This week I spoke with Jerry, who's been a member with us for over 5 years.
He and his team have been using our system and have won hundreds of buyer and seller clients over.
We went over:
| Smart Agents: | All right, and we are going. So how long have you been a realtor?
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| Jerry : | A long time.
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| Smart Agents: | And how long have you been a Smart Agents member?
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| Jerry : | I don't know, maybe five years.
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| Smart Agents: | Oh, wow. So you were with us when it was lifting funnels?
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| Jerry : | Yeah, when you guys weren't even Smart Agents yet.
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| Smart Agents: | Yeah, we were ... What were we then?
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| Jerry : | Funnels and all that.
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| Smart Agents: | Curry programs?
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| Jerry : | Yes, through the Curry Programs.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah, and so since we've been doing the book funnels in the last couple years, can you, have you had listings with the books? And help? And how many?
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| Jerry : | We use it basically all the time. To say it contributed to getting a listing is probably true, but there's a lot of factors. I mean if you're an idiot and you got the book, that may help. But you still may not get the listing.
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| Smart Agents: | No, you probably won't. I don't think it'll even help.
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| Jerry : | But I think the listing is a very powerful tool.
And most of the time, I don't think clients will read it. But because it's a book, it is something of value. It shows that you are in a one percent range as far as realtors, so it gives you a definite edge.
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| Smart Agents: | What is your primary way of getting it to leads and getting it out there?
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| Jerry : | Really with appointments. If we make appointments at an open house, buyers come in, sit down with us. Then we give them a book.
We don't just toss the book out at random. In other words, I won't leave the book out at an open house, 50 will disappear in a day.
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| Smart Agents: | Yeah. Do you have any, can you give any anecdotes of a specific example of you giving the book out and then getting the listing really quickly?
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| Jerry : |
Okay, so usually ... Like if we go out on a listing appointment, somebody responds to our direct mail or something, and they're saying we're thinking about selling, so we go out there.At that time we will give them a book. So that kind of clients we will give a book to. A buyer who says yes I'm interested in buying, okay so come to the office where we can talk. When they come, we will give the buyer a book.
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| Smart Agents: | And you guys have gotten a lot of buyer and selling listings?
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| Jerry : | Mm-hmm (affirmative). I think it has really helped.
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| Smart Agents: | In the last year, how much business have you done that books have been involved in? If you could put just any number on the listings?
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| Jerry : | I have three agents who are on the team who have books.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah.
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| Jerry : | Vana, Mary and Kathy and between the three of them, I would say maybe 20 buyers that we have given it out that has resulted in closing.
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| Smart Agents: | Do they each have their own individual books?
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| Jerry : | They each have their own individual books.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah, I see.
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| Jerry : | Because at that time, they allowed us to have books with three of our team members, okay? So they ... I think they discontinued it, they want the individual to become a member.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah. So do you guys do anything besides buyers?
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| Jerry : | Yes, we do a lot of buyers. And we do a lot of sellers. Our primary goal is sellers.
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| Smart Agents: | And what type of leads do you chase there, and how do you give them the books? Just in the same way with the direct mail?
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| Jerry : |
If we send out a direct mail postcards or they respond to something, and let's say they're thinking about selling, so we'll go out to their home to meet with them when we do. And usually it's, oh, I just want to know what the value of my home is, which is the first step.When we go out there, we say we're just going to do an evaluation of the home, and then we will give them a book. And we said, you know, to better prepare you for the process ahead, if and when you do decide to sell, here's a book that will help you. |
And they're really impressed with the book. [crosstalk 00:08:18] At least they say, I don't think they read it.
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| Smart Agents: | What types of leads are these and where do you find them?
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| Jerry : | Most of it is direct mail, or we get leads from the internet also. Either pay per click.
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| Smart Agents: | Yes.
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| Jerry : | Facebook.Mainly from, mainly from direct mail.
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| Smart Agents: | All right, well ... And you said a lot of the buyer leads are from open houses and stuff like that and then you sit down with them and then give them a book after the open house, or during the open house?
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Jerry: |
No, we don't give them a book at the open house. They have to come into the office, so remember our market here is ethnic.At an open house they may be on a normal day maybe 50 parties that come in. You don't have time to build relationships with them. So what we try to do is create something of value and say, you know, have you thought about this?This is something that we have. And they'll say, oh, hey, that's a good idea. And we'll say, when would be a good time when we can get together because obviously at the open house we don't have time to go over all the ins and out. |
So we create a compelling reason why they have to come to the office.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah. I see. When they come to the office, they're obviously looking to buy a house, so do you ... When you guys ...
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| Jerry : | No, no, no, no, no no. When they come to the office, let's say these are buyers we ran into at the open house, right?
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| Smart Agents: | Yeah.
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| Jerry : | When they've come into the office, they're coming for one purpose only, I'm just going to get that shit he mentioned and I'm going to get the hell out of there. Follow what I'm saying?
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| Smart Agents: | Yeah.
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Jerry : |
Because we don't have a relationship yet.They don't know us from Adam, they don't trust us, they don't like us, but we have something that they want.So they will come in. Once they come in, now we have the opportunity to win them over. And this is where one of the tools is the book. |
Smart Agents: |
Yeah, and how long does that first meeting usually last and how does it end? |
Jerry : |
Okay, the first meeting, when they come in, their intention is to just come in for 15 minutes, listen to the BS we have and just give me the stuff I want and they're gonna get it.But once we get them in, you know, we start talking about the process of buying a home. And then here's a book that will help you. And pretty soon they start asking questions, and that's when you win them over.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah.
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| Jerry : | Okay, so when they leave the office, they have to, in their minds say, wow, I'm sure glad I met that sucker.
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| Smart Agents: | Ah. I see.
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| Jerry : | So we've created something. We have made a mountain out of a molehill. And that's what we have to do. Does that make sense?
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| Smart Agents: | It does, yeah. It makes perfect sense, I get it. I really ... Yes, I do.
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| Jerry : | The book has really been helpful. For the cost I think everybody should be getting a book.
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Books have a huge perceived value. They don’t get thrown away.
They can get tucked away somewhere, but most people aren’t going to toss them in the trash. They’re worth something, and they’re worth something to the author’s name.
Do this and you will position yourself as the authority in your market. When you give away your book, it will separate you from your competition. That’s how a smart agent thinks!
Want to get a free sample of the book that will get you more listings? Click the link below.