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Understanding the Home Buyer’s Journey from A-Z
By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator
For most, buying a home is among the several major milestones in life – it’s a big deal. It seems to start out as a mere fantasy that you picture happening in the very, very distant future. And then suddenly, before you know it, you’re holding the keys to your shiny new home and taking a cheesy picture next to the for-sale sign.
As an agent, the home buyer’s journey shouldn’t be viewed so much as a blur, but instead as a series of steps that present you with specific actions to take. In order to reach your end goal of helping those in your sphere purchase a home, it’s important to use the tools available to you to guide them through your sales flow without missing an opportunity to act and make the right impression.
Read on for a quick refresher on the home buyer’s journey, and a few tips for what you should be doing, when.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we bought a house someday?”
For most buyers, it’s probably safe to say that the actual idea of purchasing a home is formed a few years prior to the actual purchase. It’ll likely be something small – a casual mention while at a dinner party or exploring a new neighborhood. Regardless of where it happens, consider it a cue to start moving them through your sales flow.
Make sure that their contact information is imputed into your MoxiEngage (if they are someone you already know, they should already be there), and that you’ve filled in all the information you can gather about them. Although they may be far from ready to actually purchase a home, getting involved in the process from the get-go will increase the likelihood of them bringing you on board when it is, in fact, go time.
“I’m not ready to buy, I’m just looking for fun.”
It’s a classic phrase among home buyers that really means they are ready to be moved to the next step in your sales flow.
As the simple mention turns into a thought that keeps them up at night, future buyers will begin browsing the internet without necessarily having a conscious intention of taking things seriously. However, the more they search, the more they will become inundated with every ad related to homes, home listings, home loans, home design, and HGTV’s Fixer Upper that exists (thanks for that one, Internet). The more they see, the more excited they will get about the prospect of owning their own home.
This is a stage where it’s absolutely essential that they’re subscribed to your Neighborhood News snapshots. The more you are able to paint the process as being simple and painless, the more quickly they’ll decide it’s time to make the move.
“It couldn’t hurt to go to that open-house, right?”
As they begin to plan out every detail of their future home design, research the loan options and start playing around with the numbers, the idea of purchasing a home will quickly start to become a reality. This means it’s time to take your role as their trusted advisor to the next level.
They need to know that you are an expert in the area of town that they have their eye on, that you’re able and happy to work with their budget, and that you’ll be on their team throughout the entire process. It’s up to you to be proactive about conveying all of this to them, so that the thought of working with any competing agents never even crosses their mind. Use MoxiInsights to learn more about them and their interests to engage with them on a more personal level – they’ll appreciate the extra effort!
“I can’t decide.”
Some clients may know their dream house the second they see it, but for others it may take writing endless amounts of pro/con lists and comparisons to make the decision.
Using MoxiPresent to show them direct comparisons between their top contenders is a great way to support them and ensure they feel confident in the house they choose to be their home. As they ask you questions about things like commutes, neighborhood stats, and how their prospective homes compare to the ones up the street, edit the info on your end and the presentation will update automatically.
“I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
Ah, the pre-purchase panic. It’s a common step among buyers, particularly if it’s their first time. It tends to set in once the paperwork comes out and the numbers begin to become more set in stone. Don’t panic, this is when all the nurturing you’ve done for your client relationships will really start to pay off. Do the little things that say big things, like getting them helpful gifts or sending encouraging notes to ease their worries. Shift the focus from the negatives (spending money) to the positives (reaching a major milestone and getting to decorate a new home), in order to make this phase as short-lived as possible.
“Where do I sign?”
They are past (most of) the jitters and questions and they are ready to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. They are ready for this stage to be over so they can dive into the fun stuff.
The actual transaction is when it’s time to really show them what you’ve got, as it’s a valuable opportunity to wow them with the amazing customer service and killer negotiation skills that will get you the repeat and referral business you need.
“Thanks for finding my dream home!”
It’s the stage that every agent looks forward to. The moment when your clients are thrilled about their new home and the service you provided them with. Although you deserve some good relaxation and “me” time, the work doesn’t stop here.
Nurturing your clients needs to continue long after you help them buy a house, as you want to remain top of mind in case, they, or someone in their personal sphere, finds themselves in need of a real estate agent (which they will).
Keep them in the loop through your social media, blogs, and newsletters. Oh, and don’t forget their house-iversary gift!
How to Remain Authentic as a Real Estate Agent
By Tiana Baur, Content Marketing Manager
With constant societal pressures, staying genuine and truly being ourselves can feel like a struggle (especially depending on your office or company culture). And yet, those that know how to remain authentic are often the ones that stand out and succeed, in both their professional and personal lives.
Here are some ways you and strive to maintain authenticity in your day-to-day life as a real estate agent:
Be present.
Listen. If sometime is talking to you, give them your undivided attention. Being a great listener is not going out of style, although in the world of smart phones and smart watches, it can be hard to grab and maintain someone’s attention. You will undeniably stand out to your peers, your clients, your prospects, and your loved ones if you practice and perfect the art of listening.
Being present also demands that we remove the daily clutter and baggage in our lives, so we can truly be “in the moment.” Think of this like your client shred events or your junk mail folder.
Acknowledge the negative (and strive to rise above it).
For agents, this could simply mean a negative or otherwise unpopular review. Don’t ignore it and pretend it will go away; view any and all feedback as a gift. If no one ever tells you how you’re doing, how will you know? See it as an opportunity to learn from the feedback and respond professionally.
Here’s a sample response to a bad review:
“First of all, I would like to thank you for the time to give feedback on your experience with my team and me. It’s only through feedback like yours that we are able to grow and improve our services for clients. I’m sorry to find out that our services weren’t what you were looking for. I’ve already set up a meeting with my team to discuss ways to prevent further instances of this kind of miscommunication. As always, feel free to email me, call, or stop by our office at any time.”
Don’t get too nosy.
Staying out of other people’s business is an essential piece of being authentic. If you’re always focused on others – what they’re doing, how they need to change, etc. – then you’re not looking inward enough or focusing on what you’re doing and how you could be a better version of you. That office gossip might be fun, but let’s face it: you and your business are better off without it.
Dare to be yourself.
Unfortunately, with the rise of social media, people lean towards portraying themselves and their life as something it’s not; just the good, perfect, photo-op moments. You’ll stand out from the rest if you start showing the real you. Did you trip and spill coffee all over yourself this morning? Obsessed with Star Wars? You never know what parts of you will resonate with existing or new clients; even the “ugly” parts of yourself.
Take care of yourself.
Knowing how to remain authentic means knowing how to stay true to yourself. This means you need to make sure you’re taking care of the most important part of your business: you. If you’re sick as a dog and need to cancel a meeting, do it. If you want to hit ‘snooze’ for once, go for it. Making sure you’re not running low in fuel is essential to keeping your business genuine.
Using Emotion in Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy
By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator
The drive that leads us to buy a Coke over a Pepsi or a Toyota as opposed to a Honda can be summed up in one single word: emotion.
Not only do emotions influence our choices, but it has been found that consumers often place a higher value on emotions when making purchasing decisions than they do the factual information related to those decisions (features, brand attributes, etc.)
Although this is yet another example of humans not necessarily being the most logical creatures, it’s how we’re wired. It means that the emotions that potential clients associate with you and your brand likely play a major role in whether or not they choose to work with you, regardless of your impressive closing record and swanky sales materials.
While every emotion could arguably help you strengthen your brand in some way or another, according to a study conducted by Unruly, advertising content that leverages four specific emotions have been shown to gain significant traction. Those emotions are:
- Happiness
- Warmth
- Inspiration
- Friendship
These seem to align perfectly with the major themes commonly seen in the real estate industry, so read on for our tips on using emotion for your real estate marketing strategy!
Happiness.
We all want to feel happy. As a brand, leveraging happiness in your marketing strategy gives you the chance to positively impact those within your sphere while strengthening your image and extending your reach at the same time.
You want your target audience to associate your brand with the positive, happy, and cheerful emotions that they’ll feel when you help them buy the dream home they’ve been searching for or get an unexpectedly high offer on their listing. This means that incorporating content specifically associated with happiness into your channels is essential. Funny gifs, videos, smiling faces, success stories, positive news articles, puppies, and sold houses should all be in the running.
Color psychology is also extremely powerful when it comes to triggering emotions, so make sure to keep it in mind when selecting colors for fonts and social content. When it comes to evoking happy feelings, orange and yellow will be your best friends.
Warmth.
Although professionalism is important, it’s also essential that your audience views you as being warm and approachable.
We all feel more comfortable with people that we know and can relate to, so make a conscious effort to humanize yourself as much as possible.
- Having a stressful day preparing for the holidays? Let your audience know. They’re probably in the same boat.
- Tried a DIY project that resulted in an epic fail? Share a video making fun of your attempt. They’ll appreciate the self-deprecating humor and might even comment an “LOL”. It’s all about encouraging engagement.
- Rescue a puppy? Post about it (a lot).
- Have a favorite feature of a listing that you just can’t stop thinking about? Record a video of you talking about it and include it in the listing presentation you send to your clients.
The more those within your sphere view you as someone they’d feel comfortable talking to and asking questions, the more likely you’ll be the one they want to work with throughout their buying and selling journeys.
Inspiration.
The awesome people that you have the opportunity to meet and the amazing stories that you get the chance to be a part of are undeniably two of the biggest perks that come with being a real estate agent.
If you ever find yourself working with clients who have a particularly inspiring story, consider sharing it (with their permission, of course). Highlight how far they’ve come, all it took to get there, and how you worked with them to find their dream home. Make your clients feel so inspired that they know you’re who they should come to when it comes time to buy or sell a house.
Friendship.
Just as it’s important to appear warm and approachable, it’s also important to come off as enjoyable to be around.
Not that you’ll necessarily want to be best friends with every client that you work with, but people would much rather work with someone they’ll enjoy going to open houses with. Make sure to include pictures of you AND your clients in front of sold signs, post about any fun gifts you send them, and highlight any “LOL” worthy moments. The more you show yourself being a good friend, the easier it will be for clients to feel confident that they’ll enjoy working with you.
Just to be clear, by saying that you should incorporate emotions into your marketing, we don’t necessarily mean that you need to cover your channels with sob stories and memes. Just make sure that you keep in mind the power of emotion and use it to craft your content accordingly – even if it’s in the smaller details such as formulating your color palette or choosing which images to include in your Facebook ads.
Want to see more tips for your real estate marketing strategy from the experts at MoxiWorks? Good, because we have plenty waiting for you!
Taking Your Brokerage Tech Stack to the Next Level in 2019
By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator
The Times Square ball is still several weeks away from dropping, yet the year 2019 is already stacking up to be a massive one for the world of real estate. So, if you’ve been looking for a sign to up your technology game, consider this the bright flashing florescent sign that can’t be missed.
Curating an effective tech stack for your brokerage is a never-ending process that requires constant evaluation. Considering all of the massive shifts happening within our industry, it’s time to take a look at your current tech lineup and determine what changes need to be made in order to take things to the next level.
Here are a few key must-haves for your tech stack checklist to ensure that you remain on top throughout the coming year:
1. Open platform
At this point in the evolution of real estate tech, not having an open platform is like not being on Facebook – it does a lot more harm than good.
A few reasons why you absolutely need an open platform:
- It enables you to create a custom tech stack that fits the unique needs of your brokerage.
- It provides your agents with an end-to-end workflow solution.
- It gives you the ability to choose new integrations down the road, so you can always adapt to market changes.
- It allows you to integrate new tools at any time, meaning as your brokerage grows, so can your tech stack.
These are only a few of the many reasons why open platforms are the key to thriving and remaining competitive throughout changing markets and competitive landscapes.
2. Connected
If you already have an open platform (you rock), make sure that you’re leveraging it in every way possible. Again, one of the major advantages of this format is the ability it gives you to stretch your data throughout every aspect of your business, which is why it’s important that you have every single tool plugged into, and benefiting from, the database that can be.
This means that your agent’s CRM should be able to share data with their marketing programs, CMA tools, advertising programs, websites, and so on. The more of your tech that is integrated into your open platform, the more productive and efficient your agents will be.
The key here is connectivity, as the benefits that it brings to your agents’ workflows, and lives in general, are priceless. The single-sign-on tech will help them see value in staying with your team long-term, giving you yet another helpful tool for recruiting and retaining agents.
3. Innovative tools
Although sticking with your existing technology simply because it’s what you’ve always used may not necessarily feel like settling, failing to explore all of your options can have significant financial consequences. It’s important to always consider the latest and greatest tools out there.
Does your tech provider have any new releases coming out this year? If so, reach out to them and get the scoop on how the new tools and features can boost your business. Then, after you get the low-down, evaluate how your current programs are working for you and determine if adding the new tools to your tech stack would be beneficial for your brokerage.
If you aren’t happy with your tools, now is the time to switch to ones that will bring results and help you crush the massive goals you’re setting for yourself. Stay in a competitive mindset and never settle for “content” – it will take you far.
4. Recruiting tools
You want the best agents, but the old school methods of recruiting just won’t do the trick anymore. New threats are entering the market and being ahead of the game with your recruiting efforts is more important than ever, so be sure to have the right tricks (and tools) up your sleeves.
A truly innovative tech stack includes programs that go beyond just the daily workflow tasks of your recruiters and managers, and actually supports them in finding the best agents and winning them over.
If you don’t already have a recruiting tool in your technology stack, consider adding one as soon as possible to up your chances of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s with the top producing agents out there.
The shiny penny.
These days, there’s a basic level of technology that a brokerage must offer to even have a shot at remaining competitive. That’s why the key to catching the eyes of prospects is going beyond the basics and offering something that no one else has – the shiny penny if you will.
Agents are looking to you for support, so look for tools that allow you to bring value that your competition isn’t. Our new brokerage subsidization tool within MoxiMarketing is a great example of this, as it serves as a unique offering that will make you look good in the eyes of your agents, and that will make everyone more money. Who wouldn’t love the sound of that?
Your tech stack is just that – it’s yours. It should include all the bells and whistles that your brokerage needs to succeed, plus all the ability to add the tools you’ll need to thrive in the future.
Interested in learning more about what the MoxiCloud open platform has to offer? Learn more here, or contact our team for a consultation.
MoxiWorks Open Platform Technology Now T3 Sixty Tested and Certified
SEATTLE, December 4, 2018 – T3 Sixty, the largest management consultancy dedicated to the residential real estate industry, has recently Tested and Certified MoxiWorks, the first true open platform in the industry, through their T3 Tech Scorecards.
“T3 Tech Scorecards are intended to provide the brokerage community with the highest assurances of quality for tech vendors. Having MoxiWorks as one of our first four to be tested and certified was a pleasure. Any brokerage looking at their technology should not hesitate to move forward ,” said Jack Miller, President and Chief Technology Officer of T3 Sixty.
T3 Tech Scorecards include a variety of factors, including an independent survey of MoxiWorks’ users, an analysis of MoxiWorks products, a description of the ideal customer for each product, and best practices for effective adoption by real estate agents and brokers. MoxiWorks, SkySlope, BombBomb and QuantumDigital are the first four companies to undergo this certification process, although other notable real estate tech companies had the opportunity and declined to be reviewed.
Amongst other positive statements on MoxiWorks’ Scorecards, T3 Sixty said, “MoxiWorks’ current capabilities, product mix, and uncomplicated ability to incorporate third party tools makes this this company an excellent choice for brokers that are looking for a platform for their real estate brokerage business.” Note that all of the technology vendors reviewed also had to agree to T3 Sixty always maintaining absolute reporting control over the results.
In the Product Features section, MoxiWorks scored in the two highest categories, as they did in the Support, User Value, Product Integrations, and Ease of Learning sections as well. “We’re both honored and excited to now be tested and certified by T3 Sixty. We appreciate all the feedback we were given, both positive and areas of improvement. Transparency is wildly important to us and we strive to always be clear about our products and product roadmap. All of the technology we build we see as a work in progress that can be always be improved and updated to better serve our brokerage clients and agents,” said York Baur, CEO of MoxiWorks.
MoxiWorks plans to continuously update, create, and innovate for their clients and the real estate industry as a whole. In fact, they are set release many new updates and features in 2019, most notably those mentioned in their upcoming Winter Release.
See the Scorecard highlights here.
About T3 Sixty
The largest management consultancy dedicated exclusively to the residential real estate brokerage industry. Since 1998, authors and publishers of over 40 studies and reports about the real estate industry, including the Swanepoel Trends Report, the SP200, the Mega 1000 and the DANGER Report. Learn more at t360.com.
About MoxiWorks
MoxiWorks is a comprehensive open platform system for large residential real estate brokerages that serves over 72 brokerages and 120,000 agents nationwide that account for more than 13% of the transactions in the U.S. MoxiWorks’ integrated tools are centered on sphere methodology that increases agents’ repeat and referral business by 54%, while lowering overall technology, training, and support costs for the brokerage. The open platform known as the MoxiCloud has tools from more than 40 partners that plug and play to create unique brokerage solutions. MoxiWorks also powers the LeadingRE Cloud. MoxiWorks also powers the LeadingRE Cloud. Find more information at moxiworks.com.
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For more information on this topic and other press inquiries at MoxiWorks, please contact Tiana Baur at tiana@moxiworks.com.
York Baur, MoxiWorks CEO Makes 2019 RISMedia Newsmaker List
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE. As the leader of Seattle-based MoxiWorks, York Baur has always lived and breathed tech, especially when it comes to helping salespeople perform. With the heart of an entrepreneur and the self-described “brains of a total nerd,” he has taken Moxi from the small engine that could, to more than 60 brokerage clients representing 110,000-plus agents who make up 10 percent of all transactions in the U.S.
In Case You Missed It: Real Estate News November 2018
By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator & Tiana Baur, Content Marketing Manager
Another whirlwind month in the world of real estate. Lots of turkey has been had and new trends have emerged. Like always, we want to help you sort through all of the noise and find the news that will impact or has impacted our beloved industry. It’s important to stay in the know for you and your clients!
Here are the top five stories to know for November 2018:
1. It’s official: Amazon HQ2 coming to NYC, Northern VA
Real estate agents are popping bottles all over the greater DC and NYC areas. Amazon has chosen both cities for new headquarters, bringing, “over 25,000 jobs and invest $2.5 billion in each of the two locales.” While potential home buyers and residents might not be stoked about inevitable rising home prices, you can bet the agents are! Like we have experienced in Seattle (the OG Amazon headquarters), the new Amazon HQs are likely to have a direct impact on home prices in both cities.
2. California’s Most Devastating Wildfire Scorches Entire Town
We know you know that these wildfires happened. We also know that Giving Tuesday has come and gone, but we’re putting this in our #ICYMI to remind you that there are many, many people who lost their homes, and no, they’re not all wealthy celebrities. Thousands of acres burned, thousands of homes burned down, hundreds of people are missing, and many lost their lives. Please consider donating to those impacted, including the firefighters that put their lives on the line.
3. Realtor association becomes first in nation to offer health plan
It’s no secret that Real estate agents are independent contractors, and with the territory comes getting to run their own business and set their own schedules, but also comes with lack of benefits, namely healthcare. Yet, that hasn’t stopped an association in Southern Alabama from providing it anyway. According to Inman, “The Baldwin County Association of Realtors says it’s the first in the nation to offer group health, dental and vision insurance plans that treat its 2,300 members, who are largely independent contractors, as employees of the association.” #Winning
4. Inman announces partnership with Sotheby’s International Realty, launches ‘Leading In Luxury’
On November 5, Inman announced their new section, Leading In Luxury, “a new sponsored section of Inman.com which brings Inman readers luxury lifestyle and creative insights into the latest trends from one of the world’s most respected luxury real estate brands, Sotheby’s International Realty. The new section will feature experts from Sotheby’s International Realty discussing trends, best practices and innovations in luxury real estate.” #ICYMI, partnerships are the new normal in real estate (we have over 40 of them). Chances are, headlines like this are going to be on the daily in 2019.
5. Windermere Real Estate acquired 50 percent of West Coast Commercial Realty
If you didn’t know, Windermere Real Estate is a REALLY big deal in the Pacific Northwest/West Coast. So when they announce that they’ve “acquired 50 percent of West Coast Commercial Realty (WCCR) to further expand its commercial real estate presence in the Pacific Northwest,” you bet our ears perked up. P.S. they’re part owner in MoxiWorks as well. Kudos to Windermere for making major moves!
Friendly reminder that 2019 is rapidly approaching and you should be thinking about how you’re going to crush it and boost your biz. First things first though: write down your goals. It’s proven that defining a goal and writing it down is one of the most important aspects of achieving it. As we all know, you can’t achieve a goal if you haven’t set one! Hurry – go grab a pen and paper!
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for another #ICYMI!
Union Street Media: Meet MoxiWorks, Our New Partner!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE. Union Street Media is thrilled to announce that we are now partners with MoxiWorks, a robust open platform for real estate brokerages where all their tools (and ours) integrate!
How Subsidizing Agent Ads Will Boost Your Brokerage Biz
By Maddie Jostol, Senior Marketing Manager
When you think about how you’re going to grow your brokerage business in 2019, what are your key initiatives? Recruiting new agents? Gaining more market share? Making your existing agents more productive? Whatever it is, it comes back to building your brokerages’ value. It’s all about your brand. Why would someone work with your brokerage over another one? Why would they choose an agent because they’re associated with your brand?
As you plan for growth in 2019, consider how you are going to expand your reach in new ways, gaining further brand recognition and driving growth. Your marketing tactics must be strategic, but still manageable and sustainable.
Online advertising makes up for the vast majority of ad spend in the real estate industry, and it’s increasing every year (Statista). There’s a reason for it, but it can also be expensive and difficult to manage. What if you and your agents were able to work together to share cost and amplify the effectiveness of your digital ads? You have the ability to do that today. Consider subsidizing digital marketing costs for your agents. It’s like jump-starting their marketing efforts, ensuring their listing gains interest and your brand gets noticed.
You’re probably familiar with MoxiWorks’ marketing tool that enables agents to promote their business or their listings online quickly and easily from within their Moxi account. Well, now your brokerage has the option to fuel this for agents by subsidizing some of that ad spend.
Here’s what happens when you subsidize ads:
- You directly support your agents, which won’t go unnoticed.
- You encourage your agents to leverage digital marketing and remain competitive.
- You promote listings under your brand, gaining significant exposure.
- Your agents are more likely to continue promoting the listing, getting even more eyes on your brokerage’s brand.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. It’s shockingly simple for the brokerage and requires almost no time or effort from your team. The brokerage-level settings are simple and easy to set. Your designated staff member can simply set your subsidization parameters and forget about it. Then, when it comes time to make changes, simply go in and adjust your parameters at any time.
Here are a few ideas for how you could get started:
Promote a certain percentage of all listings.
For example, pick up the tab for the first 20% spend of all listing ads. Every time one of your agents opts to promote their new listing, you cover 20% of the ad spend and they cover the other 80%. This will gain the broadest exposure and show that your brokerage is doing high volume in your market.
Promote a larger percentage, but only for luxury listings.
Subsidize ads based on the ad spend. For example, subsidize 25% of all ads with a $99 ad spend. This will encourage agents to get serious about their marketing and get more eyes on their listing as well as your brokerage brand.
Whatever it is you decide to do, make sure it supports your marketing strategy and business goals for 2019. Tailor your ad subsidization parameters to fit your brokerage’s objectives and budget and adjust accordingly as needed. Now is the time to decide how you’ll better support your agents, and ultimately, your business growth, in the new year.
Learn more about how your brokerage could subsidize agent ads here.
20 Questions: The Wonder Woman Leading our Sales
20 Questions with Georgia Perez, VP of Business Development and Product Evangelism at MoxiWorks
Our MoxiWorks Business Development Team is led by an insanely brilliant and vivacious women, Georgia Perez. With 10 years and counting as a Licensed Real Estate Broker and Manager, and more than 25 years in the land of tech, she couldn’t be a more perfect fit for her role. Her understanding of what it takes to be successful in the real estate world, combined with profound technical acumen, give her unique insights into the needs and challenges of our brokerage clients. She is a vital piece in the creation of our products and we can without a doubt say MoxiWorks wouldn’t be where it is today without her!
Want to find out more about Georgia? You’re in luck because we got her to sit down for a 20 questions session!
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
Six plus years.
2. How many employees do you manage?
I have a team of 4 at the moment but am excited to announce we’ll be growing by several (so let me know if you know someone wonderful who should join us!).
3. What has been your favorite product and why?
That’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite child! MoxiPresent launched the company and is without question the “best in class” CMA and presentation platform in the industry (we were voted so by an independent review and not just our clients!). There is so much you can do with it; I still get excited about it every day. MoxiEngage is my favorite for accelerating our brokerage and agent’s business by huge leaps, by giving them the road map to success, and coaching them, and their company on how to get them to their goals. I wish I had had something like it when I was building my Real Estate career.
Recently, we’ve added MoxiTalent, and having been a manager – I never had such an outstanding system to help me in recruiting and retention, offering a plan developed by 20+ of the leading recruiters in the nation, combined with the data to track performance, and suggest best matches for your recruiting. Before MoxiTalent, I had to go get a giant data dump from the MLS, or other expensive data products, and then try to read the tea leaves on who to talk to; now, the system tells me who is a high match to my needs, and takes me step-by-step through a sophisticated recruiting plan, while also helping me “re-recruit” my existing agents every day. All of these products are mobile ready, so I can do my job from whatever device I am using in the moment.
SEE – it’s impossible to choose!
4. What makes you feel accomplished?
I’ll let you know when I get there, lol. Seriously, I am super hard on myself, and very driven; I don’t ever feel I have arrived – I just keep moving the goal out. That said, I feel amazing when I see our clients, and their agents truly succeed with us! Living up to our promises every day is a worthy accomplishment!
5. Window seat or aisle seat?
Window. Mostly because I don’t want people hitting me with their bags as they go down the aisle. I typically fly around 100,000 miles a year – so these things matter!
6. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
It sounds so trite, but honestly, everything! I love our mission, our culture, and I work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry! I feel lucky everyday (even the hard days)!
7. How long have you held your real estate license?
10 years and counting!
8. What energizes you and brings you excitement?
Professionally: I love being in the field with our clients, or speaking at industry events, helping to shed light on what’s going on with technology, and firing up their businesses.
Personally: I am a Disney nut, so I get excited when I can step into a Disney park and have a little time in the “happiest place on earth!”
9. If you could be famous for anything, what would it be?
To be remembered for being a kind person, that helped others in their lifetime. I have a favorite song by Nicole Nordeman that says, “I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough?” I think that is more important than “fame.”
10. What keeps you at MoxiWorks?
It comes back to the people. It’s called “work” for a reason; when you can do it with people you enjoy and respect, and you are growing every day, it is so worth it. I also really believe in what we are doing for brokerages and their agents. Our systems really do work – so it can literally change the lives of our clients, by helping them make a great living, and achieve their goals! What’s not to love about that?!
11. Who is your favorite Disney character?
It’s like that favorite child question again! I love Mickey, always – but Tinkerbell is also a fav (though my hubbie would say that it is because her color is green, and it’s my favorite color)!
12. What is your most used emoji?
Smiley face for the rest of the world, but for my husband the heart eyes or the kissy one!
13. What was your first job?
Other than the typical babysitting I did as an early teen, my first formal job was at Prospero Mushroom Market in Santa Cruz, California. It was a vegetable market with a delicatessen and ice cream parlor. My job was the ice cream scooper and deli clerk. The owners were friends of our family, and it was a great first experience! My brothers best friend worked in the veggie market side and kept an eye on me (this was all before I was old enough to drive).
14. What interested you about MoxiWorks in the first place?
I felt this was meant for me. I had been in tech for more than 20 years, and for personal reasons changed my career to become a Realtor at Windermere Real Estate. Several years later, after building a successful RE biz, I learned they were launching an independent tech company, building real estate technology. It just seemed like my two careers came uniquely together! I have deep respect and understanding of the Real Estate Industry, and deep roots in the tech industry.
15. What do you do when you’re not working?
Sometimes it seems I am never not working; except for when I’m sleeping, (and even then, I think I dream of Moxi)! That said, my husband and I are actively involved in our church and social causes. On occasion, you can also find me at a Disney Park, and at least twice a year I run in Disney races, and also, when travel allows, dozens of other races throughout the year.
16. Did you choose this career path, or did it choose you?
It definitely chose me. I could never have foreseen that my strange hop from tech to real estate would have opened the door for a Real Estate Tech career.
17. What advice would you give to other real estate agents?
Seek help and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. The real estate business is wonderful but can be hard. Being self-employed is not for everyone, and if you have never run your own business, can get you out over your skis pretty quickly. As humans, we are naturally resistant to change, so even when we go take classes, attend a conference and get all jazzed up about new ideas – as soon as we have to implement, people tend to revert to “old habits” pretty quickly.
I read a blog from Seth Godin today (love him!), it said:
Just because you don’t understand it:
- Doesn’t mean it isn’t true
- Doesn’t mean it isn’t important
- If we spend our days ignoring the things we don’t understand (because they must not be true and they must not be important) all we’re left with is explored territory with little chance of improvement
Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable, without allowing yourself to quit! It’s like going to the gym, and starting to work out for the first time. It may feel awkward (heck it might even make you sore for a bit!), but when you start to see results, it’s easier to build upon that success, and keep growing!
Keep in mind, the only one you hurt when you don’t seek to learn and implement great systems, is yourself. It’s your business, your income, and your life! Seek experts who can guide you on the right path.
18. How would you describe your management style?
Intense, but loving, lol. My role in the company is driving revenue. It’s not something one can afford to fail at; our clients, co-workers and investors are counting on me and my team. I take that commitment very seriously, and I do drive to results. That said, my philosophy is to be the “wind in the sails” of my team. All boats rise together, and we are a team (along with the rest of the Moxi team). I truly want better for my team than I want for myself. We work long hours together, so it’s great when we can genuinely enjoy, respect, and support one another.
19. What do you feel is the biggest barrier to agent tech adoption?
A few things:
- Being overwhelmed! Self-employment is no joke, and agents are very busy taking care of their clients, while simultaneously needing to do everything required to build a consistent business, and take care of all of the things people who have a steady paycheck, vacation pay and benefits take for granted. Pausing long enough to learn anything new, can feel impossible to squeeze in.
- Fear – fear of change, fear of the unknown, even fear of tech. Many agents look a lot like me (a middle-aged woman!), they tell themselves they won’t be able to figure it out. I know, at least with Moxi technology, you can’t break it! So, come on in, the water is fine. You don’t have to jump into the deep end, you can wade in, and gradually find your swim lane.
- Disappointed expectations. Many think that tech, in and of itself, is the proverbial “eat all you want and stay slim pill.” The tech is going to do it all for you, and business will just magically pour in and happen. While technology can definitely automate a lot of functions, contribute to lead generation, and keep you focused on the right things, Real Estate is a relationship business, and there will still be work you must do to build genuine relationships. Our sphere is the greatest asset we have, and some focus and effort here will pay off in big ways – but it requires tech and work.
20. What is one of your 2019 goals for MoxiWorks?
Continued growth and continuing to be thought leaders in the industry – by helping to make the businesses and lives of our brokerages and agents better. I want to accomplish something so big, that we can celebrate with something crazy, like a company trip to Disney!
Want to chat with Georgia about your brokerage 2019 goals? No prob. She’s happy to chat with you!
