Agent vs Lender
Agent vs Lender
The Power of Touch Points
Are you looking to grow your business through social media and tech? Are looking for more touch points for past and potential clients?
This week we speak to three members of the successful real estate team, The Perry Group. Michael Perry, Sebastian Varga, and Cody Phelps explain how they grew their team with the use of social media as well as new and old school technology. They explain how every touch point is important and a way to show people you're here to stay. Find how they have adapted their marketing techniques to be ahead of their competitors. This episode is packed with marketing strategies and techniques to help you grow your business fast.
You can listen to all episodes of Agent Vs Lender on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Play. If you love Agent Vs Lender follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram for all bonus content.
Welcome to another episode of agent versus lender. And today we have with us the Perry group. And I'm going to let them introduce themselves. We have Cody Phelps, who is a, who's our they're all agents. But he's, but he's also in a marketing role when we have Michael Perry, who's a team leader, and Sebastian Varga who has been on with us before. So welcome back, Sebastian. So, let's start with, you know, whoever wants to take the take the lead. So tell us about each of you just real briefly and, and tell us where you're at what we just said, You're up the prairie group. So we'll get into some of that here in a minute. So take it away, Cody, you're smiling.
Cody Phelps:They will go on the order we were introduced. Right. How's that? Yeah. So as Ron said, I have recently stepped into a marketing role with Perry group. I'm still buying and selling joined the group about two years ago. And we're, we're just rolling with it.
Ron Pippin:Cool. Michael?
Michael Perry:like Ron said, Michael Perry. I am a team leader of the Perry group and one of the co founders we started four years ago. Still absolutely buying and selling actively and love it. And that's a amazing operation that that we have going
Ron Pippin:one more Sebastian
Sebastian Varga:Hey Ron. I do, residential real estate both listing and buyer side. And just one of Michael's disciples. Yeah. Kind of hard to not not follow. Yeah.
Ron Pippin:Cool. Awesome. All right. So tell us you know, I think you guys were at another brokerage. I don't know if you want to say the name. I don't know if it really matters. It's a great. But you know, it's a great group I, I'm just gonna say it's not a big deal. You're with Keller Williams? And, you know, they're I know a lot of agents over Keller Williams and it's, there's probably nothing reason why you left. Either than you. I'm not going to tell your story cuz I don't know it. So tell us tell us what led up to that move. Why did you decide to move from Keller Williams and kind of go out on your own?
Michael Perry:Yeah, I think I can answer that. For us. It was it was looking at, at the model. And I can't think Keller Williams enough. There's some of the best real estate minds in the world over there. But there for me, it felt like a model, there was a better model for the scale we were growing to and how quickly we were growing. So when we looked at every single model and state got recruited by almost everyone, and when we joined the EXP, for us, there was a we should reward agents who bring talent to the company. And that was one of the main drivers as well as the support. So that's the short answer on why we switched to what we think is a transcendent brokerage.
Ron Pippin:Okay, cool. So was there anything that just led up to that move was there, you know, what was going on? And why? Why did you decide to start to start looking? because like you said, you know, Keller Williams, I know that a lot of agents have started there. And it's done very well. Um, and so what is it that that made you start other than, you know, there's just a little bit different model that you guys were looking for. And I have a similar story, too. So I could tell that story. So tell me what what is it? What was going on in your head? What was going on in your marketing? What was going on your business that made you may decide to maybe start looking?
Michael Perry:Yeah, and I think you you either leave because of pain, or you or you go for pleasure. And I think we we did not leave Keller because of pain? I mean, if we were happy there we'd liked the operation that we had. But I think we saw the opportunity on EXP that that provided for the agents. And I mean, it was years of do we go independent, start our own brokerage, or join all these, all these other companies. And for us the model, just really, it was a plug and play, there was a quick transition. For me that made a ton of sense after analyzing for, realistically, a year and a half.
Ron Pippin:You know, it's really funny that you say a year and a half. So it's not something that you just said something, some event happened, and you said, we've got to look, it's just like this has been an ongoing thing for a while. And I have a very, very similar story. Several times I've been at several different companies. My career is probably a little longer than four or five years, but but I have a very similar story. And you're right, you either leave for pleasure or for pain. And I have stories on both sides of that. And some of them were very quick moves, and some of them my last move took a little while. And so I was I was very, very careful and very methodical about where, where I went sounds like you were kind of on that same page.
Michael Perry:Yeah, and totally, and Cody and Sebastian can speak to this, but I think it was, I mean, I, I'm totally against jumping ship, the grass is not greener. But I do think we look at our agents, our admin, and I want them to speak to this, but it was definitely, hey, how do we take it to the next level for them? I mean, I don't we don't want a couple million dollar paycheck from a brokerage to buy us out. That's not what our vision is, how can we help the agents who bring so much value to the government?
Ron Pippin:Right? You know, it's funny that you say that, that you, you want to take it to the next level I have, you know, I have some coaches. And I know that when I was considering leaving, one of the things that my coach told me was, hey, Ron, the team, or the company that you're with, that gets you to one level, probably is not the same one that gets you to the next. And so and I found that to be true, so good for you guys. So maybe I don't know who wants to answer this, this might be more in Cody's realm, but marketing. So you know, you now that you've made that switch, and this is kind of a really weird environment that we're in right now. What are you doing, to kind of, kind of bring the business in? Because it's just really hard? it there's just there's just not a lot of business out there. There's compared to other years?
Cody Phelps:Yeah, I mean, I think that's that's a fair point. A good question. And I think one of the reasons that we looked at the EXP model, and one of the ways that it fits is we've always been very technology forward. That's, you know, the model that we're, we're pushing. And that's been the case, from the very beginning, when, you know, Michael Mason and his dad, jack started this whole operation. And we definitely, you know, we had to lean into that during the pandemic. And we've been leaning on our social media and leaning on other forms of client outreach with your home bought, for example, not that that's necessarily a technological leap. But we've certainly leaned into the digital side of things, and, you know, have seen a lot of success there. We have a number of agents that do incredible business, just through their social media. And that's something that we're making available in the form of agent development courses for all of our new agents as they join and our existing agents. I mean, I'm not particularly tech savvy, I know, I look pretty young. But if I didn't have to use Instagram, I probably wouldn't. You know, unfortunately, I set I set it in our class today, though, and Michael can back me up because he was sitting right next to me when I said it, you know, even I have done a deal through Instagram. And I probably log on and check it or post once or twice a week, right? So, I mean, everything is going online, everything is going to video. You know, I know some agents that Sotheby's do a lot of business development on tik tok. And maybe that's something that some of our younger agents on this team want to get into. You know, but really, my role, you know, is to support them in whatever their, you know, their arena is, you know, whether that's old school marketing, with collateral for door knocking, or, you know, creating that collateral that specifically formatted for their Instagram or for tik tok or for Facebook, or wherever they happen to be doing their lead gen. So that's kind of how I see it. And, you know, maybe Sebastian can speak to what he's doing in his business from a marketing perspective. And, you know, maybe Michael wants to chime in, on where he sees us going with the broader vision of how we do our marketing, because I'm just the hired help.
Ron Pippin:You know, it's really funny that you mentioned that you're, that you're not on social media or on Instagram, because I have a son, who works for me. And he basically runs a lot of my operation. And his name's Taylor. And he's not he doesn't like social media. He's not he's not big enough to sell. I'm on social media, every day, Taylor, Taylor's on social media, like when he has to get on there. So I totally see that list. So just just because just because I'm a little on the older side, and he's on the younger side, it doesn't mean that, that I'm not on it, and he is because it's just flipped for us. So yeah, so what what if Michael said, I'll get back to you just second Sebastian, Michael. He mentioned it Cody mentioned that maybe you can talk to maybe some more of that marketing was what what do you what do you see in what you guys are doing that maybe set yourself apart a little bit?
Michael Perry:Yeah, totally. And I think it's been a pain point for us. The on how we market so I think real real estate agents lenders knows really well, we have a really big name in Salt Lake. But I think in actually, Instagram and social media, in my mind is great for a super close circle, or a national circle, it's super, super easy to get your mission across a broader scale. But I think what we hired Cody for was, hey, I want everyone in Salt Lake City to know, The Perry Group. And I think while we are doing the Instagram, the Facebook, the social media you've seen everyone talk about, we're reverting back to the paper mail. And I think for us, that's what I think creates an elite brand and the boutique brand, whether it's small or huge. And so I think that's a really interesting point, you might not hear from a ton of people, because we're definitely yes, we're using tech, but we're heading back to the days of paper mail, because I do think people that content is important.
Ron Pippin:I'm gonna I'm gonna come back to that here in just a minute. I'm gonna let Sebastian talk to us about maybe what he's doing to set himself apart as as an agent. And then but I'm gonna, I'm gonna circle back to that here in just a minute.
Sebastian Varga:Yeah, I think the main piece that Cody forgot on the marketing is is the looks, I think at the end, we all get so. No, going back to your comment earlier of the, you know, the team that you start with might not be the one to take you to the next level. And I think that was a huge move for me, I started by myself, and it took Michael a while to get me jobs over conversations. Yeah, and and you know, that finally, I had that I realized that, you know, by myself, I was not going to be able to do what I envisioned. And that's where The Perry Group came in. From then on, it's you. It's been upheld, that's for sure.
Ron Pippin:You know, a good for you for recognizing that because a lot of people don't, a lot of people say, Hey, I can make more money doing this on my own. And, but you can't scale on your own, there's, there's, it's not possible to scale very big. And so I kind of look at it when I'm talking to some of my loan officers or people that that that, you know, maybe want to come work for me. And they give me that same thing. It's just like, Well, what do you want? Do you want? Do you want the, the whole grape or do you want you know, a part of a watermelon, and you know, it, you just can't scale without help. And without systems, and without people behind you, without that you're gonna be you're gonna be limited in on a loan officer, we're probably going to be limited to two or three or four transactions a month. And without help, and even then you're working, you know, if you're four to five transactions a month, and you're trying to do it all yourself, you are working nonstop. And a real estate agent, probably probably less than that. Because there's, you guys do a lot more than people think you do. Like it's not just like, oh, let's go look at some houses you know, it's it is far more difficult than than that so having a transaction coordinator having some help having some systems having having a Cody behind you to help you with marketing, it's just like that is key to to scale and to make to make you know, into six figures and making some money so, so good for you for recognizing that um, Sebastian I'm to circle back to what I think I was Michael was saying is going back to the paper mail. I'm, I'm a huge believer in that. You know, I've been back before the internet was around and I was in the mortgage business and everything was done that way. So your, your mailbox was full of, of stuff, you know, it was full, you would you would literally start your mail over the trashcan and just go Do you know, and just sort through crap, then it's not that way anymore. Now you're now your email list that way, and you basically sort your email over the trashcan and you look at stuff and you you, you decide within probably a fraction of a second or a second, if you're going to read that or that's going to be trashed. And so, and I don't think your mailbox is that way anymore. If you get something in the mail, and you don't get a lot, you get some but you don't get a lot like you're used to. And so I think that's a really wise strategy to go back to that to the old school system, because I think you stand out. So we were talking about ways to stand out. There's one of them.
Michael Perry:One, I think, for me, it's, I don't care if you throw it out. I mean, it's kind of the same concept. If you're thrown in invite, hey, I invited you, and that makes you feel valued. So I think it's, yeah, you can look at our face or The Perry Group logo and throw us out. But you saw again, that we're in real estate and another touch. And I think that's, that's where that helps influence social media. It's just, Oh, my, there they are again. Yeah, they're here to Okay, I still see.
Ron Pippin:That wonderful point. Yeah, that's, that's a that's an amazing point. It's just, you know, as your brand. And your people see that logo, pretty soon, they're gonna recognize that and, and when it is time for them to use somebody. It's just like, Oh, yeah, that Perry Group, man, I saw them everywhere. What's, what's their number? And hopefully, they have something that's still maybe they get one in the mail that day? Who knows? I hope all right, you produce enough content? Right, exactly. So, um, I was going to ask you for some marketing tips. But I think we got a couple of them, like, you know, maybe it's just doing something, you don't necessarily want to follow the crowd the entire time. Because everybody's on social media and video, for sure. Social media is very powerful. So I'm going to ask anyway, so what are some marketing tips? What? out of the whole group? What do you think people should be doing to help themselves stand out a little bit?
Sebastian Varga:I would say, reviews, I think those are being huge.
Ron Pippin:I totally agree. Huge. Yeah. You know, what's funny about reviews, it's just like, you go online, and, and you you'd look for someplace to go to eat, and you're taking all of you're looking at all these reviews of people you don't know. And you're taking their word for it, that this is a good place to go. And you don't know any of them. So you just read reviews for me? restaurant reviews. Yeah. Yeah. So it's totally it's still reviews that great point. That's it? That's a that's a really good one. Any other ones?
Cody Phelps:Well, I think you mentioned one that is really big. And however you however you do it, however you get it out there is video, right? You know, everything's a touch, you know, mail is a touch, social media is a touch, a call is a touch. So however you can get in front of people. You know, that's, that's what we're trying to do. And you know, what's better than video for someone who's scrolling through whatever they're scrolling through right
Ron Pippin:now? Yeah, view your video. Totally huge right now. So
Sebastian Varga:they're scary, though. You know, it's just a video.
Ron Pippin:Yeah. It's just like anything else. Now, you know, once you get in front of a camera, and after you've done it a few times, like you're, you're basically in front of a camera right now. Right? Yeah, you've got it on your computer, you got it on your phones, you've got, you've got it on street corners. You're on camera all the time. So once you've done it a few times, it's a it's really not as big of a deal as is, people want to make it out to be but you're right, getting getting that first step. But that first step in any type of marketing or any type of business, it's just taking those first few steps and getting those behind you then it's just like, and you just go do them.
Michael Perry:Yeah, and I think telling your authentic story. And I think that's something I push us you're on agents like, I mean, I think the whole narrative and businesses, hush about your opinions. And that's something I completely disagree with is people have to know you. They have to understand the person you are. And I think video helps that social media. Like are you having fun on the weekends? Why are you having fun? Did you go snowboarding? Where I feel like business used to be? Oh, yeah, my suit nine to 99. Monday through Sunday, Call me when you need me. And I don't think people like that. And they're not looking for that anymore.
Ron Pippin:No, they want to know you. They want to know like and trust you. And if they don't know you, they aren't going to do business with you. I totally agree with that. Yeah.
Sebastian Varga:I was talking to one of our agents yesterday. He asked what I was doing for some of the success I had last couple of weeks and the best thing I could come up with was you know, fine, find, you know, figure out what it is that you like who you are and and own it. Don't you know not everyone's gonna like you and not everyone has to like you. You and the ones that love you are going to do business with you doesn't matter when you know and I think that's been huge is just being yourself. I may not agree more for everyone
Ron Pippin:you know, I, I've been told that there's you can lump people into three different categories, people that are going to love you no matter what people that are going to that that are going to like you, you're going to get to know you and they're going to like you. And then there's other people that are going to not like you no matter what. And so it just don't worry about the people that aren't going to like you no matter what you just have to. And the people that like you no matter whether you're your friends, your family, or that, that you can, you can kind of tick them off and they're still gonna like you, they might be ticked off or your little for a while, but they're gonna still like you. And then there's uh, you know, probably the bigger percentage of that is the people in the middle that they need to they need to get to know you. And then they like you because they get to know you. And so video in video and getting to know you just like you said Michael is. So what are you doing on the weekend? It's just like, you're not you're not bombarding them with with real estate stuff, or mortgage stuff. 24 seven, it's just like, who who is Michael? Who's Cody? Who is Sebastian? Who is Ron? And that's how they get to know you. Totally Good point. So you guys mentioned tech tips or tech? You, you you're really big into technology? What What is it that you like about the technology that that you didn't have before? Or what is it some of the tech that that you're using? What are some of the tech that you just can't live without?
Michael Perry:I I think for me a super simple answers is don't overthink tech. And I think COVID has been a blessing for most of us. But that's been really cool for us. When the pandemic came, it was an easy transition we were we were FaceTime, we were zooms video heavily video based. And I think it's don't make your life difficult if a meeting doesn't need to be in person, instead of a buyer consultation, driving to the office for 20 minutes sitting there for an hour, have that consultation on zoom. And I think it's people can be in their pajamas as a homebuyer, they can be comfortable with you. It's match your consumer, wherever, wherever that. So I think my tech tip is how can tech make your life convenient, because that's ultimately what tech was built for. And I think that's, that's one of our tips.
Ron Pippin:That's a great tip. Love that tip. Anybody else Cody or Sebastian, do you have a tap something within tech that you'd like
Sebastian Varga:a tech tip is she just join as the system's already ready? I don't.
Ron Pippin:Okay, so, you know, each each group has may, may or may not have any systems in place, and sounds like you guys do. So it's really important. I don't know if you ever watch like Shark Tank, or the profit that you ever watch any of those shows, and they talk about people and systems and, and product. And if you you know, if one of those are out of whack, you have a terrible business, it's just not gonna work. And so systems are really important. So Sebastian's just saying systems, that's, that is really important to have in place.
Cody Phelps:I mean, we could sit here probably for hours and talk about all the systems on the back end. And you know, the difference between every CRM in the book, and I think ultimately, it just matters, like you're saying, Ron, like that you have those systems that you're consistent with. And, you know, whether you take all are part of some or one, however you want to do that, you know, find, find the systems and processes that work for you that you can scale, you know, going back to what we're talking about earlier, just being a team, and having people in different roles. You know, there's only so much you can do as one person or two people or three people, you know, but when you when you start scaling to the size of The Perry Group, you know, it's really, it's really incredible what we can do as a group. You know, and that's, that's what's exciting for me, you know, moving into the marketing role is, you know, how can I now support my my colleagues and, you know, I mean, Michael does a ton of business, Sebastian does a ton of business. We've got some really stellar agents, and, you know, how can I help those guys that are already really stellar, you know, add another 20% of their production and help those guys who maybe aren't quite stellar, double there's
Ron Pippin:so So tell us about The Perry Group tell us, what is it that what is it that makes The Perry Group click? What is it that set you guys apart? So if somebody, if somebody was going to look at a group and said, Hey, you know, it's been in the back of my head that maybe I want to make a move? Why would they come to you guys?
Michael Perry:Yeah, I think for me, there's there's two crystal clear answers. I think lead generation, I think we do that better than anyone in the state as far as having the systems to create the leads, and then also buying the leads to provide to our people. And so it's not, we're not the group that says, hey, this is how you get leads a to z, go do it. We're the group that actually provides the leads. And then I think second, it's, it's the culture and I think we protect our culture at all costs. It's, it's not strict and rigid, I'll be in a suit one day, I'll be in workout close at 2pm on a Tuesday, the next day, and I think that's the vibe and culture we've set for the agents, it's a safe place for all of us to be
Cody Phelps:I'd like to speak to Mike second point, which is the culture of the team. And, you know, I, I think I can do that from a perspective of having been on you know, a couple of different teams over the years in different states, and you know, different brokerages large and small, I came up through a small brokerage in Beverly Hills when I was, you know, Associate Broker in California, and went it alone for a while, like Sebastian has done here in Utah, and partnered up with a couple of people on, you know, various aspects of the business and then eventually joined a small team that was forming within the office with one of their top agents. And I did mostly leasing for them for a long time until I, you know, started to get some of my own listings. And then I think this goes back to your point, you know, where you start isn't necessarily where you end, that sort of, to generate some attention around me as an agent again, and I actually moved over to compass, which at the time, excuse me, ness seekers, which at the time in Los Angeles was, you know, the new, the new, hot thing and the place to be? And, you know, I kind of followed that pattern in New York. But what brought me back to The Perry Group, and, you know, the larger team structure really was the culture. Smaller when I joined, obviously, it's a lot bigger now. But, you know, like Michael was saying, It's, you can show up in a suit one day, if you got a listing presentation, you know, I, I went to yoga this morning, and, you know, came straight from there to meetings, and no one bats an eye, right, you know, we're showing up for each other doesn't matter where you're coming from or what you're wearing, but I think that's, that's a big part of it. Oh,
Sebastian Varga:Cody's being modest, he always looks good.
Cody Phelps:I happen to look very good and athleisure that's that's
Sebastian Varga:the about add adding to that. You know, the culture and all that I think a huge thing for me going from one individual to the team was they don't want to take Sebastian, out of the picture. They just want to grow who you are. From as simple as many teams, if you get a listing, they usually say, you know, Michael is a listing agent, or whatever that the team owner would be. Not here, you know that, that listing is yours, that sale is yours. Yours is part of a bigger group to help you get that client through the finish line. And I think that's something that sets us apart from everyone. Yeah. And I,
Michael Perry:I think to follow up on what Sebastian saying that I left out, we do not build this team to build the agent to leave us. And I think some some teams do that. And they own it. And that's their value prop we we teach you how to run a team. That's not us. I think we, we want you to come here and never leave us not because like hey, we like you, but like simply because your life is better with us than it would be somewhere else. And so I think that's, that's been our mission and our core value from the getting into this point. I think that will always be who we are. Totally.
Ron Pippin:That's Yeah, so awesome. So is there any other points, anything you want to add before we before we wrap up? Anything that you want to want to leave us with?
Cody Phelps:Michael, do you want me to plug Tuesday? Ron, can I do that? I know you said we're gonna do a lengthy sales pitch on anything.
Ron Pippin:Right? Right. So I yeah, I do want I do want people to know, you know, I'm gonna ask you or you know, just do it right now. How do people reach you? Is there? Um, we want to know that. Yeah, absolutely.
Cody Phelps:I mean, I think I think we're The Perry Group, Utah UT. Across pretty much all social media. So that's the easiest way to find us there. You can always email in moving forward marketing@theperry.group or if you want to get a hold of Mike, Michael, same domain. But what I wanted to plug and I want to put the invitation out there we are doing an event next week sponsored by one of our one of our main partners Edge Homes. In conjunction with our partners at EXP, we are going to have a little lunch and learn masterclass down at The Edge warehouse, that people are more than welcome to attend, you know, agents, lenders, if they want to come down and see what we're doing and what some of our partners are doing to generate leads in this market specifically generate listings in this low inventory market. So,
Ron Pippin:so when when is that? What date is that? That is Tuesday the 25th. Okay, yeah, then I'm gonna I'm gonna make sure that we get this podcast out first on Ron,
Cody Phelps:get it out. Right. Oh, right. And I can I can send you those details. Ron, if you want to include it with the podcast itself. So but yeah,
Ron Pippin:where they can get hold of you. They know. You know, they can get hold of you and let you know exactly how to
Cody Phelps:if you want to find me on social media and take the chance that I actually answer @ Cody, Brian Phelps ride with an I. Phelps like the swimmer. So Michael and Sebastian might respond faster that way. But you know, like I said, you know, his email. Yeah, totally.
Ron Pippin:Yep. All right. Any anything else and Sebastian Sebastian, you're you're so it's really nice to get a perspective from Mike. I know you. You said you're a team leader. You're probably an owner, Mike. If so, we have a perspective of an owner or somebody from the marketing and Sebastian is an agent there. So Sebastian, if they need a good agent? How do they get ahold of you?
Sebastian Varga:I think Instagram is always the easiest Subash at Sebastian Varga. I'm always I'm always checking social media might not always be on in myself. But I'm keeping up.
Ron Pippin:Cool. All right. Any anything else you wanted to wrap up with Mike?
Michael Perry:Oh, thank you so much for having us. We love these opportunities and and to spread what we do and who we are. So thank you so much, Ron.
Ron Pippin:Awesome. Thanks for being here, you guys. That so that will wrap up another episode of agent version versus lender. Oh, and if you need to get hold of me, you can reach me at 801-628-7667. And I can be found on social media on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are probably the main main ones on YouTube as well. And you'll see this we'll also have this not only on our podcast on different venues, but we'll also put up the video on on YouTube. So if you want to watch instead of instead of just listen. It'll be available there too. So we will wrap this up and thanks to all you guys for for being on here today. And thanks to you, our listeners for for tuning in. We'll catch you next time on agent versus lender.