See You in November!

We’re finalizing plans for next month’s Success Summit, which will take place Nov. 12-13 in Orlando. This year, the focus will be on Help-U-Sell® Core Marketing and will feature special guest Pete Codella, who will teach us how to build and maintain a profitable online presence. We’ll also unveil new technology and have fun mingling with and learning from each other. Some of our top producers will be sharing their secrets to success, as well.

Read more about the Success Summit and register at http://seminars.helpusell.com.

If you can, come early for REALTORS Conference & Expo. We’ll be in the expo hall again this year.

Check out this rendering of our booth! It’s similar to last year’s but with a more contemporary light gray color and red carpet to match the new marketing materials.

Help-U-Sell Real Estate Booth Rendering
Our booth for this year's REALTORS Conference & Expo

We would love for you to help out at the booth (#619) or just stop by to say “hi.” Expo-only passes for NAR members are just $25, and the Clarion Inn & Suites will honor our $92/night room rate before and after the Summit. Our block of rooms is almost sold out, so call the hotel (800-826-4847) and make your reservations as soon as possible.

Top Producers for September 2012

Congratulations to our September top producers!

1) Perennial list-maker Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties took the number-one spot again with 14 closed sides, 12 of which were seller-only. The other two were buyer-only.

2) Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate, in Owatonna, Minn., closed a lucky 13 sides.

3) Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties rounded out the top three. The Chino Hills, Calif., office finished with nine sides, five seller-only and two dual-sided transactions.

Who’s ready to make October’s list? Good luck, everyone!

[Figures as of Oct. 10, 2012.]

The Help-U-Sell Cookbook Debuts Next Month

The long-awaited Help-U-Sell cookbook is at the printer! Since the last post about the cookbook, we have added another recipe (and two more pages).

Help-U-Sell Real Estate cookbook cover
The new Help-U-Sell cookbook cover

Each office will receive one complimentary copy of the cookbook. We’ll hand the books out at the Success Summit. Everyone who can’t attend will receive their books in the mail. You will be able to order additional copies through Alexander’s Print Advantage for $12.75 each. The website is https://www.brandsawonline.com/helpusell.

The cookbooks will make great closing gifts, holiday presents and even raffle or silent auction donations. You can also use the books to thank past clients for their testimonials or referrals. The first page of the book has an area where you can write an inscription to the recipient.

Tell us: Who will receive your first cookbook and why?

Get a Glimpse of Our REALTOR Magazine Ad

Just in time for the National Association of REALTORS’ annual conference and expo, we’re advertising in “REALTOR Magazine” again. Our full-page ad will be on cardstock, so it will stand out from the rest of the magazine’s ads.

Here’s a preview.

Help-U-Sell Real Estate REALTOR Magazine Ad
Help-U-Sell Real Estate's REALTOR Magazine ad

The message is aimed at potential franchisees and builds brand awareness. The main image emphasizes Help-U-Sell University, which is debuting in November. We’re also encouraging readers to visit our booth at the REALTORS Conference and Expo. Look for the ad in the next issue of REALTOR Magazine.

Broker Focus: Adalberto (Tito) Gonzalez

Tito Gonzalez of Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County
Tito Gonzalez of Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County

Adalberto (Tito) Gonzalez is casting his net wider this fall. Already the broker/owner of Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County in Morgan Hill, Calif., he has a second office opening soon in San Jose.

“Now that buyers are off the fence and buying homes, a second office in the San Jose area makes sense to capitalize on future sales,” Gonzalez says.

Business is booming in his Morgan Hill office. “Homes are trending five to 10 days on the market before going pending,” he says. Any home under $500,000 attracts multiple offers, and many houses under $350,000 receive all-cash offers.

His San Jose office, to be named Help-U-Sell Fine Homes and Estates, will focus on properties in the $500,000 to $2 million range.

Gonzalez sees great opportunity with the new office as a means of broadening the brand’s exposure and getting more leads. His biggest challenges will be setting up the new office and splitting his time between Morgan Hill and San Jose.

For franchisees opening their first offices, Gonzalez offers his wisdom earned from years as a Help-U-Sell broker/owner. “Make sure your clients understand your true value as their broker that goes beyond knowledge and service,” he says. “I like to tell my clients that once all the agents have been interviewed for a listing, take a look at the numbers and see which brokerage is actually giving them true value in the form of cash savings in their pocket.”

He encourages Help-U-Sell brokers and agents to communicate with clients consistently, but not to talk too much. Visibility is also paramount for growing the business. He advertises locally, participates in downtown events and solicits testimonials for online use.

How are you going to expand your office’s reach in the near future?