Welcome to our monthly feature, Social Bootcamp With Gogo Bethke!
In this episode Gogo talks about creating CMAs via Zoom and describes how an agent can do that step by step. Gogo focuses on the questions an agent should be asking throughout this Zoom meeting in order to have all the information needed. Gogo also talks about the measures she takes to keep her clients safe during the pandemic. Last, Gogo and D.J. discuss how agents can use social media as a research and development tool.
If you’d prefer to watch this interview, click here to view on YouTube!
Gogo Bethke can be reached at gogosrealestate@gmail.com and at her Instagram account.
Purchase Gogo’s Bootcamp by clicking here – Keeping It Real Podcast listeners get a discount!
Transcript
D.J. Paris 0:00
This episode of Keeping it real is brought to you by gogos bootcamp Are you a real estate agent looking for the very best media training program on the planet? Gogo Beth key is considered the top Instagram Realtor in the country and her step by step training program will take your social media game to the next level. Keeping it real listeners receive a special discount so please visit Gogo podcast.com That’s Gee oh gee Oh podcast.com for your special discount and now on with the show
Welcome to keeping it real, the largest podcast made by real estate agents and for real estate agents. My name is DJ Paris. I am the guide and host through the show and today is our monthly episode series called Social bootcamp with gogo Bev Ki. Gogo Beth key came to the United States in 2003. To build her American dream. She was broke had no real estate experience, no sphere of influence barely spoke English, and only had $6 to her name, so that left her with nothing else other than Facebook to help build her business, which is where she started, she created gogos real estate and began her real estate career. Now with the power of social media gogo has sold over 75 million in real estate transactions. She shares the good the bad, and the ugly of real estate and our honest snippets into her daily life earn her 10s of 1000s of social media followers. And in the real estate community, she has earned the nickname The Queen of social media. After being asked to present at various conferences and events with realtors. She built her own social media Bootcamp for realtors called gogos bootcamp. Today she has a team of over 300 agents nationwide. Her goal is to help as many agents as possible make a name for themselves in real estate utilizing social media. Now if she can, if she can do it, a girl from Transylvania Romania with no formal US education, no sphere of influence, no money, no experience, and an accent that anyone can do it as well. Please, everyone listening or watching, go follow gogo on Instagram at gogos real estate. And please also consider investing in her boot camp. It is the single best program we have ever found. For real estate agents to master social media, we have a special discount for anyone who is a keeping it real podcast listener or viewer. So visit Gogo podcast.com. Again, go go geo geo podcast.com for your special keeping it real discount, and we are it’s the only product that we promote. So please check it out. It’s absolutely worth your time and money. And who doesn’t want more social media success. I know I do. So gogo Welcome once again to the show.
Gogo Bethke 2:47
Thank you so much for having me.
D.J. Paris 2:49
Happy 2021.
Gogo Bethke 2:51
I know it’s crazy. We’ve been doing this now for almost like a year and a half or so.
D.J. Paris 2:55
So it’s funny, I was telling gogo just just before the I said how many agents because she goes at exp she has a team, she has agents all over the country. Whereas I’m just in Chicago, and I only have agents here in the local Chicago area. And it took me 10 or 11 years to get to 700 agents, which is still quite a bit go goes like I’m at 300. And I’ve only been doing it like recruiting agents for like a couple of years. That’s how amazing she is, is people you know, learn about her social media bootcamp. They they subscribe, and then eventually they’re like, Can I join your team? I want to be around you all the time. So you’ve just had incredible success. We’re so so proud to have you on the show.
Gogo Bethke 3:36
Thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me. But I like you’re asking me some Do you like you’re almost there run and I’m like, hold on. I’m halfway there. But thank you for being such a you can do this kind of person. You’re awesome.
D.J. Paris 3:49
Well, you are doing it. Which is which is amazing. Because a lot of people talk big a big game, of course, especially when it comes to real estate, but you’re actually out there doing it. So I just think it’s so awesome. But I know you just
Gogo Bethke 4:02
go ahead. I said I’m in the grind every day.
D.J. Paris 4:05
Yeah, me too. And that’s really so much of it is really just discipline and habit. And social media, of course is discipline and habit as well. But before we get to that I know you were talking to me before the the episode today about a new video that you put out about doing CMAs via zoom and I would love for you to share some of that with our audience.
Gogo Bethke 4:26
Yeah, I think it’d be good talk about that today. Because as times are changing, you know, especially with social media as well, not only that technology changes, but life changes and it throws a curveball like COVID And you’re like, oh, suddenly I have to figure out how to do business from home. So CMAs would do it anyway. You know, in the past when someone wanting to know how much their home is worth, you would run the CMA from home. First you would go out see the property, then go back home run the CMA and yada yada. Now, they don’t necessarily want you to enter their home nor do you necessarily want to enter someone’s home just so you can see the condition and you can go back home and run the numbers. So we do zeusie MBAs now it’s very simple. All I need you to do is like, you know, get a current customer or client that is willing to go on camera with you and show their home via zoom and then they walk you through the home, you take notes to the home, you ask the questions that you would ask as if you were walking the property in person. And then you can run the CMA right there with them. You know, you open up you share your screen, you open up your MLS and you run the numbers show that comparables or that if they liked the numbers, maybe they decide they want to list. If you don’t have a current customer or client who’s willing to do that. You can always ask a friend, somebody who’s your best friend, your biggest supporter, your biggest cheerleader, your best friend, let’s say her name is I know Jessica. Okay, so Kyle just is like, Hey, Jessica, I’m really trying to do this new thing. It’s I’m going to assign you know, four hours every Thursday where from 5pm to 9pm. I’m running CMEs online, but I really want to show the people what it’s like what I’m even talking about, would you would you be a guinea pig with me? Would you allow me to walk through your home at like your Mrs. Mr. or Mrs. Seller is walking to your home? And sorry, my children are deciding to leave. Okay. You guys gotta go.
This whole problem? The stay at home?
Mom life. Kids are okay. Can you guys be out on the door in one second? Love You by so funny. Wildlife. You know how that goes. So, back to that. Okay, bye. Go out on the door so I can continue this. So with that being said, So Jessica will agree you should go and open up her doors walk you through the home. I’m going to mute it for a second because this door is so loud. I’m so sorry. Okay. Oh, is there? There we go. Okay, here we go. I was like, I’m so sorry about that, guys. No problem. Okay, so go back. So Jessica grace, she walks you through the home, she’s going to act like Mr. And Mrs. seller, and you ask the questions, you know that you would ask him person anyway, to know how much you know how to run the comps, then you’re going to sit down, share your screen, run the numbers, and then you’re going to create save that video, maybe upload it to YouTube, so you have an actual link. And then you’re going to go and create yourself a Calendly link. So for every Thursday, for example, from five to 9pm, you create our zoom, CMA calendar link. So you’re going to take this video that you created with Jessica, you’re going to post it on all of your social media site, you could even use it to run an ad. But then so with that, where you explain everybody that is in your sphere, or following your account that, hey, I’m doing CMAs from now on every Thursday night in person, you’re going to get me on the Zoom, we’re going to walk through your home via zoom, I’m going to then run your numbers. If you love the numbers, maybe you decide that you want to list your home. And then we do the listing process. From there, we can do all our paperwork electronically as well, I’ve actually never have to step a foot into their home. And then the photographer, of course, they’re going to have to show up, you know, but we provide by the time photographer gets there, we provide all of the hand sanitizers masks all of those things. So they come in, take the photos, and we get the photos back. Well, it’s the property and you never even stepped foot into the house. So absolutely doable with the power technology nowadays. So what I was trying to say, and hopefully that video is that whatever life throws at you, you can absolutely get it done. You just have to switch yourself. Like if the winds start blowing from this direction, then you’re going to adjust your sail and continue going, you know to reach your goals. It’s just It might take a different route.
D.J. Paris 8:06
So when Jessica’s walking through her home on video, you know what, what are what are you looking for? What are you asking her to show you? Because obviously you’re probably directing her saying, Okay, I want to I want to look at x, y and z. Is there anything specific that that you’re really looking for? Because you’re not physically there in person?
Gogo Bethke 8:23
Yeah, I mean, just as you would you know, the things that you would see with your own eye and now you might or might not see it because I’m like, Hey, do you have any cracks in the ceiling? You do have any water damage? If I was there, I would just look up and take a look at it. Sure. Is they live there? They might just be like, Oh, that’s correct. has been there for 10 years, you know, I mean, but now you’re like I need to see that. So you have to ask those questions is like how old is the roof? What was the last time you pump your septic if they have septic and well? Do you have septic and well how long did you live in the property? Have you what kind of updates have you made to the property? Since you moved in there? Do you have hardwood floors? We have on the second floor first floor when you go down the basement? Okay, do you have any cracks in the foundation? Or the vertical or horizontal? Do you have any water damage? Have you had any water damage? Like all of those things? How old is your furnace? How old is your water heater? Do you have any? Is everything in working condition? Would you be taking the appliances with you? Or would you be leaving them? And so any questions that you literally would do when you are in person at a listing appointment, you will do the same thing. Just ask them over the phone because sometimes when you’re out there like we can see oh, there was a hole in the wall somebody punched the back of the door like we’re going to have to fix that. Right? I mean so those kinds of things you just gonna have to ask. As you’re walking through every room make sure there’s no cracks in Windows, you know, have you lost seal in your windows, like those kinds of things because they’re going to ask for it to be repaired. And I want my sellers to be upfront know about it. If you lost seal in your windows let’s just fix it before you know we listed or give them a credit or do you have stains in the carpet because on the video I might say that might not if your carpets are staying let’s give him a carpet credit and allowance of $1,000 Or let’s hire a carpet cleaning company that’s going to clean it prior listening Yeah, like those are the, you know, the questions that you’re going to do just like you did your job when you entered their home is just now it’s verbal.
D.J. Paris 10:07
And then what about staging? So let’s say they say, Great, let’s list this home. And then you’ve noticed when the video was, was when she was walking through, you’re like, you know, I need this now direct her to put certain things away, or maybe even, you know, for doing professional staging, we’re gonna have to swap out that couch. That’s a more extreme version of staging. But are you directing? You know, Hey, before the photographer gets here, here’s what we want to do in this room? Are you doing that sort of room by room?
Gogo Bethke 10:33
Absolutely. So I always tell them, hey, I’m, I’m going to talk to you with the assumption that I got the job. Okay. So I always say that, in the end of the day, it’s your call of who you’re going to hire, but I’m going to talk to you like you already gave me the job. So I’m going to tell you what it’s like to work with us, and what are the expectations what condition your home needs to be in, in order for me to take the listing, because I want to take a hoarders house, like you have to put that in tip top shape, so I can actually sell it, that’s what you hire me for. So with that being said, if I’m one, we are walking through the property, and there’s clutter everywhere, I’m going to be upfront with them. And say, there’s two kinds of people that people that can see themselves through your stuff, and the people who can’t write, some people is going to be like, Oh, you have a couch there, my couch is gonna fit because your cards in smaller, when the people who’s gonna be like, oh, there’s no way my couch is going to fit here, there is no furniture in here. So they are they can see it or they can see it. So our job is to bring it down and meet them in the middle, to be minimalistic where they don’t get overwhelmed with all of your staff. So they can imagine there’s but you still have just enough furniture. So they have something to compare it to, if they were to bring their own couch in here. So I always have them depersonalized as well. So especially if it’s a single man, for example, I would make her like, go get some men’s clothes and hang it in the closet and remove. Yeah, interesting. Yeah, because you don’t want somebody to come back and pay your visit.
D.J. Paris 11:56
Oh, great. Boy, that’s a huge safety point that I would have never thought about being a man. It’s not something I think about. But boy, that is such a great idea
Gogo Bethke 12:06
that if I want to walk into a class, and there’s only woman’s clothes, I know it’s a single man. Right. And there’s weird people out in the world. So I want my clients to be protected. I always tell them to remove pictures from the walls, personalized pictures, especially if they are like in that sort of a situation. Especially if they are in like, how do I say this, like a police officer, for example. You don’t know who your enemies are united in and God forbid, they just entered your home? You know, I mean, and they recognize you from the photos. Like I don’t want that personal stuff. Also for other reasons. Sometimes people can see themselves in a home after they see who live there. Good point. So by removing those things from the wall, now you suddenly have like, it’s just furniture, right? You didn’t so
D.J. Paris 12:53
basically remove all photos, pictures, anything like that can get put in drawers for the for the first show?
Gogo Bethke 12:59
Oh, no, it’s I don’t want to see anything but maybe one of those knife holders and a paper towel and a soap. I don’t want to see anything as maybe a coffee machine. But other than that nothing encounters same in the bathrooms. I tell my clients, I don’t care what you put it, I don’t care. If you pull out the door, and you do one of these. Close the door. I just don’t want to I don’t want to see toothbrushes. I don’t want to see floss says I don’t want to see anything but one soap and a towel.
D.J. Paris 13:23
Yeah, that just makes perfect sense. Minimal, but not not empty. Because I know for me, I’m closing on a property soon in the next month. And it’s everything’s empty, because it’s a new development and new construction. And I’m having the hardest time in looking at my master bedroom and the secondary bedroom, too, because they’re completely open and blank. And I do not have a good ability to just create something in my mind and say, Okay, I know exactly how this is going to fit and look. Thankfully my girlfriend is able to do that. But but I so it’s a really good point is we don’t necessarily want a room totally bare. Because people like me don’t know how to process that information. Looks like a giant actually, it looks like a very small space actually to
Gogo Bethke 14:03
be exact. But that’s what happens if it’s empty. They look at it. There’s no freaking way my couch is going to fit here. Exactly. And then the couch is already there. They’re like, Oh, yeah, yeah, that will work. It’s totally fine.
D.J. Paris 14:14
Yeah, boy, that’s such a great idea. I remember when I first got into real estate about 11 years ago, the prevailing thought back then was half of the room is empty, like almost empty so people can visualize their stuff, which is great for people that can but not everyone can do that. So and of course we live in an Instagram world where are where we like seeing things in rooms as long as it’s clean. It’s minimal and it flows.
Gogo Bethke 14:37
Yes, it does. answer your question very quick. I have actually never to my career has had my seller pay for furniture to stage it that way. We have done digital staging, so we have a company that will plug furniture in there and it looks like it’s there but when you show up to the property, it’s not there, but it brings them in the door because the picture that brings them in under door is beautiful. So did You know, staging is much, much cheaper. The sellers don’t have to actually go out there and rent furniture from stagers and things like that. So that’s what we’ve been using.
D.J. Paris 15:07
Yeah, it’s a great idea. And digital staging is a really strong point. Because again, you want somebody to just get to the home. And if that’s going to do it, because what they currently have in there is either not enough or just isn’t, you know, up to date. And modern digital staging is, you know, pretty much any photography studio can do that these days. So we’re a big fan of that as well. All right, let’s pivot, I want to talk about social media, because we always talk about social media. But I wanted to talk about something that that I think is often overlooked. You all you talk about this a lot, but I just want to talk about it as well today, which is not so much about what do I post because we’ve covered that on a lot of things. And we’ll continue to cover that in future episodes. But I’m going to talk about, you know, I always hear about social media also being a great research and development, sort of arm of your business, because you can find out what’s going on with your clients, and you can interact with them, and you’re pretty good chance they’re going to notice, you know, what you’re writing when it comes to their own posts. So I want to talk about it, you know, sort of engaging with your audience’s content.
Gogo Bethke 16:14
Absolutely. So it is just as important if you want them to engage with you, then you need to engage with them. It’s really that simple. And so I try to every time I have a free minute, and I’m going to use the bathroom, for example, if you’re going to sit there for 20 minutes, you’re going to go on Instagram, and you’re going to comment now, of course, now everybody got a visual. And what I’m trying to say is that whenever you have five minutes, then you’re doing absolutely nothing. Go on your Instagram, make sure you follow the people that of course you want them to do business with you. So you want to support them in return, and comment on their posts as well. So they want to end it doesn’t have to be anything real estate related. Let’s say it’s their child’s birthday, just wish him a happy birthday. And he wants her a happy birthday. Let’s say they just got a new job, congratulate them on the new job and be excited for them to stay in front of them. Because when they see you all the time you stay top of mind. So they’re like, oh God was you. So just come into it. Oh, God, who just said this? Oh, that’s right, who does real estate, your goal is to stay on top of mine, I didn’t even come into anything real estate related. I didn’t ask for their business. But by commenting on something that’s going on in their life and supporting them through that, especially let’s say they have some sort of a, they’re collecting funds for something, even if you’re just donating 20 bucks, just show your face, show your support, support them, because in return, they will support you. And it’s very simple. Just spend, you know, anywhere from five to 10 minutes, an hour max a day, and commenting on other people’s posts.
D.J. Paris 17:37
I know for me, whenever I post anything, which is not all that frequently, in my personal life, or in my business life on any of my social media accounts, I don’t always notice who the likes, I don’t necessarily go and look at see who liked the post, because it’s just, you know, whatever could be a couple 100 people or I just don’t care that much. But it’s nice that people do like it. But when anyone writes a comment, I read every single comment, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, any comment anyone ever writes, I get instantly notified, of course. But I always look and it’s, you know, it’s one of those things, I think you’re right, if you could just even 10 to 20 comments a day. Boy, you you will, there will be so much love that you’re generating we know we all know how good that feels. To see someone wrote a comment and be like, Oh, I wonder what they wrote. Be that person. And even like gogo said, even if it’s just congratulations on the new job, or the whatever. That’s really all that’s needed. You don’t have to talk real estate, they’re gonna be like, Wow, my real estate agent or my potential real estate agent really cares. They’re noticing they’re commenting. They’re engaging with my content. And like I said, if you expect people to engage with you, you better engage with them as well. Absolutely. Let’s keep it short today. Because to me that what we just said was so powerful. And it really is, it’s sometimes the simplest things. That’s what we call outcomes razor, right? The simplest, or the most effective strategy oftentimes is the most direct. And that is such a great strategy. So yes, focus on what you’re posting. But make sure you’re spending an equal amount of time, or at least, you know, a good 1020 minutes a day, commenting on other people’s posts. It’s easy, you’re doing it anyway, yours, you’re scrolling anyway. So you might as well leave a few comments and make people feel good along the way. And, and boy, if you can do that, you don’t have to do it every time. In fact, I’d recommend not doing it on every part, you know, one person’s every post, because if they’re going to know, oh, she always comments and maybe they’re gonna see that as a marketing tactic versus an authentic like reaction that you have to something they’ve posted. So do that, you know, 20
Gogo Bethke 19:42
read the posts, like don’t give a thumbs up because there’s catches died. Right? You know, I mean, like, actually take the time and see what they posted about and comment accordingly. Because, yeah,
D.J. Paris 19:55
and if it’s something that’s a big enough life event or something that you really react Who, this is another reason to pick up the phone too and say, oh my gosh, I was just on Instagram and I saw that you went to XYZ place for vacation. I want to hear about that. If you have time, I’m thinking of maybe going there or whatever the circumstances, this gives you a reason to pick up the phone. And then if you want to have a real estate conversation, you can tack that on or if you just want to have a conversation, but boy, social media, I think that’s maybe one of the best uses of it is to find out what’s going on in our clients lives.
Gogo Bethke 20:25
Yeah. And get a hold of them. DM is right there. It’s a direct message. There you go. Dan,
D.J. Paris 20:30
love it. All right, well, that is a perfect, quick and and chock full of great information. We talked about doing CMAs and getting listings without ever visiting a property through zoom, which is absolutely doable. Gogo is doing that. And of course, you know, a lot of people don’t necessarily want real estate agents walking through their home right now. So what a great opportunity, test it on a friend, that was a really great suggestion, call up somebody who and say, I need to figure out how to do this, because you don’t want your first time to be live with a potential client. Because you’re just you won’t know exactly how the flow of that goes. Try it with try it with your family, your parents, your friends, somebody in your life that you go, just pretend that you were thinking of hiring me and I’m gonna walk you through this process. And then of course, you know, commenting on social media posts in, you know, you want to engage with your audience’s content. So make sure you’re doing that. And then everyone who’s listening, go to Gogo podcast.com, and purchase her program. And it’s absolutely worth the money. You need better social media in 2021. And gogo has the very best program on the planet of how to become a superstar on any of the social media platforms. And then also follow her on Instagram. That’s gogo real estate. So at gogos real estate. And then also if you’re an agent, and you’re like, I want to work with this woman, I need to join a team that is crushing it on social media, and that I have an actual team member who is going to be training me along the way. Gogo is the person so go go if there’s any agents out there. And by the way, you can be from any state in the country. You don’t have to be from gogos hometown, which are homestate, which
Gogo Bethke 22:08
I wish I wish we were in Romania, not just Yeah. They are international. So yes, anywhere in the US, Canada, England, Austria, France, South Africa, India, name it in 14 different countries. So
D.J. Paris 22:23
if someone’s interested in maybe joining your team, how should they do that?
Gogo Bethke 22:26
They should just DM me on Google’s real estate on Instagram. That is the best way of getting into talk directly to me. All of my other platforms I have virtual assistants on Instagram is the one that I personally answer.
D.J. Paris 22:37
How easy right? So go to at Go Go’s real estate on Instagram. And if you look in the show notes for this episode, you’ll see her link there and reach out to her it might be the team that you’re looking for in 2021. And exp is just exploding all over the country. And they’ve really have some cool virtual stuff, tools. And then Go Go’s got her own set of tools to add on top of that for her team. So reach out to her and learn more about what she offers. Gogo thank you so much. We We wish you a happy 2021 And glad that you your and your family are safe and healthy and everyone’s doing great and your business is growing and continuing to be on our show are so appreciative. So thank you so much.
Gogo Bethke 23:18
Thank you so much. It’s been a year I think just a little over a year that we’ve been doing this once a month and it’s my absolute pleasure every time. Thank you. Awesome.
D.J. Paris 23:25
Well, we will see you next month and we want to thank everyone for continuing to support and listen to our show. Please tell a friend think of one other real estate professional that could benefit from hearing this interview and episode with gogo and send them a link to our this episode. The easiest way to do that just actually send them a link to our website keeping it real pod.com Or follow us on Facebook facebook.com forward slash keeping it real pod and we will see you on the next episode. All right. Thanks, Gaga.
Gogo Bethke 23:54
Thank you so much for having me.
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