Exceptioncompilation

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Marketing vs Prospecting: What’s Good, Better and Best ………………………………………………..4 A Sure-Fire Secret to Peak Productivity …………………………………………………………...………5 Smile and Dial Your Way to Success ………. …………………………………………………………. ….7 Smile and Dial Your Way to Success (part 2) ……………………………………………………………...9 How to Leverage ‘One of the Most Powerful Forces in the Universe’ for Your Business ……………11 Relationship Building 101: Stop Pitching, Start Talking …………………………………………………13 Take Note of This Core Semonin REALTOR® Activity ………………………………………………….15 We Want YOU to be part of Wants|Needs|News ……….……………………………………………….17 Super Semonin Weekends Are Win-Win-Win for Agents, Buyers, Sellers ……...…………………….21

Tips to Get the Most Mileage from a Critical Marketing Tool……………….……...………………….. .23 SemoninTV is Powerful, Easy-to-Use Marketing/Prospecting Tool……….……...…………………….26 10 Strategic Tips to Help You Jump into the FSBO Pool!...............……….……...…………………….28 Help Your Clients Easily Understand Your Selling Process with Sellers Journey…………………… 30 Help Your Clients Easily Understand the Home Buying Process with Buyers Journey…………..…. 32 BombBomb is Easy, Affordable, Cutting-Edge Communication Tool…………………..…………..…. 34 A Different Kind of ‘Lunch and Learn’ ……………………………………………………..…………..…. 36 A Different Kind of ‘Lunch and Learn’ ……………………………………………………..…………..…. 36 Email Signatures: Sign Off Can Pack Lots of Self-Promo Punch ………………………………………38 Pop-By Visits Show You Care, Keep You Top of Mind………….……………………………………….40 SkySlope is Your “Electronic Filing Cabinet”………….………….……………………………………….42 Easily Track Down Property Information Through PVA and County Clerk Office…………………....43 Listening Through Social Media Helps You Know Contacts Better, Provides Reasons to Connect …………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………....44

Be the Exception—Your Business Success Depends on It! The ability and commitment to continually create new customers is essential if you want to succeed as a realtor. As a rule, agents are very busy people. They tend to put this essential work on the back burner because the return on the investment of their time isn’t quick, and the “immediate” (even if it’s not important) tends to get in the way of the “important.”

You must become the exception to the rule if you want to succeed in the real estate industry. We can help you! Each Thursday, Marketology will explore a helpful tool for prospecting and marketing. We will explain possible marketing activities (money over time), where you execute some form of general communication and typically wait for customers to come your way. We will encourage you to focus on prospecting (time over money), however, where you reach out to customers with a frequency that is usually a bit uncomfortable. This approach is much more effective and usually less expensive, which is why Semonin’s business model of “business-by-referral” is built upon it. Dr. Stephen Covey (author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) developed the Time Management Quadrants method for prioritizing work. Prospecting and marketing activities fall into the second quadrant which Covey advises “is THE quadrant where you want to invest most of your time. Tasks in quadrant two are in direct alignment of your goals and things you want to achieve in the long-run.” So, plan to hang out with Marketology in Quadrant Two each week. You have little to lose and a great deal to gain! Be the Exception and be Exceptional!

Important and Urgent

Important but not Urgent

Urgent but not Important

Not Urgent And not Important

Marketing vs Prospecting: What’s Good, Better and Best When it comes to getting the word out about your services and drumming up business, you have two important resources: your time and money. To succeed as a REALTOR® you must spend both wisely and learn to think of time as a valuable currency you spend as carefully as your cash. In general, marketing involves spending money, rather than time, to passively make others aware you are in the real estate business. Forms of marketing include paying to boost your posts to target audiences on Facebook, developing a website, sending out a newsletter, purchasing zip code presence on Zillow, running print or broadcast ads, etc. In contrast, prospecting generally involves spending a lot less money, but a lot more time doing relatively simple tasks that can feel a bit uncomfortable. Sometimes it can be difficult to reach out to others if you fear they may think you are doing so only because you view them as a potential income source. It’s been proven that the prospecting approach to maintaining a steady stream of clients is much more effective and less expensive, however, so what’s a hardworking, help-oriented REALTOR® to do if prospecting isn’t a favorite activity?

You Can Enjoy Prospecting! The secret to enjoying prospecting is to change your perspective on it and understand what prospecting is and is not. Keep in mind the old adage: “Don’t put the cart before the horse.”

Are you viewing prospecting as a sales pitch, and, therefore, “putting the cart before the horse” by putting the steps to success in the wrong order? The goal of prospecting is simply to figure out if there is a fit and a potential relationship worth pursuing. You are not trying to prove your value at this point, nor are you doing a needs analysis. If you see a fit, your second goal is to make an appointment to meet at another time. You will then have an opportunity to share your expertise and earn the prospect’s business in this meeting. (If you need help creating a short “elevator speech” about yourself, your services and Semonin, click here to see how CEO Brad Devries does it. Also, to embrace prospecting as the essential activity that it is, you must have a right view of yourself. Do you see yourself as knowledgeable, highly trained professional who truly wants to help meet one of people’s Four Basic Needs (water, food, clothing, shelter)? If not, it’s time to reflect, renew and realign your thinking.

Best-Case Scenario for Success While we advise you to focus more of your resources on prospecting, you will achieve the greatest success if marketing is part of the mix. When you do a combination of both, you are creating a business-by-referral system that brings in new clients and keeps you connected to past clients and referral sources. Commit to building relationships over the long haul through a variety of “touches.” It will demonstrate your dependability, interest in your contacts and your professionalism—and it likely will translate into opportunities to help people find the home of their dreams! in your contacts and your professionalism—and it likely will translate into opportunities to help people find the home of their dreams!

A Sure-Fire Secret to Peak Productivity Like many business owners, you may find yourself working long hours without taking much-needed breaks. “Vacation” may be a foreign term at worst, or a guilty pleasure at best. Maybe you may feel you work all the time, but still don’t have a steady stream of customers. Perhaps the “immediate” always seems to get in the way of the “important,” and you just can’t seem to find time for prospecting—a critical activity for successful REALTORS® So, what’s the secret to effectively managing your time? You must learn to work smarter, not harder.

A Proven Strategy Time Blocking is, a proven strategy for managing your priorities, using time wisely and achieving greater productivity. Here are 10 steps to Time Blocking Success: First, block out some time to manage your priorities by doing Time Blocking. Plan in a quiet location where you will not be interrupted. Ask others not to disturb you. Consider putting a sign on the door that indicates the time you will be available again. Turn off your phone.

If you’re doing yearly planning, schedule time blocks for long weekends and vacations. It will help you work more efficiently when you see an end in sight and a pleasurable activity ahead. You’ll also be able to give advanced notice to clients and others so it will be easier to get away when the time comes to step away. Block out time for specific tasks, and break the tasks down into bite-sized actions. When it comes to “build my client base,” for example, you might block out time for actions such as “create a list of leads,” “attend a networking function,” “make follow up phone calls to my From Your Friends postcard recipients,” etc. Use a visual tool, such as a calendar, and mark the blocks of time to show clear start and stop times. Commit to sticking to the time frames. (Don’t underestimate how long a task will take if you’ve never tracked your time before.) It helps to plan your time when you have the visual of an entire month.

“A 40-hour, time-blocked work week produces the same amount of output as a 60+-hour work week pursued without structure.” —Cal Newport, author and continued on next page

“productivity hack”

Use a visual tool, such as a calendar, and mark the blocks of time to show clear start and stop times. Commit to sticking to the time frames. (Don’t underestimate how long a task will take if you’ve never tracked your time before.) It helps to plan your time when you have the visual of an entire month. Don’t forget to schedule short breaks into your work time blocks. Ten to 15-minute breaks will increase your productivity and focus. Schedule your most important work first. Remember that top priority jobs can seem daunting, so it can be easy to focus on items of lower priority. Resist this tendency and “put the big rocks in first.” (You can go to www.appleseeds.org/Big-Rocks_Covey.htm to read an inspiring explanation of “The Big Rocks of Life” by Dr. Stephen R. Covey). Do your most important work at the time of day when you are most productive. Not everyone is a morning person or a night owl. When working, give your full attention to the high priority task at hand. Don’t answer the phone, text or surf the Internet. STAY FOCUSED.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Consider whether the mundane or repetitive parts of any tasks can be automated. See if any parts be saved and recycled so you don’t have to start from scratch again and again. No matter how well you schedule your time, there may come a point when you realize you simply have too much going on. You may have to make some hard decisions about what you can eliminate so you will have time for to achieve your most important goals. Don’t let your life be governed by Parkinson’s Law: “Work will simply expand to fill the time available for its completion.” Make a serious commitment to use Time Blocking for the next three months, and see if you can join other high achievers who do more with less!

Smile and Dial Your Way to Success Lifelong real estate enthusiast and mogul Ray Wood says “If you want to win more listings and make more sales, doing this one thing will give you the very best opportunity to double your income in the year ahead!”

That “one thing” is picking up the phone and making calls to new contacts, business associates and referral sources on a daily basis. It’s a very effective, significantly personal and downright cheap form of communication. To be truly effective, however, there are several issues to consider before you put finger to phone. First, check out some of the results that came from a three-year study by James Oldroyd PhD, which looked at 15,000 unique leads and 100,000 call attempts. He determined that, statistically: the best days of the week to qualify leads are Wednesday and Thursday. the best time to reach leads is between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. the best time to respond to a call back is within five minutes. The odds of qualifying a lead creases by 400 percent after five minutes. Most people give up way too soon when trying to reach a lead. They should make at least six call attempts.

Here are 17 more ideas worth thinking about before you pick up the phone: 1.

Consider leveraging social media before you actually call a prospect. Can you follow a prospect on Twitter or LinkedIn? Can you share their Facebook posts, favorite their tweets—reach out to them via social media before you dial?

Perfect your opening. You have about 15 seconds to raise interest and demonstrate value.

Always call with news/an offer (your sales manager or Marketology can help with ideas).

If you have notes about the person you’re calling, review for points to possibly bring up.

Make sure to call from a quiet place where you will not be disturbed (put a sign on the door; advise those around you, if necessary).

Have pen and paper ready so you can take notes

Look in a mirror and give yourself a little pep talk. Remind yourself that your service offers important value when matched with the right clients.

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If possible, use a high-quality headset so you can “talk” with your hands. Research shows this makes for more persuasive speech. 2. Remember the invisible button people wear—the one with the acronym “WIFM,” or “What’s In It For Me?” Be prepared to answer that question early in the conversation. It’s about them and their needs. Address their pain points. 3. Smile as you dial. You can “hear” a smile in a person’s voice. 4. Speak with a spark of energy and enthusiasm in your voice. 5. Avoid saying, “How are you today?” It’s overused. It can sound insincere and telemarketer-ish. Instead try “How’s your (day of the week) going?” or “Happy (day of the week) to you!” 6. Say the person’s name during the conversation. It is a sign of courtesy, is the fastest way to build rapport and creates a good first impression. As Dale Carnegie famously said, “A person’s name is, to him or her, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” 7. If someone referred you, mention the referral source early on. 8. Ask a question early on to engage the person. You MUST connect very quickly. 9. Be human. Show that you truly want to help prospects, if there is a need for your services, and are not trying to hard sell them. 10. Always try to define a tangible next step.

Five Tips for When You Must Leave A Message We all know it can be hard to reach someone by phone, so perfect the art of leaving a message: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Make a spreadsheet and track your calls—contact, date, time, message content Keep your messages short, which requires message preparation. Don’t leave the same message twice. Remember to say their name. At the end of your message, repeat your name and say your number slowly---twice.

If you find yourself hesitating to pick up the phone and contact prospects, keep this quote from Ray Wood in mind:

“Getting on the phone sends a clear and very important message to your contacts that you’re not afraid to make a call and take action. People respect that. It implies motivation and a pro-active professional approach.”

Smile and Dial Your Way to Success—part 2 Last time, we encouraged you to do the “one thing” lifelong real estate enthusiast and mogul Ray Wood’s says “will give you the best opportunity to double your income in the year ahead.” That one thing is picking up the phone and making calls to new contacts, business associates and referral sources on a daily basis. There are a lot reasons to call, and Woods invites real estate agents to adapt these specific-purpose calls, which he has dubbed “the 11 best scripts I’ve ever seen!” Each would begin with an opener like, “Hi, (contact’s name). It’s (your name) from Semonin REALTORS®.”

The Reach Out/Reconnect Call “It’s been a while since we’ve spoken, and I just wanted to update my information and get things in order. Are you still looking to buy or sell?”

The Market Update Report Call “We’ve just put together our Weekly Market Report/Quarterly Market Observer. It’s a quick summary about the value of homes in your area. Would you like me to put you on the list to receive one?” If yes: “Can I just confirm your contact information?” Note: In addition to the market reports, there are many other informational resources you can share, such as the monthly “Real Estate Insider” newsletter, the “Home Actions” eNewsletter, the “Preparing Your Home to Sell Guide,” etc. Check out the HUB for details.

The Open House Call “I just wanted to give you a quick courtesy call to let you know we’re having an open house at (home’s address) this Saturday.”

The Just Listed Call “I just wanted to touch base and let you know about a property that’s coming up for sale. Are you still looking to buy?”

The Just Sold Call to Sellers “I just wanted to touch base and let you know about a property we’ve just sold. Are you still looking to sell?”

The Event Call “I just wanted to give you a courtesy call to let you know we’re helping out with a special fundraiser for (cause) next weekend at (give details—including information about Semonin’s commitment to giving back to the community).”

Anniversary Calls “I noticed the (number) year anniversary since you bought your home is coming up. This is a just a courtesy call to say ‘hi’ and see how things are going, and if you’re still loving your home. I also want to let you know we’re here to help if you need anything.”

Deadline Calls to Sellers “I know you were looking to sell sometime soon, and I just wanted to let you know we’re getting our clients, who want to sell by Christmas (or winter or summer or whatever), set up with a great marketing program.”

Special Offer Calls (example) “We’ve just set up a special deal with (name) from XYZ home staging. The difference they’re making to homes coming onto the market is amazing. If you’re looking at selling anytime in the next 12 months, I could set you up with an appointment.”

Special Deal Calls “I just wanted to let you know about our special Internet marketing package deal (or some other marketing deal) we’ve got coming up in (month).”

Offer Access to Your List Call “Just a quick call to let you know about my list of tradesmen/contractors/suppliers. It’s a list of my very best professional contacts. My clients love it, and I realized you don’t have a copy. Can I email it to you?”

How to Leverage ‘One of the Most Powerful Forces in the Universe’ for Your Business When you consider that typical homeowners live in their house an average of seven years, and that close to 90 percent of buyers and sellers retain an agent to assist them, it’s clear business opportunities abound for Semonin REALTORS®! Our business model focuses on business by referral because we know the approach is the most effective and affordable one. The facts tell us that 78 percent of sellers and 63 percent of buyers find their agent through a recommendation from someone they know. And according to Nielsen and Roper Reports, 92 percent of all consumers say word-of-mouth recommendations are the “leading reason they buy a product or service.” Such third-party endorsements are widely considered by marketers to be “one of the most powerful forces in the universe for marketing a product.” They are credible, effective and affordable, viewed as unbiased opinions given by people who have nothing to gain or lose by sharing an honest perspective.

Endorsements + Internet = Credibility Even when a buyer or seller does not personally know the third party endorser, these positive recommendations strongly influence consumers. According to the 2016 results of an annual, six-year study on the effects of online reviews: 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. 74% of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a local business more. 58% of consumers say the star rating of a business is the most important form of a review. 91% of consumers regularly or occasionally read online reviews. 68% of consumers form an opinion by reading just 1-6 reviews.

RealSatisfied is Your Source for Endorsements If we’ve convinced you that endorsements are a must for distinguishing yourself as The Agent of Choice, we have good news! Semonin provides its REALTORS® with RealSatisfied, an automated client survey service designed especially for real estate agents. When you fill out the RealSatisfied Customer Service Form for each of your closing transactions, an email, which includes a link to the survey, is sent to your client. See a sample email and a copy of the survey questions by clicking here.

Ways to Leverage Your Endorsements There are many ways to use positive endorsements to your advantage: Create an endorsements sheet for your presentations Add rotating recommendations to your email signature Include an endorsement or two on flyers and other printed materials Post them on your website Post them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ (see your Profile Page settings on RealSatisfied to link endorsements to some social media sites) Post them on other review sites, such as Realtor.com, yelp.com, Zillow.com (Trulia does not post agent recommendations) Make endorsement table tents to place in various areas during an open house Include endorsements in these publications: ―Weekly Market Report (in the personalization area on the cover, along with your contact info.) ―“Real Estate Insider” monthly newsletter ―As an article in your “Home Actions” electronic newsletter (requires subscription) Include in print ads Consider sharing parts of them in the notes you send to prospects Make short BombBomb videos of yourself reading a new review, thanking the reviewer and asking the recipient to let you deliver the same level of service for them. Another Idea for Video Endorsements: As you’re turning over the keys to a new home, and you know your client is pleased with your work, ask if you can videotape their comments about how they feel about their new home and your services. You can do this right from your phone. A compilation of endorsements made at this time could be a powerful marketing tool.

Keep It Fresh Gathering endorsements should be an ongoing process. The online study indicated that the age of reviews was an important influencing factor for 41 percent of respondents, and 73 percent of those respondents said reviews older than three months “aren’t relevant.” For assistance with any of the above, please speak to a member of Marketology or your sales manager.

Information sources: Zillow, National Association of Realtors (May 2017), RealSatisfied, BrightLocal, Nielsen and Roper Reports

Relationship Building 101: Stop Pitching, Start Talking “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This saying has been around so long and been proven so many times that it’s known as a “truism.” For the realtor, it means your prospects and current (and past!) clients need to feel you truly value them, and that they are not just a real estate transaction. When someone feels you care and have their best interest at heart, it builds trust. Such trust is built on repeated, reliable behavior, and it takes time. Therefore, to succeed in the real estate industry, you must commit to the long haul of building relationships by organizing and executing a communications plan of ongoing “touches.” The Activity Tracking by Day pages (15-39) in your Semonin REALTORS® Business Planner is a helpful tool for this.

Zeroing in for Manageability To further organize and focus your communications, we recommend you maintain a “sphere of influence” of between 150-200 contacts, and that you sort them into A (advocate – they will refer you), B (buddy – needs reminding, teaching), C (box of chocolates—you never know what you’ll get) and D (probably not, so delete). The “80/20 Rule” says that 80 percent of your sales will come from 20 percent of your contacts. Figure out who is included in your 20 percent, and focus on doing the following relationship-building activities with these A contacts first. Gradually expand your efforts to reach B and C contacts.

Get Personal Brian Buffini recommends realtors build a Client Connection List to keep track of personal information about each contact. Click here to download a fillable document that identifies 39 points you can track. Familiarize yourself with the list, and gather details by: observing contacts in their home or office working the topics into your conversations with them searching for information on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Google+, Instagram, Tumblr) or even by Googling them asking the referral source (if there was one) to fill in some blanks about your contact

Body Parts Tell the Story It’s been said we have two ears and one mouth for a reason—so we can listen twice as much as we speak. This approach to others shows interest and caring, and it also helps us gather valuable information. continued on next page

“Just Because” Contact Contact people simply to build relationship and don’t even mention sales. Healthy relationships thrive on communication, so if you communicate only at a contact’s request or when you need something, you probably won’t become a trusted adviser. Send notes, invite them out for lunch/coffee, or send/pop by with items of value such as: weekly, monthly and quarterly market reports From Your Friends postcards Real Estate Insider or Home Actions (requires a subscription) newsletters small gifts for national recognition dates (July 7 is National Chocolate Day; July 17 is National Ice Cream Day, etc. See your 2017 Business Planner for additional celebrations.) Review your Client Connection Lists regularly, and keep an eye out for related information you can share. Tell the dog owner about the awesome new dog park you’ve discovered; the movie buff about the film you just saw and want to recommend, etc.

Satisfaction vs Loyalty Don’t mistake customer satisfaction for customer loyalty. Loyalty is driven by added value to the customer.

Be a Problem Solver and Pleasure Noticer Especially at the beginning, focus more on the specific problems you can solve rather than on your expertise. For example, you might say: “I’m just calling to see if you could use some help buying your new home/selling your home. It’s a pretty complex process, and I imagine you’d like to do it in the shortest time possible with the least expense/greatest gain.” Notice you are not focusing on yourself as the solution in this opening. Focus on pleasure points, as well. Steer toward conversation points that can make them feel better or help them enjoy something they like.

Come Across as a “Trusted Adviser” In today’s world, when theft is on the rise and honesty and integrity seem to be declining, we’ve all been forced to become a little more guarded and wary. Be careful not to come across as a “salesperson,” or you may be viewed through a negative lens. If a cautious prospect questions why they should choose you as their realtor, don’t try to defend yourself. Explain that you’re not going to try to convince them of anything because it would just create sales pressure. Emphasize that you just want to discuss their needs and see if there is a way you can help them.

Finally, as you start each day, personalize the truism we shared at the start. Tell yourself (speaking aloud is best!), “My contacts don’t care how much I know until they know how much I care.” Then, go out and show you care the Semonin way: by leading differently, teaching relentlessly, serving passionately … and becoming preferred in your relationships.

Sources: www.thebalance.com, www.marketingprofs.com

Take Note of This Core Semonin REALTOR® Activity Picture the following customer follow-up scenarios:

Scenario #1: You sit down at your computer to do some work, and decide to check your emails first. There’s a thank you message from the salesman who recently sold you your new car.

Scenario #2: You’re walking back from your mailbox, flipping through the junk mail and bills, and you spy an envelope hand-addressed to you. It’s a handwritten note, along with a business card, from the salesman who recently sold you your new car.

How would the two scenarios make you feel? Which form of communication would make more of an impact on you?—The easy-to-dash-off typed message, or the took-some-time-to-create-and-send handwritten correspondence that stands out among the undesirable mail pieces? (Sorry if this sounds like a leading question, but you can see where we’re going here. )

At the Core of Our Approach

Note writing is a core activity in the business-by-referral system embraced by Semonin REALTORS®. We know that when note writing is part of the client communication mix, it makes a memorable, personal prospecting or marketing experience. Semonin believes so strongly in the effectiveness of this approach that we have created an inexpensive (just 10 each for a card and envelope) variety of visually appealing, Semonin-branded notecards for your use. They can be purchased or ordered for interoffice delivery from the exceptional receptionists at our Louisville office, Adrian Denhard (adenhard@semonin.com or 502.329.5032) or Christie Wendlegast (cwendlegast@semonin.com or 502.329-5400). People make a point of reading personal notes, so your message will truly stand out—especially when personal, handwritten correspondence is becoming a lost art.

Reasons to Connect

Here are a dozen reasons to write a note. Can you think of others? Send a … thank you after giving a listing presentation thank you for allowing me to list your home thank you for your time, even though I didn’t get the listing “It was a pleasure” to a buyer after a showing thank you after the purchase

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thank you after the close of escrow FSBO thank you for taking time to talk with me happy-anniversary-in-your-new-home referral thank you I’m listing your neighbor’s home thank you for your service thank you for taking time to talk with me to a phone contact

An Effective Approach Here are six tips for writing winning notes to your prospects and current/past clients: Block out time each week for note writing (See the “Exception” message “A Sure-Fire Secret to Peak Productivity” for helpful tips on time blocking). Make sure you keep the raw materials needed to write your notes (note cards, envelopes, addresses and stamps) in stock. Use a felt tip pen. The ink fills more space, so you don’t have to write as much. Maintain a file of meaningful quotations to help you write your notes. Click here for some suggestions. Try to recall something specific about your interaction, and reiterate it to show you were tuned in and to make the message more personal. End with a call to action when possible. What do you want your reader(s) to do after they read your note? It may feel like overkill at times, but most people just don’t think past the message and connect the dots to “I should …”

Let’s bring back the art of note writing! Who knows … your congratulations-on-your-new-home note may be so appreciated that it winds up in a scrapbook that’s treasured and passed along through generations for years to come.

We Want YOU to be part of Wants|Needs|News As independent business owners, Semonin REALTORS® enjoy a lot of autonomy. We always want you to have access to important information and support when you need it, however, and that’s why Marketology’s Social Media Specialist, Caitlin Woods, created a private, secure Facebook group, called Wants|Needs|News. This centralized, Semonin-specific communication platform serves as a convenient and time-saving way to share information, request advice and recommendations and much more! Currently, members are using the page to: share pre-listings Share client-specific listing needs Post requests for other agents to hold open a property Ask questions about all kinds of industryrelated issues Locate recommendations for resources for a variety of products and services Post announcements about classes, trainings and meetings Post company announcements, updates and internal news See the next page to learn about some of the features of the group page.

When you begin a message, note that you can click on the small gray box with three white dots to include additional features with your message: photo/video; attach a file; create an event and more.

Note that there is a search bar on the left side of the page, so you can search on topics, posts by date, posts by name, etc.

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Notice that you can click on “Members” to access the personal Facebook pages of all the group members. You also can click on “Events,” “Videos,” “Photos” and “Files” to see all of the respective postings for these features.

We Want YOU to Join Us! The page currently hosts 376 members, but we want the rest of our agents and staff onboard! A successful Facebook group has regular activity and engaged members, or participants fall away.

To join the group, search for “semonin realtors wants needs news” on Facebook and click on the green Join Group button to send a request.

If you know a Semonin REALTOR® or Semonin staff member who has not joined the group, invite them! To invite someone else to join the group (must be a Semonin REALTOR® or staff member), click on the box with the three dots. It will open a option where you can click on “Add Members.”

You must be friends with a contact to invite them. Click on the “Who do you want to invite to the group?” bar to choose from your Facebook friends list. You can add a note below, if you like. The person must be approved by our Social Media Specialist, as Wants|Needs|News is a closed group.

If you need help setting up a Facebook account so you can join the group, or have any questions about Wants|Needs|News, please contact Caitlin Woods, Marketing and Social Media Specialist, at cwoods@semonin.com or 502.394.6172.

Once a month, Semonin Realtors® hosts the region’s largest open house event—Super Semonin Weekend! The program provides a win-win-win for agents, buyers and sellers.

Super Semonin Weekend dates through 2017 (dates in parentheses indicate when to begin marketing activities)

August 19-20 (August 9) September 16-17 (September 6) October 21-22 (October 11) November 18-19 (November 8) December 16-17 (December 6)

Eight Steps to Super Semonin Weekend Success 1. Decide which listing(s) to hold open during the Super Semonin Weekend. Find other Semonin agents to hold homes open if you have multiple listings. 2. Submit an open house notification on the HUB (HUB > Sellers > Advertising Requests > Open House Notification) to trigger our staff to enter open house dates and times into our MLS systems.

3. Begin marketing activities 10 days in advance. Click here for an open house marketing checklist. Pick up a supply of drawing registration cards from Semonin offices or service centers. 4. Encourage your contacts to attend the event and enter our drawing to win a $500 gift card for Lowe’s, Kroger or Target. Consumers 18 or older can register once at each participating open house. Point them to www.semonin.com/supersemoninweekend.aspx to browse the weekend’s open houses. continued on next page

5. Arrive at least 30 minutes early, and hold your open house. Above all, be safe! Click here for Open House Safety Tips for REALTORS®. 6. Record the information from the drawing registration forms so you can follow up through notes, email and phone calls. 7. Turn the cards in to the Marketology Department by the Wednesday after the event for the drawing two days later.

8. We’ll let you know if the winning card came from your open house so you can contact the winner to share the happy news. You will receive a $70 credit on your agent statement. You’ll also be photographed with the drawing winner so you can use the image for promotional purposes.

Now Let Me See …

Tips to Get the Most Mileage from a Critical Marketing Tool It’s such a cliché, but in real estate, “a picture (really) is worth a thousand words,”—and it can be your most effective selling tool. These days, everyone does home searches via the Internet, and the National Association of Realtors says 98 percent of us say “photos are among the most useful features of real estate websites.” Given elevated expectations and the busy pace most people keep, sharp, well-lit, well-staged photos of a home are essential to enticing buyers to spend their limited time doing an on-site visit to your listing.

Go with A Pro Given the importance of marketing a listing in a professional way through images, Semonin REALTORS® strongly recommends that agents work with a photographer who specializes in real estate photography. You can find recommendations for traditional and aerial photography resources on the HUB (HUB > Sellers tab >Advertising Requests button > Professional Photography button).

If You MUST Take Camera in Hand If you decide that you must take the photos, the Louisville, New Albany and Elizabethtown offices have digital cameras you may borrow. Volumes are written about the “how tos” of photography (which underscores why photography is a profession), but given our limited space here, we will share our Top 10 Tips and point you to some additional resources. Tip 1: Prepare the home for the shoot. Each room should be staged. Can you see how the chairs have been rearranged subtly to show the table contents in the photo to the right? Whatever you see in the camera viewfinder IS going to show up in the image. A wrinkled curtain will not magically appear smooth and straight in the photo. continued on next page

A cord on the floor will not disappear in your image. You need to turn a critical eye to each area of the house and take care of seemingly insignificant details. They WILL appear in a significant way in a photo. Need some help? Click here to watch a short video, “What is Home Staging,” and here to watch a short video Preparing Your Home for Sales” on SemoninTV. (You can share Semonin videos with your clients by clicking on the small link image to the right top area above the video box, then copying the link (Ctrl+C) and pasting it into an email message, on your Facebook page, etc.) Click here for a helpful checklist to use when preparing for a home photo shoot. Tip 2: Good photography Is All About the Lighting George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak company, said of light and photography: “Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” (Professional photographers understand lighting needs and have the correct tools to achieve them.) Take time to determine the lighting situation for each room, then plan to do the shoot on a sunny day—hopefully, one with blue skies and white, puffy clouds. Sunlight infuses a shot with energy and warmth, which tells a more compelling, inviting story. When to shoot the front of the home: East facing (east facing rooms, too) – morning West facing (west facing rooms, too) – afternoon South facing – whenever the light is bright North facing – early morning, or whenever the light is bright In addition to straight on shots, take some at an angle to show the depth of the home.

Outdoor Evening Glow: Shoot about 20 minutes after sunset—with drapes and blinds open and lights on inside, coupled with the last bits of daylight—to achieve a warm, glowing-lantern feel. You may need to put lamps in corners or on the floor to cast more light. On the other hand, you may have to pull blinds or curtains, if the sun is TOO bright. You can wind up with a bright, washed out image. continued on next page

Tip 3: Prepare yourself for the shoot by looking at good real estate photography on line. Study images to see why they work. You may not be able to control lighting like a pro, but you CAN control content like one. Tip 4: Don’t just point and shoot. Stop and really look at what you are shooting when you hold the camera to your eye. Look at the composition on the screen. Do you need to move something—a chair, table, etc.—to achieve a more pleasing shot? To add a pop of color to a neutral environment? Tip 5: “Market” the house visually with photos instead of simply “documenting” it. Display the most compelling images first. Take photos for the areas people most want to see: the front exterior, main living area, kitchen, master bedroom, master bathroom, outdoor deck/back, walk-in closets/ wood floors, other bedrooms, family rooms. Tip 6: Use a tripod to get clear shots. The Louisville office has two you can borrow, and the Elizabethtown office has one, as well. Tip 7: Don’t frame your shot with the camera viewfinder. It is better to shoot wider and then crop the image later. You can always crop away parts of an image, but you can’t add parts in. The office computers have “Paint” software on them, which offers a cropping function (Select > Rectangular selection tool > drag box across area you want to keep > “Cntrl + C” to copy this part of the photo > “Cntrl + V” to paste the image into another document, to a Facebook post, etc.) Tip 8: Shoot straight on for strong composition, about 40 inches off the floor. Don’t tilt the camera up or down, or use a wide-angle lens, which will distort your image and poorly represent the area. Tip 9: Take lots and lots of photos. Thankfully, today’s digital photography removes the expense consideration!

SemoninTV It’s super easy to take advantage of this remarkably powerful, uber-effective marketing tool! At Semonin Realtors®, we talk a lot about connecting regularly with contacts and providing an “added value” item during those connections. This truly is the most effective way to be the knowledgeable, helpful REALTOR® who first comes to a contact’s mind when they have a personal need or get the chance to offer a referral. Semonin is pleased to offer you more than 200 added-value opportunities via semonin.tv! The site features short (under three minutes), mobile-friendly, professionally created videos on a wide range of real estate topics. Video is the way to go in the world of marketing. Click here if you’d like to read 37 Staggering Video Marketing Statistics. Semonin’s entire video library can be agent-branded by putting your name in following address: http://www.semonintv.com/yourname. Your agent contact information also will show up on each video page. If you prefer to send a specific video, you can post links to any of them. Here’s how to do it: Go to your agent-branded Semonintv. The videos are grouped into the categories: Buyers, Sellers, Homeowners and Semonin. Click on the tab of choice to read the titles of available videos within that category, then click on the video of choice. A paper clip image appears at the top right above each video (circled in red in the image below). Click on it, and a dialog window opens to display the specific URL of the video.

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Press CTRL-C (the Ctrl button and the letter “c” at the same time) to copy this link. Press CTRL-V (the Ctrl button and the letter “c” at the same time) to paste the link into a text, Facebook post, e-mail message, etc. One more thing …

Don’t forget to follow up after you send these helpful tools! In addition to providing a useful service, video sharing gives you a natural, comfortable reason to touch base to make sure the video was received and invite additional questions that you—their knowledgeable, friendly, helpful real estate professional—will be happy to answer!

10 Strategic Tips to Help You Jump into the FSBO Pool! When it’s challenging to maintain a steady stream of clients, remember there are sellers who literally are advertising their availability! For the savvy and persistent REALTOR®, For Sale By Owner listings provide qualified leads, an opportunity to educate, and then, hopefully, to serve in the role of trusted adviser and agent.

Initial Goals Due to no-call restrictions, For Sale By Owner contacts must be done in person. Your goals when first contacting a FSBO are to: help the home owner recognize the complex, difficult aspects of representing their property uncover their frustrations make them aware of their limitations Note that attempting to gain the listing is NOT part of your initial contact. Why? Because if a home owner thinks he can sell the home, he will not perceive the many pain points you can solve. Don’t try to sell yourself and your services until the home owner sees the need.

Here are some additional tips to help you successfully approach a FSBO: The David Knox Training Videos (HUB > David Knox Training Videos button), have several FSBO videos, and some provide valuable technique demonstrations. Watch, then practice with another person. Knowing what you are going to say and how you will respond removes stress and builds confidence. Approach the home owner as if you’re just dropping by a friend’s house to say hello. Ask: “Is it a good time to stop by, or would you like me to come back by later?” Have your business card handy. Ask how the FSBO approach is going. If the owner has had some interest, add “What response did you receive when you called them back?” FSBOs usually do not do such follow up, which gives you an opening to discuss the role of a REALTOR®. Point out that REALTORS® usually help home owners gain more money from the sale and sell their home more quickly. Bring an item of value to show your genuine interest in being helpful. Have a comparative market analysis ready. Zero in on the area using Semonin’s new zip code report (HUB > Market Reports button > Zip Code Reports button). Print out some of the 17 FSBO marketing slicks (HUB > Marketing Slicks button > FSBO Slicks button) that cover topics such as how to prepare your home and you for the sale and avoid common legal mistakes.

You also will find slicks of forms to use and a Selling Checklist, which will visually contrast your expertise and resources with those of the home owner. See if you can learn where the home owner is moving. You may be able to offer assistance—and earn a referral fee—through Semonin’s Relocation Services. Continue to drop by weekly with an Item of Value until you either are invited to schedule a consultation or you receive a firm “thanks, but no thanks.” While REALTORS® know a FSBO isn’t likely to be successful if the home hasn’t sold in four months, it usually takes another two weeks for the owner to realize the need for professional help. Make yourself available at that point! Keep these Magic Questions in reserve: “If your buyers had a house to sell before they could buy your home, would you want them to use a For Sale By Owner approach or work with an agent? Why?” Approaching a home owner who thinks he wants to do it alone can be uncomfortable, so embrace the situation as a game and let go of the outcome. View approaching a FSBO as an attempt to help a seller learn something they just don’t yet realize: that selling a home is time-consuming, complex process that is best left in the hands of a professional, honest REALTOR®-—and that REALTOR® is YOU.

Help Your Clients Easily Understand Your Selling Process with Sellers Journey Humans process visual data much better than any other type of data. In fact, Internet research indicates we process images 60,000 times faster than text, and that 90% of the transmitted information in the human brain is visual. To help you effectively communicate your services and set expectations with potential sellers, Semonin Realtors® has created a brochure that visually explain the journey a seller takes from consultation to closing. It is a glossy, full-color, 11” x 17” piece that folds in half to an 8.5” x 11” document. Features include: 1. A visual, step-by-step timeline of icons that represent the activities involved in the following four areas of discussion: decisions/preparations marketing/pricing offers/negotiations due diligence/closing 2. Short explanations of the 16 steps involved in the areas of discussion, which can serve as your talking points. 3. Visual representation of: How closely homes sell to the listing price Number of times sellers reduce listing price Seller activities that bring the biggest payoffs

4. Information about Semonin Realtors®: How you will Lead, Teach and Serve the client Company facts in brief Core values Our purpose Our vision (continued on next page)

Help Your Clients Easily Understand Your Selling Process with Sellers Journey 5. Information about Semonin Realtors®: How you will Lead, Teach and Serve the client Company facts in brief Core values Our purpose Our vision 6. Logos of services that make Semonin a full service, one-stop-shop real estate brokerage Use the Seller’s Journey as a compact, professionally designed “road map” to show your clients the smooth, orderly path you will confidently lead them along in your shared quest to sell their home. Ask your sales manager for copies today!

Help Your Clients Easily Understand the Home Buying Process with Buyers Journey Last time, we explored Semonin’s handy, visual tool for easily leading a seller through the process of selling their home. This time we’ll briefly explain a similar tool you can use to explain the buying process. Take a couple of copies of Semonin’s glossy, full-color, 11” X 17” piece (which folds in half to an 8.5” x 11” document) when you’re ready to explain the many steps a perspective buyer will take before he leaves the closing table with keys in hand. The piece will help buyers understand that home buying is not a selection process, but one of elimination. Features include: A visual, step-by-step timeline of icons that represent the four activities involved in each of the following four areas of discussion: decisions/pre-approval offers/negotiations financing/inspections closing/possession Short explanations of the steps involved within the four areas of discussion, which can serve as your talking points. Visual representation of: percentage of first-time buyers vs repeat buyers percentage of buyers by home size what buyers say about the ease of the mortgage process Type of loans buyers choose Information about Semonin Realtors®: How you will Lead, Teach and Serve the client Company facts in brief Continued on next page

Logos of services that make Semonin a full service, one-stop-shop real estate brokerage Use the Buyers Journey as a compact, professionally designed â€œroad mapâ€? to show your clients the smooth, orderly path you will confidently lead them along in your shared quest to to help them find their new home. Ask your sales manager for copies today!

BombBomb is Easy, Affordable Cutting-Edge Communication Tool If you want to achieve your sales goals, Semonin recommends you spend 90 minutes of face-to-face time with clients and prospects each day. We know it’s challenging for a business owner to carve out this amount of one-on-one time daily. While nothing can replace the value of an in-person connection, there is some “next best thing” assistance we recommend: the BombBomb video service. If you have a webcam on your laptop or monitor, a tablet or a smartphone, you have all the equipment you need to succeed with video communications. Semonin will cover half the cost of the basic service for you, so you pay just $20/month. We know going before a camera can be make even the chattiest of people feel uncomfortable, but remember that your video message is meant as a simple communication—a “voicemail with more personality”—and not a big video production. Your short message doesn’t have to be perfect, just genuine. Most people don’t know a great deal about managing a complex real estate transaction, so many feel one agent is as good as the next. Video helps answer the question “What would it be like to work with him/her?” because it shares not just your words, but also your personality, face, voice, posture and enthusiasm. Look straight into the camera lens (your recipient’s “eyes”), speak as if you are leaving a voicemail message, and you will definitely distinguish yourself as an agent who is on the cutting edge. Recipients see a preview image from the start of the video, which encourages them to open and click. You can use BombBomb to send: initial responses to leads and potential clients (builds rapport before meeting) follow up information a meeting confirmation a thank you for your time message a project or process update

A recent survey of BombBomb customers who have sent at least 10 videos found: 81% get more replies and responses 87% get more clicks on emails 68% achieve higher lead conversion 90% stay in touch more effectively (survey conducted by BombBomb)

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a “how-are-you-it’s-been-awhile” message new listings to other realtors drip communication campaigns birthday/anniversary/holiday wishes an update on the market with data from the Weekly/Quarterly Market Reports or the Zip Code Reports

You’ll be a master of efficiency with BombBomb’s: scheduling feature—send at specific dates/times time tracking feature that allows you to see in real time when your message is opened and if the video is viewed (you’ll know when to pick up phone!) Message saving setup—record a message and use it over and over Mass email sending Scheduling reminders BombBomb offers users a group coaching session, and Marketology can coach you on your delivery, too. About 50 Semonin REALTORS® currently use the service. Our agents are known for helping each other, so you’re sure to find support and advice from these peers. Why not try BombBomb for free for two weeks (no credit card information is required), and get a feel for how you can use it to grow your business? Believe us, it’s the bomb!

A recent study on the video use found that: video is a 600% more effective marketing tool than print and direct mail combined 75 million people in the U.S watch videos online everyday Embedded videos on websites can increase traffic up to 55%

Merely mentioning the word "video" in an email subject line can increase open rates by 13% Nearly 40% of all video is watched on mobile (Study conducted by Diode Digital)

A Different Kind of ‘Lunch and Learn’ While you have many ways to connect with contacts in the Sphere of Influence you’ve developed, nothing is quite as effective as a face-to-face meeting. Special people deserve special attention, and inviting an “A” level contact* out for lunch or coffee is an effective way to build a relationship that will benefit your real estate business. You do not have to pay every time you plan a coffee or lunch, and you can make the distinction when you make contact (“take you to lunch” vs “have time to meet— perhaps at lunchtime?”) Here are the steps to succeed with this approach: Set aside time in your calendar through 2017 for coffees and lunches, and start scheduling. The call: Think through what you will say before you call. Practice in front of a mirror or with someone so you will sound natural and conversational. Keep the call short, friendly and professional. You want to make sure your contact senses the face-to-face meeting is a service call, not a sales call. Be upbeat about the market and explain you have information of value to share. Have a meeting location and time in mind, but be flexible. Prepare your item(s) of value, such as a copy of the Weekly Market Report, Quarterly Market Observer or a Zip Code Report for their area. You also might take a long an extra From Your Friends postcard they can pass along to one of their friends (They should have received one for personal use through your mailing). Call, email or text a meeting reminder the day before. Focus on gathering information, remembering the FORD categories: Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. Review the Client Connection List for questions you can weave into the conversation.

Be on time. Take notes. Do not monopolize the conversation. These face-to-face times are for relationship building.

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Give them your item of value and provide a short market analysis. Be respectful of their time. Always remind your contact that your business is one done by referral and ask (in your own words) if they know of anyone who might need professional help navigating through the complex process of home buying/selling. Note they should sell/buy in a shorter amount of time and sell their home for more with the help of your expertise. Have business cards handy that they can take to distribute. Ask if it’s OK to keep in touch in the future and get their agreement. After your meeting, update your database with information you learned from your time together. Do it as quickly as possible, before details fade from your memory. Follow up with a personal note, and always include a business card. (You can change things up by sending a thank you video via BombBomb, and you’ll look like you’re on top of your game tech-wise!) Send any information you promised to send during your meeting. Remember you have more than 200 short, real estate-related videos that you can send about topics you discussed, the agent-branded “Buying A Home” or “Selling Your Home” guides and much more! Contact your Sales Manager or a member of Marketology if you need more ideas. Look through your “B” contacts and decide which ones are the most likely to become “A” contacts. Plan action steps to move them to “A” list status. *Semonin advises agents to categorize the contacts in their Sphere of Influence to prioritize level of contact: A=Advocates—regular referral sources, multiple-transaction clients and those who will offer such support in the future B=Buddies—those we think will refer to us, if they know how C=Chocolates (as in a Forest Gump box: “You never know what you’re going to get) new database additions (must be qualified to move up to A or B levels) O=Online inquiries or sign calls/texts

Email Signatures: Sign Off Can Pack Lots of Self-Promo Punch Is your Email signature as a marketing tool? It’s a great way to promote yourself and provide your basic contact information.

Email signature essentials: name title (“Semonin REALTOR®” explains that you subscribe to an extensive code of ethics and work for the region’s largest brokerage) phone number(s) fax number office address (complete with city, state and zip code) agent website address (as a clickable hotlink to access your site) icons for social media channels you use, such as Facebook and Twitter (as clickable hotlinks) Semonin logo

You don’t want a lengthy signature, but you might consider some of these: link to your free video library link to your free home search app (app.semonin.com/yourfirstandlastname) your professional headshot statement that shows your years of service, such as: “Meeting Greater Louisville’s residential real estate needs with honesty and integrity for 20 years.” statement that shows your specialization, if you focus on managing transactions for a particular part of the market seal of recognition, if you’ve earned a distinction, such as the Semonin’s “Top Producer” or “Customer Service Excellence” award. (Seal images are emailed to recipients after the annual all-company event, which is scheduled for January 24, 2018.) your Core Values gentle reminder that you do business by referrals, such as “I’m never too busy for your referrals” testimonial from a satisfied client (third party endorsements are the best!) Continued on next page

Here are the steps to create a new signature for your Semonin email account: open a new email message click on the “Signature” option on the gray tools ribbon select “Signatures”

click “New” type a name for your new signature create your new signature in the “Edit signature” box you can choose fonts, colors, attach photos, place images and links. to make a hotlink to an image, such as a social media icon: insert the Facebook or Twitter logo right click on the logo click on “Link type” type in the the web address in the Address bar that pops up. Be sure to include the full address, usually beginning with http:// Note that you can set up various E-mail signatures and switch them out as desired. You can even select different signatures for New Messages and for Replies/forwards. Need help? Contact Lisa Griffin in Marketology at lgriffin@semonin.com or 502.394.6197.

Pop-By Visits Show You Care, Keep You Top of Mind With the holidays fast approaching, it’s a good time to stay top of mind with your contacts through pop-by visits. Saying thank you for your business and/or referrals at Thanksgiving time is a natural fit. Real estate expert/trainer Brian Buffini says such visits are to be brief in nature, as they are “popbys, not plop-bys.” He also stresses that the true value of a pop-by is that you are demonstrating you care by investing your time. “Do you care?” is one of the three questions that every client/prospect is asking him/herself about you, by the way. The others are: “Can I trust you?” and “Do you know what you’re doing?”)

Team Approach = Efficiency Why not work with another Semonin REALTOR® and help each other implement time-effective popby blitzes? Begin by mapping out your most time-effective individual or combined pop-by schedules. Assume the role of driver and pop-by visitor on different days, or achieve maximum efficiency by mapping out combined stops and switching roles back and forth. It is a great time saver when you can avoid the parking process, and you also can “talk shop” as you travel together.

“It’s the Thought That Counts” Consider your audience when deciding on the appropriate gift. They can be personalized items, if you’ve asked “FORD” questions about family/occupation/recreation/dreams. With a bit of presentation creativity, small items of value can be fun and very affordable, too. For example, you could assemble a few graham crackers, chocolate bars and large marshmallows in a small bag, then tie with a colorful ribbon and a tag that says: I’m thankful for your business, and I’m never too busy to help “smore” of your friends and family. Continued on next page

Stop by a dollar store, or the dollar area at the entrance of most Target stores, and look through the selections. Use your imagination to come up with item/work association phrases that you can write and attach to the item. A fall-themed box of facial tissues tied with a ribbon and a small bottle of hand sanitizer will be appreciated this time of year. It can be given with a message about your desire to be helpful, such as: Just a Little Help for Cold Season. I’m always ready to help with your real estate needs, too! Remember to attach a business card, too. Need more inspiration? Just Google “pop-by ideas” for websites that offer many helpful, creative ideas. Real estate agent Peggy Urieff offers more than 300 pop-by ideas and taglines on her website, www.popbyideas.com. If you miss making a face-to-face connection, leave the item and make a short “sorry-I-missed-you” video outside the location. Send it so your contact will be on the lookout for your gift—and enjoy one more opportunity to connect.

Remember that research shows the timespan between thoughts of moving to actual move in can be up to two years. The timespan for deciding on which REALTOR® to provide assistance is about 72 hours, however. This means, you need to stay on your contacts’ radar so YOU come to mind when their real estate need arises. Pop By visits will help keep you there!

Embrace ‘Electronic Filing Cabinet’ to Save Time, Avoid Document Loss (and Save a Tree) Semonin Realtors® is pleased to provide you with SkySlope, an “electronic filing cabinet” that will keep your “paperwork” organized and help you manage all your listings and transactions. SkySlope administrator Jennifer Sutherland makes sure Semonin REALTORS® are using the forms required by state law, and she monitors SkySlope activity and interacts with agents to keep the process moving along smoothly and in a timely fashion. You’ll find access to SkySlope on the HUB. It’s the last icon on the Home page. Jennifer stresses how easy SkySlope is to use. For example, “You can scan the entire listing packet, upload it, and with four clicks of the mouse, you’re done!” she said. It can be challenging to keep up with the host of documents that are common to residential real estate, but you can easily use SkySlope to store and manage more than 10 listing and more than 13 sale documents. Imagine going through the closing process, only to find you are missing a document, or the other agent hasn’t signed a form. With SkySlope, a laptop, an iPhone or an iPad, you can have immediate access to whatever you need!

Helpful Features: •

The Tasks & Reminders function, which will help keep your activities on track. The function can sync with Outlook, Google Calendar or iCal.

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Digisign, which provides legal digital signatures. You also can scan handwritten signatures, upload them and drop them into documents. Once a client signs a document, it returns right back to the electronic file.

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The ability to pull MLS transaction desk documents into SkySlope.

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Documentation of HUD statements and mortgage escrow checks so Semonin staff can easily work with lenders.

Help is Available There is plenty of support to help you use SkySlope: In addition to Jennifer and the administrative team, IT Trainer Ryan Means regularly schedules training sessions for our agents. Support also is available 24/7 from SkySlope’s tech team. Just access the site from the HUB’s homepage, then click on the support icon (a support staff person wearing a headset) to reach Live Chat. They will even call you by phone if you click on the “Call Me” button. Free, daily webinars are offered from their site, too. Questions? Contact Jennifer Sutherland at 502.736.5605 or jsutherland@semonin.com.

‘Listening’ Through Social Media Helps You Know Contacts Better, Provides Reasons to Connect The most successful REALTORS® are strong relationship builders, and real relationships are built on knowing and caring about others. People usually are most concerned with four areas of their lives, so you will want to gather information about your contacts’: Family/Friends Occupation Recreation Dreams (various areas of their future) It’s easy to remember the four areas if you will remember the acronym FORD. You can use the attached Client Connection List form to gather FORD information about your contacts. While you can gather this information when you speak to a contact, you also can “listen” through social media to obtain it. Facebook is still the venue of choice for listening to a majority of potential home buyers or sellers (though it’s also good to watch their activity on other platforms, such as Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter). Most users restrict access to their information on Facebook, however, so you will need to try to “Friend” your contacts to learn more about them via their posts. Once you are Friends, you also have access to your Facebook friends’ friends. If social media isn’t part of your daily life, schedule weekly time to poke around on your contacts’ pages and build your Client Connection Lists. Start small and gradually build your following. When you see a communication that indicates pleasure (i.e. son made game-winning home run) or pain (i.e. beloved relative passed away) in a contact’s life, drop a note, call or text about it rather than sending a message through the social media venue. It takes greater effort, but it will distinguish you from your contacts’ other Facebook friends and show your sincere interest in their lives. Be sure to keep track of your outreach activities in some way so you can pace your “touches” and avoid forgetting to reach out, or worse, duplicating your efforts (it happens!). David Knox offers training on maximizing your social media efforts, and you can access the training 24/7 from the HUB (user name: your email address; password: your five-digit copier code). To keep from coming across as all business, try to make nine (9) non-real-estate-related posts for every (1) real estate-specific post. Other Knox recommendations include: Post fun photos of the communities where you have listings. People will share them with their Facebook friends, expanding your reach. (continued on next page)

Post fun photos of the communities where you have listings. People will share them with their Facebook friends, expanding your reach. Post “coming soon” pre-listing photos. Tell a story. For example, if one of your listings backs up to a wooded area, talk about how you remember playing solider in the woods when you were a child. Post about community or customer events, asking your Facebook friends to share your post with others. Provide a “Status of the Market” report, perhaps monthly, and share jpgs of some Weekly Market Report pages. Better yet, go live on Facebook or post a video presentation. The professionally designed jpg images of the report pages fill the bill when you trying to follow the important adage of “Show, Don’t Tell.” People are much more likely to share infographics rather than text. Want to learn more about Facebook and how to leverage it for your business? If so, check out the website www.socialmediatoday.com. You can find information on the Facebook site at http:// www.facebook.com/business, and you also can find many related websites by simply Googling “using Facebook for social media marketing.”

Facebook Users at A Glance* • Eight of 10 people who go online, go to Facebook. • 75% of men and 83% of women (age 21+) use Facebook • Users by the numbers geographically: 77% of suburban dwellers; 81% of rural dwellers; 81% of urban dwellers • Users who go to Facebook to be entertained: 43% of

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