BREATHING NEW
LIFE INTO TOP GUNS BY BETH CRAFTS , 4 SEASONS REALTY LLC
The Knowledge Services Committee of the Association will be breathing new life into Top Guns , its premier event , when it presents the program on April 27th , after taking a one-year hiatus . The Top Guns event , which began around a decade ago , is a program to highlight top-producing Realtors ® within the Association and give them the opportunity to share their success and their “ tips and tricks ” with attendees . This is still the goal , but with a new spin on it .
“ It ’ s going to be a great event ,” said Danielle St . Onge , head of the Top Guns task force and Broker-Associate of The Laurie Johnstone Group , Coldwell Banker . “ Top Guns has always been a huge success and this new format will make it even better .”
The new format includes national speaker Bruce Gardner , a 20 + year veteran of the real estate industry and author of Seven Styles : How to Design Your Real Estate Career of Success and Significance . Gardner will be joined by seven topproducing real estate agents in the marketplace for a panel ( which he will host ), mapping out the seven different “ styles ” of real estate agents . Panelists ( who have been carefully interviewed and selected by the task force ) will each
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represent one of the seven categories or styles that fits his or her business philosophies . Meanwhile , attendees will figure out which style they best identify with and have the opportunity in breakout sessions to listen to the top producer whose “ style ” they can best relate to .
“ This year the new format is going to be more beneficial to Realtors ® because they will not just learn good tips from local top leaders , but also be able to get ideas from the top producers who have similar styles to them ,” said Donna Eastman , of RE / MAX Realty Team and another member of the Top Guns Task Force .
St . Onge concurs with Eastman , adding that the more we use our natural talents , the more likely we are to be successful at it . “ So , every attendee is going to figure out which of the seven styles are most like them and then listen to that top producer and find out how they can maximize the tools they already possess ,” she said . “ When we do stuff that we enjoy doing , that ’ s when we shine the most .”
National speaker and author Gardner explains in his book that over time , real estate agents seem to gravitate to a way of doing business that is a “ good fit ” for them . He categorizes all agents into eight different categories :
• The Hunter : those who seek business in an aggressive and highly driven manner and enjoy the pursuit of the deal .
• The Farmer : those who develop business from their current relationships , often outgoing and friendly , they get a lot of referrals because working with them is a fun experience .
• The Networker : those who seek relationships within an organization such as church , Chamber of Commerce , or some non-profit charity . It is very easy for them to create new relationships .
• The Expert : those who focus on specializations within the industry such as a type of transaction or a geographical area . They become an expert in their “ area .” The expert activates the power of attraction from consumers who become drawn to them due to their expertise .
• The Indian : those agents who have something in their lives that is a big part of their identity such as a hobby or strong interest that helps define them . They develop relationships with those who are of “ the same tribe ” ( examples are golfers , boaters , demographic groups , etc .)