Every week, Keller Williams Realty’s Millionaire Systems hosts a free audio class for members of our real estate agent community. Each week we interview real estate professionals who are building their real estate businesses by using the systems and models presented in our books. Whether you are a new or experienced real estate agent, or even considering starting a real estate agent career, these insightful interviews provide listeners with a real world perspective of “Business by the Book’!

The Gift of SHIFT with Bob Guest

Bob Guest, in Austin, Texas, had a highly leveraged, “marketing-based” business. But when the market shifted, he quickly realized what he needed to do. Bob dropped costs, went after new business opportunities and pulled his team into a “bullpen” for a true 3 hours of lead generation every workday. And, Bob personally began handling lead conversion.

In this week’s Business by the Book, host Dave Jenks explores how Bob has jumped back into his business, increased lead conversion and survived the shift. Listen today!

Every week, Keller Williams Realty’s Millionaire Systems hosts a free audio class for members of our real estate agent community. Each week we interview real estate professionals who are building their real estate businesses by using the systems and models presented in our books. Whether you are a new or experienced real estate agent, or even considering starting a real estate agent career, these insightful interviews provide listeners with a real world perspective of “Business by the Book’!

The Gift of SHIFT with Gene and Rebekah Rivers

Gene and Rebekah Rivers went from losing market share and losing money to gaining market share and making a profit. They transformed their “marketing based, prospecting enhanced” business into a “prospecting based, marketing enhanced” business, created a smaller team, changed their mindsets and immersed themselves back into their business.

Host Dave Jenks continues to explore Tactic #1: Get Real, Get Right – Mindset and Action with the Rivers and asks tough questions including, “Why did it take them so long to respond to the market?”

Gold nuggets are spread throughout this interview – you won’t want to miss it!

More KW NEWS:

The Gift of SHIFT - “Tactic 1: Get Real Get Right – Mindset and Action”

 A Note From Gary Keller

A Letter of Encouragement From Shaun Rawls To His Family of Offices and Agents

 Spend Smarter - Tips on Making Every Marketing Dollar Count

Why Run YOUR Real Estate Business At Keller Williams Realty?

Need Help with the Licensing Process?

Read The Dozen Secrets Every Real Estate Agent Should Know

Every week, Keller Williams Realty’s Millionaire Systems hosts a free audio class for members of our real estate agent community. Each week we interview real estate professionals who are building their real estate businesses by using the systems and models presented in our books. Whether you are a new or experienced real estate agent, or even considering starting a real estate agent career, these insightful interviews provide listeners with a real world perspective of “Business by the Book’!

The Gift of SHIFT: Tactic #1: Get Real, Get Right – Mindset and Action 

with Jackie Ellis

This week, Jenks will talk to Jackie Ellis, operating principal at the Boca Raton (Fla.) market center. After seeing her business decline by over $12 million in 2006, Ellis was able to SHIFT her business back up to a level of more than $30 million the following year. Listen in and learn how you can adapt these proven strategies into your business. She can tell you the exact day she felt the shift in her area and the powerful approach she implemented to come out ahead.  
 
Host Dave Jenks explores Tactic #1: Get Real, Get Right – Mindset and Action with, Jackie, a tactical genius. You won’t want to miss the steps she took to win in today’s market. 
 
Make sure to stay tuned for next week’s interview with Gene and Rebekah Rivers as Dave continues to explore Tactic #1!

SHIFT Your Real Estate Business Into High Gear with Twelve Tactics for Tough Times(Tactics 1-3)

SHIFT Your Real Estate Business Into High Gear with Twelve Tactics for Tough Times(Tactics 4-6: Find The Motivated, Lead Capture and Conversion & Internet Lead Generation )

When Baylor University put together their latest edition of the Baylor Business Review, they turned to one of their most successful alumni, Keller Williams Realty Co-founder and Chairman, Gary Keller, for their “Leadership Perspective.”

Click here to read Keller’s article, in which he addresses current market conditions and explains that right now is absolutely the time to “find the opportunity in whatever obstacles [you] stumble upon.”

Is the tide turning?

Improved affordability sparks first upturn in home sales since 2005

Sales of existing homes shot upward in September, as buyers took advantage of price reductions, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

Sales of existing homes rose 5.5 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million units, and up from 4.91 million units in August. September 2008 sales figures are 1.4 percent higher than the 5.11 million units sold in September 2007.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said more markets are seeing year-over-year gains. “The sales turnaround which began in California several months ago is broadening now to Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island,” he said.

Also encouraging are the recent declines in inventory. Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 1.6 percent to 4.27 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.9-month supply at the current sales pace.  This is a decrease from a 10.6-month supply in August, and marks two consecutive monthly declines since inventories peaked in July of 2008.

To read the entire NAR release, click here.

TWELVE TACTICS FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN TOUGH TIMES

TACTICS(4-6)

Tactic #4. Find The Motivated

• Know the Numbers - Your Numbers and the Market Numbers
• The Minute Key Signs Show Up: Ramp up your lead generation and change your messaging!
• As leads become fewer you must: Attract more, get to them first and convert them faster!
• Your messages must be appropriate to the conditions.
• Make more direct offers that will attract responses.
• Do the sellers you are talking to really need to sell? Will they price their home to sell? Will they get it in the proper condition?
• Do the buyers really need and want to buy? Are they going to listen to you? Do they understand that there are good buys in every market?

Own The Outcome:

• You can never be sure what it will take to find enough motivated clients to achieve your numbers.
• Be willing to do whatever it takes.
• The easy business will have disappeared.
• Start with no spending.
• Play ‘red light, green light’
• Hold lead generation expenses accountable.

Two Truths:

• Lead generation does not have to cost you money!
• Offer-response messaging will get the best results in the shortest time.
• Get proactive with direct prospecting. First to those you know, second to those who have indicated a need and third, to those who have contact you.
• GIVE THIS EFFORT AT LEAST THREE HOURS A DAY!!!

Your Message Matters:

• People respond if there is some direct benefit to them.
• Give them a reason to call.
• This is offer-response lead generation.
• Make an offer - response can either be direct or indirect.
• Make offers for immediate response.
• It is a numbers game!

Get in the Path of Business:

• Don’t cocoon.
• Don’t stay in the office.
• Get out of the house.
• Take it to the streets.
• Ask, seek and knock.

Tactic #5. Getting to the Table That Matters - Lead Capture and Conversion

• The bigger truth about lead generation is that it is actually ‘lead conversion’.
• Leads are scarce-so conversion becomes critical.
• It is a 3 step process: Capture-Connect-Cultivate.

The Two Battles:

• The Battle to get to the listing table
• The Battle at the table to get the listing
• Lead conversion requires more than just winging it.

Capture:

• Your capture system will insure that you get enough information from the lead that you can contact them.

Connect:

• Your connection system will generate a timely, scripted response, which will naturally lead to a conversion, which then allows you to assess their needs and establish a relationship.

Cultivate:

• Your cultivation system will record your follow-up contacts, assure the building of relationships, and keep you on the path to appointments.

The Conversion Process:

• The three C’s of conversion - Capture, Connect and Cultivate - deploy both scripts and systems.
• The only question will be which comes first.

Tactic #6. Catch People in Your Web - Internet Lead Generation

• If people visit your websites and you never know who they are, what has it gained you?
• Many agents get caught up in the internet excitement and don’t really think clearly about their strategy.
• They become frustrated at what it is costing them and how little business they are converting from it.
• If they don’t leave any trail you can follow, they’re just a ship passing in the night.
• Be sure your site has a way for the consumer to register and a reason to do so.

Baiting The Hook:

• You have to give them a reason to register.
• Your site must have ‘thin bait’ that attracts people to your site and keeps them there for a while.
• Then you must offer something more, the ‘fat bait’ for them to want to register.
• Once they have registered, fast response is critical.
• You ca use email and text messaging.

Long Term Cultivation:

• Today’s buyers begin their research early.
• Your systems will need to be able to retain and grow these relationships with a sustained effort.
• But, don’t assume that it will always take a long time or many contacts.
• Check their pulse and get them started on the active search process.

Return on Your Lead Generation Investment - The Truths:

• The cost-per-lead converted is not very different from most of the fundamental lead generation approaches.
• Internet lead generation does not cost less.
• Technology and the internet are no longer a choice.
• Their relative importance, position, and cost in your lead geneeration program is a choice.