Challenging Market, Challenging Mind-Set

Another real estate blog by Brett Boettge

 

Are you having the year of your dreams? Buyers calling your mobile phone every hour saying, “Hi, I’m Mr. Buyer, I’d like to write an offer on 123 Spring Street! Let’s cut to the chase, I’m pre-approved with a 780 credit score and 19% debt to income. I don’t have a house to sell, I’d like to close in two weeks, and I’ve researched buyer representation and I would like you to be agent.” Probably not! The phone rings again.. “Hi, I’m Mr. Seller, would you list my house? We’ll increase your normal commission by 2% and I know times are tough so I’ll pay for marketing up front. Also, I need to move in 30 days so let’s make sure we are the lowest priced property in the neighborhood by 10%. Oh and by the way here is the name of someone I talked to at a PTA meeting that seemed very interested in our property.” Again probably not…..

 

The truth is the market is tough which is why we need to be doing more of what’s important than ever before. What am I talking about? LEAD GENERATION! Yes those dreaded words, it is so scary to have to talk to people I know. The bottom line is you need to talk to twice the people you did last year to have the same results you had last year. So do it, put your head down, and just DO IT!

 

I found myself kayaking the mighty Wisconsin River on Memorial Day, and had a blast coasting downstream without a care and moving at a great pace, hardly paddling a bit. It was time to turn around and what did I find? It was TOUGH! I was putting so much effort forth, and as I looked from the middle of the river to shore, it appeared as if I was standing still. I paddled harder, and harder, still when I looked at the shore in the distance I wasn’t getting anywhere. It didn’t make sense, I knew if I was paddling I would be moving but I was mentally beat. I stuck with the paddling and noticed that when I focused on things closer to me than shore, I could tell I was moving forward. That was the turning point for me, on the verge of letting the current flush me downstream, I focused on a series of short term goals to keep me focused and in less than 1 hour I was home.

 

Why is this story relevant? LEAD GENERATION is your paddling, CLOSING is your HOME! When it feels like you are not getting anywhere, focus on a series of small goals. Downstream was our phenomenal market of the previous ten years, now we are all fighting the current to get back where we were before. Have faith in your paddling, it will get you to the closing table in the end…. What small goals can you focus on when lead generating? Maybe it is the call itself….. Maybe an appointment with a long time friend to ask for a referral… Maybe it is an appointment…. Regardless, my point in this market, is to stay the course, and celebrate even the smallest successes along the way.

 

Sincerely,

Brett Boettge

Team Leader – KW Madison Crossroads

All Keller Williams Listings Now on Zillow

Thanks to a newly formed business relationship between eAgentC, the technology arm of Keller Williams Realty, and Zillow, all Keller Williams Realty listings are now searchable on the popular search engine, increasing our agents’ and home sellers’ exposure to potential buyers.

Each listing Keller Williams Realty feeds to Zillow includes a description of the property with multiple photos and contact information for the listing agent. Also included are links back to the Keller Williams Website where Zillow users can find more information and connect with a Keller Williams associate to guide them through the home buying and selling process. 

“We know that over 80% of all homebuyer’s use the internet for their real estate searches” states Keller Williams Realty Madison West Team Leader, Jessica Fox.  “This increased exposure only means our home seller’s are increasing their chances of getting their home sold in a challenging market.”

Keller Williams Madison’s offices increased online exposure seems to be working.  The company is posting a 13% increase in sales through April 2008 vs. the same period of time in 2007.  According to South Central Wisconsin Multiple Listing Service (SCWMLS) the overall real estate market is down nearly 30% in sold units.

“The constant training of our agents as well as keeping on the cutting edge of all the technology tools is truly driving our success in early 2008” states Madison Crossroads Team Leader, Brett Boettge. 

Keller Williams Realty Madison has 2 locations with over 200 real estate agents.  The company started operations in the greater Madison area in January 2003. 

 

Awesome Customer Service…It’s Simple

Earlier this week I was in Austin, TX attending a Keller Williams Realty Mastermind Event.  On Monday night I made a reservation at one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the country which is located in Austin.  This restaurant is called “Kenichi“.

When I called for the reservation they person on the phone asked for a contact number for me.  I gave her my cell phone number.  In the back of my mind I was thinking they would be calling me if I didn’t show for the reservation.

We got there on time, had an awesome meal, paid the check and walked back to my hotel.

The next day I received a phone call from Kenichi.  The call thanked me for dining with them and asked that I call them with any comments or suggestions on how to make the dining experience even better.   When the call came in I was in a meeting so it went to voicemail.  It was nice to listen to this message and then I realized I had received the same call from Kenichi last summer when I was in Austin and hosted a large group at their restaurant.  I thought, at the time, the call was made because we spent over $1000 with the restaurant that night.  Now I realize they call every diner they have. 

What awesome customer service.

So if you ever find yourself in Austin, TX and you love great sushi, make Kenichi a dinner spot.  It’s located in the Warehouse District in downtown Austin and is definitely worth the trip.

Think about the power of this simple phone call in your business as well.  Do you call your buyer a few days after closing to see how everything is going or are you afraid of what you might hear?  Think of how that simple call can truly build your business and your brand.

How to Get Your Blog Read

Many of you have ventured into the world of blogging.  Welcome!

Blogging can create many different outcomes.  It can be fun.  It can be an outlet for a frustrated writer.  It can be a business building tool.  The reasons for blogging are virtually endless.

Today I want to talk about your blog as a business building tool.  Much like your website, your blog isn’t any good unless people not only find it, but come back to read your posts on a regular basis.  Here are some thoughts on how to accomplish that:

1)  Promote your blog on all of your printed material.  Everything from you business cards, to your stationary to your e-mail signature should include a link and directions to find your blog.

2)  Be conversational.  Part of the fun of blogging is that you can write as if you were speaking to your readers directly.  One way to think of this is the write as if you’re talking directly to a client or a friend.

3)  Pick a specialty.  Focus your blog on a narrower area of interest not the larger market in general.  Many of you have heard me say, narrow your focus.  This is true in blogs as well as your real estate practice in general.  Pick a specific demographic to write to or a geographic area. 

4)  Allow Syndication.  Synda what?  Through RSS or “really simple syndication” you can distribute content across the web and to individuals who subscribe to receive it.  I use Google Reader to capture all syndicated blog post I have interest in.  It’s free and easy to use.  Try it out at www.google.com/reader.  Within most blog formats you can set up syndication with just a few simple steps.  Make sure you take the steps to complete this.

5)  Be Opinionated.  OK for some of you that might be really simple, for others not so simple.  Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and opinion on your sight.  Your opinions get word of mouth going, thus increasing your blog visitors.

6)  Don’t talk about your listings.  This is a tough one.  I’ve actually created a seperate blogsite to post our listings (http://danecountyrealestate.blogspot.com/) vs. incorporating them into my regular blog (www.centralmadisonliving.com) Consumers have many places to go to get listing information.  They want to learn about YOU on your blogsite.

7)  Post Regularly. OK we all struggle with that four letter work T I M E.  If you’re committing to make this a part of your business development, time block it into you schedule just like you time-block your lead generation, customer follow up, etc.. Some suggest posting daily to keep interest high.  The good news, short posts can be very effective.  No need to write a novel each time.

8)  Comment on other blogs.  Read other real estate blogs and leave comments on their postings.  Blogging is a dialogue not a monologue.  The value is the conversation.  In addition, most blog platforms allow the comment poster to leave a link to their blogsite as well.  Another chance to bring a reader to you.

9)  Register with Blog directories.  That way people searching for real estate blogs can find you.  Technorati is perhaps the best known.

Have fun!