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Pro Tips for Calling – What It Takes to be Successful | Probate Mastermind Episode #371

Recorded Live on March 24, 2022

These episodes are recorded as a live Question and Answer Mastermind with participation from agents and investors across the country. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for future episodes!

Call Re-cap:

00:00 Introductions

Tim welcomes callers, he is hosting in place of Jim today, and gives the floor to Chuck & Bruce!

01:20 “What Does It Take to Be Successful?” 

Bruce & Chuck talk about the #1 Question that people ask them: “What is this going to take to be successful?” They discuss different scenarios that cause people to fall behind or lose traction. When getting started or RE-starting, the first thing to do is put together a plan. Not just a goal, but a PLAN. How are you going to reach your goal? Bruce touches on his 44-phone calls a day and how it can lead to a $350,000 year that he discussed in his Agent DNA course yesterday. Chuck reminds us that consistency is everything. Follow the plan daily, follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. ATL is more than just lead-generation – it is a business model that you can use to build your own plan. 

08:20 Don’t Be Afraid of the Phone! Don’t Worry About “What Ifs”

Bruce touches on how KEY it is to be diligent on the phone. Don’t be afraid of the phone. This is extremely key when prospecting. Shift your mindset and your attitude. You are helping people and you should feel good about that. Don’t let the fear that someone might cuss you out deter you from the value you’re offering. It is a very low % of people who will actually answer and be angry with you on the phone. You should never feel afraid to offer help. If you are not approaching this with the right mindset, it’s time to change that!

12:00 Don’t Skip Your Direct Mail!

Leads might be unwilling to admit they need help. Mail is a great way to warm those phone calls. People over 50 like to have something physical in their hand. Printed mailpiece offers credibility and trust for the usual target audience (seniors). This shows they are professional and know what they’re doing. It also gives you an automatic in when you do call someone – you have the letter to reference. Mail by itself might work. Calls alone might work. But Mail + Calls together will give you the best chance for success!

15:08 The Long Game

Bruce tells a story about a woman who had a box of letters she kept over several months after she opened Probate. She pulled 5 or 6 of Bruce’s letters out, he outlasted his competition. Meaning he mailed longer, or had a more valuable proposition. If you’re going to do mail, then really do mail! Be consistent, change your approach, make it count. Let it last, let it be valuable. Mix in postcards. Stand out. Follow up with those calls, be diligent. You have to seed the ground before you can reap a harvest! 

20:40 Digital Presence, Video Can Be Helpful

Chuck elaborates on your digital/online presence. Make sure your website supports your marketing efforts. It doesn’t have to be super elaborate. It’s something to be used as a reference tool. If you decide to make Probate your primary focus, then expand! Add videos, add digital, testimonials, blogs, etc. Video is a great way to establish authority and credibility.

22:40 Pro-Tip for Calling: Protect your Phone Reputation

Tim talks about how to check that your number is not being marked as Spam/Flagged by phone carriers. If you are making a lot of calls, you may run into this. You need to keep an eye on this and work with your carrier in order to fix the issue, or rotate phone numbers, etc.

25:20 How Are We Getting Pre-Probate Leads?

Cliff asks how we gather these leads. Tim explains that the leads are linked to notice-of-death when there is Real Estate owned by the decedent at time of death & goes into a bit more detail about our leads gathering process. The team clarifies what Pre-Probate means & what the difference is between that and Probate.

36:10 Can We Retarget Leads on Facebook

Caller asks if our data lists can be pulled into retargeting on Facebook to serve ads to their leads on Facebook. Bruce talks about the fact that we can only provide the best emails that we’re able to source, but we may not be getting the emails associated with their social media accounts. Ask them for their email when you’re on the phone with them to form your own email list. If you have a high number of emails, you can certainly target them but there’s never a guarantee on the accuracy rate. 

39:45 I Got My Leads – What Do I Do Now?

Duane got his first leads yesterday. Asks – “What do I do now?” Chuck talks about how to review your leads and see if the PR’s are in/out of state. Use a shortcode for Out of State PR’s so you can filter those. Call the Out-of-State PR’s first. Send mail to the entire list. Then call surviving spouses/relatives. They talk about training & coaching and different approaches to use when getting started.

43:20 It’s Okay to Take Baby Steps – Don’t Overthink!

Bruce touches on taking the small things you learn in training and implementing those first. Then start to add. Foundations: (1) How to introduce yourself on the phone. (2) How often are you going to call? Don’t get bummed out if someone doesn’t want to talk. (3) Include direct mail and use it to build your brand. Take baby steps, then take pieces from training & coachings and work those into your plan one at a time. Don’t feel you have to do everything right away.

50:25 How to Handle A Request from The PR’s Attorney

Eric had a PR reach out to him. He recommended the homeowner remove an acoustic ceiling  yellowed from smoking, and the attorney asked the homeowner to provide a letter stating that the realtor recommended it. Asks, what does this mean and where am I in the process? Bruce discusses that the next step is to sit down and configure a plan. Eric asks what documents he needs to gather so that it’s clear that this person is allowed to sell the property. Work with the attorney amicably and they should be able to let you know what legal agreements and signatures are needed.

54:00 Initial Contact Has Been Made. What About Follow Up?

Eric discusses how his approach seems to be working to get initial contact but he’s unsure the best way to follow up. His market in LA is very competitive, so wanted to try some greeting card styles and see if that works better for him. Chuck addresses his questions and provides some alternative methods of communication and tips for following up. Value proposition is important. Use testimonials and examples from past clients, etc. Tim touches base again on the importance of Direct Mail, QR codes on marketing materials.

59:30 Investor Asks “Ready to Sell. Who Writes the Purchase Agreement?”

Caller is an investor. Asks if once you verify that the PR can sell the property, would you draft your own Purchase Agreement or let the attorney put it together or give them the choice? Bruce & Chuck both agree that you should absolutely do it yourself so that your terms can be favorable to your business. Bruce clarifies that there are only a few states where probate has to be complete before the property can be sold, it’s a common misconception. As long as the PR has authority to sell, it can be sold and you can close and typically don’t have to wait for probate to close. Varies state to state. Work with the attorney for legal issues but don’t be afraid to mess up, you will learn faster by making mistakes! Don’t let worry about perfection paralyze you – you will get better and better over time.

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