Recent Additions to Club Zebra
With new content added weekly, we have published tons of articles, bits of advice and help for real estate agents, business tools, content for sending to real estate clients, real estate training videos and more.
Nov 11, 2010
Here we are. The holidays are over. Time for a fresh start. Had a bad last year? Put it behind you. It's over and done with. Time for a new you. It's time to figure out what you need to move your business up to the next level.
Nov 11, 2010
Expertise is the number one word that should come to people's minds when they see your name. If you're still projecting the old image of a pushy real estate salesperson who is only interested in getting them to sign on the dotted line, then you need to reframe yourself in the eyes of your clients.
Nov 11, 2010
In today's internet-driven world, real estate agents often overlook a powerful tool that still works: geographical farming. While there are more marketing options now than ever before, this old-school approach is still an incredible choice for lead generation.
Nov 11, 2010
Open Houses still remain on my list of top things agents should be doing right now. The market is ripe for buyers that you can educate on the current state of the market. And there is no better place to find them than at an Open House.
Nov 11, 2010
This is perhaps the most important question a real estate agent - or any business owner, for that matter - could possibly ask. Its significance stems from the fact that your marketing is the engine that drives your business. Without a power source to propel it onwards, your business will stall out and eventually stop completely.
Nov 11, 2010
It's the dreaded question that no new agent wants to hear: "How long have you been in the real estate business?" Nothing flip-flops a new agent's stomach like that question. He or she fears that the answer they give will cause the potential client to go elsewhere.
Nov 11, 2010
Every successful business has one thing in common. Every failing business probably lacks the very same thing. I'm talking about systems. Systems are standardized procedures and plans that run, for the most part, automatically. They free you from the tasks of your business so you can concentrate on providing five-star service.
Nov 11, 2010
The real estate market is more competitive than ever before. There are many changes and keeping up with all of them can be exhausting. The most dramatic changes have to do with the consumer, they have changed their real estate tune and we better start listening.
Nov 11, 2010
Negotiation has a bad reputation. From the old image of a used car salesman in a checked sport-coat to the big bank deals we see reported on the nightly news, negotiation has taken on a nasty image. But it shouldn't. Negotiation is an art. It need not be the cruel and cutthroat monster that it appears to be.
Nov 11, 2010
This year, there is one question agents have asked me more than in any other year: "Denise, I'm thinking about leaving my brokerage for a different one. Should I make the move?" It's understandable that you may be thinking about moving to a different office. Granted, this year has been a challenge. But before you take the big leap, I want you to ask yourself why you're thinking about moving. Is it for the right reasons or for the wrong reasons? Do you really think the grass will be greener on the other side?
Nov 11, 2010
Today I'd like to talk directly to agents who are not succeeding while others are. Some of you are not experiencing the success you need to stay in business right now, while others are making money hand over fist. What's the difference? Why are some agents so successful right now while others are having such a difficult time? The first answer I usually hear to these questions is "Attitude." And I agree. Attitude IS important. But besides attitude, there is another critical element that is common to all agents who are doing well right now - ACTION!
Nov 11, 2010
For years, I've talked about the power of pricing properties correctly. As a real estate agent, you can have everything else in place - great marketing materials, a powerful network of contacts, and listings galore. But if you don't use the power of corrective pricing, then you're in a fancy rowboat without a paddle.
Nov 11, 2010
If you've stayed at the same level of production the last two years or if your business is not where you need to be, lead generation is your answer. Over 98% of real estate agents don’t do any form of organized lead generation other than mailing (usually very bad content) to their database.
Nov 11, 2010
No matter how hard you try to avoid it, it's impossible. Inevitably, you wake up one day and you're out of business. Nothing in your pipeline. No income. No hope. Why? How did this happen? What did you do wrong? I know it’s a scary thought, but many agents wake up to this realization one morning and begin to panic.
Nov 11, 2010
During my career as a Realtor and a Broker I have heard the theory of rating your clients "A" Clients, "B" Clients, "C" Clients and "D" Clients. This theory has been presented and accepted by Real Estate Agents all over the world. This is how this idea works; go to your database of potential clients and decide if you feel they are going to buy or sell now, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months or a year and over. There have been many variations on this.
Nov 11, 2010
It snarls. It has a will of its own. It feeds on your soul. It's time management - the real estate agent's worst enemy. A beast indeed. For years, I tried to conquer the beast. Battle after battle, I was determined to be the victor - to have a week that I actually knew what I was going to be doing at any given time.
Nov 11, 2010
Like it or not, there are no set hours in the real estate business. You work when the client needs you. You're constantly navigating around closings, listing presentations, phone calls, and emergencies.
Nov 11, 2010
As real estate agents, we all want to succeed. That's a given. But often we're so close to the daily grind of our work that we don't know where we are in our careers.