Why and How To

Real Estate Rebound Recalibration for Real Estate Agents.

by Ken Brand, Sales Manager - Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors / The Woodlands TX / Cell: 832-797-1779 on March 27, 2012

Do you want to thrive in a rebounding real estate market?

New realties change everything.  When we behave out of sync with new realities we lose opportunity and we let our clients down.  To thrive in a rebounding market requires a modified mind set, a modern skill set, new behaviors, actions and activities.  Compare what you’re doing, where you’re doing it, who you’re doing it with and of course how you’re doing it.  Make appropriate changes and enjoy the real estate revival.

Is my Top Of Mind Awareness Campaign any different?

Am I sending Just Listed/Just Sold Cards?

Am I sending a monthly eCard to everyone I know?

Am I sending more hand written note cards?

Am I having more Facebook conversations, status updates, comments and shares?

Have I used the Facebook find-friends tool to grow my network?

Am I sending monthly direct mail?

Am I scheduling more Open House Events?

Am I touching base with my maybe-some-day prospects and clients?

Am I creating my automatic-neighborhood updates for my cheerleader friends?

Am I asking for referrals during the transaction?

Am I answering the “How’s the real estate market?” questions effectively?

What and how am I doing things differently in a Hot Market?

————————————————————————

Go, go, go.  Ken:-)

{ 0 comments }

Advice for New or Struggling Real Estate Agents.

by Ken Brand, Sales Manager - Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors / The Woodlands TX / Cell: 832-797-1779 on March 26, 2012

To win the trust and confidence of homebuyers and sellers and create short and long term success, here’s my advice.

If I can be helpful > Ken Brand 832-797-1779.

Cheers.

{ 0 comments }

In a real estate rebound Loose Lips Sink Ships! Don’t sink your ships.

by Ken Brand, Sales Manager - Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors / The Woodlands TX / Cell: 832-797-1779 on March 19, 2012

Bad Blabbing.

When mom overheard gossiping she’d wag a finger saying, “Loose lips sink ships.”  It was one of several random sayings that didn’t make sense as a kid.  Later I learned what mom meant in my junior high history class.

The slogan was invented by the World War II Advertising council and plastered on posters as way to caution citizens and serviceman to avoid careless talk concerning secure information that might be of use to the enemy.

Wikipedia says that “the gist of this particular slogan was that one should avoid speaking of ship movements, as this talk (if directed at or overheard by covert enemy agents) might allow the enemy to intercept and destroy the ships.”

Mom grew up in San Diego during the World War II era and used the phrase as another way of saying that bad blabbing could cause big problems.  Wise advice then and now, especially in a rebounding real estate market.

Mum’s the word.

When I hear agents shooting their mouth off  blabbing  broadcasting about the contract they’re going to write, I cringe and repeat after my mom,  ”Loose lips sink ships!”  Then I explain what I mean.  Let me explain.

Rebounding real estate markets are budding and blooming across the country.  Qualified buyers with very specific criteria are beginning flock. Quality listing inventory is thin, the-good-stuff sells quickly.  Whether you’ve show twenty-seven homes or two, finally finding the perfect property for your buyers is thrilling.  The desire to blab share your good fortune with colleagues as you breeze through the office hallway, grab a hot cup of break-room-coffee, share a smoke or shout what’s-ups across a room full of cubicles is natural and tempting.  Don’t do it!

This is where “Loose lips sink ships!” comes in.  When you flap your gums make an announcement about the offer you’re going to submit on 127 Woodlands Way you’re actually proclaiming to the world:

Listen up buyers agents!  If you represent buyers interested in 127 Woodlands Way, I’m about to sell it out from under you and your buyers!

No good can come from an announcement like that. Everyone and their slow cousin knows that multiple offer competition will drive the price up.  By broadcasting our intentions to others, we may position the buyers who hired us in no-win situation.

If agents who hear the broadcast represent a buyer who has expressed an interest in 127 Woodlands Way, aren’t they obligated to contact their buyer client to let them know?  It’s their duty to make the call, fill their buyer clients in and ask them if they want to submit an offer of their own. Pronto.

When a  a hurtful multiple offer competition for the buyers who hired you to help them.  Carless conversation can cost your clients money or equally bad, they could be outbid and lose out on the property entirely.

When working on offers let’s remember, “Loose lips sink ships!”  Mums the word until the signatures are secure and the digital ink is dry.

Cheers and thanks for reading.  If I can be helpful > Ken Brand 832-797-1779

Photo Credit

_________________________________________________________

{ 2 comments }

All SUCCESS is a collection of small consistent steps – steps like monthly Market Report direct mail.

by Ken Brand, Sales Manager - Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors / The Woodlands TX / Cell: 832-797-1779 on January 16, 2012

At Tuesday’s sales meeting we talked about the importance of Creating Top Of Mind Awareness in the minds and memories of the people in your sphere of influence.  This year will overflow with opportunities, but if your people don’t remember you when it’s time to call a real estate agent (Secret Agent Syndrome) you’re sunk, broke and sad.


Part of a successful campaign includes sending a personalized monthly direct mail piece.  At the sales meeting we talked about the Monthly Market Report.  The benefits of ordering this piece is this:

1.  You don’t have to think or remember – which means you can focus on the important personal and professional tasks in your life.   After you call Pat Ellis in marketing [ 713-465-664 ] or email mail her with the number you want (order extra for Open Houses, etc.), and send her your contact numbers and a professional photo, the cards will arrive every month around the 15th.  You don’t have to think or remember.  When they show up in your mail box, sent them out.  

2.  You save $$$$$ and make $$$$$ x10.  The post cards are oversized so they stick out in a stack of mail.  Your cost for a personalized, two sided, oversized postcard is only 27cents (This investment will show up on your monthly accounts billing).  The actual cost is around 60cents, the company pays the 35cents, you pay 25cents.

3.  You receive a postage credit of $45 per month to mail them out.  If you send more than the credit amount you simply pay the difference.)

4.  Creating Top Of Mind Awareness will make you successful.  Doing little or nothing, or the same things that didn’t work well last year will lead to more of the same – Secret Agent Syndrome.

There’s a sample of what this months card will look like just below.  Of course it will look a thousand times better because your picture will make it zing and fizz.
Thanks for all you do.  Go, Go, Go.

{ 0 comments }

Why it’s Wise and How-To send a personalized monthly eCard to your friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances, past and current clients.

by Ken Brand, Sales Manager - Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors / The Woodlands TX / Cell: 832-797-1779 on January 12, 2012

Why it’s WISE to send a monthly eCard to your Sphere of Influence.

7 out of 10 buyers and sellers contact only two real estate agents to help them.  Because there are over 20,000 real estate agents to choose from, you MUST be one of the two agents they think of when they need help.  This means you must create Top Of Mind Awareness in the minds and memories of the people you know – friends, neighbors, past clients, relatives and acquaintances.  Top Of Mind Awareness is created by Relevant, Remarkable and Repetitious On-Purpose and In-Purpose contact and conversation

ECards are an important part of your Top Of Mind Awareness Campaign.  Instructions on how to create and send your personalized eCards are below.  Sending a monthly eCard is smart and of course, they are free – Yay!

2012 eCard Orders

eCards have moved to the PREA Center eCard Platform at http://prea.prudential.com. Many of your favorite Gary Greene eCards are now available on the PREA site, as well as the multitude of Prudential selections. By moving to the PREA platform, your eCards will be available instantly, 24/7, !

eCards are FREE email cards you can send to your clients through e-mail. You can choose from our exclusive eCard designs and get the eCards you choose personalized in color with your picture and contact information.  When the client opens their email they will see the postcard, not an attachment.  (How your client sees the eCard WILL depend on if the use a web-based e-mail service.) Your picture will be linked to your Gary Greene website, the Prudential Gary Greene logo will be linked to GaryGreene.com and your email address will be linked as well.

To access PREA Center, you must be registered. Ask your Office Coordinator or contact Donna Warren at the Corporate office (donnaw@garygreene.com). Once you are registered, you’ll need to set up a profile. Instructions on creating an eCard as well as setting up your profile are below.

To learn more about setting up and using PREA eCards, Prudential offers online instruction to familiarize you with all the benefits of PREA eCards. While on the PREA Center site, click the “LearnCenter” link to be taken to the Prudential University page, then under the “Virtual Instructor Led” area, click on the link for available courses to sign up for eCard training.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

RESOURCES:
Quicksheet on Sending Gary Greene eCards on PREA
Setting up your Profile on PREA Center
Overview of the PREA eCard System

For more information please contact John Clark at jgclark@garygreene.com.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

PREA eCards
View more presentations from Prudential Gary Greene Realtors

{ 0 comments }