MI: Kelly, I
know you had some background in real estate
before becoming a Virtual Assistant. Tell us
about your experiences.
KG: I have
always had an interest in Real Estate and
about six years ago when I was a first time
seller, the agent that I was working with
was expanding her team and offered me a
position as an onsite assistant focusing on
Client Care. After about two years, I became
a licensed agent and REALTOR® to serve as a
buyer’s specialist. However, I continued in
my assistant duties.
MI: How did
you move from being an agent to providing
virtual administrative support? That seems
like a move back in your original direction
of working the administrative side.
KG: It wasn’t an
easy decision to make; I struggled with it
for a long time. I had two wonderful options
for great careers and both had a lot to
offer!
As an agent, I was
brought onto a team to share some of the
load and to provide help for the lead agent
to bring her business to the next level. It
worked great for awhile, but as both an
onsite assistant and buyers agent, I ended
up being over extended and not able to keep
up with everything.
The lead agent and I
always had great ideas and good intentions
to implement new systems, attract new
clients, and keep in touch with past clients
and after every seminar we made a renewed
commitment to go back to the office and
really do it this time…but the reality was
that we were already working around the
clock and could barely keep up with the
active clients; we were caught in a vicious
cycle! I found myself constantly thinking –
there has to be an easier way!
Then I attended our
regional seminar where I met you. You only
had a few short hours to speak to us, but I
sat in my chair, pretty much in shock as you
spoke about Virtual Assistants! This really
could be the answer to breaking our cycle
this time! I wouldn’t have to train anybody
any more, we could hire experts and choose
anyone in the world, expand the team, take
work load off of myself and the lead agent,
learn from other’s experiences, and not have
to make sure that one person was busy 40
hours each week!
I also realized that
having me as a “jack of all trades” was
actually limiting the potential for the
team. So I immediately started looking for
Virtual Specialists and realized how
empowering this growing industry is! Today,
I still work for that agent, just in a
completely virtual capacity.
I am so thankful for my
experiences as both an onsite assistant and
agent! Those experiences have given me such
insight in developing my business as a
Virtual Specialist! There are many times
when developing something for a client, I
switch to an agent’s mindset. Having been
immersed in the “real estate world” gives me
a unique ability to really see it from the
agent’s viewpoint. My past onsite assistant
experience also gives me a great connection
to the onsite assistants of current clients
and how an onsite team can function! Today,
I still am an active member of NAR and am
licensed in my state, which helps me stay on
top of industry changes and growth!
MI: As a VA,
how did you go about marketing to clients in
real estate – how do you connect with your
target market?
KG: The first
thing I did was become a member of REVA
Network and put a call out to all the other
VAs to let them know who I am, what my
background is and also asked for their input
and ideas in getting started! Everybody was
so helpful and it was a great place to start
in creating a network with some of the top
specialists in the industry.
I already knew that my
target market was real estate agents, but
when I started, I was offering a wide
variety of services. I slowly realized that
offering so many services still kept me in
the “jack of all trades” category which
wasn’t necessarily a good thing. A
conference session you held for VAs helped
me discover that although I liked many
things about my career, there were a few
things that I completely loved doing! I knew
I wanted to grasp the concept of
specializing, but I didn’t know how, and I
was a little scared that I might “lose out”
on some business if I was too focused on a
specialty! So, after a brief moment, of “you
have to be kidding me!” I had a very
large ‘ah ha’ moment that, I will never
forget!
Because I am focused on
target marketing and specializing in my
business, it also helps me keep my clients
focused on that as well – that way we all
stay on track. As an active participant in
REVA Network I have also been able to take
advantage of the discovery sessions that
provide a great opportunity to hear the core
of the business from many different VA
specialties.
MI: Can you
give us an idea of the services you provide
to your real estate clients?
KG: I have an
odd passion for Contact Management and I
usually get really strange looks from people
wondering what kind of illness I may have
since this is usually the most dreaded task
in the business – yes, the looks are from
other VAs as well as agents!
We also handle virtual
tour enhancements, and marketing publication
editing and re-design such as property
brochures, agent brochures, buyer’s books,
and pre-listing presentations in both paper
and multi-media format.
MI: When you
refer to "contact management" what does that
mean for you in terms of the way this looks
to your clients?
KG: The term
contact management does not even begin to
describe what I do! In fact, the contacts
are the last thing I deal with. I like to
refer to it as Comprehensive Relationship &
Business System Management! We take the
Contact Management Program that was
purchased years ago and we make it work!
With each agent we document each and every
system in their business and record and
automate it as much as possible within the
system they have purchased. Never is an
agent using just one system to automate
their business processes, but we make the CM
program the place where everything is
recorded. So, at any point if you want the
history of a client, you can go to this one
system and either the details will be in the
system or it will send you to a reference
point to find the details.
It does require some
involvement on the agent’s end as they have
to communicate their systems to us, and if
they don’t have systems, we use the built-in
systems as a starting place and then
customize it from there. We have a business
process that make this as painless as
possible.
In the long run this
means that an agent can attend a seminar or
have an idea, send us an outline of what
they want to implement, and we can get it
implemented, automated, and activated for
them! Just quickly jot a note down with the
new contact’s information and we can get
them set up right away.
Contact Management can
lead to so many different areas of the
business and you will have to interface with
other programs, but we structure the CM
program so that anything that takes place
within a different program such as drip
e-mail campaigns or transaction management
will be part of the history within your CM
Program – the main system!
MI: Once an
agent starts working with you and the
contact management system is set up in a
program like Top Producer® or AgentOffice®,
what does it take to make sure the system
remains functional and effective for the
client?
KG: We strongly
suggest having an onsite assistant or us
continue to maintain your system. It is
almost impossible for a producing agent to
keep up with the CM system on their own.
This is our focus and we can dedicate as
much time as needed so it is not difficult
for us to keep it current.
If an agent chooses to
try to tackle it themselves or to have an
onsite assistant maintain the system, we
provide them with a documented process flow
chart explaining each step for maintaining
the system and then spend some time training
them on the phone.
If you have us or
another Virtual Specialist maintain the
program, we still provide you with a
documented process flow diagram and just
coordinate the items each agent needs to do.
For example, they would need to send us
their new contact information, or update us
if somebody’s email address changes. For
each agent, that process is different,
whatever they prefer: fax, email, or mail.
They can send them as they get them, or once
every two weeks.
MI: What are
the primary reasons that agents fail to keep
their contact management systems going? Do
you have any advice on how those issues can
be overcome?
KG: Time, Time,
Time – The programs can be tedious, but once
it is going and you have a process to follow
to keep it up, it really isn’t that
difficult.
My best piece of advice
is to get the system up and running first –
that is a huge job that takes a lot of time
and is almost impossible to accomplish
onsite. Once that is up and running, then
you can decide what portions you want to
and/or can take on yourself. Don’t be afraid
to let somebody else handle the rest.
Each system is
different and has little quirks and
different functions. so make sure that you
learn those little tips and tricks of the
system if you are going to do it yourself.
MI: Kelly,
you were in Chicago at the 3 Day Advanced
Internet Marketing Boot Camp earlier this
month. As a VA attending the event, what was
the biggest learning experience for you?
KG: That event
was an incredible experience. Each exercise
that you had the agents complete was an
opportunity for us to interact with them. It
was always an uplifting moment when someone
had an 'ah ha' moment! It was awesome to be
able to physically share that with them. The
energy and excitement among the agents was
contagious and unforgettable! The way you
structured the seminar to allow each
agent to have contact with each VA was an
opportunity of a lifetime. There is no
better way to see how you can work with a VA
than to actually work with us as you
provided for the agents at this seminar!
They were all able to talk and ask
questions, draw things out for us, and get
the feel for the importance of specializing!
The best part of the
conference for me was to watch the life long
relationships and life changing moments that
happened for and between many agents and VAs
during the three days we were there. The
invaluable use of other’s ideas and
brainstorms proved successful again and
again.
MI: When you
look ahead to your work as a VA in the real
estate field – what makes you excited?
KG: In the near
future, I have to say I am excited about the
development of the guilds within REVA
Network. So many of us have worked so hard
to establish some standardization and
structure for agents to make finding and
working with VAs as easy and successful as
possible – I am excited to be part of that
from the beginning and can’t wait to see the
other doors that it will open!
Long term, I am excited
to have agents be able to take a look back
at their career and see how the choice they
made to do what they do best and outsource
the rest impacted not only their career, but
their personal and family lives as well!
Those stories will be exciting to hear!
MI: Your
passion for creating great results for your
clients is evident. Thanks for taking the
time to share your story with my readers.
KG: Thank you
for this opportunity. I hope that it helps
in answering some questions about just some
of the possibilities in working with a VA
To learn more about Kelly
and her services just send her an email at
info@realtorsintouch.com or call her at
763-245-7272.
Always remember to do a
thorough due-diligence before hiring any kind of
assistant. This interview is part of an ongoing
series of VA profiles designed to help you find
the perfect VA or VA team to help you get
organized, profitable, and in control of your
business.
