Last weeks article was a smashing success and so this week’s focus is “Successful
Prospecting Secrets”. Below are tips; many of which you have seen before
but a good reminder can be the difference in making the sale or not.

Calling: If you are determined to cold call, try calling at 8 AM or 6 PM
when the decision maker is more likely to have more time to talk and in fact
may even answer the phone. And if you’re stuck leaving a message, one left
in the evening will be the first to be heard in the morning!

Ask Lots of Questions: Ask the right questions and the prospect will tell
you what they want and how they need to be sold.

Don’t Underestimate Faxes: Emails are used constantly today and so it’s harder
to stand out with yours – try sending a fax, it will stand out! Use faxes
regularly as part of your prospecting efforts.

Sell Solutions; Not Features: Most Commercial Real Estate professionals start
off by letting the prospect know how great they are, their company is and
so on. The prospect doesn’t care; they only care if you are the solution.
Learn to sell solutions.

Follow Up and Follow Through Are Key: Just like gardening, if you don’t water
the seeds, the garden won’t grow and thrive. And so it is with prospecting…
if you don’t remain in contact, you will never break through.

Give A Prospect Something For Nothing: An article that would be of interest
and value, information that you received online etc. and transferred to the
prospect with a note “just thought you might be interested in this” indicates
that you are thinking of them and wish to be a resource.

There’s no magic bullet: Prospecting takes time and if your sales pipeline
isn’t always filled with prospects in various stages of being worked, then
you are in for a future sales slump. And what Commercial Real Estate professional
can afford that?

Have fun with prospecting; it is possible you know!

I never cease to be amazed. The other day I sent a survey to my clients asking
what topics they’d like to learn more about and the response was unanimous
– MARKETING.

It’s funny because when we were all busy getting our degrees, certifications
and real estate licenses we forgot to take a course on how to market our
services. We never learned this stuff!

The point of marketing is to generate a never-ending flow of prospects that
call you! Who wouldn’t want that?

I have come up with 7 Magic Marketing Tips (or Strategies) for Commercial
Real Estate success:

Marketing Tip #1 – Brand Yourself as an Expert
Most individuals and companies prefer dealing with an expert. List ten ways
you can be known as an expert in your niche and than start checking each
one off as you accomplish it. Before you know it, you will be the “expert.”
One of the best ways to be seen as an expert is to be published. Write articles,
write newsletters, write a book, write a special report – just write.

Marketing Tip #2 – Don’t be Afraid to Think Outside the Box
Brainstorm ideas with yourself and/or others. Most commercial real estate
professionals think alike. Every action step is the same. I have noticed
that even though my clients want to try something different, when push comes
to shove, no one ever will. Remember, if you want to get a different result,
you have to take different action steps. This requires thinking outside the
box. Be willing to take risks.

Marketing Tip #3 – Have a Marketing Calendar
Each November map out the next calendar year by putting in all the marketing
steps you intend to take, the date(s) they will be taken, and the desired
results. This can be written on a calendar (best method), entered in a spreadsheet
or any other method you choose. The point is, plan ahead in writing and follow
through.

Marketing Tip #4 – Have an Assistant Help Implement the Plan
You cannot possibly do everything yourself. When I work with clients and
their marketing calendars we strategize to have as many things as possible
be included that the broker does not have to do personally. For example,
implement a postcard campaign where your assistant designs and sends a postcard
on the second Tuesday of each month. Or, draft a newsletter but have it edited,
improved upon, and sent out by somebody else. Perhaps have your assistant
invite three people to join you for lunch each Tuesday (including making
reservations and confirming each guest). You get the idea, don’t you?

Marketing Tip # 5 – Follow Up Regularly
This is a fact: 90% of commercial real estate brokers have poor follow-up.
A lack of consistent contact causes valuable relationships to suffer, or
even dwindle to the point where somebody else who’s stayed in contact snatches
the business.

Marketing Tip #6 – Don’t Confuse Marketing with Sales
Before you can sell your service, you must have a prospect. Before you have
a prospect, you must have a lead. Trying to jump from stranger to client
isn’t a fruitful strategy. Instead, implement an effective lead- generating
system (Learn how to do this by joining my Commercial Real Estate Success
Inner Circle – watch for the re-launch later next month!). Focus your efforts
entirely on generating qualified leads and keep your pipeline full!

Marketing Tip #7 – Don’t Give Up Marketing
Give your new marketing campaign a chance to work. Remember it takes five
to nine times receiving a message before it kicks in. And, you must continue
to stay in contact. If you don’t – your competitor will!

I keep hearing the same thing over and over from my clients . . . “My deals are taking forever to close/be fully executed”. This can be very frustrating for you and warrants some discussion. Is there anything you can do to speed things up?

I am going to go out on a limb and say often times “yes”. Now I am not naïve, there are always going to be exceptions – remember the 80/20 rule? Well 80% of the time you are in the position to move things forward and don’t even know it. And of course, you will have absolutely no control 20% of the time.

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Last year my Gold Inner Circle members were blessed with an in-person phone interview with Frank J. Rumbauskas Jr., author of “Selling Sucks”. He was fabulous and everyone enjoyed the time we spent with him not to mention the amazing things we learned.

I have decided the tips we discovered are far too valuable to keep to ourselves and so below are the top strategies from his new book, “Selling Sucks”. Read more

We are now 7 weeks into the New Year – 2010; actually, 13% of the year has already passed us by. So let me ask you a question, are you on course for achieving what you intend to this year? In other words, have you been paying attention to your goals? It’s probably a good idea to pull them out, brush them off and take a “look-see”.

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Fact: Blogging is huge!

Fact: People pay attention to commercial real estate bloggers.

Fact: A blog is an extraordinary medium – really; who would have thought!

Fact: A Blog is not only easy to set up but it’s FREE

Just think about how blogs have changed the way people receive their news. Major news networks and papers were the only venues where people got their news – not anymore. . .Blogs have given everyday people with something to say the ability to become a reporter.

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– Adapted from Dan Kennedy’s Book, “No BS Sales Success” –

I bet I have piqued your curiosity with this headline haven’t I? One single tool that has the ability to make such a difference that it can actually close – hmm. . .I’ve just made a big claim! This one tool, when used, has transformed losing businesses into big successes, and mediocre salespeople into superstars. I regularly use it myself. Read more

For some, 2010 has already been kind, commissions have already been earned with promises of more to follow. And yet for others the struggle is still there – two extremes. Now of course I realize a piece of the puzzle depends upon what your niche is and where you are located but after much thought and conversation with numerous clients it is my belief a couple of things set these two groups apart (the haves and have not’s) – Annual Planning and Mindset. Read more

Forget about the competition and focus on creating a successful game plan for landing that perfect listing. Here’s how:

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