Mary Tennant Kicking Off a KW Young Professionals Webinar

Nothing’s more motivating for setting goals than hearing from Mary Tennant, the President of Keller Williams Realty International. Starting her real estate career in 1992 as an avenue to pay for her children’s college, she now leads North America’s largest real estate company. During the KW Young Professionals December webinar, she explained that big goals, hard work, and consistency got her to the top!

Why Real Estate?

Let’s not forget Mary’s intelligence or business acumen too. Think about this scenario. Mary moved to Austin in 1992 without knowing anyone, having no sales experience, and entering a depressed market. She studied the past three years of Austin’s economy to identify a career opportunity. Learning that 1989 had the highest foreclosure rate in Austin she realized that just enough time had passed for these families to receive financing for a new home again and an influx of new buyers was on the horizon. This was her opportunity!

Why Keller Williams Realty?

I love this! When looking for her real estate home, Mary considered many companies. She laughingly says that she was too old to conform and pragmatically mentioned that the splits at most companies would not pay for college. She had been warned not to go with small, local companies yet a RE/MAX agent said, “You talk funny and a company in town talks just like you.” It was the perfect match and Mary Tennant entered the Keller Williams family.

Making the Magic

Starting with no clients or friends, Mary had a lot of time for education so she attended every new agent class possible, which she attributes to her being named #1 in the city.

She relied on research to develop her career and quickly began working with a builder guiding him on where to build what type of houses based on businesses that were in the area, their employees’ salaries, and what businesses were projected to enter Austin.

Mary held open houses every weekend for three years. She remarked, “Open houses are never old, building relationships is never old.” She also pointed out that it is a very economical form of lead generation. She approached open houses as if she was entertaining her friends, put out coffee and cookies, and it worked! She would only hold an open house if it was no more than three turns from a major road. She would use ten signs for each open house. And she requested that her name be on the open house signs. Genius! Soon, this Austin newbie was receiving calls because her signs were everywhere!

Mary structured her week through a system that provided her time to research and deliver meaningful results in a short time period.

Mondays were spent researching the requests from the open houses and following up with every single person. Tuesday mornings, she took tours of the city, attaching herself to the most tenured, knowledgeable person so that she maximized what she could learn. She would preview houses, then hand-delivered or emailed packets with listings for her clients to review. Wednesday, she spent time following up with hot leads she met over the weekend and showed properties at night. Thursday was more of the same but she would take Thursday afternoon off to “organize herself.” Friday, she showed properties and followed-up with every single person she delivered a packet to. Saturday and Sunday were open house time. As her clientele grew, she identified ways to show homes while maintaining her systems.

One KWYP member asked if she held open houses during the week. The answer is yes with some pretty definite parameters – only on major roads and during commuter traffic time between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Setting Goals

An avid goal setter, Mary evaluates the year and sets goals for the next between Christmas and New Year’s.

“I love my goals. Goal setting is one of the best days of the year – a day that is limitless, you can be creative about the choices that you are going to make to change your life.”

She pointed out that goals are choices, reminding members that only you can make a choice to do a specific amount of production, succeed at a high level, help other families, and succeed through others. She compared goal setting as an adult to waiting for Santa at age five.

“You get to be five years old again and make a list for Santa but know you have the intelligence and ability to create what will happen.”

A well-laid plan and personal accountability is key. Don’t pick a goal out of the sky; lay out a plan and carefully think out how to achieve the goal.

Mary admits that she can procrastinate, but having her goals on a sheet that she visits quite often, she knows when they had to be completed.

Tidbits of knowledge

Mary discussed the power of relationships and reminded KWYP members that it is important to build relationships. Get in them. Make sure you care about these relationships. If you truly care, the relationship does not end with a closing.

Copy the experts. Use others’ scripts. Make them your own and internalize them. If you practice and internalize them, they will become your own and sound sincere.

Mary recommends everyone taking Quantum Leap, which she calls the most beneficial class offered. She also mentioned John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Known for being a big driver, Mary laughed at herself as she warned, “Don’t skim leadership books.”

She ended the webinar with a great challenge.

“Remember, you are the person who can do it, treat yourself as you would treat the person you are working for. You set your salary and you can exceed that salary. Lead generate, follow-up and take BOLD. The only ceiling in this industry is you!”

Tags: education, goals, Keller Williams Realty, KW Young Professionals, lead generation, Mary Tennant, Mindset, open houses, real estate, success