Ninja Selling Podcast

Welcome to Part 2 of Matt and Garrett's Q & A celebration to recognize surpassing 200,000 downloads. Once again, they want to sincerely thank all of you for your incredible support each week, and for sending in such excellent questions for them to address. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to answer all that were received, but don't stop sending them – you never know, you might get an email response, or even see your question become the topic of a future episode. As with Part 1 of this series, time stamps are provided below to allow you to more easily focus in on, or revisit, one specific question if you so choose. These are always the most popular episodes of the podcast, and today's will be no exception. Thank you all again, and enjoy! Episode Highlights: (0:24) What are the best Ninjas doing to say that they are running their business like a business? (10:35) How can you be a Ninja in a commercial or any other professional setting? (20:46) How do you develop a good '8 by 8' (a program where you set up a series of 8 touches to an individual over 8 weeks)? (33:37) When is it time to change brokers? Quotes: "Should I have fired myself last week, or should I have given myself a promotion?" "Starting right there with the Ninja Nine, and saying, 'Hey, am I doing this every week?'" "Would your boss say that's okay?" "Each week, are we monitoring our cash flow and are we focused on our customers?" "Don't beat yourself up." "The relationship part of it is still the same." "A lot of commercial business is done behind the scenes. It's who you know." "The realtor to realtor relationship on the commercial side is huge." "It's just understanding who your audience is and then making sure you're talking to them in the right way." "The systems cross directly over." "You know when you walk into a Ninja business." "It is not just a real estate system." "In the right place at the right time with the right information, it's golden. If done wrong, it's a disaster." "An '8 by 8' is done with specific individuals so that it can be personalized somewhat." "You need to organize this in a way that's manageable." "One thing that we really encourage people to do are the real estate reviews." "It can't be spam." "Crank up the personal side a little bit." "Are you excited to wear your company colors?" "Our mission is to help them be better at their individual business, not to tell them, 'Hey, you should go to broker x, y, or z'." "Usually, I find more often than not, most people will move and change a brokerage, and I recommend it, if the culture is not aligned with who they are and where they're going." "Find a culture that resonates with you." "You've got to really understand what's driving your excitement." "Surround yourself with 'players'." "Don't leave without having a conversation." "You've got to put your problems on the table and say, 'Hey, how can you help me?'" "Thank you to everybody out there who submitted questions, who's allowed us to have this episode celebrating 200,000 downloads." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

To celebrate surpassing 200,000 downloads (currently over 225,000!) and also to thank their incredible podcast community for this honor, Matt and Garrett have decided to host a Q & A episode where they answer listener questions directly. So many great questions have come in that they have actually had to break this celebration into more than one episode to ensure they can give each question the attention it deserves. While all of the questions are excellent, if there is a specific one you want to zero in on or return to in the future, you will notice that time stamps have been provided below. These are the issues that are uppermost in the minds of the remarkable Ninja community complete with the corresponding advice of these two Ninja Masters, rendering this yet another episode of The Ninja Selling Podcast that you absolutely cannot afford to miss. Episode Highlights: (3:05) What does that conversation look like, when you've followed the process, done everything perfectly, but the client isn't moving forward and you don't know what to do next? (12:50) How do you get to a higher level/number of deals? (19:39) Is social media necessary, and if so (or if not), should I consider doing it, and can it help my business? (29:58) What are some things I can do before moving to a new location/marketplace to enter that marketplace successfully? Quotes: "More often than not, you will find new confusion that wasn't there before or maybe wasn't shared with you before." "Let's actually identify if the client is serious." "I want to make sure we're making the best use of your time." "This may not be your market…otherwise, we need to be ready to move forward." "It all goes back to communication." "How can I be in better flow and better flow frequency with these people so I can start to attract one more deal, two more deals, from this current business?" "How can I create more value for the people here?" "What's the problem currently that we're looking at?" "I have found that if you get better with your systems, it will allow more opportunity to become more efficient with your clients." "It's not about meeting more people, it's about bettering the communications you have with the people that are already in your world." "I'd look for ways to share your brand. I would look for ways just to bring value to your community, and look at your social media channels as a community." "You've got to be careful and not be all real estate all the time and not just do the 'Hey, here's a new listing, here's this, here's that'…share who you are within real estate." "Be careful of the trap of social media." "If you're enjoying it and you're having fun with it, post it and share it." "Social media is not going to solve your problems if there are problems in your business. The Ninja Nine is going to take care of your business." "Build your foundational knowledge, because if you have that entering a marketplace, it's going to be a lot easier." "There's nothing wrong with amplifying your flow with your current database where you currently live, and then leveraging those habits into building a database when you move. I think that's one of the most powerful things." "Start a database down there…slowly start collecting your network." "Move that energy and that momentum to a new location." "Some great questions." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Today, Matt and Garrett welcome a very special guest, one of those Ninjas who just really crushes it year in and year out, Dave Pepin, of United Real Estate in Sioux City, Iowa. Dave has been one of Garrett's clients for a little over 6 years now, and he is a model of the power of committing fully to the Ninja system. He is truly the 'poster child' for the concept of consistency, and he is here today to describe precisely how applying this quality has changed his life. He begins by sharing his journey to the world of real estate, his business both before and after adopting the Ninja model, and a summary of his business over the past two years. He then discusses exactly how he carries out this business, the systems that have been so successful for him, the importance of his time with his family, and the notion of repurposing funds to align with his work philosophy. Dave concludes today's episode by offering his valuable advice to all listeners. If ever there was proof that by working the system, the system will work for you, Dave is most definitely it, and his story of enormous success in business and in life which he shares today will undoubtedly inspire you to make sure you consistently do the same. Episode Highlights: Dave's journey to real estate His business pre- and post- Ninja Dave's business from last year until now His reasons for working on his own His core sphere of influence The importance of his time with family Dave's systems and how they work Repurposing funds Dave's advice on the one 'non-negotiable' for himself and other realtors Quotes: "35 deals, $6,000,000 in volume." "I didn't want to be middle ground, I wanted to be a really good agent and be successful, so I took the step of giving a call to that number, and got connected with Garrett." "I want it done the way I want it done." "The better your relationships get, just more opportunity's going to keep coming in." "You don't have to do any more, it just grows." "It's mostly referrals." "I defend my time with my family, because it is as precious as there is anything in my life." "It's been one of the secrets of your success is just doing the right things and doing them over and over and over again." "I just detest phone calls…to me, face to face is where it's at." "This isn't about business, this is friendship, this is relationship." "I've been really consistent in making sure that I'm always in front of people." "I don't like receiving emails from any companies, so I don't do it." "Your people love you." "It's a testament to how well Ninja works anywhere." "It's not an incredible hard job as long as those systems stay consistent." "Get comfortable with either the phone or with being in front of people in person." "I guess I've always…tried to treat everybody like, at some point, we're going to be really good friends, if we aren't already, and I think that's…really helped me in the years I've been doing this." "People always have changes happening in their life. They're going to need to move for one reason or another, and as long as I'm in touch with them, and they know me, like me, and trust me, they're going to give me a call." "The results that you get are because of the care and concern you have for the people that you're working with. Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Well, it's finally happened – Zillow has decided to open their own brokerage and have started hiring agents. What Matt and Garrett want you to know is that this is a time to be excited (not freak out), and to view this development as encouragement to shake off any complacency, to take a good look at your business, and to make doubly sure that all your systems are up and running and firing on all cylinders. They begin by emphasizing the fact that if you are confident in your business, systems, and relationships, you have nothing to fear from big companies or anyone else starting up their own brokerages. They also stress that you need to ensure that you and all in your sphere understand your value and why you do the things you do, and to know your audience and market to them accordingly. Getting creative with your business and keeping up your Ninja systems are cited as keys to ensuring that you have nothing to fear from new brokerages being formed, and that sticking with Matt, Garrett, and the Ninja system will go a long way to ensuring that you control your successful future in the real estate business. Episode Highlights: Being confident in your business, systems, and relationships Big companies starting their own brokerages Ensuring that you, your clients, and those around you understand your value and why you do all you do Know your audience and ensure your marketing resonates with them Getting creative with your business Keeping up your Ninja systems Quotes: "It doesn't matter what big companies do for you if you're confident in your business and your systems and your relationships." "If you're not paying attention to how you're doing your business, if you're not innovating, then, yes, companies and programs and automation will come in there and replace you because it can." "I think it's exciting. I think it's actually really cool." "The only reason this stuff should scare you, is if your clients don't see any value in what you offer." "You're only going to focus on the why's that actually mean something to that person that's sitting in front of you right now." "I think that this is a wonderful time to get creative with your business." "Zillow…found a marketplace and they're going to be with us…but it's not your people." "People in those upper price ranges, even more so, want a trusted adviser and a professional that's holding their hand through the process and watching out for dangers." "It doesn't mean the end of the game." "If you want to have a job in the next 5 years as a realtor, that's totally on you." "Making sure that you're sharing your value consistently and at a very high level with your people so they understand and they feel the value." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Today's episode is all about abundance – not only that there is plenty of business to go around for everyone, but also that there are plenty of great realtors with whom you can form powerful (and lucrative) relationships out there as well. Too often, Matt and Garrett hear from realtors that they feel they can't trust their clients to the care of others, and in today's curiously evolving conversation, our hosts will demonstrate not only that there really are quality agents out there, but that it is actually in everyone's best interest for these 'players' to link up and work together. They begin by stressing the importance of being in flow with your people and creating a database of great realtors to work with. As the conversation progresses, they also explore the value of building relationships with these 'players', setting time to regularly communicate with them just as you would with your clients, and really opening your mind to abundance and cooperation. They finish by reviewing the fact that corporate real estate agents routinely establish such relationships to ensure success. Follow along with our hosts today as they start by discussing the many superstars there are in the real estate world these days, and move through to revealing the endless possibilities out there when these superstars unite to improve the lives of all involved. Episode Highlights: Being in flow with your people Creating a database of great realtors and working together Building relationships with other realtors Setting times to talk with other realtors The advantages of knowing and working with other 'players' Opening your mind to abundance and cooperation Commercial real estate agent relationships Quotes: "Part of being a good realtor is being in flow with your people." "Having other great realtors in your area is such a good thing." "You're all going to lift your game up." "There is plenty of business for everyone." "They work together to get better." "They want to perform for you because they like you, they trust you, and they want to make sure they're doing a good job because they want to look good." "Realtor to realtor relationships are incredible for getting these offers accepted." "Off market sales are higher than I've ever seen right now." "You're going to make some money at the end of the day, too." "When we started this topic out, this is not where I thought we were going to go to." "Abundance first…build your relationships internally with your fellow realtors…and just think about serving your people at a high level." "The whole goal is to watch you guys…be the best you possibly can be." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Matt has brought forward a great topic, especially for the weird times that 2020 has brought to the world, and that is raising your baseline. He doesn't mean raising your financial baseline, of course, but rather that baseline of what you expect from yourself, the greatness you demand from yourself, and the steps you need to take to maintain and grow it. He and Garrett begin with an analogy for today's topic using exercise and personal fitness, then look at the differing baselines that agents may have over their careers in terms of deals each month, and explore the concept of the stepladder of the new baselines you create. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging your current baseline, recommend areas in which to concentrate, as well as building your foundation, and hitting the Ninja Nine to unlock opportunities. They also discuss the internal changes that will take place if you do this baseline analysis and work, and finish the episode with their Ninja Nine Challenge for all agents. As they point out, you need to know where you are so you can plan out how to get to where you want to be, and today's episode about acknowledging, maintaining and building on baselines will provide you with the tools to construct the solid foundation necessary to achieve all of this. Episode Highlights: Exercise and personal fitness baseline analogy Differing baselines according to deals each month The stepladder of new baselines you create Acknowledging what your baseline is now and what it takes to maintain or build on it Recommended areas to concentrate on with baselines Building a foundation to reach higher levels Hitting your Ninja Nine and unlocking opportunities The internal change that happens Matt and Garrett's Ninja Nine Challenge Quotes: "They have a different baseline than you…that they've built over time and they've grown themselves to." "It's no different than going and working out everyday." "The hard becomes easy, and then there's a new hard, and that becomes easy." "This is the type of consistency that I need to put together in order to bring my baseline up." "You have to know where you're at right now to know what you need to do to get you to that destination." "It gets easier and more fun." "The agents that are crushing 100 contacts a week, it's easy for them. They get excited about it." "How can I make this a habit that is fun to show up for?" "They could give that baseline, that platform to a rookie, and the rookie would make $100,000 their first year in the business." "It just continues to grow…they're stronger and stronger and stronger…it takes less effort, less force, to produce bigger and better results." "How can we be 1% better today?" Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

In a year filled with starts, stops, closings, openings, and just about everything else imaginable, all of a sudden, the time to start looking at business plans for next year, and whatever that will hold, is on the horizon. And, while it's true that everyone needs to have a plan, as Matt and Garrett demonstrate today, not everyone needs to start theirs over from scratch. They begin by looking at the 3 categories of people heading into business planning, the importance of determining the category that applies to you, and the wisdom of simply fine tuning what's working rather than overhauling it all. They share some questions to ask yourself when getting ready to plan, explore the value of addressing your internal mission statement and life list, and encourage you to revisit a previous episode about reevaluating your 'why'. The episode concludes with perhaps the most important recommendation for your business plan – make sure it's exciting and productive. Believe it or not, the time for business planning is just around the corner already, and today, Matt and Garrett share the ideas and advice you need to get them started on the right track. Episode Highlights: The 3 categories of people going into business planning Answering 'Who am I?' before planning Fine tuning what's working Questions to ask yourself when getting ready to plan Your internal mission statement and life list Revisit the 'Reevaluating Your Why' episode from September 21 Creating a plan that excites you and produces results Quotes: "There are people who have been in this industry decades and have never done a business plan, and are in desperate need of one, by the way." "Sometimes if we start the business plan too early, we start focusing on the next year too early which means that…we've wrapped up 2020." "A business plan is like a foundation…if you have this strong foundation, why would you change it?" "I would be totally okay making a little bit less money and having a whole lot more fun." "Take some time in November to get set, reevaluate, and just be excited about launching into 2021." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Matt and Garrett are excited to address a topic that's coming up in their conversations a fair amount lately – building your database during these unusual times. Even though agents may not be able to do lunches or drinks with people the way they used to, the potential remains for them to build their database and today our hosts explain it all. They begin by looking at building up your database with the people you already know, sharing an example of an extremely successful agent with a relatively small database, explaining the 80/20 Rule, and discussing the Database Challenge. They then explore building a high quality sphere of influence during this special moment in history, the notion of the Ten Minute Window, the necessity to be genuine when learning about others, and Matt's suggested exercise for listeners to undertake. They finish up the podcast with a reminder to everyone to submit questions for their upcoming special Q&A episode. Whether you feel that you are stuck in your efforts toward building your database these days, or you feel that everything is going along just fine, this is an important episode which will not only improve your business, but, more importantly, your entire life, as you solidify genuine connections with so many incredible people in your life. Episode Highlights: Growing your database with the people you already know An example of a successful experienced agent who only needs 200 people in her database to accelerate her business The 80/20 Rule Building a high quality sphere of influence in this special moment The Database Challenge The Ten Minute Window Being genuine when learning about others and letting down your agenda Matt's suggested exercise for listeners Reminder to send in questions for the upcoming Q&A episode Quotes: "You can grow it through the people that you already know." "Who are the 20% that brings me 80% of the referrals…that's where you can unlock a lot of great stuff." "The rate at which those relationships can grow is way faster than anything I've ever seen." "Even your sphere of influence has levels of quality – everything does." "We really have a special moment right now." "You're going to have some great conversations, and there's going to be some business that comes out of it, too." "There are hidden raving fans inside your database that you don't even know about that you can easily activate." "This all comes down to flow." "Why not just start highlighting who are the people that you really enjoy having that flow frequency with and start enjoying that relationship a little bit more." "Be open to thinking in a different way." "There's only win-win with this thing." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

Today, Matt and Garrett welcome a very special guest, Stacia Weishaar, for an equally special episode that is a must-listen for real estate agents, lenders, and actually anybody who's running a business these days. Stacia is an incredible Ninja mortgage coach with a deep understanding of the market whose focus and process, as you will hear today, are at a level that renders her truly a model for others to follow. Stacia begins by sharing her perspective on what's happening in the market these days, comparing 2020 with 2006, and reviewing her process for connecting with her database, especially annual reviews. She and our hosts also discuss forming mortgage broker and real estate agent teams, being a go-giver, her chocolate chip cookie analogy, and her non-negotiable personal habits, particularly her affirmations and gratitudes. Stacia goes into detail about her process for ensuring full communication with listing agents on behalf of her buyers, and the importance of her buyer's presentation. Woven throughout their conversation is Stacia's emphasis on relationships and connections and having the mindset to help people, as well as golden nuggets of advice for lenders and agents alike. There is no doubt that this is a time of volatility in the market, which makes Stacia's excellent example and advice more valuable than ever. As Matt and Garrett suggest, this is an episode to not only listen to, but to share with all others who need to hear it as well. Episode Highlights: Remember to send in questions for the upcoming Q & A episode Stacia's perspective on what's happening these days Comparing 2020 to 2006 Stacia's process for connecting with her database including annual reviews Forming mortgage broker and real estate agent team relationships Being a go-giver Stacia's chocolate chip cookie analogy Her non-negotiable person habits Affirmations and gratitudes Stacia's process regarding contacting listing agents The importance of the Buyer's Presentation Quotes: "It's just this volatile rollercoaster…especially in the financial markets." "The predictors are just really kind of off whack, so to speak." "People have great equity positions in the market currently…we're in a healthy market from my opinion." "A lot of people want to get out of their current shelter situation and move out." "Lenders right now are busier than they've ever been." "It's really about making sure you're talking to people." "It's about relationships and connections." "I like to surround myself with very intelligent people." "Your focus is on other people." "I am also very, very focused on what I am grateful for." "That mindset to help people is really important to me, and, you know what? Helping somebody doesn't necessarily mean that you're selling them a house or getting them a loan." "I don't let people write offers if I don't think we're going to be able to execute them." "I want to make sure that we're a good fit to work together." "Is their job stable in this season of COVID?" "What an incredibly powerful phone call that sets the stage to have a successful transaction!" "Make that phone call…help the clients win!" Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli

As you may have heard, there is an election coming up in the U.S. and that has led to a question about agents becoming involved in helping spread the message of the party whose policies about which they feel strongly. While there is a school of thought that says agents should steer clear of this topic altogether, Matt and Garrett are here to discuss the quality that allows you to be yourself and demonstrate your beliefs in any aspect of life - authenticity. They begin by pointing out that, when working with strangers, it can prove difficult to be completely open about all your beliefs, but that by building a referral based business, surrounded by those who know, like, trust, and understand you, being yourself is actually the best thing you can do. They explore the core of authenticity, the example to be found in Gary Vaynerchuk, the dangers of being fake or of compromising your values, and the wisdom in taking care with how you share information about yourself. Their overall message of being and sharing who you are while also being open to others doing the same, and possibly disagreeing with you, represents yet another lesson from our hosts that is beneficial not just for your business but for your life in general – another glowing example of the value and power of the Ninja philosophy. Episode Highlights: Working with strangers The great thing about building a referral based business The core of authenticity Gary Vaynerchuk The danger of being fake or compromising your values How you share things Who are you surrounding yourself with? Being open to the thoughts of others Quotes: "You can be authentically you in the craziness that you are." "Everybody knows what your belief systems are when you are building that tight group of people in your database and your sphere of influence." "I think it's awesome when people volunteer to help spread a message that they believe in. That's actually the core of authenticity, isn't it?" "You can still be good at what you do and have different political opinions." "The more you're building a business around people that know, like, and trust and understand you, and you know, like, and trust and understand them, you can authentically be yourself and not only will it not hurt your business, it will make your business thrive." "Be authentic to who you are." "Be unafraid to share and be who you are…be prepared for other opinions to come in…embrace it." "Be open to learning more. Don't close yourself off where you're not experiencing other people's thoughts." "The greatest gift you have to give is yourself." "Don't change to be like others…be authentic and build the people around you that appreciate your authenticity and who you are. It's a much more fun business, it's a much more fun life to go down that route." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli