“Title Fame Whores War”

30 Day Real Estate Business Challenge

*DISCLOSURE*

You must promise to not judge me for the following: Brutal honesty, Poor grammar, Possible jabs towards incompetent Real Estate Agents who should stick to their day jobs, or my pathetic jokes that I only find humorous.

Kapeesh?

Question 1-30:  What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the real estate industry in the last two years?

I think the biggest change that I have seen in the real estate industry within the past two years would have to be the industry’s sudden shift from focusing on creating a successful real estate business, to focusing on what I like to refer to as the “Title Fame Whores War” (*Disclosure* “Title Fame Whores War” is just some random phrase I made up. None of you would actually be willing to whore your way to the top of the Google charts)

Am I the only one whose  inbox is flooded daily with From: “_____ _____ Expert” Insert two trending #hashtags into the blanks (“Social Media Expert”, “Short Sale Expert”, “Video Blogging Expert”, “Webinar Listing Expert”, “Hamburger Helper Expert” (Kidding about the Hamburger Helper Expert, I have already trademarked that one)

Don’t get me wrong, I love that the real estate industry is finally embracing technology. I just have an issue with all of the flippin’ TITLES! Helping people buy a home is not a battle of who can fit the most crap on a card! How many damn designations do you need?! ABCDE-YOUR-CLIENT-DOESN’T-GIVE-A-F! How about actually calling back that Short Sale Seller who is overly worried about their home and just wants a simple answer from you to help them sleep at night! The compassion in real estate seems to have disappeared.

Attending all of those free classes is not going to make you more successful or an expert. I have never in my life witnessed so many people spend so much time obtaining knowledge and using none of it. The  real estate industry needs to get back to the basics and start helping people buy and sell houses and for God’s Sake ANSWER YOUR FREAKING PHONES AND RETURN PHONE CALLS! Decide if you want to make real estate your career or if you want to become a Title Fame Whore!

Anyone who is in my inner circle whether past or present shares the same compassion for our clients that I do. I will never label myself an “Expert” because I believe that means you have stopped learning. I refuse to ever stop learning and growing. Welp, that is my random first 30 day rant of the day. I have no idea why that topic came to mind, but might as well roll with it.

30 Day Real Estate Business Challenge

With the new year right around the corner there is NO excuse not to spend the next 30 days creating your game plan for 2012. It is going to be one helluva great year! I am so stoked that I have been given the opportunity to consult with several AMAZING Real Estate Brokerages. I am surrounded by some of the most talented people I have ever worked with.

Here is a great article written by Michael McClure from Next Inman. I was blown away that he came up with a 30 day challenge for agents.

These key items are topics that I consult with in depth when I meet with a client who truly wants to build their business.  Let me know if you have any questions, or if you would like me to go over your answers after completing the challenge to create a strategic game plan.

30 Day Real Estate Business Challenge

1. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the real estate industry in the last two years?

2. How have you changed your strategy to adapt to your response to the prior question?

3. Is your income trending up or down? What are the reasons you think it is trending the way that it is?

4. Studies show that, more and more, buyers are finding the home they end up buying online on their own. How are you changing your approach with buyers – how you find them, how you engage them, the manner in which you serve them – to react to that trend?

5. What is your strategy for syndicating listings?

6. What is your unique selling proposition, is it truly unique and how are you messaging your USP to the world?

7. What is your branding strategy, and is it consistently reflected in all of your marketing?

8. How do you measure the ROI of your marketing efforts?

9. Studies show that the human brain tends to ignore marketing that is platitudinal in nature. Is your marketing platitudinal in nature, and, if it is, what will you do to improve it.

10. What is your “Why”and do your actions line up with it?

11. What are your Mission Statement and Core Values? Are they actually documented, and do you share them with your clients/your team/your office/the world?

12. How current is your client database, and what are you doing to optimize it?

13. What are your biggest weaknesses, and what are you doing to improve in those areas?

14. Who are the primary competitors in your marketplace, and what are they doing that you are not?

15. What are the primary things that buyers and sellers look for when selecting an agent, and how are you demonstrating that you have those characteristics to potential clients (hint: review the National Association of REALTORS™ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers for the answers)?

16. How do you stay current on coming changes and trends in the industry?

17. What is your attitude toward change? Do you embrace it, or resist it? And if you do resist it, why?

18. It is often said that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.” Are there things that you continue to do that do not produce solid results, and, if so, why do you continue doing them?

19. How current is your website, and when is the last time you gave it a refreshing?

20. From an SEO perspective, how competitive is your website?

21. At what rate are you converting web leads, and are you getting better or worse at that? If you are not getting better, what are you doing to fix that?

22. What is your strategy regarding video, and why?

23. What is your strategy regarding Facebook, and why?

24. Are you actively “building a tribe” online? And, if not, why not?

25. Are you getting the appropriate support and training from your broker (if you are an agent) or your brand (if you are a broker)? If not, why do you remain where you are?

26. Many believe that the future of real estate is more consultative in nature; if you agree, what are you doing to position yourself to take advantage of this trend?

27. Are you being held accountable by anyone for the results of your efforts, and, if not, why not?

28. What is the biggest change you expect to occur in the real estate industry in the next two years?

29. How have you changed your strategy to adapt to your response to the prior question?

30. What are your goals for 2012, and are they documented in a formal business plan of some sort? If not, why not?