What an IncREDible RED Day! Last week thousands of you from across the United States and Canada took a day off from work to Give Where You Live! In an email from the Keller Williams Realty International headquarters, Gary Keller, Mo Anderson, Mark Willis and Mary Tennant expressed their appreciation for living out the Keller Williams culture through such incredible acts of volunteerism.

Dear Keller Williams Family!

Thank you for making RED Day a resounding success! Each of you played an important role in improving the lives of our neighbors. Thank you for giving so generously.

We are overwhelmed by the stories we’ve received of associates coming together to make a real and lasting impact on the communities we are so privileged to serve. RED Day is a powerful reflection of the incredible culture you’ve built. Thank you for sharing your time and talents. We are proud to be in business with you and amazed by your passion for service.

Yours in painting our communities RED!

Gary Keller, Chairman of the Board

Mo Anderson, Vice Chairman of the Board

Mark Willis, CEO

Mary Tennant, President and COO

The stories are still rolling in, yet here are a few that caught our eye!

Keller Williams Beaumont Market Center: Nearly 150 volunteers painted, sanded, sawed, swept and cleaned their way through Boys Haven, the group home for troubled boys. They brought in 125-150 contractors, electricians, plumbers, furniture people, and volunteers to do a one day extreme make over at Boys Haven. They worked in the kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, replaced some appliances,
Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/life/article/150-volunteers-turn-out-to-beautify-Boys-Haven-3550048.php#ixzz1uaxh6ojm

Keller Williams Atlanta Partners: The Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners will spend the day at Cambridge House, a non-profit group providing personal care to adults with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other function disabilities. Associates will spend the day at Cambridge giving it a new facelift, complete with painting, new flooring, furniture, appliances and other items. “Last year, we were honored to assist the family of the late Chris Landreau by painting and

installing hardwood flooring,” said team leader/managing broker Julia Nelson.. “Chris, an eight-year veteran of the Coweta County Fire Department, was diagnosed with lymphoma in February in June of 2012. We can’t tell you what an impact it made on each of us personally to give back to the community we know and love.”

Keller Williams Gig Harbor Market Center: Recognizing the need for the FISH Food Bank’s shelves to be stocked year-round, not just during the holiday season, roughly 60 agents from KW Gig Harbor canvassed neighborhoods with RED bags seeking donations for FISH.

Keller Williams Westlake LA Market Center: Spent the day helping out at the Hospice, My Stuff Bags Foundation, Rancho Saint Francis and the More Park Food Bank

Keller Williams Ann Arbor Market Center: Associates volunteered at the Huron Farms Subdivision, planting flowers, trees, and putting down mulch at Dexter homes that were devastated by a recent tornado.

Keller Williams Realty Port St. Lucie Market Center: Associates spent the day at the Council on Aging Building in Port St. Lucie painting, power washing and performing an overall spruce up of the building.

Keller Williams Realty Halifax Market Center: Associates spent the day at Feed Nova Scotia assisting them in providing food to families in need.

There’s no doubt that each year more market centers and more associates Give Where They Live; increasing the impact felt around North America.

And we to be sure the world knows all you are doing during the largest service event in the real estate industry through our favorite social networking sites! Here are a few ways you and your market center can spread the RED!

RED Day Twibbon: Decorate your Facebook and Twitter Avatar with this year’s RED Day Twibbon. http://twibbon.com/cause/KW-RED-Day/

RED Day on Facebook: We all know the sharing power Facebook has. Here are two ways to get more reach on your big day.

1. Tag “Keller Williams Realty, Inc.” in your photos and video. First, visit the Keller Williams Realty Facebook page. If you haven’t already “liked” us – be sure to do it! Whenever you upload a photo, tag us. Your photo will then show up in the news feed for nearly 40,000 of your fellow associates to see!
2. 2. Tag the organization you are helping in photos and video. Whether you are working with Habitat for Humanity, your local YMCA or Boys and Girls Club or a local organization, chances are they are on Facebook! Whenever you tag a photo or post about your day, tag them! You’re picture and the good you are doing will show up in both your news feed and theirs – extending your RED Day reach.

RED Day on Twitter: Join the conversation and share the good you are doing on Twitter. Use #KWREDDay or #REDDay. Another popular Keller Williams hashtag is #kwri. If the organization you are supporting is on Twitter, be sure and tag them in the Tweet!

This year, more than 250 volunteers from KWRI in partnership with the Austin SW Market Center are heading back to the Mary Lee Foundation to finish the work we started!

In addition to deep-cleaning, beautifying, and making repairs that will improve the quality of life for residents, we are also taking steps to “green” our RED Day, such as:

• - Using low VOC paint, CFL light bulbs, low-flow showerheads and eco-friendly cleaning supplies
• - Performing energy-saving tasks such as cleaning air vents and refrigerator coils, re-caulking and installing weather-stripping where needed
• - Water-saving landscaping and installing drought-resistant plants.
• - Asking volunteers to reuse bring from home such as rags for cleaning and refillable water bottles to help stay hydrated
• - Encouraging volunteers to carpool
• - Providing residents with  laminated cards to serve as quick, visual reminders of all items that can be recycled

None of this would be possible without the help of several Austin-based companies. First, we’d like to thank TreeHouse, an Austin-based home improvement company dedicated to helping people improve the efficiency, health and sustainability of their homes, for donating/discounting products to be used in the residences. Kevin Graham, VP Marketing and Co-Founder of Treehouse says,”We are especially thrilled to be a part of Keller Williams Red Day. The combination of the Keller Williams team with TreeHouse products is a recipe for some very positive change at a very deserving place. Thanks for letting us piggy-back on a wonderful effort!”

We are also grateful to Elizabeth Frisch, Director of Development at A Nurtured World/1houseatatime, and to Pat Rist, Owner/Operator of AtticDr.com, and William Marshall with Austin Auditors. Each of these individuals donated their time and services by performing detailed walkthroughs of the Mary Lee Foundation buildings and noting opportunities to improve sustainability. William says, “Keller Williams RED Day brings together hundreds of people to help the Mary Lee Foundation. I wanted to be one of those hundreds of people helping out because Keller Williams’ RED Day is a truly worthy project helping out a remarkable organization in the middle of Austin.”

We’d also like to thank Whittlesey Landscape Supplies for providing four yards of crushed granite to beautify the courtyard and Office Max for donating their printing and laminating services to produce the recycling guides for the residents at Mary Lee Foundation. Budget/Avis Car Rental will also be instrumental in feeding our big team!

FSBO’s (For Sale by Owner)

Driving by a FSBO Home

Setting: Park on the wrong side of the street and open your door toward the house. Take a business card with you. Knock on the door and take three steps back.

AGENT: Hello, I’m __________, a real estate consultant from Keller Williams Realty. I was driving by on the way to another appointment.” (Peer into the house or look around the yard and give a sincere compliment.) “What a beautiful __________. Where did you get it?

PROSPECT: Oh, that. I got that at __________.

AGENT: I would love to take a few moments to see your home. It’s not uncommon when I’m showing in the neighborhood to have a buyer who will ask me about properties that are for sale. I make every effort to have all of the information available for them. What time would work best for you? [If the homeowner wants to show you his/her home immediately, tell him/her that you’re on your way to another appointment, and then ask again what time would work best.]

PROSPECT: I can show you my home tomorrow at 6:30, but I’m not interested in having you sell it.

AGENT: I understand. I want to see your home because as a real estate consultant in this area, I often have buyers who ask me questions about homes like yours.

PROSPECT: Okay. But I can’t spend more than half an hour with you.

AGENT: No problem. Could I get the correct spelling of your name and a telephone number where you can be reached in case I should have to cancel?

PROSPECT: The correct spelling of my name is…and my telephone number is….

AGENT: Great! Here’s my business card in case you need to reach me. See you tomorrow at 6:30.

Expired Listings

Calling on an Expired Listing

AGENT: Hi, my name is _______________________, with Keller Williams Realty. I recently pulled your home up on my computer, and I was wondering if the home is currently for sale? My computer shows your home is expired. Why do you feel that your home did not sell?

PROSPECT: That realtor…

[If they get rude, go straight to the “Bottom Line…”]

AGENT: There is a definite difference between real estate agents and real estate consultants. Basically, the difference is that agents make a lot of assumptions and do a lot of telling and consultants ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening. Bottom line: I want you to understand that I am a real estate consultant and specialize in homes that should have sold but didn’t, and if you wouldn’t be offended, I’d love to come by, introduce myself, gain an understanding of exactly what you’re needing in a successful transaction and then together we can decide if a win-win relationship can be created and if I’m the professional who will handle the job of selling your home. Would that be possible? How about tomorrow at ______?

Past Clients

Asking a past client for a referral

AGENT: Hello Ms. Allied Resource, This is _________. Happy birthday! [or Happy Anniversary or do we have a new baby?] What’s been happening in your life? [open discussion] You know, Ms. Allied Resource, I so enjoyed working with you and wanted to know if there is anything I can do for you, your family or a friend? I always want referrals from people whom I love working with and talking to. I’d love to work with your friends and your family. Is there anyone you know in your immediate business—anyone whom you teach with—who might be looking to buy or sell? [Tailor the question to their lifestyle: type of work, affiliates, clubs or organizations or hobbies. For instance, you could have asked, “Is there anyone you know with whom you sail?”, if you know this is a hobby of theirs. Pick things that they do, and define their search. Because “Is there anyone you know” is like asking, “Who do you know in the world?” And the answer’s inevitably, “I don’t know anybody.” Define their search for them and the results will be better.]

What Scripts do you use to get in touch with Sellers in this market?