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INDUSTRY AWARDS NIGHTS – REINSW and REIV
Posted 06.11.08 by fionablayney
Recently I attended both the REINSW and REIV awards night celebrating excellence and recognising outstanding performances within the industry. We are thrilled to report that our long term client and friend Vasili Hadzellis from McGrath Property Management, Neutral Bay took out the Award for Excellence - Residential Property Management for NSW.
I would also like to congratulate our friend Melanie Dennis from Domain Property Advocates, Fairfield Victoria who was awarded the Residential Property Manager of the Year for Victoria. Well done to all the winners and runners up, we look forward to the REIA show down next year.
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Posted 29.08.08 by pipjohnston
So how many friends do you have? I was at a party last week and up came the discussion of Facebook. We jokingly compared notes on how many friends various people have and the apparent need to invite anyone that you have ever known to join your page. Alas I must admitt I have rejected a few people in my time, well do I really need to know what Patricia who I met in queue at Coles in 1994 is up to? Hmmm who is Patricia anyway?
All this aside, we have spent the last month navigating the world of Facebook and identifying the best ways to connect with our “friends” at Blayney Potential Plus. So I introduce to you the Blayney Potential Plus group… I look forward to seeing your name as one of our “members”.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33041349866&ref=nf
Hopefully we will end up with a few more than that of the “I hate real estate rental agents” group.
See you on Facebook.
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THE RESULTS ARE IN - AREC 2008
Posted 20.07.08 by fionablayney
Whilst it is generally not the “done thing” in the Australian culture to blow your own trumpet, we make no apologies for doing so on this occasion. Why? Because we are proud of the achievements of our team and our Managing Director Fiona Blayney
As you are aware Fiona spoke at AREC 2008, Australia’s largest Residential Real Estate event, a fantastic event filled with some great speakers, exhibitors and delegates. Those that attended were requested to complete an online evaluation of the event, speakers and content. We are pleased to say that 87% of the audience rated Fiona’s presentation as being excellent. It is with delight that we mention this has placed her session as the highest rated session over the three days.
What does this mean for you? Well for those that attended you can be sure to know that you were in a session rated by your peers as being of excellent quality with take home ideas ready to implement into your business. For those that weren’t at AREC (make sure you are next year), when it comes time to; book your next speaker, or purchase Blayney Potential Plus products or services, the decision should be an easy one. Just ask someone who attended Fiona Blayney’s session.
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Competitor Analysis
Posted 22.05.08 by fionablayney
So you’ve heard of a SWOT analysis before: analysing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for your business. Have you ever thought of actually completing an analysis of your competition?
Whilst I do not want anyone to focus their energies daily on what is happening with the competition I do believe there is benefit in taking a deeper look at who they are, what they offer and what they say about you.
Many agents say are misinformed about the offering of the competition and yet actively compete with this incorrect perception in market and appraisals. Why not take some time to drill down into the truth.
The competition may not charge 5% flat after all?
Steps for completion
- Use one analysis template per agency.
- Identify your perceived top 3 – 5 competitors.
- Research everything about them, where possible gain a copy of their marketing materials, audit their website and even mystery shop.
- Using the analysis template note your findings including a review of your own business.
- You may then move to create a SWOT for your company.
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Build your business through leverage
Posted 22.05.08 by fionablayney
As the end of financial year hits and agencies across the country are working towards finishing the year on a high, momentum builds for the serious agents who are now considering how can I ensure that 2008/09 is the best year in my career or business yet.
With business planning brings the search for new opportunities to build on your existing success. So where does one look? Many agents often start researching their local or other market places and seek to identify gaps in the real estate service offering. My question is why? Why exert energy breaking into new markets if you have not achieved the desired results in your current space.
Whilst there are many leverage points in your current market, today let’s consider the internal leverage opportunities in your business.
Consider the different elements of your business, the people, the departments and the relationships. Do you get the most out of every potential customer opportunity? What are you doing to ensure that every potential transaction in your market place crosses the desk of someone in your office? Do you leverage the opportunities that you already have?
As an example if we look at the relationship between the sales division and the property management division I your typical office we can see that we don’t always manage our relationships effectively. Here are some key questions to see how you rate;
- Is there a database with combined sales and property management contacts?
- Do you identify landlord clients as investors in the same fashion and communicate with them as you would a recently identified purchaser?
- Do you identify and communicate with landlords as potential vendors?
- Do you identify and communicate with tenants as potential purchasers?
- Do you assist your landlord clients to build their property portfolios?
This list could go on, however if you have answered NO to even one of these questions you are wasting valuable opportunities within your existing business. Research has shown that people do business with people they know and like, someone they have a relationship with.
I suggest you audit your business to identify all the possible opportunities within the existing model. Build on these relationships, this will not only provide a great service offering, it will create more touch points, referrals and potential business. When the business works as a cohesive team the greater the results will be.
Build business the business by leveraging what you already have.
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Feedback
Posted 15.04.08 by fionablayney
As an author of several industry products which have now sold throughout Australia, New Zealand and the U.K, but the most rewarding aspect is not a financial one, let’s face it I am not on Amazons top 10…. Not yet! It is the feedback that I receive from those who have purchased them for either themselves or their businesses. A basic human need is that of contribution, to know that you are contributing to the lives of others. Property managers and business owners telling me they are implementing ideas, concepts and strategies from my guide which have had an immediate impact on their business and in some instances their life, is certainly satisfying this need. This is why I do what I do, to assist businesses and individuals to reach their full potential. Your feedback has been invaluable and very humbling.
This need for contribution is in everyone. How do you know you are contributing? Feeback! When was the last time you provided positive or constructive feedback to a colleague, manager, or service provider? We are often hasty to tell someone all the things they are doing wrong but it is not often we take the time to tell someone how there contribution has impacted on you. My aim is everyday to let someone know how they have impacted on me through feedback.
In business providing feedback is not just the responsibility of the manager, its everyone’s responsibility. In Property Management, like many service industries, is not overflowing with positive feedback from our consumers, this does not mean feedback can not be part of our day. Who in the office has contributed to you today? What has this meant for you or the business? Did you tell them?
It may not be the leasing of a $1000 p.w property; it could simply be how they answer the phone. The great thing about feedback is that when you know the impact you are having you want to make a greater impact, to contribute more.
Take the time to provide feedback to someone who has had an impact on you. As a result of your feedback I am back in the studio next week creating another Audio Programme for Agents.
Thanks for your encouragement, go ahead make someone’s day!
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