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7 Tips for Masterful Negotiation Part 1–Florida Real Estate School
7 Tips for Masterful Negotiation Part 1
Think confidence, machismo, and stamina are the keys to winning a negotiation? Then your bargaining skills need a reboot. Over the past decade, a growing field of literature on the subject has come to the conclusion that checking your ego at the boardroom door is a must. Compromise and kindness are the new rules of negotiation. How does this gentler approach work? We’ve compiled a short list of pointers to get you started.
- Listen Before you Speak.
There will always be time to open your mouth later, but tap your patience to find out what the other side is thinking first. Then you have extra leverage to tailor your points to fit both sides’ goals, writes Norm Brodsky. When Mike Baicher came to see Brodsky for advice about negotiating a loan, Brodsky told him a story with a familiar moral: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Or, in his particular case, one man’s misery is another man’s idea of humor. So, when entering a negotiation, don’t make any assumptions about what’s in the other party’s mind – just enter the situation with an open mind and plenty of questions.
Don’t follow the cable news theory of negotiation; just because you talk over someone doesn’t make you right.
- Embrace Your Fear.
The late Bob Woolf, a prominent sports and entertainment attorney and author of It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask, was quick to say that 95 percent of the folks you’ll ever negotiate with feel just as nervous and, yes, as scared as you do. For that reason, he believes that kindness is a key competitive advantage when it comes to negotiations. Find his theory that “nice guys finish first” at the negotiating table hard to believe? Well, his track record of using a combination of professionalism, ethics, and manners speaks volumes—he successfully represented Julius Irving, Larry Byrd, Carl Yastrzemski, and Thurman Munson in contract negotiations.
- Avoid Storytelling.
In a negotiation, “the important thing is for you to be completely truthful about your situation,” veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky has said. This is especially true when it comes to negotiating a loan or another financial arrangement. You don’t want to win a particular negotiation at the expense of your credibility. The more forthright you are with the other party, the more likely you are to arrive at a satisfactory outcome. “When you’re negotiating about money you owe, don’t make up stories,” Brodsky says. “Just tell the truth.” Read more.
- Study Up.
Remember, the more knowledge you have of a situation before going to the negotiating table, the better off you will be. There are many reasons preparing yourself with the best research will be to your advantage, but one lesser-known perk comes from psychological studies. It’s called the “consistency principle,” which refers to a person’s intrinsic need to appear reasonable. That means your counterpart will likely abide by certain standards, and defer to your authority if you are able to demonstrate that you absolutely know what you are talking about. With greater knowledge, you will be able to set the parameters of the discussion in your favor. Read more.
Check back next time for part 2.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
1400 Colonial Blvd. Suite 44
Fort Myers, FL 33907
239-344-7510
What Sellers Want From Agents Part 1 (VIDEO)
Owners want to know what’s happening with their listing. Therefore, sellers want their agent to creatively market the property, pay attention to detail, and provide excellent customer support as part of their services.
The reason most often cited by owners who were unhappy with the listing agent is not the failure of the agent to secure a buyer; it’s failure of the agent to communicate with them after the listing is signed.
- Sellers want you to add value by providing much more than the sellers could do on their own.
If they could have found that extra value on their own then what do they need you for?
- Sellers want you to look at the entire situation and give good advice.
It’s difficult for sellers to be objective about their own property. Emotional attachment, nostalgia, and good memories cloud their ability to accurately assess their home’s value. That’s why you need to be the voice of reason and wisdom for the seller.
- Sellers want you to remember who the customer is and respond to their needs.
Always remember that your relationship with the seller is a mutually beneficial one, and you should remember your role as well as your client’s. This relationship will sometimes require you to swallow your pride.
Okay, you gotta have a cut-off point though.
- Sellers want to be treated like partners—keep in touch and update them at least once a week.
There’s nothing more frustrating for a seller than to be left in the dark. Keep them in the loop even if there’s nothing to report. This lets your client know that you care about them and their needs.
- Sellers want to see a nice brochure—accurate, detailed, and professional.
A nice brochure shows that you’ve done your homework on the property and that you’re prepared to present their listing to potential buyers in the most professional way possible.
Keep in mind this list of seller desires so you don’t make the same mistake as many agents before you. Check back next time for part 2.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Road #12
34105
239-344-7510
Time is Running Out! Renew Your Florida Real Estate License by Sept. 30th!
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
1400 Colonial Blvd. Suite 44
Fort Myers, FL 33907
239-344-7510
How to Sell Health Insurance to Small Businesses Part 2
How to sell health insurance to small businesses Part 2
Small and medium sized businesses account for more than half of new job creation in the US. Therefore, they offer a great prospecting opportunity for health insurance professionals.
Check out these 10 tips for selling health insurance to small businesses.
6. Empathize
Get an understanding of what motivates your potential client. What are their goals and challenges? What is their budget?
The first question you ask never really gets to the heart of the matter. Follow up with two or three more questions to get to their real pain and needs as a business.
7. Build Genuine Relationships
The key in this tip is the word “genuine,” as in not forcing the issue. Get some knowledge on the prospect’s background (perhaps even take notes to keep for future reference) and ask them a ton of questions.
8. Do More Listening than Talking
We all know you’re a good talker (or at least you should be). Why else would you become a health insurance sales professional? But resist the urge to talk too much about yourself and the products you’re selling. For a start, there’s a chance that you may be providing a solution to a problem that this prospect doesn’t have. Second, you might come across as arrogant. Remember to give a little and give a little in the conversation. If you notice yourself talking too much, divert the attention back to your prospect.
9. Don’t Plan Conversations (Too Much)
It’s good to have an idea of where you want a conversation with a prospect to go, otherwise things may get off course and you will spend more time than necessary with a potential client. But it’s also important that you don’t sound too scripted or over prepared when it comes to talking points in the conversation.
Overly scripted sales pitches and conversations make you sound robotic and they make your potential clients uncomfortable. Learn to think on your feet, get a vibe for the person on the other side of the table, and have fun. This may take some practice if you’re not already skilled in this area, but your conversation skills can always be improved.
10. Find a Mentor
Whether you’ve been a health insurance sales professional for 20 years or 1, we can all improve. Ask one of your colleagues to shadow you on a sales call and get feedback frequently. Ask them how they deal with some of the common problems you encounter. Odds are they’ve had to deal with the same problems as well.
If you’re a one-person operation, then try to network with other health insurance professionals at conferences and different professional events in the area.
Follow these tips and you’ll be more likely to get those small business clients in no time.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Rd. #12
Naples, FL 34105
239-344-7510
How to Sell Health Insurance to Small Businesses Part 1
How to sell health insurance to small businesses
Small and medium sized businesses account for more than half of new job creation in the US. Therefore, they offer a great prospecting opportunity for health insurance professionals.
Check out these 10 tips for selling health insurance to small businesses.
1. Take Your Time
Part of the selling process includes educating your potential clients on what their potential health insurance solutions might be. Likewise, you need to qualify your prospect. If you skip these integral steps in search of a quick sale, then you may lose a deal. And remember: larger companies may require more time for the purchasing process. Utilize their more complex decision-making process as an opportunity to spend more time building a relationship with your client.
2. Focus on Best Leads
When you first meet a potential prospect (or even when you make a cold call) be sure to have a set of questions to ask that let you know whether or not your time will be well spent trying to get their business. Recognize who your most qualified leads are and be sure to give them your expert care.
3. Be Goal Oriented
It might be helpful to think of selling health insurance as a series of offers and agreements. It might start with the prospect agreeing to speak on the phone, then the prospect agrees to meet in person, then the prospect agrees to hear the sales pitch–all the way until the prospect becomes a client by agreeing to buy a health insurance policy from you.
At each potential agreement point, know your desired outcome and know what the next step is. Be sure to communicate these next steps clearly with your prospect.
4. Saying “Yes” Should Make Sense
Selling is not always a logical line of cause and effect; buying and selling is an emotional process. Spend time cultivating a relationship with your potential client and saying yes will make sense for them from both a logical standpoint and an emotional one.
5. Be Okay With Hearing “No”
Some salespeople dread the word no. But as you gain more experience as a health insurance sales professional, hearing no will be part of the process. It’s a good thing. A yes means you made the sale, but a no simply means that the prospect is not qualified and you are able to clear them from your prospects list. Do ask for feedback as to why they said no but don’t be pushy: simply try to gather information that may help you in future sales situations.
Follow these tips and you’ll be more likely to get those small business clients in no time.
Check back next time for part 2!
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Rd. #12
Naples, FL 34105
239-344-7510
How to Use Videos in Real Estate Marketing–LarsonEd
How to Use Videos in Real Estate Marketing
People like videos. While the average Internet user spends 48 seconds on a website, the same user spends close to 6 minutes on a website that has a video. If your real estate website and individual property websites include video, your visitors are likely to stay longer. What do videos help you do for your real estate listings?
- Build relationships
Video helps develop familiarity and approachability. If someone can see what you look like, know how you interact, and get a sense of your personality it can put you in control of the first impression you have on them.
- Stay top of mind
Having relevant video content, like home improvement or maintenance tips, can help you stay top of mind with your clients even after they buy a home.
Only do the home improvement thing if you know what you’re doing.
- Be easy to find
When homebuyers are searching for properties one of the first places they go is online. Having searchable videos will help you and your listings findable. Videos are more likely to generate a first page Google ranking. A video on the first page is more likely to be clicked over other content. To market a listing, use the address as the URL and in the video description.
- Grab and keep your prospects’ attention
A visitor to a website with videos will typically stay 6 times longer than sites with no videos. However, videos should be no more than 2 minutes in length.
- Be viewed as the local expert
Delivering relevant videos to your current, past, and future clients is a great way to separate yourself from your competitors. If the videos you have are truly helpful, they will increase repeat visits to your site, blog, or social network.
Using professional-looking videos will help improve your search listings and the way potential buyers view your brand.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Brad Larson
Larson Educational Services
1400 Colonial Blvd. Suite 44
Fort Myers, FL 33907
239-344-7510
An Old Photo from the Archives–LarsonEd
About Larson Educational Services:
No, we are not a law firm. Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Rd. #12,
Naples, Florida
34105
(239) 344-7510
How to Get Florida Health and Life Insurance Licenses
To sell annuity contracts, variable contracts, health insurance or life insurance in Florida, a person must have a license from the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Before obtaining a license, a person is required to attend a pre-licensing course, pass the state exam and submit an application.
The 3 types of Florida Life and Health Insurance licenses
- 2-15 Florida Health & Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License
- 2-14 Florida Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License
- 2-40 Florida Health Agent License
Applicants for one of the above licenses must:
- be a resident of Florida
- be at least 18 years old
- have a Social Security Number
Note: if you do not have an SSN, go to the following page to view the IRS taxpayer identification information: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Taxpayer-Identification-Numbers-TIN#
We’ve created an easy-to-follow 5-step guide to help you navigate the Florida Life and Health Insurance licensing process.
A Step-By-Step Guide
1. Attend class
60 Hour Health and Life (Including Annuities and Variable Contracts) Agent Pre-Licensing Course – $339 tuition includes a 1-year enrollment term in the classroom course.
Click below to view more information including our course dates and times:
Larson Educational Services is a Florida approved Insurance School (License #370501). All applicants must complete the required education and pass the end-of-course final exam with a score of 70% or better. Your Course Completion Certificate is valid for four (4) years from the date of issuance.
Currently, Larson Educational Services is approved to teach the following insurance course(s):
- 60 Hour Florida Health & Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License Course – Course ID #96045
- 40 Hour Florida Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License Course – COMING SOON!
- 40 Hour Florida Agent License Course – COMING SOON!
Larson Educational Services is required to submit proof of your course completion to the Department of Financial Services Bureau of Licensing within 20 days of your course exam pass date. We guarantee we will do this in no more than 7 days.
Step 2. Pass the State License Exam – $42
You can schedule your Florida insurance exam at any time. Completion of the pre-licensing course is NOT required in order to schedule the test.
Our recommendation is to take the state exam 5-10 days AFTER you’ve completed your course. Scheduling can be completed by calling 1.888.274.2020 or visiting PearsonVUE.com. The state exam fee is $42 for each attempt.
State exam regulations:
- Regardless of which exam you take, a 70% score is required to pass.
- A passing score is valid for one (1) year from the passing date.
- You will be required to re-take the exam if you do not complete the licensing process within that time-frame.
- You are limited to five (5) examination attempts during a one (1) year period.
Each exam contains 15 “pretest” questions that do not affect your final score. “Pretest” questions are distributed throughout the exam randomly. Most likely these questions will look very different from the course materials and practice questions covered in our class because we have no knowledge of the content of these “pretest” questions.
Exam Type and Code Number of Questions Time Limit (use the code listed in the table below when scheduling by phone or online. View more detailed State Exam Information):
Step 3. Register for Electronic Fingerprinting – $48.55
Florida requires electronic fingerprints be taken in order to run a criminal background check. To make a reservation with MorphoTrust, click the link below or call 800.528.1358. Insurance license fingerprint records are good for 1 year.
Cost of fingerprinting is $48.55. The results of your criminal history check will be submitted electronically to the Florida Department of Financial Services.
If you are asked for the “ORI” number at any time during the fingerprint process, use “FL921060Z”. This is how the fingerprinting company knows your fingerprints are for Florida Insurance Agent licensing.
Southwest Florida has two Insurance License fingerprinting locations:
Fort Myers: Fingerprint Services – 8192 College Pkwy, Suite A-27
Naples: Asares Advanced Fingerprint Solutions – 11725 Collier Blvd, Suite E-2
Step 4: State Application – $55
*The application can not be submitted until the pre-licensing education has been completed from Step 1.*
Submit a license application to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS). On the application you will share information about yourself and include a fee of $55 payable to the DFS.
Click the icon below to access the MyProfile page managed by the DFS Bureau of Licensing. Either login to an existing account or click on “Create Account.”
When creating an account for the first time, you will select “Individual” as your account type. The license type is one of the following:
- 2-15 Health & Life
- 2-14 Life
- 2-40 Health
Step 5: Print your License
After all the steps above have been completed, the DFS Bureau of Licensing will send your license approval by email. You can print your license from your MyProfile page.
The total cost to obtain your Florida Insurance License:
- 2-15 Health & Life Insurance License is $145.55 plus course tuition
- 2-14 Life Only Insurance License is $145.55 plus course tuition
- 2-40 Health Only Insurance License is $145.55 plus course tuition
Contact us today with any questions
Call (239) 344-7510 or submit an email for more information: https://www.larsoned.com/contact/
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Rd. #12,
Naples, Florida
34105
(239) 344-7510
5 Tips: How to Pass the Florida Real Estate Exam
5 Tips: How to Pass the Florida Real Estate Exam
1. Take your time
You have three and a half hours to answer the questions, which means there is no need to rush.
Just take a deep breath and trust your preparation.
2. Read all the darn questions…2 times
It’s too easy to skip over key words in the question. Our brain has this nasty habit of filling in the blanks of sentences when we haven’t even seen every word.
Give yourself a chance of getting the questions right by reading them each 2 times.
3. Read all the darn answers…2 times
Before choosing an answer, even if you are 100% positive it’s right, read through all the choices.
It may be that you have prematurely selected a response that is correct, but there could be another answer that is more correct.
If you fail to read through all the answers there’s a chance you may mark the wrong one.
4. Longer is better
If you come to a question that has you completely stumped, usually the longest choice is the most likely to be correct.
This is not a hard rule of thumb, but rather an indicator to go off of when you don’t have any idea what the answer could be.
5. Treat each multiple choice question as 4 true-false questions
Each multiple choice question will have 4 answers, each of which you should regard as a true-false question.
This will help you ensure that you aren’t missing any details when responding to each question.
In order to learn the information necessary to pass the state exam, you need access to hundreds of sample questions, immediate feedback, and explanations covering the content you’ll see on test day.
That’s exactly what you’ll get with LarsonEd’s Real Estate Exam Tutor, available here for $69.
We also offer a Broker Exam Tutor, which you can purchase here for $89.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Larson Educational Services
13040 Livingston Rd. #12,
Naples, Florida
34105
(239) 344-7510
Naples Real Estate School 