How To Charge Higher Commissions

Keri Martin: I think just going into that interview, Platform gave me the confidence that I needed. And so I had it all together. I knew exactly how I was going to present it. And then at the end when they said that I was worth my commission, they also said, “We want your same negotiating skills on our side when we start getting offers.”

Tim Chermak: This is the Platform Marketing Show where we interview the most creative and ambitious real estate agents in the country, dissect their local marketing strategy, and get the behind-the-scenes scoop on how they're generating listing leads and warm referrals. We'll dive into the specifics of what marketing campaigns are working for them, how much they're spending on those campaigns, and figure out how they have perfected what we call the Platform Marketing Strategy. This is your host, Tim Chermak. I'm the founder and CEO of Platform, I love marketing, and I talk too much, so let's dive in. 

Tim Chermak: Hey guys, it's Tim Chermak and welcome back to another episode of the Platform Marketing Show. I'm joined today by Keri Martin. Keri, welcome to the show.  

Keri Martin: Thank you!

Tim Chermak: So Keri is a real estate agent in Virginia. She's in the Shenandoah Valley area. I believe you said it's like your broader area only has 75,000 people and kind of the broader area. So you're not in a big city with millions of people or anything. It's definitely more of a kind of country, rural area. And we'll just start with some good news on this episode.

Keri Martin: Okay, great!

Tim Chermak: Keri was on a team for years, and all of the marketing and branding and lead generation and everything was for the team, not her. So she wasn't necessarily building up a personal brand and kind of a personal sphere of influence the way that she might have had she been on her own.

Well, last year she went out on her own, and as part of that she hired Platform Marketing because she knew that she really wanted to get her name out there faster and build that personal brand. And she ended up doing 8 million in total sales volume last year, which in itself was a huge win because that was actually what I think you were doing when you were on the team, right?

Keri Martin: With the team, yeah. That is correct. 

Tim Chermak: So being on your own without any of the leads that used to come from the team, you were still able to do 8 million last year in your first year with Platform…

Keri Martin: But as a solo agent, yes.

Tim Chermak: Yes, yeah, yeah. And this year, what's really cool is that this is now technically your second year with Platform, which is by the way, when most people start to see the biggest results, I feel like. It’s usually in between months 12 and 24 is when the big results usually come that turns out that's right on schedule for you because of this year you're on pace to probably end the year somewhere between 10 and 12 million, just on the pace that you're currently going right now, which would be almost, upwards of a 50% growth year over year. So that's really really exciting. 

Keri, how did you first hear about Platform? Was it a Facebook ad or did a friend tell you? Was it a referral? Like, how did you first hear about Platform? 

Keri Martin: Right. So basically when I was leaving the team and I also joined a new brokerage at that time. So it was two big changes in my real estate career. I was part of a couple of different Facebook groups that deal with real estate just in general. And I started just typing in, searching “marketing” knowing that's where I wanted to put my focus on for last year because I wanted to get the word out that I'm back as a solo agent and that I'm with a new brokerage.

And so as I started doing those searches, a lot of those come up with the things you're used to seeing all the time. I've been in real estate for 15 years now. So I've been around for a while and Platform, that was something new to me. I had not heard of Platform prior to my search. And so I just started looking at realtors that were part of the Platform family, and looking at their Facebook pages, looking at what they were doing as far as marketing, and realized I wanted to be a part of that. 

Tim Chermak: Yeah. And it seems to be working. I actually just saw that you did the “So God Made a Small Business Owner” video and that seems to really be just blowing up in your community. 

Keri Martin: That's been my best ad for sure. That ad, I kind of went about that ad a little bit different. I always have liked doing the highlights of small businesses through this Platform Marketing experience in my first year. And so I decided that for “God Made a Small Business [Owner]”, I personally called every single business. I personally set up the appointments. I coordinated everything with my photographer and I actually went and met with them for every single photo shoot and then I followed up with them when it actually went live. And I think that all helped because it put my face in front of these businesses and it put my face with my name. And they were so eager to be able to share that. And they were so appreciative of me highlighting their small business because we are a very small community and just giving them that exposure. But I think the last time I looked, I'm at 176 shares of my “God Made a Small Business [Owner]” ad. 

Tim Chermak: Yeah that's one of my all time favorite Platform scripts, Platform ads we've written is the "God Made a Small Business Owner” ad. And, really, if you haven't seen it, go on Facebook and just search for Keri Martin, “So God Made a Small Business Owner” and it'll probably pop up.

I actually did that right before we hopped on this podcast recording. So I was curious, I wonder how many views it's up to now and you're almost at 40,000 views on that video. And again, you're in an area where your entire broader county, like the whole region, not just the one town, but the whole region really only has about 75,000 people.

And in any given city, what a lot of people forget from like a demographic perspective is that half the population of basically any city is children, it's people under the age of 18. And so if we just assume for a moment that out of that 75,000 people that about, 30 to 40,000 are actually kids, that means that the fact that your video has almost 40,000 views now means that every single adult in the area has statistically seen that video. So that's incredible from a brand-building perspective, for you to get your name out like that. 

But the cool part of that video is that it's not about you. Right? It's about the small businesses in the community and it's really just a tribute video to local small businesses. And yeah, it's kind of hosted by Keri Martin and you're the narrator, the voiceover, it's coming from your Facebook page, but it's not about you. It's about the small businesses in the community. And I think that's why the video always spreads like wildfire for the agents who do that video. 

Keri Martin: Yes. And that video probably is the one that I've had the most people out in public as now when I go to the grocery store, to the bank, “Oh, you're that realtor that highlighted those businesses.” And people do comment on it. People say what a good job. People say it was a great idea. So I have got 99% very much so positive comments and just positivity completely from that video. 

Tim Chermak: Yeah. I would just recommend any agent who's in the Platform Marketing program, if you haven't done that video, I don't know what you're waiting for. Definitely do that video because above and beyond even just the video views and the actual digital marketing metrics of oh, it got 175 shares or it's got almost 40,000 video views, that's all great. But it's also an opportunity to actually emotionally connect and meet small business owners in your community if you didn't already know them, because by going and scheduling, the photo or like the video clips, you take of all the business owners that end up making what this video is, like getting the footage for the video, right? You're building relationships with a bunch of small business owners in the community that maybe you've met them once or twice before, but you never actually got to talk with them. Even all of the secondary benefits of doing that video, I guess what I'm saying, makes it worth it because of the relationships that you can create with small business owners in your community.

It's something I mentioned at almost every mastermind Platform does is that if you had to pick like one demographic of people in your community to focus on and become famous with, it would be small business owners because it's…

Keri Martin: Absolutely.

Tim Chermak: Yeah! It’s the small business owners who donate to fundraisers and those are the people that always know what's going on around town. They're the people who attend the Chamber of Commerce meetings and things like that. Like they are the most networked people in the community. 

So if you can get in their network and kind of become their trusted real estate agent, you're going to get way more like referrals per relationship, if you almost think about it in that sense, like referrals per relationship. You'll get way more referrals per relationship if it's a small business owner than almost anyone else who could be in your sphere. So from both a short term tactical, but also a long term strategic perspective, like I just love that ad and that video with small business owners.

Keri Martin: Yes, it's great. And an added bonus, you get free coffee, you get free hot dogs. You get…

Tim Chermak: Yeah, there you go. There you go.

Keri Martin: I've often offered a free oil change so it's nice. They appreciate it and they were all willing to share, and then they're willing to give me a little bonus to use their business in the future. 

Tim Chermak: That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, obviously your business is growing, like your first year in Platform you were able to do $8 million in sales volume on your own coming from a team. Your first year kind of as being an individual agent again, you did $8 million which that was a win in and of itself because that was in a down year of real estate. The last couple years have been really difficult years for real estate agents and you were still able to do well. This year, you're on pace for potentially 50% more than that. 

What would you say Keri, are the best ads that are working for you right now that are bringing in leads or getting people to call you, contact you? Do any of them stick out of like, “Oh, this one's been really effective” or “That ad has worked really well’? 

Keri Martin: Well, I have. It's hard to pick one. I have lots of favorites, but of course, any videos of actual listings, they do great. And I think that is so important with Platform. And as far as a listing video that I got great comments and that I actually really had fun filming was a very nice house for our area and they had a pond. And so I went fishing for the perfect catch and had keys at the end of the fishing line and actually threw into the pond and reeled in the keys and said something about “This is the perfect catch for you”. But that stuck in a lot of people's minds and was different and no other realtor in my area would ever think of doing something like that. 

And so that one was fun and that one has gotten a lot of comments just out in public. And then anytime I list a new house that has a dog or a puppy or something like that, I try to incorporate the animals into the video. And of course, everyone loves pets. And so those always go over. I had a golden doodle in one of my videos that people really liked that. And of course, the owner loves it because you're featuring their pet in the video.

And again, I think the whole thing with Platform and my marketing over the last year has been that I have stood out in my community because there are no other realtors that are number 1, videoing their listings and then number 2, highlighting the small businesses and things like that.

And then, as far as the small businesses, I do have a local tire shop that I have always used for my oil changes and my tires. And that owner is very well respected in the community, has lots of business. And so one of my first small business ads was his business. And that one really had good response because it did get a lot of views and a lot of people talking because a lot of people do like his business in general. And so that one I thought was a really good one to highlight early on in Platform and went over very well. 

Tim Chermak: Yeah. What makes the Platform strategy at kind of a macro-level so unique relative to other marketing companies out there that are really more so lead gen companies, if you sign up for obviously Zillow or YLopo, Curator, et cetera, a lot of those companies, they're really just your buying leads. 

Keri Martin: Right. I think that Platform it hits so many levels on a personal level. Basically, when I put out a video or I put out an ad, again, we try to make them not look like an ad, which is really cool with Platform. But when that goes out, of course, potential buyers and sellers are seeing that, my past clients are seeing that, my friends are seeing that, my family is seeing that, and even my colleagues in the business are seeing that, and everything I do on my Facebook realtor page is positive. And so it actually, I think it helps their rapport. I really feel like in this crazy real estate market that we have had locally, that I have competed for my buyers and lots of different competing offer situations.

And I think the listing agent lets the seller know that I'm very serious about my business. And I think even the sellers, sometimes when I have the buyer have seen my marketing on Facebook, they know who I am, even though I don't represent their client. And so I feel like that Platform and just my ads that I've put out there over the last year has leveled me up in front of lots of different people, whether they're ready to buy a house now or not.

Tim Chermak: It's actually really interesting what you just said. I don't think I've ever heard any Platform realtor bring up that point before, but it actually makes sense that if you've built a trusted and respected kind of personal brand in your community, that even other agents know who you are and they respect you, that it might actually give your buyers an edge in a multiple offer situation of your client's offer being accepted over the other ones. If you have cultivated a reputation of “Hey, Keri is someone we can trust.” And so all things being equal, it doesn't necessarily mean that if Keri’s client has a lower offer that we're going to go with hers. But if it's like a tiebreaker type issue, that might be like the subconscious thing that makes the realtor tell their seller, “Hey, I think we should go with Keri here because I can vouch for Keri. She's legit. Her client's going to close on time. They're not going to have any issues.” 

So honestly, I've never really thought about that, how Platform could potentially help your buyers in situations like that. But as you described, that actually makes perfect logical sense.

Keri Martin: Yes, it’s basically an inadvertently plus of Platform and just to go along with that, my association had a meeting about 2 weeks ago. And so I went to the meeting and I can't tell you how many of my colleagues that I haven't seen in a year at least came up to me and said, “I love what you're doing online. I see you online. I love it. Keep it up. You're doing great,” and this is coming from my competition basically in my area. And so it was refreshing to leave that meeting and to know that my colleagues are seeing me and they're respecting me and they're appreciating that I'm working hard here locally in the community.

And yes, I want to sell houses, but also I think just that exposure of being out and about and supporting small businesses and trying to get good information out about the real estate world, because we have so much negative on the news and so I think lenders and different things seeing what I put out through Platform, they jump on board and say, “Yes, Keri’s got some great points here.”

So I think [with] Platform you think you're just trying to go out there and you're trying to focus on buyers and sellers and that's not the case. I think every single thing you put out there that Platform asks you to do, you have to realize how many people you're reaching and how those people can come into play later on with circumstances in real estate. 

Tim Chermak: Yeah. One other hidden benefit while we're on the topic of hidden benefits of this Platform strategy is that let's be honest, at an emotional level, it kind of just feels good to know that you're respected in the community. That when you go from business to business, or you mentioned if you go grocery shopping or you go to church or you're walking down the street or someone sees you at a parade on 4th of July or whatever, that people actually respect you in the community. That just feels good and long term over time of course, that's going to turn into more business. Of course, you're gonna have more people calling you and wanting to work with you if you have a reputation of being a very trustworthy person in the community. But in the short term, even before that starts happening and your business blows up, it also just feels good. 

Keri Martin: It does. 

Tim Chermak: So you signed up Keri in 2023, right? 

Keri Martin: I did, yes. March 2024 was my one year with Platform. 

Tim Chermak: Okay. So we are recording this podcast episode just so people know, ‘cause maybe they're listening a year or two into the future, we're recording this just after Keri hit her one year anniversary with Platform. So the results that we're discussing, everything she's seeing coming in the pipeline, she has about 12 months, almost 13 months of data to look back on with Platform. So it's not like she signed up two months ago or two weeks ago. She's been with Platform for about a year. 

Keri, looking at what you're hoping, you have pending this year and what you hope to end the year at, does this year feel different than previous years in terms of people calling you or the amount of buyers or sellers that you're just in contact with, even if they're not yet actively shopping? Does it feel different?

Keri Martin: Yes, it does. It's exciting. 

For more of this episode, listen on Apple or Spotify Podcasts.