Step #4: Accelerate Your Personal Market Share, Production Level and Income To Reach Critical Mass ™
In this article I’m going to revisit a subject we’ve touched upon in the past…but it’s so important I want to dive a little deeper and give you some ready-to-use ways to put it to work in your business.
So let’s get going…
Have you ever noticed that most people are “Recognition and Appreciation” STARVED?
Think about it. We’re all so busy and involved with our own personal lives, we hardly ever take the time to recognize and appreciate those around us.
Don’t you agree?
When was the last time your boss really recognized you? When was the last time your spouse said, “I’m so lucky to have you in my life”?
When was the last time anyone even acknowledged you exist on this earth?
Everyone wants to feel special. Mary Kay Cosmetics created such a strong “Recognition and Appreciation” program, they’ve created a “cult-like” environment in their organization.
If you’ve ever sold Mary Kay, you know what I’m talking about. They treat their sales associates special, with gifts at nearly every level, awards, and even a Pink Cadillac for production.
Their associates are bonded to them like super glue, because they’ve realized the “influence power” of recognizing people.
And yet, 96% of all agents fail at this process. And with that, they lose the opportunity to truly capitalize on the LIFETIME VALUE of their clients, and they never create the Personal Market Share™ required to reach their potential in real estate.
Recognizing and appreciating your prospects and clients on a regular basis is like sending out an emotional tractor beam that pulls them in, and bonds them to you for life.
Think of all the ways you can recognize your clients and share your appreciation for them. Then watch your client volume, referrals, and repeat business explode.
Want some ideas? OK, try a few of these out in your practice:
Recognition Strategy #1: Recognize Special Holidays in a Unique Way.
I have a long-term client friend who’s a top REALTOR® in Orange County, California. About 8 years ago he learned the very same formula you’re learning in this course, and since then has completely “cracked the code” on relationship marketing.
And his production (and huge income) shows it.
Not long ago, he shared with me a strategy he uses along with his monthly Service For Life!® contact with his House List – and the great thing is…it can also be used as a stand-alone strategy.
My friend…Agent “X”…takes out a calendar and locates a HOLIDAY that occurs each month. He even researches bizarre holidays that most people don’t know about, just so he has something to “talk about” each month.
Then…he goes out and finds some kind of “themed” paper to write a very personal message. Now…notice his strategy has TWO components:
Component #1: He finds a reason (the holiday) for the contact, and uses a “theme” as a way to capture attention…
Component #2: He creates a very personal, warm message that “recognizes and appreciates” his clients…
He then uses the message (on the themed paper) as his cover letter for his Service For Life!® newsletter. What are some of the holidays you could do this with? How about…
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas & Hanukkah
- Easter
- St. Patrick’s Day (“make more green with my services”)
- July 4th
- Halloween
- Mothers Day
- Fathers Day
- Valentine’s Day (I love my clients)
But you can also find unusual holidays, such as “all saints day” or Flag day or Hungarian Pride day.
Here are a few examples of his flyers – I reduced them to fit the page, AND I scanned them in black in white, but you can still understand what he does…
By the way, my suggestion for this agent is that he personalizes the salutation on his letter – it will make a bigger impact.
Recognition Strategy #2: The “Recognition and Appreciation P.S.”
This one’s quick and easy, but can make a huge impact. It’s a “take-off” of the Business Card Referral Programming language I shared with you earlier.
The strategy is to use a “P.S.” with ALL of your letters with referral programming that says something like this:
“P.S. I’ve built my business based on the positive comments and referrals from people like you. Thank you for being such a special part of my business. I couldn’t do it without YOUR help.”
Did you notice the power of that message? It not only recognizes your clients for their help with your business, but it ALSO programs them for thinking about YOU for referrals.
Pretty smart, don’t you think?
Recognition Strategy #3: The “Recognition and Appreciation Advertisement”
Twice a year a number of our agents take out special advertising space in local publications to run an “appreciation” ad for their clients.
They begin the ad with a simple statement saying something like the P.S. language you just learned above. Then they list out their clients’ names.
If you don’t have a lot of past clients, you can either, 1) include the names of people who are close to you and can help you in your business (use language that includes “people who support my business”, OR 2) you can list out client names from the past several years – this way the list will be long and impressive
This little strategy actually does TWO things at once…
First, it acknowledges people in your business – and people LOVE to see their name in print with appreciation attached to it.
Second, when you list out a LOT of names in your ad, it makes everyone believe you’re a very busy (and very good) agent. And that’s a strong message to communicate.
One more thing…if you do a lot of homes advertising in local publications, you can frequently negotiate either FREE space (because you’re a good client), OR you can ask for “remnant” or “distressed” space and get the ad for pennies on the dollar.
Recognition Strategy #4: The “Recognition and Appreciation SPECIAL EVENT”
Do you remember Back in article 22 we talked about your “Top 20% Power Player™ Systems”?
One of those systems included you hosting a special event for your very best clients – such as a golf outing or renting a movie theater, or renting a comedy club for an evening.
And…by the way…it doesn’t have to be just with your “Top 20% Power Players™.” It could be for ALL your clients or House List if you like.
But what I forgot to mention in article 22, is that you should also incorporate a “recognition” part of the event – and give out simple and inexpensive “awards” (blue ribbons or “appreciation certificates”) to the people who sent you referrals.
And here’s the great part: When all the other people see how you recognize others with your awards, they’re getting the message that they should send you referrals – and it happens without you saying a thing!
Try it sometime and watch your clients bond to you and feel motivated to send you referrals, word of mouth and repeat business.
Recognition Strategy #5: Monthly Contact “Recognition and Appreciation”
The more you can recognize and appreciate people who support your business with referrals and word of mouth, the more you stimulate that behavior.
That’s why, in our monthly Service For Life!® newsletter, we provide multiple places for you to recognize and appreciate your clients and those who support you and your business.
This way you don’t have to worry so much about HOW you’re going to use this powerful strategy in your business. It’s DONE FOR YOU ALREADY just by subscribing.
But we went even further than just “Recognition and Appreciation” programming.
“Service For Life!®” was engineered to include 7 Psychological Elements designed to bond people to you.
We also designed it with COMPELLING ARTICLES, TIMELY ADVICE and interesting “INVOLVEMENT DEVICES” to ensure it captures attention, and gets opened and read every month, and nurtures a profitable relationship with those who receive it from you.
We then included 14 DIRECT RESPONSE OFFERS into the newsletter to practically force qualified prospects and clients to CALL YOU for real estate services; in most cases before other agents even know they exist.
If you’re using it already…try some of these “add-on” recognition and appreciation strategies you just learned here.
If you’re not using it already, you can get on board RIGHT NOW. Just check out the links at the bottom of this page.
We’ll help you get started on the road to real estate success…and support you every step of the way.
Today’s Action Plan:
Do yourself a favor today. Mark a little time this week to start using at least TWO of the strategies you learned today.
But remember, don’t just try something once and forget about it. I want you to employ a system so that you use it on a regular basis.
Then, if you cumulatively add just one or two systems a month, ONE year from now, you’ll have between 12 and 24 systems working in your business to bring you more clients, referrals, word of mouth and repeat business.
One little system may not rock your world…but 12 to 24 (or more) will add up to some pretty big money.
Seriously…the reason why most agents don’t succeed is because they never get STARTED. They’ll make up all kinds of excuses why they can’t get anything done – and that’s a killer of success…and destroys so many dreams for agents.
Question: How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: ONE small bite at a time.
Evaluate the ideas that will help your business – from “high potential” to “lower potential.” Then, take ONE SMALL BITE today and start getting something going.
Six months or just one year from today…and you’ll be astonished at your success!
Coming Up Next…
Have you ever heard the saying, “first impressions are LASTING impressions”?
I agree with that statement for the most part, don’t you? Well, you’re about to learn that “first impressions” are only HALF of the formula.
In my next article I’m going to give you the OTHER HALF of the formula – absolutely essential to guaranteeing the highest satisfaction in your clients.
Keep an eye-out, because you’re gonna love it!