Also, as of this issue, we are now including a
special "How To Work With Your VA" tip from
each interviewed VA. Be sure to see Michelle's tip
at the end of this article.
MI: Your
background profile mentions real estate and
mortgage administration. How much experience did
you have in these areas and how does this help
you with your VA services?
MT: I have 8+ years
experience in these areas and I find it
extremely helpful in providing top-notch support
to my clients. It allows me to assist them in
targeting their market and carving their niche
and branding when developing online and
traditional marketing strategies. My experience
also provides me with the skills necessary to
support my clients in all aspects of
administration, farming, advertising, listing
and transaction coordination as well as customer
relations.
MI: It appears
that one of the primary benefits you offer
Realtors is getting them organized to the point
of knowing what's important and what's not. How
do you get them started on this road?
MT: We start out
with a brainstorming session. We communicate.
State the ultimate goal. Identify the steps
involved in implementing and maintaining the
goal. Evaluate the time and cost involved in
utilizing those tools, methods, services and
networks. Determine which ones will best fit the
financial, time and skill level. Design a system
to monitor the results and allow ample time to
reorganize if necessary. We record it for future
reference. And last but not least - ACT!
MI: What do you
like most about working with real estate
professionals?
MT: I find them to
be personable people. They love what they are
doing and I love what I am doing to help them
achieve maximum success. I find that most real
estate professionals are dedicated to their job
and providing superior customer relations. I also
enjoy the fact that I get to utilize a variety
of skills.
MI: How would
you describe the ideal REALTOR / VA
relationship?
MT: Ideally this
would be a relationship that is built on
excellent communication and solid trust. I
communicate with my clients, who I consider to
be my partners, several times a day via email,
phone, fax and instant messaging. I trust that
partners will be honest with me about the
services I provide so that I can continue to
improve the quality of assistance they need and
require. I consider my clients to be partners
because we are working together as a team to
grow our own businesses. I choose to work with
professionals that feel the same way.
MI: What minimum
requisites / qualities do you look for in a
potential REALTOR before you agree to work with
them?
MT: It is imperative
that they can communicate their needs even if
they are not sure how to accomplish them. It is
equally important that they are willing to learn
about new ways to obtain the goals they have
set.
MI: I noticed
that you do CMAs —how do you handle for Realtor
clients outside of your home state of
California?
MT: To be honest, I
haven't yet had a client from out of state ask
me to do that but I have researched how it would
be done. There are several options depending on
the software the client has, whether or not they
are willing to utilize services such as
www.gotomypc.com, what type of MLS service they
have, etc.
MI: You also
handle Top Producer —how do you do that with
clients that may be thousands of miles away?
MT: As crazy as it
sounds, it is actually very simple. My partners
and I use www.gotomypc.com. This allows me to
access their computer in Florida from my home
office in Northern California!
MI: I recently
had two RE/MAX sales associates from Florida
mention that they hired you after spending just
over an hour on the phone. Is this typical, or
does the evaluation process often take longer?
MT: It really
depends on whether or not the potential client
has given thought to what their needs are Many
times they are just “inquiring” after they
realize the possibilities it usually takes time
to get organized, set up some strategies and
become focused. I would say on average it takes
several conversations before a decision to move
forward is made.
MI: What are the
most important qualities a REALTOR should look
for when looking for a VA?
MT: I think
organization is important. I believe openness
and honesty are equally important. I think that
it is imperative that the VA posses the skills
necessary to accomplish the goals that the
Realtor has set for themselves. Communication is
key.
MI: Last
question —What words of advice do you have for
REALTORS who are considering using a VA?
MT: Establish your
ultimate goal before contacting a Virtual
Assistant. It is not necessary to know how to
accomplish that goal because the VA will have
many skills and will be aware of services that
you may not know about. I would also recommend
talking to several before deciding which one
best fits your needs.
MI: Excellent
Michelle —thank you so much for your valuable
insights!
MT: Thank you!!
Michelle
Thornton (
