Tag: real estate

Every time you fail to pick up the phone, the gap between you and your goals widens. Real estate coach, Tom Ferry, said this (and he’s not alone). Ask any coach or top prospector and they’ll say something similar. So why do real estate agents regularly resist prospecting and cold calling when they know it generates listings? The common answer: phone fear.

If fear is your default feeling to “dialing for dollars,” then let these remedies resolve your phobias so you can narrow the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

6 Remedies For Anxious Agents With Phone Fear

Remedy 1: Ask Why You Are Really Afraid Of The Phone
Remedy 2: Move From Pain to Power
Remedy 3: Let Money Motivate You
Remedy 4: Visualize Your Value
Remedy 5: Create the Right Environment
Remedy 6: Practice Makes Perfect

Remedy 1: Ask Why You Are Really Afraid Of The Phone

In Feel The Fear… And Do It Anyway, author Susan Jeffers says, “It doesn’t matter where your fears come from. What matters is that you take action to develop trust in yourself and choose to change for the better.”

Jeffers explains some fear is instinctual, healthy, and exists to keep us alert to trouble. The rest of our fears (those holding us back from growth) are destructive and can be blamed on your conditioning.

So the next time you’re afraid of a prospecting call ask yourself, “Why am I really afraid of calling?” You might discover your fears aren’t instinctual, but a learned behavior that you can easily un-learn.

Rather than focusing on the fear and allowing it to stop you from prospecting or cold calling, you can shift your focus away from fear with these three words: I’ll handle it.

Keep this phrase in mind on every call, and it will slowly (but surely) boost your trust in yourself and allow you to prospect with higher degrees of confidence.

Remedy 2: Move From Pain to Power

Phone fear causes many real estate agents to feel a looming void of helplessness, depression, and paralysis. But if most agents feel this fear, how do so many still make money cold calling and prospecting, despite the dread? Is fear itself really the problem?

In her book, Susan Jeffers provides an answer that might surprise you. She explains, “The real issue has nothing to do with the fear itself, but rather how we hold the fear.”  

The underlying principle of “how you hold fear” comes from a branch of psychology called dialectics (pronounced: die-a-leck-ticks), which involves developing new skills to manage painful emotions.

Practicing dialectics for real estate teaches you how to hold your fears with power versus holding them with pain. It elevates your perspective on pain and empowers you to choose how you react to phone fear.

The more responsibility you take over your perception of fear, the more you can ask, “Is this the condition I truly feared?” Next time you reach for the phone, keep this question in mind, and watch your fear shift from pain to power as you control your fears of prospecting.

Remedy 3: Let Money Motivate You

Mark Twain once said, “The timid person yearns for full value and asks for a tenth; the bold person strikes for double value, and compromises at par.” Let that quote sink in, then imagine your bank account 60, 90, and 120 days from now…

With that number in mind, how many appointments, listings, and closings will you need to turn the impossible into the inevitable? Seems like a lot, right?

Well, if you don’t have a specific plan to connect your calls to commissions, it’s easy to let phone fear paralyze you from “doing your dials.”  Even if money isn’t your main motivator, the experiences, comfort, and time with family that money buys, will be.

Since your motivations lie with something that money helps you achieve, what you want and why you want it is going to be your best money motivator. Once you’re clear on your “why,” the next step is mastering the “how.”

Whether you call it “cold calling” or “prospecting,” it’s a simple science that predictably makes money. Get good leads, a good dialer, a good script, and a good schedule.

However, just because it’s a simple process doesn’t mean it’s any easier to pick up the phone. So as a remedy to reluctance, the clearer you are on your motivation for money, the stronger this remedy will work to improve upon your fears and anxieties.

Remedy 4: Visualize Your Values

Real estate agents who list and last know their “money motivators” and keep visual reminders of their goals, dreams, and values front and center when cold calling. Stacking this remedy with the previous one delivers maximum results.

This is how Expireds master, Paula Burlison, dials daily. She keeps her vision board of goals and dreams in her line of sight. When she encounters negative people radiating negative emotions, she looks at her board for a reminder of what she’s working towards, and keeps going.

Listing machine, Edward Estrada, keeps a Who I Am card close by wherever he prospects. On the card are reminders like, “I’m a great person. I’ve got a positive mindset. I’m helpful. I’m grateful. I’m here for myself. I know who I am.” Whenever he’s having a bad day or is on a difficult call, he reads the card to reboot his attitude and refocus on his prospecting.

Your goals, dreams, and values power your mindset and motivation. Keep them in front of you so you can push past your phone fears and remember why prospecting is the path to your prosperity.

Remedy 5: Create the Right Environment

Prospecting in the right environment can diminish phone fears. One of the best solutions is to create a dedicated space (or room) just for prospecting. A space dedicated to prospecting trains your mind to know when it’s time to prospect.

Think about a dedicated space like an empowering costume or uniform. When you put it on, how does it feel? Because like astronauts, pilots, or race car drivers “suit up” and buckle in, stepping into your own “command center” will help you turn nervous energy into positive productivity.

Top prospectors who follow a “dedicated-desk” approach keep a computer, phone, and notepad at their desk, along with a vision board or goal list. That’s it. They keep their prospecting space clear of other distracting “stuff,” and the only thing on their screen is their leads.

Now, if your head isn’t clear, it doesn’t matter how dedicated your workspace is. If you bring in trash, your session is going to stink. That means cultivating a healthy “mental environment” is also essential to make this remedy work.

The concept is simple. Nix the negative news, people, pop culture, and other mental junk food from your life. Instead, create a bubble of self-improvement by immersing yourself in real-estate-centric audiobooks and podcasts to keep your mind out of the gutter.

If followed, this two-part remedy will radically reduce your phone fears and cold calling concerns by “dialing in” the right physical and mental environments.

Remedy 6: Practice Makes Perfect

The best remedy to overcome your phone fear and cold calling anxiety is practice. It’s the “get your hands dirty, say the wrong things, and fall on your face” style of practice. Nothing else beats fear like preparation and experience.

Now you have two options (and you can try both):

The first is “safe mode.” In safe mode, you find script practice partners who roleplay the lead types you prospect. There are literally hundreds of agents everyday looking for someone to practice with.

If you’re going to take this first option, avoid working with only one partner. Top prospectors rotate between three to five different partners so they don’t get accustomed to one personality type. They also recommend 30 minutes of practice before a call session. This warms you up and prepares you for objections.

The second option is “live-fire mode.” This is where you learn on the job. You load your leads, get your scripts, and dial. Your mental model should be “get through the script” rather than “I fail if I don’t get an appointment.” Recording your calls and reviewing them later (with a coach) will help you turn up the accuracy on your live-fire practice.

Although there’s no way to 100% predict what will happen during a prospecting session, when you show up prepared, you show up to win! It may sound cliché, but practice really does make perfect.

Swallow The Pill

The ultimate remedy to your phone fear and cold calling anxiety comes down to one thing: get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s possible. Most top real estate agents have confronted these fears and discovered everything they ever wanted was on the other side of courage.

Prospecting may never become your favorite thing to do, but top prospectors agree – every time you pick up the phone, you narrow the gap between where you are and where you want to be!

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

Does spending money on fliers, postcards, and bench ads get the results you want from your real estate farm area? These “market and wait” approaches will work to generate some listings, but more proactive farming techniques will help you generate the leads (and income) you desire. These techniques unravel the science of real estate farming to help you dominate the market and take control of your farm area.

7 Scientific Farming Techniques To Dominate Any Area

Technique 1: Start With A Conversation
Technique 2: The Right Time For Farming
Technique 3: “Land and Expand” in Hot Markets
Technique 4: Keep The Seller Promise
Technique 5: Open House “Micro Farming”
Technique 6: From Just Listed to Just Sold
Technique 7: Use The Right Tools

Technique 1: Start With A Conversation

Geographic and demographic prospecting (aka “farming”) is when you focus the bulk of your prospecting efforts on a specific area or type of client.

If you’ve ever farmed an area before, you’ve probably used traditional marketing such as postcards, fliers, market reports, and emails. These efforts will generate some business, but do they provide you with consistent listings? Maybe this is why you wonder (and worry) about when you’ll see your next commission check.

And to make things even trickier, most homeowners in “hot markets” receive the same marketing from every agent who’s interested in their neighborhood. So how can you set yourself apart and create a solid farming strategy that actually works?

The answer is simple: have quality conversations. Think about it. Who would you trust to sell your home? Some random agent on a flier? Someone who takes the time to call you? Or better yet, someone who knocks on your door to introduce themselves directly? Whether it’s over the phone, at an open house, or face-to-face on a doorstep, having a strong voice sets you apart from the other “ad-only” agents.

Technique 2: The Right Time For Farming

First things first. It’s time to fit your farming strategy into your (already) busy schedule. How you break up your day and optimize your lead stack is essential to maximizing your day and your prospecting sessions.

Here’s how profitable neighborhood farmers organize their daily routines:

• 5:00 – 7:30am — Morning routine: Gym, shower, breakfast, get to the office
• 7:30 – 8:00am — Prospecting warm-up: Journal, meditate, roleplay, import new leads
• 8:00 – 12:00pm — Prospect: New expireds and FSBOs and other “hot” leads
• 12:00 – 1:00pm — Lunch
• 1:00 – 3:00pm — Lead follow-up and more prospecting
• 3:00 – 5:00pm (or even later) — Farming time: Knock doors, organize open houses, call JL/JS (Just Listed/Just Sold)

The specific times and lead types for your own schedule will vary depending on your market, but dedicating 2-3 hours a day to farming will allow you to make new connections, build neighborhood rapport, and market your current listings to different areas.

Technique 3: “Land and Expand” in Hot Markets

The more experience you gain, the more opportunities you’ll have to test out a variety of farming techniques. One that you can do right from your office is called “Land and Expand.”

Start by searching for neighborhoods with a high turnover rate (number of homes listed to number of homes sold in the past three months), then use geographic prospecting software to drop a pin in the center of that neighborhood and call the closest 100-250 neighbors following this script:

“Hello! I’m [YOUR NAME], a local real estate agent with [YOUR BROKERAGE.] I’m calling because there has been a high turnover rate for homes in your area in the last 90 days. I sell homes [FASTER, FOR MORE MONEY, WITH LESS HEADACHE, ETC.] than [%%] of agents in this area. Do you know anyone looking to buy or sell in the next 30 days? Or are you looking to buy or sell in the next 30 days?”

This simple farming script gets right to the point of, “Are you ready to sell?” and positions you as the proactive agent. In these conversations, you’ll also get a feeling for how “hot” the neighborhood actually is while practicing your scripts and improving your conversation skills (like every agent should).

Technique 4: Keep the Seller Promise

Although farming is an amazing way to find and take new listings, it’s also a great way to boost local attention and interest in your current listings. Isn’t that what sellers pay you for? To fulfill your promise as their agent by actively selling their property? It’s Real Estate 101. Don’t let current listings slip through the cracks in the search for new business.

So if you’re trying to sell a property that’s been on the market for over 30 days, drop a pin and call the closest 250 neighbors to the property using this script:

“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], a local real estate agent. I’m calling about a property I’ve listed [DOWN THE STREET / AROUND THE CORNER / JUST WEST OF YOU / ETC.] I’m working hard to get that property sold for my clients. Are you aware of anyone who might be interested in moving into the area?”

As the conversation takes off, get more specific and see if they (or anyone they know) are looking to buy in the next 30-45 days. This not only works to help sell your current listings, but boosts your reputation as a well-established agent who knows the neighborhood and works hard to keep your sales promises.

Technique 5: Open House “Micro Farming”

Are you planning an open house for a new listing, but are unsure of how to best promote it? One way to create attention for your new listings is through what top prospector, Edward Estrada, calls “Micro Farming.”

Start by dropping a pin on the listing. Search the area immediately around the pin (about a one-mile radius) and follow this farming schedule to promote your open house dates:

Day 1: The day you take the listing, post a sign on the property to advertise the open house, then knock five doors to either side of the listing to get the neighborhood excited about the new listing on their street.
Day 2: The day after you take the listing, call the nearest 100 neighbors and invite them to the open house. Mention that you (the agent) will be there to show the house and answer any questions.
Days 3-4: Call every home within a one-mile radius to your listing and invite them to the open house. Mention that you (the agent) will be there to show the house and answer any questions.
Day 5: Call back any remaining neighbors you haven’t yet connected with, and finalize any traditional marketing materials for the open house such as fliers, yard signs, or local online ads. Make sure the house is ready to show.
Day 6-7: The open house! This should take place over a weekend, preferably the one nearest to when you took the listing. If it suits the neighborhood, hold an open house on Saturday and Sunday to maximize traffic.

Show off your listing! Following a “Micro Farming” schedule like this one shows the neighborhood that there’s a professional agent nearby who can help them navigate their next home-buying journey.

Technique 6: From Just Listed to Just Sold

Promoting “Just Listed” properties allows you to keep your promise to the seller, but what should you do when you close a sale? Easy! Let the neighbors know. This “Just Sold” strategy will help you land and expand in neighborhoods that you’ve made “hot” (with all the proof you need to back it up).

After you close a sale, gather some quick facts on how fast and how well you’re able to sell the listing, then call the closest 100-200 neighbors and let them know. Like “Just Listed” farming, ask if they, or anyone they know, are looking to buy or sell in the next 30-45 days, and use your recent sale as proof that you’re the agent they ought to list with.

This “Just Sold” farming practice will demonstrate the neighborhood’s selling potential while positioning you as the most qualified agent for the job. In time, you’ll be able to repeat this pattern from “Just Listed” to “Just Sold” and create a self-sustaining cycle of contacts, leads, listings, and sales.

Technique 7: Use The Right Tools

You’ve got the techniques and tactics, now all you need are the tools. If you’ve got the time, the easiest (and cheapest) tools at your disposal are your own feet! Pick any neighborhood, hit the pavement, and start knocking. It’s free, effective, and will immediately put you in front of homeowners for quality conversations.

For quicker results, use software to get phone numbers and start calling from the comfort of your office with GeoLeads™. This tool allows you to drop a pin on a recently listed or sold home and instantly get surrounding addresses and phone numbers.

With just a few clicks, you’re on the phone with real people, filling up your sales pipeline and setting new listing appointments. Without tools, prospecting is going to take longer and is more laborious. Ultimately the choice is yours. But the right tools with help you prospect with less frustration. 

Time to Stand Out

One common theme among all these farming techniques is building your sphere of influence. Geographic prospecting is about putting yourself out there in a memorable way so that you’re the first agent homeowners think of when they want to buy or sell a home. It’s the way to become the local expert and get more listings.

So as you start to ramp up your farming strategy with the techniques you’ve just read, remember that relationships, rapport, and repetition unlock the science to success for geographic prospecting.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

What does the money real estate agents spend on top-tier coaching actually buy? It’s not tips, tricks, or hacks, but rather the creation of highly effective habits (and systems) proven to improve your income by hundreds of thousands of dollars. This article is based on a conversation with Tony Smith, a real estate agent and coach with the Mike Ferry Organization who trains dozens of real estate agents every year to develop these core habits.

11 Core Habits For Real Estate Agents Who Prospect

Habit 1: Don’t Invent Excuses
Habit 2: Get Good At Handling Objections
Habit 3: Expose Yourself To Rejection
Habit 4: Be Accountable
Habit 5: Listen To Your Calls
Habit 6: Get Business – Don’t Wait For It
Habit 7: Avoid Unnecessary Distractions
Habit 8: Count Your “Wins”
Habit 9: Don’t Overcomplicate It!
Habit 10: Use A Simple Script
Habit 11: Do The Work

1. Don’t Invent Excuses

We all know what we’re supposed to do to be successful. Sometimes, however, the hardest part is finding the drive to actually do it. According to Tony Smith (real estate coach), one of the hardest things for real estate agents to actually do is to get on the phone and prospect.

Tony can ask any agent, “Do you think you should generate leads in your business?” And 100% of them will answer, “Yes, of course!” When he follows up with, “How do you do it?” they’ll give the usual answer, “Well… open houses, mailers, flyers, door knocking, and prospecting.”

But when he asks how much lead generation they actually do, they admit they often have a hard time getting around to it.

They know they’re supposed to prospect to be successful in their business, they just don’t. But the top-producing real estate agents don’t find excuses to avoid success. They know what it takes to reach their goals, and they don’t stop until they do.

2. Get Good At Handling Objections

Top prospectors know every objection in the book. From, “We’re going to wait to list our home,” all the way to, “Let me talk to my wife.” These objections aren’t new and, as a prospector, you’re likely to hear them almost every day.

The only thing separating good agents from great agents is the habit of pushing for a “yes” when most agents settle for a “no” and move on to the next lead after an objection.

As you know, a good habit takes time to develop. Maneuvering through tough objections and overcoming rejection takes time too. But Tony says exposing yourself to the pain and discomfort is the best (if not the only) way to overcome rejection and become a successful prospector.

So how can you effectively expose yourself to rejection while putting the nerves and fear behind you?

3. Expose Yourself To Rejection

Exposure therapy is one common approach to help people reduce their fears. If you have “phone phobia,” then this method is for you. Schedule a Saturday prospecting session and call 100 people with a single goal: face rejection.

To encounter the maximum rejection in the least amount of time, Tony offers this nine word sentence to expedite your rejection therapy: “Do you want to sell your house, or not?” In 100 calls you’ll receive every type of rejection imaginable.

Tony says, “Somebody will yell at you. Somebody will hang up. Somebody will lie. Somebody will cheat. Somebody will do all these things. But you’ll be exposed to everything that’s ever going to happen to you all in one prospecting session.”

What happens when you experience every type of rejection in one sitting? Tony says if you try it, you’ll see how it’s not as hard as most agents thinks it is. With all that exposure to rejection, you’ll become more resilient, develop strategies to turn them around, and kiss your fears goodbye.

4. Improvement Through Accountability

Hitting the snooze button on prospecting for a day is a lot easier when you don’t have someone holding you accountable. But which one really sounds better? Five more minutes of sleep? Or  thousands of dollars to pay for the things you want and need?

As Tony Smith puts it, “My single biggest job as a coach is to get the truth out about what you want to accomplish, then hold you accountable to it. And it all starts with confrontation.”

A good coach (or accountability partner) will confront you about your goals, figure out what it will take to achieve them, then offer direct feedback to help you become better.

Ask any successful real estate coaching client and they’ll tell you the same thing: they didn’t get to the top by themselves. They needed other people to hold them accountable and discourage them from quitting (and failing).

5. Listen To Your Calls

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said, “Wow, I’m looking good today,” then saw yourself in a picture and thought, “Wow, I actually look terrible”? Tony says, “That’s the difference between a recorded document and what our brain tells us. A recorded document is real.”

It’s common for real estate agents to get off a prospecting call and think, “I nailed my script, pushed past objections, but I still didn’t get the listing appointment!” Odds are, if you listen to a recording of the call, you’ll realize where you missed an opportunity.

Call recordings offer immediate learning opportunities because you can hear where your call went wrong and how to improve.

As Tony puts it, “The only way we can get better is to expose ourselves.” Expose yourself to your mistakes (and weaknesses) to become more productive in less time!

Recording your calls is easy. Visit your phone’s app store and search for “call recorder,” or find a dialer with one built in. Just be sure to follow your state’s call recording laws.

6. Go Get Business Instead Of Waiting For It

A great way to keep your “money momentum” moving in the right direction is by remembering the connection between prospecting and profit.

Tony describes agents (many of whom are new to the industry) who believe selling real estate is a matter of “market and wait.” These agents think they can spend money on fliers, billboards, bench ads, and commercials, then sit back and watch the commision checks roll in.

This “wait and see” strategy might help sell one or two properties a year, but is $1,000 a month really enough to live off? Instead of waiting for commissions, the habit of going out and working for it is simply the best strategy.

Prospectors who “list and last” understand, in order to keep commissions coming, you have to get on the phone and dial. The most successful agents prospect every day (some multiple times a day) and stick to a solid routine.

7. Avoid Unnecessary Distractions

In our age of social media, email, and video games, distractions have become easier and easier to come by. All it takes is a quick glance at a text or tweet and all of a sudden you’re hours into what could’ve been a productive prospecting session.

Tony calls these creative avoidance behaviors. “People get really creative with how they avoid the work they know they should be doing,” Tony says. “And even more creative with how we justify our avoidance after it’s all done.”

Relate your prospecting sessions to your car’s gas mileage. You’re going to get the best miles per gallon cruising on the freeway, and the least when you’re driving through the city.

Why is this? It’s all about the stop and go.

The more often you stop, the more energy you spend to get going again. The same idea applies to prospecting. If you stop every ten minutes to check your email, you’re going to waste energy getting back up to speed.

Fortifying your focus is not hard. There are three simple layers you can tinker with to improve your focus: your digital space, your physical space, and your telephone technology.

Starting with your digital space, productivity experts like Tony recommend installing apps and browser plugins to limit your access to sites like Gmail or Facebook during your prospecting sessions.

Next, a prospecting space separate from the rest of your business is a common solution to securing your physical space.

This dedicated space trains your mind for “game time” the same way stepping onto football field or tennis court does for athletes. It also trains the people around you to respect your focus when they see you in this space.

Finally, your telephone technology can have a significant positive impact on your focus. For example, a dialer not only dials for you, but turns prospecting into a game. Like a game, a dialer provides a steady flow of “opponents,” keeping your attention on the leads you loaded.

8. Count Your “Wins”

Have you ever had a disastrous prospecting session? Every prospector has, and they can be a real drain on your motivation (if you let it). This is why making a game out of prospecting is a great way to feel like you’re always winning, even if you don’t get the listing appointment!

Tony’s favorite is “Prospecting Bingo.”

Normally getting hung up on or yelled at doesn’t feel “valuable.” But prospecting is a numbers game, and by playing it as a game you can feel rewarded (instead of punished) by assigning value to the actions and outcomes.

For instance, when you “get hung up on” – mark that square! Achieve “30 consecutive minutes of talk time” – mark that square! Overcome an objection and… mark that square!

You can set up your bingo card however you like. Sooner or later, you’ll score an appointment! But teaching yourself each adversity along the way works to your advantage.

Tony calls this “counting your wins,” because the gap between paychecks can feel large, but when the time in between feels like a win, it doesn’t have to be! And if you want more than the feeling of winning your “BINGO” game, you can even attach a small reward for completing your card that day.

9. Don’t Overcomplicate It!

Most agents agree: having a system is better than no system at all. But be careful not to overcomplicate things! Because if you become too focused on developing the perfect system, you can distract yourself from actually prospecting. It won’t matter how amazing your system is if you’re not actually dialing and making your contacts.

Real world example: Tony recalls working with an agent who had over 25 years’ real estate experience. But as tenured as she was, she had a difficult time making her calls and contacts, and her income was suffering.

When Tony asked to see her system, she pointed out all of the ways she sorted (and resorted) her leads into various categories. Tony saw this over-organization and told her, “You’re still not making your contacts. If you’re not calling them, then what’s the point?”

He challenged her to delete her whole system, and she did! With a fresh start she was able to work through her contacts, simplify her organization, and start making money again.

10. Use A Simple Script

As we just learned, complexity is the enemy of income. Simplicity is the solution, and choosing a simple script is the perfect solution for many real estate agents. A simple script keeps your listing conversations from random ramblings (a common reason appointments don’t get set).  

The simplest scripts boil the conversation down to one question: “When would you like to sell your property?” That’s it. Do your opening line, then find a simple way to work in this simple question.

Tony says they’ll either say, “Never, tomorrow, or next year.” Based on their answer you’ll know where to go next with the conversation. This one-line script skips all the fluff and keeps your call to the point.

So maybe it’s time to skip the “20 questions” and try a simple script. And if you don’t choose the script in this post, there are other free proven scripts to keep your conversations clear and concise.  

11. Do The Work

If you’re looking for a magic marketing trick, script, or tool to suddenly and forever make real estate easy, you’ll be searching for a very long time. Everlasting real estate agents work hard to develop their skills, and as Tony Robbins puts it, “Repetition is the mother of skill.”

If you prospect with the mindset of nailing million dollar listing appointments on the first or second call, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. More importantly, you’re not focused on building the underlying asset you should be – learning how to show up and play the long game.

Real estate coaches like Tony see agents get fired up after buying a cool new tool or hiring a mentor with the unmet expectation that they will be slingshotted to success. What they don’t understand is that they need to put in effort to make their tools work.

Tony says to keep your expectations in line because if you don’t, you’ll quit. Unrealistic expectations kill more real estate careers than any other factor or force in the industry.

Time To Get It!

You’ve read the habits… now which ones are you going to develop?

Success starts with small, daily actions to improve what you already have. You’ll see your income grow as you focus on your growing skills and solidifying newer, better habits.

After all, how do you expect to earn what you’re worth if you routine is full of distractions? Wishing for things to be different won’t win you what you want.

As John C. Maxwell said, “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

The value of habit-driven action can’t be understated. The things you do every hour of every day determine your success.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

Have you heard about all the listings real estate agents are getting with FRBOs (For Rent By Owner)? Have you even heard of FRBOs? If not, you’re in the right place. This is a beginner’s guide for turning these vacant rental property leads into listings. Read this guide and listen to this interview with Zach Zaleski, a prospector who drove 30% of his $18 million in volume directly from FRBOs, so you can discover if this lead type is right for you.

Beginner’s Guide to Listing Multiple Properties With FRBOs

1. Who Should Read This Guide
2. What’s a FRBO?!
3. The Three Types of Absentee Owners
4. The Attitude of a FRBO
5. Key Financial Concepts FRBOs Want You To Know
6. One Lead Can Generate Multiple Listings
7. How To Build FRBOs Into Your Schedule
8. The 3×3 and 8×8 Calling System
9. Starting the Conversation
10. Follow Up in Half the Time
11. How Long Until You See Results
12. Where to Find FRBO Leads

1. Who Should Read This Guide

Are you looking for new leads to try, but feel like there’s just not enough time in your day to do all the research so you can get the ball rolling? Well you’re in luck. This beginner’s guide to FRBOs has everything you need to start working this new lead type with confidence.

Because let’s face it, prospecting the same lead types every single day can burn you out. And depending on your market’s conditions, there may not be the volume of leads you need. If you’re running into these challenges, then this guide to prospecting FRBO leads might be right for you.

Still worried? Take this advice from FRBO master, Zach Zaleski: “The main thing I would say is, just be open to what’s out there. I’m constantly looking at new ideas based on what other people are doing, and I’m always open and willing to try different things. That was how it started off.”

2. What’s a FRBO?!

Now that you’ve qualified yourself as a potential FRBO prospector, let’s get clear on the basics:

FRBO (pronounced, FUR-BOW) is an acronym for “For-Rent-By-Owner.” These leads cover two basic types of non-owner occupied properties: vacant rental properties (currently “For Rent”), and about-to-be vacant rental properties (will be “For Rent” soon).

FRBOs are typically owned by independent landlords or multi-property investors who have listed their property for rent, but can’t (or are tired of trying to) lease it out, so they’re stuck with the emotional stress of working with tenants and paying out-of-pocket for mortgage and property tax expenses.

Unlike FSBOs (For-Sale-By-Owners), FRBO leads have less of an emotional attachment to the property and are more open to working with real estate agents. That’s where you step in.

Because most agents don’t know what a FRBO is (or that they even exist), no one is calling them. That makes this lead type a high-value, low-competition opportunity to add to your Lead Stack.

3. The Three Types of Absentee Owners

Now that you know what a FRBO lead is, let’s take a few moments to get familiar with three different types of owners and why they’re important:

1. Owners by default

These absentee owners typically rent their properties due to circumstance (like an inheritance) rather than business strategy. When presented with an opportunity to cash out, they’re usually more willing to sell so they can avoid the continued aggravation of managing the property and its tenants.

2. Active Investors

These are your “diehard investors” who, if they sell, would likely buy another property for a 1031 Exchange (to defer capital gains tax). These FRBOs are business-minded and numbers-oriented, which means you must be too. This Cash Flow Calculator will help you work with these investors.

3. Reluctant Liquidators

These property owners would cash out, but often don’t for fear of capital gains tax. Your job is to help remove their reluctance and keep them informed. Simply connecting them with an accountant will help them realize, “It’s not coming out of your pocket. It’s coming out of the equity in the property that’s been building up.”

4. The Attitude of a FRBO

Another thing that sets absentee owner leads apart from other lead types is their willingness to hear you out and have a constructive conversation. Where FSBOs (For-Sale-By-Owners) are often combative, and Expireds tend to be angry, For-Rent-By-Owners are usually surprised by your interest in their rental, which makes them much more willing to have a conversation!

Most agents don’t know about FRBO leads, and most absentee owners aren’t expecting calls from real estate agents (much less from someone offering solutions to their pesky property problems). This means you’ll have far fewer people hanging up on you, and far more contacts who are willing to talk.

5. Key Financial Concepts FRBOs Want You To Know

Take a moment and put yourself in the shoes of a FRBO lead: if an agent approaches you about investment opportunities and doesn’t seem to know what they’re talking about, are you likely to work with them?

Just like any other lead type, you need to know your prospect’s desired outcomes. This is how you’ll build trust and be able to influence them to list with you. With most FRBO leads, all it takes is an understanding of basic financial concepts to establish this trust. Nail your “numbers knowledge” to impress these investors, and answer questions they didn’t even know they had.

FRBO expert, Zach Zaleski, explains it this way: “You definitely want to educate yourself on things like CAP rates, cash flow, and ROI (return on investment). So jump on Google and search, ‘language of investors’ or ‘working with real estate investors’ to get up to speed, and make your conversations count!”

Here are a few helpful links to help you get started:

Commercial Real Estate Investing 101
Real Estate Investing For Dummies Cheat Sheet
The Real Estate Agent’s Ultimate Guide to Working With Investors

6. One Lead Can Generate Multiple Listings

Something FRBO leads offer (that other lead types don’t) are multiple listings from a single lead. It’s not uncommon for investors and landlords to own and rent several properties at once, which can be overwhelming for them to manage.

Zach says, “That’s one of the huge things for me about the ‘For Rent by Owners‘ – the potential to do multiple deals with people. It’s not just a one-off kind of transaction. You often find people who own three, four, five, or even a half dozen properties.”

Depending on the circumstances, consider offering up your time and services to get one of their properties rented, so you can build their trust to eventually get others listed. Owners might use this initial rental transaction to test your skills and communication for a long-term business relationship.

The key is to focus on the lifetime customer value. Don’t be shortsighted and pass up an opportunity to build trust just because rental commissions are small. Focus on building trust, even if you break even. The relationship equity will be well worth it in the long run.

7. How To Build FRBOs Into Your Schedule

Now that you know what a FRBO is, how to earn their trust, and what this lead type can do for your business, let’s look at how to incorporate them into your prospecting schedule. Your schedule is what fuels your real estate engine.

Some agents like a goal-oriented schedule. They track and analyze their numbers every day to make sure they’re making the progress they need. For instance, they know on average how many calls it takes to get an appointment, a listing, and a sale. Other agents (like Zach) prefer a more flexible schedule with simple time-blocking.

Zach’s daily schedule has him early to rise, exercise, then on the phones for three hours of team prospecting. “I’m very strict about the nine to noon time-blocking,” Zach says. “This is when we’re on lockdown in lead-generation time. And we find that, when we do it consistently, we hit our goals!”

So whether you like a flexible schedule or you like to track every day down to the minute, find what works for you and implement it. The important thing is consistency. The more consistent you are with your schedule, the easier it will become to integrate this lead type into your business.

8. The 3×3 and 8×8 Calling System

One of the biggest tragedies in real estate stems from unrealistic expectations on how many call attempts an agent should make for each lead. They call a lead once, but if there’s no answer, they move on and never call them again.

The tragedy is, agents falsely conclude their leads are “no good” and miss out on listings they would’ve otherwise gained if they had a calling system in place.

Zach recognizes this problem and follows a simple, yet comprehensive, calling system to extract the maximum numbers of listings from FRBO leads.

It’s as simple as this: When you call a new FRBO lead and don’t get a response, start by calling them back every day for three days in a row. Then, if you still don’t get ahold of them, call back once a week for eight weeks straight. That’s it.

“It works because other agents will give up sooner, and it’s usually on those later (eight) contact points where you strike gold!” Zach says.

9. Starting the Conversation

Once you’ve got a solid prospecting schedule with a thorough calling system in place, it’s time to get on the phone! You may be thinking to yourself, “But where do I even start? I’ve never prospected FRBOs before… what am I going to say?!” Not to worry. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. So here’s the exact script Zach uses when prospecting absentee owner leads.

Zach: “Hello, is the property on 123 Main Street still available?”
Owner: “Yes, it’s still available.”
Zach: “Great! My name is Zach, and I’m a real estate agent at [say your brokerage name here]. I was just calling to see if you’ve considered selling. I couldn’t help but wonder, if the equity position is right with the property, would you maybe consider a sale as opposed to renting it out again?”

Then depending on the flow of the conversation, you can use these probing questions to uncover why they have the property and where you can help them:

• Why are you renting the property?
• What are your plans with it?
• Are you planning on holding on to it for a while?
• Did you have an exit strategy when you bought the home?
• What is your exit strategy?
• Have you thought past holding onto the property forever?

That wasn’t too bad, was it? Use these questions to build a rapport, and help FRBO leads analyze their own situation in ways they probably haven’t before. You’ll feel a magical moment when you’ve opened their eyes to the benefits of selling rather than renting.

10. Follow Up in Half the Time

A common FRBO objection is, “I’m going to give it another month to try and get it rented, then I’ll think about selling.” Experienced prospectors recommend chopping the time they say in half and calling back early.

Zach’s interview reveals, “If they tell you a month, we‘re going to call them in two weeks. If they want to wait six months, call them in three.”

The logic behind this appraoch is people tend to make decisions much sooner than they plan on. Following up early gives you a competitive edge over other agents who accept these objections and move on.

And while you should have a follow up system in place for all of your leads, it’s especially valuable for FRBOs because they will actually want to hear from you again in the future.

11. How Long Until You See Results

There are going to be growing pains with any new lead you try. But once you get a taste of easy conversations and multiple transactions from a single property owner, you’ll understand why FRBOs are the underrated lead type that most real estate agents don’t even know about.

With that said, when should you start seeing results?

Some agents will get lucky and take listings right away. But to confidently understand their long-term impact, most successful FRBO prospectors recommend you commit to three months of regular dialing (longer than that if you’re not using a dialer).

As Zach puts it, “You’re going to be nervous. You’re not going to say the right things. But with a lot of repetition you’ll become comfortable and understand the kind of conversations you’re gonna have with people.”

Once you do it enough (and consistently), you’ll see results, which in turn will motivate you to keep testing and trying. “When you walk away from closing a half-million dollar house and you get your check for 12 or 15 grand,” Zach says, “that goes a long way in alleviating most people’s pain and even makes them eager to jump back on the phone.”

12. Where to Find FRBO Leads

Now that you know what FRBOs are, the financial opportunity they offer, and a few simple, proven approaches to implement, you may be thinking to yourself, “I want to try FRBOs, but where do I find them?!” Look no further.

Landlords and property management companies post ads on popular rental websites. These sites are a good option for real estate agents who have a very limited budget and aren’t regular daily or weekly prospectors.

But for agents like Zach Zaleski, who understand the value of their time and the productivity gains you get from subscribing to a professional service, REDX FRBO Leads are a better choice.

The Challenge Before You

If you want to be successful at something, you can’t quit. Even the most successful FRBO prospecting agents don’t have any more or any better information than what’s written here. They’re successful because they failed often, learned from their mistakes, and always got back up to try again.

So the challenge before you is to adopt a “Never Stop Trying” mindset for your business. And if FRBO leads sound like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, then you must commit to a regular prospecting routine that includes at least 90 days of calling FRBOs.

With enough patience and perseverance, you might just surprise yourself with how far you can go. As Zach puts it, “You’ve gotta decide what you want, and get it.”

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

Top-performing real estate agents who use REDX agree: calling Expired Leads using a skiptrace service like REDX is one of the most effective ways to find, list, and sell properties. But with so many other agents also calling Expireds, what sets top performers apart from the rest? It all comes down to using the right script. Keep reading to see which Expired Lead scripts top agents prefer and how to use them in your business to convert leads into appointments like a pro.

10 Golden Expired Scripts

Script 1: The Classic Expireds Script – from Mike Ferry
Script 2: New Agent Speed To Success Script – from Josh Gossard
Script 3: An Expired Script for the Empathetic Approach – from Borino Real Estate Coaching
Script 4: A Short, Sweet Script For Teams – from Jeff Glover
Script 5: The Official Script Guide – from REDX
Bonus: Overcome Expired Objections Webinar
Script 6: The “Dependable Agent” Script – from Keller Williams Realty
Script 7: Expired Scripts for Five Agent Styles – from Fit Small Business
Script 8: A Script for Relationship Builders – from Ricky Carruth
Script 9: Scripts for The Perfect Voicemail – from TheRealEstateTrainer.com
Script 10: The Sleuth Script For Expired Listings – from Jim Remley
BONUS: REDX Ultimate Script Bundle

Re-List and Be the Hero

If you think using a script feels forced or makes you sound unnatural, don’t worry. With enough practice, you can make any of these top 10 expired scripts your own, while positioning yourself as the homeowner’s hero.

But first, take a moment and put yourself in the shoes of an Expired Lead. You’ve already tried to sell with an agent (maybe more than once), but your home still hasn’t sold.

You’re probably discouraged, frustrated, and thinking to yourself, “My home didn’t sell… now what?!” or “Why should I trust any more real estate agents?”

Having empathy for homeowners is the first step toward positioning yourself as their hero. With this important concept in mind, you’re ready to implement these proven scripts into your prospecting sessions. They’ll help you know what questions to ask and how to navigate common objections so you can be significantly more confident on the phone.

1. The Classic Expireds Script – from Mike Ferry

Let’s start off with a classic! This script comes from one of the biggest names in real estate coaching, Mike Ferry.

His expireds script has helped slingshot thousands of agents to successful, long-term careers in real estate. You can’t go wrong with this one.

This simple, to-the-point script keeps you focused on one thing: getting qualified listing appointments. What more could you want?

And for more script training, make sure to check out this webinar on how to “Get Listings From People Who Say, ‘No!'” from the master himself.

2. New Agent Speed To Success Script – from Josh Gossard

Next, we’ve got a script from Josh Gossard (a solo agent from Maryland) who found success when he was still pretty new to real estate. But you wouldn’t think so after seeing his results.

He sold 48 homes last year (by himself), and continues to dominate his market! His expired script, along with his dedicated prospecting schedule, skyrocketed his career.

Josh is proof that the right script will help you speed through the “listing learning curve” that slows down most other agents.

Expired Listings empowered Josh to establish himself in the industry and create a steady source of business. In this podcast with Pat Hiban, he shares exactly what he says on the phone to get listing appointments. Implement his words, methods, and tips to maximize your time on the phone.

3. An Expired Script for the Empathetic Approach – from Borino Real Estate Coaching

Think about it: sellers face an emotional tug-of-war from the minute they decide to sell. Add in low-ball offers, failed inspections, or buyer financing fall throughs, and the process can start to feel like a drag through the mud. So when their listing expires and agents start calling them, you can imagine what it must be like.

Their frustrations may be justified. But how can you get through to them so they know you’re not like the rest, you’re on their side, and (of course) that you’re the best agent for the job?

With over 20 years of real estate experience, Borino is often referred to as the “Expired Guru.” With his direct, no-pressure style, he has a smooth and uncomplicated expired script that could be just right for you.

See how Borino uses this script to empathize with homeowners, set himself apart from other “hungry” agents, and get appointments over the phone in under two minutes.

4. A Short, Sweet Script For Teams – from Jeff Glover

In 2005, Jeff Glover embarked on his mission to reinvent real estate sales training. Since then, Jeff and his team have developed a prospecting system that produces over 1,000 home sales a year.

A sizable chunk of their sales come from expired listings, and this expired script is what they use to get appointments (with Jeff himself using it to take over 100 listings each year!)

This script will help you discover homeowner objections in advance. The theory goes – if you can predict objections, you can prevent rejection.

According to Jeff, “The sale is won or lost depending on how well you handle their objections.” So check out his objection handlers script as well! Paired with his proven expired script, Jeff’s objection handlers will help you find real (and consistent) results.

5. The Official Script Guide – from REDX

After extensive research, REDX has stitched together some of the most powerful prospecting scripts (not already mentioned in this article) into this 34-page eBook. So no matter your skill level, there’s something in this script book for you.

It starts with a simple script focused on how to begin your calls, followed by language proven to increase your connection rate by as much as 25%. Then, on page seven, you’ll find an expired script crafted from dozens of suggestions from top listing agents. This script picks up where others fall short.

Don’t forget to check out pages 19-25 for an even deeper dive into overcoming common objections, along with five vital elements to help you understand why these scripts work and how to adapt them to your own call style.

Bonus: Overcome Expired Objections Webinar

Watch this training to discover how top prospectors start every prospecting call to ensure a good contact, the formula they use to overcome any objection, and how they set appointments even after being rejected. Watch and learn as expert prospector Deric Lipski sets a listing appointment on a live call – even after being rejected five times!

6. The “Dependable Agent” Script – from Keller Williams Realty

One of the biggest real estate franchises in the United States, Keller Williams, offers these scripts to their agents.

You can decide for yourself, but these scripts might be one of the reasons KW consistently ranks at the top of the industry for sales volume and units sold. If you did the research, you’d find thousands of success stories based on these expired scripts.

Beyond expireds, they’ve got scripts for voicemails, overcoming objections, general prospecting tips and tricks, qualifying scripts, and much more.

These scripts will help you position yourself as the dependable, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and results-oriented professional they need, even if they’re angry and frustrated.

7. Expired Scripts for Five Agent Styles – from Fit Small Business

This next set of scripts comes from Fit Small Business, and they’re not messing around.

After deep market research, they’ve found five expired listing scripts that really work. The article shows you how to get listing appointments quickly, provides modular elements you can use to create your own scripts, and includes tips on how to get your foot in the door.

Best of all, these scripts offer five unique prospecting styles: the casual approach, the empathetic expert, the harder sell, the neighborhood expert, and the outstanding agent.

With so many options, you’re bound to find one that perfectly fits your style and situation.

8. A Script for Relationship Builders – from Ricky Carruth

Expert prospector, Ricky Carruth, has built an incredibly successful business based on this core value: create strong relationships and serve others.

He believes building relationships with people is more important than the transaction, which in turn brings in a lot of listings.

In this video, Ricky talks about how important it is to say exactly the right thing. More importantly, he tells you how to say it.

He believes how you say something to a potential client will go a lot further than exactly what you say. He dives into his favorite (simple) script that he’s perfected over years of trial and error. According to Ricky, this script works for any lead type or prospect.

9. Scripts for The Perfect Voicemail – from TheRealEstateTrainer.com

Next up, here’s a little bit of everything. TheRealEstateTrainer.com, created by Brian Icenhower, is loaded with principles and tactics to attract hundreds of agents simply because they produce actual results.

His expired listing scripts include what to say when homeowners answer, but also how to leave the perfect voicemail so people will actually call you back (which is key if you want more listings).

On this page, you’ll also find a video of Brian with three other agents, all talking out their favorite scripts, techniques, and what works best for them on a prospecting call. Don’t miss out on their expert advice!

10. The Sleuth Script For Expired Listings – from Jim Remley

Within two years of obtaining his real estate license, Jim Remley was listed in the top one percent of Realtors® nationwide. And you don’t become a top prospector that fast with poor scripts.

In his expired script, Jim offers a different approach. His strategy focuses on timing key questions to uncover the real reasons a property failed to sell. This way, homeowners discover for themselves exactly what could have been done to sell their home, but wasn’t.

That’s where you come in. With questions like, “Was a sign used to advertise your home?” and, “Was a home protection plan offered?” Jim’s marketing plan is a no-brainer if you want to position yourself as the homeowner’s hero.

The Opportunity In Front Of You

Now what? You’ve got the scripts – so what are you going to do with them? These scripts will help lead you to a more successful and sustainable business. But it won’t happen overnight OR by simply reading over them.

If you want these scripts to do anything for your business, you’ve got to start practicing now. As you do, they’ll naturally become yours as you integrate your own style and tone. Leave those “Uhhh”s behind you and control each conversation with confidence and charisma!

As author Brodi Ashton puts it, “Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.” In other words – heroes are made, not born.

So what are you waiting for? Choose to be the Expired Listings hero that sellers need, and practice your expired scripts today.

BONUS: REDX Ultimate Script Bundle

Choosing the right script can be a daunting task. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to find a good fit for your personality and prospecting style. To make things easier, we’ve compiled some of the top script resources from leading industry coaches and experts (including some amazing Expired scripts!)

Click below to download the REDX Ultimate Script Bundle and find one that works for you!

About REDX

REDX is an all-in-one lead data and prospecting platform that helps agents connect with qualified buyers and sellers. The platform includes a skiptrace service for seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, social media tools, and a lead management system that simplifies first contact and follow up.

Click here to watch a demo, or call (800) 731-7339 ext. 1 to learn more about skiptrace products for Expireds, FSBOs, GeoLeads, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, our Power Dialer and Social Media Tools for paid ads and content creation.

REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here.

Do you want a straightforward, low-cost, proven plan to increase your listing inventory, regardless of market conditions? If your answer is yes, these 13 rock-solid steps will help you get more qualified appointments, and become a real estate listing machine. This article is based on an interview with Edward Estrada, who listed 18 homes in his first 90 days prospecting REDX seller leads, following this step-by-step guide.

Here Are The 13 Steps To Follow To Become A Listing Machine:

Step 1: Let Go To Take Control
Step 2: Immerse Yourself In Positive Environments
Step 3: Build A Real Estate Sales Funnel
Step 4: Find A Good Coach And Attend Trainings
Step 5: Stick To A Daily Routine
Step 6: Have A Bad-Day Backup Plan
Step 7: Activate Gratefulness
Step 8: Learn Like The Terminator
Step 9: Get Your Lead Stack Right
Step 10: Be The First Caller
Step 11: Make Money Like Google
Step 12: Find Unlimited Lead Sources
Step 13: Project Power (Benevolently) (more…)

Prospecting is like a rap battle. Oftentimes you only get one shot to win a sellers trust and the listing appointment. That’s why many successful real estate agents have playlists to lose themselves in the music and stay in the zone when prospecting.

Here are all 20 Spotify playlists! Jump to the one that will pump YOU up:

1. 23 Pump Up Songs For The 1980s Real Estate Agent
2. 50 Pump Up Songs For The “Beast Mode” Real Estate Agent
3. 858 Pump Up Songs For The Country Lovin’ Real Estate Agent
4. 65 Pump Up Songs For The Real Estate Agent Who Loves a Good Dance Party
5. 46 Pump Up Songs For The Happy Hipster Real Estate Agent
6. 53 Pump Up Songs For The Frazzled Real Estate Agent
7. 100 Pump Up Songs For The Motown Real Estate Agent
8. 200 Pump Up Songs For Classic Rocking Real Estate Agent
9. 124 Focus Songs For The Meditative Real Estate Agent
10. 215 Focus Songs For The Jazzy Jolly Real Estate Agent
11. 65 Pump Up Songs For The Shower Singing Real Estate Agent
12. 101 Pump Up Songs For The Classical Loving Real Estate Agent
13. 101 Pump Up Songs For The Trendy Millennial Real Estate Agent
14. 50 Pump Up Songs For The Techno Funky Real Estate Agent
15. 100 Pump Up Songs For The Cheery Real Estate Agent
16. 100 Pump Up Songs For The 90’s Hip Hop Loving Real Estate Agent
17. 87 Focus Songs For The Electro Chill Real Estate Agent
18. 33 Pump Up Songs For The Confident Real Estate Agent
19. 306 Pump Up Songs For The Hard Working Real Estate Agent
20. 50 Pump Up Songs For The Metal and Grunge Rockin’ Real Estate Agent

To put you in the zone, here are 20 Spotify playlists filled with 2,497 motivational songs to pump up real estate agents. There‘s something in here for you no matter what your taste is! (more…)

Facebook Custom Audiences is a content targeting feature that lets you put your posts in front of a custom list of people. If you want to build a reputation with your REDX leads, this article shows you how to export your leads from Vortex into a Custom Audience on Facebook. This way, your leads will see you on their social media before you even pick up the phone and call them.

How to Create a Facebook Custom Audience from Your REDX Leads

To start marketing to all of your leads in Vortex, you first need to export them into a CSV file.

Step 1.

Select the leads you want to export. You can select each lead individually, or you can click the check mark in the top left corner to select all the leads in the filter/folder you are in. 

Step 2.

Click “Other” on your toolbar at the top of Vortex and select “Export” on the drop down menu to download the CSV file of your leads to your computer.

Step 3.

Next, go to Meta Ads Manager to begin creating your Custom Audience inside of Facebook. Once in your account, go to Audiences, click “Create Audience” and “Custom Audience” and select “Customer List.” 

Step 4.

Next, prepare your customer list. Select the identifiers to include, then add the CSV you downloaded from Vortex to use for your new Custom Audience and give it a name.

Step 5.

Now review your customer list. Confirm that you mapped your identifiers correctly or check to see that all errors are resolved. You’ll get one of the following notifications:

• The green checkmark symbol means your identifiers were mapped correctly and are ready to be hashed, then used for the matching process.
• The yellow exclamation symbol means either that you chose not to include certain identifiers or that some identifiers need to be manually updated. 

Step 6.

Upload your customer list. Once your list has been added and is ready for use, select Upload and Create.

After you upload your contacts, Facebook then hashes the data- meaning they encrypt the information into a coding only Facebook has and then uses that same encryption code to find your Contact List’s Facebook profiles. Once ready, you can immediately create an ad to reach your new Custom Audience.

And voilà! You are now ready to send targeted ads to your REDX leads!

Next Up, Targeted Ads!

Targeted Facebook ads to your REDX leads allows you to get in front of homeowners before you call them. So when you do give them a call about selling their home, they’ve already seen your face and the service you provide as a real estate professional! Use this tool to help build your brand and expedite your business success!

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads™, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

Do you want to feel more confident on the phone and regularly set more listing appointments? Do what every serious prospector does — find a real estate roleplay partner to practice your scripts and objections. Like any relationship, finding the right person makes all the difference. To help you find the right partner, here’s advice from prospectors earning $250,000 a year or more.

Why Roleplay Your Scripts?

If you’re new to real estate or new to prospecting, it’s important to know what script role-playing is and why it’s important. Greg Harrelson, who sells over 600 homes a year, offers a fantastic answer, “In real estate, we call practicing ‘role-playing.'” He further explains, “A real estate agent must roleplay consistently if they are to improve skills. Any coach would tell you there is a direct correlation between hours practiced and income earned.”

Think about script role-playing the way actors and actresses do about getting movie parts. They get the script, practice it, and come prepared to the audition. Like them, every prospecting call you make or door you knock is “an audition” to get “the part”. How good you sound determines whether or not you get the listing.

Like most things, seeing an idea in action is better than just reading about it. Ricky Carruth, an accomplished prospector shows what effective role-playing looks like. (more…)

Expert prospector Paula Burlison guides you through her process of getting expired listings. She’s currently in the top 1% of 15,000 Las Vegas Valley Realtors®, earning $368,000 in gross commission income, with a 25%-30% chunk of her business directly from expired listings. If you need help prospecting Expired Leads, Paula’s advice will help you.


How did your last prospecting session go? Are you feeling accomplished or discouraged? Either way, one prospecting session doesn’t determine your future, making continual progress does. As Tony Robbins puts it, “Progress equals happiness. Even if you’re not where you want to be yet. If you’re on the road, if you’re improving, if you’re making progress, you’re gonna love it. You’re gonna feel alive.”

When it comes to achieving mastery, Paula Burlison understands almost everything there is to know about prospecting Expired Leads. She’s in the top 1% of Las Vegas Realtors®, a market with 15,000 agents. In such a large metropolitan area, the competition to get expired listings is fierce. So how does she do it? How does she manage to outperform 99% of the agents in her market strongly focusing on expired listings? In an exclusive interview, Paula shares 22 ways you can become a more successful prospector, even if you don’t work expireds. (more…)

Successful prospecting sessions start with a positive mindset. So, whether you’re struggling to pick up the phone or highly driven, we’ve got you covered. This article gives you nine books highly effective prospectors read.

Prospecting is Mind Over Matter

Whether you believe you can succeed or not, you’re right. That’s why without believing in your success and a drive to pursue it, prospecting is going to feel more difficult than it ought to.

A key to unlocking your “success beliefs” is to understand the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Fixed-minded people believe their abilities are fixed and cannot change. However, growth minded people believe they will continue developing and growing.

(more…)

Understanding the principles of persuasive copywriting will help any prospector increase their response rate when dialing leads, writing emails, facebook ads, newsletters, and postcards. However, most agents don’t know what persuasive copy is, let alone how to make it work with their prospecting or marketing. This article will cover what persuasive copywriting is, how it will benefit your business, and six easy ways to use these principles to improve your results.

What is Persuasive Copy and Why it’s Beneficial to Your Business

According to Statista.com, 81% of adult Americans in 2017 used social media regularly. That’s why in addition to your prospecting calls, your emails, ads and other lead generating activities need to be just as good as your phone skills.

There are a few ways to think about “what is” persuasive copy. One way to think about it is as salesmanship in print. But regardless of whether your words are on a page or spoken out loud, your job is to influence a sale. So when you design your messaging to influence your prospects to follow an action you prescribe (that is aligned with their goals) you’ve got persuasive copy! (more…)

New Year’s Resolutions fail without planning. In this article, we’ll share common reasons why resolutions fail and how to pick back up and keep going towards the future you really want.

5 Reasons Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Fail and How to Avoid Failing Again

1. You’re biting off more than you can chew
2. You’re not setting milestones
3. You’re not tracking progress
4. You don’t have a compelling purpose
5. You’re not writing them down

Why do New Year’s Resolutions fail?

We’re a few weeks away the new year. Are you going to keep your resolutions or will they be a thing of the past? Because if you’re like the 90.8% of Americans who give up before they achieve their resolutions, here’s some help and hope you can use to recommit to your resolutions. Let’s look at five glaringly obvious and common reasons.

(more…)

Smart real estate agents understand that building and broadcasting trust is how you win listings and close sales. Door knocking is arguably the fastest and lowest cost path to building trust and finding listings. Because there isn’t “one way” to be successful at door knocking, this article offers you 29 ways to earn trust with homeowners, build confidence in your approach, and establish a continuous pipeline of sales regardless of how long you’ve been a real estate agent.
(more…)

Facebook Pages are an amazing way for businesses, brands, and public figures to share their stories and connect with people. For real estate agents, Pages offer a way to share market updates, announcements, new listings, or anything else you want your audience to see. If you’re ready to build a real estate community on social media, keep reading to discover how to create and customize your very own Facebook Page.

How to Create a Page on Facebook

Create Your Facebook Page

Before you get started with a new real estate page, you’ll need a personal Facebook account. If you don’t already have one, sign up here. Creating a Facebook Page is fairly simple. Here’s how you do it. 

1. Start on your personal Facebook account and go to Settings in your main menu. (On a computer, look for the nine dots arranged in a square. On the mobile app, look for three horizontal lines in the top right of your screen.

2. Select Pages and then select Create. Enter the Page Name, up to three Categories, and write a Description. Make sure your Page Name matches your real estate business, and choose “Real Estate” as the primary category. Keep your description clear and concise so your page visitors know exactly who you are and what you do.

3. Tap Create Page.

Customize Your Page

Once everything is set up, you can customize your Page by adding a profile picture, cover photo, action button, bio, and other basic Page information. You can also invite friends to connect with your Page.

1. Start from the top with “Create a username,” “Add a button,” and “Add more information to your Page.”

2. Work through each of the prompts. These will help you turn a blank Page into one specific to your business.

3. If you’re short on time, the “Set your Page up for success“ block is a great place to start. You can come back to the others later, but remember: the more you fill out, the more effective your Page will be.

4. When you feel satisfied with your Page content, move on to creating an Ad Account. You can find instructions on how to create that here.

Congratulations! You Now Have a Facebook Page!

Having a Facebook Page is essential for creating ads on Facebook for your real estate business. By having a Facebook Page, you now have access to using Ad Builder’s services to their fullest potential.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads™, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

Need a pick-me-up before you head to the office for your morning prospecting session? Need to stimulate your determination in the middle of the day? This blog covers the top 10-ranked real estate podcasts that top-earning agents love, according to iTunes.

Successful Professionals Are Speaking to You — Are You Listening?

Imagine having access to a top-producing speaker offering guidance wherever, whenever — that’s the power of the podcast. According to iTunes, these are top 10 podcasts highly successful real estate professionals listen to in order to fire them up and empower them with a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit.

(more…)

In honor of the upcoming holidays, in this blog, we reflect on the time we had the immense pleasure to sit down with top-tier prospectors Paula Burlison, Rocky Wright, and Drew Armstrong and discuss how they reached success as real estate prospectors. During our conversation, the trio gave our team some heartwarming insight on why they’re grateful for their prospecting careers.

The surprising ingredient to your happiness

Thanksgiving is nearly here, and while sellers never really take a break from needing an agent’s help, we encourage the REDX community and other agents to take a moment to pause and reflect on what you’re grateful for, and why your prospecting career is a benefit to your life and the lives of your loved ones.

When you adopt an attitude of gratitude, your work as an agent feels more rewarding. You can motivate yourself to work harder and more enthusiastically when you consider the benefits your career makes possible for you.

At REDX HQ, we hosted an interactive discussion between our team and top-producing prospecting agents Paula Burlison, Rocky Wright, and Drew Armstrong. We took a lot away from the conversation, but above all, we were impacted deeply by the trio’s gratefulness for their career path. (more…)

Successful prospectors Mark Martin, Blair Ballin, Edward Estrada, and Ricky Carruth joined to create the 2018 Battle Plan Panel, hosted by Jason Morris on his Facebook group “Real Estate Agents That REALLY Work”. They met to discuss how to have your best prospecting year ever. If you missed this event, here are the top 10 prospecting ideas from this year’s Battle Plan Panel.

1. Mark Martin on dropping voicemails:

Mark spoke about how he uses voicemails to support his follow-up system.

“We go back and drop mass voicemails to old Expireds once every couple of months,” Mark explains. “We’re able to consistently pull 5-7 listings a month out of that. It’s just a quick message with the same thing I’m talking to them about when I’m calling them. Who I am, what I do, sorry to see their home didn’t sell, I’d love to chat with them about them if they are going to be selling that. I also have a 29-day sale guarantee that I talk to them about.” Mark uses his “29-day promise” so that sellers will compare and contrast that time frame from the 4-6 months they’ve been trying to sell their home, giving them hope that Mark can be the agent who takes care of them.

(more…)

Are there immutable prospecting principles that once known and followed help you list more homes? The answer is yes, and from an interview with master implementer John Sullivan who sold 44 homes his first year, this article walks you through a checklist of 9 basic questions that leveraged these principles and slingshot his success. See how many questions you already know and how many you can improve upon.

Here Are The 9 Basic Prospecting Questions For You To Explore:

1. Are Your Expectations or Rejection Really Real?
2. Do You Know What To Do When Too Many Agents Work Expired Leads In Your Area?
3. Does Your Prospecting Schedule Match Your Goals?
4. Are You Calling The Right Lead Types In The Right Order?
5. Are You Calling Your Leads The Right Number of Times?
6. Do You Consider Calling Your Sphere Of Influence A Form Of Prospecting?
7. Have You Found Prospecting Scripts That Work For You?
8. Is Your Prospecting Workspace Holding You Back?
9. Do You Have A Pre-Prospecting Checklist?

Keep on reading to explore each of these 9 questions in detail with expert advice from John Sullivan.

1. Are Your Expectations For Rejection Really Real?

It’s easy to be jealous or discouraged looking at successful real estate prospectors. It might seem like they’re not encountering the same rejection other prospectors face every day, but that’s not the case.

“I used to look at the top agents and think, ‘They don’t get any rejection, they get appointments every time,’ which isn’t true,” recalls John. “They just know not to stop when they get rejection. They just keep going, because they know they are getting very close to the next appointment.”

Remember, when calling expired leads, that these are people whose houses didn’t sell, have big life plans that fell through or are now on hold; in their head, they might be blaming Realtors® for their misfortune… and you’re calling them.

However, John says, “Rejection is normal — it’s not personal. They don’t know you, they just found the end of a telephone, and they shouldn’t dictate your outcome and your goals”.

To help you fearlessly face rejection and overcome it, we recommend the book Rejection Proof, by TED Talk speaker. His book and training program will teach you how to fight through the no’s, so you can get to the yes’s!

2.  Do You Know What To Do When Too Many Agents Work Expired Leads In Your Area?

Prospecting in a crowded market can seem intimidating and dismaying, but it’s definitely not a reason to give up. Most experienced real estate prospectors prospect expireds, but also add geographic prospecting.

“There’s a big Mike Ferry based agency here [in Las Vegas.] So, people are getting called by a lot of agents,” says John. To hit his daily contact goals, John does geographic prospecting following a Just-Listed/Just-Sold prospecting script.

A primary reason John does geographic prospecting is because, “no one’s calling them,” and “our job in real estate is to speak to people about real estate every day”.

Instead of feeling like a nuisance, “you’re doing the community a service,” John says. “We’re telling them, ‘Hey, this home just sold in your area for $300,000,’ and they didn’t know. Now they know.”

John uses GeoLeads to simplify geographic prospecting. Enter an address or draw a boundary on the map and GeoLeads will provide a full list of telephone numbers for each property.

GeoLeads is a great option for prospectors who want to speak to more people in less time, while having more calming and rapport-building conversations.

3. Does Your Prospecting Schedule Match Your Goals?

Consistent prospecting in real estate is the foundation of predictable results. But before you can be a consistent prospector, you need to create a consistent schedule.

“I’ve learned the best agents are fanatic about their schedule, and that’s how I wanna be. Whether or not you can hit those goals depends on time management”, says John.

To hit his goals of 30 new contacts a day, John consistently follows a schedule. His schedule includes: new appointment generation and follow-up with past contacts, as well as physical and mindset exercises. He leaves his afternoon open for appointments. When he doesn’t have any afternoon appointments, he dives back into prospecting for more listing appointments.

For ideas on how to build your own schedule or improve the one you have, the books “Habit Stacking” by S.J. Scott and “Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod are resources that will help you.

4. Are You Calling The Right Lead Types In The Right Order?

Once you have your time blocks set, you need to create a Lead Stack™. A Lead Stack is the type of leads you call and the order you call them. There are a number of variables to consider when creating a lead stack. A few of them include:

• • Your objection handling skills
• • Your level of rejection resiliency
• • Time of day you prospect
• • Your contact goals

John explains his lead stack: “I like to call the Expireds/Withdrawn first, then For Sale By Owners, Just Listed/Just Sold, past clients, my center of influence, and then go to my lead follow-up after that. Sometimes I may mix it up”.

John also mentioned, “If I’m experiencing some bad Expired calls, I may just pick up the phone and call a past client. They’re generally nicer, they like you. A nicer conversation can help get you back in the groove.”

Remember there’s no right way to create your Lead Stack. Experienced real estate prospectors stack their leads differently and periodically make adjustments to the order and timing.

5. Are You Calling Your Leads The Right Number of Times?

You know lead follow-up is important, but it can be difficult to decide who and when to follow up with. A good rule of thumb is put priority on contacts who’ve voiced an interest in listing within the next two weeks.

John explains, “I’ve lost deals in the past because my good leads have got muddled up in poor follow-ups. You want to be prospecting people who are ready to sign contracts in the next 7-14 days.”

To avoid getting muddled in poor lead follow up, John “trashes” leads he’s called six times and who are not ready to list. He recommends that it’s time to focus your energy elsewhere.

6. Do You Consider Calling Your Sphere Of Influence A Form Of Prospecting?

If you wish to be at the top-of-mind with your sphere of influence, then your sphere of influence must be at the top-of-your-mind. That means you need to think of your sphere of influence (SOI) as every other lead type. Just like Expired leads and FSBO’s — SOI needs to be part of your daily Lead Stack.

Like exercising, prospecting to your sphere of influence is a small daily investment that pays off over time. “Building your SOI and center of influence will take time. You have to really maintain and manage that for two or three years,” says John.

To invest in his sphere of influence, the 1st thing John does is call his buyers and sellers 2-3 times during the first month after a deal closes.

For sellers, he says: “Hey, did you get all your proceeds?”

For buyers, he says:  “Hey, do you need any contractors to do your work?”

After that, he calls four times a year at minimum and always on their birthdays. “Staying connected is important. I ask for referrals when I speak to them, too.”

7. Have You Found Prospecting Scripts That Work For You?

Scripts are the best way to keep a call on track towards a qualified listing appointment. The script that works best for you depends on the type of prospector you are, and the type you want to become.

For instance, John uses a Mike Ferry style script when prospecting. He explains: “What’s best about them is they’re a series of questions, and all of the questions have to be answered. None of the questions have ‘yes’ or ‘no’; answers. The scripts really help create a conversation and help the flow.”

John prefers The Mike Ferry organization Expired scripts, Just-Listed and Just-Sold scripts, but he encourages you to “make the script your own.” For more script building resources see the free 26-page REDX script book.

8. Is Your Prospecting Workspace Holding You Back?

Your physical workspace might be the very thing that’s holding you back. Specifically your desk and what’s on it. If your mind is distracted by the clutter on your desk, consider one desk space dedicated to prospecting and another to everything else.

John’s workspace is setup exactly like this, “I have a desk with two screens on with whatever I have to do for that day on a folder. I have a separate desk — a tall, stand-up desk, with my scripts in front of it, no distractions. So, two computers; one for prospecting, one for everything else.”

John insists standing while prospecting helps him stay energized and focused. According to Forbes Magazine a standing desk can “give your brain an edge“. John bought his stand-up desk at the StandupDeskStore.com. Prices for hand-crank standing desks start at $159 and go up to $519 for electric-powered ones.

9. Do You Have A Pre-Prospecting Checklist?

There’s more to fighting distraction than separating your workspaces. To keep your attention where it needs to be, leave anything unrelated to prospecting far from reach — before prospecting.

Here are the five things John does before prospecting that help him stay focused on hitting his daily goals:

 How Did You Do On The Checklist?

Go further into these prospecting principles with master implementer John Sullivan. His interview reveals details not covered here, including advice on how to recover from a bad call, how to find a coach or mentor (even if you don’t have money), and a dozen other highly effective tactics based on the principles shared here. All together, this checklist and principles will help you when you need more listings.

*REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws. Learn more here.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

What do real estate agents who consistently list FSBOs know that you don’t? Find out by reading these 9 facts masters who prospect for-sale-by-owners understand and apply daily! This article offers you a detailed look inside the mind and business of Jason Morris, a dedicated FSBO prospector who has sold more than 2,000 homes in his career. Based on this interview, you’re about to get a decade’s experience in under 10 minutes.

1. FSBOs Don’t Think They Need You, But They Do

The evidence is clear, FSBOs need you. According to a 2016 National Association of Realtors study, the typical FSBO home sold for $185,000 compared to $240,000 for agent-assisted home sales. That’s a $55,000 difference — even after a 6% commission, the seller would be $40,600 better off using an agent.

It’s no wonder FSBOs leave money on the table, the same NAR study further finds 18% of sellers have a hard time with “getting the price right”. Almost 1 in 5 FSBOs need help pricing their home.

In addition to “getting the price right”, the typical FSBO also doesn’t understand how to attract buyer agents who will show their property. “A FSBO owner typically has a problem that is keeping their home from selling”, Jason Morris, a FSBO prospecting expert, explains. “They believe by putting their house on the market that it’s going to solve that problem for them,” even though over 40% of FSBOS report that they do not actively market their home.

That means of the 145,800 people NAR surveyed, nearly 1 in 2 FSBOs do nothing to actively sell their own home!

When you add it all up, FSBOs need help pricing and marketing their homes, and your commission is an investment that maximizes their sale price.

2. You Must Build Your Prospecting “Muscles”

Prospecting FSBOs requires confidence and capability. Roleplaying your scripts with another agent gives you the “muscle” to handle objections with professional poise and fearless finesse. That is why roleplaying is pivotal to your FSBO prospecting.

Jason recommends, above all else, consistent daily roleplaying. Every day you prospect FSBOs is a day you should roleplay – it will nurture your strengths and identify your weaknesses so you can improve.

“You have to role play consistently,” Jason instructs. “If we get on the treadmill once a month, that’s going to really suck. But if we start getting on the treadmill five, six days a week, it’s going to be really easy and we’re going get a lot faster and stronger and be able to go further. Making calls is the same way. You have to build that muscle.”

The next step is to find and choose a roleplay partner or coach. There are many ways to find a partner. Jason’s Facebook group, Real Estate Agents That Really Work, is a popular one for FSBO prospectors, with over 21,983 members at the time this article was published.

TIP: Look for partners who are dedicated to personal growth. A dedication to personal growth translates into a dedication to consistent improvement, which translates into a reliable roleplay partner.

Once you have found a partner, you can use these simple rules for roleplaying courtesy of Greg Harrelson, Realtor and President of Century 21 Harrelson Group, whose team does 1000+ transactions a year.

Roleplaying is like practice before the game and while practice can’t ensure you win every time, without it your odds of winning diminish significantly.

3. Use The “Funnel of Calling”

A “funnel of calling” is the type and order of leads you call in a prospecting session. Every successful prospector creates their own funnel depending on what leads they prospect and their daily schedule.

“I think of my initial calls as a funnel,” explains Jason. “When I’m going through my new FSBOs, Expireds, and all that stuff, I’m dumping everybody into the top level of my funnel. Based on motivation and conversations I have with the sellers, the calls get moved into different levels.”

Jason’s system begins with the lead type he’s most comfortable and experienced with: For Sale By Owners. “I call FSBOs as soon as I get their contact information. I want to be the first person to call them and follow up with them because I don’t want to let another agent get into our conversation,” Jason explained.

To create your own “funnel of calling” consider your skill level and your goals. If you are new to prospecting, consider GeoLeads, For Rent By Owner leads, and then your sphere of influence. They will be most receptive to your calls. If you are more experienced, Expireds and FSBOs should already be at the top of your funnel.

TIP: Many experienced prospectors recommend new prospectors call the leads they enjoy working most first. You could experience the boost of energy you need before working other lead types in your Lead Stack.

4. Stick To One Script

Many agents are always on the hunt for “the one” script and end up switching scripts in search of the “next best script”. Like a professional golfer’s swing or an award-winning recipe, it’s better to develop one and stick with it.

“The key to scripts, whether you’re using mine or you’re using Mike Ferry’s or you’re using one that you found on the internet somewhere, is using the same one over and over again,” says Jason.

Another reason Jason recommends sticking to one script is so “you don’t create an objection that’s not really there”. In other words, if you don’t sound clear, crisp, polished and professional any gaps or fumbles in conversation creates doubt and leaves spaces sellers will fill with objections.

5. Create A Predictable Schedule To Create Predictable Income

One of the biggest problems plaguing agents is their lack of daily organization. “Most agents don’t have a schedule. And they just don’t know what to do when they get to the office every day,” Jason states.

To create a schedule that keeps you on track, begin with the end in mind. Starting with your annual transaction or GCI goal can help you work backward to break down smaller goals to work towards each month, week, or day. Once written, ask yourself which tasks should be achieved first, second, third, etc. in order to meet those goals.

As a reference, here’s Jason’s current schedule:

6. Send A Pre-Listing Package

With many agents prospecting FSBOs every day, it can be challenging to stand out above the rest. To stand out and make a better impression, send a pre-listing package.

Jason explains, “99% of the agents reading this right now have nothing in writing that they can send a seller about their plan to get the house sold, or have no plan at all.”

A typical pre-listing package contains:

• Information about you
• Information about your team or brokerage
• Steps you will take to sell a home
• Information about the local market
• Testimonials from past clients

Once you have a pre-listing package, Jason recommends, “You’ve got to send it to any person you talk to about selling a house”. In a side conversation with Jason, he further explained, “Tell them on the phone you’re going to email a plan to get their house sold, then text them right after you email it to confirm that they got it. Then commit them to reading the whole thing before you come over for the listing appointment. If you do this right, when other agents call them, they will have you in their mind because you are the agent with a proven effective plan”.

Jason offers a free pre-listing package template based on his own FSBO prospecting experiences – feel free to check it out if you need more ideas.

7. Follow Up To Get FSBO Listings

80% of sales are made on the fifth to 12th contact. Most agents stop after one contact and the rest stop after three. Not following up is the cause of unsuccessful prospecting. The saying, “the money is in the follow up” is true for a reason — only chasing new leads, leads to you abandoning thousands of dollars in lost opportunity.

From the first call to the moment you are at a seller’s home for a listing presentation, there can be anywhere from 5-12 contacts. That can be a lot of contacts to make, especially when managing dozens of potential sellers. To manage all of his follow-up contacts, Jason follows this system:

8. Know The Difference Between An Objection And A Condition

Knowing the difference between an objection and condition can be the difference between setting and not getting a listing appointment. The difference between the two is easy to recognize, as is how to handle them.

An objection is a smokescreen and an excuse to get off the phone with you. A condition is a circumstance that legitimately prevents a seller from meeting with you.

When you encounter an objection, stick to your script and apply what you learned roleplaying. Conditions are treated differently. When faced with a situation an owner cannot help, you should respect that situation. Make a note of the condition and set a date to follow up.

9. Top 5 Prospecting Resources

Prospecting FSBOs is challenging. That’s why it’s important to seek out new ways to improve your skills, motivation, and tools that improve your effectiveness. Here’s a list of Jason’s top picks.

1. He uses Vortex® as his prospecting platform. In Vortex he manages his leads, follows-up with contacts, and takes notes after each of his prospecting calls.
2. He uses Google Calendar to organize his day and set listing appointments, so he never forgets or misses an appointment.
3. He recommends Tony Robbins 30-day goal setting program, Personal Power 2 to help get clarity on what you want from your life.
4. He recommends the books the “Ultimate Sales Machine” by Chet Holmes and “Grinding it Out” by Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald’s).
5. He recommends motivational speakers Les Brown and Zig Ziglar to inspire and excite him when he needs to take risks and make positive changes.

Prospecting FSBOs is rewarding, but takes discipline. The more you surround yourself with positivity, the more discipline you’ll have to reap the rewards waiting for you by prospecting FSBOs.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

How do expert listing agents handle the “F-BOMB” and other challenges when prospecting expired listings? Here are 10 expired prospecting tips pulled from an interview with the salty-tongued Blair Ballin. He is a master of turning expired leads into listings, selling over 54 homes in the last 12 months. So if you want your expired prospecting to improve, keep reading because this is for you.


Download Audio

With that said, here are the tips you’re about to learn:

Tip 1: Tell Yourself, “Someone Today Is Waiting For My Call”
Tip 2: Know The Difference Between Marketing And Prospecting
Tip 3: When Someone Drops An F-bomb, Tap Into Humor
Tip 4: Create A Vision Video To Stay Motivated
Tip 5: Focus On Your Effort, Not Your Results
Tip 6: Set Weekly Goals
Tip 7: Block Distractions By Focusing On Goals
Tip 8: Discover How To “Snap” Yourself Into A Higher State Of Mind
Tip 9: Don’t Jump To Blame The Data Or Bad Numbers
Tip 10: Compare REDX Expired Leads To The Rest

Tip 1: Tell Yourself, “Someone Today Is Waiting For My Call”

REDX: We get a lot of questions from customers asking how to get over their fear of prospecting expired leads. What tips do you have for handling it?

Blair: Initially I didn’t like the thought of calling, but I started thinking back to jobs I had. I was a telemarketer and had some door knocking jobs and had dealt with rejection of all kinds. I realized it’s not a big deal.

Yes, I’ll get yelled at. Yes, people won’t wanna talk to me. But some people will.

I had no options when I began my prospecting journey, to the degree that made a difference in my career, I had to do it. There was no other way to get business. So either I live on the street or I make calls. It was that simple.

If you’re not in the same situation, then you just need the mindset of, “This is what they need to do to increase my business and accomplish my goals.”

Until you reach the point where you’re thinking, “Oh my God, I have to do something, what do I need to do?” you won’t push yourself over the fear.

Tip 2: Know The Difference Between Marketing And Prospecting

REDX: Prospecting can be hard. But what other options do agents, especially new and recently relocated ones, have?

Blair: You either prospect or you market. Prospecting is when you reach out to people. Marketing is when you do something to get people to reach out to you. But if you don’t have the money to market, prospecting is your only choice.

The results are out there. Prospecting works. If you consistently do it, you’ll discover it’s not as difficult as you make it out to be. Rejection is not really a big deal.

Tip 3: When Someone Drops An F-bomb, Tap Into Humor

REDX: Prospectors are people too, and when an angry expired lead curses at them, it stings. Are there ways you handle this? If so, how do you recover from calls like these?

Blair: Turn F-bombs and negative calls into something humorous. If someone yells at you or drops the F-bomb, make a Facebook post out of it. Do something to dissipate the negative experience.

As an example, I was calling Expireds a few days ago. Before I could start my script, the homeowner told me they were getting a ton of calls.

They said, “If you are a ‘Realitor’ then I don’t wanna talk to you.” And I responded immediately and sarcastically by saying, “No, I’m a Real-tor, not a Real-lat-tor.”

The conversation didn’t go anywhere; he hung up on me. But it was humorous to me and helped me not internalize it.

The lesson here: don’t expect to please everyone. If you call 100 people, you’re not going to reach 100 people. You’re certainly not going to get 100 people to say yes. So accept prospecting is a numbers game and focus on improving your numbers.

Tip 4: Create A Vision Video To Stay Motivated

REDX: Every real estate coach out there talks about casting a vision so big it pulls you through the tough times. What have you done to stay connected to your vision?

Blair: A couple years ago I created a vision video. It is a video with pictures of my short and long term goals to my favorite song, “Eye of the Tiger.”

It’s important you have a vision of the life you want. A vision video will help your daily motivation. It will allow you to start your day off with clarity and gives you something to recover from a negative call experiences.

If you’re interested in creating one for yourself, here are the links to three different approaches.

Create your own digital vision board with step by step instructions
Create a vision board using PicMonkey
Find inspiration for your own vision board as an entrepreneur

Tip 5: Focus On Your Effort, Not Your Results

REDX: It’s common for agents to give up on expired prospecting before they see the results they want. What advice do you have for agents who are new to expired prospecting?

Blair: Here’s why you shouldn’t judge your success solely on the results of your activities. On a given day you might not be reaching people for reasons beyond your control. It might be the wrong time, maybe it’s a holiday, or graduation day for high school and all the parents are out so you can’t reach anyone.

So don’t focus on the results. Instead, focus on the activities that produce results. For instance, if your goal for the week is eight hours of prospecting calls, focus on accomplishing it. Then reward yourself for your accomplishment.

For many weeks I was calling and not having the best luck. But I was still getting business because of the efforts I was putting forth.

Tip 6: Set Weekly Goals

REDX: Even though you said to focus on efforts, not results, how and why is it important to set weekly and annual goals?

Blair: Prior to the beginning of the year, set an annual goal. Then break it down into quarterly goals, then monthly goals, and then weekly goals. Then reaching your goals can be as simple as just saying “I’m going to have four appointments this week, get one contract, and one listing”.

Think of annual goals like a road map. If you don’t have them, you don’t know where you’re going or how you’re doing. If you’d like to learn how to set annual goals, here are some recommended videos.

How To Set Real Estate Goals with Mike Ferry
How To Create Your Own Goal Setting Worksheet
How To Achieve and Exceed Your Real Estate Financial Goals

Tip 7: Block Distractions By Focusing On Goals

REDX: Maintaining focus and concentration is a big issue for many agents who prospect expired listings. How do you stayed focused when prospecting expired leads?

Blair: The best way to handle distraction is to focus on your daily goals. If the goal is making two hours of calls, then that’s the goal. I’m not a subscriber to the belief you need to put your phone away or put all distractions away. If you’re working with a buyer or an offer comes, or you get a showing request, I think it’s fine to stop and help that client.

So if something comes up where you have to stop during a prospecting session to handle something for 20 minutes, when that’s done get right back on the phone.

There’s nothing wrong with writing thank you cards while you’re on your REDX Storm Dialer or whatever dialer you’re using. And if you’re not using a dialer, I would strongly suggest using one. It speeds up prospecting and keeps you focused.

So I don’t see how it hurts you to do these other things while you’re doing your calls. As long as you know when someone picks up the phone, they are what you need to be focused on. That’s your number one thing. Other than that, I think multitasking is fine.

Tip 8: Discover How To “Snap” Yourself Into A Higher State Of Mind

REDX: To become an expert at expired prospecting, what is one skill you think every agent ought to learn, and where can they go to get it?

Blair: A couple of years ago, I attended a Tony Robbins conference, “Unleash your Power Within.” I suggest every Realtor go. The theme of the conference is how to change your state.  And in that conference, there’s the event where you walk across the hot coals.

Of the 10,000 people who did it, maybe four got a little bit of a burn. My guess is they didn’t learn how to change their state. They opened up their body and mind to getting hurt and they got hurt.

If Oprah can do Tony’s Firewalk, so can you. Watch it:

Tip 9: Don’t Jump To Blame The Data Or Bad Numbers

REDX: A lot of agents who are new to expired prospecting don’t yet know what to expect and get frustrated after only a few tries. How did you move past this and improve your expired prospecting?

Blair: Improving your prospecting means inspecting your skills and data. Here’s a simple example. So let’s say you make 100 calls and they reach no one. If you think the data is bad, replace the data. Did that improve the results at this point in the process? Once you reach people, if you’re not getting listing appointments, look at what you are saying.

One of the toughest things I did to improve my skills was record my own calls. I gave the recordings to my coach at the time. He was able to tell me what I could have said to get better results. The data was okay, but there were things I could have said a little bit differently or added that would have extended questions, dialogues.

So we just have to take it step by step figuring out: A) is the data good, B) if it’s good is what we’re saying good, and C) did we call at a good time. Trying different times and methods to figure out what works what doesn’t work, and then kind of analyzing that and going from there.

Tip 10: Compare REDX Expired Leads To The Rest

REDX: What is the biggest advantage you’ve gained over other agents in your area prospecting expired leads?

Blair: No one asked me to say this, but in my opinion REDX’s data for Expireds is the best in the industry. Not only is it the data the best, but they give you five numbers for each homeowner. Many times the first or second number will be the person associated with the home.

That means I have to work one fifth or fourth less to reach the homeowner. That means I’m going to reach more people associated with the home, which gives me a greater chance of getting more contacts, more appointments, more contracts, and more closings.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com