Jess Lenouvel

Want To Hire A Real Estate Administrative Assistant? Here’s What You Need To Know

March 20, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

Do you ever feel like you’re wearing too many hats in your business? If so, it’s a sign you probably need to hire a real estate administrative assistant.

This key hire can help you scale your business to new heights and break through the income ceiling that holds back so many solo agents.

The right admin can be a game-changer, helping you streamline operations, boost efficiency, and free up your time to focus on the high-impact activities that truly grow your business.

But what separates a good admin from a great one? And how can you make sure that you’re making the right hire?

That’s exactly what we’ll get into in this guide for real estate agents who are considering hiring for this crucial role!

Let’s get into it.

The Power of a Proactive Admin Partner

First and foremost, it’s important to shift your mindset about what an admin should be.

Too many people under leverage their admins, seeing them solely as someone to offload unwanted tasks to.

But setting your admin up to simply be a task-ticker can often create more work for yourself.

You suddenly have another person to manage, delegate to, and supervise – when you were looking for someone to take work off your plate. I made this mistake once and ended up feeling like the assistant to my assistant.

Instead, you want to look for a proactive administrative partner who will treat your business like their own. A top-tier admin won’t just complete tasks robotically, but will constantly be on the lookout for ways to optimize and improve processes across your entire team.

Prioritizing Automation and Systems

One of the key ways a real estate administrative assistant does this is by prioritizing systems and automation.

A savvy admin will audit your current tools and processes to identify opportunities to eliminate, automate, and outsource.

The hierarchy goes like this:

Eliminate: If the task is not truly necessary or bringing in any real value, it shouldn’t be on ANYONE’S plate (yours or your assistant’s). Tasks like this can simply be eliminated.
Automate: Before you use your admin’s precious hours on simple, time-consuming tasks – they should first seek ways to use automation to get it done instead.
Outsource: If it’s a higher-level task that can’t be automated, only then should it be delegated to your admin.

Using this system will help you maximize your admin’s value and make sure their time is spent on high-impact activities that truly require a human touch.

By eliminating unnecessary tasks, automating repetitive processes, and strategically outsourcing the rest, you can create a lean, efficient operation that frees up both your and your admin’s time to focus on revenue-generating activities.

For example, instead of having your admin manually input data into your CRM, they could set up an integration that automatically syncs lead information from your website or lead generation tools. Or, rather than having them spend hours sending individual follow-up emails, they could create an email drip campaign that nurtures leads automatically.

So when hiring your administrative assistant, make sure you add “tech-savvy” to the list of requirements and skills.

Although having experience with the specific tools you use is ideal, don’t rule out a highly motivated and resourceful candidate who is eager to learn the specifics of your systems.

The most important qualities are a proactive mindset and a commitment to driving efficiency.

Supporting Agents, Not Creating More Work

Another key aspect to look for in an admin is someone who is fully focused on supporting agents, not creating more work for them.

The best admins understand that agents are the revenue drivers of the business and that every minute an agent spends wrestling with technology or hunting down information is a minute not spent closing deals and growing the business.

For example, let’s say your team uses a simple CRM like Follow Up Boss that agents are already comfortable with. Rather than asking agents to adopt a more complex tool like Airtable for project management, a savvy admin would set up an automation that syncs data between the two platforms.

This way, when an agent changes a deal’s status in Follow Up Boss, it automatically updates in Airtable, without the agent having to do anything extra. Meanwhile, the admin can use Airtable’s more robust features to get a high-level view of all active projects, optimize workflows, and make sure everything is on track, without disrupting the agents’ daily routines.

The key is to find an admin who can work behind the scenes to create a tech-powered operational machine while keeping things running simply and smoothly for the agents who are on the go every day.

Continuous Optimization and Improvement

One of the telltale signs of an excellent admin?

They’re never satisfied with the status quo. They’re continuously looking for incremental improvements and opportunities for optimization.

Your business is always evolving, and your systems and processes need to evolve along with it.

An admin who is content to just maintain existing systems will eventually hold your growth back. Instead, look for an admin who is committed to lifelong learning, who stays on top of industry trends and new technologies, and who proactively brings new ideas to the table.

When You’re Ready to Hire an Admin

Knowing when it’s time to bring on an Admin can be tricky. Hire too soon and you might be twiddling your thumbs trying to find enough work to keep them busy. Wait too long and you’ll find yourself drowning in busy work when you should be focusing on high-leverage tasks that grow the business.

So how do you know when the timing is right?

Here’s the deal – if you’re consistently spending your precious hours on things that don’t directly create an ROI for the business, it’s a glaring sign that you could use an administrative assistant on the team.

If you’re spending your days managing leads, coordinating showings, scheduling social content, responding to emails, and doing all the other countless tasks that keep your business running but don’t directly drive growth….

…it’s time to seriously consider bringing on some help.

Another red flag is when you start dropping the ball because your plate is overflowing. Missed deadlines, leads slipping through the cracks, clients feeling neglected – sound familiar? An admin can help you get your head above water and make sure nothing falls by the wayside.

And here’s a pro tip – don’t wait until you’re at the end of your rope to start the hiring process. If you’re already in panic mode, you won’t have the bandwidth to find the perfect fit and get them up to speed.

Be proactive and start looking for your admin before you’re in full-on crisis mode. That way, you can take your time finding the right match and setting them up for success.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense to Hire an Admin

While an admin can be a game-changer for a growing real estate business, there are scenarios where hiring one may not be the right move.

If you only have a handful of small, routine tasks that need handling, you’re likely better off automating them rather than hiring a full-time employee.

For example, tasks like setting appointments, sending proposals, or updating your CRM can often be automated with software for a fraction of the cost of an admin’s salary. A good rule of thumb: if a task takes you less than an hour a week and doesn’t require much strategic thought, look for a way to automate it before considering hiring.

It’s also important to make sure you have consistent revenue and cash flow to support an admin’s salary. While a great admin should eventually more than pay for themselves by freeing up your time to generate more business, you need to be able to cover their costs in the meantime. Be sure to budget conservatively and have a financial cushion before making a hire!

Will Hiring A Real Estate Admin Really Give You An ROI?

One of the most common fears around bringing on a real estate administrative assistant is whether or not you’ll be able to get an ROI.

But what you need to remember is that your admin isn’t just another cost, they’re an investment that can yield significant returns for your business.

To understand the potential ROI of an admin, start by calculating the value of your own time. As a real estate agent, your time is quite literally money. Every hour you spend on administrative tasks is an hour you’re not driving revenue.

Say your average commission is $10,000 and it takes 20 hours on average to close a deal. In this case, your time is worth $500 per hour. If an admin can free up just 5 hours of your time per week, that’s $10,000/month in potential additional monthly revenue.

But the ROI of an admin goes beyond just the time they save you directly. A great admin will also make your entire operation more efficient, allowing you to serve more clients and close more deals with the same amount of effort. For example, if your admin optimizes your lead follow-up process and increases your conversion rate by just 5%, that can translate to thousands of dollars in additional commissions over the course of a year.

Not to mention, an admin can help you provide a better client experience, leading to more referrals and repeat business.

Here’s how to set yourself up to achieve a strong ROI with your real estate assistant. 👇🏼

Be sure to set clear expectations and performance metrics for your admin from day one. Work with them to set goals around lead conversion, client satisfaction, and operational efficiency, and regularly review their progress. The more strategically you leverage your admin, the greater the return on your investment will be.

Hiring an admin is a big decision, but when done right, it can be one of the best investments you make in your real estate business.

By freeing up your time, optimizing your operations, and enhancing your client experience, a great admin can help you achieve growth that would be impossible on your own.

So don’t let the cost hold you back – with the right hire and the right strategy, the ROI will speak for itself!

By bringing on a proactive, systems-oriented team member who can optimize your operations and free up your time, you can focus on the high-value activities that truly move the needle.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by admin work and know you need to make a change to break through to the next level, it’s time to take the leap and bring on a rockstar assistant. With the right admin by your side, you can finally step into the CEO role your business needs.

Remember – your time is your most valuable asset. Invest it wisely, and watch your real estate business scale to new heights.

Ready to shift from a solo real estate agent to a CEO so you can win back your time?

Learn more about our 7-Figure Agent Collective program – an exclusive year-long mastermind to help you leverage systems, automation, and delegation to scale to seven figures and beyond.

Build sophisticated systems, grow a lean team of A-Players, and watch your profits soar while working less than ever before.

Learn more and apply HERE.

7 Real Estate Tools You Need to Grow a Sustainable and Scalable Business

March 13, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

Are you tired of being stuck in endless daily tasks that are keeping you from living in your zone of genius?

I’ve been there.

The first time I built a seven-figure business, I was doing everything.

Even though I had found financial stability, I was constantly stressed…and so unhappy.

All it would take was one phone call for me to break down in tears.

That was when I realized something had to change.

I shifted my priorities and began to focus on creating a business that was both sustainable and scalable.

And a huge part of that was leveraging the right real estate tools.

Think of all the listings you manage, transactions, client communications, market trends analysis…

Real estate agents are constantly bombarded by relentless demands and endless pressure.

The key to making sure you’re able to meet those demands? It’s having the right real estate tools and systems in place so you and your team can work smarter, not harder.

So, let’s get right into it. These are the 7 real estate tools you need to be using to grow a scalable and sustainable business.

Client Relationship Management System

A client relationship management system (CRM) is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a tool that helps businesses collect, organize, and understand customer information.

With a CRM, no lead gets forgotten, and every client gets the attention that they deserve.

As a real estate tool, CRMs are a centralized hub for client information and interactions.

You can create and send forms to collect data, create proposals and agreements, and send emails.

And as clients move along your pipeline, you can organize and record deals and transactions as they happen.

Another big part of CRMs is how they help streamline daily and repetitive tasks.

Things like scheduling appointments or sending follow-up emails fill your to-do list daily.

Now, they can be automated so you stay focused on high-level tasks while your systems do the work for you.

Our favorite CRM is Follow Up Boss, a CRM made specifically for real estate agents and teams.

With Follow Up Boss, you can choose from hundreds of different integrations. This way, you can create a flexible system that’s personalized to your business model.

Project Management System

Managing multiple real estate projects can be exhausting.

And as real estate agents, you’re on the go all the time.

It can be tempting to rely on email or texts to communicate and coordinate on important projects.

But emails and texts can get messy – especially when it comes to key project details.

Deadlines get missed, and things fall through the cracks.

A project management tool creates one centralized place for all project communication.

At The Listings Lab, we love using Airtable as our project management tool.

Because of Airtable’s robust features, we’re able to:

Streamline task management.
Organize projects by owner.
Break projects down step by step.
Track time.
Create both task and project deadlines.
Assign tasks to team members.
Collaborate with our team through comments.
Upload and share important resources and documents.
Integrate and customize with third-party apps.

And that’s just the beginning!

Automations are another major feature Airtable offers. Once created, the majority of the project will just flow without you having to edit each part of it.

If you’re not a fan of Airtable or think it might have too many features for your needs, you might want to consider Clickup, Notion, Asana, or Trello. These project management tools offer a simple solution for agents wanting to organize their real estate business!

Database Tool

As a seven-figure real estate business, you need a database tool.

A database allows you and your team to organize and store all of your important data with ease.

Airtable is our go-to for creating databases for the business. It can handle large amounts of information and offers powerful automations.

With Airtable, you’re getting more than just a glorified spreadsheet.

It’s a flexible and intuitive tool that allows you to store large amounts of information.

Airtable collects information from forms or other tools through automations and integrations.

All of which goes into customizing a workspace that fits your specific needs, including:

Tracking property listings
Tracking client interaction.
Creating team member bases.
Calculating finances.
Organizing content.
Collaborating with team members.

Airtable’s visual interface and customizable views make it simple to sort, filter, and conceptualize data.

Teams can then view this data through grid, Kanban, or gallery views. This allows them to read and sort valuable insights into their operations in a way that makes sense to them.

A main feature we love about Airtable is how it offers a user-friendly solution for streamlining our workflows.

Workflows allow you to maximize productivity and create a scalable and automated system.

For example, we use Airtable’s automations the most when we’re hiring team members.

With automations, we create a full system that manages scheduling, sends out emails (including rejections), and more!

This leaves our team free to focus on interviewing and assessing the right candidates for the job.

Because we love Airtable so much, we even offer Airtable temples included in our 7-Figure Agent Collective Program. These templates give members a head start in building their own sustainable systems.

Automation Tool

If there’s one thing that I fully believe in, it’s leveraging the power of automation.

There’s no reason to pay someone $20-30 an hour when you can pay for an automation tool for $150 a year instead.

Always look to see if you can automate a task first before outsourcing it to someone else.

This is a key strategy we teach our agents to create efficient and scalable systems,

To do that, you need a tool like Zapier.

There are thousands of tools and systems that you can connect Zapier with. Because of that, it’s quickly become the most complete automation tool on the market.

Think of Zapier as the translator between two programs. It allows different software to talk to each other.

Each program (like Follow Up Boss and Airtable) has its own purposes and features.

Zapier acts as the go-between the two. It uses if/then conditions to create links and connections so you can build a perfect system for your needs.

It’s a game-changer that takes your automation game to the next level.

Team Communication Tool

Having a team means nothing if you don’t have an efficient way of communicating with each other.

Email is great for communicating with clients or important team matters like contracts or requesting time off. But for regular day-to-day conversations, emails can get long and confusing.

Especially when the reply all feature comes into play.

A team communication tool like Discord or Slack takes the confusion out of your daily conversations.

You can chat with members of your team – either in direct messages or in group chats – as easily as texting.

At The Listings Lab, we’re obsessed with using Discord for team communication. You can even send GIFs, voice notes, share files, and make audio/video calls.

It’s time to level up your communication from just texting and emailing. Having a central hub for team communication is going to make life SO much easier.

Email Marketing Software

Email is the easiest way to create relationships at scale with thousands of potential clients.

However, to use emails efficiently, you need an email marketing software.

Email marketing software is an essential real estate tool to help you stay connected with clients and nurture leads.

With these tools, you can craft targeted email campaigns to achieve your marketing goals.

For example, as part of The Listing Lab, we teach agents how to create a signature system that helps solve a problem for your specific demographic.

Then, we show you how to turn that framework into a branded PDF. This PDF becomes your real estate lead magnet featured on your website and your online ads.

A lead magnet is something of value that you offer to your audience in exchange for their name and email.

Once you collect these details, your email marketing tool automatically delivers your lead magnet and adds these new leads to an email sequence. This sequence takes your leads on a psychological journey, warming them up to your services.

Email marketing software is a tool that helps you build powerful relationships, even without relying on one-on-one interactions.

Social Media Scheduling Tool

Have you ever had that moment of panic when you realize it’s 4 p.m. and you still haven’t posted for the day?

A social media scheduling tool solves that problem.

They allow you to plan and schedule your posts across your social media channels in advance. This way, you’re no longer scrambling to post something every day.

They let you stay active online without having to constantly think about how and when you need to post.

With their built-in analytics features, you can also see what’s working in your strategy – and what’s not.

Then, you can make adjustments to your marketing plan and improve your posts to better resonate with your ideal client.

As a bonus, they analyze when your audience is most active so you can be sure your posts get the highest reach!

Our favorite tool for social media scheduling is Later. For a free option, you can use Meta Business Suite to schedule posts on Facebook and Instagram.

Using these 7 real estate tools is a game-changer when it comes to creating a scalable and sustainable business. They let you streamline and automate the low-level tasks, freeing up your energy for what truly matters – working in your zone of genius!

For more resources about real estate tools and systems and running an efficient, streamlined business, be sure to check out these posts:

How To Build A Winning Signature Real Estate System That Gets Your Clients Consistent Results

Standard Operating Procedures: How To Build Your Real Estate Operations Manual

Avoid Realtor Burnout, Regain Your Time And Scale To Success With These 6 Tips

The New Rules of Real Estate: Master These Scalable Marketing Strategies To Future-Proof Your Business

March 7, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

The real estate industry is changing rapidly. The reality is what used to work just a few years back won’t sustain your business today. From marketing strategies to streamlined systems, you need to upgrade your approach to stand out and scale today.

In this post, I’ll explore the new rules of real estate by digging into key shifts successful agents are making to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’ve just had your first 6-figure year or you’re scaling to the 7-figure mark, these concepts will give you a roadmap for future-proofing your business.

If you approach these shifts with an open mind, you’ll always be able to adapt and thrive in current market conditions.

Let’s get into them.

It’s Time to Get Out of Delivery Mode

If you want to commit to scaling your business through digital marketing, you’ve got to make the time for it.

But most agents are so caught up in delivery they barely have a moment to breathe.

They’re completely consumed with transactions, handling clients, constant appointments and putting out fires.

When you’re always operating in delivery mode, you’re far more likely to fall into the feast and famine cycle.

Because while you tell yourself you’re “too busy to make time for marketing!”, your current deals are coming to an end, and now you’re staring ahead at an empty pipeline.

By constantly being occupied with delivery, you’ve got your ratio all wrong.

Marketing falls by the wayside, taking up only 10% of your time and attention. But the most successful agents actually flip that ratio. They spend 60-80% of their working hours on marketing and building scalable systems. That way, your pipeline never drys up, and you’re able to handle transactions with ease because of the systems you’ve built.

Operating in delivery mode leads to burnout and unpredictability. To avoid chronic stress, you’ve got to shift your underlying business model.

Hire more team support if needed, but get yourself out of delivery mode. As a real estate CEO, it’s not your job to be in the weeds with your clients day in and day out.

Shift From 1-to-1 Conversations to 1-to-Many

Let me guess…

You’ve been taught that running a successful real estate business is all about relationships.

But who said that the only way to build relationships was on a 1-1 basis?

What if I told you that instead of packing your calendar with dozens of appointments each day, you could actually build relationships at scale using digital marketing?

If you’re still trying to have 10 conversations a day, you’re playing by the old rules. The game has shifted, and today, successful agents are having hundreds of conversations a day.

How? By leveraging content, social media, and digital marketing to reach people at scale.

You can still provide incredible personalized service. You just deliver it in a much more scalable way.

It’s no longer about chasing down individuals one by one. It’s about attracting a flood of your ideal clients through a powerful, strategic marketing strategy.

Become a Content Marketer

I read an article recently that said the top three most successful product launches in the past three years came from business owners with personal brands who leveraged content marketing.

What this tells us is that you can no longer rely solely on paid ads or billboards to grow your real estate business. The game has changed. To thrive today, you need to become a content marketer focused on building a personal brand.

That means no more Canva templates and haphazard “just sold!” social media posts that lack strategy.

Creating that type of content might make you FEEL productive – like you’re able to check “marketing” off your to-do list…

But it’s doing nothing to convert clients.

To truly break through the noise online, you need content that is ultra-targeted to your niche that is psychology-driven.

Your content should aim to entertain, inspire, and provide value to your audience. Likes, comments, and followers do not necessarily translate to conversions.

Instead, you need to treat your social media as your real estate sales funnel. Lead potential clients on a journey that takes them from having no idea who you are to being ready to sign on the dotted line.

Use psychology-driven content that shows your ideal client that YOU are the answer to their problems.

Understand That Exposure ≠ Clients & Business

Many agents still don’t truly understand this principle…

Exposure alone does not equal clients or revenue in your business. Just getting likes, comments, shares, and followers does not necessarily generate conversions. Too many people assume if they just get seen by enough people, sales will happen.

But it’s not just about getting eyeballs on your content anymore.

There are plenty of agents who have LARGE followings, but I’ve seen how things are on the backend. And believe me, they’re not making money off their socials because they don’t know how to convert their audience.

Mass exposure means nothing if it’s not the right exposure. For instance, an agent could go “viral” and get huge exposure across Europe. But if you’re trying to work with clients in Boston, it’s not going to help you.

This is why following trends and chasing virality is useless for most agents.

Your goal isn’t to be a real estate influencer. It’s to sign real estate CLIENTS.

Without the Niche, There is No Psychology

Generalist content simply does not work anymore. Unless you niche down, you will never break through the noise.

To attract clients in a crowded industry, you need a specific, clearly defined ideal client avatar. Get very clear on precisely who your ideal client is demographically and psychographically.

Niching down allows you to create content that speaks to your avatar’s exact pain points, problems, fears, and desires.

Filter EVERYTHING you create in your business – from social content to offers to email sequences – from the lens of your niche. Ask yourself: is this what they need to hear right now? Is this relevant to them? Am I helping them get from point A to point B?

The more specific you can be in who you help, the more powerful your messaging and content become.

Not sure how to pick your real estate niche?

➡️ Here are 10 profitable real estate niche ideas to get you started!

Conduct Fresh Market Research to Create Relevance

Lots of us are guilty of treating market research like a “one and done” thing. We put in the work upfront when starting our business, but then fail to revisit it. I call this the “set it and forget it” trap.

The problem is, that buyer and seller priorities shift all the time. What was true two years ago may be totally irrelevant today. But too many agents just rely on outdated assumptions instead of doing their homework.

I get it – ongoing market research might not be the most exciting part of running your business. But failing to regularly refresh your understanding of your ideal clients priorities and preferences is a BIG mistake. Before you know it, your messaging is irrelevant and you’re struggling to connect with your ideal clients because you don’t know what they want.

The truth is, that the most successful agents don’t view research as some boring chore. They see it as the fuel that keeps their business growing by keeping their messaging razor-sharp and relevant.

So don’t just assume you know what your clients need. Continuously build the relationship and keep the conversation going so you know their pain points and desires inside out.

Implementing these pillars on your own can feel challenging at first. Shifting from traditional tactics requires an adjustment period.

But you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Thousands of agents have followed this path to success with our help.

In The Listings Lab, you’ll get access to our proven roadmap to scale your business

to multiple 6 or 7 figures through digital marketing, plus weekly support from me and my team of mentors.

Let’s elevate your marketing, simplify your systems, and help you become the stand-out agent you were meant to be. The first step is a conversation with my team.

➡️ Book Your Call Here To See How The Listings Lab Can Help

How To Craft a Real Estate Value Proposition That Secures Listings

February 28, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

Are you struggling to secure listings?

Here’s a hint: it might be because you don’t have a clear real estate value proposition.

A real estate value proposition is the thing that differentiates your services from every other agent.

And it’s something that most agents are severely lacking.

Where’s The Value?

Here’s the thing – people are starting to wonder if real estate agents will even be necessary in ten years. With iBuyers on the rise, it’s a legitimate concern.

But why is this happening?

The honest truth is that as agents, we haven’t done a great job at communicating our unique value.

It seems like most people think all real estate agents are cut from the same cloth. We market the same way, we all offer the same services, and we serve the same people.

When everyone appears to be offering the same thing, we become just another commodity in the market. This mindset pushes us into a race to the bottom when it comes to commissions.

But if everyone’s seen as the same, it’s no wonder clients often just pick the cheapest option.

So, what’s the fix?

Crafting a real estate value proposition that stands out. It’s about digging deep and figuring out what sets your services apart from the rest.

Let’s explore how you can do just that…👇🏼

Defining Your Real Estate Value Proposition

Your real estate value proposition helps answer the question:

Why YOU?

And no, this can’t be something vague, like “We offer the best service!” or “Your one-stop shop for buying, renting and selling in [X] location!”.

Trade in vague and generic for ultra-specific.

How do you help a specific person overcome a specific problem or achieve a specific result?

This is the crux of your real estate value proposition.

To show you how it’s done, I’m going to share an example of an agent who did this incredibly.

And nope, I’m not spotlighting one of our star members from The Listings Lab…

I’m throwing it back to an industry veteran:

My mom. ❤️

How Can You Become Indispensable To Your Clients?

I learned firsthand how a strong value proposition attracts more leads from my mom’s real estate career.

Because my Dad’s a doctor, our family had a close relationship with the medical community.

My mom noticed a common struggle my Dad’s coworkers faced in their efforts to purchase their first home. Banks wanted 2-3 years of income history before approving loans, but these residents had just finished school.

Though they now earned $300k+ salaries, banks only looked at their income from past years, where they were making just $30k/year as residents.

To serve this demographic and solve their issue, my mom got to work.

She collaborated with a mortgage broker and was able to offer her clients who were doctors a loan program that approved them based on their current salary and future earnings rather than past income. This allowed her niche of doctors to buy homes, even when they were just starting their practices.

By solving this unmet need better than anyone else, my mom became the go-to agent for doctors in our area. She created massive value by removing a critical friction point.

Word spread rapidly and her business took off. While other agents made vague promises of value, my mom targeted a specific underserved niche and designed a custom solution for them.

Her story showed me why defining your value and nurturing a specialty niche is critical – it’s how you capture market share and stand out.

Rather than relying on friends or family for business, build a hyper-targeted brand known for completely understanding and serving your ideal customers. Become renowned as the authority in your niche.

Your Signature System: How You Carry Out Your Value Proposition

It’s not enough to just state your value proposition as a real estate agent. You need a clear signature system that shows how you reliably follow through on your promises.

A strong signature system essentially operationalizes your unique value.

It’s the specialized process you take clients through that allows you to repeatedly achieve results for them.

The key is intimately understanding your ideal client’s frustrations. Then, design a step-by-step process that alleviates those pains better than anyone else can.

Your signature system is the ‘how’ behind your value proposition.

When prospects check out your website and socials and learn about your proven process, you become the obvious choice – regardless of who on your team handles their transaction. You’re able to scale because you’re not just selling your individual magic, you’re selling your METHOD.

Bottom line, don’t just state your value, show how you deliver it. Spell out the specialized guidance that helps you stand out. This is what converts more prospects into satisfied clients.

In a world where real estate agents are often seen as interchangeable, The Listings Lab is your key to standing out.

Our flagship mentorship program gives you the blueprint for exponential growth in your real estate business.

We’ll show you how to stop competing on commission and develop your own framework that allows you to effortlessly attract highly qualified leads.

Scaling to 7 figures isn’t just about ‘hard work’ – it’s about taking intentional, strategic action.

With our tailored support, including in-depth online modules, weekly group mentorship calls, and lifetime access to an exclusive members-only community, you get all of the resources you need to start securing 100+ listings a year.

Ready to see how we can help you become the go-to agent in your market?

Book a call here to talk with our team about how The Listings Lab can help.

Upset When Your Friend Uses Another Realtor? Here’s Why It’s For The Best

February 21, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

It’s happened to all of us at one point or another: a close friend or family member chooses another realtor instead of you.

It can feel like a punch to the gut.

But is it actually the disaster we think it is?

Friends and family choosing another agent is often the best route – for everybody involved.

If you’re feeling betrayed, hurt, angry, or upset, I want you to read this post to understand why this actually shouldn’t be an issue.

And before I get into all of the reasons why not working with friends and family is actually a GOOD thing, we need to get one very important point out of the way.

Which is…

Your Friends & Family Don’t Owe You Their Business

☝🏼Read that again.

Your business is your responsibility.

Not your family’s. Not your friend’s.

The sooner you understand this golden rule, the sooner you can get out of victim mode and move forward.

Your friends or family members only care about finding the best agent for the job.

People don’t hire agents only because they like them or have a personal relationship with them.

They hire the agent who they trust can get them the results they desire.

If you’ve been relying on referrals and word of mouth from friends and family, there’s a good chance you’re not investing in building your brand authority through online marketing.

So rather than complaining that they went with someone else, ask yourself:

Am I demonstrating my expertise in my online content?
Am I sharing online in an effort to build up my like, know and trust factor?
Am I creating authority-building posts such as case studies, testimonials, and client stories?

It’s not enough that they like you in real life. They have to believe with 100% certainty you will be the best person for the job.

They Probably Weren’t Your Ideal Client Anyway

Our most successful members in The Listings Lab are the ones who are super selective with their niche.

They go deep with one type of clientele, rather than wide.

If you’re willing to work with anyone who’s a friend or family member, you’re most likely not building up your expertise within the specific demographic you serve.

Think about it like this…

Say you decide that you want to niche down and serve up-sizers.

But your buddy who’s looking for his first home asks you to be his agent. You do the deal because you’re his friend and want the commission.

Then, your friend refers you to two other people who are also looking to enter the market.

You think, “I might as well take the referrals!”

All of a sudden, it’s been a couple of months and you’ve still made zero progress going after the upsizers. You don’t have any case studies or testimonials to showcase your experience with your target demographic.

Chasing friends and family for work and relying on their referrals puts you into a cycle of reactivity.

Instead, be clear and intentional about who your ideal client avatar is, and work on your marketing so you’re the obvious choice for your demographic.

It’s Harder To Uphold Boundaries

When I was selling real estate, if a friend or family member wanted to work with me, I never worked with them directly. Instead, I would tell them they could work with me, but one of my team members would be supporting them.

Here’s why 👇🏼

It’s much harder to uphold your boundaries and policies with friends and family.

You’ll be tempted to bend your rules or give them special treatment.

Your friend or family member might think they can get away with certain things because of their personal relationship with you.

For example, if I was working with my cousin, they would definitely think they could negotiate with me. But when they’re working with my team, on the other hand, they’ll accept our policies and rates as fact.

Additionally, friends or family may struggle to distinguish between their personal connection with you and your professional role as their real estate agent.

Which brings me to my next point…👇🏼

The Lines Between Friendship & Business Get Blurred

There’s nothing worse than it being a Friday night, you’re excited to meet friends for drinks and blow off some steam…

But then all of a sudden, they direct the conversation back to their house – that you’re selling.

When you work with friends and family, this is your reality.

It’s hard to have two separate spheres – your work sphere and personal sphere, when everything is intertwined.

This can make it incredibly difficult to shut off.

You might tell your friend to keep real estate communications to email to keep some separation…

But then they forget and text you at 10 pm on a Sunday about the deal.

And don’t forget, real estate transactions are complex and can involve tough negotiations and decisions. What happens when something goes wrong or your services don’tmeet your family member’s expectations?

Working with non-friends and family is so much simpler and cleaner.

So why not avoid an awkward encounter with Aunt Mildred because you didn’t sell her house for the price she was expecting?

Define your niche and create an automated lead generation machine that brings hundreds of clients your way, so you can stop relying on friends and family for business.

Stop Relying On Friends And Family As A Real Estate Agent

As a real estate agent, it’s time to shift your focus away from the unreliable and often complex territory of relying on friends and family for business.

While it’s common to tap into your personal network when starting, this approach comes with its own set of challenges and limitations – and it’s certainly not scalable.

Friends and family may expect special treatment or discounts, and mixing personal relationships with business can blur professional boundaries, leading to potential misunderstandings and strained relationships.

Instead, imagine a scenario where you’re not dependent on your inner circle for leads.

Imagine never having to rely on referrals, or feel crushed when a friend chooses another agent.

You know you can generate leads on demand who are a perfect fit for your services.

You’re building authority in your niche and are quickly becoming the go-to agent for your target demographic.

This could be your reality if you join The Listings Lab.

Our program focuses on empowering real estate agents with the most effective marketing strategies to grow and scale their businesses to multiple six or seven figures. You’ll learn how to use principles of attraction marketing and marketing psychology to build trust with your ideal clients before they even meet you.

Our proven strategies have already helped countless agents break free from the limitations of relying on friends and family for business. You’ll discover how to become omnipresent in your market, relevant to your ideal clients, and build genuine intimacy that drives business growth.

Ready to get off the feast and famine cycle once and for all?

Apply here to book a call with our team and create your predictable lead generation system to secure hundreds of new listings.

Bye Bye, Bottleneck: How Sharon Went From Solo Agent to 7-Figure Leader

February 14, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

We sat down with Sharon, one of our previous members from our 7-Figure Agent Collective, to talk about the incredible growth she had..

With 25 years of real estate experience under her belt, Sharon was no stranger to the business. But in just six short months of joining our program, she was able to take more time off than in her entire 25-year career.

To me, THAT is a win. Because it’s not just about hitting 7 figures, it’s about hitting 7 figures sustainably.

I love hearing success stories that break the common myth that growth = sacrifice.

Sharon is living proof that you can build a business that supports you in living your best life.

So what shifted for Sharon that allowed her to 2x her best year ever while working way less?

Let’s take a look at some of her biggest lessons and takeaways from our mentorship programs.

She Harnessed the Power of Automation

Throughout the program, Sharon learned that by spending less time on lower-dollar tasks, she could dedicate more time to high-impact, high-income activities. 💰

In our 7FA program, we take all of our members through an energy audit. Through doing this exercise, Sharon determined over 50% of her time was being wasted on low-level tasks.

Automating tasks through technology like email sequences and CRMs gave her HOURS of her time back each week. This was time she could then reinvest into more strategic growth initiatives.

She Let Go of the “I’m Irreplaceable” Mindset

Early on, Sharon admits she was resistant to bringing on help because she assumed no one could replace her. But the magic happened when she opened up to support.

Sharon notes, “When you and Coach KaraLee kept telling us that we are our own worst enemies, thinking that no one else is going to be able to replace us and step in…that was a big mindset shift for me”

Once she embraced delegation, her business (and free time!) skyrocketed.

Sometimes, the BEST thing we can do is get out of our own way. We have to stop being the bottleneck and invest in team members who do it just as good – if not better – than us.

She Revamped Her Entire Sales Process

Sharon completely overhauled her listing presentation, buyer presentation, and overall sales system based on the strategies we recommend in our 7FA program.

She started actively bringing in partners like stagers earlier in the process to add more value. By improving her process, relevancy, and authority, Sharon hasn’t lost a single listing appointment since she joined!

She Leaned Into The Power Of Digital Marketing

One strategy that allowed Sharon to truly skyrocket her business was leveraging the power of digital ads. With some hands-on guidance from the program’s coaches, Sharon set up her first ad campaign.

The results blew her away.

That very first ad generated 72 new leads – and extremely qualified ones at that. From that one ad alone, Sharon secured a million-dollar buyer, a $600k buyer, a $500k buyer, and a $300k buyer. She was able to convert one into a successful sale immediately.

Not only did the ad deliver amazing results, but the leads fed directly into Sharon’s CRM and email sequences for convenient follow-up. This end-to-end automation allowed her to scale her conversations WITHOUT adding more hours to her plate.

After seeing the incredible ROI, Sharon went from being skeptical and unsure about ads to becoming a complete digital marketing convert.

She Traded Rankings For Relationships

Sharon decided to step away from company rankings and focus purely on client care instead. She was shocked that by removing herself from rankings, MORE business actually flowed in.

Here’s the thing…👇🏼

As agents, we often think showcasing our rankings and awards will increase our authority and get us more clients.

But often, what actually happens, is that the more we brag about our sales numbers – the less approachable we seem to the people we’re trying to serve.

They may even falsely assume we’re too busy for them!

So instead, Sharon shifted her focus from rankings to relationships. Her social media became centered not around deals and dollars, but nurturing her community.

The result? More conversations and clients from social media.

By showcasing her authentic self without all the bragging, Sharon became relatable. Her audience responded, engaging even more and feeling comfortable contacting her about their needs.

The takeaway?

Drop the focus on the numbers, deals, and rankings. Put your clients first, and always ask yourself: will this piece of content serve THEM?

I love Sharon’s story because it shows just how much can change when you’re open to it.

So many agents who have 25 or 30 years of experience will silently struggle. They don’t want to admit they may need help or to try another strategy, because it might feel like a bruise to the ego.

Not Sharon.

By optimizing her time, building an effective team, leveraging social media, and staying client-focused, Sharon took her business from stagnant to seven figures.

Sharon didn’t just enroll in our program, she truly took ownership of her success and used ALL of the resources at her disposal.

If you feel stuck or burnt out in your real estate business, Sharon’s transformation proves that a better way exists. You can build an empire centered around service—one that runs itself—by following a proven framework.

At The Listings Lab, we provide that step-by-step framework for dominating your market with digital marketing strategies. If you’re ready to 10x your growth, apply to speak with our team today.

We’ll evaluate if one of our coaching programs is the right fit for you. From optimizing your social media presence to systematizing your operations, we’ll set you up with the marketing, mindset, and operations foundations to accelerate your growth.

➡️ Appy Here To Hit Your First 7-Figure Year

Stuck at 6-figures in your
Real Estate business?

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