If you asked real estate agents what they spend the most money on, lead generation would be at the top of the list. The only problem is, when the conversion of those leads is low, it tanks our ROI and in turn, our profitability. 

When agents struggle with conversion, they tend to blame the lack of return on the quality of the lead. 

But my experience with different lead sources and platforms proves that this isn’t true. After evaluating tens of thousands of leads across different sources, this is what I’ve found. 

The most impactful ratio to the conversion of a lead is the agent’s activity. 

What can we do to increase our conversion and get a higher ROI? In this episode, I talk about 3 metrics that will transform your lead conversion efforts. 

Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

• The truth about “bad lead sources”  Real estate agents love to blame low conversion on the lead source. What actually drives our success in lead generation? 
• 3 metrics that will transform your lead conversion Lead conversion isn’t just one ratio - it’s made up of 3 metrics we need to pay attention to. How can we boost our conversion through the capture-to-contact, contact-to-appointment and appointment-to-written contract ratios? 
• What hurts your conversion the most  When a lead source is bad, it’s usually because of our activity (or lack thereof). What action will immediately increase our conversion?  

About Your Host

Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients with the information necessary to make sound financial decisions while being sensitive to the experience one is looking for in real estate ownership. The Harrelson Group has been the leading office in the Myrtle Beach real estate market for years and they have recently added a new office in Charleston, SC.

Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

If you’re in the online lead gen game, you’ll notice that it’s gotten a lot harder lately. 

It doesn’t matter what platform you’re using - deliverability has plummeted, open rates and replies have decreased, and more consumers are sending the dreaded opt-out message. As a result, the conversion ratio from online capture to connection has dropped drastically and the price-per-lead is going to skyrocket. 

With all our communications getting filtered more heavily, sending one-size-fits-all email blasts just won’t cut it. We have to make sure we’re sending valuable content. 

Could automation be killing our lead conversion? How do we escape the opt-out message? 

In this episode, my friend and business partner, Abe Safa returns to talk about how to deal with the lead conversion challenges we’re all facing. 

Ease off of automation. The first attempt to reach someone can’t be automated. -Abe Safa

Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

• Ease off the automation  Adding automation to our lead gen efforts makes us more efficient, but could that be harming our conversion?
• Spam texting isn’t lead generation  For a really long time, we got away with sending one-size-fits-all content blasts instead of authentic, valuable content. How do we get back to quality over quantity? 
• How to stop the STOP messages  We’re less likely to be on the other end of an opt-out if we’re an added contact. How do we ask them to save our number? 

Guest Bio

Abe Safa is a real estate coach, top agent at Century 21 The Harrelson Group and partner in Real Estate Solutions. He grew up in New York and moved to the Myrtle Beach area to attend Coastal Carolina in 1988. Since graduating in 1991, he's lived there and has owned several successful retail stores. Abe started working at age 13, and has been selling or running businesses for over 34 years. He went from being a new licensee, to having over 100 transactions per year. His business background and experience in negotiating and marketing, combined with his unique and precise analytical skills, leaves no doubt that he is a valuable resource. Abe loves to challenge himself and believes that life is all about growing and improving yourself and your community. To learn more, head to https://realestatesalessolutions.com/. 

About Your Host

Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients with the information necessary to make sound financial decisions while being sensitive to the experience one is looking for in real estate ownership. The Harrelson Group has been the leading office in the Myrtle Beach real estate market for years and they have recently added a new office in Charleston, SC.

Want To Level Up Your Production? (and live anywhere in the Carolinas)

Check out www.gregharrelsoncareers.com

Learn more about Infusionsoft for real estate: http://www.realestatesalessolutions.com/

Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

The secret to building an extraordinary real estate business isn’t as complicated as so many people make it out to be. In fact, the most successful agents keep things really simple.

The secret is all about following a routine that lets you take advantage of your momentum. Instead of trying to execute on difficult things, there are 9 simple things that will lead to massive success in this business.

How do you build a daily routine that makes success inevitable?

In this episode, I talk about how to build an extraordinary real estate business in the most simple way. 

To build booming real estate businesses, we have to tailor our strategies to who we are and where our strengths lie. No two agents are the same, and every market is unique. We have to capitalize on what sets us apart from everyone else. 

That being said, there are some tricks of the trade that will always help us grow, whether we’re new to the industry or looking to reach the next level. 

Which tactics have stood the test of time and helped agents reach new heights of success over the years? As bought leads become the norm, are there any reliable ways to build our businesses organically anymore?

In this episode, Co-Founder of Forward Coaching, Debbie De Grote shares the foolproof tactics that have helped agents grow their businesses both past and present. 

Be consistent. If you do lead gen everyday and you’re great at follow up, everything else takes care of itself. -Greg Harrelson

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

Why we need to stay consistent with strategies that work

The secret to long-term success is to continue doing income-generating activities everyday. Don’t stop prospecting or lead generation after seeing results, keep doing them to see even bigger returns over time. 

How to build a bigger sphere without buying leads

Buying leads has become the easy way to find more business, but it’s still possible to grow a sphere organically. Focus on nurturing existing relationships and keeping leads in a funnel. 

How to attract the ideal client as the world moves online

One thing that’s stayed the same over the years is the importance of getting in front of our leads, but what has changed is how we do it. Focus on becoming a “wise advisor” to the ideal client by offering value through educational online resources and events. 

Guest Bio- 

Debbie De Grote is the Co-Founder and CEO of Forward Coaching, and a sales expert with 16 years of experience in real estate. She first joined the industry to put herself through college, but later realized her love for real estate and never looked back. She is passionate about coaching and has coached some of the biggest names, not only in real estate, but across a number of industries including title, mortgage, insurance, and more. 

To find out more, go to:

https://forwardcoaching.com 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-de-grote-822a8477 

You can also email Debbie at:

debbie@forwardcoaching.com

With all the challenges we’ve faced in 2020, many agents have begun to feel down on themselves and it has taken a toll on their productivity. It’s more important now than ever to focus on our inner games and make a concerted effort to be more positive. 

While we’re facing unprecedented obstacles, it’s important to remember that we have the power to shape our own destinies. By changing the way we think about our reality, we can overcome any barrier we face.

How can we make the shift from self-limiting beliefs to a more optimistic outlook? Is there a way to ensure that we believe we have what it takes to reach our goals? 

In this episode, real estate coach and host of the Top Listing Agent Show podcast, Chadi Bazzi shares how to stay bullish in the face of difficult circumstances.

The key to success has nothing to do with what you do and everything to do with how you feel while you’re doing it.-Chadi Bazzi

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

• How to make our affirmations more effective  Affirmations only work when we believe in them, so we have to break the cycle of scepticism. Do this by thinking of something we know to be true and paying attention to where the voice in our heads says ‘yes’. Once we know where that place is, we can start focusing on moving our affirmations to that spot.
• How to interrupt the behaviors that hold us back We all do things that help us get our heads in the game. These are called our “anchors”, and identifying them makes it easier to switch into a state of flow and productivity. 
• Why the quest for positivity and self-belief is never-ending Finding our anchors and trusting our affirmations is only the first step to a more positive mindset. If we want to see consistent results over time, we have to commit to believing in ourselves every single day. 

Guest Bio- 

Chadi Bazzi is the owner of Top Listing Agent, a coaching company dedicated to teaching agents a more authentic way of selling. He is devoted to helping agents believe in themselves and their abilities. Chadi is also the host of the Top Listing Agent Show podcast, and the developer of Listings on Demand. 

To find out more about Chadi, head to:

http://www.chadibazzi.com/about/

Listingondemand.com

We’re living in scary times, and a lot of agents are worried about what tomorrow holds. However, sometimes what keeps us from reaching our dreams isn’t extenuating circumstances. Sometimes the roadblock is our own mindset, and we’ve become too comfortable with the current situation we’re in. 

Whether we’re battling issues beyond our control or our own self-limiting beliefs, it’s important to remember that we have power over the way we respond. Sometimes what scares us the most is success, and it’s important for us to address that if we want to progress. How can we tap into that power and stop being paralyzed by fear? 

How can we shift our focus away from worry? 

In this episode, renowned real estate coach and owner of Century 21 Masters, Neil Schwartz shares how to stop letting fear throw us off our game. 

You’re stuck where you are because it’s okay with you, and that goes for any level. -Neil Schwartz

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode

How to stop beating ourselves up for not reaching goals Not achieving our goals is disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world. Slow and steady wins the race, so as long as we keep doing the work we need to do, success will come. 

How the fear of success holds us back We’ve all heard of the fear of failure, but often what really holds us back is the fear of achieving success and not being able to replicate it. We have to stop letting the fear of bruised egos get the better of us.

The issue with looking too far ahead While it’s important to have goals for the future, thinking of every move we need to make to get there is an easy way to overwhelm ourselves. Take one step at a time and trust the process. 

Guest Bio- 

Neil Schwartz is a real estate industry veteran, nationally recognized coach, and the Owner of Century 21 Masters. Prior to starting his own business, Neil ran the largest Century 21 company in North America, with over 600 agents. Neil is one of the original Mike Ferry One-on-One coaches, and during his 39-year career, he has been celebrated for his ability to zero in on the agents who need his help most. 

To find out more about Neil, head to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilschwartzofficial

https://www.century21masters.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/neilschwartztraining

http://neilschwartz.net/

You can also call or text him on 

951-212-1911

In difficult times like these, it can be hard to know what to focus on in order to keep our businesses going and stay motivated. Some people would say we should coat everything with optimism and positivity, while others want reality and truth. 

Should we commit to constant optimism if we want to see results, or should we accept the negative? 

The answer isn’t as simple as choosing one of two extremes, it’s about balance and taking action. What is the right dose of both optimism and negativity in challenging times and markets? How do we stand out from all the other real estate hopefuls? 

In this episode, real estate coach from Real Estate Skill Builder, David Fanale joins me to discuss mindset and the art of differentiation. 

A good mindset isn’t all about optimism. Deal with the brutal facts in front of you. -David Fanale

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

• A good mindset is not always an optimistic one Particularly in crisis markets, successful agents are those who deal with the reality of their current situation and put in the work to handle challenges as they come. 
• The importance of going above and beyond expectations It’s not enough to be good at what we do, we have to differentiate ourselves by having advanced skills. Especially in an uncertain market, consumers are looking for agents who stand out. 
• Why you shouldn’t wait to take action  Don’t halt growth by waiting to be ready to take the next step. We have to commit to our goals by deciding what we want and what we’re willing to do to achieve them. 

Guest Bio- 

David Fanale is a real estate coach at Real Estate Skill Builder. He has extensive experience in the industry, having been a broker/Owner for over two decades. For years, David has helped agents become real estate professionals through his methods and techniques. Many of them have gone on to become top producing agents. David, with Real Estate Skill Builder, offers one on one and group coaching, with different programs that vary in length. Dave is also the host of the Real Estate Talk-TGIF podcast.

To find out more about David, head to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dfanale/ 

https://www.realestateskillbuilder.com/ 

Davefanale.com 

https://www.buzzsprout.com/279654 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmEjMjzHsbOQNWMI5Ov7Ug

You can also reach him on:

201-376-6945

Books mentioned on this episode:

Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy by Isadore Sharp

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Seasons-Story-Business-Philosophy/dp/1591845645

In light of the uncertainty brought on by 2020, consumers are beginning to demand more skill from real estate professionals. So if we want to stay in business, we have to deliver. 

Should we be taking risks during this period, or is now the time to play it safe? What do we need to change in our business models?

Luckily for us, the core principles of a successful business haven’t changed much. Instead of making major changes, we need to keep doing the activities we’ve always done. We just have to change the way we’re doing them.

In this episode, Founder and President of Club Wealth® Coaching and Consulting, Michael Hellickson shares how to adapt our strategies in an uncertain market.

Keep doing all the activities you used to do, but do them differently. -Michael Hellickson

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

1. Lean in to lead generation Lead generation is non-negotiable for business owners, no matter which industry they’re in. If we don’t generate new leads regularly, we’ll be out of business before we’ve even started. Generate leads every single day, and look into new lead sources every quarter.   
2. Follow up fast Following up with leads is a vital step, and we must increase our speed to leads. Get in contact with potential clients in 30 seconds or less. Anything longer is too long. 
3. Convert with the client in mind Far too often, as agents we speed through transactions, but we shouldn’t be. Instead of rushing things for our own benefit, we have to keep the client in mind and take every part of the process one step at a time. 

Guest Bio- 

Michael Hellickson is the founder and President of Club Wealth® Coaching and Consulting- the #1 Coaching Company in the World in the Team space. Michael sold real estate for over 20 years, and was among the top 1% of all agents nationally, before he even graduated high school! At the pinnacle of his sales career, Michael and his team were #1 Nationwide, out of over 1,000,000 real estate agents and teams. In addition to posting big numbers in retail and REO, Michael is considered by most to be the #1 short sale expert in the World. During his career, Michael has spoken to thousands of agents and organizations nationwide and has also been featured on several national television and radio programs including Glenn Beck, CNBC, The Dave Ramsey Show, and The Fox Business Network among many other local and regional programs.

To find out more about Michael, head to:

https://clubwealth.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhellickson 

And to take advantage of the free offer mentioned on this episode, text ‘Club Wealth’ to 727-287--5993 

Why let uncertainty slow our businesses down? If we can adapt our methods to the world right now, we can grow and thrive. 

In this episode we discuss how to take advantage of virtual technology, and keep our virtual meetings informative and professional so they deliver results.

To thrive during times of uncertainty, you have to be versatile and open to communicating through a range of channels. -Brendon Payne

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Give clients options. Some people are more comfortable speaking on tools like Zoom, while others prefer a phone call. Be flexible.
• Don’t cut any corners on the content and goals of the meeting. The conversation we have virtually is exactly the same as the one we would have in-person.  
• Share important documents with clients ahead of meetings, so that we can stay on track and on time.

To see terrific results in our businesses, it’s vital we create an effective and supportive working environment. How can we build a great company culture? What can we do to show every member on our teams we care about them?

On this episode, Broker/Owner at RE/MAX Results, Lisa Ritter shares how to instill a great company culture. 

To have high energy you need to be surrounded by the right people. You are the sum of those closest to you. -Lisa Ritter

Takeaways + Tactics 

• The key to a great business lies in a great company culture. We have to be surrounded by the right people to see the best results.
• Create a happy working environment by making sure everyone gets along. We can do this by letting existing team members have a say in the recruitment process. 
• Make sure every team member feels supported. To build a loyal team and retain talent, we need to show we care about them on a personal level. 

Guest Bio- 

Lisa Ritter is the Broker/Owner at RE/MAX Results in Omaha, Nebraska. Lisa is passionate about her real estate career, and has been making Home Buyers’ and Sellers’ dreams a reality since 2001. Since opening RE/MAX Results in 2011 alongside her husband Dennis, she’s worked hard to create an office that has a vision for providing the best results in the industry for their clients, agents, and company. Lisa and Dennis have won a Best of Omaha Award in the Realtor category in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 – winning first place in both 2015 and 2016. Lisa has also served in a number of leadership roles, including the 2010 Omaha Women’s Council of Realtors President, 2012 President for Omaha Area Board of Realtors, 2014 Nebraska Realtors Association President Elect, 2015 Nebraska Realtors Association President, and in 2019 she was appointed as the broker at large member of the Nebraska Real Estate Commission.

To find out more about Lisa, head to

https://www.ritterssellomaha.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaritter/

You can also contact her directly on lisa@omahare.com and 402-612-2413

In the wake of COVID-19 and the economic crisis, it’s hard to deny that most agents are experiencing some kind of fear, but if we stop dwelling on the things we can’t control, we can move forward in spite of that.

How can we push forward in a time of such uncertainty? Is there any way to overcome our anxieties?

The first step to taking the fear out of our businesses is acknowledging what we’re afraid of. 

On this episode, we’re sharing how to remove the fear from our businesses and push forward.

You have to know that fear is contagious. It spreads amongst all of us when we let it flourish, and that can take us all down. -Greg Harrelson

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

• Stop spending so much time worrying about that which we can’t control, and focus instead on what we do have power over.
• Instead of bottling everything up inside, write fears down. We can make ourselves feel much better by acknowledging our fears and putting them on paper.
• Most of the time, what we fear is the unknown. Get rid of that fear by coming up with a plan to move forward.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, the real estate industry is going through considerable changes. Many agents are working from home, and leaders have been forced to find new ways to stay in communication with their teams.

During this time of uncertainty, real estate professionals should shift their focus away from closing leads, and spend more time nurturing their databases. 

How can we stay productive throughout the pandemic and how can we adapt to the changes in our industry? 

In this episode, Tom Ferry International coach, Debbie Holloway joins us to share how to adapt to the new normal.

 Times are changing, but we don’t necessarily have to do everything differently. Do what you've always done- but be deliberate about every step you take during this period. -Brendon Payne

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

Become regular with routine Whether we’re going into offices or working from home, having an effective routine is key. Time management is non-negotiable, especially for those of us working from home.

Set short-term goals Throw out the 2020 plan: It’s simply not achievable anymore. Instead of focusing on the things we want to achieve this year, we need to set short-term, manageable goals.

Establish a line of communication Communication is extremely important, especially in times like these. Don’t underestimate the power of personal conversations with team members and clients alike.

Guest Bio- 

Debbie Holloway heads up the Team+ program for TomFerry International. She is a senior coach, with over 20 years of experience coaching sales agents and company owners. Debbie speaks internationally on team building, mindset, culture, personality types and women influencing real estate. Prior to joining Tom Ferry International, Debbie owned a ReMax franchise and mortgage company, and ran a personal team averaging 150 deals a year in Louisville, Kentucky. 

To find out more about Debbie, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-holloway-b8387a10/ 

https://www.tomferry.com/coach/debbie-holloway/ 

https://www.debbiehollowayspeaks.com/about

You can also email her on dholloway@tomferry.com 

Book mentioned on this episode:

The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman

https://alteregoeffect.com/

Every stage of the real estate transaction has been impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns and changes in the market. The terms of deals are changing rapidly, and the decisions of buyers and sellers are also shifting along with the situation we’re in. 

Agents are still presenting and receiving offers and having to negotiate deals, but the process has become more challenging. 

It is our responsibility to give every offer as good a shot as possible of getting to the closing table, and that’s dependent on the action we take, but most importantly, our mindset.  

How do we prepare ourselves and our clients for navigating this real estate market? What information do we need to have ahead of time, and how will this make closings more likely? 

In this episode, we talk about how to adapt our negotiation to what’s going on. 

The mental part of this game right now is critical. There are going to be 4 sets of emotions in the transaction, and the only one you can control are your own. -Brendon Payne 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

Pre-qualifications and pre-approvals are getting outdated rapidly. If a buyer has a pre-approval that’s a few weeks old, make the deal contingent on them getting a current pre-approval. 

Having relationships with mortgage officers is important because they can become a resource during this time to keep us informed on what’s changing in the market. 

It is our job to remain calm. When we react emotionally, we become the problem in the transaction and the reason deals fall apart.

If you’re worried about the real estate market changing, I have bad news. The change has already happened. No matter where you are, there’s no doubt that the market has softened.

There’s less properties on the market, less buyers, higher interest rates, more people sitting on the fence and ultimately, less sales.

Navigating the ever-changing real estate landscape requires adaptability and strategic thinking. How do you put your focus forward instead of looking back to the market we had before? From prioritizing lead generation to engaging in coaching, how do you survive and even thrive in the current real estate environment?

In this episode, I share practical tips on how to thrive in today's dynamic market.

When things are not going well in business and in the market in general, the importance of certain activities and measures is amplified. 

Right now, more than ever, there’s a huge need for all of us to work together to navigate these tough times and mastermind to come up with solutions and strategies. We also need people who can step up and provide guidance and certainty. 

What are some of the ways we can mastermind and collaborate within our teams? How can we bring light to our consumers through leadership? In this episode, we talk about why leadership and collaboration are two critical aspects of getting through this.  

At times like this, true leaders step up and shine for others and bring light to the business and help people navigate. Collaboration is also critical. -Greg Harrelson  

3 Things You’ll Learn in this Episode 

• How to get our heads right to help the consumer get their heads right 
• Why we’re in trouble if our leadership and collaboration is only showing up now 
• What leaders can do to stay grounded and focused right now

In these unprecedented times, the market, the industry and the consumer demands different things and even new things from us. Our habits have to shift accordingly, so we need to create a new routine to match where we are. 

What habits need to change, and which ones need to stay the same as before this crisis? What are our agents doing to keep taking listings and keep the business going?

In this episode, we share the things we need to be doing to cultivate a positive mindset, and generate energy and business right now. 

Lead generation doesn’t stop. How you lead generate and the conversations you have might change, but the process of waking up and going out to look for business still exists. -Greg Harrelson 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  

• Prepare for the routine to change multiple times but still commit to the fundamentals like mindset, lead generation and follow up. 
• Maintain the mindset that we’re going to get through this and that the action we take right now will contribute to the state of our businesses on the other side.  
• Virtual in a real estate agent's world can be lonely. Get plugged in somewhere to stay in the collective headspace and conversation of real estate.

More of us are working from home than ever before, and this presents a challenge for our households and families. We need to be responsible and have business maturity to maintain our ability to work in a location with more distractions. 

It’s important to prepare our families and involve them in our communication around what’s going on. How can we get the household to protect us instead of distracting us? How do we get our families to help hold us accountable to our routines? What happens without family buy-in? 

In this episode, we talk about the importance of getting our families to buy into the new way of working.  

It is important to provide certainty to our families, to use this opportunity to educate our children, and to be an example of a true professional. -Greg Harrelson 

With millions of people stuck indoors in these uncertain times, people are spending a lot more time online than before, especially through their phones. This means we have a huge captive audience of people we can inform and connect with. There’s an opportunity to engage with people and there are many ways we can leverage it.  

How do we capture mindshare through information so that we become the people they want to talk to, and the people they want to work with when certainty returns? 

In this episode, we talk about how to leverage the added eyeballs and attention online and the kind of content we can create. 

 We have to be positioned where their eyes are pointed. -Greg Harrelson  

Takeaways + Tactics 

• The frequency at which we’re consuming the information we’re interested in has gone through the roof. 
• People have more time to Google and research us online, it’s important that we put our best digital feet forward. 
• Focus on informing people not on giving advice. 
• Leverage online marketplaces. Right now, the number of views a new listing is getting is going to skyrocket.

When things change in the market and there’s an interruption in the direction we were going, we need to adjust and react quickly. Depending on how we respond to what’s happening, a year from now, we can either look back with regret or gratitude that we took the right actions. 

Once we’re in the clear, and the dust has settled, there will be the agent who took market share and the agents who contracted. We can make the decision on which side of the divide we want to be standing. 

How can we future-proof ourselves so that we’re not looking back wishing we’d done things differently? In this episode, we talk about an important thought process that needs to govern our choices right now. 

Most people miss the opportunity that’s presented when there’s disruption in the market, because they withdraw from it. -Greg Harrelson 

We also discussed:

• Why we already know what we need to do to avoid regret 
• How we’re all in a leadership role for ourselves
• The difference between motion and advancement 

As leaders, the times that we’re living through are going to require more mental and emotional bandwidth from us. Times of turmoil create more intensity and more things that we have to be concerned with. It can feel like things are breaking down, but the biggest positive changes come from breakdowns. 

How do we compensate for the rising intensity level? Why is it so important for us to fight for something bigger than ourselves? 

In this episode, we talk about what it takes to break through the pain of a rise in intensity or the challenge of a new routine. 

Breakdowns are necessary if we want to experience massive breakthroughs, the bigger the breakdown, the bigger the breakthrough. -Greg Harrelson 

In This Episode You’ll Learn 

• Why breakthrough is preceded by breakdown
• The difference between being offensive and defensive in our approach 
• Why we can have a big WHY and still be complacent

Coronavirus, the ensuing uncertainty and market volatility requires us to adopt an alternative business plan. 

Whatever business plan we created at the beginning of the year isn’t going to cut it right now. We need a plan for what we need to do right now to sustain our businesses. 

If we’re rethinking our business plans, what are the non-negotiable activities that need to be a part of them? What do we do to make sure when the crisis is over we come out of it running instead of crawling? 

In this episode, we talk about creating your Plan B business plan.

When we come out of this, the consumer is going to go back to demanding skills from their agents. -Brendon Payne 

Takeaways and Tactics

• Take a look at expenses and be really realistic about what’s giving you a return and what’s not necessary at the moment. 
• Our business plans need to include our routine, our activities and accountability.  
• Get in touch with past clients, centers of influence and your database. Stop thinking about it as prospecting, and see it as connection and support. 

Despite all the uncertainties in the market at the moment, people still need to buy and sell houses, and if we conduct ourselves the right way, we could be the agents to help them proceed. How can we continue to make calls in such a sensitive time,  and is there a right way to handle our database’s anxieties? How do we know which contacts we should be nurturing during this period? On this episode, Dale Archdekin, Founder of Smart Inside Sales, shares how to keep making calls during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Don’t be tone deaf to people’s fears right now: we have to be sensitive and empathetic. -Dale Archdekin

Takeaways + Tactics 

• While we have to keep reaching out, it’s important we don’t come across as tone deaf. Be mindful of the challenges people are facing and speak with empathy.
• If an important announcement has just been made, go ahead with calls but offer to call back in a week or two with an update on the market. People are most anxious immediately after an announcement, so call them again in a few days, when their stress levels have stabilized somewhat.
• Ask potential clients if the only reason they’re hesitant to buy or sell now is because of the current pandemic. If we know they’d be willing to go ahead with a transaction if not for COVID-19, we can keep nurturing a relationship with them in the meantime.

At the start of this episode, we spoke about the importance of adapting our scripts to be as empathetic as possible during this time. We also discussed why it’s so important to stay productive during this period if we want to ensure our future in the industry.

On this episode we discussed:

• Why the current situation will make or break real estate professionals
• The importance of building rapport with our database now
• How to avoid pushing people into a business conversation

Guest Bio- 

Dale Archdekin is the Founder of Smart Inside Sales, a coaching and training company serving residential real estate agents and brokers. As former Director of Lead Generation for a top-5 Keller Williams Realty mega team, Dale was instrumental in more than doubling the team’s sales to over $200 million in just 3 years. Dale has been a residential real estate salesperson for close to 10 years now. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, who is also a residential real estate agent with close to 10 years of experience, and their two amazing kids. Dale and his wife invest in real estate as well and real estate is their main vehicle for their retirement planning. 

To find out more about Dale, head to:

Smartinsidesales.com 

You can also email him directly at dale@smartinsidesales.com

In a time of widespread confusion, concern and fear, it can be hard to put a finger on what has really shifted and changed, and how to respond to it.

What has really happened and what should we be focusing on in response? How does where we are impact how our clients will act and make decisions? 

On this episode, we talk about what the shift that’s taking place is actually a sign of, and what we need to do to win in this space.  

The key to developing and sustaining a good real estate business through turmoil is being the professional who brings certainty back into the conversation. -Greg Harrelson 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• If you’re hearing people’s legitimate concerns as objections, you’re going to come across as ‘salesy.’ This won’t work in this market. 
• Things change quickly, and the way of communicating a week ago might no longer be relevant to the current concerns of consumers. 
• Learn how to shift your listening and your activity in order to be prepared for what’s happening in the market on this episode of The Level Up podcast.

The real estate industry attracts a huge number of hopefuls each year, but the trick to being successful lies in differentiating ourselves from the crowd. How can we distinguish ourselves from the sea of cold-calling agents and build great relationships with clients when we’re new to the industry? Is there a secret to setting ourselves apart as great employers and how can we retain top talent on our teams? On this episode, President and Owner of HomeSmart Premier Living Realty, Richard Raspantini. shares how to differentiate ourselves and have lasting success in the real estate industry. 

To make a name for yourself in this industry, you’ve got to talk about real estate and invest in marketing. -Richard Raspantini

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Don’t be discouraged by being asked to call back later. Make a note of a more convenient time to call and act on it; at the very least, consistent calls can help us build relationships with potential clients. 
• Offer agents a no-fluff approach. We can attract top talent by having the right energy and maintaining authenticity and openness. 
• Help agents establish their own brands. We’re more likely to retain top talent by helping our agents develop themselves.

On this episode, we spoke about what separates successful agents from the rest of the crowd. We also shared insights on how to build an effective team with low turnover and spoke about the importance of building functional offices, rather than flashy ones.

On this episode, we discussed:

• Why marketing is non-negotiable for agents
• The importance of talking real estate whenever we get an opportunity
• Why we have to offer our agents more value than a high split

Guest Bio- 

Richard Raspantini is the Principal Broker, President & Owner at HomeSmart Premier Living Realty- the fastest-growing real estate brokerage in Long Island. He is also the owner of Goosehead Insurance Agency. Richard was named a Top Sales Agent every year from 2014 to 2018, and has reached Platinum Level Achievement. He prides himself on his no-fluff approach, and built his business organically by being authentic and passionate about helping others.

To find out more about Richard, head to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardraspantini

www.HSPremierLiving.com

You can also call him on 917 716 9265

Or send him an email at rraspantini@hspremierliving.com

Send Richard a message on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.raspantini

In real estate, it’s really easy to start the year with motivation and drive. The challenge is maintaining the momentum and keeping your foot on the gas pedal when the going gets rough.

With everything going on in the market, interest rates and the NAR settlement, it often feels like you’re up against a headwind. We have to put systems in place to make sure we keep generating leads and listings. How do we keep achieving our goals in challenging markets?

In this episode, I outline 3 powerful strategies that can make all the difference in building a successful year.

No agent wants to have a conversation about reductions because they’re conflictual by nature, but it’s a good idea to be prepared for them. How can we protect ourselves from receiving all the blame when a reduction is required? What information should we be giving sellers upfront, and how can we maintain our credibility with the client? On this episode, team owner and agent at The Quintin Group at Keller Williams, Jeff Quintin, shares how to have the conversation about reductions. 

Price reduction conversations need to begin at the listing presentation. -Brendon Payne

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Don’t decide the price: As agents, we should be guiding the seller towards the most appropriate price, but it’s not our job to tell them an exact number. Give suggestions, but don’t take ownership of the price itself.
• Remind the seller that the market determines price. This isn’t about shifting the blame, it’s merely letting the seller know that the price depends on more than us. 
• Earn the right to reduce: If we want to reduce a price, we have to ensure we’ve been hands-on throughout the process. We lose all credibility if we suggest a reduction and haven’t been keeping in touch with the seller.

At the start of this episode, we spoke about why agents are so reluctant to have conversations about reductions. After acknowledging that these conversations are typically conflictual, we offered advice on how to approach and prepare for the topic with sellers in advance.

On this episode, we discussed: 

• Why we need to know what is - and isn’t - our fault
• The importance of mentioning potential reductions upfront with sellers
• When to advise a seller against changing the price

Guest Bio- 

Jeff Quintin is the Team Owner and Agent at The Quintin Team Keller Williams. Jeff has sold over 4000 properties in his career, and with a track record of selling over 175 properties a year, he’s known for being one of the most successful real estate agents in the United States. Jeff is also the host of “5 Best Time Hacks

That Changed Jeff Quintin’s Business Forever” Masterclass. 

To find out more about Jeff, head to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffquintinsuperteam

https://www.thequintingroup.com/agent/masterclass/

You can also find him on all social media at @jeffquintin

Email Jeff at Jeff@TheQuintinGroup.com

Many agents are concerned and anxious about what the COVID-19 epidemic is going to mean for the market, industry and our survival. What most people are underestimating is just how in-demand skilled, level-headed and experienced Realtors are. Why are agents going to be more valuable right now? What opportunities do we have in this market? On this episode, we talk about how we can give value and why this is a time of opportunity for agents who take the right actions. 

Right now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to truly make a difference in people’s lives. -Greg Harrelson

Takeaways + Tactics 

• When there’s uncertainty in the market, people default by turning to the professionals. 
• In a hot real estate market, most consumers will think they can do real estate stuff themselves. When there are obstacles and other concerns in the market, people will no longer feel qualified to handle real estate decisions. This is when they’ll seek out an agent. 
• Agents are going to seek out true leaders to get them through this.

How do we step up as agents in a time of health concerns and uncertainty? How can we be the solution for our families and our clients?

That's the topic of today's episode, where we dive into the mentality we're teaching our agents to maintain in this time.

As business owners, we all dream of building companies that stand the test of time. How can we ensure our companies flourish well into the future? What can we do to stay exciting in the midst of changes in the industry? On this episode, President and CEO at Century 21 Judge Fite Company, Jim Fite, shares the keys to longevity in real estate. 

As leaders, it’s our job to recruit, train, retain and refer new talent. -Jim Fite

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Develop future leaders. For long-term success, we must empower our successors by investing in their training and education.
• No matter how well our systems work, remember there’s always room for improvement. We have to strive to do better every day, even when we’re already the best in our markets. 
• While the basics of running a business will stay the same for years to come, it’s vital we stay up-to-date with new trends in the industry. Keep developing new skills and offer training that keeps us relevant and exciting well into the future. 

At the start of this episode, we spoke about the importance of developing great leaders for the future of our businesses. We also mentioned that there are times business owners should make sacrifices to ensure the longevity of their companies.

We also discussed:

Why we need to create a culture of family in the workplace

How to help interviewees make more informed decisions on where to work

The importance of continuous training

Guest Bio- 

Jim Fite is the President and Chief Executive Officer for CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company and develops the strategies and long-term goals of the company while ensuring daily functions are producing desired results to meet these goals. Forming the Judge Fite Charitable Foundation in 2017 to support real estate professionals in times of need is one of the many ways Jim demonstrates his passion to serve others and give back. All components of the core values are important to Jim with a special appreciation for developing people on a daily basis. Jim joined the real estate industry at 18 years old, becoming the youngest real estate agent in Texas’ history, with his interest stemming from his father and founder of the company, Judge Fite. Jim holds the real estate certifications of Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI), Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), in addition to past recognition as Realtor of the Year by the Dallas Association of Realtors. Outside of work, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife Petey, positively impacting the lives of his grandchildren, and giving back to communities and charities across North Texas. 

To find out more about Jim, 

https://century21judgefite.com/about/leadership-team/

You can also call him on 214 502 0250 if you’re in the North Texas area, or email him directly at jimfite@judgefite.com

Other resources mentioned on this episode: Traction by Gino Wickman

Lacking consistency is one of the biggest challenges faced by the real estate industry, and something that routinely holds agents back from reaching their goals. How can we break that cycle and become more intentional about achieving our goals? On this episode, Chief Marketing Officer at Century 21 Beggins Enterprises, Mike Puma, shares how to become more consistent in our businesses.

A big reason why so many agents are inconsistent is because they don’t actually want to achieve the goal. Make sure you’re pursuing a goal that makes you happy. -Mike Puma

Takeaways + Tactics 

• One of the biggest things holding us back from being consistent is self-sabotage. We have to be more mindful of our thoughts and pay attention to the self-sabotaging behaviors we display.
• To be more consistent, we need to know the motivations behind our goals. We can work this out by asking what we’ll do with money once we’ve earned it. If we aren’t already sure, there’s a chance that high income isn’t our real motivation after all.  
• We have to think about what brings a smile to our faces. If we’re pursuing a goal that isn’t making us happy, we’re not going to work towards it consistently.

On this episode, we discussed how people’s mindsets have the power to hold them back from achieving their dreams. After explaining that we need to think carefully about what our dreams are, we spoke about the importance of understanding the sacrifices we may need to make in order to accomplish our goals.

We also discussed:

• How to communicate with our sphere of influence more consistently
• Why we need to be more intentional with our scheduling
• The importance of being honest with ourselves about what we really want

Guest Bio- 

Mike Puma is the Chief Marketing Officer at Century 21 Beggins Enterprises. Mike is part of a team that considers itself not only a leading brokerage with ambitions to become the top Century 21 team in the world, but a media company dedicated to the real estate industry. Mike holds a degree in Business Marketing from the University of Tampa, and is one of the hosts of the Keeping it Real With Real Estate podcast.

To find out more about Mike and Century 21 Beggins Enterprises, head to: Beggins3.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-puma-b6123110

And follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/themikepuma/?hl=en

And for the podcast, go to 

https://open.spotify.com/show/6muyYQYsTtcLTtKcs0AhS2

Even if we’re new to business and have minimal funds, we are guaranteed to see results if we invest our time into the right tasks. Why is it so important to leverage activities to others and free up our time? Once we have a team, do we need to oversee their activities, or can we use our new free time recreationally? On this episode, owner of The Elmer Team at Century 21 Masters, Melinda Elmer, shares how to get a higher ROI on your time. 

When you hire a team, the goal is to let them do their jobs. You don’t have to hold their hand the whole way. -Melinda Elmer

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Start hiring people as soon as the inventory increases: We should never miss out on deals purely because we have too much on our plates.
• Let team members do their jobs. Once we’ve made a hire, it’s important to let our team perform their own roles so we can use our time more effectively.
• Remember that we aren’t hiring recruits to have more free time; we’re hiring them so we can take advantage of our freed up time to do more business. Invest time in income-generating activities. 

At the start of this episode, we spoke about the importance of investing our time in the right activities. After explaining why this is such an effective method of achieving great results, we discussed why we need to follow tried-and-tested systems if we want to see outstanding outcomes. 

On this episode we also discussed: 

• Why we need to be mindful of who we surround ourselves with
• The importance of knowing how to decide which tasks are urgent, and which can wait
• That we need to keep using the same systems if we want to see results

Guest Bio- 

Melinda Elmer is the owner of The Elmer Team at Century 21 Masters, and is ranked among the top 1% of agents in today’s market. Melinda has consistently been awarded the designation of top buyers agent and top listing agent and she has been recognized for her outstanding achievements by the Women’s Council of Realtors. She is a multi-year recipient of the prestigious Los Angeles Magazine’s Five Star rating.

With an ultimate goal of complete client satisfaction, Melinda has surrounded herself with an experienced team of highly skilled professionals who work together to ensure that our buyers get the best deal and our sellers get top market value.

To find out more about Melinda, head to:

https://melindaelmer.c21.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-elmerc21/ 

You can also call her on 562 316 2915 

Or email her at melinda@theelmerteam.com

Books mentioned on this episode: Three Feet From Gold: Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities! By Sharon L. Lechter and Greg S. Reid

We’re often led to believe that business is a ruthless game, but in reality, we need to adopt a mindset of service to see great results. How can we adopt this mindset when we’re facing struggles of our own? Will serving our teams detract from our client relations? How can we be sure that others won’t take advantage of our ideas when we try to help? On this episode, co-creator of ‘Sell a Home, Save a Child’ and author of Play for the Person Next to You: A Guide to Servant Leadership, Erik Hatch, shares why we need to adopt a mindset of abundance. 

Stop dwelling on your own struggles. When you channel your energy into cheering for the person next you, your own pain dissipates. -Erik Hatch

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Instead of focusing on our own struggles, we need to play for the people next to us. This not only assists someone else, but also helps us shift our attention to something more positive. 
• As leaders, we need to serve those on our teams before we try to serve our clients. If we take care of our teams, everything else will fall into place. 
• Have a mindset of abundance and be willing to help others without worrying that they may copy our ideas. The more we give, the more we get.

On this episode, we spoke about the importance of having a mindset of service. We also shared the importance of a mindset of abundance, and discussed why we need to be willing to share with others.

We also discussed: 

• Why we need to do good deeds without thinking about how they’ll benefit us
• How to assemble a team of people willing to serve each other
• That we should be working with emotion in mind, rather than a number of transactions

Guest Bio- 

Erik Hatch is a Realtor and the owner of Hatch Realty. On top of having built the top producing real estate team in North Dakota, Erik is passionate about making a difference. He is the creator of ‘Homeless & Hungry’ charity, as well as the co-creator of ‘Sell a Home, Save a Child’. Since attending college at North Dakota State University, Erik has been an investor at the core- investing his time, talent and treasures in those around him. He is also the host of Real Estate Radio, a social media expert, author of Play for the Person Next to You: A Guide to Servant Leadership, and was voted Fargo-Moorhead's Best Real Estate Agent 2013-2016 & Best Real Estate Company 2017 & 2018. Erik lives in Fargo, North Dakota  with his wife and two children. 

To find out more about Erik, head to:

https://www.hatchrealty.com/ 

https://www.livefargomoorhead.com/ 

https://www.hatchcoaching.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhatch1/ 

www.hatchingleaders.com

And for his book, head to www.hatchingleaders.com

Most people think achieving our dreams only happens when we’re disciplined, but the reality is, we have to set up environments that support our goals. How can we create conditions that keep us accountable? Do we need to plan our time before setting goals if we want to be sure we can achieve them? On this episode, we share that we can achieve anything we set our minds to, as long as we create the right environment.  

Create a support system for everything you do. -Greg Harrelson

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Create a support system. The more people we tell our goals to, the more likely we are to follow through on our commitments. 
• Establish conditions that ensure commitment. One way of doing this is by telling our support systems we will forfeit money if we don’t make good on our promises. 
• Stop worrying about how a goal will be achieved, just commit already. Once we’ve decided to reach a goal, we can start planning how to execute it.

Many agents seem relieved that there hasn’t been a major shift in the market yet, but the truth is, we should be welcoming a down market. Why should we be embracing a potential downturn? What are the pitfalls of a hot market? Is there a way to maintain our results, regardless of the market we’re in? Matt Johnson and I discuss these questions and more on this episode of the show.  

In a down market, agents wake up fearful and hungrier for success. We have to bring that same energy to a hot market. -Greg Harrelson 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Don’t get too excited about hot markets. While they sound enticing, in reality, they tend to cause complacency among agents and ultimately, hinder our growth. 
• Embrace the fear that comes with down markets. When we wake up everyday fearing that our livelihood is at stake, we’re more motivated to put in the necessary hard work.
• Stay hungry, regardless of the market. Even if we’re currently in a hot market and performing relatively well, we need to remind ourselves what motivated us in the first place.

To be successful in real estate, we have to get more comfortable with the idea of making cold calls. How often should we be making these calls and how can we better develop our abilities over the phone? Should we be contacting expireds as soon as possible if we want to see results? On this episode, the number one Century 21 Realtor in the world for number of properties sold, Kevin Mills, shares how to cold call more effectively. 

Don’t start by calling expireds. If you go into that too soon, you may end up being thrown easily. -Kevin Mills

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Making cold calls is non-negotiable. We have to make calls every single day to ensure neighborhoods know who we are. 
• Practice makes perfect. Making calls is a skill we have to keep developing if we want to see results. 
• Don’t start by calling expireds. These are the contacts we need to work towards, so before contacting them, we have to be comfortable on the phone, and be able to handle rejection.

At the start of this episode, we heard that once we implement effective cold calling, we have to be patient to see our results. We also discussed the importance of consistency and a constant hunger for success. 

On this episode we also discussed: 

• Why we need to believe we’re always 60 days away from being out of business
• The importance of hiring a coach
• How to handle rejection over the phone better

Guest Bio- 

Kevin Mills is a top producer in South Carolina, and the number one Century 21 Realtor in the world for number of properties sold. Despite only having 6 full years in the industry, Kevin has had tremendous success thanks to his constant hunger for better results. He is an avid cold caller, and believes his success comes from constant practise with clients over the phone. Kevin also attributes much of his success to starting each day at zero, and is known in the industry for saying he’s always 60 days away from going out of business. 

To find out more about Kevin, head to https://www.barefootrealty.com/kevin-mills/ 

And call him on 843 213 8754

You can also email him on KevinMillsC21@gmail.com

Many real estate agents start the day with the intention to get a lot done. Unfortunately, they still find themselves with a ton of tasks to do by the end of the day. From lead generation and follow up, there are things we need to do to ensure our success.

Getting more production out of our day isn’t difficult - it’s all about doing a few critical things before noon.

How do we set clear intentions and actually follow through on them? How do we focus on the most productive tasks? Why do productive days start with a great morning?

In this episode, I share 3 strategies that will allow you to master your mornings and make your day more productive.

As entrepreneurs, social media can be the thing that sets us apart from the competition in the eyes of our potential clients. What are the biggest barriers to posting, and how do we overcome them? How do we build visibility and impact with social media? What tools can we use to put out valuable and relevant content?

On this episode, real estate agent and marketing expert, Carlos G, shares how agents can start winning the social media game. 

Social media doesn’t change the fact that you have to get up everyday and generate new business and follow up, but you also need to add in the layer of visibility, presence and content. -Brendon Payne 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Social media doesn’t make the grind, lead generation and follow up unnecessary, but not having that presence takes away from our relevance and could mean us losing out to an agent who has it. 
• When we meet people in person, we look the way we look and we sound the way we sound. There’s nothing different when we’re on video. 
• If we want to figure out what we believe, all we have to do is look at what we’ve got. If we want more, we have to change something. 
• Our social media content should be 90% value and 10% entertainment.

At the start of the show, Carlos shared how he got into real estate, and how attention is the most challenging thing for entrepreneurs to capture online. Next, we talked about the 3 things entrepreneurs need to have to be able to succeed and how to use social media as a megaphone. We talked about why we shouldn’t approach social media like celebrities do, and the steps we can take to get started on social media. 

We also talked about:

• Why social media isn’t a magic pill for success in real estate 
• How to build visibility and impact 
• How to overcome the fear of putting content out online

Guest Bio- 

Carlos is an entrepreneur, real estate coach and podcast host. He is the founder of Get the Attention, a service that helps real estate agents hone their sales and marketing skills. For more information, visit https://www.gettheattention.com/ and look for his podcast, Get the Attention.

There are a lot of moving parts in a franchise business, so it’s important for franchisors to assist their franchisees in any way they can. How can we help our franchisees to see better results, and why is it important to check in with them regularly? Why should we know each individual franchisee’s visions for success?

On this episode, author and founder of 1st Class Real Estate, Rhyan Finch, shares how to run a successful franchise business. 

Measure everything and know your numbers. -Rhyan Finch

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Help save time and energy for franchisees by offering them training and resources. By assembling lists of the right information, we can speed up their success. 
• Measure everything. It’s impossible to run a successful business without knowing the numbers, so be sure to check in with franchisees regularly. 
• Vision is vital, so help cultivate it. By assisting franchisees in defining their idea of success, they can better serve their own needs and ultimately, bring more success into the franchise on the whole.

On this episode, we discussed why we need to focus on helping our teams reach their goals, in order to achieve our own. We spoke about how helping others increases our chances of success, and explained why entrepreneurs need to define their purpose. 

We also discussed:

• Why being open to adapting is crucial in real estate
• The importance of knowing what motivates our franchisees
• How a transparent work environment fosters successful results

Guest Bio- 

Rhyan Finch first entered real estate in 2006, and through trial, error and adaptations, today he is the broker, owner, and founder of 1st Class Real Estate & leader of The Rhyan Finch team. He is also the author of Explode: The Proven System To Sell 500 Homes A Year While Keeping A Balanced Life. 

For Rhyan’s book, head to: https://www.amazon.com/Explode-Proven-System-Keeping-Balanced/dp/1514239213 

You can also find out more about him on   

https://www.1stclassrealestate.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhyan-finch-0599405/ 

And finchteam.com 

You can also email him on rhyan@1stclassagents.com for more information, and call him on 255 504 4636

As we enter 2020, we decided to take a look back at our show this past year and highlight an episode that we found important and our audience enjoyed. Here’s an episode from this past summer that showcases the drive of some of the young talent in our industry and what it takes to succeed. 

In today’s world of instant gratification, a lot of people are looking for shortcuts to success. Are there any shortcuts we could be taking? What are the benefits of starting slow- and are there any risks of delaying our success by taking the long route? On this episode, we’re asking Century 21’s Young Gun Panel- Thomas o’Malley, Hunter Baiden and Anthony Velazquez- how they’ve set up great foundations for their businesses before the age of 25.

The more time you invest in yourself, the better results you’ll get. -Anthony Velazquez

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Establish a routine. The benefits of waking up early to exercise and performing a routine every single morning at the office are immeasurable.
• Focus on building a database. By establishing a routine in which we contact between 60 and 100 people a day, we’re building a solid database that will benefit us in the long run.
• Create a balance between focus and fun. Maintaining focus is obviously important at work, but it’s also vital that we take time away from work to have fun. By allowing ourselves to unwind, we can reset our stress levels and function optimally at work.

At the start of the episode, the Young Gun Panel explained that their backgrounds in sports gave them a great foundation for working in real estate. However, all of them agreed that without remaining consistent and intentional, their businesses wouldn’t be as well-grounded as they are today. The episode ended with a reminder that building a good foundation is crucial in order to create a thriving business.

On this episode we discussed 

• Why making cold calls trains us in how to deal with different personalities
• The importance of investing in ourselves and our businesses
• That we need to commit to a long-term game and acknowledge the risk for downfalls upfront

The early stages of building a business are an exciting time. However, we need to remember that these early stages require a foundation to be built. Value this time as something that allows us to build databases and set up valuable routines. It’s important to stay focused on our goals, but remember no to burn ourselves out. The momentum stage is only the beginning of what’s to come.

Guest Bio- 

Thomas O’Malley is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Harrelson Group. While he grew up in New York, Thomas has been a regular visitor to the Grand Strand for as long as he can remember. His love for the area inspired him to begin a career as an agent in the Grand Strand. Today, he works alongside Brendon Payne at C21, and strives to provide a hassle-free experience to all his clients. 

To contact Thomas, email him on ThomasOMalleyC21@gmail.com

Hunter Baiden was born and raised in the Grand Strand area. Having grown up seeing the growth of the area, he was inspired to be a part of it all. He hopes to have as positive an impact on the Grand Strand community as it has had on his life. Hunter is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Harrelson Group, and is passionate about offering a transparent service to his clients.

To contact Hunter, email him on hbaidenc21@gmail.com

You can also call him directly on (843) 503-9988

Anthony Velazquez is a real estate agent at Century 21 The Greg Harrelson Group. Anthony attributes a lot of his drive to seeing entrepreneurship first-hand, working for his father’s construction company from the age of 14. On top of this extensive work experience, Anthony is determined to further his skills through education. He’s currently enrolled as a full-time student at Horry Georgetown Technical College in pursuit of a degree in Associate Art in Business. 

To contact Anthony, send him a private message on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/anthony.velazquez.92754397

The real estate market is currently in the space between a good market and an inevitable downturn, and this can be a scary time to be a new agent coming into the industry. However, downturns are actually a good time to get into the business. What are the most important skills new agents need to have during this time? How can teams help new agents transition into the industry more smoothly? On this episode, broker/owner Aaron Fox, shares on leadership lessons he learned from coming into the business during the downturn. 

If you’re not budgeting, setting up a business plan or working in the right environment, you’re not going to be successful. -Aaron Fox 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• The downturn forced agents to go the extra mile to retain clients and get referrals. We learned better skills and improved our services, and this is why downturns can be the perfect opportunity to gain market share. 
• Offering a compelling value package to agents is what will help us attract the best talent to our teams. The things that make an impact to our value package is environment, services and compensation.
• Being a team leader with experience as a top producer bring a lot more value to the table, and it allows us to lead not from a place of philosophy, but from experience. 

At the start of the show, Aaron shared how he got started in real estate and transitioning from the corrections department. We talked about how Aaron was able to build a business throughout the downturn, the importance of building and working in a good environment, and the power of being a team leader with a background as a top producer. We also discussed what makes so many people fail out of real estate. 

We also discussed:

• The power of taking a leap of faith
• Why coming into the business during a downturn was a blessing in disguise
• Going from producer to leader

Guest Bio- 

Aaron is a Broker, Landlord, Investor and Owner of The Fox Team. His team has successfully represented buyers and sellers throughout Michigan with their wide span of real estate expertise. They are uniquely qualified to represent buyers and sellers of foreclosed properties, as well as in town and country estates. Aaron also has the skills and insight necessary to expertly represent buyers and sellers of income and investment properties. Most importantly, whether buying or selling, the Fox Team agents are well-qualified facilitators, skilled negotiators and trusted advisers. For more information, visit https://foxteam.c21.com/ or call/text 517.404.050.

Success starts with us as individuals, so to see great results in our businesses, we have to achieve self-mastery by nurturing ourselves from the inside out. Does our diet impact our productivity levels, and how can exercise affect our performance at work? Could we be jeopardizing our success by not getting enough sleep? On this episode, team leader Adrienne Lally and broker Attilio Leonardi from Team Lally, share how to achieve self-mastery. 

Your business will only grow to the extent you do, so you have to master yourself. -Attilio Leonardi

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Eat healthy. Without the right fuel, our energy diminishes and we see a direct impact on our ability to effectively connect with clients. 
• Exercise everyday. Being active refreshes us and boosts energy.
• An effective morning starts the night before, so don’t neglect sleep. Create a relaxing environment for sleep to ensure the best quality of rest.

On this episode, we discussed how mindset impacts our success. We shared that leaders should be creating an environment where every team member feels comfortable voicing their concerns, and urged leaders to be open to criticism. 

We also discussed:

• How to create more successful habits
• Strategies for better sleep
• How to establish effective morning rituals

Guest Bio- 

Adrienne Lally is the President and co-leader of Team Lally of Keller Williams Honolulu. Since 2007, Adrienne has grown her team to be one of the most renowned real estate teams islandwide. She’s been named one of the Top 100 Realtors by Hawaii Business Magazine 6 years in a row, and her team is the recipient of countless awards. Adrienne is a former Army veteran, and much of her business has come from military families. Together with her business partner, Attilio Leonardi, she hosts two real estate talk shows on Saturday mornings - one at 8am on KAOI AM1110 Maui, and one at 11am on KHVH AM30. 

Attilio Leonardi is a Realtor and Broker at Team Lally. His first success in real estate came at the age of 19, when he purchased a 4-bedroom house in his freshman year at the University of Arizona and rented rooms out to his friends. Since then, he’s worked as a rock band manager, been in door-to-door sales, and today, he’s a million dollar producing real estate agent. Attilio co-hosts two real estate talk shows on Saturday mornings with his business partner Adrienne Lally. 

To find out more about Adrienne and Attilio, visit: www.teamlally.com 

Authors mentioned on this episode:

James Clear

Brené Brown

Patrick Lencioni

Often, the thing holding us back as agents are the lies we tell ourselves, whether it be the type of agent we should be, or why we need to stop thinking we’re different from more successful real estate professionals. On this episode, we discuss this mindset and how to change our way of thinking.  

We have to stop buying into myths. These lies are what we tell ourselves to feel better for not taking the next step and getting out of our comfort zones. -Greg Harrelson

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Stop thinking we have to choose between being salespeople or relationship people. We need to be versatile salespeople who can relate to clients easily. 
• Don’t assume more successful agents are ‘different’ from us. Everything is attainable, we just have to be willing to put in the same effort as successful agents.
• The idea that successful agents spend more time working is a myth. Effective agents work smarter, not harder.

At the start of this episode, we discussed how agents lie to themselves about prospecting. While a lot of agents say they don’t enjoy prospecting, most of the time they’re just uncomfortable making calls because they aren’t sure what value they bring. 

On this episode we discussed:

• How to find out our unique value
• The exit strategy lies agents tell themselves
• Why we lie to ourselves

As agents, we are always hearing about ‘new and improved’ ideas that promise to take our businesses to the next level. However, rather than reinventing the wheel, some ideas are better left as is. How can we go back to the basics and create a business that fits seamlessly into our personalities? Is hustle still important when we level up, and why is it important to network with top producers? On this episode, Realtor at the Levin Rinke Resort Realty team, Christina Leavenworth, shares how she hustled her way to the top.

Always go back to your hunger and hustle, even when you’re successful. -Christina Leavenworth

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Base your business style on your personality. Being ourselves is the fastest way to build confidence. 
• Hustle and work ethic trump everything. No matter how far we are on our journeys, never neglect the activities that first brought us success. 
• Being around people on our level of achievement can lead to complacency. We have to surround ourselves with top achievers to motivate ourselves.

At the start of this episode, we discussed how being a public figure doesn’t always translate to an easy journey in real estate. We spoke about what we can do to grow our spheres, and how to capitalize on our existing databases.

We also discussed:

• How to establish a networking group
• Why it’s important to maintain our hunger for success
• That being proud of what we do builds confidence

Guest Bio- 

Christina Leavenworth is a dedicated and committed real estate agent who consistently goes above and beyond for her clients. She spent 15 years as a news anchor/reporter along the Gulf Coast, so she is incredibly knowledgeable about the area. In her first year, she sold 65 homes for a total of $14.8 million in volume. Due to her strong work ethic and desire to help clients, she is now ranked as a top producing realtor in the area. Christina is a licensed Realtor with a proven track record. She is a part of the Levin Rinke Resort Realty team, which is the #1 independent real estate brokerage in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach.

To find out more about Christina, visit:

http://www.greaterpensacolaflhomes.com/ 

https://christinaleavenworth.levinrinkerealty.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-leavenworth-43b3587/

With all the technology out there and the tools at our disposal, people often think that methods from the 1990s don’t work anymore. But the interesting thing is, a lot of what was done back then still works, and would lead to better results when combined with modern methods and tech. Why are listings key to scaling a real estate business, and how did our guest blend production and running a business? Why is the old school mentality of focus, grind and relationship-building still so powerful today?

On this episode, real estate entrepreneur, consultant, author, speaker, and trainer, Jim Remley, joins us to talk about his journey and how he started and stayed on the fast track to growth in his business. 

If you’re willing to do the grinding work that no one else will do, you’re going to own the market because 95% of agents are super lazy. -Jim Remley

Takeaways + Tactics 

• There’s a reason why the top producers in the industry are listing-dominant. Listings give you scale, but buyers don’t. 
• If agents could combine the old grinding mentality, with the available tech advancements, there will be huge scale and larger profit margins 
• The 30 - 60 agent range can be a death zone in a real estate team. In that range, a team is not small enough to be nimble, and not large enough to have economies of scale. 

At the start of the show, Jim Remley shares how he got started, and how he earned his Century21 gold jacket. Next, we talked about how he formed the first real estate team in his community. He talked about what made him choose listings, and how that helped him gain traction. We talked about why retaining and recruiting agents in our industry is something we should treat like going out and getting listings. Towards the end, we discussed the importance of thinking about creating financial freedom.  

On this episode we discussed 

• The importance of being multidimensional 
• Why success in real estate comes down to traction
• Deeper connection in a digital world and bringing human interaction back into transactions.

Guest Bio-  Jim is a speaker, author, and consultant. He is the founder of eRealEstateCoach and the author of The Path to Real Estate Zen, a premium coaching platform for agents looking for a transformation in their real estate career. In addition, he runs one of the largest real estate firms in the state of Oregon, with over $766 million dollars in sales volume a year with just over 160 active Brokers. As a consultant, author, speaker, and trainer, Jim has one mission - to create abundance through simplicity of action.

For more information, visit https://www.erealestatecoach2.com/.

When most people are asked what their goals are, they are careful not to be specific, but that actually affects our ability to reach them. Why are specific goals more achievable than vague ones? Why is it so important for us to be vulnerable and open up about our goals? Why should we be looking through the windshield and not the rearview mirror? On this episode, I’m joined by one of my business partners, Abe Safa. We talk about how to set goals the right way. 

In order to really reach high levels, you have to take the risk of stating goals that are specific and can be measured. If you don’t measure them, you won’t know if you are a success or failure that day. -Greg Harrelson  

Takeaways + Tactics 

• The more specific a goal is, the more measurable it becomes. 
• Setting vague goals means that we can’t measure how well we’re doing, which protects us from getting judged or feeling bad about ourselves. 
• Have a 5 year vision, a 1 year goal, a monthly goal and then a daily goal. The compound effect of doing your daily goal is what gets you to your big year goal. 
• According to the book Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable, “crave the result so intensely that the work becomes irrelevant.”

At the start of the show, we talked about why so many of us struggle to set specific and measurable goals. Next, we talked about why vulnerability is key to growth, and why the process of coming up with a goal doesn’t have to start with our “Big Why.” We also talked about why we need to stop setting goals for the future using what happened in the past. 

We also discussed;

• Why the value of failure is in comparison
• The importance of accountability 
• How to make hard work irrelevant

Guest Bio- 

Abe Safa is the Founder and mind behind Contact Junkie, a software company that scales your business through technology. He grew up in New York and moved to the Myrtle Beach area to attend Coastal Carolina in 1988. Since graduating in 1991, he's lived there and has owned several successful retail stores. Abe started working at age 13, and has been selling or running businesses for over 34 years. He went from being a new licensee, to having over 100 transactions per year. His business background and experience in negotiating and marketing, combined with his unique and precise analytical skills, leaves no doubt that he is a valuable resource. Abe loves to challenge himself and believes that life is all about growing and improving yourself and your community. 

https://www.contactjunkie.com  

843.360.2145

c21safa@gmail.com

So many agents fail to reach their personal goals because they’ve been misled by their superiors. As brokers and leaders, how are we misleading our agents into thinking we can help them more than we can? How can we break the cycle and become more transparent? What are the lies brokers are guilty of telling in terms of opportunities for growth and higher pay? On this episode, we have a candid discussion about some of the biggest lies we’ve heard. 

Lots of owners want to be liked by their agents, so they hold back on the truth. However, if we want our agents to be successful, we have to be transparent with them. -Greg Harrelson

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Stop training agents to reach goals we haven’t reached ourselves. If we don’t have the experience, we have no credibility in those areas and shouldn’t pretend to.
• Don’t claim to have better leads and technologies than other brokerages. All leads and technologies are the same, it’s how agents interact with them that makes the difference. 
• Telling agents they’ll be able to earn a full-time income by doing part-time work is completely misleading. Prevent disappointment by being transparent and realistic with agents.

On this episode, we discussed some of the ways brokers confuse their agents and ultimately hinder their success. One of the chief ways agents are confused is when they’re told they don’t need to do outbound calls. This stops them from making any calls, including follow-ups, which has a devastating effect on their business.  

We also discussed; 

• Why we need to stop telling agents they don’t need to be good salespeople
• How personality doesn’t impact business
• The importance of telling agents to learn scripts

The future of the real estate industry is in flux right now. Due to recent lawsuits, the buyer side of transactions has an uncertain future. That means listing appointments are more important than ever.

Listings are the easiest way to secure your future in the industry. In order to get more listing appointments, there are 3 things we have to know about the conversations we’ll be having.

What are smoke screens, objections and conditions? How do they play into your lead generation? In this episode, I share how to have more success at winning listing appointments. 

Many real estate agents who operate solo feel trapped by their businesses. Scaling and growing a team is their way out of that. What holds many of us back from taking that next step? What is the difference between someone who does a few sales and someone who builds a structured, leveraged business? What mindset shifts need to take place in order to achieve freedom in our business, and for it to actually change our lives? On this episode, I’m joined by real estate coach, speaker, and host of the Ultimate Team Summit, Kathleen Black. She shares on the power of transitioning to a team, and how she helps agents make the change mentally and operationally. 

We need to transition from a GCI mindset to a net money mindset. By growing a team, we leverage in a way that’s less risky, makes us more money and gives us more time. -Kathleen Black

Takeaways + Tactics 

• 80% of people will make necessary strides when they experience pain vs. only 20% of people who will do it proactively.  
• In order to build a team, we need to change our mindset from GCI to net earnings. We need to switch from survival and scarcity to abundance and growth.
• The scarcity of building in a competitive sales industry creates a scarcity mindset that people hang onto, even when they are no longer in scarcity.   
• Tech companies are taking away the mindshare of past clients and people in our database. People are being inundated with content and value from these other entities, so there’s more competition. We need to get ahead of this.

At the start of the show, Kathleen shared on her journey from agent to coach, and why team culture is an entrepreneurial mentality. Next, we talked about the importance of having clarity and abundance if we want to build a team. We also talked about the importance of switching from focusing on survival, to focusing on growth. 

We also discussed;

• How change is driven by experiencing a pain
• The most common challenges agents in North America are dealing with  
• The importance of focusing on ROI, not the money we spend  

Many real estate business owners hit the ceiling for growth very early and end up feeling trapped by the job. At the most basic level, growing a team is a way to give ourselves a promotion and actually focus on the things that we excel at as the business moves forward. The more volume and transactions we can do, the easier our businesses will get. In order to create that lead, we need leverage. If we set our teams up right, we will have a massive edge over the competition.  

Guest Bio- 

Kathleen is one of Canada’s leading Real Estate Coaches and Trainers, delivering her proven success techniques to Agents and Teams across North America. She is also an author, speaker and the founder and CEO of Kathleen Black Coaching and Consulting, and host of the Ultimate Team Summit. Visit https://kathleenspeaks.com/ for more information or to get in touch with Kathleen.

As a new business owner, it can be difficult to adjust to the amount of responsibility of being in charge of everything. Are business plans really important, or a waste of time? Do we need to stick to our goals relentlessly, or leave some room for adjustment? How can we stop the fear of failure from holding us back? On this episode, President at Century 21 Redwood Realty, Eddie Berenbaum, shares how we can get our businesses to take off in the real estate industry. 

Remain flexible enough that you can adapt to what’s working. -Eddie Berenbaum

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Have a business plan in place. This plan should cover our ‘why’. Once we know what’s motivating us, we can start planning to reach our goals.
• Be open to adaptation. Flexibility is extremely important, and if we find new ways to reach our goals, we need to be willing to adjust.
• Don’t be turned off by failure. Learn from mistakes, and pay attention to successes. Everyone fails at some point, but if we concentrate on what we’re doing right, we can benefit from the experience.

At the start of the episode, Eddie shared how every business partner’s unique talents can take a business off the ground faster. We also learned how joining a franchise can go a long way in fast-tracking our success.

We also discussed; 

• Why talented agents are drawn to bigger brokerages
• How to market more effectively
• Why we should aim to partner with brokerages that encourage training and coaching

When we start businesses, we need to make a shift from being an agent to an entrepreneur. This requires a lot of planning. Craft a business plan that lays out every goal, and stick to it as much as possible. However, we also need to be open to adaptation at times. Stop focusing on what’s not working, and start paying attention to successes and small wins. 

Guest Bio- 

Eddie Berenbaum is the President and Co-Owner at Century 21 Redwood Realty. After earning a degree in marketing at Penn State in University in 1997, Eddie fell in love with the real estate industry. In 2002, he went on to co-found Redwood Realty alongside Shawn Milletary and Nick Pasquini. Since then, Redwood Realty has gone on to generate over $1.2 Billion worth of annual Real Estate transactions. 

To find out more about Eddie, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-berenbaum-924a5a1a

http://www.c21redwood.com/edward-berenbaum

You can also call him directly on 202 815 0925

Consumers and agents alike are constantly being told about market changes, and it’s causing considerable panic. Are the inevitable shifts necessarily bad for the real estate business and its customers? How can we change the perception of market shifts? On this episode, Founder and Chief Content Creator at Keeping Current Matters, Steve Harney, shares how to stop panic in its tracks. 

Calm down, sit down, think, plan and act. -Steve Harney

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Change is not necessarily a bad thing, but most people fear the unknown. Stop thinking in negative terms by looking at the word ‘change’ differently. 
• Realtors are the ones who can inform consumers that market shifts don’t spell disaster. We need to set the consumer’s mind at ease, and we have the knowledge to do so.
• We need to educate ourselves on recessions and market shifts so that we can give our consumers the most accurate information possible. This will help us build trust.

At the start of the episode, we learnt that panic on behalf of the agent can have far-reaching negative impact. With that being said, it’s important that as real estate professionals, we don’t allow ourselves to be swayed. Panic usually leads to paralysis, which can have a devastating effect on the market.

We also discussed; 

• Why we should always be ready to explain what changes entail
• How to prepare conversations about market shifts
• How loading our social media with informative content can position us as industry leaders

Changes in the real estate industry are inevitable, and a recession seems likely. However, that doesn’t mean a disaster is imminent. As real estate professionals, it’s up to us to educate ourselves on the shifts so we can share that information with our clients. We are the only ones who can set the consumer’s mind at ease: let’s change their perception of change and get them to start believing the shift can be a gift. 

Guest Bio- 

Steve Harney is the Founder and Chief Content Creator at Keeping Current Matters, a monthly informational presentation for top professionals. Steve has over 25 years of experience in real estate, and has dedicated his life to the home industry. Steve has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Real Estate by Inman News and is listed as one of the 200 Most Powerful People in Real Estate by the Swanepoel Organization. He is regularly quoted in news sources including, among others, The U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times.

To find out more about Steve and KCM, visit 

https://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/ 

https://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/steveharney/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveharneyinc/

And for a 14-day free trial, visit Trykcm.com