5 Fun Ways To Build Winning Real Estate Team Chemistry

As a broker, it may often feel as though you have a to-do list that is a mile long and always growing. Sometimes this can lead to neglecting things which may not be as urgent, but which are equally important and integral to the big picture of your brokerage’s success. For many brokers, team building exercises are one of those things that typically falls through the cracks. Brokers may view their agents as silos who mostly work independently or for whom such comradery has limited value. As everyone knows, growing a brokerage has constant challenges related to recruitment and retention. The fact is that team building activities are beneficial to you, your agents, and your overall mission of growth. So finding a way to incorporate these activities can be an investment in achieving that.

Here are a few of the benefits you can expect when you choose to engage in regular team building exercises:

• Creation of a positive work environment.
• Increased loyalty which means a decrease in expensive turnover of your agents.
• A team that is more supportive of helping one another grow and be successful.
• Buzz on the street about how engaged your brokerage is in supporting its agents.
• A team that is more engaged and more productive.
• Enhanced problem-solving skills and creativity shared among your agents.

According to research conducted during Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Survey, having a good friend at work can boost one’s engagement level by up to 50%. (1) Team building helps to foster those relationships. Here are five ways to build winning chemistry amongst your agents through team building exercises.

Team Building Exercise 1 – Share The Mission Of Your Brokerage

Of course, everyone working in real estate is hoping to make a good living at it. Selling lots of big homes, being a million dollar agent is the dream of every serious real estate agent. But your mission as a broker and the person responsible for helping achieve this has to be better than just “make a lot of money”. Helping people buy the home of their dreams is a tremendously positive and impactful service you provide. Your mission statement should reflect this.  It should be formal, and it should be a collaborative effort between you and your team that you revisit periodically. It should include things like how you will present yourself to clients and the community, how you will treat your clients and partners, and how you will delight and exceed expectations at every step of the process. A jointly developed, “feel good” mission for your brokerage creates team cohesion around a common set of principles beyond “make a lot of money”. Print it and post it proudly in your office.

Team Building Exercise 2 – Develop And Incentivize Mentor Relationships

As agents are new to real estate and new to your team, they are usually in search of guidance and support from more seasoned agents that can show them the ropes. As a broker, your success derives from your agents continuously growing both personally and professionally so that they can close more deals. The larger you grow, the less time you will have to be able to offer that coaching to your agents on a one-on-one basis. Mentorships are valuable among your agents as it will save you from having to mentor each member of the team yourself individually. Develop a program in which more successful and experienced agents mentor new team members, welcome them, and help them become acclimated to your policies, practices, and strategies.

Team Building Exercise 3 – Have Weekly Meetings and Awards

Even if you believe in fostering a strong sense of independence in your agents, it is wise to keep all of them grounded to your overall success as a team. One way to do this is to bring the team together regularly for a fun, open discussion with some monetary reward and recognition for significant achievements. You may want to present them with fun certificates for them to display in their offices, as well as, gift cards or cash. Holding these meetings puts you out front as their leader and keeps you connected to the team in a more personal, fun way. Plus, the positive incentive will further reinforce your agents’ productions levels and loyalty.

Team Building Exercise 4 – Sponsor Non-Sales Group Activities

Of course, sales are a top priority to both your agents and to you as their broker. Without sales, nobody eats. However, bonding together as a team should not always revolve around driving more sales. One way that you can encourage more engagement amongst your agents is to sponsor non-sales activities. Ideally, you would do this for teams that achieve something significant such as attracting the most new agents to the team, developing a new streamlining process, closing the most sales for the period, or successfully incorporating a new technology. When you do this, other teams within your brokerage will take note that you are supportive of such healthy practices and become motivated to work harder themselves.

Team Building Exercise 5 – Become Volunteers and Role Models

In addition to creating a positive public image for your brokerage, your agents working together for a greater good is a powerful shared experience. Try to choose a cause that is meaningful to your agents, and in line with your brokerage’s values, to increase their engagement and participation. If you hold monthly meetings, present your agents with two or three options that are all aligned with your mission and will require your team to work together cohesively to move the needle forward for the cause. Then have them vote on the cause that they would prefer to support. Send out reminders leading up to the event and generate additional interest on social media. Following each charitable event, be sure to thank your agents, share the difference that they made, and highlight the importance of working together as community role models, not just real estate professionals.

A Worthwhile Investment In Your Growth

Some of these team building exercises are easy and simple to do, while others require more time to plan. Whatever time you can spend here however, is well worth the investment. As your team grows stronger together, your brokerage will become a place everyone wants to be a part of, and no one wants to leave.

At Weichert, we offer support to our affiliates so they can accomplish many of these types of activities and strengthen their brokerages. National and regional Awards & Recognition programs, workshops and conferences, inspiration and public relations support for community involvement and one-on-one coaching to develop solid recruiting and retention programs are just some of the many things we provide. Ours is a people-first philosophy based on building and cultivating relationships, whether it’s a client or an associate.

For more information on how to support your team for growth and continue to move forward, call 877-746-8807 or visit weichertfranchise.com.

Are you Ready to Be a Broker/Owner?

July 7, 2020BlogRich CasamentoEditShare this…

Businesspeople handshaking after negotiation or interview at office

Being in control of your destiny is powerfully appealing. It is only natural for entrepreneurial-minded agents to feel the itch to take more control in their career by adopting the role of a broker. This can be especially true for those that have already graduated to being a Team Leader. However, even the most confident and experienced Team Leaders can have doubts about whether now is the right time to take the leap and get their broker’s license and open their own shop. If you have ever considered taking on more leadership in your real estate career, this article is for you.

What Makes You Want to Take the Next Step?

Before taking this next step into your real estate future, it is important that you take the time to ask yourself why you’re doing it. Be honest. Do you have an idea for how you might run a brokerage? Have you always wanted to have a business where you are in a leadership role? Do you like the idea of being able to pass along your expertise in a mentorship capacity? Do you have the desire to invest in something and watch it grow and prosper? Or maybe you’ve mastered being a Team Leader and are looking for the next stepping stone of success.

It is important to be clear about “your why”. Let’s face it, a Broker/Owner’s life is going to be very different from an agent’s life. You can’t effectively build a business and be an agent at the same time. You will gradually need to take yourself out of the selling game. Likewise, you’ll need to replace the things that used to motivate you as an agent with new sources of motivation – like building a successful team, fostering a positive culture, investing in your agents and getting the satisfaction of seeing them succeed, and most importantly, watching your business grow and flourish within your community. Your motivation has to come from your love of the business, your love of people, the enjoyment of taking a leadership role and wanting to build something with that.

Do You Have the Experience, Drive, And Resources?

Most broker/owners were above average earners as agents for a number of years before they decided to take the next step. This experience is important, but to become a successful broker/owner will require letting go of many of the common activities of agents and writing a whole new job description for yourself. As a real estate broker you now need to be thinking about recruiting, team development, education, technology selection, agent training, marketing resources, lead generation and office management, to name a few.

It can seem like a big task at first, but with the right recipe to follow, the right resources and a support team in place to guide you, you’ll be well-positioned for success. For example, the franchise service team at Weichert has worked with brokers of varying levels of experience. They’ve demonstrated how a system of proven processes and intensive training and coaching opportunities can help almost any motivated realtor write their own success story. Add the power and resources of a national brand and most individuals find that their move into broker, is a natural step when they choose a partner like Weichert.

Can You Afford to Stop Selling?

One of the biggest challenges that real estate agents making the transition to broker will face is to quit selling houses. It is the job of the agent to sell houses, but it is the job of the broker to facilitate and support the work of agents…and build the team. This requires a time investment. Our business consultants will help coach you on how to make the transition from agent to broker/owner. However, you need to be prepared mentally and financially to take yourself out of the selling game if your brokerage is to have a chance at growth.

The Value Of Guidance For Newbie Brokers

Just as you faced a unique set of challenges requiring guidance and support as an agent, you will face a new set of challenges as a broker/owner. The difference is that when you were an agent you had a built-in support system. That isn’t the case for broker/owners that choose to operate independently. Should you choose to align yourself with a powerful franchise like Weichert, however, you’ll not only benefit from our proven systems, tools, educational materials, and lead generation but also our supportive network of other owners across the country who have been in your shoes. Not to mention, our expert coaching and service team is there to support you with each step. They have seen it all, and you will never be at a loss for what to do next. Not only can franchising reduce the fears and minefields of new brokerage ownership, but it can also speed to the road to business growth.

If you would like to learn more about how Weichert can help you fulfill your dream of brokerage ownership, go to www.weichertfranchise.com.

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD CONTINUE DOING AS THE MARKET REVS UP

Every brokerage goes through cycles where clients are beating down the door, and then suddenly, they aren’t. Some of this can be seasonal, or as in the most recent climate, some of it can be driven by forces beyond our control. Slow cycles are great for shoring up your foundation and mastering new skills. As business starts to heat up again, it doesn’t mean you should stop taking those productive steps to continue evolving yourself and your business. Making time for these steps will position you better for future sales opportunities, address long standing operational needs, and improve your knowledge and abilities related to your business.

1. Work on Your Network – Every Agent and Broker is trying to cultivate a network that will grow each year that you are in business. The more attention you pay to your network, the more seeds you will plant out in the neighborhood. An effective network needs nurturing, however. This is what many real estate professionals let fall by the wayside during busy periods, because the daily work of helping clients through the buying and selling process leaves little time for much else. When times are uncertain, it’s the perfect time to reach out to all your connections, with information, anecdotes, and other non-sales related queries. A simple “How are you and is everyone OK?” during this time can be a conversation starter. Your only goal should be to deepen your relationship and understanding of your client. Another way to stay in front is by sending direct mail each month. With people spending more time at home, they look forward to things like mail delivery and actually have time to peruse its contents. Between calling, direct mail and email, it will help you stay top of mind and customers will be more apt to remember you when they are ready to take action.
2. Review Your Business Plan – Weichert Coaches are die-hards for business plans, constantly guiding our affiliates to review and adjust their plans based on the market. There’s a simple reason for this. It works. Knowing your goals, knowing your numbers, reacting and adjusting to new realities, and having a clear understanding of how to move forward has a profound effect on the success of your business. Keep your goals measurable and realistic, but definitely keep them updated to avoid surprises at the end of the year.
3. Learn How To Leverage Real Estate Technology – If you’re still figuring out Instagram, or keeping your contacts in a rolodex, find time to bite the bullet and get over the learning curves that you previously didn’t have time to master. As a Broker, the more you can lead by example, the more you can help create the best practices inside your team that will help everyone succeed. Embrace and learn that new real estate CRM that your agents aren’t using, and show them how easy and helpful it is. Become an expert in using Zoom or GoToMeeting and begin to hold virtual open house events or recruiting events. Whatever your technology blind spot is, take time to make inroads that will make you a better strategic decision maker and coach around everything related to the use of your tech.
4. Get Comfortable on Camera – The incredible ease of creating video today means that every agent and broker should have a go-to strategy for creating and distributing video. Some agents are naturals, but others are reluctant to see themselves in a video, much less let anyone else see them. As a broker, you certainly need to be comfortable on video and bring encouragement and content ideas to your team. Videos don’t always need to be showing a house. Agents also need to put out regular human interest and educational videos that put their knowledge and humanity out into the world. As Jim Weichert said many years ago “People buy people before they buy a product or service”. That’s what video for real estate in 2020, is all about.
5. Check Out the Benefits of Affiliation – Many independent Brokers have felt the full weight of going it alone in an uncertain market. You might have felt powerless, not knowing what to do next. But you don’t have to go it alone. Use this time as an opportunity to see what national real estate brands like Weichert are offering and whether it is right for you. Engaging in a preliminary conversation costs nothing but a little of your time. Conversations like these can really help an independent, such as yourself, understand what makes brands so powerful, and how you can retain your independence through an affiliation with a brand like Weichert. See what it’s like to be part of a network that supports each other, through sharing and collaboration, every day, but especially in the most challenging times.

Even if you ultimately decide not to affiliate, you will have gained valuable insight into how brands help brokerage owners stay connected and build the businesses of their dreams. And if you do decide to affiliate with a brand like Weichert, you will find a level of proactive coaching, resources and support that you never thought possible. From helping you bring structure to your recruiting process, to establishing successful systems for selling and prospecting, to arming your agents with the technology of myWeichert® powered by kvCORE to automate follow up and turn leads into closed transactions, Weichert gives you all this and more.

And every day, Weichert trainers, coaches, service team members and fellow owners are there as a resource for you as you execute the proven Weichert process for success, step by step. They’ve all been through what you’re going through. They will help show you the way.

Take a minute today to give Weichert Franchising a call and get on a new path to success.

Why Online Reviews Are More Important Than Ever

Any broker or agent can claim to be the best, but they can’t expect strangers to believe them at their word. Having client testimonials and reviews are a practical way of showing what marketing experts refer to as “social proof”. In fact, reviews and testimonials have become so important that a consumer survey conducted in 2019 by Bright Local indicated that 85% of consumers are basing their buying decisions on reviews or testimonials from past customers. But now, virtual buying and selling are becoming part of the new normal. Since they might not be able to meet with you in person to get a comfort level, consumers are going to want to “shop” you first before engaging. Having a solid list of reviews will ease their minds and make them more comfortable with working with you virtually. Here are some best and worst practices that you can adopt to maximize the effectiveness of your brokerage reviews.

Which Reviews Are The Most Valuable?

Just as not all real estate brokerages are created equally, reviews vary in quality and value. While it is smart to try and collect as many reviews as possible, it is more important to get the types of reviews that will make a real difference in your real estate rep. As a rule, there are three things you should look for in every review:

• Relevant: The more relevant a review is to the services you provide, and the people you want to attract, the better.
• Specific: It is great when people say something positive like “Great company – highly recommend”. However, detailed and specific reviews like “Great negotiator who went above and beyond to make our closing happen on time, despite many challenges…” will go further.
• Recent: A review from 3 years ago won’t carry the same clout as one from last week so work consistently to collect new reviews.

Quality Reviews Vs. Quantity Reviews

Research by Yelp suggests that people will look at the average star rating for your business before diving deeper to read the long-form reviews that people leave. With that in mind, you need to consider the importance of carefully avoiding any negative reviews below 4 or 5 stars. One way to do this is to ask for feedback from clients prior to asking for them to provide a testimonial. That way, if there are any areas in which they are not 100% satisfied, you have a chance to correct the problem and make them your happiest client yet.

Since reviews might often be given at the agent level, you can also consider investing in review programs that allow your positive agent reviews to roll up to your brokerage review rating. After all, if you go to the trouble of hiring the best agents, that effort should be reflected in how the brokerage is perceived in the public eye. You can leverage that not only for attracting new clients but for attracting recruits as well.

Don’t forget to collect stars and testimonials from your agents and staff as well! Remind them that for every 5-star review on your business, there will be more leads coming through the door for them. If your agent is not comfortable providing you with a 5-star review, you can address any concerns they have and increase their loyalty to your brand.

Don’t Fear Negative Reviews

There may be times when someone leaves a negative review or testimonial. If they do this publicly before you have a chance to address their concerns, be swift to respond. Reply to their review by expressing your genuine concern and offering to do whatever it takes to make them happy. When you do this, you show anyone reading how much you care about your clients’ satisfaction and that you will take action to back it up. This can actually be a powerful way to build trust with skeptics who tend not to trust reviews when they are all perfect. And if there is a trend of negative reviews, it may be a signal that you have some work to do.

Distribute Your Reviews Far And Wide

Reviews won’t do anything for you if people don’t have the chance to read them. No matter what platform you use to collect your client testimonials, you should repurpose and add them everywhere you can to get more value from each one. A few strategic places to repost your reviews include:

• Your newsletter
• You email signature
• Your social media profiles
• Your brochures
• Your websites
• Your listing and buyer presentations
• Your educational content and lead magnets
• Your media kit

Ultimately, good reviews are going to come by going above and beyond in servicing your clients. This means personalized attention, diligent follow-up and meeting, or better yet, exceeding expectations. At Weichert, we arm our affiliated offices and agents to do all of that by providing tools, such as myWeichert, our smart tech platform. This integrates contact management with a level of marketing automation that is unparalleled in the industry, helping agents follow up the right way, at the right time. These kinds of tools coupled with Weichert coaching, best practices, and resources, help you and your team service your clients and support your business goals every step of the way.

For more information about how you can grow with Weichert, go to www.weichertfranchise.com

This blog is originally posted here – https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/why-online-reviews-are-more-important-than-ever/

Increase Virtual Networking To Help You Succeed

Although virtual networking certainly isn’t new to the real estate industry, it has gone from being an underutilized tactic to the norm, thanks to social distancing. Unless you want the world to pass you by, you have no choice, but to keep up with connections, and make new ones, virtually. From vendors, referral partners, to your sphere, there are lots of ways to stay in touch, meet new people and get conversations going. This trend is not likely to go away any time soon, either. It’s important more than ever to make yourself visible online. The experts at Weichert share tactics to take and mistakes to avoid. By the end of this post, you will be ready to virtually network your way to success in real estate.

Make Sure Your Profiles Are Up to Date

Preparation is key when it comes to being successful at virtual networking. That means that you need to invest the time to perfect and polish the profiles you have on any of the platforms you plan to use, like Facebook or LinkedIn, or even on group forums that you join. If you aren’t sure what it takes to get your profile up to snuff, consider consulting an expert on the platform you want to use. There are a lot of online tutorials as well. In most cases, your profile will be the first impression someone has of you, so you want to make sure that your profile looks interesting and professional enough for someone to want to connect with you. Weichert values the importance of writing a good bio and creating a personal brand. It provides many different tools to help create those things that can then be used across any platform or vehicle you use.

Seek Out the People and Groups That Will Be of Value to You

Much of your success in virtual networking will depend on the people you include in your network. This does not always translate to quantity. First, you should begin by connecting with everyone you know that has a profile on that platform. Many networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, make this easy by allowing you to sync with your contacts to connect. Next, make a list of all of the types of people that you want to network with on the site. Common selections for agents and brokers might include:

• Professional vendors, like home inspectors and real estate photographers
• Referral partners like the title companies and lenders
• Potential clients
• Other local business owners that interact with the above people

It helps to set goals for yourself on how many people you want to connect with on a weekly basis. Aim to connect with a steady mix of each type of target.

Look for groups on Facebook or LinkedIn that you can join that are in the same business, related business or within your community. These are great places to make valuable new contacts, give and get referrals, as well as a place to go to share advice, ask questions and read how others may be handling challenges similar to yours. Many of them may hold frequent virtual meetings or webinars where you can interact “face-to-face” or be part of the conversation through comments during the meeting. Be sure to participate in these opportunities. It’s a good virtual way to stay connected, make new connections, and feel less like you are on an island.

Always Lead with Altruism

The biggest trick to being successful with virtual networking is to lead all of your communications with altruism. The more value that you deliver to others, the more inclined they will be to return the favor. For example, if you are using LinkedIn, you should be liking and commenting on others’ posts, starting valuable conversations, offering good advice and endorsing them for their chosen skills. You might even offer to write them a recommendation. If you are part of a networking group on Facebook, be active in commenting and sharing what you’ve found to work well. Compliment good ideas. Celebrate in the accomplishments of others. Be willing to participate in group think tanks. You should always think of virtual networking the same way you would building personal relationships.

Integrating Virtual Networking

Once you discover just how powerful and fast virtual networking can be, you might find yourself overwhelmed with all of the appointments, notes, and new connections you receive. But make sure you keep track of everything! Otherwise you may let valuable opportunities fall through the cracks and will reverse all the previously positive results. Utilize versatile tools like your CRM to keep your contacts organized.

How Affiliation Can Offer Multiple Connections in One Place

Weichert affiliates have the benefit of a coaching and service team at their disposal that is well versed in how to operate virtually. By being part of our network, you have access to a multitude of digital resources, webinars and training events to help you with your business. You can ask questions, get ideas and hear how your fellow brokers are handling issues. Our Management Facebook group is a safe place to pose questions to brokers across the country and get their recommendations and insights to help you take the quickest path between point A and B, avoiding landmines that can cost time and money. You’ll make connections and forge relationships in the process. Not to mention, you’ll have access to our referral networks such as Weichert Relocation, Weichert.com and Weichert Referral Associates. To learn more about how to develop valuable relationships virtually or how Weichert can help connect you to more go to www.weichertfranchise.com.

This blog is originally posted here –https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/increase-virtual-networking-to-help-you-succeed/

What Open Houses Look Like in a Virtual World

While technology continues to evolve the real estate industry, open houses, when done correctly, continue to be one of the most effective tools an agent has in their arsenal. At Weichert, it’s one of the hallmarks of our marketing strategy. But what do you do when you can no longer hold the events the traditional way? You hold them virtually, of course. In fact, you may be surprised at the results–and the benefits.

One of the biggest advantages of open houses has always been that they provide you with the opportunity to meet new people. This includes neighbors of the listing and anyone interested in touring the property. This is true for virtual open houses too! If you apply solid marketing methods with some modifications, you will generate the same, or in most cases, even more even greater connection opportunities. Our Weichert affiliated brokers across the country have reported hundreds and thousands of virtual attendees for their weekly open house events.

So, where do you start?

First, Learn How to Pivot

Create an event on Facebook around your Open House and share it on your personal page and to the Facebook groups that you are part of. Use the sharing functions in Facebook to invite friends or other agents directly to the event. Consider investing a few dollars to promote it to the area to hit a broader audience. You might be surprised at the attendance it attracts.

Promote Pre-Event

You’ll still want to promote the event in advance, just like an in-person Open House. Use the event URL to create a squeeze page or landing page to drive people to the Facebook event details and capture their contact info in the process. You can promote that page via email, text or right through Facebook. If you can integrate the lead capture from that page with your CRM, even better! However you do it, make sure you build in a way to capture interested viewers’ contact info ahead of time if you can.

Be sure to promote via email to any opt-ins from your landing page and contacts in your database who may be interested in attending the virtual event prior to the event, including Buyer agents, using the link to the event details.

Engage with Virtual Attendees

On the day of the event, use the Facebook Live option within the event to go Live. Press Start and record your video. Walk through and narrate the tour of the property. Take your time. Don’t go through it too fast. Pan slowly and maintain a steady pace. Have fun. Invite comments. Try to monitor the questions and answer them Live as much as you can. One of the many benefits of hosting your virtual open houses on platforms like Facebook Live or YouTube Live is that you can interact with your viewers in real-time and get them excited about the property.

As you are giving people a tour of the property and the neighborhood be sure to call out your viewers by name and welcome them to the open house. Ask people to comment with their questions and opinions about the property and give you direction on what they want to see next. Take the time to ask your viewers if there is any part of the property they want to see in detail, so they walk away fully satisfied with the tour. Also, prompt them to ask any and all questions they have. It really pays to pay attention to the details during virtual open houses. Take the time to use your phone’s camera to draw attention to the little things that help make a property special like the molding, which might be easy to overlook in a photo or video, or the view from the 2nd floor balcony, etc. You can also include calls-to-action during the video, like asking viewers to tag anyone they think should see the house in the comments of the post.

While your normal Open House event might run for 4 hours, the virtual Open House video does not need to be that long. It should only be as long as it needs to be to adequately show the property and answer questions to your live audience. Target no more than 20 minutes. Once you finish recording, you can then share it after the event to those who were unable to attend.

Leverage the Benefits of Being Virtual

There are some obvious benefits here, right? First of all, Open House events are no longer limited to Sundays. You can hold them in the evenings or any time that’s convenient for you and the seller. They are also not as big of a time investment on the agent’s part, as far as the event itself. There’s also less of an investment on the part of the attendee. Now they don’t need to carve out as much time to drive out to a property to check it out. They can pop on and get the information they need from the comfort of their couch, which will only help increase your attendance. But probably the biggest advantage is the expanded shelf-life. People who attend can watch the video again and again and share it with their friends. Those who missed the Live event can view the video later. You can also share the video post after the event is over. All of this adds to the overall engagement of the event, the property and you as an agent.

Follow-up Still Matters

Concerned that viewers of your virtual open house will disappear after the event, leaving you without the opportunity to collect new leads? Make sure you capture as many leads in the advance promo period as you can. It’s still important that you follow up with them promptly, preferably within 24 hours. Be sure to thank everyone for attending. For those that you don’t have direct contact info for, thank them for attending via the event on Facebook and with a landing page link to learn more. It gives you one more chance to capture their contact info.

Tie It Together with Technology

Having a solid technology platform can help you pull all the pieces together seamlessly. Weichert agents, for example, have the benefit of their smart tech platform, myWeichert, to help with this. myWeichert has the ability to create landing pages for events such as these that feed opt in info right to your CRM. By being able to categorize incoming contacts by event, it makes your pre-event promotion and post-event follow-up that much easier and efficient.

The virtual open house has become extremely valuable, and this is likely something that will continue even when virtual contact is no longer needed. The sooner you and your team embrace virtual open houses as the new normal and discover all they have to offer, the better positioned you will be for the future of real estate.

If your business could benefit from coaching on how to operate in a virtual real estate world and the technology to prepare your business for the new normal, go to www.weichertfranchise.com

This blog is originally posted here –https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/what-open-houses-look-like-in-a-virtual-world/

Now’s the Time to Fill Your Funnel

Business continues to churn in most areas, but with in-person showings down, your agents might find they have extra time on their hands. That doesn’t mean they can take their foot off the gas. No one knows when the business will return to “normal”, but you’ll want to make sure your brokerage and your agents are doing everything they can now to put themselves in the best position for when that happens. That means engaging and getting in front of potential prospects in your community and starting conversations now. This way, once the market does open up, your team will be top of mind. Here are 5 things you should be doing to fill your sales funnel:

1.Direct Mail.

Now is a great time to take advantage of direct mail. People are home and have more time than ever to look at their mail. Adjust your postcard message to be sensitive to the times. Let them know you are open for business if they need you and as a member of the community you are all in this together. Many vendors are even offering COVID-related design options to acknowledge and thank frontline workers. Sign up for a scheduled mailing program to send a piece out every month to your sphere, farm an area or take advantage of calendar milestones. Worried about your expenses? Direct mail is a very cost-effective way to reach a large number of people and with options like Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) through the U.S. Postal Service, you can save a lot of money off standard postage.

2.Email and Text.

This is a great cost-effective way to send a brief message to the contacts in your CRM to stay top of mind. It should be more personal than a direct mail piece. It can be as simple as checking in, sharing an article, sharing property of interest or simply sharing a story or a positive anecdote to make someone smile – these days everyone can use an extra smile! Make sure your CRM is up to date and is properly categorized so you can better target appropriate messages to the right groups. Set up your CRM to send automatic text or emails for birthdays and anniversaries. Let people know you are thinking of them. It goes a long way. And if you don’t have a real estate CRM with these capabilities, now might be a good time to research options.

3.Up Your Social Media Presence.

With people unable to go out, they have more time to spend scrolling through social media. Now is a great time to maximize your presence to increase your chances of being seen. Share a positive message. Share content on things to do while social distancing. Share interesting facts or history of your neighborhood. Video a walking tour of your neighborhood. Post home improvement ideas. If you are hosting virtual career events, first time homebuyer or home-seller webinars, promote them on social media. Again, the agents that were active and visible during this time are going to be the ones who will benefit from any pent-up demand when things return to normal and a consumer needs to find an agent.

4.Hold Consumer Seminars.

While many real estate plans may be delayed or put on hold, the plans have likely not gone away. While people are home and have the time and are looking for things to do, host first-time buyer seminars or home-seller seminars online. Educate them now and position yourself as the expert, so that when they can buy or sell, they will call on you to help them do it. Make sure you have a professional looking presentation deck, create a postcard or emailable invitations and promote the events on Facebook to drive attendance. You can follow up with them afterward with any additional handouts or flyers. By capturing their information during the registration process, you can continue to keep in touch with them afterward until they are ready to make a move.

5. Keep in Touch with Your Support Networks.

Now more than ever, staying in touch with your support networks is important. These might be business networking groups, professional organizations or other support groups. Keep up those relationships. Check in regularly. Make sure your networks know you are still open for business if they happen to speak with someone looking for help buying or selling. Not only can your networks be a great source of referrals, but also a resource for ideas on how to market or stay in touch with the community during these times. Think about collaborating on a joint online event. Consider organizing a food run to a local hospital or other frontline workers. If for no other reason, keep in touch with your networks for your overall well-being. Use them as a social outlet to swap stories, share challenges or simply for moral support and motivation to keep you propped up and going as you keep your agents going.

How well is your funnel equipped? At Weichert, our affiliates have access to a variety of tools and resources to help them in all these areas. Our Approved Suppliers offer a variety of direct mail libraries and services and our myWeichert smart tech platform provides a sophisticated CRM with a variety of email and text communication options. From social media services and templates to professional looking consumer seminar materials designed and ready to go, our affiliates are well equipped to stay in touch with their communities. Plus, we have an awesome peer-to-peer network and service teams that are in constant communication with each other, so no one ever feels alone or wondering what to do next. Think those are things your real estate business could benefit from? Contact our team today for more info or register for an informational webinar. www.weichertfranchise.com

This blog is originally posted here: https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/nows-the-time-to-fill-your-funnel/

Making The Most of Working Remotely

With remote working suddenly becoming the new normal, you might be still be trying to navigate how to be productive and effective as a brokerage leader. Here are five ways to keep your team motivated and your business moving in the right direction.

1.Communicate. Communicate.

Communication is more important now than ever before and it’s what will be memorable once things are back to normal. Make sure you have a regular plan of communication with your team as well as your clients. Those one-on-ones are more critical than ever. Virtual sales meetings are great morale boosters for the whole team and enable you to show off your leadership. Use them as an opportunity to communicate changes in state and local protocols and share best practices. Make sure a key point of these meetings includes sharing progress on goals and milestones reached. It’s important that you continually motivate now more than ever to keep their spirits up and their fires lit.

Don’t forget your clients, too. Make it a point to post on Facebook, send emails, newsletters or host virtual events to let the community know you are still open for business. Real estate needs are still active, and transactions continue to take place. Even though business can’t take place in the traditional face-to-face sense, let them know you have the technology and virtual ability to still hold consultations, make offers and do business. Promote virtual events like consumer seminars and virtual open houses.

2.Make Sure You Have the Right Tech

From having the right equipment to having the right software, make sure you have everything you need to conduct business comfortably. Invest in a good headset, wireless mouse or keyboard. Find the video conference software that works best for you to effectively stay in touch. Applications like Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Meet and Slack are all popular and effective. Make sure you have a good real estate CRM and marketing tools for your team so they can communicate effectively with their spheres, prospect and market. Having strong tools will enable them to be more productive with any downtime they may be experiencing. Weichert for example, enables all it’s agents and offices with myWeichert which features a powerful CRM complete with automated follow-up and lead gen tools.

3.Embrace Video

Even if you are uncomfortable, learn to embrace video. You may not be able to interact with your agents or clients face to face, but it’s still important that they see your face. Don’t worry about being perfect and polished out of the gate. With everyone in the same boat, there will be a lot of imperfection out there and everyone is OK with that. This is the perfect time to dabble and the more you do it, the more comfortable it will become. Letting your agents see your face can make a huge difference in motivation, productivity and general well-being. We still need that human connection, even if it’s virtual. And it will be good for you as well.

And no matter how business transpires, one thing will not change: clients will continue to want to do real estate business with people they trust. Letting them see your face and still being able to look people in the eye will help instill that trust and confidence in you and your agents. Super important.

So, find an area with good lighting and create a good camera position. If you don’t have a good background behind you, no problem! Get creative by hanging up a sheet or invest in a divider screen. Then organize your talking points, hit the on button and smile!

4.Make Sure You Have a Plan and Stick to a Schedule

Now more than ever, it’s important to schedule your time. When you work remotely, days easily start to blend into one another. Make sure you structure your day. Have a scheduled start and stop. Get ready like you are going into the office. Make sure you take breaks. Schedule those one-on-one’s, sales meetings, online client meetings, recruiting events and consumer seminars on your calendar for each week. Remember, what gets calendared gets done. Make sure you are scheduling virtual open houses, direct marketing and other activities that you would normally do. Just because you aren’t in the office, doesn’t mean they still can’t happen. They just might need to happen differently, but make sure you have it on your calendar to do.

5.Make Sure You Have a Support Network

It’s easy for nerves to get frayed and for stressors to get to you. So, make sure you have a reliable support network to talk to, bounce ideas off of and vent. That type of interaction help you maintain your sanity and keep you motivated while you continue to motivate your own team. When you are part of a franchise, this can be one of the most valuable aspects of affiliation. Our current franchisees are finding tremendous support from our service team as well as each other in navigating the most challenging of circumstances.

So, while working remotely for an extended time can be a unique challenge, we are fortunate to live in an age where there is much available to us to keep business moving forward. The important thing is to have a plan, assemble resources and have the right support in place to help you succeed. At Weichert, our franchisees have an abundance of support to get through situations like this one. From online real estate marketing tools and sales materials, to coaching on how to conduct business virtually, to technology that allows for ongoing communication and business continuity. If this sounds like something your business could benefit from, reach out to us today at www.weichertfranchise.com 

This blog is originally posted here – https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/making-the-most-of-working-remotely/

Why Continuous Training Is Critical To Real Estate Success

As you already know, many states require real estate agents and brokers to continue with their education year after year. If you are experiencing a slow-down in business, this may be a perfect opportunity for you and your agents to get your CE credits out of the way early! Take advantage!

Aside from the legal requirements, however, there is no denying that both agents and brokers stand to benefit a great deal from maintaining their pursuit of a well-rounded base of industry knowledge and up-to-date information on the latest tools and techniques. The industry and the world is constantly changing. So those sales techniques from 1995 are no longer going to be as effective. From marketing and branding to legal changes, sales techniques, new technology, and beyond, there is tremendous value when you can offer agents opportunities that continue to evolve their skills. This helps them stay on top of their game and stand out from their competitors.

Improved Skillsets

One of the reasons that buyers and sellers are so attracted to younger agents is that they are typically immersed in digital marketing and technology. Agents should use downtime to learn a new digital sales skill or lead gen technique. Have them give video or webcam use a try. Try their hand at writing a real estate blog, record a podcast, create a squeeze page, boost a Facebook post, create a digital newsletter. The more that agents can show the public how much they know about real estate, marketing, branding, technology, legal requirements, and the local market, the more buyers and sellers will be eager to hire them, which is great for your bottom line. But are you able to train them on all these topics, or do they have to go out and figure it out on their own? If it’s the latter, you are missing out on a valuable opportunity to play a role in their continuing success. Not only that, the more you develop your agents in the right activities and techniques, the more productive they will become, which is also good for your brokerage.

Agent Recruitment

As a broker, recruiting the highest quality agents is always top-of-mind. It should come as no surprise that good agents only want to hang their license with a broker that is as equally invested in helping them succeed and grow. In fact, inviting agents that you wish to recruit to training classes that are being sponsored by your brokerage is a great way to entice them. In addition to classes held by your brokerage, make it known that you are willing to provide more personalized training and share any educational materials you create. Show how you are invested in your team. One of the great things about affiliation with a brand like Weichert, is that training resources are readily available, which makes it easy for you and your agents to plug in and stay current. With a constant stream of webinar classes, personalized coaching, and Weichert’s online University, it cuts down on the time you have to spend developing content. Plus, in the case of Weichert, our training is all tied into a proven formula for real estate success for both agents and brokers.

Agent Retention

Just as you can use classes and educational resources to attract new agents to your team, your commitment to ongoing coaching and training is a powerful glue for agents already working in your brokerage. Increase relevance by reaching out to your team and collect input on what subjects they feel they need help with the most. If you don’t happen to be the expert on the subject, then you must find either an in-house expert or look for an online course that is relevant. Maybe there are underutilized tools within your brokerage for which you’d like to increase engagement. Supporting your agents with guidance that helps them be more productive increases your value as a broker. Again, an affiliation with a brand like Weichert gives you the structure to work with.

The Solution For Keeping Your Agents Up to Speed

Although results-driven real estate brokers understand that there is tremendous value in pushing their agents to increase their knowledge base and skill sets, many brokers struggle to supply them with the educational tools and training that they need. After all, it can require a great deal of time and money to generate training content on topics like legal changes, market conditions, marketing, branding best practices, social media, technology, sales techniques, scripts, etc. That is exactly why many brokers find it valuable to partner with a nationally respected brand like Weichert, that can provide training and coaching support as part of their core offering. You can offer it to your agents, without the time investment, which increases your brokerage’s value. Furthermore, brokers gain educational resources for themselves to help them develop further as a broker, a business manager, and a leader, making it a win-win for everyone.

For more information how aligning yourself with a franchise like Weichert can benefit both brokers and agents, go to www.weichertfranchise.com.

Top 5 Reasons to Join a Real Estate Franchise in 2020

At one time or another, every real estate broker is faced with the difficult choice of franchising. For some, the fear of losing their independence causes hesitation. Although franchising may not be the right move for everyone, if any of these sound like the situation you are facing, it can be a tremendous benefit:

• Your business has stalled, or you are not meeting your growth goals.
• Recent changes in your local market pose a threat to your business.
• You’re losing agents to other nationally-recognized brands.
• You could benefit from proven operating systems, marketing tools, technology, or coaching.
• You spend more time selling houses than managing your business in a leadership role.

There are really three options to help you move your business forward; you can build it, you can buy it or you can leverage it. The first two options take time and resources, and there’s no guarantee that it will get you where you want to go. When you affiliate, you leverage the extensive resources of your franchisor and chances are, those resources have already been vetted and proven. Here are five of the top benefits to joining a real estate franchise:

1. You Are No Longer Alone

If you are anything like most real estate brokers, you decided to launch your brokerage because you wanted to elevate your impact and increase your earning potential. Now that you have settled into that role, you may again be searching for a way to grow and expand your operations. One of the most powerful ways that partnering with a good real estate franchise can help is by giving you a well-tested structure for your operations and a connection to something bigger. Being part of a group can put you in a better position, when it comes to competing against some of the major disruptors that have been entering the industry.

With a brand like Weichert, for instance, you have access to coaches, training, and branded technology that can provide you with support. Between our regional coaches, conferences and trainings and our active peer-to-peer network, you will never have to wonder what to do next. Just imagine being able to network and connect with other like-minded brokers that understand exactly what challenges you’re facing, can offer strategies to overcome them, warn you of potential pitfalls, and cheer you on as you grow. With the support and credibility of a national brand on your side, you will face fewer stumbling blocks on your path to greater success.

2. You Can Provide Your Agents With the Tools, Resources and Training to Be Successful

As a real estate broker, you are not only faced with the task of attracting buyers and sellers to feed to your agents, but you must also attract high-quality agents to feed your growth. Being able to offer agents productive resources to support their business is critical to recruiting and retention. But there is a time investment in the process to create those things and do it right. Not to mention, the thousands of marketing ideas, gimmicks, and tools out there can be overwhelming! However, once you become part of a national franchise, you gain access to marketing systems that are already proven to deliver results, while eliminating that expensive learning curve, plus your agents can get the training they need to use those tools effectively.

Weichert affiliates regularly tell stories of the relief they felt once they gained access to Weichert marketing and training systems, as well as their network of mentors, peers, and coaches. As part of the Weichert family, brokerage owners no longer have to use their own time and resources to research and find the best tools and marketing strategies because Weichert has done all that heavy lifting for them. They now have become a destination for agents.

3. Recruiting Systems To Grow Your Agent Base

Recruiting is one of your largest responsibilities as a broker. It can also be one of the most challenging, as it can be difficult to find, attract, and keep the right agents for your team. Often, agents hesitate to join a brokerage if they don’t have a good value proposition. However, if you do your homework and align yourself with a national franchise like Weichert, you will fully recognize the power of having a recognizable brand behind you. From sales systems, marketing tools, technology, lead sources, support, and coaching that a company like Weichert provides, companies are in a position to offer a comprehensive program to attract more agents. Plus, at Weichert, we coach our recruiting managers on proven recruiting systems and provide them with winning materials that help sell that value proposition. Having a system streamlines the process of growing your team with quality agents and supplying them with the tools for success creates an environment where they want to stay.

4. Technology Systems To Help Your Agents Be More Productive

You can’t talk about real estate, marketing, or branding these days without talking about technology. Clients demand immediate follow-up and high levels of service, and it’s very difficult to stay on top of that without the right tech. But technology can be expensive, and it is ever-changing. How do you know what to invest in? Do you have the time to do the necessary research? How do you keep up with the changes? The time and expense of figuring all this out as an independent broker takes you away from operating your business.

By aligning with a franchise, like Weichert, you get the benefit of all their resources dedicated to vetting, researching, testing and updating. Weichert affiliates receive access to the myWeichert® powered by kvCORE platform, a powerful, all in one solution to run every aspect of a real estate business. Customized, branded websites connect to a smart CRM that uses AI driven, behavioral automation, powerful lead gen tools and more to help generate leads and stay in touch with contacts to convert more business. The system would normally be a huge investment for an independent brokerage to take on, both from financial and learning curve aspects. However, it is included with Weichert affiliation.

5. Business Coaching & Support To Map Your Growth

Often the conversations about real estate training are centered around the agents. But owners, brokers and managers need coaching, too! Having easy access to training materials, coaching, and support as they operate is key to growing a business.  If you have ever found yourself unsure of your next move, in need of peer support, or in search of new education at the broker level, you would benefit deeply from the educational resources supplied from a national real estate franchise like Weichert. From business planning tools, to budget advice to strategies to improve company dollar, your dedicated business coach helps you along the way to strengthen your business and ensure you are establishing a solid foundation for growth.

Click here if you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of franchising with a nationally recognized brand like Weichert and how their resources can help both you and your agents thrive in today’s market.