What are some of your most successful follow-up tactics?
I communicate with my clients and let them know what’s going on. When I get a new expired listing, I usually ask the seller why he or she stopped working with the other broker. Invariably, they tell me it was because after their house was listed, they never heard from the agent again. This really stuck with me and so I communicate with my sellers. I follow up personally each time their house is shown. I keep calling until I reach the showing broker or agent and get feedback, which I relay to the seller. I do whatever I can to stay in touch.
What do you consider to be the most important thing to help grow your business?
Lead generation. You have to have new leads or you are not going to have a business. You have to have listings and leverage. It’s also very important that I have the right people on my team. Learning how to interview so that I hire the right people is key. I believe you have to be passionate about real estate, as well as dedicated to succeed. I look for individuals who are like a sponge—always asking questions and figuring out how to get it done. I want team members who are excited about the whole business. And last but not least, I want them to be enthusiastic.
What’s your best idea for time management?
Truthfully, I am not very good at it; I think it’s overrated in a way. That said, you have to take time off, separate from the situation and get away. Gary Keller calls it “counter balancing.” He does not believe in multi-tasking. He says there are times when it is very important to spend a lot of time at work, but then you promise your family that when you are finished, you are going to take extra time to spend with them. He advises taking a calendar and putting your family time in first.
