The Dynamic CRE Expert
How to be Dynamic at a time when you have to be Dynamic?

by Warren Johnson

State of the Modern Broker
Technology Impact
The rise of digital platforms and data analytics has transformed how brokers operate and interact with clients.
Specialization
Many brokers now focus on specific property types or market segments to differentiate themselves.
Education and Expertise
There's an increased emphasis on continuous learning and obtaining advanced certifications.
Income Volatility
The industry still operates largely on commission-based structures, leading to potential income instability.
Work-Life Balance
Irregular working hours and the need to be available 24/7 remain challenges for many brokers.
CRE Broker Categories
The Commodity
85%-90% of the Broker population
  • Relies primarily on market conditions
  • Minimal investment in personal development
  • Reactive approach to business
  • Limited market knowledge and expertise
  • Competes mainly on commission rates
  • Struggles during market downturns
The Asset
High Performers
  • Creates value beyond transactions
  • Continuously invests in education and skills
  • Proactive business development
  • Deep market expertise and specialization
  • Competes on value and results
  • Thrives in ALL market conditions
Logistics: Put It on 'Paper'
1
Define your hourly rate
Calculate your target annual income, divide by working hours, and factor in overhead costs to determine your minimum effective rate. This becomes your benchmark for evaluating opportunities.
2
Document your every process
Create detailed workflows for prospecting, deal management, and client communication. Map out each step from initial contact to closing, including tools used and time invested. This framework ensures consistency and identifies areas for improvement.
3
Goal Setting
Establish clear monthly, quarterly, and annual targets for revenue, transaction volume, and market share. Break down big goals into actionable weekly tasks and track your progress with specific metrics and KPIs.
Logistics: Key Questions
What is your competitive advantage?
Do you have marketing budgets for your listing?
Do you have an organizational chart which lists current and future team members, their roles, and responsibilities?
Have you documented routine transactional and administrative tasks/processes?
Logistics: Resources
Goal Setting
Mindmeister
Outsourcing
Upwork, Guru
Email Signature Creator
WiseStamp
CRM
Pipedrive, Close, Apto, Buildout
Prospecting: The WHY?
Everyones experience is equally as vivid as yours.
Know your WHY, and make it realistic. Most important, don't b.s people.
The Two Currencies in CRE
Time
Managing and optimizing your time effectively is crucial as a Dynamic CRE Expert. Success depends on treating every hour as an investment in your future.
Relationships
Building and maintaining strong relationships is key to success as a CRE Expert. Your network becomes your net worth in this industry.
The Power of Follow-Up
Research shows that successful client conversion typically requires at least 9 meaningful touchpoints, making strategic follow-up essential for building lasting business relationships.
1
Initial Contact
Establish credibility through a powerful first interaction and clear value proposition
2
Value Building
Demonstrate expertise through targeted insights, market analysis, and personalized solutions. Reinforce your value
3
Relationship Development
Nurture connections through consistent communication, relevant updates, and proactive problem-solving
4
Client Conversion
Transform prospects into loyal clients through demonstrated reliability and proven value alignment
Prospecting: Key Questions
Have you identified your value proposition?
Do you have a list of your top 100 prospects? (most likely to transact)
What is your current market share? What do you aspire your market share to be?
Have you identified the persona/avatar of your ideal client?
Do you have a drip campaign for prospects and inactive clients?
Prospecting: Resources
Georgia Secretary Of State
Business Search
Georgia Superior Clerk Authority
Title and Other Appurtenance's
Georgia Department of Transportation
Infrastructure Projects & Traffic Counts
COLD CALL
The Lifeblood of the CRE Business
Technology: Multi-modal Presence
The digitization of the industry is not intended to replace your role rather is what I often referred to as "The Great Equalizer".
The Value of Generative AI
The true value in generative AI is not in some esoteric miracle. The value of generative AI is in your inputs and prompts.
Identify your weaknesses, then find specific AI integrations that reduce this friction, allowing you to focus 100% of your energy on being client facing.
Technology: Resources
AI Notetakers
tl;dv , MeetGeek
Email Signature Creator
WiseStamp
ChatBots
ChatGPT, Perplexity
AI Writing Assistants
Winston, Grammarly, Quillbot
Presentation Builder
Gamma
CBC Desk
Brokers Who Dominate: Jill Duemeland's Strategy
Identify clients you can serve well and profitably
Spend your prospecting time seeking clients who are good bets to become multiple repeat deals
Spend the bulk of your time working with those clients
Jill Duemeland's Three Principles
Power Work
Concentrated blocks of time for the most important work of the day.
Eating Frogs
Tackling uncomfortable tasks with the greatest positive impact
Fierce Conversations
Addressing issues truthfully, concentrating on results, and moving things forward
Power Work
Power work is Jill's term for concentrated blocks of time where she does the most important work of her day.
Eating Frogs
Eating frogs is a term coined by Brian Tracy, a popular success and leadership guru, for tasks you may have been putting off because they're uncomfortable but which will have the greatest positive impact on your results.
DO THE WORK, DO IT NOW
Fierce Conversations
Fierce conversations is the term writer Susan Scott uses for conversations that address issues truthfully, concentrate on results, and move things forward. Sometimes a fierce conversation is a frog to be eaten.
ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.
Accountability in CRE
"Be accountable. No kids like it when their parents follow up to see if they did their homework. But when they do the homework usually gets done. This applies to us as brokers."
"There is the easy work we can get done in flash, and then there are the extra-mile items that seem so painful to get started, like the "eating frogs" concept discussed earlier. Everyone needs an accountability group…"
Your Career as a Free Enterprise
Essentially, your career needs to be viewed as your own free enterprise that you are growing, and you are the CEO of your company.
Building and Preserving Your Reputation
Build and preserve a positive reputation. I have heard a couple wise business people say, "Your brand is your reputation:"
"As self-employed entrepreneurs, you need to create your brand, and the best brand you can generate is your reputation. You only get one in your lifetime. Ensure, no matter what, at the end of the deal you can feel good about what you did that day and you can have a feeling of dignity and respect."
The Philosophical Question
Your success as a Dynamic CRE Expert is dependent upon your response to a few philosophical questions
The Ultimate Question
If you don't, who will?
Embrace Your Dynamic CRE Expert Journey
Remember, being dynamic in the commercial real estate industry requires continuous learning, adaptation, and a commitment to excellence. By implementing the strategies and principles discussed in this presentation, you can position yourself as a true asset in the field.
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