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It’s All Love

Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all! Since we’re celebrating love this week, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell say how much I appreciate each and every one of you! I’m sending everyone all the virtual roses and chocolates in my heart! Thank you for reading!

This week, we’re going to talk about how to show your community some love by becoming the mayor of it. I’m not talking about an actual election, but rather a strategy to position yourself as the hub. So let’s get right to it!

THE REALITY OF REAL ESTATE

News to Love

So how much did we all love the Super Bowl commercial from Homes.com? (And don’t think we didn’t see you, Tracy Tutor and Josh Flagg, getting your hair blown back by that chopper!) I’m so excited to be working with them because I truly love their philosophy of “your listing, your lead.” What a breath of fresh air!

In other news, here’s something every agent should love. (Heck, they should be shouting about it from the rooftops.) I am thrilled with what Mauricio Umansky and Jason Haber have been launching. The American Real Estate Association, better known as AREA, is a new industry association and they’re in the process of rolling out a national MLS. This is a real changing of the guard in real estate. Until now, when we agents had clients looking to buy a vacation home or relocate out of town, we had to turn them over to Susie in Sarasota, or Hank in Hoboken, or Kelsey in Kansas City. With access to a national database for agents, we can make the process more seamless for our clients and that’s a win for all of us!

Finally, because I love y’all, I’m installing a whole podcast studio in my house this week. That means you’ll get to see interviews with Glennda’s Gurus more often, and the technology behind it will be just as powerful as the content. I can’t wait!

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STORYTIME WITH GLENNDA

Elect Yourself Mayor

One of my best pieces of advice for anyone at any point in their career is to become the mayor of their community. What I mean by this is, the mayor basically knows everyone and everything about the community. They have their finger on the community’s pulse and they are just the hub of information and everything flows through them. They are their community’s biggest cheerleader.

For example, Christie’s is having their convention here in Atlanta. I had so many agents reach out to me, asking for all the details they’d need to know, from where to get their nails done to dining recommendations to a cobbler who could repair a Louboutin real quick. I loved that they looked to me as someone they’d naturally associate with the Atlanta area, which means when their clients are relocating here, they know exactly who to call for a referral. (And vice-versa.)

Years ago, in trying to be the mayor before I fully understood it was about connections and not checks, I made a major misstep. People approached me to buy a spot on the high school football scoreboard for $7,500. They sold me by saying, “Glennda, your info will be on that scoreboard and every time someone looks at it, they’ll see your picture.” And that sounded so smart to me, like something a good mayor would do, paying to get their name and face out there.

What I didn’t realize was that they’d be seeing my photo without context. The context is key. Because my son didn’t play football, I wasn’t at the Touchdown Club. I wasn’t at the football games. And I didn’t attend lacrosse matches or track meets, as he wasn’t in those sports, either. There was no connection. I spent $7,500 that I may as well have flushed down the toilet.

You know who did get all that scoreboard business? The assistant coach who was also an agent. He didn’t even have to advertise because all the football families already knew him. He was so plugged into that part of the community that no one even thought about me. Ironically, the $65 sheet cake I had made for Teachers’ Appreciation Day worked like a charm and I could not believe all the business that generated. The hard lesson I learned from the scoreboard was that spending money doesn’t buy you the business.

Now, what bigger gesture did work was when I donated all the bottled water for my son’s soccer team, because I was there and I was a part of it all, cheering my head off like all the other soccer moms. I had water bottles made, branded with my face and contact information. I filled that concession stand with Glennda bottled waters and there was a sign and a huge announcement that all the proceeds would go back to the Booster Club. Since then, I’ve learned what a powerful marketing tool those water bottles can be and they are everywhere, from open houses to listings to brokers’ opens.

Another way to establish yourself as the mayor is to work for a community charity you believe in. Working with a charity will serve two main purposes: first, it will give you the opportunity to give back to a cause that you feel strongly about. Second, you get to help those people who are in circumstances you yourself may have experienced when you were in the valley of your life and it will feed your soul. (While this might not result in business directly, the added benefit is, people will see your passion and remember you for it.)

While it’s not easy to position yourself as the mayor—and thought you may make some missteps along the way—you won’t ever regret having done so.

ASK GLENNDA

This Week’s Question

Remember, y’all—I have a private Ask Glennda Anything group and I’m taking your questions! This week’s query dovetails into what I was just saying:

“Glennda, I’m very new to the business and I don’t have a lot of budget to get my name out there. What kind of marketing will give me the most bang for my buck?”

I kid you not, those water bottles have gotten me more business than I could have ever imagined. If you want to get your name out there, put your face and contact info on bottles and bring them to places where people are hot and thirsty. Go to your local dog parks and walking trails and pickleball courts. What seems like a tiny gesture to you can mean the world to your potential client.

GLENNDAISM

Because It’s Worth Repeating