The Levels Of Delegation To Your Success

BATTLECALL GUEST EXPERT: Walter Sanford, National Real Estate Trainer

It's eleven thirty a.m., you're hungry, and there is a stack of telephone messages waiting to be returned. Two of them are clients that are going to make your day a little unpleasant. Two more showings this afternoon, a dirty car, kids to be picked up at school, a stack of leads waiting to be entered into the database and two troublesome closings that will require a "Hurculean" effort to close.

No one every said this business was simple or easy and that's why there is such a wide divergence between incomes in our profession. Agent's that have figured out that there are some inexpensive shoulders to lean on have reaped a higher quality of life and gargantuan income for their efforts. These efforts are centered around the duplication of a real estate agent's work. When the Realtor® realizes higher quality output can be done in less time through delegation the duplication efforts start.

Your first delegation is usually to family. The spouse/significant other is in charge of finances, checkbook reconciliation, keeping the car running and assuming household duties when that new client arrives in town. The kids are handling e-mail solicitations, doorknob hangers, folding, stamping and mailing. With the family involved the goals are clear and everyone looks forward to the mutual agreed upon vacation as a reward for everyone's efforts. However, soon the real estate agent sees that real estate is made up of many similar and repetitive tasks. Once these tasks are systemized and checklisted the amount of thought and preparation of these tasks lessens. For instance, every open house is prepared and promoted in the same way and during the same time period so a system can be developed.

Ads for the properties can be written in the new listing file when the listing is being processed so you only think about the advertising when the property is freshest in your mind and then its done for the listing period. A digital photograph of the property can be taken at the listing presentation, a sign put up and lock box put on if you had a system to remember to bring your digital camera, always have a sign in your trunk and ask for two keys in a pre-listing confirmation letter. Downloaded to the company website when you get back, and you're done! In previous articles we have talked about listing checklists and closing checklists - these are extremely valuable in making sure that a high level of customer service is consistent, that nothing is forgotten and provides the foundation for additional new ideas and also a cutting block for eliminating overhead when certain items can be eliminated. These systems and checklists evolve through a real estate agent's career and in fact, I was preparing new checklists 25 years into my career. You can always do things faster, smarter, and less expensive and provide a higher impact to the client.

The next level of delegation that a Realtor® discovers is their broker and manager. They have many available systems for the real estate agent to use. They want their agents to be successful! This of course differs with every company but the top real estate agent soon learns to take advantage of any broker paid staff, forms management, accounting, arbitration, investments, affiliated services or transaction coordination. If there are more to be found, they politely ask!

Technology has been one of the greatest advantages that a top real estate agent has in the quest to lessen the workload and this is the next level of delegation. Even though many agent's complain that they are working harder now than ever before, if the best technology is used to its greatest advantage you will soon find that digital cameras are easier and faster than their predecessors that databases are much easier and more effective to manage than 3x5 cards, that e-mail is faster and less expensive than most mailing programs and a great website is a lot more efficient to prospect for new clients than door-knocking. The agent who discovers technology finds that a good software program can replace a 1980's full-time assistant.

The next level of delegation is forming strategic alliances with the affiliated industries. Your title representative can be put in charge of researching the viability of short pays. Your lender can help with prospecting chores by contacting for-sale-by-owners, soliciting mortgages and at the same time inquiring as to whether or not there is a need for a real estate agent. Your termite professional can pick-up the sign riders, brochure boxes and lock-boxes, as they are the last professionals on the premises prior to close. Your home warranty person can provide discounts in regards to the policy deductible as a closing gift to the new buyer. The list is endless and you will find these affiliated industries to be more than happy to provide that "value added" service in return for a business alliance with a top producer such as yourself.

Top producing real estate agents are always looking for duties to assign to their sellers and buyers, my next level of delegation. The reality is that the real estate team, including the buyer or seller has one purpose and that is to provide customer service, to obtain best possible price in the shortest amount of time and manage for the least amount of problems. Making the buyer or seller a member of the team of course will require that the buyer or seller have team responsibilities. The seller may be responsible for keeping the brochure box full or reporting by way of e-mail all showings that have happened at the property. The seller will also be held responsible for keeping the property in showing condition and making the property available for showing at all reasonably requested times. In fact, I have a list of over 30 items that I ask the seller to participate in. (See www.REALTOR.com for your copy) They not only love to participate but they feel that they are more involved and obviously it is one more shoulder I can lean upon to provide an outstanding outcome. The buyer should be available to drive-by potential properties at a moment's notice to determine viability so that your number of tours is lessened - everyone likes working on a team.

MODULAR LISTING FORMS
SELLER'S PLAN OF ACTION

For the Sale of (SUBJECT PROPERTY)

*******************************************************************

Dear ______________,

Since any real estate transaction is based upon the mutual cooperation of the real estate agent and the client, we at Sanford Systems believe that to achieve the highest price in the shortest amount of time, the seller must be held responsible for the following items.

We believe this list will enable you to not only understand the process of selling your property better, but also to feel confident that everything is being done to get you into escrow.

1. The Seller will maintain the property in the best condition possible. The Seller has been counseled on what it means to have a "Show Ready" property. This responsibility continues all the way until close of escrow.

2. The Seller will make the property available for showing at all reasonably requested times. The Seller understands a lock box will increase showings over 30%.

3. The Seller will always provide easy access to the property. (Sanford Systems will always have keys, tenant names, and numbers.)

4. The Seller will remove all four?legged pets from the premises during the listing period.

5. The Seller agrees to work with agent's assistant on all non?emergency requests so that agent may spend a maximum amount of time in field, soliciting buyers.

6. The Seller will obtain business cards from all cooperative agents that show the property and return them in the provided self-addressed stamped envelope.

7. The Seller will notify the agent's assistant immediately if any sales material becomes depleted or damaged.

8. The Seller agrees that if the property does not sell within 40 days, and Sanford Systems marketing efforts have been fulfilled, then the Seller agrees to staged price reductions thereafter.

9. The Seller agrees to speak with Walter or his assistant the moment a concern arises. The Seller will not let disappointments, if any, build to the point of distress.

10. The Seller agrees to market the property to all friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances. If any interest is developed through these contacts, the Seller is to notify Walter Sanford immediately.

11. The Seller agrees not to question Sanford Systems advertising/direct mail/telemarketing sequence. After 22 years of experience, Sanford Systems knows the best return for the dollar spent.

12. The Seller agrees that an assistant, agent or client initiated contact every 10 working days is enough to keep the Seller informed.

13. The Seller will notify the agent immediately if any circumstances such as liens, lawsuits, refinances or changes in marital status have occurred since the ratification of the listing.

14. The Seller agrees to contact Walter Sanford if another agent solicits the listing at anytime.

15. The Seller agrees to contact Walter Sanford if a change in motivation occurs.

16. The Seller agrees to contact Walter Sanford should the Seller want to view or purchase any properties in any areas or locations in North America.

17. The Seller agrees to inform the agent of any violations in city, county, state, building, fire or health codes.

18. The Seller agrees to inform the agent of any building permit inadequacies.

19. The Seller will keep the agent informed of Seller's itinerary when traveling.

20. The Seller agrees not to rent the property unless the tenant is aware of all showing and sale procedures, and his agreed to same.

21. The Seller agrees to promptly provide any operating, utility or loan statements upon request.

22. Seller agrees to inform Walter Sanford of any unusual Internet Sites that may be beneficial to the marketing of the property.

23. The Seller agrees not to talk to the buyer.

24. The Seller agrees not to negotiate without the agent present.

25. The Seller agrees to return phone calls immediately.

26. The Seller agrees to keep the agent informed of any adverse financial problems that effect the property.

27. The Seller agrees to keep the agent aware of all physical changes to the property during the listing.

28. The Seller agrees to pay for home inspection and termite reports prior to the sale of the property.

29. The Seller agrees not to remove real property from the premises. (The Seller understands the difference between real property and personal property.)

30. The Seller agrees to notify agent of any other owners that have any interest in the property.

31. The Seller agrees to leave Power of Attorney with a trusted representative upon leaving town.

32. The Seller agrees to vacate the premises on the agreed upon time.

33. Seller will have a voice-recording answering machine to take messages.

It is our desire to form a partnership for profit. Profit is defined as the Seller closing escrow with a smile on his or her face and with a check representing top market value--all accomplished in record time.

Sincerely,

Walter S. Sanford
President, Sanford Systems

The next area of delegation that I am involved with is outside vendors. I soon discovered that it was less expensive to have an outside vendor handle my mailings that to hire walkman clad, high school kids to hand write addresses on my postcards. The technology revolution brought upon a need for a new staff member, namely a web master. I soon found that an outside web master was less expensive and more efficient than an in-house one. Handyman services, lawn-mowing services, printing services and many others are examples of outside vendors that will lessen the load on your shoulders. Just be creative in your requests, be bold enough to ask for special services and be loyal to them so they find it profitable to jump through hoops!

It is at about the three to five year mark in a real estate agent's career that they start looking around and feeling the need for the next delegation step...a personal assistant. I have found that this decision can be put off by implementing the steps of delegation that we have already covered in this article. At some point a top producer will need a personal assistant. This form of delegation can be one of your most expensive and time consuming. The real estate agent is now a manager and I have found that most sales people are not great managers. However, since you have already built a foundation of systems and checklists it should not be hard to put someone else in charge of the mundane, routine activities in which a real estate agent's business contains. That is why this article was written in this so that certain steps are accomplished first. This order will provide the foundation for the assistant and secondly to put off the expensive hiring of an assistant as long as possible. Whether you are paying minimum wage to part-time help or a salary to a professional, full-time help the same levels of delegation will now apply to your new assistant. They should be using checklists and systems, any broker paid or staff systems, all the technology they can handle, they should be forming strategic alliances with their affiliates, asking the sellers and buyers to cooperate in as many ways as possible and using as many affordable and effective outside vendors as possible.

The last level of delegation in a real estate agent's career might be to hire a buyer's assistant. These are commission or salary based individuals who would handle a majority of the more mundane activities in handling a buyer. This area of delegation needs to be further tested for its profitability in that many different systems and solutions can be implemented. More on buyer's assistants next month.

The next time you have too much on your plate, and haven't even had a chance to go to lunch, see how many levels of delegation you can implement.

Walter Sanford was one of the top real estate agents in North America for nearly thirty years, and now, he is one of the most requested speakers, trainers, and coaches. He has authored twelve systems and books on checklists, pro-active lead generation, affiliate lead generation, plus others mentioned in this article. You can hire Walter or buy his products by visiting his website for more details at waltersanford.com.