Professionalism Begins Online

We have all had bad days, but is that a license to blab to the world about how much you hate your job because we're just not "feeling it" that day? SPOILER ALERT; the crux of this article is that no one cares! Nonetheless, there will be teachers, CPAs, Realtors and even doctors who will spill their guts on the internet through social media. The individual may feel a little better after a purge, but his or her audience is aghast.

A couple of weeks ago, I was with about a dozen veteran real estate agents who were mortified by some of the recent posts of fellow Realtors. Things that apart from just being in bad taste, could actually get the licensee in a lot of hot water. Of course, I immediately pulled out my smartphone to see who was doing what. Oh yes, you will get reactions, but will you get business? I will confess just when I think no one is reading my feed, I may drop a quick comment about an elected official or some new government policy and inadvertently start a firestorm controversy. Right there on MY page... YIKES! Well, if you are alright with that, than that's your business decision to make.

It really is a business decision. Most people with a professional license are independent contractors. That being said, they are small business owners. To which they are THEIR OWN boss and responsible for taking measures to avoid liability. If one agent tweets out their own resentment toward a fellow Realtor, the overall process or heaven forbid, their own client, repercussions are soon to follow because literally everyone on the planet can read it. As in the case of Realtors, the NAR Code of Ethics, Article 15 reads...

"REALTORS® shall not knowingly or recklessly make false or misleading statements about other real estate professionals, their businesses, or their business practices." 

The supporting standards go on to state the professional could be made to remove the post and, essentially, apologize. In the case of clients, they could sue over a careless post as it is a breach of agency. So why would someone want to air their dirty laundry online in the first place?

Rachel Albertson, with InfoRule Social Media, a Murfreesboro based marketing firm states; "You do not have to be friends with clients on social media. In fact, I do not recommend it."  Apparently, Disney thinks that's a good idea as well. Their employees are NOT permitted to mention they work for Disney. To violate this policy could be grounds for termination. So, be mindful of how you intermingle your private life with business.

Legal issues aside, remember what your mom told you about "conversation in mixed or polite company"? Do not discuss sex, politics or religion. Mom was right! Yet, here is where a lot of people miss it. To spare you the details here, MASHABLE has compiled a list of people who were let go over social media posts. I am not suggesting we have no opinions or never share our ideas, that's not my place. Though I will offer a friendly reminder if you post something political, you stand the chance of alienating half of your audience.

Professionalism begins online. In the 21st century, the majority of consumers start looking for an insurance agent, mortgage broker, Realtor or dentist through the internet. The search is actually a funnel. The buyer asks a question of a search engine, follows the answer to an industry publication, then a geographic company and then YOU! They already have a vague idea of what a professional is suppose to be before they ever click your name. When they ask a serious question, they anticipate a serious, coherent answer. If what they find instead is an agent posing with a sock monkey, they may not take that professional as one who is serious or would be responsible with their money. In short, the agent appears UNprofessional. Don't get me wrong, I love sock monkeys as much as the next guy, but if there is no marketing tie-in or a picture of a give away at a children's hospital, no one would take me serious. They certainly would not trust me with their biggest financial investment. Time to take down the cutesy avatar.
Blaine@realtracs.com

This Real Estate Market is Going to the Dogs!

This Real Estate Market is Going to the Dogs! by Blaine Little

Real estate is going to the dogs, cats, hamsters, goldfish and maybe even the occasional iguana. Perhaps more than ever, American homes have included the extra family member with four legs. Yes, many consider these fury mooches as actual members of the family. They both keep us company when everyone else is gone and awake when we want to sleep. But where would we be without our little fur balls that so desperately depend on us? But therein lies the rub, we as their masters, must tend to them.

Carl Sandburg so precisely quipped "Comb a dog, wash a dog... STILL a dog". Yes, but whether that dog is unkempt and dirty, it is still the responsibility of the owner. Too many times, home sellers think the Realtor will tend to the needs of animals during a showing. They erroneously believe the Listing Agent has some sort of a system for pets. In many cases, we're doing well to have systems for people! Increasingly, brokerages are adding considerations for animals in their listing agreements or even on separate disclaimers.

Years ago, I was showing a property on the edge of town. When I called to schedule the appointment the day before, the secretary on the other end of the phone seemed to immediately recognize the address. "Be mindful of the cat" she stated. "It has never been outside of the house". What an odd thing to tell a showing agent, I thought. What an odd situation, period. I asked for confirmation of my understanding of this listing's dynamic. "The cat has never been outside, you say?" "Yes, that's correct" she replied. What kind of cat has NEVER been outside before? No worries. My experience has been that most cats run and hide under the bed of a back room, and that is what I assumed would happen the next day. 

When we arrived at the property, I was to have my expectations shattered. With a clipboard in one hand and the Realtor key card in the other, I slowly opened the door, hoping the creak of the hinges would be enough to scare fluffy away. Not this cat! She saw an opportunity, and she wasn't going to let it get away. I saw the vacuum cleaners archenemy headed straight for me with a determined look in her eyes. I went to slide my foot in the crack of the door, but to no avail. When it comes down to a nimble cat or an overweight grown man with three of four limbs occupied, the cat is going to win that agility course every time. It hopped my foot and quickly headed behind the front bushes.

Try as I might, I could not reach the purring princess which now had a taste of freedom. Undeterred, I went to the kitchen and opened a can of tuna to try to coax her out. Even my buyers got into the act! They would take turns tapping the tuna can with a fork and leaning into the thick bushes chanting "here, kitty, kitty". After about a half hour, the cat finally bolted from behind the foliage and zipped behind the house next door. At that point, I did the only thing a responsible Realtor could do... we loaded up the car and headed to the next appointment.

Later that evening, I received a phone call. To my surprise it was the Listing Agent of the first house I showed that day. He was livid. Though, as mad as he was, he assured me he was not using the choice words his seller had used with him. "The cat (that had never been outside, mind you) got out!" My mind began to think, well the worst possible scenario. Will there be crying children? Will I have to make a visit to PetSmart or the animal shelter the next day? "So uh, what happened to the cat?" I asked the other agent. "Well, the owners caught her and brought her inside. She was sitting on the front porch eating a can of tuna." Though I felt for the dilemma my fellow Realtor was in, I failed to see the problem. All's well that ends well I thought. He continued; "Now that the cat has been out, she will want to leave again, and the sellers don't want that." Good for the cat, I thought to myself!

This is just one of many stories that drive the lesson home that the owners are ultimately responsible for their own pets. In fact, they are responsible for the house itself and everything in it as well. In an attempt to secure a listing, some real estate professionals may shy away from uncomfortable conversations and simply assure the sellers that everything will be alright with the livestock. What we really need to do is ask what safeguards the clients can provide during an appointment, and note that on the showing form. No one understands the temperament of that animal better than the homeowners. Our due diligence is in marketing the dwelling so our clients can achieve their financial and real estate goals. When it comes to babysitting pets, we must not allow sellers to put that monkey (dog or cat) on our backs.

http://speakingforeffect.com/

A Picture Sells a Thousand Homes

The old adage, "A picture says a thousand words", is true, but what words is it saying. Just how many of those words follow the exclamation "Oh, ..."? Do we present ourselves as industry professionals, or simply scare small children? As sales professionals, we want to put our best foot forward, but what of the rest of us? Most people are hardly interested in our feet. Well, OK, there's a few of those.

Within the real estate industry, the licensee will typically put a picture of themselves on the front of their business card. When I first became a Realtor, I asked my Broker if it was some sort of State requirement, as I was not use to the practice in my previous business trades. I was told; "No, it's just something everyone does". The Broker then informed me I should go to one of the most expensive photo studios in town, as that will make a difference when I hand out my miniature billboards. I'm too cheap to follow that advice, but I did take the former. Not wanting to rock the boat, or go against the crowd, or be perceived as a free-thinker, I promptly made the decision to put my face on my first running of cards over fifteen years ago.

In fact, I used the same photo for each and every order of new cards. For years, it was my lead to meeting new and prospective clients. Eventually, the idea rooted itself in my brain as a professional business concept, not just an industry cliché. It helps people connect a name with a face, and (hopefully) shows me as someone who were friendly. However, when it got to where people would take my card, look at it, look at me, look back down at the card, look back up at me, hold the card next to my face, look at the card... Well, you get the point; it was time for me to update my photo!

I was finally going to have to let the file on my computer simply entitled "ME!", go. Letting go of "ME!" would not be easy, I would also have to come to grips with the idea of getting older. Though, I am a bit taken back by how many of my colleagues also had a hard time letting go. Sorry to say, but I too sometimes make a double-take when handed another professional's card. It's human nature to stick with what we know, especially in business. We brand ourselves, and spend a lot of money and effort promoting that brand. However, every great marketing campaign needs to move on top the next phase. It's not defeat, it's just progression. Here are a few ideas that may spark some innovation with developing that NEW look;

First, don't forget to smile! Even if you are a bit insecure about your smile (pssst... a lot of us are), you will drum up a lot more business with a "cheesy" smile than a scowl.

Use a professional. By the way, not everyone with a studio or expensive camera is a professional. Ask a colleague with a nice business card who is good to use.

What do the stars do? They use straight-on headshots. Several years ago, it was a common practice to show some sort of action oriented photo. There would be poses, such as an agent on the phone, in a meeting, or perhaps just sitting at their desk. Personally, I have never been a fan of these, as they look too contrived.  They may work better on the website than a business card. If the headshot is good enough for Hollywood, it should work for us.

You need not be a fashion plate, but that 80's "Cosby" sweater will not showcase the new you! If you really are only going to sell land and farms, you can get away with a bolo, and flannel. Otherwise, wear a jacket or tie. Hawaiian shirts; if your name is Tom Selleck, then by all means.

Finally, don't overthink it. If you try to come off looking a certain way, the way you intend may be misperceived and backfire on you. The background is less important than people wanting to get to know you. Please don't get a "glamour shot". Are you an aspiring model or a sales professional? My experience; people actually do want to see the real you. It makes you that much more approachable and likeable. It might not be a boost to the ego, but you just might sells more houses. Some times, letting go of the old "ME!" is a good thing.

http://SpeakingForEffect.com 
BlaineSpeaks@gmail.com

The "Open" Open House

People in sales are taught early on to build a big list of possible leads. After all, there is no customer or client who was not at first a prospect. So, we want to identify those people as soon as possible. Not everyone we encounter will be realistic, creditworthy, or even seriously looking for what we have to offer. Why waste their time, why waste ours? We collect names, numbers, email addresses, zodiacal signs, whatever it takes to pour all those prospects into the "funnel" so one true customer will shake out of the bottom.

For those of us in real estate, the open house is the ideal place to begin that sifting process. If there is a house for sale, what better way to get potential buyers interested in the property than to simply invite them inside. We greet them at the front porch before they even knock on the door, put the biggest smile on our faces possible, and bring them in so we can all get to know each other a little better. We shake hands to introduce ourselves, and never let go of their hand until they give us their name. Then, we attempt to find out where they currently live, and ask if they need to move in a hurry. We study their attire, and glance at their car to assess financial ability. Once we finally leave the foyer, we are sure to give them the "grand tour", so when we point to a toilet, they will know they are in the bathroom. All along, we probe for even more information on them, their family, and lifestyle. If this model fits your approach to an open house; congratulations, you're a stalker!

Stalkers love to gather information, and keep current records. However, a good stalker will reveal just enough information themselves to keep their new victim under their thumb. The really adept ones will take control of the situation, so no one can get away without being on the hook for something. Perhaps the name of a friend or family member they could stalk as well. Oh, our timeshare counterparts love this one! But, is this an effective approach, or are we just wasting our energy on someone who we teach to resent us?  

My decade-and-a-half experience in real estate, and hundreds of open houses within that time, have led me to some pointers to help create a more efficient open house experience which is a lot less energy draining than most. In the process, the sales professional will come across a lot less... creepy.

DO leave the front door open in the Spring and Summer months. After all it is an "open" house. This is more inviting, and suggests prospective buyers eventually get to leave.

DON'T be ready to ponce on them in a moments notice. In fact, let them find YOU. A sheepish "hello?" from you down the hall signals they are not going to be placed on the defensive.

DO introduce yourself as an industry professional. Hand them your business card, and let them know you are there to answer any questions they may have. If you are not the listing agent for that property, EXPLAIN to them you would work for the buyer, and could even show them several other properties.

DON'T lead them through the house. They know a bedroom when they encounter one. Once introductions are made, tell them you are available to them, and WALK AWAY. They will be perplexed, confused and befuddled that you don't want to know their blood type. They will then seek you out for details.

DO ask broad, open-ended questions "What are YOU looking for in a home", versus "What do you like about THIS home"? This will let them know you are on their side, and help create a dialogue.

DON'T hand them the open house flyer until they leave. You want them to ask you the questions about square footage, acreage, schools, etc. The intent here really is not to "control" the situation, simply to show the lookers you don't bite, and are happy to help them however you can. This also sparks conversation, which could lead to a professional relationship once trust is established. At this point, give them ALL of the public information the MLS will allow.

Some additional ideas to solicit contact information;
- Ask them to fill out a very brief survey about the house. Include a heading for all their pertinent info.
- Offer a prize drawing to be conducted at your office once a month, or for the week if you pool with other Realtors. The information they give here tends to be more accurate since they want to be notified should they win.
- Actually schedule an appointment in your office, where you will take time to better understand their buying needs.

By allowing the prospect to take the lead, you assure them that you are NOT a stalker. They will also feel positive and empowered by the process. Along the way, they should feel better about you if not our industry as a whole. No, not every prospect will convert to a client, but you will have saved yourself a lot disappointment not wondering if you could have been more in control of the situation.

Having said all this, you do need a few tricks up your sleeve for safely sake. Your Broker should know where you are, and there should be a red flag code word, should you feel compelled to call a friend, or into the office. Unfortunately, Realtor safety concerns are paramount in today's world, but that is another discussion. In the meantime, consult your Broker's office policies concerning open house safety.

http://MomentumSeminars.com

Does Your Customer Service... SUCK?

I'll be blunt, customer service in the 21st century, pretty much sucks! Like small children, we have become a self absorbed society, and lost touch with the idea that the consumers of our product or service are ultimately responsible for our paychecks. In a word, our "BOSS". But in a world filled with selfies, web addresses that begin with the word "MY...", and an ever increasing use of unidirectional communication, i.e. texts, our focus has shifted from the true money makers. Large businesses, it seems, are more concerned than ever about taking in more than they give out. You can imagine the strain that would create on their relationship with the public.  Where is the pride so many companies use to tout when it came to their customer follow up? Do we understand the public's expectations of us? Do we care?  Are we conceited, or have we just forgotten HOW to talk to customers?


The other day, an associate of mine commented on how great the customer service experience was with Amazon. To which, I replied how shameful it is that an "upstart" organization online, or over the phone can deliver better service than someone across the counter. It seems each year, dealing with a breathing body at the point of sale is becoming less, and less enjoyable. In fact, it's more and more one directional. Do you hear that sucking sound too?

A month ago, I needed to get a new cellphone, so it was just a good time to change carriers altogether. I knew the headache I was in for, but felt assured someone at one of the world's largest department store would be able to educate me as to the proper service that would fit my lifestyle. Typically, I go for the face to face transaction, though I am starting to rethink that. I looked at the in-store map for Plan A, and my entire State appeared to be covered in bright orange. That's a good thing... I think. However, after waiting two days for "coverage to kick in" at my home, I took the product back to the store. I was informed though the coverage map was correct, it apparently just didn't reach my home address, which, by the way, is in the geographic center said State. Really? Yes, they implied that the problem was somehow with me.

Undeterred, I switched to Plan B, however none of the four employees including a member of management could easily facilitate me in the switch since I was so newly in the system. Something about a vendor policy that would not allow them to manually fix the problem. Their solution; dial a toll-free number and hand ME the phone. Pathetic, but true. I first spoke to a man who explained the clerks earlier actions at the register deleted the phone number I had for the past decade, and he asked if I wanted him to see if he could retrieve it again. Obviously, my answer was "yes". Why he even hesitated solving what was an apparent problem, I don't know. Two hours later, after speaking to several voices, including Mary, who informed me she would need "two minutes of SILENCE" on my part while she typed in everything we discussed. Apparently, she was using pen and paper before. "Yes, Mary, I will grant you two minutes of silence", I responded. Anything to get it over with. A college buddy of mine told me I should have done business with a company that specializes in cellphones. He's right of course, but nonetheless, this mega corporation had forgotten what I was told the first day of business school; "If you cannot service the product you sell, don't sell it". 

Corporations are at fault as much as individual employees. In the "me" generation of business, we tend to think once a product is out the door, or contract signed, we are done with our part of the sale. However, we need to wake up, grow up, and recognize the establishment of a business relationship that will carry on for several days, if not years. A distance transaction may go smoothly, because management has empowered their employees to make certain decisions. Of course, they are being closely monitored when there are electronic means being utilized. So, why are the counter clerks not empowered at the brick and motor storefront? Perhaps it's a trust issue on part of the company which might not be able to eavesdrop on every conversation.  More than likely, it just goes to poor training. It's no doubt, the mega store was running scared during Amazon's recent attempt at a "Christmas in July" promotion. It's assurance. Even if they get it wrong, Amazon will fix it.

So, who are customer reps? Anyone who deals with potential customers on behalf of the business itself. Whether you are an independent contractor, sole proprietor, or just one cog in the spokes of a billion dollar machine, if your interaction has the ability to put a smile or frown on a clients face, you are a customer service representative. That being the case, you are the eyes and ears of business. You also have the power to effect whether that business thrives or dies. Oh, did I mention your actions effect your paycheck? Payroll departments tend to stop issuing checks when their companies go belly up.

Customer service is not easy. But neither is business itself. It never has been, which is why so many fail. Last century's giant could very well fall to next year's upstart which fills a void; delivering or surpassing customer expectations. A third-world country may surpass America in overall sales of widgets and thingamajigs! Though, it may not be too late if we train, empower, and promote a higher standard of customer satisfaction among those who have the ability to raise it. With a shift from "me, me, me", to "the customer is always right" (remember that?), a business just might survive. We might make the process "suck" a little less. In fact, we could BREATHE new life into an organization that was almost on life support.

http://speakingforeffect.com/