In the following interview, Mike Bjorkman, broker/owner of HomeSmart NCG in Valencia, Calif., discusses the advantages of the HomeSmart model, the local market, social media and more.
Region Served: Northern Los Angeles County
Years in Real Estate: 26
Number of Offices: 3, with another set to open prior to 2018
Number of Agents: 250
Please describe the current trends in your market.
Buyers are more demanding, sellers are more giving, the higher end is slowing down and the average price range is still cranking right along. Today, it’s all about explaining to sellers that flexibility will command a higher price and a guaranteed close, while making buyers feel like they’re getting a better deal. While it used to be all about giving sellers what they wanted, we’re all in this together now.
What strategies do you have in place to help your agents succeed?
We have access to some of the finest agent training, both live and online. In addition to hosting my own podcast; The Real Estate Marketing Show, agents have access to a variety of training videos via YouTube and our HomeSmart agent dashboard.
What role does social media play within your firm?
The best strategy is to approach social media with balance and to control what you say and how you say it. My four rules for social media success begin with allowing your friends and followers to get to know you by sharing your hopes, dreams and aspirations. From there, it’s all about posting current listings and testimonials from satisfied buyers and sellers. Next, get people to like your page by sharing your enthusiasm for helping out in and around the community and by providing solid real estate advice. And last, but not least, never post anything negative. By paying attention to these areas and creating a good balance, you will create profitable relationships. It’s also important to communicate with clients the way they prefer, as not everyone uses the same social media platforms; therefore, we train agents to adapt their social media messaging to match the goals and personality styles of each and every client.
In what ways does your firm stand out from the competition?
The tools and technology we have access to through HomeSmart give us a truly competitive edge. There’s nothing that an agent needs that we don’t provide. The brand’s flat-fee model is another thing that sets us apart, as it allows agents to use the money they save for marketing, branding and lead generation. The franchise support we receive is another point of differentiation, enabling us to get more done in a shorter amount of time.
How do you keep HomeSmart NCG top of mind with former clients?
Through technology. The tools provided to us through HomeSmart have built-in CRMs, so we have everything we need to stay in touch. It’s also important to note that everything is created with the intention of being used within direct mail, social media or email campaigns and marketing materials.
For more information, please visit www.homesmart.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com.
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