Stay Paid Podcast: Episode Summary Title: How to Get More Referrals with Less Work and Fewer Calls
Host: ReminderMedia
Release Date: December 2, 2024
Guest: Sky Michaels, Award-Winning Motivational Speaker, Coach, and Real Estate Leader

Introduction: Unlocking Referrals with Efficiency

In this insightful episode of the Stay Paid Podcast, hosts Luke Acree and Joshua Steich delve into effective strategies for real estate agents and entrepreneurs to amplify their referral networks without the exhaustive workload traditionally associated with lead generation. The episode features Sky Michaels, an acclaimed motivational speaker and coach who has empowered over 30,000 real estate agents and entrepreneurs nationwide through his company, Heart Coaching. Sky's unique approach emphasizes authentic human connections over aggressive sales tactics, offering listeners a fresh perspective on relationship marketing.

Guest Spotlight: Sky Michaels' Journey from Teaching to Coaching

Sky Michaels brings a wealth of experience to the table, transitioning from a high school history teacher to a top-performing real estate agent and finally to a respected coach in the industry. His journey is marked by a passion for education and a commitment to fostering genuine connections. Sky recounts:

[02:08] Sky Michaels: "I want to create a company that was focused on creating, you know, enhancing the human being and really taking the person and addressing the root causes of why they weren't doing something."

This philosophy stems from his early career as an educator, where he witnessed firsthand the transformative power of personalized mentorship. Sky’s transition into real estate was driven by practical necessity, but his inherent desire to impact lives naturally led him to coaching.

Challenging the Status Quo: The Problem with Traditional Real Estate Coaching

Sky critiques the current landscape of real estate coaching, likening it to the pharmaceutical industry’s approach of treating symptoms rather than root causes. He observes:

[06:10] Sky Michaels: "Most coaching companies are really geared at, unfortunately, keeping agents, quote, unquote, sick. ... my goal of creating a company that was very different from the industry was a company that was focused on creating, you know, enhancing the human being."

Traditional coaching often relies on scripted interactions and generic playbooks, which fail to address the underlying fears and limiting beliefs that hinder agents' performance. Sky aims to shift this paradigm by fostering deeper personal growth and addressing emotional barriers.

Sky Michaels' Unique Approach: Less is More

Central to Sky’s methodology is the principle of "less is more" in client outreach. Rather than overwhelming agents with numerous calls and superficial interactions, he advocates for fewer, more meaningful engagements. Sky explains:

[08:22] Sky Michaels: "We actually try to coach you to do less, but the less you're doing is the most impactful thing."

This approach encourages agents to prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring that each interaction is purposeful and builds genuine rapport. By reducing the frequency of calls but increasing their significance, agents can create more sustainable and fruitful relationships.

CRM Segmentation: The ABCs of Relationship Management

A cornerstone of Sky’s strategy is the segmentation of an agent’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system into three categories: A, B, and C. This segmentation is based on the agent’s feelings towards their contacts, fostering a more personalized outreach strategy.

1. A (Love): Individuals the agent loves and has a deep connection with.
2. B (Like): Contacts the agent likes but doesn’t have a strong bond with.
3. C (Don’t Know/Don’t Care): People the agent neither knows well nor feels a connection with.

[13:14] Sky Michaels: "If every agent went out there and organized their CRM based on how they felt about people, it would change all of their marketing and outreach."

By categorizing contacts this way, agents can tailor their communication strategies to match the strength of their relationships. For instance, A-list contacts may receive personalized invitations to events, while C-list contacts might be targeted with broader real estate information.

Overcoming Outreach Fears: Authenticity Over Aggression

One of the biggest hurdles agents face is the fear of being perceived as salesy, annoying, or facing rejection. Sky addresses these fears by promoting authentic, human-centered conversations:

[10:51] Sky Michaels: "We're afraid of being salesy, annoying, or rejected. So how do we overcome that? We overcome that by doing things that are not one of those three things."

Sky encourages agents to approach conversations with genuine interest and empathy, rather than pushing for immediate sales. This authenticity helps mitigate fear and fosters trust, making clients more receptive to referrals and future business.

Practical Outreach Strategies: Actionable Steps for Agents

Sky provides practical, actionable strategies for agents to implement his philosophies effectively:

1. Climbing the Ladder of ABCs:

• A-List: Invite top contacts to events (e.g., concerts, exclusive gatherings).
• B-List: Send personalized emails or messages about relevant interests.
• C-List: Distribute informative real estate newsletters that provide value without being overtly sales-driven.

[16:36] Sky Michaels: "Climbing the ladder of the ABCs... your A's, you're going to invite three or four of your A clients or your A people to a concert."

2. Asking for Help:

• Engage contacts by asking for their input or assistance, which fosters a sense of collaboration and investment.

[22:29] Sky Michaels: "An example of this is ask for help. So real estate agents, especially ones that are starting out, feel like, oh my God, I gotta. I gotta give all this stuff."

3. Purposeful Conversations:

• Initiate conversations with a focus on the contact's interests and needs rather than immediately diving into real estate topics.

[21:19] Sky Michaels: "Hey, I'm working on my newsletter and I know you're a foodie and I want to insert something about food into my newsletter. Do you mind sharing me some of your top restaurants?"

These strategies are designed to make interactions feel less transactional and more about building lasting relationships.

Emphasizing Process Over Outcome

Sky stresses the importance of focusing on the process rather than obsessing over immediate results. Success, he argues, lies in committing to consistent, meaningful actions that build trust and rapport over time.

[31:22] Sky Michaels: "We preach that the gold is in the process. The marathon is not the marathon. It's the actual training you're doing to run the marathon."

By concentrating on the day-to-day efforts and personal growth, agents can achieve long-term success without getting bogged down by pressure to deliver instant outcomes.

Notable Quotes: Wisdom from Sky Michaels

• On Coaching Philosophy:

  [02:08] Sky Michaels: "We don't just talk about, make this phone call and call 100 people... we actually just to just really trying to get people to focus on themselves and on what they love and what they're passionate about."

• On Authentic Outreach:

  [09:10] Luke Acree: "They won't do it if you tell them what to say. Because I tell them to call every quarter and I give them the script and they still don't do it."

• On Emotional Connection:

  [33:02] Sky Michaels: "Emotions are driving us, not discipline or, you know, other things. So we'll have them latch on to the emotion and the positive story versus the negative, and may help them get over it."

Conclusion: Building Meaningful Relationships for Sustainable Growth

The episode wraps up with the hosts and guest reiterating the importance of authentic, relationship-driven strategies in real estate marketing. Sky Michaels underscores that by organizing contacts based on genuine feelings and focusing on meaningful interactions, agents can foster deeper connections that naturally lead to more referrals and sustained business growth.

Luke Acree summarizes the actionable insights:

[36:18] Luke Acree: "Your action item is to look at your database, segment it based upon those three segments, and then do a simple outreach."

The conversation concludes with listeners encouraged to implement these strategies immediately, emphasizing that top producers distinguish themselves through consistent, thoughtful action.

Connect with Sky Michaels

For those interested in learning more about Sky Michaels and his coaching services, you can visit his website at withheartcoaching.com or follow him on Instagram @SkyMichaels.

This episode offers valuable insights into efficient referral strategies, emphasizing that quality relationships and authentic communication can lead to significant business growth with less effort. By adopting Sky Michaels' principles, real estate professionals can transform their outreach approach and achieve a life of freedom and sustained success.