| Episode: | EP106 |
| Show Title: | 3 Month Check in (With Suz & Laura) |
| Cast: | Aaron Horne & John McGregor |
| Guests: | Suz Wiltshire & Laura Gunn |
| Show Length: | 24 minutes 14 seconds |
Wow Wow Wow- 3 Months in and it’s time to check in….
Suz and Laura have slotted into the 4one4 Property Co. family like they were meant to be here from the beginning.
They have jumped out of the gates with all engines firing and had a super successful start to their first 4one4 foray into helping people on their property journey.
Suz: Coming here, like I said three months ago, and I just… that’s why I think we really wanted to get on and talk about it. If anyone’s looking at joining a team with such a healthy culture, I know that I’ve had such a shift in my happiness and just feeling like just such a belonging to a family of people that care about you.
[intro music]
Going once… going twice… SOLD! You’re listening to The Property Pod!
Aaron: Alright, guys. Welcome back to The Property Pod, your weekly engagement here into real estate in the Hobart marketplace. I’m your host, Aaron Horne, and it gives me great pleasure to be stacked in the room today with some absolute superstars of real estate here in Hobart. I’m joined as usual by Johnny McGregor.
John: He… I don’t know why I’ve raised my hands like a Superman pose… [laughter]
John: We’re going to listen to it…
Aaron: Also yes, it’s mostly an audio format. [laughter]
John: It’s going for more willows plus ultra moves. [laughter]
Aaron: So John’s excited–looks dapper. Everybody’s excited but we’re also joined here by some absolute superstars here at the 4one4 office and all around Hobart when it comes to real estate. I’ve got Suz and Laura. Welcome, guys!
Suz: Morning! What are we gonna do, Laura? [laughter] Don’t know what that was…
Aaron: Got some finger guns going off here in the studio. No words, Laura’s going to be miming for the show [laughter] but yeah no, it’s so good to have you, guys, here–Pat’s away. I actually have to report that I messaged Leggett yesterday and I was like, “Hey, man. Unfortunately there’s no room in the studio” and he got really upset. He was just like, “Oh what? I’m throwing money at you, guys. I’m going to sponsor the show–one week, I’m sponsoring it. I’m getting a key and then now, I’m out the door, like what’s going on?”
John: Oh yeah. That’s the industry, you know. That’s showbiz, baby. One week, you’re hot; one week, you’re not.
Suz: I think that was a good reason though. Today wasn’t there and really to get both of us in one room is quite a feat let alone. After 13 weeks today…
Aaron: Yes, so that was kind of the catalyst of coming in. It’s like you, guys, have been here for a good three months now.
Suz: Three months and that was that little idea that I threw at you and to get, look, I must admit, to get Laura and I in one room together is a pretty big face so…
Laura: It doesn’t happen a lot, I don’t know.
Suz: It’s normally driving-Mustang the big girl on the way to open homes is pretty much the only time we get to hangout over– oh, you’re alright, mate? [referring to John] have a coffee…
Aaron: Just have a cup of tea, it’ll be alright…
John: Do you want to get…
Suz: I know you’re excited [laughter] that’s a lot for you to take the “dynamic duo” in one room.
Aaron: Well I was thinking it was kind of one of those Clark Kent Superman or Peter Parker Spider-man things. It’s like you never do see the two of them in the same place at once, like it’s almost like…
Suz: Like, does it actually happen? And are they actually real?
Aaron: Yeah no, they’re real. They’re in the room. You heard it here first–they are real people but they are superheroes also.
Suz: Um so…
Aaron: So let’s talk about your three months. Let’s talk about what’s been happening since you’ve joined our family here.
Suz: Well, look. I think if we can just fair to say, I know we’ve gone on about it a fair bit but we just can’t thank everyone enough for making us feel so welcome. I think that’s what we really wanted to say first. First off, from everyone: from reception to property management to sales team, massive hats off because we just feel like we’ve just been one; just join the family. I guess that’s all we can say and I know that it’s probably been a bit louder for you all, hopefully not too loud, but we just honestly feel like we’ve… I think Laura’s probably noticed: I’m so much happier and so with my energy and being that, I think that’s just really helped with our figures so that we can probably jump to that next. We’ve just had an absolute banging 13 weeks. I’ll leave that stats to Laura because she’s the stat girl. But I think yeah, look, we’ve really just hit the ground running and obviously, that’s a big sort of thing when you do because for us, it was a massive decision to change industry…
Aaron: Oh yeah, a huge transition.
Suz: It’s a change, I’m sorry–agencies not industry. And I guess for that, you know, there is always that risk of sort of having that sort of flattening or plateauing of business and for us, it’s just… we really can’t; we’ve had to…
Laura: …sort of stop, it’s just kept going.
Suz: Yeah and for us, we’ve sort of now had to sort of, you know, we’ve
parked 10 for February which is really exciting and we’re launching a ton this weekend and just as well, if we can just talk about the holistic sort of thing, not only are we working really well with the sales team with sort of sharing listings and working together that way especially with some off market stuff at the moment, but also, and I know I’ve said this every time we get in here but marketing, wow!
Aaron: Oh that’s why I’ll bring you on the pod anytime. You’ll come and pump up my tires and I’ll be editing this bad boy, “Oh they think we’re really good at what we do…”
Laura: I can say about that just being on site with Bassie and obviously, having worked with yourself, Aaron, it’s next next level…
Aaron: Oh good. Well, thank you! No we really…
Laura: I’m really impressed with what you, guys, deliver.
Aaron: No well, we try our best just to provide the best service and I think it’s one of those things where the sales team are busting their nut at the moment to get everything done and we’re busting our nut to kind of match that level of intensity and one thing I can say is kind of over the month of November I know like we reported last week I think it was that we had our best month ever. It’s amazing that we’ve brought some extra people into the family and it’s just kind of elevated us to this next level but one of the things that really kind of spoke to me and since we’ve been moved to the cupboard, after you, guys, have come and taken our spot, which is fine it was kind of the best spot in the house so we’ve given it to the best people.
Laura: It’s a pretty big cupboard.
Aaron: It’s okay it gets a bit lonely every now and then. It is nice when everybody comes by and says, “G’day, guys! How are you doing?”
Suz: Brings you vouchers and chocolates to say thanks for the good job that you’re doing as well.
Aaron: We do love those but yeah, what I was gonna say was the drive that kind of you, guys, brought to the team and kind of taking kind of leadership–Pat was away and it was kind of taking leadership in that sense of motivating everybody and kind of being that driving for something like, “let’s go for the biggest month ever; let’s make this happen”.
Suz: Sorry about that but I think that’s the thing, too, and I know I’ve done it again for this month–sorry about that, guys. But I think there comes that with just that sort of empowerment and motivation and sort of having that energy, I guess, and just that sort of added kind of let’s do this and I know towards the end, I know I’ve never seen a sales team, I’ll be honest and I’ve worked with a few in my long sales…
Aaron: …across the journey?
Suz: Across the plateau of a plethora of different genres and everyone on that last day, I have never seen a sales team come together on the last day of the month. The last day of the month I think, we’ve got seven contracts in.
Aaron: Oh the excitement! It was palpable the excitement that was going through and everybody rushing out to the Mary Jane at the front desk to be like, “I’ve got this one, I’ve got this one, we’ve got to get it!”
John: Which day was it? Which day…
Aaron: Paul’s put out the Holy Bible and being like, “that was actually a pretty good joke”
Suz: I was like, I must admit, I got clammy palms thinking where is he’s actually going–it was brilliant and I think, you know, that just goes to show what everyone here at 4one4 is actually we’re all about just doing the best we can for our vendor and just as a family and as a team. I’ve never seen anyone cohesively work together and I think that when we’re talking about Reception, we’re talking about Directors, we’re talking about Sales Team, Property Management, Jo, I mean look… let’s just take a shout out to her. That woman is a super woman but not only that she… the amount of business she’s bringing in for this company as well day after day, so everyone here, I’ve never seen that sort of energy and palpable passion that people have to do the right thing for everyone. [Aaron agrees] And there’s not one lazy person here.
Aaron: No, very true. If you were lazy, it would really show because everybody just gets in and gets it done.
Suz: Aaron Murray, but like his work is it right. He puts a lot of people to shame and I just think that coming here, like I said three months ago, and I just… that’s why I think we really wanted to get on and talk about it. If anyone’s looking at joining a team with such a healthy culture, I know that I’ve had such a shift in my happiness and just feeling like just such a belonging to a family of people that care about you…
Aaron: That’s wonderful.
Suz: And you’re… but just my energy has changed so much that I am now. I just think I just have such a different outlook on my purpose and just feeling every day like I just want to be here.
Aaron: Oh good. That’s the classic thing of find something you love doing and it won’t feel like a day that you won’t do an update.
Suz: I’ve always loved doing that. Don’t get me wrong, but but this environment, like just coming to a place where everyone just has so much, I think too, everyone has so much care here but just like the little things of like you know having a full bowl of muesli bars and lollies and it’s all those little things that just the guys, you know, Abbey and Pat and Paul just really care about.
Laura: We’re so spoiled. [Suz agrees] When we first started, it’s really spoilt.
Suz: You know just little things like that aren’t such a big thing but to us, you know, having the coffee machine to go and make our vendors coffee and purchases and when they come in, it’s just little things that it’s really goes a long way, so hats off and we’re really loving it and and you know, if anyone is thinking about reaching out to a place that they’re really going to feel safe and loved and you know, that’s it’s…
Aaron: Yeah, 4one4 is the place! Yeah no, we’re so glad to have you on board. While you’re going through that, you’re talking about the connections that you’ve made throughout your journey here. I know a thousand people or probably more would have seen the giant sideboard that was opposite the Rosetta store…
Laura: Are you sure? [laughter]
Aaron: That thing was not being missed, but yeah you’ve made a real big splash just by… oh that sounded like the…
John: Yeah, by every race… [laughter]
Aaron: You’ve made a real big splash just by entering the 4one4 pool. We really appreciate it but I thought we could go over some of the connections that you’ve made and just like in three months time, looking at the stats that we’ve been provided with is just kind of scary to be like holy moly.
Laura: Scary?
Suz: And you, guys, have all been part of this.
Aaron: No, well. That’s what I mean as you say like, “oh more people come to 4one4”
Suz: “Please go, right now right now…”
Aaron: I’m having a baby in January. [laughter]
Laura: Yes, so I put some research together and I found that we’ve had 23 listings in three months, so from when we started which was the first of September until the last day of November, 23 listings which I think is absolutely amazing for Suz, too, to get out there and meet that many people and get them signed up.
Aaron: Just to keep that many eggs in a line is…
Laura: Phenomenal
Aaron: and a testament to both of you.
Suz: Yeah and that’s obviously, yeah in this market, sorry, pretty competitive marketplace at the moment, so yep.
Laura: And from that, we were really really lucky to achieve I think roughly 13 or 14 sales so unconditional sales in those three months as well from those listings so…
Suz: And pretty much the rest other than a couple are all under offer at the moment so we’re pretty tough with that and I think we’ve just now, like I said, we’ve got 10 that I’ve spoken to that are all pretty much ready to go to be signed up in the first week of February. Laura’s having a nice, very very overdue, and well-deserved break in January.
Laura: Not going anywhere, but yay!
John: Yeah sometimes it’s the best holiday, isn’t it?
Suz: Yeah, just to stop and chill out. She’s obviously, yeah…
Laura: It’s been 12 months since I’ve had a break so I thought a nice, big refresher going into the new year so we can come back and yeah, hit the ground running. We know that we’ve got lots coming up so it’ll be nice just to have that little bit of a break and have some down time and [Suz: Absolutely!] get your head back in the game and start again for a massive year.
Aaron: Yeah. Well yeah, like it seems to be shaping up like if we were to extrapolate your first three months here and we were to go over a whole calendar year…
Laura: Well, I think December is going to be just as impressive as the last three months as well, so we’ve launched two already this week. I’ve got another one ready to hit the button to launch this morning, another one last night. I had a photo shoot with Bassie yesterday at another new listing in Bagdad which is going to market before Christmas as well, so there’s still lots and lots happening.
Aaron: This is another interesting thing that I’ve thought of just in this little period. I’m not sure if you’ve got the stats there, you probably do. Like obviously, you guys are, you know, Bagdad proud. You’ve sold a few properties there. Everybody seems to know and love you down in your neck of the woods. But you’re not just Bagdad-specific agents.
Laura: I think there were roughly 11 different suburbs that we’ve touched on in the last…
Aaron: …in that three-month period, yeah.
Suz: And pretty much, I think we’d like to say all of them are referral base which is [Laura: Yeah, absolutely] that is just imperative to…
Laura: Thank you for all of those referrals.
Suz: Thank you and I think that just is hats off to nurturing relationships for life and not being we are so not transactional agents and and I think that’s the thing is you know, yes, it does take up a lot of time and yes, it’s a life thing for me and it’s probably why I’m still single and just have my…
John: Just put it out there. [laughter]
Suz: But you know that I just spend my life and it is a life thing for me–it’s doing you know, obviously, this job and all that comes with it. But that is just obviously, there’s those nurturing those relationships for life and that it is a whole holistic thing for us and it’s not just a, “okay, that’s done,” never speak to that person again. It’s building those and they are people that have become and I think if we can just touch on, we feel so spoiled since we’ve been here. I know like even Paul said the other day, “we’ve never seen agents get so many amazing gifts” and you know, like I guess we put a lot into it but we also… we’ve been like stunning cakes the other day and we’ve got beautiful flowers three or four times [Laura agrees] so you know…
Laura: And that’s really nice for us because it’s not every day that as an agent…
Suz: We get something [John agrees]
Laura: So the fact that our vendors are going out of their way to…
Suz: At that time when they’re stressed too, like they’re dusting you want to be…
Laura: Massive bunches of flowers and as we said, we had a vendor bring in cakes and–
Aaron: –they were delicious, by the way.
Suz: Shout out to Lenny!
John: Oh look, I think you two, the living embodiment you could say of the law of reciprocity, in that the more all you do, basically your whole means of giving, bringing in new businesses, you just give. And what happens with that is the referrals just come back to you. That’s…
Suz: And that’s from the very very start of meeting that client.
John: And the thing is, when you’ve got a business that’s 80 percent referral,
it’s like it’s a phenomenally strong business because it repeats over time where if it was to be reversed where all you got it was through hard prospecting and [Suz: cold-calling] which you have to do early on. [Suz agrees]
Suz: We did that! I did that seven years ago. We’re fortunate.
Laura: That’s probably the biggest thing when people have asked me or what’s the transition been like moving agencies and my honest answer is… [Suz: …it’s smooth] it’s been fine; it really hasn’t been any big distraction or anything out of the ordinary. We’ve just it’s just…
Suz: It’s almost been quiet.
Laura: We’re doing the exact same job with the exact same people.
Aaron: You’re letting the work do the talking. [Laura agrees]
Suz: I guess although all of those relationships that it has and it is a lot of time and effort and love. [John agrees] And it is a lot of outside hours and all of that sort of stuff but that’s just, you know, if you want to go to IGA in the afternoon and not speak to 10 people, when you’re getting your milk and bread or whatever, don’t do this job.
Aaron: Not when your sign was opposite their shop. I went into this shop and the shopkeeper, she said to me, “are those girls happy with how big their sign was?” and I was like, “I don’t know. I’m happy with it. I think they are.” [laughter]
Laura: When I stood up against it, I was bigger than myself. [laughter]
Aaron: Oh wow! Yeah…
Laura: But my arm wasn’t long enough to take a photo. [laughter]
Aaron: I love that.
Suz: Yeah, Laura was like, “I don’t think she’s really happy with that stuff” but we literally got up… [Laura: [ __ ] to the idea.]
Suz: I was walking my doggies along with my mate and I actually had a lady that I used to speak to all of like I’ve literally say hi to her–I don’t know her name but I just literally speak to her and say hi all the time and she’s like, “oh my god, I didn’t know you sell like it’s so funny you say sold houses that actually help people but sold houses.” So even that lady who she’s like, “I saw your big sign like that massive thumping sign on the main road.” So like even if people didn’t realize that that’s something we helped people with that they did now.
John: Oh look, it’s… the more times you have your face out there, [Suz agrees] people would just go, “why do I know that face?”
Suz: Yeah, exactly.
John: Why don’t I…
Suz: I don’t mind, yeah, look it helped out. It helped our vendor get an amazing price–that’s what we wanted to do anyway.
John: I understand. Well, I know when… because after that experience, Aaron wanted to do that with him and I.
Suz: Imitation.
John: Exactly what it was. Because I’ve never done… I mean Aaron’s been working with me for a long time but yeah, I’ve never been– [Laura: –in a great spot] yeah, well they’ve done like huge big branding with their face like I’ve always added humor and different elements but… Suz: Yeah, we’ve never done that either before.
John: Yeah, but it was fun because straight away, a lot of people that know me well had reached out. One of my clients and a friend, he thought that we just somehow got a space on that fence just it was, “hey, we’re still real estate,” like “no, man. We’re actually selling that house” “oh oh, it was actually for sale, boy?” [laughter]
Didn’t matter, didn’t matter.
Suz: It’s ascension. [John agrees] It’s awareness.
John: Oh exactly exactly and I think it is a fun way of doing it and people will have pros and cons against it.
Suz: Absolutely. You get the address you’re saying.
John: Generally speaking, your fans–the people that like you, like what you do, anyway, actually just enjoy it and it becomes a fun conversation. [everybody agrees]
Laura: I was impressed no one drew on our faces.
Suz: Yeah, I was waiting for some kind of…
Aaron: It’s always a fear yeah I always fear.
John: Oh actually well, the worst that I had was one at West Moonah and it was a board weather just I got those gas lighters and just burnt straight into my nose but that was like week one of the year…
Suz: Did you look like a little piggy or something?
John: Oh that was great. I thought well I could have replaced like no, I’m leaving it.
Suz: No, It’s fine.
John: It’s fine, it’s fine.
Suz: I couldn’t believe it actually, anyway. We mustn’t be too hated. [laughter]
Aaron: Well, you’re definitely not hated. I’ve been trying to find a segue to get into this review here but just yesterday, Laura passed on a review from a vendor…
Suz: Is it Jerry?
Aaron: Austins Ferry. Yeah, so this basically sums up perfectly your work ethic and everything but “Suz and Laura, the total professional package and truly has the best interest of their clients at heart. [Suz: Oh, that’s nice] We’ve used their service to both buy and sell and have always found them to give total commitment to their clients and they rule rural estate in the northern suburbs.” Which it basically as I read that, I was like that’s your blurb on the back of your biography. That’s basically [Laura: powerful] powerful stuff saying like this is who these guys are and they absolutely kick butt and it’s just been an absolute pleasure having you here for three months. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like having you here for 12 months.
Suz: We’re not going anywhere, mate, and I think look, for Laura and I, I mean obviously, we can’t see– we’re not fortune tellers, but we want this and we gave each other our word that we would have our biggest year this year. We want to hit the triple figures in listings and that will hopefully mean a million bucks in gross commission for the company.
Aaron: So, in 2021 or that’s your goal for 2022?
Suz: Oh, so you know in the next so from September [Aaron: okay] for the year. So we’re on track to do that. So, we generally right up there in the sort of 80 to 100 listings a year, so we want to do that and we want to kick some skits and be gods. The biggest thing is helping we don’t… I’m really weird. I don’t look at figures. I wouldn’t be able to tell you what we’re sitting on gross commission–I don’t care about that. And I’m a bit odd because as long as I’ve got this really weird philosophy that “you look after people and the money comes” you know for the company obviously, I’ve got to look after that’s, you know, we would look but by looking after the people and you look after everyone like that just happens by referrals and everything so, I’m a little bit weird.
Aaron: I wouldn’t say “weird”. I would say “unique” and…
Suz: Because that, to me, when you’re looking after what you know that just everything else flows on, from that a lot of other managers and I’ve been a sales manager and that kind of thing before, they’re all like, “oh KPIs and this and figures and we’ve got to crunch the numbers.” It’s like they lose. When they’re so focused on that, they just lose. All of their, you know, the whole… looking after the people…
Aaron: The holistic approach to making sure everybody’s happy.
Laura: For us, that’s not what we’re about. And whatsoever.
Suz: Yeah and it’s all about giving and I think when people realize that you are such a good value as an agent and yes you know, I’m constantly told off by, “oh you know, the marketing zinger and this and that” and we’re doing this and we always give too much and you’re spending too much money on presents and but you know, that’s me as a person and anyone that knows myself and Laura you know, me specifically, with all the things that I do, with the presents and gifting and that’s just the way I am as a person. And I think with that comes, it just breathes such you know good in the world and I think that that’s just a rare thing probably in this industry.
Aaron: Yeah well look, it’s probably a rare thing in the modern world. Like that kind of pay it forward mentality.
Suz: Yeah, I was up there, Laurawill make you laugh, we were up at our house and had to do a pre-settlement inspection and then another one and I’m on the vacuum cleaner cleaning and it’s just what we do. I know work where John comes out a little bit now and again and it’s I think the thing is here I know especially with 4one4, you do what we have to do and it’s not always a glamorous job and we just do what we have to do to help our clients get across the line. So now, we’re in for… I don’t probably have to wrap things up there.
Aaron: I was going for the wrap-up before [laughter] but that’s fine, we can keep talking. It’s all good.
Laura: Can I say one thing?
Aaron: Yeah, jump on in.
Laura: I don’t know if you have seen the box next to my desk yet…
Aaron: No, that used to be my desk. It gives me too many nightmares to head back that way.
Laura: Well, on my first Property Pod, we spoke about memory books.
Aaron: Yes, we did. I do remember.
Laura: Sorry, my lovely idea has now been…
Aaron: It’s come together into fruition?
Laura: I have the books.
Aaron: Did you end up getting the bookmaker machine?
Laura: Yes, I did get the bookmaker machine as well.
John: Who bought the machine? I used to just get them printed. |
Laura: Yeah, we have the whole thing. We’ve got the machine here, we have… I haven’t made them yet, I’m just waiting for Patrick “please respond to my email very very soon if you can” just where we can actually set up a station so everyone in the office can use the machine and start making the books so we had the design made up. The books are all printed now so on my desk, I want you to come and show you.
Aaron: Yeah, I’d love to have a look at it.
Laura: So that is all done now.
Aaron: That’s so exciting, I was only going to ask you about that.
Suz: It’s a beautiful thing. It went really well for us. We were doing it pretty much every time. Look obviously, there’s your home that doesn’t… it just doesn’t suit but it’s in… [Aaron agrees] It’s a beautiful thing.
Aaron: Oh, that’s really cool. Yeah, we’ll watch this space. We’ll do a bit of marketing around that as well and just kind of let people know just I’m so excited! I was going to ask you about this.
Laura: Yes, very very excited.
Aaron: Oh yeah, this is really cool. Yes, we do need to wrap up but yes, we could talk for hours; we could go for a long episode another time. Let’s try in three more months. We’ll see what we’re sitting at. [laughter]
Suz: Let’s talk for 6 months and then we’ll do it annually.
Laura: We’ll be back.
Suz: Thanks, guys!
Aaron: Awesome! [Suz: Thanks for having us!] [Laura: Bye!] Thank you for listening and thank you for being here and thank you for joining the 4one4 family.
Suz: Thank you!
Laura: Thank you! Bye!
Aaron: Awesome! See you!
[extro & disclaimer]
You have been listening to The Property Pod, recorded and edited by 4one4 Media House in conjunction with 4one4 Property Co. This podcast is general information only and the thoughts and views expressed are the opinion of our panel and listeners should always seek to use their own investigation into any topic we discussed to ensure they fully understand their own situation. It does not constitute and should not be relied on as purchasing, selling, financial, or investment advice or recommendations, expressed or implied, and it should not be used as an invitation to take up any agent or investment services. No investment decision or activity should be undertaken on the basis of this information without first seeking qualified and professional advice.
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