In the latest RISMedia webinar, we got a little taste of how some of today's top real estate pros meet the needs of their clients, drive more action to their business, hustle their teammates, and lock in those leads. The webinar, titled "Don't Lose Business to Your Competition: Fulfilling Needs of Today's Buyers," was sponsored by American Home Shield and Homes.com and featured Julie Munchel, buyer agent with Keller Williams American Premier Realty; Michele Woods, buyer agent on the Christy Buck Team with Infinity Real Estate Group; Tim Haynes, president of American Home Shield; and Joe Sesso from Homes.com. The panel was moderated by Verl Workman, CEO and founder of Workman Success Systems.
Munchel and Woods are no real estate newbies; the two buyer agents sit on seven-figure teams with more than 100 buyer sides each year. Below are some of their top insights for working with clients, and with their team.
With Your Clients
Act Fast. On Woods' team, her agents try and respond to a lead within five minutes. If they aren't able to jump on it in under 10, the lead gets passed on to someone who is available.
Find Out Where They Are. "My No. 1 goal [with leads] is to set an appointment to find out where they are, where their goals are and their timeline, to build a relationship with them and then nurture them on their timeline," said Woods, who stresses the importance of communicating with them at the level they are looking for. If they're looking to buy now, sending them listings every day is great. Not that warm? Touching base once or twice a week will work. "My goal is always to have the next appointment set up to continue the relationship," Woods noted.
Prospecting Is Alive. Regardless of how busy she is, Woods makes sure to get on the phone to prospect for an hour a day. "I usually prospect for my hour in the evening three days a week, and then two days a week during lunchtime," said Woods.
It Doesn't End on Closing Day. "Once you close a sale, stay in touch and be a part of their lives so they end up being a client for the rest of their lives," said Woods. "Don't forget about anyone; you never know where your next lead is coming from," Munchel echoed.
Extras Are Important. Going the extra mile for your clients—present and former—helps you stand out. Woods's team hands out pies from a famous bakery just before Thanksgiving. Last year they handed out 350 pies, and they hope to up it to 500 this year. This is a great tactic—not only are you nurturing your relationship with your client, but when they slice up that pie and feed it to friends and family on Thanksgiving, you're likely to land a referral.
With Your Team
Mindset Matters. Every morning Woods and her team get into a huddle. "We go over our core values, review what we did the day before and say what our goals are for the day to get everyone going."
Role-play. Regardless if you're a new agent or a seasoned one, it's important to continue practicing our script. "Three days a week we do role play to practice our scripts," said Munchel, who believes this keeps her team on the top of their game.
Add a Little Healthy Competition. Competition can be a great in-house motivator, and Munchel's team has contests to get their agents hustling. They'll challenge each other to see who can set the most appointments, with a $50 reward dangling at the end. "You can make a lot of calls for $50 bucks," Munchel joked. They also write their daily activity and progress on a large white scoreboard so they can see how they stack up. "I'm a very competitive person," said Munchel. "I look at that board and try to make sure I'm on top."
The bottom line for ruling in real estate? "Be consistent and love what you do," said Munchel. Workman echoed her sentiment: "Love what you do and it will translate to your business."
Learn more from the webinar in the recording below:
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