Real Estate Uncensored - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Training Podcast

The rejections that come with prospecting and low conversion rates can wear down any agent. But is there an alternative to finding clients? How can content establish you as an expert? How can you start creating content when you have no experience? In this episode, Justin Zimmerman talks about how real estate agents can use content to build and nurture a strong database that will bring business for years to come.

Content is that vehicle that delivers that ability to build trust over time. -Justin Zimmerman

Three Things We Learned

Ask for a big yes first

When prospecting, ask for a big yes first, and then ask for a yes to something smaller later. This increases your chances of being told yes to the second yes, and this should be the “yes” you were looking for in the first place.

How to create content without any experience

You don’t have to be a writer to create content. In the beginning, you can take topics everyone else is talking about and put your own spin on it. Also, make sure you give your database “micro doses” of content. Overwhelming your readers or viewers with statistics might make them click away.

Content can help you go from prospector to marketer

Content will increase your visibility and help you establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Once you have a list of people who you send content to on a regular basis, you won’t have to put that much time (if any) into cold calling.

Prospecting is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get new clients when you’re starting out, but it can also be tiring and time-consuming. Most won’t be interested in buying or selling a house right now, but they might be in the future. Instead of just ignoring the prospects who aren’t a potential transaction right now, send them a secondary call to action. Use content to engage with them in the long-term, potentially years. This way, you build a database filled with people who have known you for a long time and consider you their go-to resource for real estate. When they are ready to buy or sell, chances are, they will contact you.

Guest Bio

Justin Zimmerman is the director of content development at REDX and a content strategist with a background in real estate.

He started off in real estate at 24 and built a software that took local MLS housing data and transformed it into a format easy to understand both by buyers and sellers. This helped him gain a competitive advantage in an profession where the average age was 47.

His software was so successful that he started training other agents to become Certified Market Advisors" and went from being a simple agent to managing 51 people.

Today, he uses his real estate and marketing knowledge to help agents create content that eliminates the need for prospecting and builds a strong database.

The road to success can sometimes be shortened if you put aside your ego and allow yourself to learn from others who have already made it big. What is the biggest misconceptions new agents have when they enter the real estate world? Should you just take any listing in the beginning? Why do negotiation sounds so scary for most people, and how can you get better at them? In this episode, Candy Miles-Crocker talks about the biggest mistakes new agents make and what shortcuts she wishes she knew about when she started out.

You don’t want to take any listing. Not all listings are good listings, and not all money is good money. -Candy Miles-Crocker

Three Things We Learned

Treat real estate like job

Many people get into the real estate business looking for freedom. They want to enjoy a more flexible schedule. But they end up not taking real estate seriously. They don’t put in the hours, nor do they make enough calls. New agents need to learn to treat real estate like a job. You  can’t afford to slack in real estate. You either work and take the commission or you fail altogether. In this industry, the sky's the limit. But to reach it, you have to put in the work.

Don’t take any listing that comes your way

Many new agents are desperate enough to take any listing, even when they know that the property is overpriced and the seller unreasonable. You don’t want to take a listing that has very small chance of selling. This wastes your time when you could be working on something else.

Negotiating is part of everyday life

You probably negotiate every day without even putting too much thought into it. Many beginners make the mistake of assuming that people aren’t willing to negotiate. Rejection is part of the everyday life of an agent, but if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

Many beginners, out of fear that they won’t get another listing, take whatever comes their way even if the chances of the property to sell are very slim. No matter how much you try to promote a house, when the price is too high, it won’t sell. Buyers today are too savvy to be tricked into buying an overpriced home. They can search online to find out what other homes of the same size and in the same area cost. You have to be honest with the sellers from the beginning when it comes to the real value of their home, and if they don’t change their minds, there is no need for you to waste your time with overpriced properties.

Guest Bio

Candy Miles-Crocker has over 17 years of experience in real estate. She’s a real estate agent who closed 14 sales in her first year, only to see the numbers climb higher and higher over in the following years. In the present, Candy helps new real estate agents get the training she would have liked to have when she started out. If you want to take a sneak peak at what she teaches agents, sign up for her free email course.

The road to success can sometimes be shortened if you put aside your ego and allow yourself to learn from others who have already made it big. What is the biggest misconceptions new agents have when they enter the real estate world? Should you just take any listing in the beginning? Why do negotiation sounds so scary for most people, and how can you get better at them? In this episode, Candy Miles-Crocker talks about the biggest mistakes new agents make and what shortcuts she wishes she knew about when she started out.

You don’t want to take any listing. Not all listings are good listings, and not all money is good money. -Candy Miles-Crocker

Three Things We Learned

Treat real estate like job

Many people get into the real estate business looking for freedom. They want to enjoy a more flexible schedule. But they end up not taking real estate seriously. They don’t put in the hours, nor do they make enough calls. New agents need to learn to treat real estate like a job. You  can’t afford to slack in real estate. You either work and take the commission or you fail altogether. In this industry, the sky's the limit. But to reach it, you have to put in the work.

Don’t take any listing that comes your way

Many new agents are desperate enough to take any listing, even when they know that the property is overpriced and the seller unreasonable. You don’t want to take a listing that has very small chance of selling. This wastes your time when you could be working on something else.

Negotiating is part of everyday life

You probably negotiate every day without even putting too much thought into it. Many beginners make the mistake of assuming that people aren’t willing to negotiate. Rejection is part of the everyday life of an agent, but if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

Many beginners, out of fear that they won’t get another listing, take whatever comes their way even if the chances of the property to sell are very slim. No matter how much you try to promote a house, when the price is too high, it won’t sell. Buyers today are too savvy to be tricked into buying an overpriced home. They can search online to find out what other homes of the same size and in the same area cost. You have to be honest with the sellers from the beginning when it comes to the real value of their home, and if they don’t change their minds, there is no need for you to waste your time with overpriced properties.

Guest Bio

Candy Miles-Crocker has over 17 years of experience in real estate. She’s a real estate agent who closed 14 sales in her first year, only to see the numbers climb higher and higher over in the following years. In the present, Candy helps new real estate agents get the training she would have liked to have when she started out. If you want to take a sneak peak at what she teaches agents, sign up for her free email course.

Every broker or team leader dreams of expanding their team nationally one day. But what’s the difference between a small team and a business that operates all over the country? What kind of lead generation tactics do they use? What kind of people does it take to play in another league? In this episode, Kevin L Kauffman talks about how to make the right hires, why you shouldn’t go crazy with buying leads, and how you can generate leads for free.

Get in business with the right people first and the rest will take care of itself. -Kevin L Kauffman

Three Things We Learned

Get in business with the right people

The real estate industry is constantly changing. Being in business with the right people is one of the things that will help you withstand any market shift. What matters is finding motivated people of character; everything else can be taught if motivation and character are already there.

Don’t purchase leads you can’t follow up with

The highest conversion rates will always come from sources such as a referrals or past clients. The more time you spend on a lead, the more likely you are to convert. Purchasing leads online is a waste of time if you don’t have the tools and resources for a quick follow-up.

How to generate leads for free

One of the best ways to generate leads without paying for them is to interact daily with 5 people in your database and 5 people you would like to include in your database. You shouldn't ask about selling or buying real estate. Just become part of their sphere, and when they are in need of help, they’ll contact you, not an agent who they barely know.

Leveraging relationships both with agents and people in your database is the one of the safest paths to success. The highest conversion rates come from the people you know personally and you interact regularly with, as you don’t have to work to gain their trust. If you contact 5 people from your database and 5 people outside it, and have a few meaningful conversations with each of them, you won’t have to worry getting enough referrals or warm leads in the future.

Guest Bio

Kevin Kauffman is the CEO of Group 46:10 Network, a real estate company active in 4 states in North America. In his 10 years of experience in real estate, he learned the ins and outs of the industry and shared his strategies and knowledge via speaking events and coaching. Kevin is now offering coaching for team leaders and brokers who want to take their business to next level just like he did years ago.

Every broker or team leader dreams of expanding their team nationally one day. But what’s the difference between a small team and a business that operates all over the country? What kind of lead generation tactics do they use? What kind of people does it take to play in another league? In this episode, Kevin L Kauffman talks about how to make the right hires, why you shouldn’t go crazy with buying leads, and how you can generate leads for free.

Get in business with the right people first and the rest will take care of itself. -Kevin L Kauffman

Three Things We Learned

Get in business with the right people

The real estate industry is constantly changing. Being in business with the right people is one of the things that will help you withstand any market shift. What matters is finding motivated people of character; everything else can be taught if motivation and character are already there.

Don’t purchase leads you can’t follow up with

The highest conversion rates will always come from sources such as a referrals or past clients. The more time you spend on a lead, the more likely you are to convert. Purchasing leads online is a waste of time if you don’t have the tools and resources for a quick follow-up.

How to generate leads for free

One of the best ways to generate leads without paying for them is to interact daily with 5 people in your database and 5 people you would like to include in your database. You shouldn't ask about selling or buying real estate. Just become part of their sphere, and when they are in need of help, they’ll contact you, not an agent who they barely know.

Leveraging relationships both with agents and people in your database is the one of the safest paths to success. The highest conversion rates come from the people you know personally and you interact regularly with, as you don’t have to work to gain their trust. If you contact 5 people from your database and 5 people outside it, and have a few meaningful conversations with each of them, you won’t have to worry getting enough referrals or warm leads in the future.

Guest Bio

Kevin Kauffman is the CEO of Group 46:10 Network, a real estate company active in 4 states in North America. In his 10 years of experience in real estate, he learned the ins and outs of the industry and shared his strategies and knowledge via speaking events and coaching. Kevin is now offering coaching for team leaders and brokers who want to take their business to next level just like he did years ago.

Starting a real estate business by yourself sounds scary, especially if you’re part of the team. But what happens when a team setting stalls your progress? What can you do when you start from scratch with no experience as a business owner? What should your expectations be and what means should you use to generate leads on your own? In this clip, Beth Seegert talks about how she hit the restart button on her real estate career by leaving her team and starting her own business.

Making calls is not the only way. You just need to find what you are comfortable with and works for you. -Beth Seegert

Three Things We Learned

Success doesn’t happen overnight

We see all these successful people going from zero to 100 when in fact they only get attention when they make it big, not while they’re on the journey of getting there. Few people are honest about their journey and how much work it actually took them to make it big.

No system is perfect in the beginning, and you shouldn’t expect it to be

In the beginning, all that your system needs to be is adequate, just enough for it to generate leads and get you the clients your business needs to survive. The next step is to make your system good, and the final step, which comes with experience, is to make your system great.

Ask the right questions

At an open house, neighbors usually come to look at the home as well. Usually, they aren’t looking to buy but instead just to look around. This is the perfect occasion to try to get another listing by asking a simple question: “Have you secretly thought about selling your home?”

Making calls is not the only way to get more clients. In the real estate industry, there are many ways you can keep nurturing you database, with social media being one of them. But if you really want to get more clients on social media platforms, you need to be more intentional about it. Make a list of your prospects and constantly keep an eye on them. Also, what determines your success on social media is the number of conversations you actually have with the people you’re targeting.

Guest Bio

Beth is an agent based in Detroit, Michigan. Find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-seegert-5948a132/.

Starting a real estate business by yourself sounds scary, especially if you’re part of the team. But what happens when a team setting stalls your progress? What can you do when you start from scratch with no experience as a business owner? What should your expectations be and what means should you use to generate leads on your own? In this clip, Beth Seegert talks about how she hit the restart button on her real estate career by leaving her team and starting her own business.

Making calls is not the only way. You just need to find what you are comfortable with and works for you. -Beth Seegert

Three Things We Learned

Success doesn’t happen overnight

We see all these successful people going from zero to 100 when in fact they only get attention when they make it big, not while they’re on the journey of getting there. Few people are honest about their journey and how much work it actually took them to make it big.

No system is perfect in the beginning, and you shouldn’t expect it to be

In the beginning, all that your system needs to be is adequate, just enough for it to generate leads and get you the clients your business needs to survive. The next step is to make your system good, and the final step, which comes with experience, is to make your system great.

Ask the right questions

At an open house, neighbors usually come to look at the home as well. Usually, they aren’t looking to buy but instead just to look around. This is the perfect occasion to try to get another listing by asking a simple question: “Have you secretly thought about selling your home?”

Making calls is not the only way to get more clients. In the real estate industry, there are many ways you can keep nurturing you database, with social media being one of them. But if you really want to get more clients on social media platforms, you need to be more intentional about it. Make a list of your prospects and constantly keep an eye on them. Also, what determines your success on social media is the number of conversations you actually have with the people you’re targeting.

Guest Bio

Beth is an agent based in Detroit, Michigan. Find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-seegert-5948a132/.

Technology reshaped many industries in the last few decades, but how will the real estate industry look after the next big technological shift? Who’s at risk of losing their jobs? Will real estate remain a people-based business? How can we use the new tools to our advantage? In this episode, Gene Volpe talks about augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and how real estate agents can use them to grow their business instead of fearing them.

There is always going to be the need for that hand-to-hand combat and human connection. - Gene Volpe

Three Things We Learned

How augmented reality will change the real estate industry

Putting furniture in a home using your smartphone to see what it looks like and flyers that come with QR codes are just a couple of the perks of augmented reality. This technology will make it easier for agents to help their buyers figure out if the home they’re seeing is a good fit for them.

Technology won’t remove the need for face-to-face interactions

Home buyers won’t put their biggest purchase in the hands of an agent they’ve never seen. They might come to you because of technology, but you will still have to meet with them in person for them to see if you’re trustworthy and a good fit.

How to use beacons in real estate

Beacons are small devices that use bluetooth technology. You can use them to trigger an outcome, such as an automated message via bluetooth to someone who passes by a home that is on the market for sale, letting them know they can click to see the virtual tour.

Technology is just a tool that can make our lives easier and cut out some of the mundane tasks that take hours from our days, but it will never replace the human connection needed for both selling and buying a home. Real estate is a people business, and no buyer would put their trust in a bot to help them make the biggest purchase of their lifetime. They still want to meet with an agent and find out for themselves if the agent is trustworthy and capable of helping them out.

Guest Bio

Gene Volpe is the founder of GVI Media and has over 10 years of experience in real estate marketing. With over 200 transactions under his belt, Gene is known as an authority in his field and is often invited to speak at events. You can find more about Gene at http://www.genevolpe.com/about-gene/#.

Technology reshaped many industries in the last few decades, but how will the real estate industry look after the next big technological shift? Who’s at risk of losing their jobs? Will real estate remain a people-based business? How can we use the new tools to our advantage? In this episode, Gene Volpe talks about augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and how real estate agents can use them to grow their business instead of fearing them.

There is always going to be the need for that hand-to-hand combat and human connection. - Gene Volpe

Three Things We Learned

How augmented reality will change the real estate industry

Putting furniture in a home using your smartphone to see what it looks like and flyers that come with QR codes are just a couple of the perks of augmented reality. This technology will make it easier for agents to help their buyers figure out if the home they’re seeing is a good fit for them.

Technology won’t remove the need for face-to-face interactions

Home buyers won’t put their biggest purchase in the hands of an agent they’ve never seen. They might come to you because of technology, but you will still have to meet with them in person for them to see if you’re trustworthy and a good fit.

How to use beacons in real estate

Beacons are small devices that use bluetooth technology. You can use them to trigger an outcome, such as an automated message via bluetooth to someone who passes by a home that is on the market for sale, letting them know they can click to see the virtual tour.

Technology is just a tool that can make our lives easier and cut out some of the mundane tasks that take hours from our days, but it will never replace the human connection needed for both selling and buying a home. Real estate is a people business, and no buyer would put their trust in a bot to help them make the biggest purchase of their lifetime. They still want to meet with an agent and find out for themselves if the agent is trustworthy and capable of helping them out.

Guest Bio

Gene Volpe is the founder of GVI Media and has over 10 years of experience in real estate marketing. With over 200 transactions under his belt, Gene is known as an authority in his field and is often invited to speak at events. You can find more about Gene at http://www.genevolpe.com/about-gene/#.

Building relationships with your database is a far more pleasant experience for both sides than cold calling, sending emails, or trying to use any of the traditional marketing methods. But how can we genuinely touch lives and build relationships? Why isn’t social media alone enough to make this happen? And why is sending out cards such a powerful way to make people remember you? In this episode, Kody Bateman, the CEO of Send out Cards, speaks about relationship marketing and how you can transform the way you succeed through relationships.

If you act on your promptings, they will guide you on where you are supposed to go with your life. -Kody Bateman

Three Things We Learned

Social media diluted the meaning of personal messages

Most people are inundated with marketing on social media. Your audience is probably too, and they expect certain messages from the people they do business with as well. But this only dilutes the message because it’s well known those messages are impersonal and sent with a specific goal in mind: to sell.

Send-out cards work because they are tangible

After the appearance of social media, there was a huge shift. Many marketers thought they can use social media alone to keep in touch with their database. But they soon found out that social media is not enough, that people need something tangible to bond with. What social media has done is create more noise.

You can touch people’s lives

A drip campaign or a quarterly call doesn’t touch people on the same level as send-out cards do. You can put a smile on somebody’s face and make them feel appreciated when they need it the most just by making a small gesture like sending out a card.

Social media and send-out cards can work together. For example, you will need social media to find out when important events happen in your audience’s lives in order to connect with them. You can also take photos from their social media accounts to print out your cards, especially if you write a card to congratulate them on a specific life event. This type of marketing not only allows you to contact people in a way that other agents don’t, but it also helps relationships. It’s a more pleasant process for both sides than cold calls or drip campaigns.

Guest Bio

Kody Bateman is the founder and CEO of Send out Cards, an internationally recognized public speaker, and marketing and personal development specialist. He is a leading figure in relationship marketing and the author of The Power of Human Connection, a book that will be launched in August this year, but if you pre-order it now, you qualify for a free download of the digital version. You can find out more about him, his other books, and events at https://kodybateman.com/about/.