Elisha Lynch – Habits of a Successful Agent

[00:00:27] Anthony: Today, I am thrilled to be here with Ms. Elisha Lynch. This is a awesome Realtor. Hello, Elisha.

[00:00:34] Elisha Lynch: Hi, Anthony.

[00:00:34] Anthony: You joined our company a little more than a year and a half ago?

[00:00:37] Elisha: Correct.

[00:00:37] Anthony: I certainly took a liking to you and got to know you. I’ve been impressed to see how much you’ve been improving your business and that’s why I wanted to invite you in here today. I remember when you started, you were here almost every week in-person driving here an hour or 45 minutes. Some agents complain about driving 10 minutes. You were here almost every week. Then obviously COVID hit, and you’ve really improved your business.

[00:01:01] Elisha: Correct. That’s right. I was coming every week. Thank you for having me today, by the way, Anthony

[00:01:05] Anthony: Of course.

[00:01:07] Elisha: Yes, it was a tremendous benefit driving out here on Wednesdays, and I’m intending to pick that back up.

[00:01:12] Anthony: Well, we’re excited to have you. Let’s go back in history a little bit and then we’ll come forward. You got licensed in ’05 or something, right?

[00:01:20] Elisha: Correct.

[00:01:20] Anthony: You were close to me – I was ’04. Then you really got going as an agent because you had personal things and you weren’t totally in the business until 2016, right?

[00:01:30] Elisha: 2016.

[00:01:30] Anthony: I know you started in– ’18, you had a pretty good year and then it changed a little. Then as of about a year ago, things really seemed to kick in and you’re kicking ass, my friend. Let’s talk about it

[00:01:41] Elisha: Yes, business has been great. I came to Lamacchia in October of ’19 in pursuit of just a better quality of life and still the ability to maintain a good book of business. It’s been tremendous. It’s been really, really good. It’s been a great transition. With COVID, I can’t help but be so thankful for- think about where I’d be having not been at Lamacchia through it all. Really, it was something that I don’t know how I would’ve navigated without you

[00:02:16] Anthony: Well, you would’ve managed but, hopefully, I made it easier on you. Let’s talk about your business year-to-date. We’re recording this today on, what, June 3rd, and it’ll probably get released in a couple of weeks. You are at, what, 25 or 26 transactions closed and pending year-to-date?

[00:02:35] Elisha: Yes. With my closed and pending, I’m just about to 25, which is close to where I was last year

[00:02:41] Anthony: For the whole year-

[00:02:42] Elisha: For the whole year.

[00:02:42] Anthony: -and obviously, last year was an odd year for everybody, but your best year was 2018. You had 33 transactions. You’re clearly going to blow by that this year. I mean, there’s no question. If you’re at 20- is it 25 right now?

[00:02:54] Elisha: 24.

[00:02:56] Anthony: 24 right now, closed and pending, and it’s June 3rd. By the time this airs, you’re going to be 27, 28. Yes, I know. Knock on wood, right? You have a lot of buyers in your funnel, you have sellers in your funnel, right?

[00:03:10] Elisha: I do. I do have a few properties coming on in the next couple of weeks.

[00:03:15] Anthony: Yes, and the sellers this year were– I mean, it took forever for sellers

[00:03:18] Elisha: Yes, and a ton of sellers that are just paused still and waiting and getting closer and closer by the day, but we need to make sure that they’re at that place of comfort.

[00:03:27] Anthony: Of course. You obviously know we talked about that a lot in the last couple of months with our sell-buy training. We’ve released that course in the system, in the REAL Training Crush It In Real Estate system, and we’ve seen a difference and that’s helped. Has that helped you with your conversations with sellers? Is that why you just said they’re in their comfort zone?

[00:03:44] Elisha: It has and it’s a big deal, and I know that, and I respect that. They don’t always understand all these pieces and it’s very scary. Where am I going to go? It’s important to take the knowledge that is in the new training and implement that and sometimes even to be able to share it from your perspective versus mine

[00:04:04] Anthony: Yes, I know. Well, that third-party, right? That’s how life works. Your kids are driving you crazy. They’re not listening. You tell them something, they don’t listen. Your brother or sister comes over and tells them and they listen. I always call it third-party data, third-party information. That’s why I put out the videos that we do and things like that and I’m glad those are working.

You’re on track to be in the 40s this year with transactions, perhaps even 50 transactions. The fact that you have that many sales under your belt, after we just went through the slowest, longest winter that we’ve ever seen, shows that you are on one hell of a track. Congrats to you for that.

[00:04:41] Elisha: Thank you.

[00:04:41] Anthony: Here’s my question to you. What did you change? We talked earlier in the recording here about how you came to training each week. I asked you before it came on, “Hey, what did you change? What did you do differently with your business?” One of the first things you said was you started following up with past clients more. Let’s elaborate on that.

[00:05:04] Elisha: Just staying in touch with my past clients, my sphere, making those reaches even if– It’s not necessarily all about business. It’s check-in, “How is it going?” Even at this moment, I’m half taking myself through the Working by Referral course on my own.

[00:05:20] Anthony: Are you?

[00:05:21] Elisha: You should see all the tables at my house set up with all of those things

[00:05:25] Anthony: You’re following in the Online Training Center.

[00:05:27] Elisha: Yes, I am.

[00:05:28] Anthony: Good for you.

[00:05:29] Elisha: I think, just to reset and regroup, it’s very exciting that the world is starting to open back up, too, and I think it’s a great time, but small things like– Staying in contact is a big thing, with something so minor such as making sure I’m picking up my phone when it rings.

[00:05:47] Anthony: Let’s pause on that one. Explain a little more.

[00:05:50] Elisha: You get the call, and you don’t recognize the number, you don’t answer the phone. Inside of grabbing a call that’s a great call that you might not have reached, you don’t know who it is. It might have been someone looking to sell their $500,000 house. Meanwhile, the time of not going back and having to call through and return calls, talk about a time-saver and time management. That’s huge.

[00:06:17] Anthony: Go ahead, say it. Because I’m not trying to take the credit, but I want– Because I’ve talked about this on Crush It In Real Estate videos, which we might do one after now that you brought it up. I was talking about how ridiculous it is. I find it to be ludicrous that realtors don’t answer their damn phone if they don’t recognize the number. You are in sales. You said that’s one of the things you picked up. Elaborate.

[00:06:40] Elisha: Right away. I mean, unless I’m in an appointment or I’m unable, I grab my phone and have a conversation. I don’t know what the fear of not having an answer of what someone might want on the other end of the line. I don’t know. Usually, it’s great to not have to circle back and answer however many messages at the end of the day when you’re rolling in.

[00:07:03] Anthony: I didn’t even think about that side of it.

[00:07:05] Elisha: That’s a big piece. It’s nice.

[00:07:07] Anthony: Well, you’re right about that. When I train on it and when I’ve done Crush It videos on it, which I feel like we might do another one right after this because you got me all hype around it now, but I didn’t even think about it from the perspective of having to get back later. I just look at it very black and white. You are in sales. When your phone is ringing, that could be a lead. The lead doesn’t always call you back from their cell phone. They might call from work. They might call from their home phone. They might call from their significant other’s phone. You need to pick the damn phone up. That little thing, you think, had a difference in your business?

[00:07:36] Elisha: I do. I know, in fact.

[00:07:39] Anthony: You know it really. That’s interesting.

[00:07:40] Elisha: Yes, and it’s such a good feeling, too, to just do it now. It’s second nature.

[00:07:47] Anthony: That’s what I do. I answer all the time when I don’t recognize the number. I’d say once a week, I’m like, “Gosh, shit, this person-” or that and whatever. You get through it and whatever. All right, so that’s one thing. The other thing you talked about is staying in touch with people. How are you staying in touch? You’re checking-in via text, Facebook Messenger, you’re calling them, you’re dropping by, all of the above.

[00:08:05] Elisha: I’m doing all the above. I’m sending handwritten note cards on a regular basis. The phone is the most impactful.

[00:08:14] Anthony: Say that one more time.

[00:08:16] Elisha: I said the phone is most impactful. I don’t always get them but they will text back and go, “Hey, I got your message. Everything’s great.” If my message is something like, “Hey, I just want to check-in and see how things are going,” it’s top of mind. It’s been great. All these things, again.

[00:08:35] Anthony: They come around.

[00:08:36] Elisha: Yes, but as they become second nature, as they become habit, it’s just incredible. Again, the hub, all the space in my head that I’m always thinking about the, “Okay, I got to try to remember,” just clearing that noise out, knowing it’s there for me.

[00:08:53] Anthony: Yes, and use the CRM.

[00:08:54] Elisha: There are so many resources available and it’s so many that you’re like, “Okay, what am I going to-?” The hub is one that I’ve embraced, that I said I’m starting there and I’m ending there every day. I’m pretty good. It’s taking me a little while.

[00:09:11] Anthony: Let me elaborate for our listeners. When she says the hub, that’s what we call our CRM. We’re not obviously here to sell my company, but we’re talking more about what she’s done in her business, but she’s pointing out that she starts and ends her day with the CRM. You get up in the morning and you’re checking, “What do I have to do today? Who do I have to follow up with?” Then at the end of the day, you’re taking a peek, “All right, what did I do today?” Making notes and clients’ contact cards or property cards. You’re scheduling a follow up– I mean, right?

You can elaborate on that.

[00:09:43] Elisha: Yes. It’s helping me to remember to get birthdays. All those important details that– One of the things I really, really want to get good at – again, at work good at – is just the relationships and making sure that I’m really nurturing. Because I love building relationships with my clients. I think that’s huge, too. I think I’ve got a great sphere, but a lot of referral business and repeat clients at this stage, too.

[00:10:15] Anthony: Listen, I’m a proponent of leads and when you start in the business, you need leads. But let’s face it, the greatest business– Like, Brian Buffini says – the legend real estate coach, Brian Buffini – says, “No better lead than a referral.” It’s a fact, and you will grow those if you’re staying in touch with people. They’ll just keep coming back to you. I see it in my dad’s business. They do landscape construction. There are people that call now that literally say to him, “Do you remember when your son Anthony built my front stairs 20 years ago?” And they call him now for a driveway. Repeat and referral business, it works.

[00:10:52] Elisha: Without a doubt. I love building friendships along the way. If they’re coming to you, they are automatically already trusting you coming as a referral and the repeat, especially. I just closed one yesterday. It was our fourth deal together. I met them on like a Realtor.com lead or something five years ago. We’ve bought, sold – bought and sold. Yesterday, we closed something big.

I won’t touch too much, but all of the off-market scene, something I’ve never really done in the past. Lamacchia Links is definitely an inspiration, and I go in there and I check properties. I reach out to agents. It also reminds me to – and I’ve been doing a lot of this in this low-inventory market – call the agents that you know do a lot of business in the areas. I closed one on Monday that I just kept calling. “What do you got?” I know he does a lot in that area. They’re a very refined area where they need me to be. Then I was checking-in with him every week.

[00:11:58] Anthony: I always preach that.

[00:11:59] Elisha: -and he called me and said, “Hey, I got you a house.”

[00:12:02] Anthony: I call that digging. When you have a buyer, you need to do more than look on MLS. You need to dig. You need to call agents in the area, look for off-market properties. When she references our link system – yes, that’s customary and proprietary, it’s our system – but before we had that system, you guys would scour our pre-list. We had a simple Excel spreadsheet of all the listings coming up in the company and people still scour it. Now it’s connected in Links, and it’s a little bit easier because you can search through there. But bottom line, folks, you’ve got to be digging for your buyers every single day, and it sounds like you’re doing that. When I think about the habits that you’ve changed since working with us; answering your phone when someone calls – not psychoanalyzing what number and all that bullshit – answering your phone, staying in touch with past clients, and digging for your buyers at a level that you never did before.

[00:12:52] Elisha: Absolutely, and that’s what I was going to say. Lamacchia Links, but absolutely. I start almost every day calling everywhere. I’m in their social media, private threads, of course our systems, which are amazing for it. Calling other agents, like I said, that I know do business in those particular areas. Looking at expireds. Really, really digging. I’ve definitely picked that term up here [crosstalk]–

[00:13:16] Anthony: I love that. That’s three different things. Now, let’s talk goal-setting for a minute because I remember vaguely back in the fall, you were pretty honed in on setting your goals for 2021. What is your goal for this year? Let’s share it. You know why I’m making you share it? Because goals that are made public are seven times more likely to come true, so let’s hear it.

[00:13:34] Elisha: Sure. Well, my goal was actually 38 for this year.

[00:13:37] Anthony: 38 sales?

[00:13:38] Elisha: Yes.

[00:13:39] Anthony: Now that you have 24 closed and pending and it’s June 3rd, it’s looking pretty damn good that you’re going to nail that goal.

[00:13:45] Elisha: Yes.

[00:13:48] Anthony: I’ll be honest. I think you’re going to surpass that goal because the fact that you have that much business going on after only five months into the year, when four of the months was very difficult, three of the months was lockdown. It was very, very frustrating to be an agent and to- especially representing buyers. Congrats to you.

[00:14:08] Elisha: Thank you.

[00:14:08] Anthony: I have one request. Share one more habit you’ve changed since you’ve gotten involved with our training, or something that you’ve done differently in the last couple of years. Do you look at buyers different? Do you look at sellers different? Do you do things differently on an appointment? Share one– Because you’ve shared three habit changes, which I love. I think that’s great. Is there a fourth?

[00:14:27] Elisha: There is and it’s with regards to how I approach a listing appointment.

[00:14:33] Anthony: Okay, let’s hear it.

[00:14:34] Elisha: -is very different. I’ve always gone out to meet a client, potential seller. I’ve gone through– First of all, I’ve learned to have all these pre-touches before our appointment even sets in. Other than that

[00:14:49] Anthony: Warm them up before you get there

[00:14:50] Elisha: Warming them up, yes. All the touches.

[00:14:52] Anthony: And you noticed that makes a big difference.

[00:14:53] Elisha: It does make a huge difference. Then I’ve always done a two-step listing process and that is no more.

[00:14:58] Anthony: Yes, sometimes a two-step is necessary.

[00:15:00] Elisha: Yes, it is. I tend to do well with older folks as well, too.

[00:15:06] Anthony: Yes, when you’re doing a two-step.

[00:15:08] Elisha: That’s usually a two-step because then you– But not always. Sometimes I feel it’s going to be a two-step and we still wrap it up.

[00:15:14] Anthony: Yes, but now you realize, since going through our program, that you can sign people on the first meeting.

[00:15:20] Elisha: Yes, and I never really tried in the past, to be honest. It’s pretty exciting.

[00:15:27] Anthony: Well, listen. You have been a pleasure to have you here at the company. We love having you here. I’m excited to work with you for many years to come. I sincerely appreciate you coming on our Agents that Crush It In Real Estate Podcast, my friend, because you are crushing it in real estate.

[00:15:43] Elisha: Thank you so much, Anthony.

[00:15:44] Anthony: Thank you so much.