Real Estate Articles
Top Producers Share Tips for Success
Left to right are Lucy Wedemeyer, Mary Pope-Handy, George Montanari and Jerry Houston.
Wednesday's Los Gatos/Saratoga District tour meeting featured a Top Producer Panel with Mary Pope-Handy (Sereno Group), Jerry Houston (Coldwell Banker), Lucy Wedemeyer (Sereno Group), George Montanari (Alain Pinel Realtors). Introduced by Alain Pinel Realtors broker/manager Carol Burnett, each panelist spoke on a different topic and offered tips to help REALTORS® succeed.
Mary Pope-Handy spoke on achieving success through blogging and social media. She noted a good blog is the best backbone of social media, but a Web site can be tailored to work with it too. Like blogging, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Trulia, Flickr allow you to connect and interact with people. In these sites you can comment and share your personal side.
"These sites allow people to get to know you, like you, trust you," Pope-Handy said.
Pope-Handy also suggested customizing your Web site to your niche and, like farming, consistency matters. She believes social media marketing and blogging are better than postcards "because whatever you do, it will be there for a long time."
Jerry Houston gave tips on how to get and keep your clients. He described himself as a "social farmer," who likes to meet people at open houses and social events. He said at parties and other gatherings, he does not intentionally look for business, but seeks friendships.
"Just be yourself (at these gatherings)," he advised.
According to Houston, an agent's best sources for referrals are old clients. Make lasting friendships by continuing to be in their life, their family. "You first have to establish friendship. Integrity and knowledge are important and will show you can handle a transaction well. Your clients will come back," Houston said.
Instead of ads, Houston spends money on gift certificates to clients and entertaining them. Whatever you do, Houston said it's important to stay in their lives. "Don't hit and run after completing a transaction," he said.
"Always remember to be positive," he added. "The positive works; the negative doesn't."
Lucy Wedemeyer spoke on the value of staging because it's important for the prospective buyer to have a good first impression of the home as soon as he or she opens the front door. A house need not be perfect, but de-cluttering helps a lot, and a good first impression positively impacts a client's perspective of the home, she said.
George Montanari said he runs his business like a business. Just like successful companies such as Cisco and Apple, a business needs to grow. "You need to grow your business or you die. The competition will eat you up… You need to adapt, learn, change," he stressed.
Montanari said he does not see himself as an "employee" of Alain Pinel Realtors. "I rent space from Alain Pinel Realtors, but it's my store; it's my business," he said.
Montanari also stressed the personal aspect in relationships with clients. He indicated he is constantly in touch with clients, including via e-mail, and even holds a happy hour just for them. Like Houston, Montanari said spending money on his clients is well worth the money.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.