Recalling today a fun conversation I had with a military pilot instructor, who emphasized the importance of situational awareness in his training, the cliff notes?
Situational awareness vs. target fixation.
Target fixation is an attention phenomenon where an individual becomes so focused on the target (or a goal) that they increase their risk of crashing into the target or it places them at greater risk of ignoring other factors going on around them.
As the name implies, situational awareness is simply knowing what’s going on around you and involves at least three key steps:
1. Perception of what is happening
2. Understanding of what has been perceived
3. The use of what is understood to think ahead and act accordingly
Whether it’s sports, art, or business, understanding target fixation vs. situational awareness will serve us all very well.
Regardless of where you are on your goals year to date, there is still time to produce more this year. If your desire is to close the first half strong; not be broke on July 1, and be prepared for an amazing back half of the year,back half of the year then you gotta read this.
3 killer strategies…
Up your seller education game;
Portray trust and
Regardless of YOUR age, appeal to millennials.
Some time ago I had the honor of attending the Zillow Premier Broker event in Chicago, IL. The Zillow Consumer Housing Report was an amazing value add, and at least 3 major trends stood out for me.
Trend 1: Up Your Seller Education Game
Zillow’s research shows more than half of all sellers have NEVER sold a home before. It’s a totally new experience for them. Place yourself in their shoes: Are they scared? Are they apprehensive? Are they afraid of being taken advantage of? Do you think they wish they knew more than they do? That answer would be YES to all of those.
So, let’s look at what that means to you and me. This is one stat begging you to proactively help educate your prospects and, in the process, attract more referrals and more listings.
For those of you with extensive experience, you could write up a report like, “4 Ways To Maximize The Value Of Your Home” or “3 Essential Facts Every First-Time Home Seller Must Know” and offer them on your lead capture landing pages.
Promote them by running Facebook ads in your target communities, along with a video about how you’re passionate about educating sellers. For those of you with less experience, you can hire out these reports to content writers in your area… check out FIVERR or #GTS = Google That Stuff!
Practical ideas to consider:
Informative Direct MailCampaigns, like: The benefits of a “Home Warranty Sellers Coverage” policy
Short special reports and white papers, like: Best Home Improvements• Determining Your Homes Value• Value Of A Pre Sell Home Inspection• Benefits Of Partnering With A Hyper-Local Expert, Like Me!
Educational seminarsor zoom sessions
Short videosto walk people through the process with a call to action to reach out to you
Quick seller tipson social media with a call to action to reach out to you
And while it may be their first time, today’s sellers have access to more data and best practices BEFORE they reach out to possible selling agents. They are looking for a strategist with the market knowledge, marketing skills, and legal know-how to do the heavy lifting that will get them from sale to closing.
Some of the activities “self-starting sellers” get a jump on before engaging with an agent include home improvements (50 percent), coming up with a list price for their home (39 percent) and securing a home inspection (25 percent).
Trend 2: Ensure Your Marketing And Promotions Portray TRUST
Eighty-six percent of consumers say trustworthiness is “extremely” or “very” important when choosing an agent. When your biggest asset is at stake, you want to trust the person guiding your transaction.
So, let’s think about what makes someone trustworthy. Or better yet, let’s discuss who we don’t consider trustworthy:
Complete strangers• Salespeople who only show up when there’s something in it for them
Obviously, the more familiar people are with you, the more they are naturally likely to trust you. So, if 86 percent of consumers are telling you that you must be trustworthy to even be considered, what’s that mean to you? It means you need to be putting yourself in front of prospects over and over and over again to create that familiarity that breeds trustworthiness.
Do you have more than 5 testimonials and endorsements?• Do you create a “social proof” marketing piece that shows what OTHER people say about you?• Are you visible and involved in the communities you serve?• Are you marketing to the same neighborhoods consistently or jumping around to wherever you take your next listing?• Does your website or your marketing give any insight into who YOU are as a person, or do you come across like a real estate robot?
All of these questions lead to huge opportunities to build trust with homeowners so when they decide to sell, you’re already in that “extremely important” category of being trustworthy.
Trend 3: Regardless Of YOUR Age, Appeal To Millennials… Nearly 50% Of Your Future Business May Depend On This!
Millennials – that generation between the ages of 24 and 38 – account for 42 percent of all home buyers and 61 percent of all first-time buyers, according to Zillow’s report. These folks were raised on the Internet. As a result, they’re accustomed to Amazon-level service and ease of use. You know that experience: Where you order something late Friday night and somehow it shows up on your doorstep on a Sunday morning! That’s the standard you’re up against when you work with 42 percent of buyers. So here’s the big question:
Are your services and systems up to that standard?
If your answer is no, it’s time to adapt how you do things.
Strive to make working with you as easy as ordering from Amazon. Where can you streamline? What can you eliminate? What more can you do prior to meeting with a buyer to make the process smoother? What “extras” can you provide to make your service more beautiful? We all need to be asking ourselves these questions and refining our systems on a regular basis because that standard isn’t reversing course anytime soon. It’s only going to get higher and higher.
There you have it… 3 killer strategies… up your seller education game; portray trust and regardless of YOUR age, appeal to millennials.
To resonate with prospects, you must understand their pains, problems, desires, and triumphs.
In the game of real estate leadership and sales, resilience and mental toughness are key players.
When obstacles arise, our performance hinges on the quality of our preparation and training. But how do we cultivate resilience? By understanding the factors that can steal it away, we empower ourselves to navigate the journey from chasing perfection to creating progress.
Here are seven ways individuals inadvertently rob themselves of resilience:
1. Ignoring Emotional Signals: Leaders sometimes miss the mark by dismissing their emotional cues. Instead of suppressing feelings, we can embrace the “accept, reflect, and redirect” model, allowing emotions to guide us.
2. Avoiding Self-Reflection: Neglecting introspection limits our ability to manage stress and adversity effectively. Self-reflection helps us uncover triggers and develop coping strategies.
3. Seeking Quick Fixes: Resilience isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a continuous practice. Avoid distractions and invest in the necessary work of building adaptive mechanisms.
4. Isolating: During tough times, leaders may withdraw from support networks. Connecting with others provides valuable perspectives and bolsters resilience.
5. Neglecting Self-Care: Prioritizing physical, mental, and emotional well-being is essential. Neglecting self-care leads to burnout and compromises our ability to bounce back.
6. Ruminating on Failures: Dwelling on past setbacks without extracting lessons hinders resilience. Break the cycle of self-doubt and negativity.
7. Resisting Change: A fixed mindset impedes resilience. Embrace adaptability and navigate change with confidence.
So, a few questions to consider:
Which one of these habits do you (your agents, your clients) fall into?
I was recently reflecting on some coaching conversations and thinking about vectors and the “1 in 60 Rule.” Let me explain:
In math and physics, a vector is a quantity having direction as well as magnitude, especially as determining the position of one point in space relative to another.
If a pilot makes the slightest one-degree error in the aircraft’s flight path, after traveling one mile the plane will be off the course by 92 feet. And after going 60 miles, that error adds up to being a mile off the path.
A minor off-course adjustment over time and distance magnifies the error. If a pilot were flying from New York to Los Angeles, a one-degree shift in the flight path over the entire course would put the plane nearly 35 nautical miles to the South in Orange County at SNA, not Los Angeles LAX.
I work with a lot of entrepreneurs, and many times they call with a complete overall idea – overwhelmed and burned out – yet many times it’s just the 1-degree change that compounds over time that is needed.
“The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
~ Darren Hardy
Caution: the compound effect – it works both ways – positive or negative.
Your prospects and clients prioritize four critical dimensions during their home-buying experience:
Reassurance: Having helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible resources and staff who can confidently guide and support customer decisions. Reassuring they have made the right decision along the way, is a critical skill.
Transparency: Being open and straightforward about policies, pricing, and processes.
Simplicity: Streamlining the home selling or home buying journey to make it straightforward and easier to navigate.
Speed: Efficiently handling the process to minimize delays and waiting times.
“There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.”
~Seth Godin
Let’s dig into each of these dimensions a little deeper:
Reassurance:
Importance: Reassurance is paramount for customers. They seek confidence in their decisions, especially when making a significant investment like buying a home.
Your Role: Sales and support staff must be helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible. They must instill trust by providing accurate information, addressing concerns, and guiding clients through the process.
Customer Benefits: Reassured customers are more likely to proceed with the purchase, leading to successful transactions.
Transparency:
Importance: Customers value honesty and transparency. They want to understand policies, pricing, and processes without hidden surprises.
Clear Communication: Salespeople and support staff should openly discuss all aspects, including costs, fees, and potential challenges. Transparency builds trust and reduces anxiety.
Avoid Jargon: Simplify complex terms and ensure clients comprehend every step. Transparent communication fosters positive relationships.
Simplicity:
Importance: The home selling and buying process can be overwhelming. Customers appreciate simplicity and ease of navigation.
Streamlined Processes: Salespeople and support staff should simplify paperwork, explain steps clearly, and minimize bureaucracy. A straightforward process reduces stress for buyers.
User-Friendly Tools: Introduce digital tools that simplify document submission, approvals, and communication. A user-friendly experience enhances satisfaction.
Speed:
Importance: Delays frustrate customers. Speedy processes are crucial. Some delays can’t be avoided, and this is when communication, transparency and reassurance merge.
Efficient Handling: Salespeople and support staff should expedite paperwork, inspections, and approvals. Timeliness demonstrates professionalism.
Manage Expectations: Communicate realistic timelines and proactively address delays. Clients appreciate transparency even when things take longer.
Customers weigh these dimensions almost equally, with a slight edge given to reassurance.
By prioritizing these aspects, real estate sales professionals and their support teams can create a positive and memorable home-buying experience for their clients.
As the sun sets in one place, it rises in another. But for the defenders of the Alamo, the sun never rose again. They fought bravely against overwhelming odds, knowing they would not survive. They left behind a legacy of courage and honor that inspires us to this day.
On March 6th, 1836, the 13-day siege and battle of the Alamo came to an end. The Mexican army stormed the fort and killed almost all of the defenders. Among them were famous figures like David Crockett, James Bowie, and William B. Travis, who wrote these immortal words: “I shall never surrender or retreat.” But they were not alone. About 200 other men joined them in the fight, and only 15 lived to tell the tale.
Every year, at dawn on March 6th, a ceremony commemorates the fallen heroes of the Alamo. We remember their names, their faces, and their stories. We honor their sacrifice and their spirit. Remember the Alamo.
How do you handle defeat? My strategy? Accept. Reflect, then redirect!
Ten excuses the top 1% all made, yet figured out a way to bust through:
1. I don’t have time
2. I don’t have the money
3. I will try it next year
4. I don’t have enough data
5. I am too tired, skeptical, or biased
6. No one ever did it before
7. It’s too much work
8. I could fail
9. I will wait until _____
10. It’s too risky
What are some of the top things my friend Dr. Rob Gilbert learned about sports (and business) psychology?
What did he learn from Bob and Myron?
Myron had all the potential and ability, yet he did not know it or leverage it, which created average results. Then Bob came along… Bob taught Myron a lesson, and that’s when Myron’s breakthrough began.
The lesson?
Be open to a mentor, coach, or loved one willing to invest in you.
Believe in your ability.
If you are not doing as well as you would like – follow Bob’s lesson.
Put it in action, NOW.
Practice makes progress, not perfection.
Believe… focus on the process, and you will get the result.
What part of this lesson you can execute this week?
