My living is made now by making real estate agents famous. Well, at least their websites famous. I probably see hundreds of websites every month. Of these, I see the good, the bad and the ugly. I have the opportunity to be amongst a rare breed of real estate agent. Those that GET IT! Let me be clear.

If you want to be seen as successful, you need to look successful. I’ve always told people that “Whatever you give to people represents who you are”. It’s no different with your marketing. Those agents who are the most successful right now, even in a down  market are those that can work smart. They are the ones that can make their website work for them. Aside from many tools that can be used successfully, there is one common to all successful agents. . . . Drip marketing.

When I speak of “drip marketing”, I’m not talking about the online newsletter or “how to” articles. I’m talking about the “Subscribe to New Listings” or “Get New Listings by Email” campaigns. These are tools used by the agent to allow the buyer to fill in a form detailing exactly what parameters in a home/condo they are looking for, and then (drum roll) mention that a name, number and email will be needed in order to send these new listings from the MLS to the buyer.

When building these forms, PLEASE make sure you do them right. NEVER ask for their name and email first. They don’t know yet what you’re about to give them. Having them fill out the form of their preferences first gets them hooked in the process and actually makes them want to give you their information.

If you’d like to know more information about how to create a “drip marketing” page for “Subcribing to New Listings”, check out the video below for more information.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

Does your listing presentation ‘knock their socks off’? We’re all presenters: Any time we’re in front of two or two thousand, our goal is to persuade the audience to our point of view. However, most of the time, we just get in front of people and say whatever we think of first. That lack of attention to presentation organization leads to some big presentation mistakes, and costs us ‘sales’. Instead of stumbling through a presentation, why not organize it to grab their attention, persuade them to your way of thinking, and motivate them to action?

Grab Their Attention in the Opening

Have you thought about your opening? Or, are you nervously standing at the sellers’ door, worried about what you’re going to say? Are you hiding in your office because you dread doing that sales meeting? When we haven’t organized our presentation, we come up with some really boring, off-putting openings, like:

I won’t take much of your time, but

We have a lot to cover today

We won’t get through the outline

I know you don’t want to listen, but

I’m not really prepared

You just open your presentation book, point to the pretty pages, and say, “here’s a keybox” (I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it….)

Great openings, yes? Yet, we’ve heard them dozens of times. You don’t have to settle for whatever comes ‘naturally’. Instead, make your openings

Provocative

Interesting

Different

Engaging

A Middle that Educates your ‘Audience’ to your Point of View

In the middle of your presentation, add those stories, statistics, and visuals that support your point of view. By the way, as you create that presentation, jot down your point of view. If you’re doing a presentation to sellers, one of the major objectives of your presentation is to persuade them to your listing price point of view.

Why use Visuals?

There are two reasons to use visuals in your presentation:

We believe what we see

We retain the information much longer

As you organize your presentation, ask yourself:

What are the main, and frequently, unspoken objections my ‘audience’ will have? How do I educate them to show them the reasoning behind my point of view?

The Ending: Back to the Beginning

Have you thought about your wrap-up? Or, like many presenters, does your ending sound like this?

Well, that’s all. What do you think?

We’re out of time. Thank you. I hope you’ll list with me

I don’t have time to close.

I couldn’t get to much of the material, but you can read it

In fact, even the most professional presenters frequently have trouble with their endings. One of the main reasons is that they run out of time. Another is that they haven’t thought the ending through.

How to Do a Stunning Ending

Crafting an effecting ending is the second most important part of your presentation. (The first is the opening). To craft a great ending,

Go back to your beginning opening theme

Summarize the benefits of going ahead with you/take action

Motivate your ‘audience’ to take action

A Great Presentation is Crafted like a Pop Song

As a musician, I know that all pop tunes are constructed with this format:

theme—variation—theme

This is known in the music business as the ABA format. Think of your favorite pop tune: Hum the beginning. Think of the end. They’re alike, right? It’s the middle—known as the ‘bridge’—that is the humdinger. It wanders all around. Your persuasive presentation should be crafted like that pop tune:

A A compelling start (think Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, etc.)

B An interesting, developed middle, with stories, statistics

A Back to that theme, with a motivating ending

Now, you’re all set to craft a great listing or buyer presentation, great recruiting meeting or sales meeting, or awesome product/service presentation to any audience.

P. S. Practice!

Many more tips on presentations and presentation skills are in my new resource, Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make your Best Presentation Ever.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is a former master-level CRB instructor, popular international speaker, National Realtor Educator of the Year, and author of 6 books and 20 audio programs. She specializes in ‘people development’—strategies for real estate professionals to enjoy highest production and profits. Join her newsletter community and receive her complimentary eBook, Getting to Yes: Ten Powerful Tools to Bash those Barriers to Purchasing Today. Learn more at www.carlacross.com, or contact Carla at 425-392-6914.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

Is there such a thing as ‘agents’ ten commandments’? I think so. When you joined your real estate office, I’ll bet you asked the interviewer, “What are you going to do for me?” Did you think to ask the interviewer, “What do you expect from me?” It’s a fair question. As my eighth grade teacher used to say, “Turnabout is fair play”. I know you want to get the best from your manager.

From working as an agent for 8 years, and managing agents for almost two decades, I’ve drawn some conclusions about the ‘turnabout’s fair play’ that I believe agents owe managers.

Getting that 100% Management Commitment

I’m sure you want a 100% commitment from your manager. You want your manager to focus on training and coaching you to sales–fast. Unfortunately, some agents unwittingly de-motivate their managers from providing 100% support. How? They don’t follow the ten commandments I’ve listed below.  Here are what I believe are reasonable agents’ ten commandments to get that 100% from your manager:

1. Do the work.

2. Don’t argue.

3. Don’t make excuses for not doing your start-up plan.

4. Don’t tell the manager you’ve been in the business two weeks and you have a better way.

5. Do thank your manager frequently.

6. Do tell other agents that you appreciate your manager’s efforts.

7. Do tell other new agents you meet in other companies that you have a great manager.

8. Don’t bug other people in the office to find another answer because you didn’t like your manager’s answer.

9. Don’t change the proven start-up plan your manager is coaching you to because you “don’t like it”. (You just don’t like lead generating, do you?)

10. Don’t miss a coaching appointment!

I’d love to hear what you think of my ‘ten commandments.’ Are there others you think are important?

Managers: Why not make your own ten commandments and discuss them in your interview process. Then, turn the tables and ask the agent about his expectations of you and the office.

Agents: Before you hire on, get in writing exactly what your manager is going to do to assure your success, so you won’t have disappointments later. Getting agreement on what we both expect before we decide to work together is key to a happy partnership. The only surprises I want you and your agent to have after you start working together are good ones!

Side note: Managers: My belief is that you owe it to your agents to coach each one, regularly and professionally, in starting his or her business. That shows your 100% commitment to each person’s success. So, grab that proven game plan and your coaching companion and coach each agent to the success they believe they can have with you.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is a former master-level CRB instructor, popular international speaker, National Realtor Educator of the Year, and author of 6 books and 20 audio programs. She specializes in ‘people development’—strategies for real estate professionals to enjoy highest production and profits. Join her newsletter community and receive her complimentary eBook, Getting to Yes: Ten Powerful Tools to Bash those Barriers to Purchasing Today. Learn more at www.carlacross.com, or contact Carla at 425-392-6914.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

My dad used to say when my sister and I were behaving badly he thought we needed a ‘whack up the side of the head’. Don’t worry. He didn’t actually do it, but we did pay attention when he said it, because we knew it was time to stop, look, and listen—and change our behavior! It’s time, I think, for brokers to get a few ‘whacks up the side of the head’, too.

Why Listen Up Now?

You have heard many of the ideas here before. Businesses in other industries have embraced these business concepts in the past decade. But, brokers simply have not adopted them. Why should brokers listen and take action now? Because times have changed enough that we can’t afford to keep persevering in old ways and expect to make the profits we deserve for the risks we take and the hard work we do.

Small actions finally create a ‘critical mass’ and a trend.

In his book, Microtrends, Mark Penn identified 75 microtrends sweeping the nation. One of them he calls ‘southpaws unbound’. Since I’m a lefty, I read that trend with interest, because I was one of a few of those children of my generation who learned to write properly with my left hand. When I was about four, my mother, a schoolteacher, taught me to write, and let me use my dominant left hand. When she found out schools were forcing kids to become right-handed, she asked my kindergarten and grade school teachers to allow me to write with my left hand.

Now, though, the trend of making all lefties into writing with the right hand (or at least trying) is reversed. According to Penn, the number of left-handed people has doubled in two generations.  Why? The idea of writing with your ‘natural hand’ has reached critical mass. Parents are encouraging their children to use the naturally dominant hand. Schools are now teaching left or right hand writing. What does that trend mean to business? A wealth of opportunities to create left-handed gadgets. What does that mean to the lefty? No conflict in the brain about natural dominance. No failure in school because we couldn’t translate the right-hand directions. More confidence in our own abilities. This trend may seem very ‘micro’ to you, but, to a lefty, it’s huge!

(My mom, who worried a lot about what people think, would feel very pleased that her bravery in insisting I stayed left-handed in school was vindicated).

A ‘Whack’ for Brokers and Recommendations

As with all adopted practices, several principles and actions come together to create a ‘critical mass’. Below is my observation about one of our very important traditional business practices that has become ineffective, due to consumer dissatisfaction, business expectations, much more education, mass communication, and market conditions.

Whack: Recruiting can no longer be thought of as an ‘on accident’ occurrence.

In a fast market, everybody wanted to sell real estate—and, most of them could sell—a bit. Then, the market turned and it seemed no one was selling real estate! As the market picks up, it’s our opportunity to change the way we recruit and select, so we won’t experience that lack of sales to that degree ever again. To change our businesses for the better—forever—we need to find agents who will actually develop careers. That means brokers must search for capable agents on purpose (just like agents must lead generate on purpose).

In the next blog, I’ll make several suggestions about how to ‘whack yourself on the side of the head to recruit on purpose–and double your profits.

Question: What ‘whacks’ do you see that brokers need to give themselves now? What ‘whacks’ are you giving yourself?

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is president of Carla Cross & Co., a speaking, coaching, and resources provider for the real estate industry. Carla specializes in real estate leadership. She’s the author of 6 internationally published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days. Recently named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate, Carla is a former master level CRB instructor, writer of coaching/training programs for most of the major international franchises, and is a National Realtor Educator of the Year. Contact her at 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

How effective is your ‘phone voice’?
We are so focused on technology today, that we are in danger of forgetting to effectively use that technology. Here’s an example. When I phone an agent today, I have no idea where that agent will answer his or her phone-or from what phone the call is being answered. And, I don’t really care. Technology allows the phone to follow the agent. That’s great. But, there’s much more to it than that.

Dull, or Delightful?

Many times the agent’s message is so dull, powerless, or mumbled that it doesn’t sound as though the agent wants to talk to me. Or, the agent’s message is so long, that I’m impatient by the time I get to leave the message.

What Impact Do You Want to Make?
Surveys show that consumers want their agent to be enthusiastic. So why do many of the agents’ (or managers’) phone messages sound as though they are terribly tired or uninterested in the caller?

Here’s the principle. We use our senses to make snap judgments about people. The less senses involved, the more important it is that we communicate properly. On the phone, there is only once sense involved–that of hearing. You have no ability to communicate your warmth, your interest, etc. visually on the phone. You have only your voice.

Decide What You Want to Communicate

What conclusions do you want your caller to have about you? Write down the five most important judgments you want your caller to make about you and your business approach. Now, listen to your own voice message. Do you believe you are communicating your ‘best self’? Ask five other people to listen, too. Decide what you like and what you want to change.

Research your Competition

Don’t listen only for your own communications. For three days, listen carefully to the tone, intent, and messages you hear on answering machines or voice messages of other agents and brokers. Listen carefully to how agents answer the phone at their offices. What do you think those agents are communicating? Do you believe they are communicating the kind of qualities they want to communicate-and think they are communicating?

Note to managers: Listen to your staff. Do they sound friendly, eager to hear from someone–or put out because they have to answer the phone?

More on communication skills:  On June 9, I’ll be a presenter for NAR’s huge Webinar Summit. Get more information: Click here.

Four important tips to remember when recording your own message:

• Stand up-you’ll sound as though you have much more energy.
• Write out your script first-and be sure it’s not too long. I don’t really care where you’re going to be all day!
• Modulate your voice pleasantly. Try to get some resonance.
• Sound as though you’re looking forward to hearing from me!

These simple tips will improve your phone voice, increase your trust rate and elevate your business. Get to ‘hearing’ today!

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is an international speaker, performance coach, and resource provider for the real estate industry. She specializes in maximizing performance. A former master level CRB instructor, Carla is author of 6 internationally published books and 20 resources for real estate professionals. Recently, she was named one of 50 most influential women in real estate. Contact Carla at www.carlacross.com.

My self-appointed mentor, Albert Einstein, once said…

“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”

I am a big fan of both the man and the message.  And here’s why…

Simply put…our own unwillingness to accept ourselves as creative beings bogs us down.  I happen to believe we are ALL creative in one way or another.  However, I also know that most of the time we don’t feel that way, especially when we’re working on marketing campaigns and other promotional endeavors in our work.

For example…

How many times have you sat in front of your computer screen and willed a brilliant ad to materialize?  If this sounds familiar to you, then I have a question:

How big is your marketing antenna?

What I mean by this is that creativity is simply being open to inspiration, and, if you have your antenna up – that is to say that if you are paying attention to other good marketing out there – you WILL learn the secrets of the master marketers. 

And I’m going to share one of those secrets with you right now!  Do you have your antenna up?  Well, get ready folks, this is a good one…

It is better to edit than to create!

Now you may be saying, “Just what does that mean?’  Well, let me explain… 

Creativity is driven by curiosity.  Pay attention! Ask questions!  Get inspired!  Success leaves clues, my friend!  Have that antenna up and you will find inspiration in the most unlikely places.

If you need to create a postcard, for example, you may find something really juicy you can use on the back of your grocery receipt, or in the way a dish is described on a menu.  Or your teenager might actually say something incredible that you can use!  Perhaps you can even justify reading that tabloid because the ads in the back have amazing copy that really gets your own writing juices flowing.

The National Enquirer is one of the most expensive magazines to advertise in, so those ads in the back HAVE TO work!

By taking an existing marketing piece and editing it as your own, all the work is done for you! You just have to breathe it all in and then make it our own –

what a relief, huh?!

Einstein was absolutely right… 

Creativity is being mindful enough to be stimulated by your environment.  You then simply edit and mold that environment to fit your needs.  We don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time we have to create a new ad or marketing piece – we simply have to let our surroundings illuminate our own wheels turning inside our heads. 

That Einstein was onto something. Maybe he was so in-tune with his environment that the theory of relativity was something he creatively lifted from him own surroundings! 

If we sharpen our own antennas, we could ALL be little Einsteins…

changing the world one postcard at a time!

For the past two decades, Jennifer Cummings has been one of the most sought-after marketing experts in the nation.  Her “out-of-the-box” approach to marketing has won her the respect of advertising agencies and the adulation of entrepreneurs and business owners from all over the world in over a dozen unique markets. 

Using the same strategies she now teaches, Jennifer transformed her life from being a juvenile delinquent at 15 to a millionaire by age 30.  With her practical, no-frills approach to marketing and revenue generation, YOU can now join the thousands of other agents and brokers who have been excited and empowered to get back into the driver’s seats of their businesses!

Jennifer Cummings ~ www.PotatoChipMarketingTools.com ~ 888.208.2309

[***To get a $50 discount off of Jennifer’s Potato Chip Marketing Tools’ plug & play marketing pieces, simply enter the code “basb” when you join at www.PotatoChipMarketingTools.com!***]

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

In my resource, The On Track to Success in 30 Days System for Experienced Agents, I introduced a concept called the ‘Career Life Cycle’. I learned this concept as a CRB (Certified Real Estate Broker) instructor. Simply, the concept says that real estate agents (and managers, and companies), go through four career phases:

1. Introduction
2. Growth
3. Maturity
4. Decline
   

Each of these phases has its own opportunities and challenges, which I discuss at length in the On Track resource—as well as provide best practices for each phase. In this article, let’s tackle the unique challenges of the ‘mature’ agent.

The Mature Business and Agent

If you have been in the business for over five years, chances are you have enjoyed a ‘mature’ business. When the market was on fire, you were getting most of your business from repeat and referrals (and some happy ‘accidents’). You have built up a strong enough business that you do most of your business based on pre-built trust and confidence. You are admired in your office (and perhaps your whole company) for your leadership and mentorship.

The market changes…..

All of a sudden (at least it seemed sudden), your referral business dried up. You are searching for other means of business. But, you’re relatively unprepared, since your business had been repeat and referral. You didn’t have to prove your professionalism. Now, you do.

Competition raises its ugly head. Because the mature agent gets most of her business from referrals, she may not be prepared to compete against more aggressive agents—or agents trained with the latest presentation methods. This happened with one of my mature agents in my office, Martha. She was referred to George and Betty Smith, who wanted to sell their home. But, George and Betty also were referred to John Schlock, of ABC Realty.

Martha knows John Schlock, and she thinks his last name is appropriate…… Of course, though, she can not say this to George and Betty. Martha’s in kind of a bind here. She relies on word-of-mouth for her business, and she relies on this word-of-mouth building her credibility to the point where she has no need to build it herself. This works fine when she is not competing with another agent, and the sellers already think she is the best thing since sliced bread. It does not work so well when she is competing with another agent—especially one who will tell the client whatever they want to hear!

Martha relies solely on her ‘known’ reputation. Martha has no testimonials in writing, no Professional Portfolio, no visual marketing presentation, and no statistics systematized to teach George and Betty the principles of how real estate works. Why not? Because, Martha did not need these credibility-builders very often, like those newer agents need. And, when she does, it is too late to create them.

This ‘mature business’ attitude and practice results in lost listings or over-priced listings. This makes Martha mad, but, to do anything about it, Martha would have to admit she needs to quit acting like a ‘mature’ agent and push herself back into the growth phase. Just like the Ford Taurus, she needs to ‘re-tool’ herself. You, dear reader, may be like Martha. Congratulations on taking the risk to even look at your business today. Many ‘Marthas’ in real estate are just waiting out the inevitable–their descent into decline.

In my next blog, I’ll give you eight methods to decide if you’re in the ‘mature’ phase of your business—and what to do to push yourself back to ‘growth’ to revitalize your business—and yourself.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is president of Carla Cross Seminars, Inc. and Carla Cross Coaching, specializing in real estate sales productivity and management profitability. One of her most popular presentations and webinars is Seasoned but Stuck. Cross, an international speaker and coach, is the author of 6 internationally published books, 20 productivity programs, including On Track to Success in 30 Days System for Experienced Agents (and its coaching companion for managers) Carla is a winner of the National Association of Realtors’ National Educator of the Year award. Contact her at www.carlacross.com or 425-392-6914.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

Are your students nodding off as the day goes on? Do you frantically wonder how to keep their attention—all day? The answer is not what you think it is. Last week, I taught my Instructor Development course to real estate professionals and affiliates. I’ve taught this course for about fifteen years. Here’s the biggest mis-conception students come in with:

If I’m just learn how to be a more captivating speaker, I can keep the students’ attention for hours on end.

NOT! In today’s frantic world, the person in front of everyone cannot hope to hold students’ attention for more than 10 minutes at a time! If you think I’m wrong, just count the number of commercials in a TV break. These commercials are down to about 15 seconds apiece. The images go by so fast you can scarcely count them. In fact, we’ve become a society of easily distracted, multi-tasking, not very focused beings (watch pedestrians—or drivers—in action with a cell phone…..).

All the Focus Doesn’t Have to Be On You

So, what are you going to do to ‘hold’ students’ attention? You are going to implement some teaching methods called

alternative delivery methods

Alternative delivery methods: all those methods used to teach that are NOT lecture. Examples: Town hall, task force, case study, role play, action plan.

Give your Students some Credit

People who lecture their way through a day (or days!) either

1. Just don’t have any repertoire of alternative teaching methods

Or

2. Just don’t think the students can be involved with theirs and others’ learning

How to Teach through Student Involvement

Instead of talking through each point you have on your PowerPoint slide or in our outline (boy, is that riveting!), use town hall, task force, case study, and role play to teach. To do that, you’ll need to take an Instructor Development course to learn those methods, and practice using them in class. You’ll find your students know much more than you think they do about what you’re teaching. You’ll be able to clarify points of concern, use the talents in your class, and actually provide a stimulating, active learning environment. The result: your students will be energized all day.

References: In June, I’ll be publishing two new training tools for those who want to present and train more effectively: Knock Their Socks Off: Tips to Make your Presentation the Best Ever, and The Ultimate Real Estate Trainer.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is an international speaker and author focusing on real estate management, training, coaching, and business planning. She is a National Realtor Educator of the Year and former Master Level CRB Instructor. She coaches trainers and coaches on advanced skills methods. Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or carla@carlacross.com.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

Are ‘dual career’ agents hurting you and your business? In Stefan Swanepoel’s publication, Trends Report 2010, he calls the real estate licensee with another job the ‘dual career’ agent. That’s what we used to call the ‘part-timer’. Although ‘dual career’ sounds much more important than ‘part-time’, the result is the same:

Less time to devote to the consumer. The conflict that an agent feels when he has another job is causing the consumer to rate our service lower than ever before.

Dual Careerists Are a Growing Trend

More and more real estate agents are getting second jobs to make ends meet. In fact, the 2009 National Association of Realtors’ Member Profile says that 26% of Realtors stated that real estate was not their only occupation. (I’m sure that many more licensees that aren’t Realtors have other major sources of income). In addition, less than half of all Realtors surveyed reported that real estate was their primary source of household income.

Is the Dual Careerist Doing the Industry More Harm than Good?

Having been an agent, manager and owner a long time, I know how difficult it is at times for an agent to ‘hang in there’, put their heads down, and keep working through tough times. It’s a great temptation, and a relief for many to take that other job just to ‘tide them over’. From the broker’s perspective, too, keeping the agent at least licensed with the brokerage to get that one transaction seems to be better than losing that one transaction.

Several problems accrue, when the agent gets another job:

1. The agent’s mind, energy, and dollars drift away from the needs of the consumer because the agent must focus on another job

2. The agent can’t keep up on the technical, legal, and business developments

3. The consumer demands just can’t be met when the agent is unavailable for large blocks of time

4. The broker must carry a much bigger responsibility for the agent’s transactions

What We Need to Do About This Trend

Managers: Set standards so you are living out that vision you took all that time to write in that business planning course! Do you have agents with you who are not dedicated? Do you have agents who don’t practice in the way your company wants? If so, you are ‘shattering your image’ and greatly hurting your chances to recruit. Fix it while you can.

Agents: Go to your manager and ask why the ‘deadwood’ (a horrible term, but, the consumers have told us to get rid of them and we’re not listening…) is still there. What benefit do they provide you? What benefit do they provide the company?

Short-sided: It May Destroy our Industry

Unfortunately, our industry has spent too much time on the immediate, and not enough time on the long-term. One of the easiest ways to see this is to look at the low producers and part-timers we’ve kept as licensees. Why? Because we think they may sell a home or two before they get discouraged.

There Is Leadership Showing the Way

There is a growing trend to upgrade the industry. Take a look at what industry leaders are doing right now. They are putting standards in place, training and coaching to get people to their standards, and are counseling out those who just aren’t meant—or committed—to a career in real estate.

Support on Putting Standards in Place

For the last year, I’ve done lots of work in helping companies put standards in place. Although it’s challenging, it’s absolutely critical if we are to protect our business models as we like them!

Note: See Four Steps to a Stunning Standards-Based Organization, a webinar I did for the National Association of Realtors’ Learning Library.

What Do You Think?

Do you believe managers should keep anyone who wants to be kept? Let me hear your opinion–and, if you have a solution, let’s share it with our industry!

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is a speaker, coach, and resource provider for  real estate leadership. Author of 6 internationally published books, and 20 production programs, Cross specializes in helping leadership create exceptional organizations, and assisting achieving agents to reach their potential. Contact her at 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, International Speaker

If we’re doing our best to serve our clients, we may think all agents do as well. Not…

The recent survey by the California Association of Realtors shows some stunning and alarming trends about customer service expectations and delivery. In 2005, Internet consumers rated their overall satisfaction with their agent at almost 90%, while traditional buyers rated their overall satisfaction at 37%. However, in the ensuing years, the ratings have plummeted. In 2009, both Internet and traditional buyers only rated their overall satisfaction with their agent at 4%!  (The ratings of Internet and traditional buyers now are equal). In other words, consumer expectations of what an agent will do for them are just not being met. In fact, value received for what the consumer paid the real estate agent was at only 4% for all buyers.

Trends Collide: Consumer Expectations Rise While Agents’ Abilities to Meet Those Expectations Shrink

While consumer satisfaction levels are going down, the number of ‘dual career agents’ (I call them part-timers) continues up. What’s the result? Low customer satisfaction! I know. You’re going to tell me that you met a part-timer once that did a great job. Of course. But, as you and I know, that’s the exception, not the rule. And, let’s not think ‘inside-out’. The consumer’s satisfaction here is the only one that counts. They pay our commissions. And, commission rates are falling because they don’t feel they’re receiving value from what they are paying.

Time for our Leadership to Set some Standards

What’s your standard for work completed by agents in your office? Are you okay with “just turn in a couple of sales this year”? Or, are you concerned with the consumer experience? If we don’t start thinking about that, we will be replaced by something consumers can count on—those darned computers! (I hope not!). However, if the consumer is paying us, we must decide what he is paying us for (and it isn’t because we use technology……).

Here’s my list of valued services. What’s yours?

1. Dedicated service throughout the transaction

2. Prioritized knowledge not available just on the Internet

3. Immediate communication and continued first-level service

4. Exceptional negotiating skills

5. Loyalty, putting the customer first, rather than another job first

The Internet and Agent Knowledge: Almost Neck in Neck on Consumers’ Minds

By the way, in the CAR survey, 54% of the consumers surveyed thought the information they got on the Internet was less useful than what they got from their agent. Does that sound good to you? To me, it sounds very bad. Almost half of the consumers think the Internet is just as good as your live agent! So, let’s get to cracking and get our agents performing past the standards we set. Why? Because the consumers have already set the standards—and they’re higher than what we’re allowing. Let’s put the industry back on track toward pride in excellent service. Let’s knock the consumer’s socks off with prioritized knowledge, attention to the transaction, and exceptional service. We can do it, and brokers must lead. Now.

Note: Do you use an after-sale survey at every closing? Do you need one? Email me and request the after sale survey.

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is an international speaker, coach, and resource provider to the real estate industry. Carla helps agents turn careers into profitable businesses, and specializes in ‘people’ management–recruiting, selecting, coaching, and training. A former National Realtor Educator of the Year, Carla was just named one of the 50 most influential women in real estate. Contact her at www.carlacross.com, or 425-392-6914.