The Agent University

As the 2011-2012 school year gets ready to come to a close, it’s a great opportunity for real estate agents and brokers to make a concerted effort to be top of mind. Reaching out to other agents we may know in other states or locations, as well as creating a campaign to get more local information on our websites, are just a few of the simple ways in which we can accomplish this goal.

Remember: Gathering specific information about your community and posting it on your website — or even just linking to those doing business in your market — is a strategic way to grow your referral base.

When buyers and sellers are looking at real estate in a new location they are checking out schools, services, neighborhoods and churches. The more helpful content you provide, the higher search results you will attract. And the more results you attract, the more inbound inquiries you will receive.

That’s just scratching the surface of all the little things you can do to maximize your profile and services.

For example, one of my dear friends and colleagues who is a broker in Dayton, Ohio, states at the end of his phone message that he is never too busy for referrals.

Indeed, we have so many different ways we can provide information or content to those searching for a change in location. With networking and data gathering we can rise to the top and become the “go-to” choice for a buyer or seller’s needs.

The same hold trues with giving referrals. As you network with other real estate professionals ask them what is going on in their markets and what type of niches or specialties they possess, as well as how can you help them.

If we seek each others interests our own wallets grow fatter. Abundance mentality is the key to success. All we have to do is are the little things.

The biggest tip I have for attracting relocation buyers is in a single word: relationships. Relocation buyers come from multiple sources (referrals, online searches, national portals, social media, etc.). To tap into these sources you need to begin to build relationships with potential buyers (and other agents) via the cross-channels available to you.

The key to sales sometimes is attraction, not necessarily promotion, particularly in relationship building. In other words, you must attract others to you by giving solid educational material that is helpful worthy of sharing with others (Can anyone say “viral?”).

Some recommended ideas on this line would be to add a “Relocation” tab to the navigation on your blog or website with some additional pull downs offering things like “Moving Tips,” “Moving Tips with Pets” and “Packing Tips,” among others, as well as a “Corporate Relocation” tab with a list of some of the major corporations in your area. Creating some videos about relocation that offers advice on what to watch out for would be another great way to educate your potential buyers and attract them to you (answer some of their most common FAQ’s, etc.).

One key element of building the relationship with relocation buyers is with list building. This is critical to your future follow up. When you do offer a free e-Book, report or even have a call to action tab with a form for a buyer to fill out with their wants and needs when relocating on your site, this is building your list. However, (this part is critical) you must have a “backend” funnel prepared in advance to walk your potential buyer through.

Let’s face it, just as I always say, “The fortune is in the follow up!” So before you go out and attract dozens of buyers, let me encourage you to build your follow up email and planned follow up call series up front. If you don’t, trust me, what’s going to happen is you’re going to get so busy being busy it will get shelved and you will miss out on all those buyers you could have had on automated follow up being cultivated for future business.

This is one of the most common pitfalls of marketing.

In my opinion, the funnel must provide educational material (items of value) – not just buy from me or why you’re the best to buy from ego driven nonsense we all get caught up in many times. The fact is, buyers are only tuned into WIFM (What’s In It For Me) and unless we provide something of extreme value pertinent to their situation or needs, they’re going to wear out the delete key getting rid of us. Giving creates relationships and consistent timed interval follow up responses create top of mind consciousness.

What National Association Of Realtors (NAR) Says Relocation Buyers

I was curious about some of the statistical profile data of buyers and sellers, so I hopped over to the National Association of Realtors annual reports and did some research on this subject. I was trying to find out how many relocation buyers actually come directly from a relocation company. Here are the results: only 2 percent of buyers occasionally turn to a relocation company, 1 percent of buyers frequently use one and the rest didn’t at all.

Hmmm… is that lower or higher than what you thought? I did find it surprising this percentage came close to matching the percentage of buyers using television or a billboard as a source of information. However, what was not surprising to me, was the number of buyers (whether relocating or not) started their search online – it was 88 percent (this was down 2 percent from the previous year, not sure why exactly).

It’s possible that more repeats and referrals since the agents still left conducting business are full-time professionals versus the part-time weekend warriors who have exited stage left since the market turned? There is an overlap though, another possible supporting piece to that theory. Buyers who used real estate agents and brokers as their primary source came in at a full 87 percent, clearly indicating an overlap.

Either way, we can conclusively say relocation buyers go online to search for homes supporting the need to have a major online presence and offer up-front education to the relocation buyer (which begins the building process of the relationship). It is also wise to connect with your peers via social media (LinkedIn [join some groups!], Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc.) when attempting to build relationships and cultivate referrals from them of those wonderful relocation buyers.

Have a great day and remember to never forget, “You’re worth it!”

About Joe Martin
Joe is a national columnist, advanced REO trainer, marketing / social media marketing expert & Broker/Co-Owner of RE/MAX Diamond servicing the Phoenix Metropolitan area. He leads the Top 100 RE/MAX Team in the World (2009/2011), has sold over 1500 homes since 2008, was inducted into the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame & has repeatedly won the coveted Diamond & Chairman’s Level Top Producer Achievement Awards. Joe has served on the Board of Directors for HAREP, is an active member of NAREB, NAHREP & AAREA and carries multiple REO certifications & industry designations, including the highly sought after membership in the National REO Brokers Association and Wall Street Journal’s List of Top 400 Real Estate Professionals. In 2010 he was a speaker/panelist at the default industries renowned Five Star Default conference in Dallas, Texas and also serves as a charter member of the 5-Star Federation of REO Certified Experts (FORCE). Joe loves helping others achieve success, is involved in community charities including Make-A-Wish, Children’s Miracle Network, Room For Joy and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He enjoys sharing that “Happiness is a Product of Forgiveness” and helping others realize they are truly “worth it!”. He also loves reading, writing, speaking, training, marketing, boating, walks on the beach, majestic sunsets, listening to the waves roll in and scuba diving.

Below are the most recent agents to earn their Certified Foreclosure Agent, Certified Short Sale Agent (CSSA), Certified Commercial Foreclosure Agent and/or Graduate Investor Series designation(s) through The Agent University. These highly-trained professionals are now equipped with the knowledge and power necessary to be leaders in their fields.

Congratulations!

• Ilario Bertolotto — Graduate Investor Series
• Rana Nuesca — Graduate Investor Series
• John Farrell — Certified Short Sale Agent | Certified Foreclosure Agent “Specialist”
• Doug Swierczynski — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Master”
• Kassiea Adams — Certified Short Sale Agent
• Terry Tincher — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Master”
• Lisa Benfield — Certified Short Sale Agent
• John Dean — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Expert”
• Jeanette Browning-French — Certified Short Sale Agent
• Lisa Benfield — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Specialist”
• Louise Lintz — Certified Short Sale Agent
• James Perez — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Specialist”
• Linda Wallenfang — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Specialist”
• Monica Peterson — Certified Short Sale Agent
• Peter Hason — Certified Foreclosure Agent “Specialist”
• Landra Pryor — Certified Short Sale Agent

In addition to being industry leaders, all AU graduates can take advantage of The Agent University’s exclusive LinkedIn page to share their best practices and marketing secrets. LinkedIn is the leading way for professionals to connect with one another and capitalize on each others expertise.

Summer is prime relocation season. Kids are getting out of school and families who have to relocate for employment or some other reason are on the move.

Relocation leads are fantastic for your business because they are more likely to be serious about buying or selling a home as soon as possible. To capitalize on this, you need to position yourself as a community expert and get your name out in front of your prospects (check out our broker network for instant credibility and loads of prequalified leads).

Making money with relocation clients can come in a variety of forms.

First, you can choose to position yourself as the “neighborhood guru” to help inbound relocation clients find the property of their dreams. To plug this particular pipeline, make sure you have a relocation information page on your website (see this month’s “Marketing Strategies” section for tips). Also reach out to your network of agents across the country to set up referral relationships for clients moving into your territory.

Second, you can assist relocation clients who are moving away with the sale of their home. This is a great option because you’ll have an eager seller and you may be able to pick up both commissions if you can pair the sale with one of your buyer clients.

The third option is the least amount of work and can create a steady, healthy source of passive income for your business — you can pick up referral fees by passing your relocating clients on to agents on the tail end of their move. All it takes is a single phone call or email to set up the relationship and then you get paid when the purchase goes through.

Easy as pie!

However you incorporate relocations into your business, make sure you don’t miss out. No matter what shape the economy is in, people are always moving around for jobs, for school, or for several other reasons. Simply choose the option (or a combination of options) that suits your business and then enjoy the commission boost.

Integrating lucrative relocation services into your business doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, after a little initial work (that you can easily outsource), it doesn’t have to require any effort at all.

Get relocation leads in your sleep by leveraging the power of your website. The vast majority of people begin their real estate searches online, but the number is even higher for relocation clients, who rely on the Internet for information about their eventual new hometowns.

With thousands of people looking for relocation services, it can be super easy to capture those leads with your website.

Three Steps to Relocation Leads:

1. Set up a dedicated page on your website. Relocation clients fall into a special category and therefore need their own, dedicated space on your website to find the information they’re looking for. You’ll want to include a lot of strong content about how easy you can make their relocation, whether they’re coming or going.
2. Optimize your page with SEO-friendly keywords. Don’t let the term “SEO” scare you! Search engine optimization doesn’t have to be difficult. They key to attracting more traffic is to use highly relevant search terms and place them in important spots on your page such as in your title and in the first few sentences of your content. Make sure the terms you choose are geographically specific to your location. Keywords that include your city name are far more likely to attract relocation leads than more generic terms. For example, the phrase “relocation agent in Tampa” will have far less competition and far more qualified traffic than simply “relocation agent.”
3. Follow up. It seems overly simplistic, but it is shocking how many great leads slip through the cracks simply because agents don’t bother to connect with them after they’ve reached out. Make sure to follow up on every lead to maximize your commissions.

For additional relocation tips and tools be sure to check out our featured website training course that details, “How To Become A Real Estate Relocation Specialist.”

Relocation season is just about to take off. Are you ready to rock it?

Even if your relocation business is already okay, why not challenge yourself to make it an even bigger, better part of your business this year?

It’s easy to profit from relocation clients because you know they need to make a reasonably quick transaction happen. Relocation clients are solid leads who represent huge profit potential.

If you want to make serious money from relocation clients, you have to go after them. Finding and marketing to relocation leads often requires an amended approach because you need to be perceived not just as a local expert, but as someone who can help clients make the transition from one place to another.

To capitalize on the huge relocation wave that’s about to hit the market, you need to brush up on your training and start implementing the latest techniques in your business today.

That’s why we’ve created our exclusive “Relocation Opportunities” training module. It’s designed for agents who recognize the potential in the relocation market and want to exploit that profitability to the max.

Our special relocation training is available in the extremely popular “Go Vertical!” HD Video Training Series, which we released in February. For one low price, you get 10 hot training videos that will boost your business and your comission tallies.

In addition to cutting-edge relocation training, our 10-module “Go Vertical!” series includes creative ways to source and capitalize on leads – a must in today’s changing real estate market. Learn how to find leads the 21st century way and put yourself at the top of the food chain.

Get ready for relocation season now! This exciting training offer is just a few clicks away right here.

We’re now on the precipice of relocation season. Do you have enough leads in your pipeline to take best advantage of this busy time of year?

Lahonda “Denise” Tiner does. As a busy Miami, Fla., agent with more than nine designations and certifications, she has taken the initiative to train herself and make sure she’s always got leads to take advantage of, not just during relocation season, but year-round.

Tiner’s most effective lead sources are her many websites. That’s right – she doesn’t just have one website on the go, but several, all of which have social media presence and are well marketed.

“I receive many of my clients via my nine social media websites and blogs, and many others through Internet marketing,” said Tiner in her interview with The Agent University. “Eighty percent of all clients are found on the Internet, especially in busy selling cities like Miami.”

Tiner can’t overemphasize the importance of a strong online presence.

“In order to succeed in real estate these days, you must spend money marketing online,” she said. “Buyers are on the Internet all over the U.S. trying to find deals … many without even seeing the property.”

To take advantage of the “deal hunt frenzy” that these unique market conditions have created, you have to be willing to spend a little cash to put yourself out there where the leads are forming. That includes brushing up on your distressed property training so that you can give your clients what they want.

“It is important to stay on top of the game with new computer apps and marketing strategies,” Tiner advised. “Learn how to do CMAs and BPOs. Complete BPOs, even if you think they are not too much pay. Some of them could offer you a new client such as a homeowner who could not refinance or a bank that really liked your BPO presentation.”

We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: Go where the leads are and accept the challenges that the current market presents as the new “normal,” versus waiting around for things to go back to how they were – because it just isn’t going to happen.

Once you step into the flow – as Tiner has – you’ll have more leads (and more commissions!) than you know what to do with.

Spring has sprung, which means the busy real estate relocation season is upon us.

Relocation business picks up in the late spring and early summer, when school lets out and relocating families actually have the time to make the move.

Capitalize on the massive commissions available from relocation transactions by prepping yourself — and your business — for the onslaught now.

It starts with smart, simple lead capturing. Get your system up and running, then create your own “relocation riches” strategy to earn huge commissions in the way that most makes sense for your business.

It doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, strengthening your relocation business is easier than ever thanks to this month’s newsletter, which is full of tips, tricks and training to help stuff your pipeline full of relocation leads and then leverage them to your fullest advantage.

Don’t miss a word of The Agent University April 2012 newsletter — your relocation bootcamp starts right now!