Communicating your value proposition as a Realtor is more important now than it has ever been before. As lawsuits pile up against the National Association of Realtors and the news cycle squarely takes aim at Realtors and their value, we want to remind agents and consumers why we are vital to real estate transactions. High level agents consistently providing value are the ones who will survive any market or industry changes. What exactly can you do to grow as a high level agent? From sharing your vendors to building relationships and possessing specialized market knowledge and more, we are sharing exactly what it means to be valuable to your clients. We aren’t just telling you what to say when a customer approaches you about your value, but what to actually DO to provide value.

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The following is a rough transcript provided by Otter.ai.

Alissa 0:01
carrying boxes on their moving day. I’ve made this stuff out a mover, Google

Katy 0:09
because that frightened me to my core. Like what?

Alissa 0:11
First of all, I just want to commend you for actually doing your due diligence because not all agents are created equal.

Katy 0:19
don’t convince have conviction. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend, it is not a value they hired you to buy or sell. Let them eat cake, let

Alissa 0:30
them eat cake. I’m not going to be able to talk that I and I don’t want to try. Hi, y’all. Welcome to hustle humbly. It’s Alyssa and Katie. And we are two top producing realtors in the Baton Rouge market.

Katy 0:42
We work for two different companies where we should be competitors. But we have chosen community over competition.

Alissa 0:47
The goal of our podcasts is to encourage you to find your own way in business to stop comparing yourself and start embracing your strengths. Okay, let’s just do this.

Katy 0:55
Let’s do this. Hi, Alyssa. Katie, smile at the camera. It’s episode 239. And we are talking about providing value today. Yes. So in my pre work just now, I did a lot of pre work for the record. But in my extra pre work right now, like let’s just quit Google, like how do Realtors provide value? Because I want to know what the consumer is seeing out in the world. Right? Yes. directly from our friend Google know, how do you provide value to real estate clients? So Google is talking straight to the realtors? Yeah. So you all perk up your ears. And I’m going to read it for you. You can be a good real estate agent by providing value to your client. You’ll do that by helping them complete difficult tasks like paperwork, providing information like market data, and being there to help example carrying boxes on there moving carrying

Alissa 1:51
boxes on their moving day. Make this stuff not a mover, Google. Oh, my, I

Katy 2:00
was just like, whoa, whoa, no, I am not carrying boxes. I’m not carrying boxes, and that’s not your value. Now, value isn’t cleaning, carrying boxes, your value isn’t doing gardening, like sure, I guess you could pull some weeds at the house. But there are

Alissa 2:19
certainly times when we’ve had to do some things. But you don’t want to be leaning into those things that aren’t necessarily in the job description.

Katy 2:27
I’m putting away Google Now. Thank you. Because that frightened me to my core. Like, what

Alissa 2:33
is this what the public sees?

Katy 2:34
Right? I will say I have emptied out a leftover hanger or two in a final walkthrough like, you know, but I’m not going to. Yeah, I’m not above picking up trash, right. But I am also not going to show up on the day that you move and help you place your thing. That’s not if you think that’s the value that Realtors provide. You are mistaken. Yes, this is where the problems arise. And that’s why we’re here for this episode. Now in the state, current state of our market, and our industry, this is a really important conversation. Very important. Okay. It’s not a joke. Although, sometimes I feel like sometimes if we don’t laugh, we cry. Now, we say that a lot lately. But as an agent, you have to be able to speak to your value. We had a whole episode about that in reference to if you were approaching a for sale by owner or if a person came up to you and said I’m thinking of selling for sale by owner What are Realtors do anyway? Right. And that was episode 154. It’s got lots of tips really specific to the listing side. Yes. Okay. Now I think with our current industry struggles, we need to get a little bit more clear about what we’re offering on the buyer side. So I want to lean into that a little bit. But we’ll do both. Yeah. Okay. Because a lot of times, it’s across over the same type of value. You’re providing a buyer, you’re providing a seller,

Alissa 3:51
I hope that this episode will come up if it is someone in the public. Yeah. So even though in our market right now, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, we are still in transition with how everything is going. We haven’t seen any major changes. But I have noticed that in the beginning of 2020 for some of my first buyers are asking more questions about how do you get paid? Good. And I think it’s great. I’m like, okay, so they are doing some research online, and it’s coming up. For example, I have a story, please. Let’s hear it. I’m working at my desk. I get this email. Someone had created a real email real person, they created an email, you know, Smith Family Home search@gmail.com. What was the reason? Do you know for creating the email, they were I wanted to be an organized person. Okay. And they were just trying to be very diligent. This is where all the emails would go. This is for the house. Yes, this is the house email. I can’t imagine

Katy 4:53
starting a new email account for every

Alissa 4:56
project project that yeah, she needs like a Trello but I guess you wants to keep it up. This isn’t my problem carrier is off with being like, I think she was young. I never met her. Okay, we’re guessing Yes. She’s like, we’re buying our first home. Okay. And you know, we’re just trying to do our due diligence and be smart. There’s a lot of scary stuff out there on the internet, Bear. So if you have time, would you mind just answering some of these questions that would be great via an email via an email, they didn’t want to schedule a call or a meet up? Okay, what happens next? There was like, 20 questions? Oh, wow, I actually saved my answers, because I put some time into it. And I thought some of it I was like, really proud. Yeah, like, this is good. This is good. You know, they wanted to know, questions like, Are you on a team? Are you going to be the one showing us home? That’s fascinating that nobody else could? Are we going to meet anybody else? Or like, do you work with us? So a lot of questions about that. Why some clarity? Sure. You know, how do we pay you? I thought that was a great question. But then it got into like, Do you have any vacation scheduled? And I just kind of wanted to be like, That’s none of your business. Wow. Yeah. But like, would tell available, are you? And I was honest.

Katy 6:13
I said, like, they were like, are you going to work? 24/7 right, it it never said it in that way. But

Alissa 6:19
it just God’s how you received it. As like,

Speaker 1 6:22
I’ve never asked, I guess in all fairness, when you’re having a baby, you ask your OBGYN? Are you going to be on vacation? Do my work? Guess what? Sometimes they are. And that’s okay. Another doctor showed up and handled it. Yeah. Just like if you need to see a house while I’m on vacation. Another realtor that I send will show up and handle it.

Alissa 6:42
Yes. But it just towards the end. It just got to be more. I just thought it was it was the most inappropriate thing. They I just was really rubbed the wrong way about him wanting to know what vacations I had scheduled. You were like, I’m not sure

Katy 6:56
yet. Yeah, but I’m sure I’ll leave town at some point during your right. I

Alissa 7:00
like to take my kids to the beach in the summer. Does that matter? Why is this an interview question?

Katy 7:06
I guess I would have responded with Can you tell me why this is important? Well, then the next question was How available are you? Again? What when do you need me to be this is a very bold, like,

Alissa 7:17
Yeah, question. I did answer it in a way to help educate, okay, this person, okay to say, you know, just like you I have a life outside of my job. I try to be available during business hours and many other hours by appointments. There are times when we may have to go see a home quickly. Yeah, always do my best to get us there. If you can’t get there. I could always go do a video walk right? Are you get a virtual tour? Okay. So I felt like my and I did say I do prefer email when people are sending me addresses because I like to sit at my computer, pull up property disclosures, make notes. This is all much easier via email. Yeah. during business hours, you can easily reach me using your phone. I just was very honest. But I wasn’t I was trying to make sure I was not answering these to be the right answer. I was trying to answer them how you operate your business? I Alyssa answered, this isn’t for you. You’re not for me. Maybe and I didn’t say that. But I wanted to say at some point in there. These questions are very helpful, because I may have questions for you. Yeah, you don’t maybe we’re not compatible. We might not be. But I didn’t say that. And so I just answered her questions I also gave her she asked a lot of questions about are you full time? Do you have other jobs? Like she was just so concerned about my previous experience with an agent they did? What was the follow up to this? So I sent it and was just like, and here’s it? Here’s what’s crazy. I don’t know how many the email, but I was like, I have also attached my resume here. If you’d like more information on how the home buying process works. Here’s an episode to our consumer guide podcast. I said, you know, I feel like I do. I was working with homebuyers so often that this was repeatable. And people found this document helpful. Not to toot my own horn. The email I was that she caught me at the right moment. It could not have been written better. Great. Okay. She responded immediately. Okay, and was like, Wow, this was so helpful. Because I also told her before I responded to any of her questions. First of all, I just want to commend you for actually doing your due diligence because not all agents are created equal. So I think the fact that you’re taking the time to interview agents and ask questions is admirable. Yeah, I’m really proud of you. You are already a step of most first time homebuyers. Great.

Katy 9:42
How did she find you?

Alissa 9:43
She didn’t say, Oh, God. I asked that. Well, she didn’t answer that. I asked her she didn’t answer so I that’s how I started off. I answered. Her questions I said also attaches my resume in this podcast episode. She’s like, this is so helpful. Thank you so much. I also appreciate you encouraging me because I felt like I was unsure about sending this email at all. Okay, I wanted to say you kind of should have been because you shouldn’t have been asking about my vacation. But that’s okay. You’re learning. That’s fine. You’re learning and I answered your questions. So I checked in with her like two days later. Hey, just wanted to see how it was going. Oh, it’s going really great. Thank you so much. We’re still waiting to hear back from a few others. Your podcast episode was so helpful. I just feel so educated. I learned so much. I’m like, great. Then two days later, I get like a rejection email from her. That’s like

Katy 10:29
I am on the edge of my seat. Yeah, I didn’t know what was the reason she

Alissa 10:33
didn’t say she said, I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of the time you put into answering our questions and educating us. We have decided to go with another agent. And here’s the thing, I wasn’t upset that I, but I’m just like, What are you looking at? The whole thing was confusing to me. I honestly feel like she was a secret shopper. Okay. That thought crossed my mind. Like this was a realtor. secret shopper who creates a whole new email address sort of anonymously to make it where to get all my stuff? Yeah, let’s see, you could have just get I could have been secret shocked. And then I got dumped. No, I feel like something totally sketchy was going like I don’t she seemed I don’t think she was a buyer at all, though. I don’t know. So I emailed her back and told her not a problem at all. I hope that you found someone that was the perfect fit for you. And I wish you the best of luck in your house hunting journey. In the event, I could have done something different. Or if you have any feedback for me, I always love to get feedback. Nothing’s

Unknown Speaker 11:32
crickets because

Katy 11:34
they were like, Thanks for sending over your resume answering all these questions. I’m gonna go use this in my business, probably.

Unknown Speaker 11:41
What else? Did

Alissa 11:42
you attach? Just my resume? No, I

Katy 11:44
mean, what are they going to do with that? What are they going to do with that?

Alissa 11:47
I just, I do think that maybe some of my I did mention like I run my business like a business. I’m full time I try to keep things via business hours. I do have kids. So you know, Oh, I did mention that. I said those things I said, But I stay on top. I’ve never missed anything. You know, I’ve never had anybody miss out. So I didn’t get it. And then, you know, as simultaneously I have two transactions falling apart right now where I’m the listing agent, and the buyer’s agents could have saved everything if they were valuable. And now, we’re trying to record this on value. And I’m showing up here at the microphone. Like I don’t, I’m like listen, I just got dumped. Maybe I don’t have value. Maybe I’m just you know, I’m a little down in the dumps, Katie? Fine.

Katy 12:31
Let’s back it up a little. Tell me honestly, when I asked you, if you Alyssa Jenkins, as a realtor provide value to your buyers and sellers. What is your answer?

Alissa 12:42
Oh my gosh, I feel like I could just go I believe I have value.

Katy 12:46
So it’s not even a doubt in your mind. No

Alissa 12:49
at all. Sometimes I feel like we’re here to save the real estate industry, one podcast episode at a time to be honest, it needs save, it needs saving. And then I get out in the field and see why it needs saving so much. And sometimes I get discouraged. It’s okay that

Katy 13:13
you’re discouraged. It’s okay that you’re discouraged. But it wasn’t on you. And you had the answers to the questions. You had reasons behind them. You do run your business like a business, which means maybe I don’t hire that particular lawyer or doctor or whatever, because I don’t like the way they run their business. That’s not hey, there’s others. I didn’t want to work with you. But I will tell you it’s to me that particular story is incredibly suspicious that someone would have made an email address like Did they say we made this email address for our home search? Yeah, it seems weird.

Alissa 13:44
She was just like, I don’t I guess it’s something I would have probably

Katy 13:46
off air. I’m gonna have to get more details on this. But okay, so it to you, I have a list of eight ways that you do provide value or you can provide value as an agent, okay. Like

Alissa 13:57
to not in myself real quick on a negative note. Because while I felt like I’m feeling a lot of things for our industry right now, I genuinely believe people need a realtor in a real estate transaction. They need a real estate agent. Here’s the deal. Yes, they are not all created equal. No, this would be a great episode for a consumer to listen to, to understand that just in our market alone, we have over 3600 realtors, we might know 50 to 75 of them, we might know their names, because those are the ones that stay educated. Do them a relevance do the business like run their business like a business? That is why with such a small percentage being the ones that you want. That’s why I think you do need to ask questions before you just hire someone. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Really important and

Katy 14:52
especially going forward if the buyer’s agents are going to have to ask you the consumer to pay them directly in the event that A seller’s not offering a compensation. You do need to interview why wouldn’t you? Yeah. Or at least get them you don’t have to enter five interviewed by people. But if you find one you want to work with, have a list of questions that you’re trying to answer. Maybe it’s not when are they taking vacation, but maybe it is a little bit about their business, try and figure it out. Okay, that kind of goes into item number one, on my end, I divided this list into tangible and intangible things. And the reason why I did that is when I think about my business, there’s a lot of paper in it. And to in like actual in you show up with a computer and you don’t provide less value than me in some ways. I think you probably provide more. But I don’t think that you’re like a paper presentation kind of gal. No. So it doesn’t automatically mean you have more value because you showed up with a stack of papers, right? Yeah, but you have to. So there’s intangibles, and there’s tangible. So that’s how I’m comfortable

Alissa 16:00
communicating your value, right? I am comfortable communicating my value, because you know what it is and you’re comfortable. Like I’m most comfortable without paper because with paper I stutter. Like, I feel like I have to read and I’m looking down and I’m uncertain. You feel just been a guide. I want to have like a guided outline. It keeps you on track. Yeah, it keeps me on track just different. We don’t occation styles. However you need to communicate it just communicate it.

Katy 16:25
Right. But and let’s back it up one more. You need to know what it is. Yeah. Okay. If you are new agent or maybe struggling agent, you’re like, Well, I don’t think I provide value whenever that seller didn’t want to work with me, or that buyer fired me or dumped me or whatever. I I didn’t really have a rebuttal. I didn’t think in my head. Oh, I did everything I could or I was providing value. I just thought, Well, why would they work with me? Know, so back it up. I’m gonna give you some like things you can do. But you have to believe it. And Gary Vee has a quote, that is one of my favorites ever. And he says, don’t convince, have conviction. Okay, so if you’re trying to sell anything, don’t convince the buyer or sell or the person, the consumer, have conviction. If you don’t have that conviction about what you’re going to do as an agent. You can’t sell it. But you also don’t need to if you know in your heart and they start asking you questions, and you’re like, I know the answers to this, or I know why I know what I’m going to do. And it’s hard when you’re new, and you don’t have enough experience to actually be like, Okay, well, I remember what I did, you know, I’m just kind of like, but I’m going to tell you, you do you have value if you’re doing these things we’re about to tell you. And the

Alissa 17:41
times that I know the most that I provide value is when there’s issues, right? An issue, while such a headache allows you to step in and save the day, if you know what you’re doing. Yeah. And if you have been educated, and there have been times where I thought if that didn’t happen, and it ended up working out, that would never have happened. If I wasn’t there, it wasn’t going to work out. I could point to

Katy 18:07
instances in nearly every transaction where I’m like, if it had been a lesser agent or no agent, it would not have closed it would have not just someone would have been unhappy, there would have been a lawsuit like you know, you are providing value. Yeah. When you’re knowing your value, and you’re convincing, you don’t want to convince people but when you’re sharing your value, I think it’s more important to that. If they don’t believe you just move on. Yeah, we don’t need I don’t need you to have scripts and talking points to convince every ugly person in the world who says realtors are scum that you’re not just move on be like, Oh, I’m so sorry. You feel that way. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience in the past. I know the value I provide to my clients who choose to work with me. That was so good. The end was beautiful. That’s literally the end. And then it’s like bye, bye. Bye. We don’t we’re not a fit. You don’t think realtors are great. It’s not my job to convince you they are. It’s just my job to be great. And then the ones who want to work with me will find me.

Alissa 19:04
I think that’s how I felt answering these questions because I thought the answers that I don’t know who they sent this question or two. But the answers that they’re gonna get back there are probably 100% some better like anytime you need me all seven. I’m always available. I love when you text me at night. I don’t need my family dinner time.

Katy 19:27
I’ve heard I’ve never been on vacation before my

Alissa 19:29
vacation. I’m a slave to my work and to you like, I just thought the answers that they’re gonna get back. saddened me. Yeah. 100%.

Katy 19:39
Yeah. And I think that value proposition is one of those buzzwords in the industry. We were like knew your value proposition.

Unknown Speaker 19:47
And I’m like, do you? Yeah,

Katy 19:50
what exactly is it? Can you talk to it? Or do you even know it internally? Okay, let’s go with the things you need to have to show value. You’ve already mentioned it your resume Hmm, we’re gonna do a whole episode on resume, we’ll get into it really deep. But again, you sent that that’s a tangible item. It exists in paper form, whether it’s printed or digital, it is a thing. Here’s my resume. I’m telling you who I am. Now you can get to know me now. Maybe you can build some trust with me. Now, you know, like, what I’m going to do. Okay, resume. Number two, a buyer folder, which, which I like some type of buyer presentation, some type of information they’re getting as a buyer. Okay, what how are we telling them? Do you have steps to making a purchase? That’s one of my favorites. What about a vendor list? Like, what are you giving them? What is the value to help them with their process? The vendor list is the best. And we have a really great I think we have like a, a, an actual use the vendor list campaign.

Alissa 20:49
We have a vendor list campaign and build your own business one. Yeah. So that they can

Katy 20:53
take their like database and be like, hey, help me build my vendor list? And then I’m gonna give it out to everyone who needs it? Yes.

Alissa 21:00
So you have provided value by not only saying Do you have a good person that you like? Or do you have a business that you want to be? Yeah, vendor list. And then when I’m done, I will give it give you the whole list that you have for your help. Thank you. So if you don’t even have a vendor list, you can still use your database to build one and it not only provides value for you, but for them.

Katy 21:21
Absolutely. When people when I give my buyer and my seller, so they both they both get the vendor list in their folder. When they get to that they’re like, Oh, thank you so much. I didn’t need a painter. I did. I have always wanted whatever. I mean, the buyers were like, Oh, great. I don’t mind look, because if they’re looking at houses that need some work, they’re like, oh, a painter wonderful. They that value. It’s like your own personal Angie’s List. It doesn’t have to have a million people on it.

Alissa 21:46
My dad always jokes, because he’s like, You have someone for everything you need to everything I said, Yeah. I mean, I know I could pick up the phone right now and call any AC guy and get them there today. The ones that know me, yeah, I have the resources to make things happen quickly if I need to. I don’t want to abuse that. Right. And if it’s not an emergency, I’m not going to say that. But they know if I call and say I need a W dir today. Yeah,

Katy 22:10
they’re gonna make it happen. Okay, great. That’s providing value. You have these these partnerships, these relationships, and I think I the other one on my list, just with vendors works and with other agents in your market? Do you have good relationships with other agents in the market? If they have a listing that’s about to come on market? Maybe? Are they going to be like, Oh, well, I’ll share it with you? Or are they going to give your offer preference because I know you’re gonna do a good job of getting it closed? If there’s multiple offers, like there are ways that having those partnerships is a value to your client? Yes. Right. So is

Alissa 22:44
your realtor, someone well known and respected in the industry? In the community? Yeah. So relationship nation, what

Katy 22:51
are their relationships with other agents, with vendors, all of that, okay. market reports, and the knowledge of the market. So knowledge is an intangible, but then I’m going to, I’m gonna send you over the report tangible, here it is in black and white, you and I both really like the summary, it gets you the most data in the shortest amount of time. So far, resume, buyer folder, market report relationships, these are all free things. They cost you nothing cost you nothing to provide them to your clients, right? And having a market report. It doesn’t. And that’s the other thing. You don’t just spend eight hours creating one of these a million photos, some fancy CMA, like a software that’s not valuable. The buyers and the sellers want the information and your knowledge and your and your ability to, like sort through it.

Alissa 23:42
Yes. Can you explain this chart to them?

Katy 23:44
What does it mean?

Alissa 23:45
What are you seeing in the market?

Katy 23:48
Do we care? Yes, not, oh, this report looks fancy. I don’t care what it looks like. And they don’t care what it looks like when

Alissa 23:55
I present the CMA summary, I say, Listen, this is a very simple form, I like it, because it is straight to the point and gives you exactly what you need to know. Let me show you how to read it. It shows you exactly what the list price was and what they sold it for. So you can see how much these people are negotiating like, simple, simple, very simple, because

Katy 24:14
they don’t do this every day. And they don’t need to be overwhelmed. And they also don’t need to know every detail of every house in order to figure out what the market is doing. You have to summarize it down. I mean, you’re giving them the summary plus giving them a literal summary of what the summary says. Okay, so market reports, knowledge of your area, again, that’s tangible and intangible knowledge of your good vendors. So sharing your lender, your title, your inspector, who are they going to use during the process, not just the people we need to get out there in a pinch if we need to, like have a plumbing leak taken care of, but like who do they need to use to purchase or sell their home? And

Alissa 24:51
I also think, you know, back to that other point about what did you say right before that before the vendor lists the

Katy 24:57
the Market Report or before the vendor list? Huh, oh steps to making a purchase. Yeah, I presentation you

Alissa 25:03
being able to communicate it to speaking from experience, and I know if you’re new, you’re like I don’t have any experience before I had any experience. So our office has the Monday morning meeting, we literally sit in a circle. And you start off by saying what is the challenge you are having right now? Okay, even to this day, when people say something. Every Monday, there’s probably something I have never been doing. Oh, good to know. And every transaction I have had, there’s new things all the time. So even being able to say, this just happened with someone in my office, and this is how they handled it. This is what our company did. Yeah, you if you don’t have the experience, learn about what other people’s experiences are. I have been able to save so many things from just from having had to think about it before because of our Monday meeting and hearing about it. Yeah, I would have never thought of it other rights,

Katy 25:57
you have to listen to the stories of the other transactions that are happening around you. Yeah, for sure. Okay. But that’s again, what are your relationships? Are you participating in the market? Like you can’t just like, are you logging on to the MLS? Do you see what houses are available? Do you have any clue what’s happening in the market like this is things that you need to do to provide that value? When you see your neighbors on the street? And they ask you like, Oh, I saw the house on the corner? Would it sell for you should know, your neighborhood for sure. Okay, next up on our list of tangible items that provide value to your clients, email templates. They are proactive and answering questions. Your job is to help your clients get through these transactions with the least amount of stress, the least amount of confusion like these are answering those questions before they happen. Yes, you should have told your lady that and her email response. I might have mentioned it. I mean, like that I

Alissa 26:51
have a step by step process, you’re gonna know to have everything consistent. I’ll take care of everything for you. She wishes

Katy 26:56
she got those email templates. Okay, next up being available. And I don’t mean 24/7. But are you willing to talk on the phone? will you respond to an email or text? How long is it gonna take you not like a tenant night? But like, right? You’re on the phone all the time during business hours? Yeah, you’re not hard to reach? No, just because you have boundaries didn’t make you hard to reach out at all. Okay, so I think being available is kind of an intangible, but something that’s going to provide your client value, and they’re going to see that. Here’s some things that I think are and those are all value, I feel like everything that we’ve just listed, there is a value to your clients, here is a experience, which is more of a nice to have, those are all things you probably need to have. And this is more of a nice to have. Is getting your client a super nice closing gift, a value. No, no, it doesn’t matter how much money you spend. It is not a value they hired you to buy or sell.

Alissa 27:51
I had a final walkthrough this morning before I came here. I sold them their house that they’re in now three years ago. And they’re moving to their second home. So they’re upgrading. And whenever we were talking about selling their house, the numbers looked good. But I thought Wait, your interest rate was so low when you bought this. And your note is hardly anything. Have you ever thought about keeping it as an investment property? Which is talking me out of a job, mind you, right? So I sent him the podcast episodes about you know, the landlord ones we have what to do if you’re interested because he said, You know, I was actually thinking about that because even taking the equity and put in doing the recast and putting it on our new mortgage after we sell it because they don’t have to sell to buy. It only changed the monthly note like 100 bucks. So it didn’t make a huge difference. But if I could make 800 a month because my mortgage is so low and the rent is so high, maybe it’s worth keeping. So in the driveway today he goes so I wanted to ask you, I listen to your episode. So I know you don’t do rentals. But could I pay you like a consulting fee to help me? You know, walk through mine specifically or like answer questions I said, I said, How about this? We close tomorrow on your new house? I have no closing gift for you. I will be happy to answer any questions you have about renting your house out. What

Katy 29:18
did you say? He was like,

Alissa 29:19
Oh my gosh, that will be amazing. Because they don’t want a

Katy 29:23
blah, whatever it is they don’t want a cheese board or the cutting board a knife. They don’t need like, sure it’s fine and cute and whatever. It’s fine.

Alissa 29:32
But he was thoughtful. And I even said, I don’t have a closing gift for you tomorrow. So how about that’s your closing gift? And he was like yes, whenever

Katy 29:40
I have closings for investors like they’re buying a property to rent out, I just get them professional photos because I’m like you’re gonna use these over and over and over again right time the house becomes for rent. And look, I’m all for giving your clients a good experience like white glove experience and that you know, we have all these touch points and Things are gonna be so nice and lovely. And we’re gonna get you a pizza party at the end or whatever. That is all fine and good. But if you’re not doing the must haves on the value list, a pizza party or a fancy closing gift, those are band aids at the end. Do you know what I mean? That, yes, it’s not the value. It looks cool, nice. It’s a nice to have Is it valuable? It is part of the client experience. And that’s great. But it’s not the meat of what you do as an agent. Yeah. And I think it’s hard, especially maybe you can understand or sympathize with this. If you’re not a person that shows up with a lot of tangibles having that physical item at the end, like here, here’s your gift. It does feel like that has value because it’s, it’s a thing. Yeah, right. Yeah. And you literally had to pay for it. So it’s about it has a value. But it’s the intangibles that are more valuable to your clients. Well,

Alissa 30:56
even on my way to the final walkthrough this morning, I was thinking, I just don’t have a closing gift for them. You know what, and these are repeat clients. I feel bad. And so I thought maybe I’ll have the house cleaned for them. But the seller had thank goodness, it was a beautiful final walkthrough. But then the fact that to see, put it this way, I’ve given closing gifts, no one was as as excited as he was today. When I told him don’t worry about right. Like, let me have a meet up. Yeah, I’ll help happy to help you with that. Because that is the value. Yeah, he can’t get that. He can’t get that and another way else, you can’t get them the other way. Okay, so that’s my full list of things that just off the top of my head where the value needs to have. Okay, one more story. You

Katy 31:40
have a please. I’m going to grab something off the printer. But tell me the story. Okay, great.

Alissa 31:43
So one of my childhood friends, older sibling, she used to carpool me. Okay. Okay. So carpool me, but now that we’re older, we’re close. We’re close in age, but she could drive before I could. So she had to carpool me my younger sister.

Katy 31:59
That’s a funny verb. She drove you to school? Yeah.

Alissa 32:02
Okay, go pick me up from school. Okay. Okay. When I became a realtor, I hand wrote all those letters letting everybody know I was a realtor. She was on that list to get a note your your carpool or carpool or Okay, yes. So she’s like three years older than me. So okay. She’s like, I think engaged at this point. Well, she reached out to me when she got the note and said, Oh, my gosh, I’m so excited for you. You know, we do have a realtor, but I’ll be happy to help you in any way that I can. I just love our realtor so much. And as a new agent who had never had business ever. That was my first time to be like, Oh my gosh, other people have realtors. Like she hasn’t like, man. And I said, you know, well, your real she was like, Yeah, our Realtors just so great. Like, every year on my birthday, she sends us a birthday cake, a whole cake, a whole cake. And I’m thinking I could never compete with that. How does she keep up with all these birthdays and all these cakes? Right? Okay. And I just thought, this is just one I’m never going to win. She can you know, that’s okay. Let them eat cake. Let them eat cake. I’m not going to be able to top that I and I don’t want to try. I just don’t want to Okay, fine. Fast forward six years, six years of cake. She calls me to list her house. You’re like, What happened to your cake lady? I didn’t ask. Oh, I didn’t ask. We don’t know. I don’t know. I just thought so. I did look up who it was from when she bought so I know who it was. And it wasn’t. I’m sure there are a delightful fine agent. It wasn’t someone I know that maybe is super involved or does a ton which you don’t have to do a ton to be good. Okay. But for whatever reason from watching me and my career over six years, when it came time to need a realtor and pay someone to sell your house she called me Yeah. I never sent her a cake to this day. Right? And not only did I sell her house, they bought a bigger one with me. I sold her dad’s house. Dad bought a bigger house with me. I’m selling her sister’s house. never bought a cake. No cakes. No zero cakes delivered. Were the cakes. Nice. Yes, I am not in any way dogging that agent for that. But it did not win the business. The value one the business, right?

Katy 34:21
Because you’re they’re hiring a professional. They’re hiring someone to do a job. Also, it is a job. Why people act like I am service provider. I agree. I’m providing service. I’m not selling you pipes or shirt products or whatever. But it is still a job and they’re hiring you to do the job if you do the job. Well, that should be it. Yeah. Nothing else required.

Alissa 34:45
Some of the most successful agents in our marketplace don’t do closing gifts at all. They just don’t. Yeah, I’m not saying that it’s right or wrong. I’m just saying they don’t.

Katy 34:54
Right. And I don’t know. It’s kind and I don’t know where that tradition If you will started, but I also think that it’s gotten worse with social media because it’s like, oh, I can see you there with the gift or this or that, that. And then you’re like, well, maybe I need to do that. Because one of my clients see that, and then they realize I didn’t give them a gift. And wow,

Unknown Speaker 35:13
right, y’all just stop

Katy 35:16
and really filter your entire business through, does it provide the client value? If it doesn’t? I don’t think it’s necessary. Yeah.

Alissa 35:25
If you have time and can do it great. If not, don’t stress, right. If I the reason I didn’t have a closing gift for them, is because there just wasn’t something that spoke to their situation. So I just didn’t have anything pre planned.

Katy 35:40
Yeah. And you know, I normally just did the one buyers, every buyer, regardless of if they bought the fanciest house or the not fanciest house, they all got the return address stamp. It’s $20. on Amazon. Yeah. It’s not about like, it wasn’t about looking at this gift I have gotten he was more like, this is a fun thing for you to have in your house. You put in your new address, stamp your mail,

Speaker 2 35:58
enjoy. Yeah, or whatever. Okay,

Katy 36:02
let’s talk about a few things. Before we wrap this up. In our buyer agreement, cover letter, which we did the whole episode on your buyer, buyer brokerage, right, we have my commitments to you. So there’s a whole section about what our commitments are to a buyer, the same thing exists for sellers, and we’re creating the cover letter for your listing agreement, just like your buyer one, okay. So the letter tells you what you’re going to do, what they’re going to do, how you’re going to get paid, what’s going to happen in the process, you know, kind of a quick overview, then you’re like, here is the document the agreement that you signed to say you want to work with me? Correct. If you’re having trouble verbalizing value, these are great. That gives you the commitments that you have to them, right. Yes,

Alissa 36:49
it’s a cover letter to the buyer representation agreement. I think it’s great. So simplifies it for you.

Katy 36:56
If you’re not one with the words, this is what you need. And

Alissa 36:59
I am one with the words. And I still like to use that because this is new, right, newer? Well,

Katy 37:06
I think we just kind of rested on our laurels for many years. Well, the buyers are not having to sign and I know y’all I hear you some markets, they’re like we always say always sign their emails we

Alissa 37:18
see right? So we

Katy 37:19
Well, here’s the thing, they never signed it here. Never Never. So imagine that. That’s

Speaker 2 37:24
all that’s all I knew. So thing. But

Katy 37:27
you need to explain to your buyers and your sellers, what they are signing, why should they sign it? Why do they want to pay you this amount of money? Like what are you going to do? There’s nothing wrong with being able to speak. You show up at the dentist, he’s like, I will fill your cavity, you will not have pain. This

Alissa 37:43
is the price you pay. Yes, brush your teeth. This is what you will do. This is what you do. Yeah,

Katy 37:47
this is what I’ll do. If you don’t do that. I’m gonna have to do more of this. Yes, that’s up to you. There were a few other sweet friends who had some questions and I want to ask them to you. Are you ready? Yes. What is the one thing that is the easiest to implement in your business right now to provide value? What’s the one thing templates?

Alissa 38:08
They’re done? Yeah, I just use email templates to keep everybody on track and to answer all their questions before they ask them. Okay,

Katy 38:14
I would also say resume, it’s like a one. At the end of the day. You could have a resume at the end of an hour. Yeah. So okay. Do you think first impressions make a great impact on new prospective clients? Do you prepare or dress differently for the first time meeting a new client?

Alissa 38:31
I don’t know. I feel like I have many sides to Elissa. All right, love comfy clothes as you know from recording the podcast with me but I also own like some pencil skirts. I really like I haven’t pulled them out in a while. I don’t know that I dress differently. I certainly have my hair washed. Okay, great hair a hair is clean for new meetings.

Katy 38:57
Okay, what about the 10th meeting hair might be dirty Yeah, like you got me I’m here this is it you know me by now I would say the type of car you show up in does that provide value to your client? No the the fancy lateness of your outfit or purse does not provide value to your client? No Do you want to look nice your business

Alissa 39:16
you may look out Yeah, I think you guys how you and your vibe will attract your try so thank you

Katy 39:22
can look very professional and a pair of jeans. Yeah, I don’t think that I just don’t think there’s any you have to do it this way. Okay, let’s go on using other other than Trello and email templates. What has been the best time saver in your business? Do you have any good time savers?

Alissa 39:41
I feel like my best time saver with buyers is when they email me their list of houses taking the 10 minutes it takes to check all the property disclosures make my notes maybe even point out you mentioned you had to have a garage this one doesn’t next thing you know the eight houses they wanted to see is three so

Katy 39:58
you do I love you Your method two with the you highlight them like, is it red, yellow, green,

Alissa 40:03
green, orange and red. Green is like yes, this this is good is what you asked for green is like an orange is like you’ve said that you wanted this, but it’s not in this house. But I could see why you like this house if you’re okay, compromising red is like this house has a defect or this is why you may want to reconsider. It’s not where you said,

Katy 40:23
I like that. That’s a good time saver. So you’re not running out to show houses that will never work? Yes. Love that. I would just say pre stuffing my folder. So if I’m going to have a presentation I have, it’s already done. Like I can pull a buyer folder or seller folder, I can be out of the door to a listing and under 30 minutes. From the minute they call and say I’d like to sell my house. Yeah, it’s it’s easy. It’s pre Done. Easy prep. Okay. What tips do you have for listing agents, representatives for new construction? Oh, okay. They want to know, how do they make it easier for buyers agents and to make the process better for buyers? So

Alissa 40:55
she’s a listing agent for a builder? Yeah.

Katy 40:57
How do you provide value there? Mm hmm.

Alissa 40:59
My biggest thing with that doing one right now is just including the buyer’s agent, and everything, making sure they’re aware that the walkthrough is happening that your client had a question and just wanted to see a fixture, but they came in today. Like I have a buyer right now going to the model home all the time to meet with the builders agent. And I didn’t even know they stopped by I would just like to know, yeah, hey, yeah, my people are there. I think also giving really good detail process outlines in the beginning. This is how it goes, this is what you have to do, like, can

Katy 41:37
you stop by? Do you need to bring your agent? What’s going to happen? If you want to go look at the house? Are you allowed on the property? What do you are you allowed to talk directly to the superintendent? Like what are the rules, I think as a listing agent for a builder, and in order to provide that builder value to where they’re like, you should have a listing agent, those are things you need to do. Look, I’m going to keep the buyers and their agents in check. I’m going to make sure they stick to your processes and don’t get in your way. I’m going to make sure that everyone knows what’s what when monies are due, like how the process goes, We’re not going to have someone trying to flake out at the end after they put in some crazy extra custom finishes. Like the like I will make sure that they’re following the rules and in the process goes smoothly. Yes. Because the builder doesn’t want to do that. They just want to build the house. Yeah. And they don’t want the buyers calling them directly to be like, Whoa, what’s going on with this, when it’s the way it always gets done. Like, if a buyer has never built a house with their own two hands, they’re going to show up and be like something is wrong. I’m like, No, this is what it looks like how it goes, it is never dirtier than during construction, your house will never be dirtier than during construction. Okay. A couple of others just talking about creating value for a buyer’s agent in this changing market where buyers might have to start paying their own fees. I don’t think that you need to create anything like there’s nothing Yeah, you just explain what you do. Right. Just have to identify what do you do? And y’all buyer’s agents don’t just open doors, or search for listings online. Yeah, that’s like the the bottom of the list, you know, correct. Yes, you do have to show up and open the door. But like, did you read the property disclosure? Before you went? Did you check that it met all the qualifications for your buyer? Do you know anything about that neighborhood? What about the data? What about all of the, you know, what’s happening with the price? Is

Alissa 43:29
their flood insurance required? Like, do they qualify with the insurance? What? Right? The amount of money that I have saved clients by incurred by going and educating them on even the lender things and how money works in the loan world?

Katy 43:45
It’s just amazing, right? My lender call me today, I had a new buyer call this week, he was a referral from a past client. He’s a first time buyer. He’s like I said, Okay, have you looked at your budget at all? Do you have any idea? Have you ever talked to a lender? Yes, I have talked to three lenders on Holy smokes. Wow, okay, great. And I’m like, No, you told me who it was. And I’m like, alright, that’s fine. I said, but you’re having some specific questions to being a first time buyer. Why don’t you talk to my local lender, she’s really great at telling you all the different types of loans and what it’s going to what might work for you, okay, what your options are? Okay, great, no problem. Because I’m like, hey, now you have all these banks that you call, it’s not just about your interest rate, friend, you’re gonna have to get your fee sheet and you’re gonna have to compare, right? So I sent him on his way and then my lender call me she’s like, he called and I’m talking to him. And she, I said, well, listen, I told him, he had all the data tell you what lenders he talked to, she said a couple and I told her the others. And I said, Hey, you’re gonna have to get some fee sheets, because it’s not all about the rate. And she said, Thank you. That was exactly the right thing to say. And I’m like, I knew you would appreciate that. Right? Because it isn’t. There’s comparing the rate is not how it works. Your buyers don’t know that you don’t know. Then there can be all these fees that make the rate go up. Yes. Okay. I think that’s really all I have on value. My biggest thing is, agents are valuable. Yeah, the better you are, the more valuable you are. But at the end of the day, we’ve said this in our previous episode, typically your clients have a full time job. This is ours, our full time job, it’s a job, there are all these pieces and parts things have to be done. I’m not just showing up, you know, at the end to be like, Okay, bye, here’s a gift and enjoy your home. Like, there was a lot of work between you saying you wanted to buy or sell your home and that in

Alissa 45:35
our Google research, and we were googling what seeing what Google says about how agents provide value, we did come across a good article by Forbes. But what I liked about them is that when they listed the top three things, they always started it off with a high level agent will blank. A high level agent will blink. Yeah, it wasn’t like all agents do this. No, no, all agents do that. No, you need to interview to make sure that you are working with a high level agent that is full time and is aware of what’s going on. Yeah.

Katy 46:10
And as an agent, you need to strive to become a high level agent, like what are you doing that you can raise the bar, like how can

Alissa 46:16
you add these big numbers behind me? I was touring homes attended. I was learning as much as I could, so that I could speak with confidence. Yeah, it’s very important. You can be high level without having the numbers yet. Yes, absolutely. Because anyone can have knowledge. Anyone can study the market. Anyone can be familiar with neighborhoods. Anyone can know the take classes. Okay, I

Katy 46:42
love that high level agent. That’s really good. Okay, I had something else but I can’t remember what it was. So we’re just going to move on. Remember, you have access to the buyer agreement cover letter. Now we’re going to have the seller agreement cover letter, which I guess I’ll call listing agreement cover letter. Yeah. Okay. And we’re going to do a whole episode on resume. So you’re like, oh, I need to do that short. But we’ll we’ll dive into it a little deeper. Anything else? And you can go back to 154. If you want to talk to sellers about your value. Yes. Okay. And don’t convince have conviction. don’t convince have conviction that really stuck with me. That’s good. So true. Okay, here’s a toast from

Alissa 47:24
someone from California, California at our conference.

Katy 47:29
I know it’s gonna be so fun. I can’t wait to hear who it is. Okay. Bye.

Speaker 3 47:33
Hi, my name is Nicole spur. ossia from Century 21 Toma partners in Peoria, Arizona. And I would like to toast first off Maria Lena Rainey for introducing me to real estate we went to school together. We’ve got done the whole ride together for the last 15 years. And if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be on this crazy ride of real estate. And I also want to toast everyone at my brokerage century 21 tomo partners, the tomo partner family, they are amazing. I love everyone that I work with. We’re a big family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better brokerage to work with.

Alissa 48:07
Thank you so much. Thank you so much for tuning in to the hustle humbly podcast. If

Katy 48:12
you enjoy this episode, please go to rate this podcast.com/hustle humbly and leave us a review or drop a comment if you’re listening on Spotify. If

Alissa 48:20
you have an episode topic or someone you’d like to toast on the show, please email us at team at hustle humbly podcast.com

Katy 48:27
Find us on social media at hustle humbly podcast don’t forget to find all the free resources at hustle humbly podcast.com/resources See you next week.

Alissa 48:40
This is goodbye