The Teams Report is something that we are excited about because it uncovers critical insights on how top teams structure their organizations, manage lead gen, compensate team members, and much more. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to understand the future of real estate teams.
It Includes:
The spending habits of teams and how they drive top-line growth
The untapped potential of Sphere of Influence (SOI) marketing, which remains underinvested by most teams
Why teams are optimistic about growth despite current market disruptions
Also watch our latest episode of Powering Real Estate, in which we dive deep into creating a handbook for your CRM to ensure full adoption from your team. Be sure to click the link to the free template so that you can make a copy and easily begin creating one for your business!
Emotional intelligence is crucial to success in any industry, but especially so in real estate. Emotions are running high from all sides during these types of transactions, and you are generally not experiencing people at their best as they are either trying to navigate their own large financial decisions, the emotions of their client, the agent on the other side, your own stressors…the list goes on and on.
Then, if you’re in a leadership position, you have the joy of experiencing this on an exponential basis as you work to support everyone on your team. At times, everyone sharing their emotions with you can feel overwhelming. As a former Broker-in-Charge for 200+ agents this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, as you might be able to imagine! When you work towards high emotional intelligence it helps you navigate complex relationships, handle high-pressure situations with grace, and inspire trust from those who work with you.
Emotional intelligence isn’t something that you can perfect – you’re going to have bad moods and even bad days – but working towards a higher level consistently will improve your life, professionally and personally! Here are some ways you can actively level up:
Practice Self-Awareness This is the foundation of emotional intelligence. Think about and seek to understand how you react in different situations. This will help you manage your own emotions and ensure that your responses are measured and thoughtful, not impulsive. If you struggle to do this a journal will help you recognize patterns and identify areas for growth while allowing you a private place to vent when the going gets tough.
Be a Master Empathizer Leaders who show empathy build stronger, more trusting relationships which can translate into better team performance, retention, and client satisfaction. Also, when you are actively working to empathize, it encourages those around you to as well as leading to a more emotionally intelligent workplace overall. If you’re not sure where to start, actively practice listening without interrupting or silently planning what you are going to say next. Attempt to fully understand the other person’s view before offering feedback or a solution. If you’re not sure what to say, “I understand how you feel,” really goes a long way.
Improve Your Emotional Regulation Real estate is a wild and exciting industry to do business in and, as a result, it can sometimes be hard to maintain composure. Remaining calm under pressure means you will be better equipped to make rational decisions and lead your team through difficult times. Emotional regulation means controlling your emotions in a way that prevents them from negatively affecting your decisions or relationships. Don’t read me wrong here – I am not saying do not HAVE emotions. Have all the emotions you can, just work to be aware and control how you respond TO your emotions. See what I mean?
Try this: The next time you’re faced with a stressful situation, pause, breathe, and assess from all sides before acting. My go-to here is to try to assume when someone tells me something, that I have less than half of the information. This keeps me from jumping to conclusions and being reactive because I already know that I need to seek more information before I should do or say anything. Then, I work to get the other side of the story, put together the entire puzzle, and then decide the way forward.
If you find yourself frequently being reactive, find a mindfulness technique (deep breathing, journaling, meditation, yoga… etc.) that works for you, and try to build a short daily practice to stay ahead of your impulses. It won’t happen overnight, but you will definitely see a difference if you stick with it.
Seek Feedback Even the most self-aware are still viewing themselves through their own lens. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues to gain insights on how others experience your leadership style. You can also conduct regular 360-degree feedback sessions where your team can anonymously share their thoughts. Be open to this feedback and use it as a tool for growth!
Develop Relationships and Social Awareness Make time to connect with your team. Regular check-ins and showing genuine interest in their well-being can strengthen your relationships and inspire more collaborations and growth across your organization. As you spend time with your team, make it a habit to observe non-verbal cues like body language, tone, and facial expressions. This will help you to read the room and gain insights into unspoken feelings or concerns, allowing you to address them proactively and foster an environment of transparent and respectful expression.
Emotional intelligence isn’t just a “soft skill” it is critical to creating an organization where your members can thrive and want to remain long-term. Get started with these ideas and start building your emotional muscles!
We hear about agent safety measures, but is this something that you have policies and guidance for within your organization?
If not, we’ve got you! Use our Safety Tips for Agents list as a guide to discuss ways with your agents to be more aware of their surroundings, be proactive about their safety, and arm them with exactly what to do should they find themselves in a place where they feel uncomfortable.
Above all, slow down and trust your instincts. No transaction, client request, or amount of money is worth your safety!
Are you interested in knowing what other teams use for their marketing and operational strategies? We learned of an amazing opportunity for you to find out and couldn’t wait to share it with you!
Tom Ferry and RealScout are conducting a large survey to uncover essential benchmarks for real estate teams. The research will shine a light on key operations and marketing answer considerations including:
Team Structure: How team leaders structure and compensate with staff, agents, and ISAs.
Customer Acquisition Channels/Costs: Where top teams acquire business and how much they spend on each channel.
Prospect Follow-Up: How top teams manage inbound leads, including routing and nurturing strategies.
They’re making the insights from this survey available to anyone who completes it, which is why so many organizations in real estate are sharing it with their communities.
Here’s how to participate and get your copy of the results:
If you are a team leader, use the link below to complete this survey to contribute your insights. Everyone who completes the survey will get a copy of the results!
If you are not a team leader, forward this email to yours and encourage them to participate!
Follow Up Boss has a new feature that you may have missed!
First to Claim groups now have the ability to route to ponds, making it extra easy to ensure that your leads are being worked properly and nothing is falling through the cracks!
Watch our step-by-step walkthrough of this feature below, which includes tips on what to look out for if you were previously using this feature, and then you can take your lead routing to the next level!
If you are less familiar with this and would like a deep dive on lead routing and advanced lead flows, this is the video for you!
Mark Twain said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first”. While this advice is evergreen, it’s especially important during the summer months to ensure that you are accomplishing what you need to and still have time for fun activities. Here are some things to consider as we refresh on this strategy:
🐸In the long run, this approach will help you overcome the fear of difficult tasks or stop procrastinating on them. This leads to a boost in productivity and a reduction in stress levels as you will feel more in control of your day.
🐸More challenging items require more effort, and if you leave them until the end of the day it is highly unlikely that you will be more motivated to complete them at the end of the day than the beginning. Decision fatigue is real, and knocking out your important work first will take less of a toll on you mentally throughout the day.
🐸In real estate it’s wise to leave time in your day for the almost guaranteed reactive items that come your way. If you have already completed the must-do or most challenging item, you will be in a much better mindset to tackle the whirlwind than if you are still trying to complete a project.
🐸Summer schedules, especially for those of us with school-age children, can often be challenging even though they are jam-packed with fun things. Different drop-off and pick-up times and weekly shifting schedules with camps or childcare often leave either us or people on our team feeling frazzled as a baseline. Knocking out your most challenging or important items first allows you to have more ease in the rest of the day knowing that the heavy lifting is done.
🐸Take a look at your work management system and while you are listing out everything you need to do during the day, begin to prioritize the most challenging and must-be-done-today items first. Knock those out very first thing and create a habit of doing this every day so that it carries you throughout the entire year.
🐸 More effort doesn’t always yield more results. Figuring out how to accomplish the work you need to do within working hours is important not only for your business but your mental health. Many of us believe that adding hours to our work week will help us accomplish more, but that will take a toll mentally, emotionally, and physically ultimately leading to lower production and other unwanted side effects. Rather than more hours, most of us just need a re-set to our approach to work and how we manage our time.
It was Shark Week this week on The Discovery Channel and, while there is always more to learn about the behavior and anatomy of these fascinating creatures, they also give us some examples of traits that we can emulate to help us as sales professionals. Don’t worry, I’ll try to keep the puns to a minimum.
🦈 Keep Moving Forward. Sharks need to stay in constant forward motion to breathe. If you get hung up on an unsavory encounter with a prospect or any number of challenges that happen during a real estate transaction you may also (metaphorically) be finding it hard to breathe. Overcoming challenges is the name of the game in real estate, so actively practicing ways to not get overwhelmed when the inevitable happens, will ensure that you can keep moving forward to take care of your other clients or prospect for new ones.
Ideas on how to do this: Keep a sales journal to write down what went wrong and ideas of how to prevent it moving forward. By getting it out of your brain and onto paper, you won’t weigh yourself down by holding onto that negative encounter. Practice mindfulness and establish a strong life and work balance. If you’re not teetering on the edge all the time, you won’t be so reactive as a baseline when things don’t go your way.
🦈 Know Your Role. Sharks are apex predators and are very comfortable with their position on the food chain. As a successful sales professional, you are in the apex position of your market. Figure out where your time and energy are best spent for maximum results and then use tools, the power of your team, and outsourcing to accomplish the other items. By trying to do everything, you may dilute your best strengths. Knowing your role within your organization or community will help you dig deeper on what you do best and allow others to do what they do best.
🦈 Sharks AREN’T Mindless Killers. Shark Week illustrates that there is a lot more to sharks than their earlier reputation of being just mindless biting killing machines. Sharks are curious creatures, but they aren’t just biting everything in the sea. In your prospecting and relationships exercise your curiosity about the other person, their experience, and what they want to accomplish. Avoid being the mindless “killing” machine just trying your sales pitch on anyone who will listen and dig deeper to establish a relationship where you can be the one to help them with their real estate transactions for life.
🦈 Don’t Let Fear Stop You. Yes, there are sharks in the ocean and yes, there is a very VERY slim chance that you could meet one while you’re swimming. But you shouldn’t let that small chance stop you from enjoying a day at the beach. Don’t let fear stop you from trying that new tool or prospecting strategy! Being bold will help you keep your place as the apex salesperson in your market!
🦈 Stay Sharp. Sharks have between 5-15 rows of teeth, depending on the species. This means as one tooth becomes dull or falls out, there are many more ready to slide into its place allowing the shark to always have a mouth full of tools to get its job done. You can stay sharp in your profession by carving out time to learn about new tools and strategies that are being used successfully by others in the industry. Read books, listen to podcasts, mastermind with others outside your market, take classes, and attend conferences. Continuous learning will help you to stay sharp!
The June 1 mark has passed and you are likely seeing changes within your inbox with how emails are delivered and facing some challenges with your attempts to reach your audience. Never fear, Dear Reader! We have the tools and strategies to help you stay informed and confident in this new territory and keep your computer out of the dumpster. Use the links and strategies below to learn more about what is going on and how to combat those ever-evolving spam filters from blocking your valuable information from reaching its destination.
Re-authenticate your custom domain. Yes, even if you’ve already done this! Small shifts have happened since the February calls to authenticate your custom domain and it may have altered the authentication without your knowledge. Pop back in and make sure that this is done properly, and our friends at Follow Up Boss have updated the process to make it even easier for you to do!
Make sure you are considering all strategies available to you to fight spam blockers. This includes reviewing your content for keywords that may be flagged and regularly reviewing your numbers to make small tweaks that improve your credibility scores. You can consult our guide here!
Segment your database to ensure that you are only sending messages to the right audience. This means to separate your contacts using stages, tags, custom fields, and Smart Lists so that you can better understand who is receiving your content and for what reason. We teamed up with Follow Up Boss to teach you how to do this during this video.
Search and learn about implementing email authentication protocols like Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) which add an extra layer of security to your emails.
Check your business registration within Follow Up Boss. Ensure all your information is up to date and you have a physical address listed. If that is missing it will also affect your deliverability rates. Use this link to learn more about this feature within FUB.
Staying ahead of the competition requires innovation and adaptation. While traditional marketing strategies like flyers, open houses, and networking events still hold value, the digital age demands more dynamic approaches. One is podcasting, and there are a surprising number of benefits to this creative marketing.
🎙️Podcasting has seen a meteoric rise in popularity over the past decade. According to Edison Research and Triton Digital’s Infinite Dial 2023 report, over 60% of the U.S. population (approximately 212 million people) have listened to a podcast at least once. Moreover, 41% (approximately 144 million people) listen to podcasts monthly, and 28% (around 98 million people) are weekly podcast listeners.
🎙️ One of the key benefits of starting a podcast is the opportunity to establish yourself as an authority in the industry. By sharing insights, market trends, and expert advice, you position yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy professional. This can significantly enhance your reputation and make you the go-to expert for clients seeking reliable information and guidance.
🎙️ Podcasts allow for deep dives into topics that are important to your audience. Whether it’s discussing the intricacies of buying a first home, the latest market trends, or investment strategies, you can provide valuable content that educates and informs. This not only helps build trust but also keeps your audience coming back for more.
🎙️ Unlike written content, podcasts offer a unique opportunity to create a personal connection with your audience. The human voice conveys emotion and personality in ways that text alone cannot. This personal connection is crucial. Buying or selling a home is a significant decision, and clients want to work with someone they feel comfortable with and can trust. A podcast can humanize your brand, allowing potential clients to get to know you on a more personal level before they even meet you.
🎙️ Podcasts are easily accessible and can be consumed on the go, whether listeners are commuting, working out, or relaxing at home. This convenience factor means your content can reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. Additionally, podcasts can be distributed across multiple platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your own website, maximizing your reach and visibility.
🎙️ Podcast episodes can be repurposed into other content forms such as blog posts, social media snippets, and email newsletters. This not only saves time but also ensures a consistent message across all your marketing channels.
🎙️ Podcasts can be a powerful lead-generation tool. By consistently providing valuable content, you can attract potential clients who are interested in your expertise. Incorporate calls to action within your episodes, such as inviting listeners to visit your website, sign up for a newsletter, or contact you for more information. This can drive traffic to your digital platforms and convert listeners into leads.
🎙️ Podcasts can open doors to new business opportunities. Interviewing industry experts, local business owners, or satisfied clients can create networking opportunities and partnerships that can further enhance your business.
From client meetings and property tours to strategy sessions and team management, leading in the real estate industry requires you to wear a lot of hats and use a lot of energy each and every day. The instinct might be to cram every minute of your calendar with activities, believing that a fuller schedule equates to higher productivity. But what if I told you that scheduling less could make you more productive?
Consider the concept of “time blocking” – while it’s effective to a point, overusing it can lead to burnout and reduced efficiency. The key is not just to manage time but to manage energy and focus. By reducing the number of scheduled tasks, you allow yourself more mental space to tackle unexpected issues and capitalize on new opportunities.
Research shows that our brains need downtime to function optimally. Studies have found that periods of rest are crucial for memory consolidation and creative thinking. For real estate leaders, creativity is essential, whether it’s in negotiating deals, designing marketing strategies, or solving complex client problems.
By scheduling less and allowing for breaks, you give your brain the necessary space to process information and generate innovative ideas. This “mental whitespace” can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
In real estate, the quality of interactions often trumps quantity. Instead of trying to meet with as many clients as possible in a day, focus on deepening relationships with a few key clients. This approach builds stronger, more meaningful connections, but also leads to higher client satisfaction and loyalty.
When you schedule fewer, more intentional meetings, you’re able to prepare thoroughly and engage more effectively. This leads to more productive conversations and better outcomes for your business.
When you’re constantly moving from one meeting to the next, it’s challenging to maintain focus and productivity. Multitasking can lead to errors and omissions, which are costly in real estate. By scheduling less, you reduce the need to multitask and can dedicate your full attention to each task at hand.
Consider adopting the “80/20 rule,” or Pareto Principle, which suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of activities. Identify the tasks and meetings that truly drive your business forward and prioritize them. Eliminate or delegate non-essential activities to free up your schedule and enhance your productivity.
Working long hours and sacrificing personal time for professional obligations is an unfortunate habit many of us have fallen into in an effort to build our businesses and show our potential clients what great service we can provide. However, a well-balanced life is crucial for sustained productivity and well-being. By scheduling less, you create more opportunities for personal activities and self-care, which in turn improves your overall performance.
Remember that your health and happiness directly impact your effectiveness as a leader. Taking time for yourself can lead to increased motivation, better work-life balance, and a more positive outlook.
When you’re ready to start scheduling less and boosting your productivity, here’s how you start:
Evaluate Your Current Schedule: Review your calendar and identify non-essential meetings and tasks that can be eliminated or delegated.
Prioritize High-Impact Activities: Focus on the tasks that contribute most to your business goals. Schedule fewer, but more significant, activities.
Incorporate Buffer Time: Allow for buffer periods between meetings to handle unexpected issues and recharge.
Schedule Downtime: Intentionally block out time for rest, reflection, and personal activities.
Embrace Flexibility: Be open to adjusting your schedule as needed to accommodate new opportunities and challenges.
Scheduling less isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing more of what truly matters. By focusing on high-impact activities, allowing for downtime, and maintaining a balanced life, you can enhance your productivity and effectiveness as a leader in real estate. Embrace the power of less, and watch your success grow.
