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Category: Talent Attraction

The Power of Persistence: Why Following Up is Key to Real Estate Success – Part 2

Mark Johnson 2 Comments

Persistence is different than pressure! 

In the competitive world of real estate, it’s not enough to simply make initial contact. The top 1% of agents understand the crucial difference between persistence and pressure—and they know that consistent follow-up is essential for closing deals.

Consider these compelling statistics from a study on service businesses:

  • Only 2% of sales are made on the first contact.
  • A staggering 80% of sales happen between the fifth and twelfth contact.
  • Yet, only 25% of leads ever receive a second contact.

These numbers paint a clear picture: most agents give up far too soon. They’re leaving money on the table by not consistently following up with potential clients.

Research specific to real estate sales further reinforces this point. A study revealed a significant difference in annual income between agents who made three contact attempts versus those who made five or more. The agents who persisted with more follow-ups earned over $100,000 more per year.

Persistence vs. Pressure: Understanding the Difference

What separates effective persistence from off-putting pressure? It comes down to intent and approach.

  • Persistence: This is about genuinely caring about your clients’ needs and providing consistent value. It’s about building relationships, offering helpful information, and staying top-of-mind without being pushy. Persistent agents focus on:

    • Understanding client needs and goals.
    • Providing relevant and valuable information.
    • Building rapport and trust.
    • Following up consistently and professionally.

  • Pressure: This is about focusing solely on making a sale, often at the expense of the client’s experience. It involves high-pressure tactics, aggressive communication, and ignoring the client’s needs. Pressuring agents often:

    • Focus on closing the deal at all costs.
    • Use pushy sales tactics.
    • Disregard client concerns.
    • Damage relationships.

How to Be Persistently Effective:

  • Develop a Follow-Up System: Implement a CRM or other system to track your leads and ensure consistent follow-up.
  • Provide Value with Every Contact: Don’t just call to “check in.” Offer valuable information, market insights, or helpful resources.
  • Personalize Your Communication: Tailor your messages to each client’s specific needs and preferences.
  • Be Patient and Respectful: Understand that people make decisions on their own timelines. Be respectful of their space and avoid being pushy.

Persistence, when done right, is about building relationships and providing value. It’s the key to unlocking significant success in real estate. Don’t give up after just one or two attempts. By consistently following up and focusing on your clients’ needs, you can significantly increase your sales and build a thriving business. And that is how we win the day!

 

Persistence Is Difference Than Pressure
Persistence Is Difference Than Pressure

Stop Incremental Growth: How to Take a Quantum Leap in Your Real Estate Practice

Mark Johnson 2 Comments

We live in a world of exponential change. Just think, today’s smartphones have the computing power of the entire US government in 1983! This kind of rapid advancement isn’t limited to technology; it’s possible in your business too.

Are you tired of slow, incremental growth? Do you dream of making a significant leap forward? The key lies in understanding the concept of a “quantum leap,” as outlined in Price Pritchett’s powerful book, You Squared.

Pritchett argues that we don’t have to settle for gradual change through sheer hard work. We’re capable of explosive growth with less effort by shifting our mindset and approach. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

Instead of listing all 14 principles from the book (which can be overwhelming), let’s focus on three key ideas that can help you achieve a quantum leap in your business:

  1. Challenge Conventional Thinking: Quantum leaps require breaking free from conventional wisdom. This means questioning “how things have always been done” and being open to new possibilities. For example, instead of focusing solely on traditional marketing methods, consider exploring innovative digital strategies or partnerships.

  2. Focus on the Desired Outcome: Pritchett emphasizes focusing on the “ends” rather than the “means.” This means having a crystal-clear vision of what you want to achieve. Once you have that vision, the solutions and resources will often materialize in unexpected ways. For example, if your goal is to double your client base, focus on the image of that doubled client base and trust that the strategies to get there will become clearer.

  3. Embrace Discomfort and Risk: Quantum leaps require stepping outside your comfort zone. It’s about being willing to take calculated risks and embrace the possibility of failure as a learning opportunity. This could mean investing in new technology, hiring new staff, or launching a bold marketing campaign.

Applying Quantum Leaps to Your Business:

Think about one area of your business where you’re currently stuck in incremental growth. Perhaps it’s:

  • Lead Generation: Are you relying on the same old methods that aren’t producing the results you need?
  • Client Management: Are you spending too much time on administrative tasks instead of focusing on building relationships?
  • Marketing and Branding: Is your messaging outdated or failing to resonate with your target audience?

Consider how these key principles of quantum leaps can be applied to these areas. Maybe it’s time to invest in a new CRM, outsource marketing tasks, or try a completely new lead generation strategy.

Don’t settle for small gains. By challenging conventional thinking, focusing on your desired outcome, and embracing calculated risks, you can unlock the potential for a quantum leap in your business. And that is how we win the day!

A System Will Produce What A System Will Produce, Nothing Less and Nothing More!

What Story Are You Telling Yourself?

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

Have you ever thought that the person you have the most conversations with is YOU? And if that is the case for you and me, then the next natural question is, “what story are you telling yourself?” 

Various studies suggest we have anywhere from 6,200 up to 60,000 thoughts a day! Not sure who counted them all, but that is a lot of conversations going on in our heads. 

From this, we can conclude that one of the tendencies of the mind is to focus on the negative and ‘play the same songs’ repeatedly. One study suggested that 80% of our thoughts are negative and 95% of them were the same repetitive thoughts as the day before. So why is this, and what can we do about it? 

 

Why is it easier to think negatively?

 

The fact is negative events have a more significant impact on our brains than positive ones. Psychologists refer to this as the negative bias or also called the negativity bias.  Combine this with what psychologists call a confirmation bias, and you have a one-two punch. 

Confirmation bias is the tendency to listen more often to information that conforms with our pre-existing beliefs. Through this bias, people tend to favor information that reinforces the things they already believe. These biases combined have a powerful effect on our behavior, our decisions, and even our relationships.

In the Leahy Study, 2005, from Cornell University, scientists found that 85% of what we worry about never happens, and 15% of the worries did happen. 79% of the subjects discovered that either they could handle the difficulty better than expected or that the problem taught them a lesson worth learning. So, the conclusion? 

 

97% of our worries are baseless and result from an unfounded pessimistic perception.

 

Some ideas to redirect negative thoughts: 

  1. Start with a mindset of “No Judgments.” 
  2. Reframe the story. 
  3. Reframe your expectations.  
  4. Find a healthy distraction. 
  5. Commit to keeping optimistic company. 
  6. Question and rotate the media you choose to consume. 
  7. Start a beginning of the day and end of day gratitude journal 
  8. Connect with a mentor, coach, or trusted advisor 

If we took the time to document all the thoughts that pass through our minds, we could write a book every day.  Yet would that book be one that anyone else wants to read? Create a better story, wrote a better book. The question is: 

 

Who’s in charge you or your thoughts?

#WinTheDay

 

Technology vs. Relationships

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Technology vs. Relationships.
The top 1% approach it differently.

Peter Sheehan, a leading expert on generational change and business performance, wrote about how peak performers use technology yet stay in touch with genuine relationships.

There are over twenty different ways to affirm others, but you can reduce them to just two verbs:

Notice and Verbalize.

What would happen if today:

  • At family gatherings, invite everyone to mention something they admire about another family member.
  • Look for someone making do in disappointing circumstances and affirm their perseverance.
  • When someone helps you change your mind about an issue, affirm their persuasiveness and communication skills.

Success can take many forms, like affirming others through noticing and verbalizing.

#WinTheDay

PS: Looking to increase your real estate team or office recruiting game? Book a demo to find out how we can 5X your ROI.

Why Do Most Efforts To Change Fail?

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

Well, that is a bummer of a headline! Read on.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

~ Leo Tolstoy

According to Harvard professor Dr. John Paul Kotter – and confirmed by my coaching experience – efforts to change fail due to a lack of a STRONG sense of URGENCY. In his book, “A Sense Of Urgency,” Kotter states:

Change efforts most often fail when those desiring to change do not create a high enough sense of urgency to make a challenging leap in a new direction. Urgency and urgency is key. Urgency is the state of mind that creates IMMEDIATE action in your new direction.

Once you have determined your desire, take action. Any action. A small step, a medium step, or a massive step. Taking action and taking more action is the ONE THING we must all learn to cultivate to achieve higher levels of success.

If you believe what you have in mind will make a difference, I just have two questions.

  • What are you waiting for?
  • What’s holding you back?

Whatever it is, push through it today and TAKE ACTION.

Share with someone right now the action step you are committed to taking… and ask them to help hold you accountable.

#WinTheDay

PS: Looking to increase your real estate team or office recruiting game? Book a demo to find out how we can 5X your ROI.

 

Top Gun – What The 1% Do Consistently

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

Think about it. In sports –  and all other endeavors – the game is won in the days, weeks, and even months leading up to the actual game, event, or project. The game is won in preparation. Watching films of previous games, memorizing plays, hitting the gym, eating correctly, and even getting enough sleep.

Professional real estate sales are no different.

I spend a lot of time with the top 1% of producers, helping them grow, solving business challenges, and documenting what they do. Curious?

Here are the top six things our top 1% do consistently:

  • They do their research.
  • They’re genuinely interested in and understand others’ personality styles.
  • They’re prepared for anything, especially the objections and most frequently asked questions.
  • They leave their ego in the car.
  • They are a master of managing expectations.
  • They debrief and learn from every situation.

Research

We know from the National Association of REALTORS® that 63% of consumers find real estate professionals through a referral from a friend or a past business relationship. And 68% of consumers choose a real estate professional based on their perceived trustworthiness, experience, and reputation.

Top producers know these numbers and invest their time, energy, and effort into where the business will most likely be generated.

Genuine Interest

What I have observed from top producers to those struggling is glaring. Top producers genuinely care about the relationship, while those struggling care about making a buck.

I’ve used a unique system called B.A.N.K. to pinpoint anyone’s personality in nanoseconds. It’s fun, engaging and helps create rapport.

This high emotional intelligence approach leverages the best assessment tools, high-energy training, and cutting-edge technology to maximize results.

Leave Nothing To Chance

Top performers rehearse or role-play frequently; many do this every day! Here are some tips I picked up:

  • Make a list of every question, concern, or objection your prospect might bring up.
  • Create a list of everything that could go wrong.
  • Develop a transparent, logical, authentic, and persuasive response to every possible question, concern, and objection.
  • Think of how you can get ahead of these circumstances by using stories and anecdotes, case studies and testimonials, statistics and facts.
  • Have your information, ideas, and documentation well organized so you can reference the appropriate notes and materials at any time.

Ego

Gary Vaynerchuk put it well: “When you care more about the other person than you care about hitting your quota – when you make that shift – you go into the Jedi-ness of becoming a great salesperson.”

A professional real estate salesperson with a massive ego can easily mistake refusal for rejection. When you make this mistake, it’s all too easy to take it personally. The truth? Far more people will say no than say yes.

So, how do you deal with this?

The top 1% have learned not to internalize rejection. Top performers exert power over their emotions and know this is a critical skill to master.

Managing Expectations

As a former Chief Executive of a large organization and co-founder of a going concern, I get the problems that others have not solved. And literally, I’ve been tracking these, and guess what – they all have a common root:

Unmatched expectations!

Many things have to happen, often in a specific sequence, before a transaction closes. Do you know what these things are? Do you know where you’re at in the process with each client, prospect, and partner?

  1. Seek to understand what has come before each step
  2. Don’t assume everyone knows what will happen next
  3. Anticipate needs before others
  4. Communicate constantly and clearly
  5. Under-promise and over-deliver

Debrief

Debriefing is a structured learning process designed to evolve plans while they’re being executed continuously. It originated in the military to learn quickly in rapidly changing situations and address mistakes or changes in the field. In fact, I shared this document with my team – glad to be here – after seeing the Blue Angels do a flyover.

In business, debriefing has been widely documented as critical to accelerating projects, innovating novel approaches, and hitting challenging objectives. It also brings a team together, strengthens relationships, and fosters team learning.

Top producers have mastered this concept and execute this discipline more often than others. As such, these high-performing teams are more tight-knit than those who don’t.

The game is won or lost before stepping on the playing field. So, before you play in sales again, do your research, be genuinely interested in others, be prepared for anything, leave your ego in the car and become a master of managing expectations. Finally – just like the Blue Angels – debrief and learn from every situation.

#WinTheDay

 

Beyond the Surface: Discovering Your True “Why”

Mark Johnson 3 Comments

A few years ago, I was coaching a real estate agent who was eager to implement some new sales strategies. “I can’t wait to begin,” she exclaimed to me.

Instead of simply praising her enthusiasm, I asked a simple but powerful question: “Why is that important to you?”

Her initial answer was predictable: “To sell more homes.”

But I kept digging:

  • “Why do you want to sell more homes?” “To make more money.”
  • “Why do you want to make more money?” “To buy a larger home.”
  • “Why do you want a larger home?” “So my mother and sister can move in with me.”
  • “Why is that important?” “It’s been our dream to live together as a family.”

This conversation revealed something crucial: she didn’t really want to sell more houses. Selling more houses was simply a means to an end. What she truly desired was the experience of living with her family in a shared home. Her “why” wasn’t about sales figures; it was about family connection and fulfilling a long-held dream.

This principle applies to all areas of life, not just real estate. We often focus on surface-level goals—more sales, a promotion, a bigger paycheck—without considering the deeper motivations behind them.

Why is it important to uncover your true “why”?

  • Increased Motivation: When you connect with your core motivations, you tap into a powerful source of intrinsic drive. This makes it easier to overcome obstacles and stay committed to your goals.
  • Clearer Focus: Understanding your “why” helps you prioritize your actions and make decisions that align with your values.
  • Greater Fulfillment: Achieving surface-level goals without a strong “why” can leave you feeling empty. Connecting with your deeper motivations leads to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

How can you discover your own “why”?

Use the “5 Whys” technique, as demonstrated in the opening example. When you identify a goal, ask yourself “why” five times (or as many times as necessary) to peel back the layers and uncover the underlying motivation.

Example:

  • Goal: I want to get a promotion.
  • Why? To earn more money.
  • Why? To provide a better education for my children.
  • Why? Because I want them to have more opportunities than I did.
  • Why? Because I want to ensure they have a secure and fulfilling future.

In this example, the true “why” is about providing for the next generation and ensuring their future well-being.

What are your goals? Take a moment to ask yourself “why” and dig deeper. You might be surprised at what you discover. Uncovering your true “why” is the first step towards achieving lasting success and fulfillment. And that is how we win the day!

So what is it you REALLY want?

 

Imagine That
Imagine That

 

 

Commitment And Courage: C > F = R

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

“In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.” ~ Hank Aaron

How To Seize The Moment?
C > F = R
When your commitment is greater than your feelings, than you get the result you want.

How To Build The Courage?
C > F = R
When your courage is greater than your fear, than you get the result you want.

#WinTheDay

PS: Looking to increase your real estate team or office recruiting game? Book a demo to find out how we can 5X your ROI.

Commitment And Courage: C > F = R
Commitment And Courage: C > F = R