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Speaker: Virginia Munden<\/em><\/p>\n What role might compassion and empathy play in your position as an agent? As it turns out, quite a lot, especially when it\u2019s a part of your brand. \u201cThe human touch allows you to relate better to your customer,\u201d Virginia Munden reminded participants at the REBarCamp VANCOUVER 2015. \u201cKnow what your customer wants to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n Dynamic and personable, Virginia laid out strategies she knows by heart after 25 successful years in the industry. It\u2019s all about building relationships: between agents, clients, partners and other people involved in the real estate industry. The emphasis on relationship building and focusing more on the client rather than the agent set the tone for Virginia\u2019s talk; building authentic rapport appeared as a running theme throughout this year\u2019s REBarCamp 2015 workshops.<\/p>\n She suggests preparing a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation for clients that will underscore the value of your service. \u201cData and stats don\u2019t lie!\u201d she stresses. Along with 20 points on why a seller needs to work with an agent, the presentation should always include not only a review of the previous year, but a review of the first quarter of the year. \u201cThat\u2019s powerful,\u201d she says. \u201cConcentrate on stats, they don\u2019t lie.\u201d It helps to build a client\u2019s confidence, and it accentuates an agent\u2019s knowledge of the local market.<\/p>\n Value is a word frequently heard throughout the industry, but values need to genuinely relate to an agent\u2019s business. She recommends drawing on a wealth of tools readily available to agents: why not emphasize an agent\u2019s membership in real estate boards to highlight the huge roster of agents with qualified buyers at their disposal? Future buyers are on social media; social media platforms and online portals offer rich resources that should be fully utilized. Two things are needed to harness the power of online platforms, she says somewhat tongue-in-cheek: a user name and a password.<\/p>\n Like a mantra, Virginia assures an outstanding customer relationship when an agent presents value, highlights the benefit of that value, and outlines the results of that value. \u201cWhat\u2019s the value of your brand for the consumer?\u201d she asks. \u201cWhen you tell a client: \u2018I live here, I work here, I know about these things\u2019, you\u2019re creating value in the mindset of the consumer. Be a specialist in your area.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDevelop relationships and engage with people,\u201d she says. \u201cWe need to shift our mindset to increase sales and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n Millenials and Technology: How to build trust within the Real Estate Industry with this Eager & Savvy Group of Professionals<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaker: Christina Kroner<\/em><\/p>\n Millennials, that group of buyers that range in age from 18-34 continues to intrigue real estate agents. How do you connect with them? And aren\u2019t they usually broke, labouring under student loans and other debts? Not necessarily so, says Christina.<\/p>\n Ignore them and you are \u201cleaving money on the table.\u201d Twenty-eight per cent of property buyers fall into the 25-34 year-old-range. A good agent will I.D. their needs while at the same time, educate these first-time buyers on a wide range of issues, from financing to closing costs.<\/p>\n Without question, millennials are very savvy consumers. They consult Google for even the most mundane buying decisions (like what restaurant or drycleaner to use) or crowdsource the answer to questions from family and friends on Facebook.<\/p>\n Much of home purchasing information can be gathered online, but it often becomes overwhelming. That\u2019s where an astute agent can step in to act as a filter.<\/p>\n Christina, for instance, has prepared a comprehensive first time buyers\u2019 package that\u2019s easy to digest for her millennial clients. She coaches them on a myriad of details they\u2019ll face as new buyers. She points out that statistics show 55% of millennials may not grasp the costs associated with the closing of a property. \u201cA lot of education goes into the buying process,\u201d she says, \u201cand most of the time, it\u2019s an agent\u2019s job to ensure clients are aware of the buying process.\u201d<\/p>\n She also pairs them with financial planners once she understands their needs, and it\u2019s a process that starts early in the relationship. Sometimes, this progression may take several years, but Kroner will stay in touch with them until they\u2019re ready and able to buy a home.<\/p>\n Social media figures heavily in Christina\u2019s line of work, from her iPad and a handy app she uses to register open house guests (who love filling out their information online rather than signing paper) to using live video on FaceTime to show a client a prospective property if they can\u2019t free up time in a busy schedule. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms and apps play prominent roles in her ability to connect and build rapport with millennial clients.<\/p>\n Sometimes, she walks a fine line. \u201cIf you post too much on Facebook, it may appear to the client that you\u2019re not working, yet for them, it\u2019s one of their most preferred ways to stay in touch!\u201d<\/p>\n Innovative use of social media tools, creating a searchable online presence, and knowing how to market services to millennials are central to tapping into this important market.<\/p>\n![\"attachment1427394602\"](\"https:\/\/rankmyagent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/IMG_1846.jpeg\")
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