The Art of the CMA: Win Hearts, Minds, and Loyalty by Mastering Real Estate’s Most Versatile Tool

But Robertson says that what we know about CMAs is the tip of the iceberg and “that a lot of people have underestimated what a CMA could do for their (real estate) business.” As co-founder of W+R Studios, a U.S.-based tech company focussed on creating software for CMA technology, Robertson has had many conversations with agents over the years.  During this time, he has mined creative ways in which CMAs can be re-used. He has concluded that CMAs have an unrealized potential that goes beyond just a primary comps report used by selling agents. “I thought there’s a story there. There’s something that a lot of agents can learn from,” he says.

The book is Robertson’s first foray into authorship and like many debuting writers, it’s about what he knows best. With catchy chapter titles, the book is laid out with a plethora of whys and how-tos of the CMA through easy-to-read page-turners, replete with bullet points, charts, snappily titled section-breaks, examples of Robertson’s anecdotal encounters in the real estate industry and end-of-chapter summaries. As such, his book is no different than other business books that follow the same content marketing-informed formula.

But what’s worth reading are the wealth of evidence-based insights Robertson compiles for new and veteran agents alike, who are becoming increasingly wary of            competing with prop tech, Zestimates and ibuyers taking over the home selling process.

“The book is a blueprint on engagement with the lifeblood of an agent’s career – the consumer. The book gives you the strategy and mindset to do more with the information and tools already at your fingertips. Read it. Mark it up and read it again. You won’t be disappointed,” reviewed one reader.

The book helps agents take the guesswork out of pricing and valuing homes, de-mystifies data storytelling, informs on how to use data visualizations to achieve an edge on sales and breaks down the anatomy of a CMA, completed with a script for a successful listing presentation. Robertson even ends the book with findings from his company’s 2020 report on best practices for CMAs and listing presentations. Amassed from a survey completed by 3,325 participants, the report concludes that 67 per cent of respondents feel that CMAs are gaining more in relevance, as we look towards a tech-powered real estate future.

“There’s a way of using CMAs traditionally once you’ve acquired business – where you are sitting in front of a seller and you’re presenting this report – but people don’t look at it as them being a way to acquire business, to generate business. And that’s why I think there are people who want to read this book as a way of generating business, not just using in business you’ve already generated,” says Robertson.

“Think of your CMA presentation as a piece of sheet music. All the notes are there, but you are one who will create the music, build emotional connections and add the nuances and the artistry that makes for a truly memorable experience. Most agents won’t take the time to craft such a customer experience,” he writes in The Art of the CMA.

The book is available at Amazon and directly from the authors.

Sohini Bhattacharya

Sohini Bhattacharya is a contributing writer for REM.

The post The unrealized potential of the CMA appeared first on REM.

“This is an important time in the evolution of the real estate industry,” says Jimmy Kelly, CEO of Lone Wolf. “The pandemic has forced the industry to re-evaluate how it serves consumers and has driven the accelerated adoption of technology. It’s now more important than ever for agents to provide a superior digital experience to their clients and for brokers to give them the tools they need to do so. That’s why we’re so excited to add W+R Studios to the Lone Wolf family. Together, we’ll form an unprecedented suite of digital technology for the real estate industry and ensure that agents – as well as their brokerages, MLSs and associations – remain the cornerstone of all real estate transactions in North America.”

W+R Studios provides solutions to more than 500,000 licensed users across the U.S., a diverse group that includes brokers, boards, MLSs and individual real estate agents. The company’s suite is built to help real estate agents be more efficient, win more business, inform buyers about new listings and connect customers with agents within the area, the company says.

“We chose Lone Wolf because they matched our vision of helping agents and brokers succeed by keeping them in the centre of the transaction,” says Greg Robertson, co-founder of W+R Studios. “Lone Wolf has been a leader in the idea of giving their customers more choices by making sure all software works well together.”

Lone Wolf provides solutions for forms, transaction management, eSignature, back office and accounting and business insights. The company’s transaction solutions, Transactions (zipForm Edition) and Transactions (TransactionDesk Edition) combine to reach more than 1.5 million agents across the continent.

“As part of a larger team with additional resources, we will be able to bring our overall vision to simplify the lives of agents, who, now more than ever, need the right tools as they begin to compete with a myriad of new business models,” says Dan Woolley, co-founder of W+R Studios.

In its first steps following the acquisition, Lone Wolf will make Cloud CMA available through Transactions and Lone Wolf Marketplace, a curated library of integrated tools, services and solutions, in the Agent Cloud, Broker Cloud and Association Cloud suites.

REM Editorial Team

realestatemagazine.ca

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