Your IPOD is Video

To say that the video explosion is coming to the internet is like saying that cars will replace horses as the main means of transportation. It's already happened. 72 hours of youtube video is uploaded every minute, 4 billion videos everyday. Four billion hours of video are viewed each month. And get this; in 2011 there were one trillion youtube views OR 140 for every person on the planet.

In the real estate business, the video possibilities are endless. The problem (or opportunity) is that very few agents have any idea of how to best utilize this fantastic tool. So THIS, the whole video thing can be your ticket to an IPOD (an Individual Point Of Difference)

First, however, let's make the case for WHY. Why should you invest time, energy and money in the video realm of today's techno world? I think there are several compelling reasons: 1) To help others. Countless people are looking for information and video is becoming the venue of choice to meet their wants and needs. 2) Sharing experiences. Real estate professionals have a deep reservoir of experiences that are relevant to people today. Sharing helps people understand the world around them through the eyes of expertise, gather what they need to make decisions and it brings people closer. 3) Offer insight. Again, because agents sharing about any real estate condition is valuable, their insight is valuable as well. And 4) people watch video!

Still with me? Let's go to step two: how. Begin by opening a youtube account. Youtube is the most utilized video site on the internet and second most used search engine (and is owned by Google). It makes sense to be where the people are. Go to http://www.youtube.com to sign up. Once a member, watch a video tutorial explaining how the site works, how to upload, establishing a channel, and tips to a better video production.

Then.... begin creating compelling, relevant content. The standard real estate video practice, which isn't standard at all because so few indulge, at this point is to shoot a tour of a listing. That's an awesome idea, however, let's not limit ourselves to the obvious. Beyond the home tour, is a world of opportunity at your fingertips (or your camera lens). Here are five key areas where you could not only help consumers, but maybe, just maybe, obtain some business from your efforts.

1) The Market. Creating an informative video about your local (or the national) market is a great way to share your knowledge and position yourself as the market expert. Give facts (statistics). Share stats like the average sales price, Days On Market, the amount of inventory, and other valuable numbers. Remember that whatever numbers you deliver must have a perspective. Compare to a year ago, the last quarter, something!!! Comparison gives the statistic power when the viewer knows the number and then can see the trends (by you comparing it to another timeframe). Also, do not forget to INTERPRET your market. The numbers are well and good, but your take on what they mean is even more valuable and will help you gain the label, "market expert."  Julie Paez of Remax Property Pros shoots a quarterly video explaining her local market. You can view it at http://www.eagleriverhomefinder.com. Remember, If Julie or anyone waits for their video to be "perfect," it will never be published. Just do it!

2) Neighborhoods. Consumers love maps, they love seeing what's around a town, city or neighborhood. So....... show them. Giving a potential buyer (or seller) a unique look at a neighborhood can make an important contribution to you being seen as the "neighborhood expert." A good neighborhood video will explain where the neighborhood is (on a map preferably), what's nearby (x miles to the airport, shopping, parks, whatever...), and maybe some history. An overview of the market explaining the range of property values is helpful. You might even share some of your favorite places; restaurants, stores, recreational locales and the like. The king of neighborhood video is Brian Copeland. You can find his videos at http://www.nashvilleandbeyond.com.

3) Information for Sellers. To me, this and the next suggestion, Information for Buyers, are the key to your ascendance in the world of agent video. Many consumers are seeking real estate information. In fact, the National Association of Realtors tells us that obtaining information only ranks behind searching for property as consumer's most frequent uses of the internet. Any bits of information you might share with a consumer in a blog, a packet or verbally, is fair game for a video. Some ideas are:

• Pricing your home 
• Fix up investments with solid return
• Creating competition for your home
• Your home: product or commodity?
• What's the deal with Zillow?

4) Information for buyers. As above..... Some ideas are:

• The homebuying process
• Competing in a multi-offer market
• Buying a vacation home
• Working with a new construction property
• What to know in a changing market

and of course.....

5) The House Tour. A tour of a property is a very valuable tool, especially if I am home searching at 3 am in my PJs. While a wide array of styles and techniques can be examined online, I think the perfect house tour has four parts: The Opening, Features, Favorite thing and Call to action.

The opening is you, in front of the camera, introducing the house. Be excited, give the address, be welcoming. Describe and show up to five features. Pick wisely. As you'll learn in part two of this offering, a great video is no more than 2 minutes (3, absolute tops!), so not too much. Then proceed to your (or your seller's) favoriteplace in the home and create a little emotion, if possible. An articulate, controllable seller might be able to stand in front of the camera during this section (use that suggestion wisely...). Finally call people to action. Get back in front of the camera and say something like, "Thanks for checking out 123 Elm Street. If you like what you see, call or send an email to....."

The IPOD, here, is ready for you to catapult yourself in (and out) of your market. How cool would it be to have someone Google something like "Buying in a Multiple Offer Market," and find your video on buying in a multiple offer market? Answer: it would be very cool!

Consider video! If you have any questions or concerns, drop me a note at richteaches@gmail.com.

Until the next time...

Rich Sands

Rich Sands Seminars
richteaches@gmail.com
www.richsandsseminars.com

Seven iPad Listing Presentation Tips

One of the primary activities Realtors get paid to perform is present. And one of the challenges of any piece of technology is actually going out and using it in the real world. As a lover of presentations AND my iPad, let's see if we can't put this together somehow and make iPad presentations simple and practical.

While there would be a plethora of tips and tricks, whats and hows, I'd like to make it easy. Whether you are creating your first presentation or moving from your laptop (or flipchart) with your "old" one, these seven tips should help get you on the right track.

1. Understand that seating is very limited. What I mean by that is that as wonderful as your iPad is, it can only be seen by a small number of potential sellers or buyers (unless you pack a bunch of them into the community center and use a projector). The smaller screen makes it imperative that your slides are VISUAL (yes, caps mean I am yelling at you).

Good presentation slides should be visual anyway, especially when your device would make it nearly impossible to view a slide full of words. The other side of this is that because most people are oriented towards being visual learners, you have killed two birds with one stone by going visual. As Dr. John  Medina said in his book Brain Rules, "Vision trumps all senses."

2. Know Your Stuff. By utilizing a visual approach to slide creation and delivery, we minimize the number of words on a slide. This makes it impossible to cheat (unless you use presenter notes and that is another story). The bottom line, however, is that you absolutely must know your subject matter; inside-out, upside-down, right-left, and every other way possible. You won't be able to rely on reading slides. Not only is your knowledge of your "stuff" essential, but it is also equally important that your are aware of all of your stuff. You must know everything you have to offer a potential seller in terms of marketing, pricing, transaction and lead management, communication, systems and resources.

3. Begin with familiarity. My iPad is a beautiful piece of technology. I prefer, however, to do most of my presentation creation on my desktop computer. It's easier for me, almost second nature, and I have all of the options available in the presentation program/application I use. I need to be able to create and/or edit on the run as well, but when given the choice, I'd rather get my hands dirty on the big machine to start.

4. Choose your weapon carefully. There are a multitude of programs and applications for presentations. While I like many of them, I limit myself to just a few. Keynote and your iPad are both Apple products and as a result, they work seamlessly together. If you are a Keynote lover, you're all set and can stop right here. 

If, however, you are a PowerPoint fan, you will be ever so slightly challenged by the iPad's inability to play well with the actual PPT program (or the other way around if you wish to look at it that way). My favorite app for creating or downloading my PowerPoints is Quick Office Pro. There are other applications that may be equally great (people like Prezi, Slide Shark and others), but for me, I like QOP. For quick, simple presentations on the go, I also love Haiku Deck.

5. Create a great slide. A great slide should do five things. It should 1) be simple to understand, 2) make a point (or visually anchor the point you're making), 3) capture attention, 4) invite interaction and 5) cue you on what you are presenting. Remember, YOU are what you are really presenting. Your slides should visually reinforce the points you make.

6. Go remote. Often in your presentation, it will be easier, and more effective, if you are able to place your iPad in front of your potential sellers while you operate your slides remotely. There are a great many possibilities that will make this happen. Most require a common WiFi connection or Bluetooth. Two of the more popular device combinations for your mobile presentation would be to run the presentation from your laptop to your iPad or from your phone to your iPad. Some great applications can help. I like Splashtop Streamer, Presentation Remote, Apple Airplay, and 2Screens Presentation Expert.

7. Deliver the goods. Last but not least, no matter how fancy or techie your presentation may be, without you being able to deliver it to your consumer in a knowledgeable, focused, customized way, it's all for naught. Your ability to discover their wants, needs and expectations and deliver a presentation based on those, will be the biggest key to your success.

Hopefully, these tips will help you get started on taking your presentation mobile. Keep in mind that sellers aren't the only ones who would benefit from a great presentation. Your buyers will too.

Some other resources for your presentation can be found at the following links:

http://richyacks.blogspot.com/2012/04/hey-this-stuff-actually-works.html

http://richyacks.blogspot.com/2011/08/death-by-powerpoint.html

http://www.presentationzen.com 

http://richyacks.blogspot.com/2012/11/go-visual-with-haiku-deck.html

Keep It Simple Salesperson

The nicest of compliments...and a lesson to K.I.S.S.

So, we're in the morning of day two of CRS 201, Listing Strategies for the Residential Specialist, in Iowa City, Iowa last week and we take a break.

An agent in the class, Bernie Kennedy, says, "I've been in the business over 25 years. Why hasn't anyone else taught me this stuff? Why haven't I heard this anywhere else?"

"Do you really want to know why?" I said. "It's too easy, too simple. It's too practical."

The next day, I received this email from Bernie: "You are a special  teacher with new, fresh ideas.  As I told you, I learned information in your class that I have never learned from any other classes that I have taken in the last 25 years that I have been in this business.  And to think that there are Simple easy steps to your process. You helped  change my way of approaching Sellers to assist them.  I look forward to implementing your systems into my business. You are a fantastic teacher and you touched all 26 of us all with your humor and fresh ideas."

What Bernie discovered is a practical, simple, consumer oriented approach to the real estate business.

This isn't rocket science. It's about helping people by listening to them, trying to understand them and serving them in a way that works for THEM. I'd love to think that this is a fresh, new idea. It is not.

The next day, another Iowa agent, Traci Davis wrote, "What a wonderful CRS 201 Listing Strategies Class!! I am so excited to revamp my business with the make sense, easy to implement systems for success that you shared with us in such a dynamic and fun way!!"

I couldn't ask for two higher compliments as my mission is to deliver proven, practical, simple skills and practices that enable agents the ability to connect with their buyers and sellers and therefore, their businesses, in a way that works.

But this isn't about me, the real focus is you. What are you doing to keep your business simple? How are you able to balance life and work without the work part getting out of hand? Are your systems aimed at running a smart, practical business? Do you have systems in place?

Real estate is a people business, a relationship business. Honing our people skills and learning how to apply them to everyone from the initial contract to the closing table (and beyond) in a systematic, practical way is the key to success and reaching a higher level of achievement, prosperity and balance.

In my mind, the answers to most of our problems, in business and life, is that we let it get too complicated. We lose track of our core values and beliefs that drive us in the first place; those same values that should be the cornerstone of how we run our business. It needs to be easy - simple. It needs to be practical.

Sit down one of these days and examine what you do and how you do it and see if it matches WHY you do it. That's the first step. Then look at your approach to every facet of your biz (and maybe the rest of life) and see where you can simplify.

Easy, simple……practical.

Rich

Talkin' Bout My Generation

Generational differences are important sales factors

Yesterday afternoon, I was engaged in deep conversation with a Realtor Association executive considering the merits of a course on the generations and their buying and selling tendencies. The never to be named exec believed the topic to be boring and not exactly "up with the times."

What could be more relevant, I maintained, than a course designed to help salespeople deal with people? At a time when the age span of active buyers and sellers in this country is at its widest, what could be more needed? I suggested the REBAC (Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council) course, GenerationBuy.

The course is based on the following concept: No two buyers are ever the same - regardless of generation. But, to arrive at individual needs and wants, it is beneficial to become familiar with groups and preferences. Generational groupings provide a unique framework from which to start.

Each of the four main home buying generations Millennials (Gen Y), Generation X, Baby Boomers and Matures are discussed in detail along with a myriad of skills, techniques and strategies usable by any agent with pretty much any person. Throughout the course, one concept kept popping up: comfort, making people comfortable.

In his book What Clients Love, Harry Beckwith asserts that in the end, what people really want, more than anything is to be comfortable. As a real estate agent, you comfort me with your knowledge, your service plan, your communication skills, your passion (yes, your passion) and your expertise (among other things). You also (and maybe this is the biggiest of the biggies) comfort me by treating me special because of who I am, where I've been, and where I am in my life today. This is where some generational expertise is of value.

A person in their twenties (over 60% of all first time buyers last year) is a very different animal than someone in their late thirties, mid forties or late fifties. Each must be treated as a unique individual in the sales process. They have different wants, needs and preferences when it comes to what they are seeking in a home purchase. More than that, however, they have differing ideas about what they perceive as value, how they'd like to be guided and educated and how they see the role of their Realtor. Without some guiding knowledge from which to leap, the agent may find themselves leaping off the cliff of ignorance into the canyon of discomfort and, in the end, clientlessness.

There are cookie cutter salespeople everywhere. Most don't do so well. While this course paints from a pretty wide brush, I can't help but to believe that learning some general concepts, techniques and strategies for working with the generations can't help but aid an agent in customizing their approach to each client. And as I said earlier, this course is a good place to start.

Did I make the sale? We'll see. Much like during the election, nothing was decided as a result of the debate. 

Music, Music, Music?

Maybe my senses cry out for solitude more after a trip to Las Vegas. Maybe I notice it when I'm in the silence of my home office. Maybe it's following me around and your experience is different. To what am I referring? Music.

Is it just me, or has the world been set to music? It's in every store everywhere. It's in the airport, the elevator, the restaurant, and yes, there is music in the restroom. Most television shows, especially the dramas, have a musical background/white noise thing going on. Without a doubt, I could walk into a room blindfolded and tell you that Law and Order SVU is on just from hearing the music (that repetitious, impending drama piece).

Don't get me wrong, I love music. I grew up with Elvis, Mozart, John, Paul, Ringo and George. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical, are all in my repertoire of musical tastes. I've even been known to hum a Broadway musical on occasion (Carousel is my favorite). I played in the marching band, the symphony orchestra and a small rockish band. I studied at the National Music Camp in Interlochen. But, with the exception of things like, oxygen for example, isn't there a time and place for everything?

As an old school runner, I never really got into the whole listen-to-music-while-you-run thing. I feel fortunate. My running is my solitude, my creative time and space. But how soon before The National Association For Pumping Music Everywhere (yes, that's the NAFPME) installs speakers on the trail? 

Is it Verizon? Please enjoy the music while your life is being lead. Are the Beatles sending me subliminal messages? I buried Paul. Is there some governmental directive to infiltrate my mind with tunes? One for you, nineteen for me.

Whatever or whomever it is, more than the hills are alive, with the Sound of Music. It is the real reason for noise canceling headphones.

Peace. Please....... Peace.

Better Than Sex?

The Campaign for Learning in the U.K. recently compiled research on an age-old topic: learning. Basically, the article was focused on sharing some statistics in order to get people to see the UP-side of learning. Some of the information they shared was:

• 95% of people think that learning about new things boosts your confidence. (National Adult Learning Survey, DfEE, 1998)  I am guessing that every one of us could use a little confidence. This confidence/learning thing is a tremendous, looping phenomenon. What I mean by that is that the more you learn, the more confident you become. As you become more confident, you want to learn even more and so on and so on, in a wonderful upward spiral to a better life.

• 92% of people think that learning about new things is enjoyable. (National Adult Learning Survey, DfEE, 1998)  To me, the key to enjoyment in learning is twofold: interest and relevance. It is increasingly more effective and therefore more enjoyable to learn things that are of interest to us and relevant to some facet of our lives. Amazingly, science has shown us that we also learn more easily that which we find interesting and relevant. A double bonus. And what could be more interesting AND relevant than education centering on our chosen path.

• Seven in ten adults (71%) think that learning can lead to a better quality of life. (Attitudes to Learning, Campaign for Learning/MORI, 1996)  Want job security? Want more income? Get smarter. Whether we like it or not, knowledge is a key, if not THE key to getting hired, advancing and excelling. Learning also broadens our horizons and allows a wider perspective and enjoyment of life.

• Learning brings more happiness than having sex, playing or watching sport or doing the National Lottery. (Finding Happiness, Gallup/North Yorkshire TEC, 1997)  I'm not sure who answered this survey. That's all I will say....

• 93% of us believe that it's never too late to learn.  One of the worst sayings EVER was "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Learning may not be as easy at 40 or 60 or 80 as it was at 20, it may not happen as quickly, but it happens. Your brain changes whenever learning (and doing) occurs. Brain researcher, Dr. John Medina says in his book Brain Rules, "what you do and learn in life physically changes what your brain looks like - it literally rewires it." There is no age limit on this.

• 72% of us think we should devote more time to personal development  As we learn, we get better, we grow. Personal growth is the foundation of leading a better life. A Chinese proverb says, "Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still."  Herbert Otto said, "Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life." 

The moral? Take a class, read a book, share with others. Learn something today. And tomorrow and the next day and the next. Get better at two of the most important things we do: knowing and doing. And watch your life get better.

What Are Your Basics?

Yesterday, I ran an easy 12 miles with my step son-in-law (is that a real thing?), Brian. It was his first double digit run and actually his first longer than eight miles. His job was to run. My job was to make sure he made it and did so comfortably enough to be chomping at the bit for the next one. I'll cut you to the chase, he made it.

It's an interesting exercise when you spend a considerable amount of time paying attention to another person's experience, watching over their rhythm, monitoring their breathing. After eight metronome-like miles at what felt like a very easy pace, I began, out of the blue, to notice my own discomfort. My heart rate was elevated, the uphills became more than just a minor inconvenience. In that ninth mile, it dawned on me that, after a 65 mile week with three strength sessions and a tempo run, I was tired. 

As with any experience in work or life, there are three possible scenarios that exist at that point when one realizes that things aren't going so well: 1) We can continue going through the motions and simply hang on till the end, 2) we can fold up the tent and call it a day, or 3) we can get out of your comfort zone and try something daring and yet familiar at the same time. I chose number three. The daring part, pick up the pace. The familiar part, go back to basics to do it. 

There are three basics at the very core of running: feet on ground (biomechanics), breathing and overall relaxation (physical AND mental). Choosing a nice downhill, I turned my head and said, "doing okay?" Upon receiving an affirmative answer, I mentally left Brian and began focusing on the other guy on the run, me. The pace increase was slight. I lasered my consciousness on running efficiently and relaxed and went into what I call monitor mode: feet landing well and pushing off easily? Check! Hands and face relaxed? Check. Breathing under control? Check! Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Amazingly, although not really, the change was nearly immediate. We knocked off a quicker mile and I felt fantastic! The eleventh mile was even faster and considerably under our early pace and despite the big hill in mile twelve, that one was quick too. Somehow I had turned lemons into lemonade and what could have been a rough finish into a fabulous run. Back to basics, as per usual, had worked.

When faced with a difficult task, rely on what you know. Draw strength from your basics. It's the ninth inning in the movie For Love of the Game, when Billy Chapel (aka, Kevin Costner) discovers that he has nothing left and his quest for the perfect game may be over. He lets out a deep breath, closes his eyes and says, "Okay, three more. Like I've done a million times."

I rallied on the run. Billy pitched the perfect game. 

We all have it in us to reach back and rely on our basics to achieve when troubles arrive. Maybe it's customer service or product knowledge. Maybe it's simply relying on knowing that we can finish what we started because we have so many times before. Whatever our basics might be, they are the key to turning it all around. They are the key to high achievement.

Marcus Garvey said "If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life." The basics breed confidence. Confidence rules!

What are your basics?