a client or are you more concerned with one-and-done transactions just to put numbers up on the board? In other words, what kind of business do you want to be and why? Our team is focused on relationships first and foremost. The number of transactions we do means less than the number of lives we touch in a meaningful manner. Regardless of the business model you use, I think the best possible use of your time and talents is relationship-building; if you focus on people first, the transactions will follow. This was just a quick thought I felt compelled to share. If you have questions about how you can use your real estate business as a means to connect with people, don't hesitate to reach out. I love talking about this stuff and would love to help!

Looking to improve your real estate career? I'm here to help you make a smart decision when it comes to growing your business, improving your bottom line, and choosing a place to work in real estate sales. If you'd like to learn more about working with Clancy Real Estate, contact me at (518) 861-7016 or [email protected]. I want to talk briefly about a great opportunity I had recently to go down to New York City to spend the day with Barbara Corcoran - it's always a pleasure to be with her. I never want to be the smartest guys in the room - it's rare that I ever am anyway - but when Barbara is around I am far from it! It was a great opportunity to thank her. Our business is up $12 million or so year-to-date. She said one thing to me that really struck home: "Treat your clients like family, have fun, and everything else falls into place." Think about what that means; it means you need to do a fantastic job for them, make the experience enjoyable for them and yourself, and everything falls into place after that! How hard do we make real estate sometimes, with all the shiny new gimmicks and things we throw money at to generate leads and grow our business? When you boil it down, it's all about creating a great client experience, treating them well, and letting everything fall into place. Disney has a saying, "Get to the fun FAST," a great mission statement that rings true in all industries. If you're working with first-time buyers, finding a home should be fun! If you're working with an older couple who is looking to downsize, helping them find that new home should be an enjoyable experience for them! You have control over the experience your clients have - so it's crucial you help them to have fun and enjoy the experience. Barbara built her $64 million business on that simple philosophy, so it's worth thinking about. If you have any questions or would like guidance in building your business, please don't hesitate to reach out out me. I would love to give you a hand in any way possible!