Owner or Employee? Maybe both…

Another Real Estate Professional blog by Brett Boettge……

If I am an employee, I show up to work every day ON TIME. I sit at my desk, and I diligently do my job. More than likely my job is not my passion, but I plug through every day in hopes that I will have favorable review and be promoted. From the day I’m hired my work is examined and scrutinized by many, if I rank on a scale of 1-10 at least a 7 I could probably go through my entire career getting by. Now this entire time I am employed, I am virtually renting an entity, and building equity in nothing. Does this sound familiar to you? Have you ever been an employee and wondered… Why am I building equity in someone else’s dream? What is your dream?

For many that dream is owning their own business. The appeal comes from the freedom, flexibility, wealth, and don’t forget pride of ownership. Real Estate is the choice of many for it’s ease of entry and low start up costs, however it still provides to some degree, freedom, flexibility and wealth. Now let me take you all the way back to the point I wanted to make tonight.

We dedicate our time, our energy, and every fiber of our souls to building someone else’s dream. When we finally realize that we our not happy building someone else’s dream, we take the leap and call ourselves business owners. In my role I get to see people take this leap, a few are successful, even fewer really become “business owners”, and the overwhelming majority self discover there way out of the business. Now lets examine why…

The simple answer.. we take the FREEDOM, and the FLEXIBILITY before we have a business and we never reach WEALTH. We invest ourselves in the dreams of others as employees, but we don’t invest in our own. Our self talk is “It’s my business, I’ll do what I want”. Well if you aren’t doing the same things you were as an employee for your own business, then your dream will never be realized. “I don’t like to do that!”… with that attitude as an employee you would be fired, since you are your own employee, as well as the owner you are just stuck with a difficult employee……YOURSELF! I witness future Real Estate Agents diligently working for others for years, low pay, terrible hours etc… as soon as they work for themselves, building THEIR OWN business work ethic goes out the window. This is one of my biggest frustrations in real estate so let me ask you…. “Are you willing to put forth the same amount of effort for your dream as you are for someone else’s?”

Thank you for reading… If this hits home please share your story as a comment and rededicate yourself to your business.. your dream!

Cheers to your success,

Brett Boettge
Team Leader | Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads
TheNextLevel@kw.com
608.661.7000

How To Manage “The Dip” in Real Estate

I’ve been a fan of Seth Godin for the past 2 years.  Ever since I read his book “Purple Cow” I’ve decided this is a great “out of the box” thinker when it comes to customer service and marketing.

One of his latest books, The Dip, takes a little different approach to things.  In it he challenges us to become “the best in the world” at whatever it is we do.  He speaks of becoming extraordinary.  In doing so he coaches us to quit the things that are preventing us from becoming extraordinary and to obsess about what it takes to do so. 

One of the strongest messages is about becoming the best in your world.  World is a relative term.  Your world could be the neighborhood you live in, the town you sell homes in, etc…..  For years I’ve been a firm believer in narrowing your focus in the area you specialize in real estate sales.  We tend to try and become a “jack of all trades” and consequently a master of none.  Mastery in this business is where the long term opportunity lies.

One area to begin is to sign up for mayor of your zipcode and create the beginning of a specialized website FREE.  It’s worth checking out.

Thanks Brett for letting me guest post!

What makes it the BEST?

Another late night blog by Brett Boettge….this one more my personal belief than a lecture..

Trust your system! This is the key to overcoming the fear of lead generation, the key to taking emotion out of your cold calling, the key to running your sales career like a business. What do I mean by “trust your system”? It is actually quite simple like most life altering Aha’s.

Whatever your system for lead generation, trust it. When you call John Seller, you don’t know if you is going to use you or not. What you do know is that for every 12 people that you talk to you will get 1 lead, for ever 2 leads you get 1 appt., for every 2 appt’s you get 1 listing, and for every 2 listings, 1.75 will sell. Now when you look at it like that, do you really care what John Seller says on that initial phone call?

Don’t get attached to the outcome, trust your system, and just make the contacts knowing that you need x amount each day to get the listings required to meet your income goals. By tweaking your system, and improving your skill-set you can increase the conversion rate.  At that point it is less work for the same result… or the same work for a greater result! At this point you OWN THAT SYSTEM, and you just took a step closer to OWNING YOUR BUSINESS, not YOUR JOB.

You have your system, and you contact 48 John Sellers per day which is 4 leads, 2 appt’s, and 1 listing, this makes your business pretty predictable which is huge when running a business. Your system is time tested, has a proven track record, and is now part of your business model. What does this accomplish?.. Well, now it is time to grow.. you are maxed out what do you do! Train someone on how to use your system, now you are leveraged, another key point in running your business like a business. The beauty of systems is we know they work… they are easy to train.. and if you leave they can be implemented by others to successfully run your business without you. I use lead generation as the example because that is where it starts.. without leads nothing else matters. Once you have listings, closings, etc.. you will need to develop appropriate systems for each area of your business. Does this make sense to you?

How are you running your real estate sales business? Fly by the seat of your pants?.. If so you own your JOB, and you can never leave without your business suffering! The true test of owning a real estate business is you can take a six month vacation, and come back with your business thriving! Can you? What steps are you going to take to claim ownership of your business?

Have a great evening….

Last I looked we were SALES associates?!?

Good Sunday Morning… I dedicate this to the membership of the REALTORS Association of South Central Wisconsin…

“I am the best at what I do! I deliver more value than anyone in real estate! I am invaluable to my partners! I am the best I can be!” That is how I started my Sunday morning at 4:30 am, how did you start yours? Cheesy affirmations to some, but truly the difference maker in how I manage my day. Sure, when I walk up to the clubhouse to grab my bagel, yogurt, and juice the neighbors I share wall with look at me like “there he goes again… you know the crazy guy that talks to himself in the shower!” Why should we do this? We are in sales, its a tough job, and you need someone on your side. Who better than you to be your cheerleader? Les Brown is one of my favorite personalities, and it is because when no one believed in him, his belief in himself carried him to celebrity status. http://www.lesbrown.com/about_les.html. Last I looked real estate was still a SALES industry, and your success is going in direct correlation to YOUR belief in YOURSELF!

“NO”.. In my opinion those 2 letters are the start of a beautiful relationship. “Please Unsubscribe me from your emails!”… My friends, that is an invitation for a follow up contact in my mind! Reply ironically with an email asking how you could provide more value to them in your next contact. I have sat across the table from so many who started out this way….. now they are bold enough to call us friends. We hear rejection  all day, a strong belief in yourself and the value that you will bring to that relationship will be the difference maker in how you react to it. My next question….Do you believe that you are the best in market? If not, become the best, or quit and stop wasting everyone’s time.

I had a conversation with a highly successful real estate agent and coach (we’ll call her  Mary) one evening about sales “tactics”. Mary said she felt uncomfortable using highly effective tactics on her clients, customers, and prospects. Mary was  referring to “tie downs”, “alternative choice”, and “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” as deceptive or manipulative. I asked Mary “Do you believe that you can provide the best service to that client?” Mary replied “Well of course I do!” in a tone clearly indicated she was offended I would ask that question. My point… If you believe that you are going to provide the best possible service, and you are the best at what you do, aren’t you doing a dis-service to anyone that you don’t convince to use you? Johnny Slick Sale over at the next brokerage has a 62% customer service ranking but still out performs you on a listing presentation….. WHY? Johnny is using NLP, and SALES TACTICS to close his prospects and every third prospect he converts is going to have a less than positive experience with him. Don’t you owe it to your prospects to be a strong enough SALESperson to be their choice if you provide a better experience and more value?

So it’s been decided… this is a SALES business? I understand that not all of us came into this business with a 25 year background in sales, lord knows that just a short 2 years ago I had virtually no sales experience. So where to start… READ, check out sites like www.overstock.comand order a couple of NLP books. This is one that I like CLICK HERE, I also recommend that you read “The Accidental Salesman” by Madison, WI local Chris Lytle. Learn the tips and tricks that SALESPEOPLE use every day, and align yourself with your title “Real Estate Salesperson”. Does this make sense? Do you believe that you are the best? Are you ready to quit?

SALES TIP OF THE DAY…… This is old school, but hasn’t been done in our local market. “The Lottery Letter” Send a introduction letter to FSBO or Expireds with a lottery ticket in it. Have printed under the ticket, and at the top of your letter “Take a chance with the lottery, not your agent!” Now you have their attention so get your Unique Value Proposition across, and make sure it is powerful. Now the greatest thing about the Lotto Letter is not the letter itself, but the ease of the next contact…a simple phone call….”Did you WIN!!!!!”. Have a great weekend all, and stay tuned to this blog for tips, tricks, and rants!

 Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Team Leader | CEO
Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads
TheNextLevel@KW.com

P.S. If you do believe you are the best or have the drive to become the best, I would love to talk further about your real estate career.  Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads is looking to grow with our area’s top talent, call Brett @ 608.661.7000 for a confidential, fact finding, no obligation meeting. As always, I promise not to waste your time.

Bill Baker, Winner of KW’s Leadership Award – Madison Crossroads

Afternoon Readers-

 Have you met Bill Baker? “Bowtie” Bill Baker? Maybe you know Bill as “Agent 57″, or his company name “Baker Real Estate Group”. Regardless of the controversy over what we call Bill, there is no debate about WHO Bill is, a great leader! This lively, energetic, and polished 40 something, commands respect in any room. With a strong business background and a dedication to his customers, and clients, you will be blown away. Just five minutes into a conversation with Bill, a switch will be flipped in your mind….”Bill just get’s it!”

Bill “Bowtie” Baker joined the Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads market center in July of 2007 and quickly established himself as a TOP CONSULTANT in our firm. Along with our Leadership Award, Bill Baker has proven his Real Estate skill by amassing $40,000,000 in listing inventory in and around the Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton area. Bill controls 28% of the Dell’s Real Estate Market as a whole. Amongst Bill Bakers treasures in the Dell’s are the “Wintergreen Hotel”, and “Riverwood Condominiums”, both are jewels in that market.

Now it’s not all business with Agent 57. When Bill is not out consulting his clients, and helping dreams become reality, you could find him in a local coffee shop, out on Lake Mendota, or at the Madison Club. If you would like to contact Bill Baker about any of your Real Estate needs in the Greater Madison, Greater Wisconsin Dell’s or Lake Delton Area’s please give him a call at 608.661.7009 or visit his website www.billbakerteam.com

Judie Czys, Professional, Leader, Icon

Evening Readers-

Tonight I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to a true leader in our office, Judie Czys. I had the pleasure of meeting Judie Czys when I joined Keller Williams Realty back in June 2007. Judie struck me right out of the gate as one of this office’s true leaders. Judie Czys was a role model, putting her clients & colleagues best interest well before her own. I could go on and on about this cultural icon, but until you meet her, work with her, or run into her somewhere in Greater Madison, WI you wouldn’t understand what a profound effect she will have in your life. In real estate and in life Judie Czys is genuine, the real deal, and a delightful woman. Look Judie up @ www.babyboomeragent.com Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads, for all of your real estate needs. **Chairperson of our Culture Committee on the “Associate Leadership Counsel”.**
Thank You,
Brett Boettge
CEO | Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads
www.KWMadisonEast.com

A Breakfast to Remember at Sophia’s Cafe & Bakery

Evening,

If you are wired like me, a  hearty Sunday morning breakfast is a tradition as important as a crisp Friday night fish fry. This past Sunday morning I was invited to brave the fog and join two friends of mine to SOPHIA’S BAKERY AND CAFE located in the culture rich 800 block of E. Johnson St., Madison, WI, ; 259-1506. I walk past the many small shops adorned with art and graffiti, I get that feeling that one can only get here in Madison, home sweet home. Looking back home sweet home really embodies this entire experience.

 I saw my friends waiting outside this modest looking cafe, and I can’t imagine what I was getting myself into. As we entered, I was astonished that this cafe was size of my bedroom at best! I took a few minutes to adjust before I could even look at the menu which was written on a blackboard in a barely legible manor. It was a very limited menu, but I sensed that Sophia new how to make a quality breakfast. Omelette’s with butternut squash, banana pancakes, egg croissants, cherry crepes, and breakfast potatoes seemed to sum it up. Clearly some items were wiped from the morning’s menu, which I can only assume were the crowd favorites. I cased Sophia’s Cafe, and observed the relaxed patrons as they enjoyed their breakfast. My eyes settled on a young woman with the cherry crepes, her obvious enjoyment sold me on the dish. I fought my way through the crowd to the glass counter which was right out of a 1950’s pie diner, and was greeted by a lovely young woman with a delightful personality. My order was taken with a smile, and the classic “hun” was used generously. Once complete I wedged myself into a corner until there was seating available for our group. Sure enough a short 5 minutes later three seats opened up, and we seated ourselves with a group of polite strangers. I took a minute to take in the scenery, the cafe itself had a very homey atmosphere with great scents, and scenery. The majority of the customers were undoubtedly regulars, and I’d imagine they wouldn’t have looked more comfortable in their living rooms. I glanced around and noticed that all of the plates, mugs and water glasses we unique, just as if I were to go into my kitchent cupboard. Then an adorable little girl that couldn’t have been more than 5 comes out from behind the kitchen and starts bussing tables (as much as 5 year old can) that were just barely shorter than her. At this point I reached a comfort level, I have never achieved in a restaurant, it was almost a 180 degree turn from the awkwardness I felt when I first entered. After a brief chat with my friends, our food arrived hot, and very well presented. I tossed back what surely was fresh squeezed orange juice to cleanse my palette, and started in on my cherry crepes. The thin pancake was just the right thickness, and crisp as opposed to the rubber crepes I have experienced elsewhere. The cherries were sweet, but not sour, and were complimented well by the generous dollop of whipped cream. Our conversation stopped which is truly a sign of great food. I intercepted different compliments from the hungry crowd on everything from the service, to the potatoe side dish at Sophie’s Cafe and Bakery. My dining experience had come to an end, perfectly satisfied, and ready to continue my day. Thank you Claire and Becca for the invitation, it was a phenomenal dining experience one will only find in Madison, and I suggest that all of you make it a point to get to Sophia’s Cafe and Bakery, 831 E. Johnson, Madison, WI.

 Happy Eating,

Brett Boettge
Team Leader
Keller Williams Realty

Real Estate Success in 2008

Being the Best We Can Be in 2008!

Dress for Success: I’ve read many articles on dressing for success in business, and I did say business. If you take a look in the mirror, what is your first impression? In today’s market more than ever before, how we dress is so very important. Buyers and sellers alike are very educated, the competition is fierce with 1200 REALTORS in Madison alone, and the bottom line is, we are professionals no different than Doctors, Lawyers and Surgeons. We want to portray an image that embodies trust and respectability while putting the potential customer at ease and comfortable discussing the details of a very personal purchase. The bottom line for all agents is having an intimate knowledge of the market you are handling. The image you as a real estate professional presents should stand up to your clients’ closest scrutiny. The physical image shows that the agent respects him/herself and his or her clients. It tells those clients that you are well organized, detail-oriented and professional. Give yourself an honest assessment, and remember our reputation is our brand.

We Play a the Level We Practice: An Olympian trains 4000 hours for a 2 minute event! How powerful is that to think about? How much do you practice? If you have not achieved success in Real Estate, maybe its a great time to examine how much and at what level you are training! Do you casually peruse a script while your favorite game show is blaring in the background and one hand is in a bag of chips OR Do you dress for success, stand up, tour a co-workers home, present a CMA and review the contract, the whole time handling the objections of your fellow agents on price, commission, etc. WHILE BEING FILMED? Find another agent in your office to role play with, you will find your presentations become much more efficient, and effective. Average commission is about $4700, plus your time and money of getting the lead! Are you practicing on your prospects? That could be an expensive lesson!

Market Expert: Do you know what the absorption rate is in your neighborhood? How many homes have sold in your city in 2007? How many active listings are there? What is today’s interest rate for a 30 year fixed? What is the median sales price in Dane County, and how does that compare with the rest of the state? The Country? What has been the appreciation of single family homes in Sun Prairie ‘06-’07? What is the biggest piece of local real estate news in our market? The Country? Are you a Real Estate Agent, or a Real Estate Economist? In 2007 Gary Keller really pushed how important it is to know your market, know your numbers, and understand how to interpret that into a user friendly conversation with prospects and clients. Just spend 15 minutes a day looking at stats and your market knowledge will grow, which will help position you ahead of the competition. The importance of this has encouraged a new monthly class called “Market Expert” where we will examine our National, State and Local economy, and learn how this information correlates to our real estate practice. Please join me Wednesday, January 9th at 2:00pm for our first class. Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads-2601 Crossroads Ste. 130 Drive Madison, WI 53718

Coached to Excellence: If you are not in some form of coaching, whether it is with myself, MAPS (Mega Agent Productivity Systems) or a third party coach, its a great time to start. Coaching is KW’s secret to success, 30 minutes bi-weekly will change your life, your business, and will keep you focused on what’s important. I will be contacting you all and requesting that coaching becomes part of your strategy for 2008.

Walking the Walk: Finally I just wanted to say thank you to all, I appreciate your commitment to excellence. The WI4C2TS will guide you through all else… 

WI4C2TS
Our Belief System in Action…

Win-Win. . .	or no deal
Integrity. . .	do the right thing
Commitment. . .	in all things
Communication. . .	seek first to understand
Creativity. . .	ideas before results
Customers. . .	always come first
Teamwork. . .	together everyone achieves more
Trust. . .	starts with honesty
Success. . .	results through people

Success to all in 2008!

Sincerely,

Brett Boettge

Home for the Holidays!

Here are the top 11 reasons to sell real estate during the holidays in Madison, WI!

11.  By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer                during the spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low!

10.  You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year!

9.  Even though your house will be on the market, you still have the option to restrict showings during the six or seven days around the Holidays!

8.  January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture that market!

7.  Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons!

6.  Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during a working week!

5.  Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price!

4.  Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays!

3.  Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home! Less demand means less money for you!

2.   Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you!

 And the Number One reason why your Seller should list during the Holidays… 

1. People who look for homes during the Holidays are more serious buyers!

Brett Boettge

Team Leader

Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads

608.661.7000

TheNextLevel@kw.com

The First of Many

Good evening,

I would like to dedicate this blog to the great agents & staff of Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads. Mindy Allen, Michael Amundsen, Kwadjo Asare, Steve Ashley, Bill Baker, Mike Beiersdorf, Tania Black, Eric Boswell, Derek Boudreau, Judy Braund, Kathy Burkeland, Steve Cairns, Emily Cardarella, Bernie Clousing, Matt Costello, Judie Czys, Dean Davenport, Bradley Deglar, Carmela Diosana, Tanya Doescher, Ester Dominguez, Alex Drucker, Ashley Fragnito, Sabra Gent, Spencer Hamilton, Sharon Hanrahan, Laura Hartman*, Bette Hoesly, Dan Hoesly, Jenny Hogan, Linda Houseman, Graci Jankauskas, Jeff Jones, Jim Jorstad, Andy Kahn*, Bev Kautzky, Rick Kilian, Darren Kittleson, Anthony Krupa, Linda Laitinen, Shirley Langer, Tiffany Lunnie, Melissa Lamote, Jennifer Larson, Tou Lee, Dave Lenius, Guy Lofts, Jim Lowrey, Katie Lowrey, Ed Mentell, Kim Miller, Tim Miller, Mark “Ole” Olenjniczak, Debbie Olson, Dennis Pechinski, Darin Peringer, Bill Peterson, Jennifer Pickel, Brant Schroeder, Querida Funck, Ember Schultz, Debra Seaver, Renee Selje, Dasha Shy, Matt Stafford, Doug Swayne, Randy Teigen, Sylvia Thorton, Pat Tjugum, Daniel Uhlir, Joua Vang, Brent Van Gysel, Edward Villegas, Valerie Wersland, Janie Wimberly, and all of our preferred affiliates.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

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