Real Estate Uncensored - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Training Podcast

Technology opens new doors for agents and creates shortcuts when it comes to discovering the value of a property and how we do lead generation. How do you use technology to make yourself look more professional in front of both sellers and buyers? Will technology replace face-to-face meetings? In this episode, Bernice Ross will share how technology disrupts the real estate market and what aspects of real estate will remain unchanged.

The average person knows 12 different realtors, and they hire the person they’ve seen most recently, so this means you need to be face to face. -Bernice Ross

Three Things We Learned

Share in-depth reports with your customers

You can set yourself apart by giving detailed information to both sellers and buyers using online services that give free reports such as http://blog.narrpr.com/rpr/. This will show you a 30-page report on weather risks, sex offenders in the area, and everything you need to know about a property and its surroundings.

Keep track of where open houses perform the best

Send out all the information necessary to the people who walk into the open house. There are many softwares out there that can help you not only share a report about the property but also build a profile that shows you in what areas open houses bring the most sales.

Face-to-face meetings beat online lead generation

The average person knows around 12 realtors, and they contact the realtor they’ve seen most recently. Online generation tools are yet to beat in-person experiences and open houses when it comes to lead generation.

Agents make the mistake of confusing responders with leads. Just because someone completed a form online that will allow them to see a home doesn’t mean that they are interested in buying right now. Putting more respondents in touch with AI instead of being contacted by an agent, weeds out the people who are simply looking from those who want to make a move right now. Consumers will benefit from it as well since they will be contacted only when they show more interest in buying a home.

Guest Bio

Bernice L. Ross is the CEO of Real Estate Coach, author, speaker, and coach in the real estate industry for over 30 years. She also hold a Phd. in Psychology, authored  numerous best-selling books, and has over 1,000 published articles.

You can subscribe to her free newsletter to get expert advice at http://realestatecoach.com/newsletter/.

Many team leaders and top agents don’t even think about sharing their knowledge for free. But giving without expecting anything in return has unexpected “side effects.” When you are reaching out to people, is pain your selling point? How do you use content to share your knowledge and build credibility? On this episode, we are joined by hosts of the The Grind podcast Jason Harmon & Joey Torkildson.

You have to figure out what you want to sell. Then you figure out what kind of marketing you want to get. -Matt Johnson

Three Things We Learned

Don’t make easing pain your selling point

Many coaches complain that they attract people who wait for too long before they want to invest in their education. They only attract people who are desperate because their lives are falling apart due to their business. The problem arises when coaches don’t figure out how to attract and warn people of the consequences of not being informed enough and not acting sooner.

Recycle the content you already have

For example, if you have a podcast episode, you can break down the episodes into different sections and discuss each one of them individually in blog posts and articles. Creating consistent content might not be the fastest way to get clients, but it helps you grow in the eyes of your database and establish yourself as an expert.

Help people out without expecting anything in return

Helping someone at the right moment with a piece of advice can change the course of their career. There are many ways you can benefit from helping others that go beyond the financial gains, from being remembered and referred to actually becoming their clients months, and even years, after you’ve helped them.

Use two channels to send your message to your audience. These include one that is focused on problem solving and pain points and another that gives a taste of your services without focusing on business-changing strategies. The theory behind this is to attract the attention of both crowds. The first one that is currently facing problems in their business and they trust you to help solve them, and the second crowd that isn’t sure if you have the right answers to their questions but they would like to buy something from you of a smaller value to get an idea of what you are offering.

Guest Bio

Jason Harmon has over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry. He is part of the board of directors at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley. He is also the team leader at FM Team of Keller Williams Inspire Realty and the host of Grind Podcast.

Joey Torkildson is one of the host at the Grind Podcast, where he shares his real estate knowledge and gives advice to his listeners. He is also the CEO of Herg Group North Suburban and a team leader that stays in top 20% of all realtors in Minnesota.

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/#

Most agents tend to copy the same strategies that big players use in online lead generation, and they fail simply because they don’t have the same budget. But is there a way to run a well-oiled lead generation machine for under $1000? What do you do when you need leads as soon as possible and you are on a budget as well? In this episode, Nick Sakkis, shares how you can build a system based on sales funnels that will bring you all the leads you need, faster and at a smaller price compared with “traditional” strategies.

Let’s make an online washing machine, not our personal time of picking up the phone only to make 150 calls to close one deal. -Matt Johnson

Three Things We Learned

A group is your mini country

Social media groups are mini countries where you make the rules. You can use these groups to grow your brand and build a community around your business. People are sick of being bombarded with ads, but when they get invited to join a group, you give them freedom of choice, and the ones who accept your invitation are more likely to work with you compared with someone who sees your ad.

The golden era of Facebook advertising is about to end

If you are not able to run ads in Facebook’s golden era, in 3 months, or in 6 months when that third-party data is gone, you need to find a better way to advertise yourself. Because of the scandal that Facebook is involved right now, they will be forced to tweak the way they extract information from their users and sell it to advertisers like you.

Outbound tactics are no longer as efficient

Cold calling is no longer as efficient as it used to be. Most of us have a defense mechanism when we hear someone trying to sell us a product or a service. Technology changed the way we make purchases, and marketers are adding more steps from the moment someone showed interest to the call, simply because they want to filter out those who are less likely to buy.

You don’t need a big budget to succeed online. Most agents spend around $500 on online advertising. But when you spend only $500, you treat each like is gold. SEO might seem like a good idea, and it does work but the problem is that it takes a long time to work, and hungry agents needs sales the quickly. The only way you can get more sales for under $1000 and have immediate results is to build a sales funnel with a landing page.

Guest Bio

Nick Sakkis is the co founder of the Sakkis group and a digital marketing whizz.

He used social media groups to generate leads for his business and he teaches other agents how they can create lead generation machines on a bootstrapped budget at Funnelstoleads.com

Buyers can be a hassle at times, especially when they come with unrealistic expectations towards prices and the market. Is there a way to keep buyers grounded in the reality of the market? What about staying in touch with potential customers without being pushy? In this episode, we talk about how to be prepared to deal with the many challenges that come up with working with buyers.

Those people should know what you do. The best way to do that is Facebook live, like what we are doing right now. -Matt Johnson

Three Things We Learned

How to stay in touch with potential buyers

The best way to associate yourself with a positive experience and stay in touch with potential buyers is to give something of value to them. It could be a giftcard or a prize in money after they win a small contest. This will take care of the resistance and make them more willing to open up to you.

The cheating script

This script will not only help you bring negative experiences from your customer’s past to create empathy and keep them loyal to you, but it will also help you determine if you should work for them or not. Explain how you make your money and the time you invest. Ask them if  “They wouldn’t want to cheat on you” in the context of working with another agent, and observe their reactions.

Buyers looking for a bargain

Don’t price yourself too low. You will gain a reputation for yourself. In the end, all sellers think they sell for too little and buyers buy two expensive. For example, if someone is searching for a home in a price range that is not realistic for the market, ask them if they ever considered not buying right now, since at the moment the sellers hold the power, not the buyers.

Looking for a home without an agent is like representing yourself in court just because you are addicted to law TV show. Use this as your selling point when you are dealing with buyers who think they don’t need an agent. Show them stats and how well you know the market. You aren’t lending them only your time, but also your negotiation skills and real estate experience.

Technological advancements not only impact the real estate industry but also how younger generations choose to communicate with agents. But what are the the things you should focus on as technology is always changing? Does technology simplify the process? How can you keep yourself playing the long game for long-term success? In this episode, Gene Volpe and Dan Trinidad speak about the impact of technology, procrastination, and taking action.

Most people go through life with no sense of urgency because in the moment they feel like they have so much time. -Matt Johnson

Three Things We Learned

Younger generations prefer to avoid face-to-face interactions

Technology changed the way the younger generations communicate. They are less willing to meet you in person. This kind of shift should make agents ask themselves what kind of tools they have to reduce face to face interactions as much as possible.

Technology doesn’t simplify the process

Both sellers and buyers still use agents regardless of technological changes due to how complicated the whole process is. If there are 10 steps to purchasing a home, tell them you can do nine of them and they will be convinced to work with you.

Focus on timeless mental models

In this stage, where everything is moving at such a fast pace, the best approach is not focusing on how to use as many tools as possible, but to learn timeless principles and models that withstand change. Real estate will always be a people to people business. But YouTube might disappear five or 10 years from now.

Everyone is excited about how they will be in the future, including the changes they will make. But they don’t start working on working on becoming the person they want to be 10 years from now. Procrastination is a major problem and it’s often caused by a lack of urgency. Time flies by quickly anyway, so why not make it worth it? Maybe a few years from now you could have x, y, and z instead of having the same things you have right now.

Guests' Bios

Dan Trinidad is the CEO and President of Partners Mortgage and the founder of

“Partners For a Cure,” which he used to raise $1 Million Dollars for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. A tragic event in Dan’s life changed his view completely and gave him a new sense of purpose and urgency to living his life to the fullest. Today, he teaches others not only to become better at running a business but also living in the present despite life’s hurdles.

You can contact Dan at [email protected]

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/#

Starting out as a complete beginner in a competitive industry like real estate can be quite challenging. Is there a way you can both work on your real estate agent and work towards becoming a team leader? Should you start a business right away or join a team first? How do you pick the people you should have on your team if you decide to build one? On this episode, Al Stasek shares how he went from being a long-haul trucker to becoming a top real estate agent and a team leader.

If you don’t know how to do it, it’s impossible to teach someone else how to do it -Al Stasek

Three Things We Learned

Join a team

Starting a business as a new agent is a tempting yet dangerous endeavor. Filling the pipeline as a new agent is difficult. Plus, there are a bunch expenses that need to be covered. If you have the chops for sales and you want to get experience in real estate, it’s far easier to be part of a team where you get mentorship for free.

Test out potential candidates

Some people aren’t made to be in sales, and team leaders make the mistake of hiring based on referrals or experience. Someone experienced might bring in revenue, but they might not be a fit for your core values, and someone inexperienced might not have the personality for sales.

Use positive coaching

Eight hours on the phone is stressful for anyone involved, both new agents and trainers.

Don’t try to keep your agents accountable in a militant way. Try creating a fun, positive environment. Also, ask yourself if you have the time to get the agents through the process of training and putting them out there. If your time is better spent elsewhere, let a coaching company do it for you.

Joining a team or a system where free coaching is provided, is one of the safest paths to success. As a new agent, learning as much as possible should be one of your top priorities, and the team setting is perfect in this situation. Getting new listings and building a team right away can be a daunting task, but under the right guidance and with a framework already put in place, it’s much easier to grow.

Guest Bio

Al Stasek has over 21 years of experience in the real estate industry. He is the owner of the Stasek group in Cleveland powered by EXP Realty, where he strives to give a unique customer experience through a closing departement, professional photography, and high-quality marketing services.

Getting new listings can be daunting if you don’t have a system in place to make sure you tap into several lead sources. But how can you add new lead sources to your business? Is social media a viable solution? Should you partner up with someone more experienced, or find a mentor instead? On this episode, Aaron Wittenstein shares his strategy to getting more listings in a tough market.

I would look at what already brought you the business that you have and double down on that. -Matt Johnson

Three Things We Learned

Build a referral machine on social media

Invest time in building relationships with the people in your friend’s list. You can start by simply saying “hi” and bringing up a recent post of theirs, or you can offer them a coupon to a local restaurant. No matter what you do in the beginning, make sure you don’t ask for referrals right away.

Know your numbers

In order to grow your business, you should know how many calls you need to make and how many leads you convert, and then increase your workload. The best way to grow is to identity your main source of revenue and double down your efforts on that.

Join a team or find a mentor who has experience with expired listings

Partnering up with someone is too much of a responsibility. Instead, try finding someone in your circle who already made it big and ask for their mentorship. Joining a team where coaching is involved is another good way to learn more about the industry, get more leads, and sharpen your skills.

When approaching expired listings, always ask questions about why they want to sell or why they no longer want to sell and rent out instead. Many homeowners are disenchanted by the fact they couldn’t sell their home the first time and they turn to renting as a plan B. But if you start a conversation about how complicated renting can be and the risks it might present, they may rethink their decision and give you a chance with their listing.

Guest Bio

Aaron Wittenstein is a realtor at Keller Williams NY Realty and has 13 years of experience in the real estate industry. You will find Aaron invested in all of the aspects of selling and buying properties, from analysing data and being on the phone to meeting with sellers and buyers.

Our point of view is the lens through which we see our lives. However, often times we take mindsets as they are. We don’t question them. But what happens when out past attitudes get in the way and we no longer perform like we used to? Should you question every piece of advice you received? Does being busy equal being productive? Are you blinded by the shiny side of success? On this episode, Gene Volpe and Andy Scherer share their growth stories and mistakes they’ve made along the way.

What a lot of people fail to understand is that you are negotiating for time every single day. -Andy Scherer

Three Things We Learned

Being busy instead of being productive

One of the biggest mistakes we make is staying busy instead of being productive. To fix this, you have to be aware of how much time you actually spend working and what external factors impact your work. Keeping a time journal can shed some light on what you actually do with your time.

Don’t be fooled by the shiny side of success

Most of us love reading success stories. If he or she can do it, it means I can do it too. The problem with this is that most of those stories don’t show the grind, the missed holidays, and the early mornings and late nights spent working. As a society, we tend to gravitate around our comfort zones, and anything that breaks that line is seen as unpleasant. The truth is that in order to see massive results, you need to take massive action.

Question why you do the things you do

We often see ourselves pressured to do certain things without even questioning them. And often times the actions we take don’t make any sense because of it. It could be a coaching program, or it could be a marketing plan. Don’t just take it. Instead, question it. Ask yourself if it’s the best thing for you and your business.

Because of the low entry barrier, many agents seem to forget that selling homes is a career path, and like anything else, it needs professional practice. You can’t afford to avoid spending at least 30 minutes per day listening to a podcast, audiobook, or reading a book relevant to your work. The rise of technology increased the rate at which the industry is changing, and as new tools appear, there is always something new to learn about.

Guest Bio

Andy is a coach at Pillar 9 Coaching. As leader and change agent, he has been able to successfully implement communication strategies, operations management, social program design, marketing integration, community collaborations, and engagement initiatives. Get in touch [email protected] , call 203.257.5279 or find him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ascherer83.

Gene Volpe is the founder of GVI Media , speaker and local marketing expert. He has over 9 years of experience in the marketing arena. He is also well versed in the real estate field including buying, selling, renting, marketing and consulting on over 200 real estate transactions. He is an expert in brand establishment and elevation and remains on the cutting edge of real estate marketing with a hard focus on video and social media. Go to http://www.genevolpe.com/ for more information.

Getting listings in tough markets requires creativity, not compromise. Is it a good idea to make big promises over the phone? What about being on the same wavelength with the sellers, are they all motivated by the financial aspect of the transaction? What strategies can be used in tough markets to get people to talk with you? On this episode, Don Cunningham shares his approach to getting more listings.

FSBOs tend to be extremely overpriced. They don’t have the unbiased opinion that we realtors come to the table with.  -Don Cunningham

Three Things We Learned

Don’t discuss commissions over the phone

You can’t make promises before you actually see the property. Home sellers are biased when it comes to estimating the value of their home. You might not even know if you want the listing if you don’t see the property and the neighborhood first.

Find the motivation behind the seller

Ask questions about what’s most important to the seller, waiting for the market to change and selling at the best price possible or selling right away. It’s wrong to assume that all sellers are motivated by financial gains. Some want to move as fast as possible due to a new job or simply because they want a bigger house.

Tough markets ask for creativity

Print out t-shirts that say you are realtor. Share coupons on social media that can be printed. Message friends in your social media. Tap into the law of reciprocity with a discount for a restaurant or coffee shop, and ask them if they can have lunch with you. The secret is to think outside the box, add value, and avoid going for the kill right way.

Don’t ask for the listing right away when you are contacting a homeowner. Instead, make them an offer they can’t refuse: a free service. Ask them if you can make a short video of their house and post it online. Also, add that you will do all the heavy lifting of the process (sorting out the potential buyers, promoting the video, etc.). All they need to do is say yes, and if you can’t find a buyer, they don’t lose a dime. This kind of initiative, even if it doesn’t end up in you finding a buyer, will impress the homeowner.

Guest Bio

Don Cunningham is the founder of Fidelity Coaching Inc. He is a real estate expert and a business development consultant who helps realtors, lenders, sales executives, and small business owners fulfil their dreams through classes, one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and more.

You can reach out to Don at 619-405-9698.

Knowing who you really are can help you figure you out what you’re best at. But how does this translate to the real estate industry? Do certain personality types do better in certain roles than others? Should you focus on fixing your weaknesses or polishing your skills? On this episode, Jay Niblick shares his view on how you can build a better team and sell more by identifying personality types.

Your customers will buy in their natural state. If they have to adapt, the further away out of the comfort zone they are, the further away conversion is. -Jay Niblick

Three Things We Learned

There are no “unfit” personality types for real estate

A lot of agents get discouraged after they take a personality test and realize they don’t have a certain personality. While there are definitely trends, there are no absolutes, and to make a team work, you need different personality types.The rainmaker of the team will most definitely be a type A personality, but most team leaders are actually a type C personality because of their analytical nature.

Build the team around your weaknesses

The worst piece of advice you can follow is to focus on fixing your weaknesses instead of sharpening your skills. There’s something out there that works for everyone. You don’t have to emulate somebody else's personality to succeed. Even if it works, you’ll be miserable while focusing on learning the skills you don’t wanna learn instead of doing what you love. Your weakness is somebody else's strength. Hire the people who are strong in an area where you’re weak.

Change your pitch based on your prospect’s personality

When you know what your prospects are interested in, you’re more likely to speak to their needs and filter out properties they wouldn't be interested in. Some are driven by saving money on a purchase, while some look at the utility of the property. Others put more value on the aesthetics.

One of the best ways to find out what personality type your prospects are is to ask questions about why they’re selling/buying the house, how they would like to be contacted, and so on.

The closer you are with your approach to what their personality type is, the higher the chance for conversion. For example, late adopters want to be assured that they aren’t taking any risks, while early adopters want to be part of something innovative and exciting.The secret is communicate in a way that puts them in their comfort zone.

Guest Bio

Jay Niblick is the founder of Wize Hire, a real estate recruiting software with a data-driven approach to the hiring process. You can take the personality test mentioned on this episode at https://wizehire.com/#disc-ebook-signup