Farming is an effective lead-generation strategy, but there is more than one way to do it. Here are two of the most common.

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When you’re farming an area, is it better to go wide or deep into that area? With most agents, I find that it’s better to start by going deep with a small farm and building out from there.  If you have more time than money, it makes sense to go deeper instead of wider at first.

It could be a neighborhood you live in, where your office is, or where your kids go to school. Pick an area with anywhere from 50 to 300 homes. You can knock on doors, hand out brochures, and make a connection with the community.

If you already have a presence in your farm and have the money to spend on marketing, you have the luxury of going wide. You can farm a much larger area of thousands of homes by going wide.


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Start by picking an area with 50 to 300 homes.  ”


The key focus should be on your budget and your goal. If you go wide, you can't go as deep if you don’t have a large team helping you. That’s why I encourage going small and deep at first, then start going wider once you know the community better.

If you have any questions for me about farming or the real estate business in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What is circle prospecting and why should agents use it? Let’s discuss.

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Agents often ask me what the purpose of circle prospecting is, so let’s get to the bottom of this common question today.

Before we get to this, though, allow me to quickly define circle prospecting for those who may not know.

Circle prospecting is essentially a method of contacting potential leads by reaching out to people within a certain mile radius around a particular home. One of the most common ways to do this is by purchasing and calling reverse directories.



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All in all, circle prospecting is a fantastic technique all agents should utilize. ”


Now that we’ve covered what circle prospecting is, let’s move on to what its purpose is. There are actually many different reasons an agent might use circle prospecting. You may use it to advertise open houses, let buyers know about local listings, or to see if anyone in a given area is interested in selling their home.

The bottom line is that circle prospecting brings you business. Circle prospecting will mostly bring you sellers, but it can bring in buyers, as well. All in all, it’s a fantastic technique all agents should utilize.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Want to generate more traffic to your open house? Here’s how.

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How do you market your open house to generate more traffic? There are a lot of ways to advertise an open house, but the days of just placing an ad in the newspaper and putting up a few signs are over. With that in mind, I want to share with you the steps my team and I take for all our open houses that always generate a lot of traffic. First, you must advertise your home online. There are a lot of websites (Zillow, Realtor.com, etc.) that allow you to do this, in addition to the local MLS. Also, whenever we do an open house, we email every agent who has sold a home in that ZIP code and invite them and their clients to attend. Additionally, we use paid advertisements for the property on Facebook.


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The days of just placing an ad in the newspaper and putting up a few signs are over. ”
After that, we call residents in the surrounding neighborhood and invite them over. If we have time, we’ll knock on the doors of the same houses we’re calling and hand these people a personalized invitation. Sometimes, we’ll host a private open house for neighbors only, which allows our agents to meet with them before the general public is invited. The people who attend this pre-open house might be thinking about selling themselves and are on the lookout for a good agent, so not only are you attracting traffic to your current listing, but you’re also attracting other future seller clients. If you have any more questions about how to generate traffic for your open house, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to speak with you.

Running a successful real estate business becomes much easier when you know where your revenue is coming from, and today we’ll explain how tracking your leads can help you do just that.
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Regardless of the industry, every business owner should track where their revenue comes from, and real estate agents are no different. You have probably heard this before, but you truly need to be tracking your leads.

Why? 
The bottom line is that tracking your leads helps you to make sure that you’re spending your money and your time wisely. All you need is a simple spreadsheet to determine where your clients are coming from. If you identify that most of your clients tend to come from a certain source, you can then redirect your time, money, and energy accordingly.

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It’s all about finding what makes sense for you and your business. ”
If you’re tracking your leads and leveraging your resources correctly, you should be making at least twice as much as you’re spending. If something isn’t bringing you a high return (or any return at all), then it may be time to scratch it off of your schedule. 


Once you get the hang of tracking your leads, you may find it beneficial to invest in CRM software that will do it for you. It’s all about finding what makes sense for you and your business. 
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you want to improve your listing presentation and sell more homes, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind. 

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First, the key to differentiating yourself in our marketplace is providing a pre-listing packet you either have delivered or deliver yourself to the seller before the meeting. In my packets, I provide information that details the benefits of hiring me and what they can expect when working with me. This way, they have most of their questions already answered before we meet face to face and we can get down to business and get the listing agreement signed. 

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If you haven’t already, put together a pre-listing packet you can give to buyers that outlines the benefits of working with you. ”
  So if you haven’t already, put together a pre-listing packet you can give to buyers that outlines the benefits of working with you. Don’t talk about why you’re the top agent in the area or ramble about how many homes you’ve sold—stick to what kind of value you provide them. 
Second, be on time. If you show up just five minutes late to an appointment, you’re in trouble. I recommend showing up at least five to 10 minutes early and then, at the agreed-upon time, knocking on the door and introducing yourself. If the seller is speaking to other agents, there’s a chance some of them will be late to their appointments, so they’ll be impressed with your punctuality. 
Lastly, don’t spend too much time in the seller’s home unless they have a lot of questions. Some agents like to spend half a day in their would-be client’s home, but they’re not planning on you spending a half-day there. Keep things professional, build a rapport, and ask for a tour of the home so you get a chance to connect with them about something. If you find a connection point, don’t focus on it, because that will distract from the reason you’re there in the first place.
If you’d like to talk more about improving your listing presentation, don’t hesitate to give me a call or schedule a consultation. I’d be happy to speak with you. 

What are the best sources for listing leads? Find out today.
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There are many different places an agent can find business, but when it comes to finding listing leads, these four sources stand out above the rest:

1. Your sphere of influence. Staying in touch with your sphere of influence is incredibly powerful. You must always let them know that you’re never too busy to take on their real estate needs, or their referrals.

2. Your professional network. Over time, real estate professionals build a lot of relationships with fellow Realtors from all over the country. By maintaining these relationships, you’re likely to attract referrals from agents who have been approached by clients looking to buy or sell outside of their market. This is especially effective in areas with military bases, which attract a large number of out-of-state families.


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The demand for professional help in the real estate industry has never been higher. ”
3. FSBO sellers. People who are interested in selling their property on their own generally end up needing more help than they expected. Studies show that more people have turned to Realtors for professional help than was true during any given year over the last decade. Although listing online has become easier for sellers to manage on their own, the rest of the home selling process has become more complex. The demand for professional help in the real estate industry has never been higher.

4. People who have previously failed to sell. The biggest mistake someone who has failed to sell in the past can make is to try the same approach again. Working with a new agent (like you) will be in their best interest, and if you can convince them of this, you’ll find that this demographic of sellers is an incredible source of leads.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A few tips for new or aspiring entrepreneurs

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What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur? I’m often asked this question by fledgling business owners, and it’s no wonder: Entrepreneurship comes with its fair share of risks. Because of that, developing good habits and practices right from the word go is very important.

Above all, success in your entrepreneurial pursuits depends on your determination. You need to make sure you’re determined to achieve the goals you set out to achieve. More than just fame or fortune, it’s about your value proposition. If the value of what you’re selling goes above and beyond what people are paying for it, you’re sure to succeed.

In one of my previous videos, I discussed the importance of being an early riser and sticking to a morning routine, which is a key ingredient in your success as an entrepreneur as well. If you missed it, you can check it out here.

In addition, I’d recommend reading the book “Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business” by Gino Wickman. In it, he provides a blueprint for strategic planning and setting quarterly “rocks” or goals. Whether you’re just now getting your business off the ground or you want to take it to the next level, reading this book will help you map out where you want to go.

"If the value of what you’re selling goes above and beyond what people are paying for it, you’re sure to succeed."

Your focus will also be instrumental to your success. The more you focus on fine-tuning your sales and marketing, the more your focus will expand to not only reach the people who know, like, and trust you, but to create new lines of communication with people in the marketplace.

You’re probably wondering how many hours a week you’ll have to dedicate. It’s important to discipline yourself to treat entrepreneurship as a job. When you’re first starting out, you can probably expect to work 10 to 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week. Eventually, you’ll need to return to a healthy work-life balance, but in the short term, being an entrepreneur will demand your undivided attention and a lot of time, energy, and effort.

If you have any questions about today’s topic or you’d like to schedule a one-on-one consultation, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you!   

Having a follow-up strategy in place is key to converting internet leads.
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What is your plan for converting internet leads? The answer boils down to three factors: your immediate, mid-term, and long-term follow up. 

Statistics say that the average buyer starts looking at homes online two years before they’re actually ready to buy. Here in the Colorado Springs area, the average is closer to six to 12 months, but we still have some buyers who need to buy sooner than that (i.e., within the next 30 to 60 days).

How does our team handle these types of leads?

Let’s start with our immediate follow-up. In this case, we reach out to someone within five to 10 minutes of registering on our website. Whether it’s an ISA or an agent, they’ll call between three to five times that day without leaving a voicemail. If you leave a voicemail, the potential buyer may tag your number and block it, or just never call you back. We try and spread out these phone calls throughout the day.

"Your goal should be consistent follow up—the leads work when you work."
We also follow up via text and email—a lot of clients that we’re able to convert started with a text message conversation. I won’t say whether this is a generational trend, but a lot of people prefer to respond to a text than a call.

Our mid-term follow up is for buyers who, once we make contact with them, indicate that they’re ready to buy within 60 to 90 days. In the meantime, we reach out to them about once a week and build up our rapport.

Our long-term follow up is for buyers who want to buy after 90 days, and we typically reach out to them twice a month with a text or email.

It’s best to have a CRM in place to track these leads, and there are dozens of good ones out there that you can choose from. Your goal should be consistent follow up—the leads work when you work.

If you have any questions about this topic or need help with your follow-up strategy, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to help you.

How does one become a top producer in Colorado Springs? Today I’ll share my own story.

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Check out this interview I had with Titans in Real Estate by Greg Fowler!
I got my start in real estate back in 2003, when I had just moved back to Colorado Springs and didn’t have a lot of prospects. Through grit, determination, and the help of my mentor and father, Brian Daniels, I learned the ropes.

My father told me that he wouldn’t give me a business, but would instead make me earn it. The interesting thing was that everyone he knew was already on his list of clients, meaning that I’d have to create a whole new sphere of influence.

When I started out selling homes, I was working mostly through referrals, making calls, writing notes, pop-bys, and expanding my sphere. I would ask the people I contacted “If you had a family member or friend who was going to buy a home, do you have a Realtor you would refer to them?” That way, I could avoid asking them directly if they were planning to sell their home—doing that on a regular basis might have inclined them to start avoiding my calls and emails.

Building my business came down to setting goals and then working backward from there. I would decide how many homes I wanted to sell, come up with a gameplan, and set myself to work every morning and afternoon answering calls and emails.

To be a top producer, it takes a couple things beyond just grit, determination, and professionalism. I recommend those who want to become high-level agents in the industry to get their education. I don’t just mean the continuing education that the state requires, but also diving in deep to learn more about the industry. Classes are available at title companies and seminars for you to delve into certain topics to enhance your business.

"Building my business came down to setting goals and then working backward from there."
Additionally, once it's within your budget, you might consider traveling to other areas of the country for conferences, networking, and coaching from other top producers around the nation. I’ve had many different coaches throughout the years, and I definitely recommend serious agents find their own mentors to learn from their knowledge and expertise.

Doing this myself, I’ve managed to build up an agent network from which I get referrals. It’s also how I started to build my own team, which allowed us to do more expansive marketing campaigns to garner more leads.

To be a top producer in Colorado Springs, you also need to learn how to play nicely with others. Yes, we do represent our clients’ best interests, but there’s a certain way that high-level agents need to handle themselves during transactions. When we work peer-to-peer and Realtor-to-Realtor, we want to maintain a professional relationship. The MLS is, after all, a cooperative resource that is best utilized when we all work well together.

Ultimately, if you make goals, find a mentor or coach, work hard, start with people you know to build your database, and continue in that fashion, you can become a top producer in the field.

If you have any questions or need any advice about how to advance your own career as an agent, please feel free to reach out to me. Indeed, that’s why I started this brokerage: I wanted to help more agents reach their goals.

Check out this interview I had with Titans in Real Estate by Greg Fowler!

Events are perfect for bringing together your clients, and there are many effective ones you can consider.

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I hear this question a lot from my fellow agents: Should I hold client events?

Absolutely! If you want to grow your referral base, these events are crucial. We do four major events each year, but you don’t need a huge budget to host something great. Starting out with a simple happy hour gathering for your best clients can be a great way to test the waters. Then, you can focus on bigger, better events for your entire client list.

Here are some of the things we like to do:

• A chocolate giveaway in February alongside a party in our office
• A family-friendly night at the movies in June where we rent out multiple theaters
• A barbecue extravaganza in August where we go all out with big giveaways, plenty of food, and fun for all
• A pie giveaway around Thanksgiving 

"You don’t need a huge budget to host something great."
It’s always good to have small get-togethers to supplement these big events. Take your biggest clients and go golfing, attend a sporting event, etc. Don’t overspend, and absolutely do not forget to follow up after these events. Thank them for coming, share pictures of the event, and so on.

If you have any questions or need further information about making your business more successful, feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to helping you.