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The other night we had dinner at a small Italian restaurant in my neighborhood that seats about 250 people.  It is a small business that focuses on great food and wine.  On each table the owner now has an IPAD where you can scan the hundreds of bottles of wine as well as the menu.  This small business made the investment in 50 or so IPAD’s in order to facilitate the habits and needs of their customers.

Just a few years back, IPAD’s and tablets were foreign to Real Estate Agents and builders.  Many didn’t realize the huge opportunity that lie ahead in the future for changing the way an Agent does a presentation, follow up and business.  Even now, when I show a Builder the amazing opportunity that can be provided by having these little pads in their Agent’s hands, many don’t want to invest the dollars to provide them.

The purpose of this article is to cover some of the reasons why Agents should have IPAD’s and some of the things to pay attention to when purchasing them.

Understanding the Amazing Value

I do a seminar that covers 35 or so IPAD apps that are essential to real estate agents.  Most of which are real game changers.  Every day apps are being created that will change our lives.  Many real estate IPAD apps are much more efficient than going on your PC.  For instance Zip Realty, Zillow, Google Earth, Redfin, Realtor.com  as examples are all more efficient on an IPAD than on a normal PC.

When you can pull up something while you are in the field with your client, it’s very powerful.  During my IPAD training series I upload all of the builders handout items, via PDF, on the Agent’s IPAD’s so that the Agent can not only email the PDF’s of the floorplans, site maps, site plans, CC& R’s,  builder story and community facts to clients but they can pull them up while out on site.  This saves big money in brochure costs, time and resources.  It also gets you an opportunity and permission to obtain a real email from the prospect, thus starting the follow up process.

I love tying the client to the lot by using the IPAD to take photos or video of them on their lot or their favorite floorplan and emailing them directly with the photos or video before they arrive home.  I love utilizing apps that can send video emails and important things in the building process like floors going in, roofs going on, granite counters and cabinets being installed.  All things customers get excited about and want to share with their friends and family on Facebook and other social media sites.

» More: Contemplating IPADS for your Sales Team

One of the biggest things I see is such a waste it sometimes makes me ill.  Here’s the scenario…I am sure you are familiar with it.

Builder spends money to build models, furnish them, have grand openings, market, advertise, every week, radio, newspaper, online anything to bring those bodies through the door.  And the bodies come.

Once these precious, costly prospects who want to buy the largest purchase of their life walk in the door…

• The Builder has a sub-standard registration card that never gathers the really good information, for amazing follow up.
• Or the Agent may make some notes on this sub-standard card but little ones in the corners. Really?
• Or the Agent hands it over to the prospect to fill out, instead of filling it out themselves to gather the really good information about the prospect, for amazing follow up, but doesn’t get anything more than a name and number.
• Or the Agent never gets a card filled out at all.
• Or the card only has a name and phone number…usually the phone number is fake.
• Or even if some fairly good data is gathered and IF the Agent follows up, it is usually only for a few times by phone or email and they give up.
• Or even if follow up occurs, it’s not personal and amazing; it’s from a generated email…something typical thanking them for the visit.  Let’s face it, we all get this kind of stuff and delete it or throw it in the garbage.

Now I don’t mean to sound negative but this is the honest truth.  I know this because of the shops my company performs; we see how rarely follow up occurs and when it does how impersonal it is.

My point is, these little cards are gold and should be treated that way.  They are the result of all of the builders marketing and advertising efforts.  When that client walks away, all you have it that card with the information on it.  That’s it!  It’s that’s simple.

• So we must first make sure we have a registration card that fits the bill.  It must include all of the things the client wants and needs in a home as well as in their lifestyles so we can make the experience of buying your home stand out from the rest, personal and amazing.
• It must have all of these questions laid out so the Agent can quickly and easily check boxes to remember these details as they learn them.
• There must be a definitive follow up process set up by the Manager and monitored by the Manager to assure these little pieces of gold are being worked over and over, to grow the buyer.
• I believe Builders should also have someone in the main office who works these cards from a corporate level on a consistent basis, not only to create an amazing data base but to represent the company from a corporate stand point of view.  If that person’s follow up efforts, throughout the year sold one or two homes it would be worth it.  Internet Agents can be good Agents to work cards, since they are used to utilizing databases.
•  The goal would be to have the Agent touch them on the personal and the corporation to touch them on the broader spectrum.
• And last, don’t think just because you have a CRM system your bases are covered on touching customers.  CRM systems are not personal and rarely give the personal touch you that goes such a long way.  Secondly, some CRM systems are difficult to use and Agents don’t do well with difficult.  So make it easy to use and make it personal to the client.

When you know what it costs to walk a prospect in the door, let’s say it’s $250.00, then you can measure the value in dollars of that little piece of gold, called the Registration Card and demonstrate that to your Sales Teams over and over so they realize that value every time they see a prospect walk in the door.

These are simple, inexpensive idea to help generate buyers out of your traffic and to be memorable to your clients!

Think of your mind as tending to a garden of unlimited growth. Thought seeds are just like physical seeds. Whatever you water with your attention will grow.

Today, invest your minutes in thoughts and activities that lead to the life you want to live, rather than a life you want to avoid. Don’t dwell on the past or places you don’t want to be. We all have the God given right of CHOICE, we can choose what we feed our mind;  so choose your thoughts consciously, knowing they will replicate.

Growing Buyers=Nurturing, Watering & Tending the Soil

As the market picks up and recovers we have many potential Homebuyers out there who would like to buy a new home but have challenges to overcome.

Over the next few months I will be going over ways Builders can help frustrated, confused potential Buyers overcome challenges and turn them New Home Buyers.

I HAVE BAD CREDIT

So many potentials walking through the door have credit issues.  From foreclosures to short sales to loan modifications, all of the above have the capacity to ruin credit for Consumers.  Sometimes even the discovery process of these procedures, ruins credit.  Many times when an Agent hears these infamous words, they tend to move on to the next potential that will be an easier, quicker sale. But there is more we can do here to help these less than credit worth potentials and make them your new buyers.

Let me start by saying, this is a huge shadow market and many of whom are NOW ready to start buying again.  Having the recession starting in 2006/2007 and now being 2013, we have many who have waited the required time to buy again, which varies on a case by case basis but can be as little as three years.

So here is what I know…a Builder needs to find a trusted lending source to aid these potential buyers in credit clarification, correction and preparation to buy again.  You will no doubt increase your sales dramatically by making this one change.  Sales Agents should be able to enthusiastically encourage these buyers to take the necessary steps to achieve homeownership again and handoff these buyers to a Builder approved lender that specializes in this sort of credit mentoring.

Now sometimes the Builders primary Lender will be able to handle this kind of business but in most cases, this is a specialized lending team that hand-holds potentials, over time and throughout the credit correction process.  By having a relationship with a lender who does this day in and day out you will have a better conversion ratio.

A wonderful idea is to advertise regular classes in your communities, in your ads and have a special place for them on your website, so those affected can be informed and attend.  Have them performed on site, at your communities, in controlled smaller groups, after hours, headed up by the approved Lender and other specialists on this topic. The Lender can execute the classes, keeping your Agents free to answer questions about homes. By having multiple classes of different topics, it educates these buyers over time.  This also shows these potentials that you are trying to help them achieve Homeownership by providing the education and tools they need to become Home Owners again.  Be known as the Builder who cares… I don’t know about you but I would always rather do business with a company that has my best interests in mind.

This is a simple, inexpensive idea to help generate buyers out of your traffic and to be memorable to your new clients and a win-win for everyone!

Here is a sample of the hundreds of videos online to help educate Homebuyers on credit repair.

10 mistakes when fixing your credit

Even a one-degree shift in your thinking can cause a massive change over time, for future success. Remember this everyday, especially when you are negative or thinking with limitations.

The small changes you make, six months down the road, takes you to a whole new place. Allow yourself time in your daily life to devote to making the little shifts in your thinking habits, even the smallest shift will make a big difference.

Today start the practice of knowing little changes yield big results.

Growing Buyers= Nurturing, Watering and Tending the Soil

By ShirleenVon Hoffmann

As the market picks up and recovers we have many Home Buyers out there who would like to buy a new home but have challenges to overcome.

Over the next few months I will begin a series of articles that address some ways Builders can do to help frustrated, confused potential Buyers overcome challenges and turn them their very own New Home Buyers.

I HAVE A HOME TO SELL

So many potentials walking through the door, have a home to sell.  Many times when an Agent hears this, they tend to move on to the next potential who will be an easier sale and hope the home to sell potential returns to buy, after the sale of their home.  But there is more we can do here to help these resale homeowners out and make them your buyer.

Most people have no idea how to stage a home to sell.  De-cluttering and changing furniture around as well as cleaning can make or break a sale.  Most people are not decorators, so many times they don’t even know they have a problem or where to start.  Many people don’t realize you must remove personal items, including pictures, toys and paperwork.  Many don’t realize how far clean carpets, new paint, towels and comforters go.

In an effort to get around the cost of a staging professional; a great idea, that a Builder could implement is to go to Youtube, download some high quality videos that speak to staging a home, de-cluttering a home of personal items and cleaning  up the home, then load them on a DVD.  You can also put on how to, step by step articles on the same disc, have them produced in volume from a company that does this, label them, brand them and have them in the sales office, making it easy for the Agent to grab and handout.

When the Agents have a potential that says, I have a home to sell, they can simply hand them one of these DVD’s as a closing gift for the potential.  This take away gift that may cost you less than a quarter to make, could result in a sale.  This same idea can be done in email format as well, but having a gift in hand is always a better choice.  That way the emails that follow can be around progress of the staging and listing.

Here is an example of a video that could make you a sale.

Unclutter Your House

This is a simple, inexpensive idea to help generate buyers out of your traffic and to be memorable to your clients!                     Happy Selling!!!

Stay Tuned for “I have bad credit”

I am sitting here by the ocean, on sabbatical for the Holidays and completing my New Year Vision Board.

I love this time of year where we are able to create ANYTHING our hearts desire for the New Year coming. I love it because I actually slow down long enough to breath, evaluate last year and create a new year filled with things I love.

I would like to shares some of  my visioning session with you so you may begin your own.

First I like to address 6 areas of my life. You can pick what is important to your life.

• Work
• Home
• Health
• Spiritual
• Relationships
• Fun

Starting with this in mind I create the vision board with elements I want to create in each of these categories.

Your life is yours to create; it’s your very own Garden of Eden.  You can have anything that makes you happy.

Think of it as your foundation from which all your goals and actions begin. Your Map.  You can’t get anywhere without a map or some directions or you just feel lost.

Once I have the elements and the categories, I then put the reasons WHY I want these things at the top of my category.  They REAL WHY, not the superficial WHY, I want these things. The Why is important because it when it is strong enough, you will do anything to achieve your goal.  Do not proceed until you come up with you WHY’s for each goal.

Next I apply pictures of what I want.  I have found that the goals I put pictures next to; are the ones I have achieved.  Obviously I am a visual person…many are. So great pictures are very important.  Think of your sub-conscious as a child…it likes less words and pretty pictures.

I write in the present tense as if I have already gotten what I am asking for.  I also am VERY specific about what I want.  In other words be detailed about everything that is important to you and spell it out.

Once this is done, my vision is complete.

For those of you who have families, get them in on the action.  You should have a Family Vision Board as well incorporated everyone’s wishes in the household into the overall vision.

Then it’s time to take Action! Start planning things on your board, directly into your daily calendar and routines.  Try your best not to break these dates, as they are most important to your success.  By doing this you are taking your vision and setting the action into motion.

Here is a fun exercise when you are setting action into motion.

Take one thing that you have to do today, and do it differently.

Before doing it, imagine yourself doing it, see it being fun and you being successful doing it. Let go of any fears or resistance to doing it and get in a really good mood. Play some good music, think of someone or something you love or something that makes you laugh, deep breaths, confidence and GO. Get yourself all stoked up before taking this action.

Once you’re feeling great, then do whatever it is you need to do and see what happens. It should go well.  Wait for the magic to happen. And get better results than usual.

When working on your Garden of Eden, always act from this zone –you’ll be amazed at the results.

I guide most of my Coaching Clients through this process at the beginning of working together so we both have a clear vision of their goals prior to our working sessions.  If you are one of these lucky few, I hope you are working on your 2013 board.  If you are not one of these lucky few, it’s never too late to have me help you with your goals and business for 2013!

Happy New year!

Continuing to tell stories of shortage and lack only continues to contradict your desire for abundance, and you cannot have it both ways.

I want to be one of the first to wish you a happy New Year!

Some are glad 2012 is almost over. Many are going through
stuff, as I am well aware since I’ve been supporting some
of you through it.

As we come to the end of another year, we remember that
endings are merely beginnings.

We are reminded that for the new to come in, the old must
be released.  As a matter of fact, I’m off to do my releasing
with friends at the beach shortly.

As we enter a new year, a new experience, we remember to
stand in the field of limitless possibility.  A new year is
an opportunity to begin again.

A new year is a chance to open new doors. If there is
something that you have wanted in your life, seize the moment!
Seize the coming year! Let’s DO this!!

Let 2013 be the best year of your life. I hope to see you in the new year!

The Queen of Sales – Latest inspiration…Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Season’s Greetings

I wanted to thank you for your continued support and business.  I am so blessed to work  in a business I love, with people that I enjoy. This year I celebrate 32 years in the real estate industry, so as you can guess I love it!

I also wanted to wish you and you your’s a Holiday Season and New Year filled with love, abundance, happiness, health, peace and gratefulness.  

I will be taking the Holidays off from my Writing, Coaching, Blogging and Training to take in these next couple of weeks enjoying my family and planning for the next year of unlimited blessings.

See you all in the New Year!

P.S.  For those of you with small children who still believe in Santa. This is my favorite a

mazing website and I mean AMAZING.  Check it out, it’sFREE!

.www.portablenorthpole.com

                       Happy Holidays

                                Shirleen