5 Takeaways from the “Get A Real Estate Life” Mastermind 2015
Last week I attended Mastermind 2015 sponsored by real estate coach Genny Williams and “Get A Real Estate Life“. This event has continually grown and is becoming one of the must attend events every year. While primarily geared towards real estate agents and mortgage lenders it provides valuable content for other real estate professionals as well.
I had such a good time this year I thought I would share 5 takeaways from the “Get A Real Estate Life” Mastermind 2015 and encourage others to attend next year as well as participate in other programs Genny puts on throughout the year.
Network with like-minded individuals
I don’t know about you but I work by myself. This can be challenging at times because you don’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of or get their opinion about various matters. I think it is important to network with others in the real estate field so that we can see things from various points of view.
Real estate agents and mortgage lenders can provide valuable insight on various matters affecting our industry. One thing that recently occurred was the implementation of TRID which affects all those in the real estate field and it’s interesting to hear other’s perspective.
The last thing I’d like to say is that I believe it benefits everyone when we all get to know one another, and this makes it easier to pick up the phone and ask a question. For too long we’ve walled ourselves off, which has sent out the wrong message. Appraisers can talk to other real estate professionals and they can talk to us to discuss issues as long as it’s not about value.
Stay on top of current business trends
Business is constantly changing and its good practice to keep up to date on what’s going on. The session on going mobile with your business was very informative. Marcus Hunt, with South Oak Title & Closing Services, presented useful information for those seeking to make their business more mobile.
Using tablets or laptops in the field for client presentations is becoming more mainstream in today’s market. Marcus reviewed the various software and hardware choices available for both Apple and PC products. He also covered many of the apps available to make going mobile easier such as those to help with scanning, map routing, and property searches.
Provide value
This is one take away that I am very familiar with. Ever since I started my blog in 2010 I have strived to provide value to those who read it. Today’s business environment is not like what it was years ago, when one of the main acronyms of A.B.C. (Always Be Closing) was so popular. Now it’s about providing as much value as possible to your customer. Making contact and creating a relationship is what it is all about. Some buyers (or users of your services) may not be ready to make a move when you meet but keeping in contact with them, providing helpful information, and being there when they need your service, is more in line with what today’s buyers and consumers expect.
Branding yourself with how you want to be known
If we are to be taken as a true professional we must brand ourselves as such. Many things go into branding, including: professional business cards, how we communicate to potential clients by phone, email, or the most important, in person.
We must meet our customers where they are, and in today’s business environment that is increasingly being done through social media and video. Since consumers are exposed to social networks and video so much we must be comfortable communicating through these channels about what we do and how we can benefit those needing our services.
Be sincere
This is no brainer, right? Even though it is, we still need to be reminded on occasion that to be of the most value to those we want to do business with we must treat them in the same way we would like to be treated, and that starts with being sincere.
Only by getting to know our customers and finding out what their wants and desires are can we genuinely help them. I think most people can tell if we are sincere, and they’ll see through us if we’re not.
Conclusion
If you’ve never attended one of Genny Williams Mastermind events I highly recommend it. Even though Mastermind 2015 is over you can still benefit from this type of information by attending her other smaller events throughout the year. I’d like to thank Tiffany Roach for allowing me to share some pictures she took of the event.
Question
Have you ever attended a similar Mastermind type of event? I’d like to hear about your experience so let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Thanks for reading.
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I like the providing value point. In my business, we don’t just deliver a value and say thank you for your business. Since our appraisal work is non-lender, we deliver the value and provide prospective on it. Maybe on a pre-listing appraisal we would say here is our opinion of the value range now, but based on what is happening in the market now, I would list the property in this range and I recommend making these small repairs first.
I agree Gary. The things you mention go a long way with the customer and helps in getting referrals from past clients. While we cannot negotiate on our opinion of value we can provide great customer service.
Sounds like a great event. I appreciate the tip on being sincere. People can smell an agenda from miles away, so it’s nice when someone is authentic and treats people very well. As a small example, just the other day someone requested friendship with me on Facebook, and the person’s banner on his personal profile talked about his business in a way that just made me think I would be marketed to if I accepted the friendship request. In short, I didn’t pick up a good vibe, so I didn’t accept the request. Maybe that’s off-topic, but that’s my response. 🙂
Thanks Ryan, you make some very good points. It’s a fine line to walk between being too salesy and starting a friendship online but hopefully we can balance it just right.