Creating a website for your real estate business is a necessity. Potential customers expect you to have an online presence and if you don’t you may as well not even exist. These customers are looking to research you, your business, and how you can solve their current challenge. A website is always open and available and gives a potential lead the power to raise their hand when they are ready for more information. Savvy real estate investors know they need to optimize a website to deliver new leads. However, many real estate investors don’t know how to optimize their site and end up making key mistakes that hurt their ability to attract leads, according to Todd Heitner.    Todd runs Apartment Investor Pro, a company that provides website development services for real estate investors. Todd realized many investors were faced with spending thousands on custom sites or spending weeks, if not months, trying to design a site that drove new leads. Many of these sites are not optimized for lead generation or SEO, making it harder to attract new leads. Todd created Apartment Investor Pro to help multifamily investors streamline their website with the basic tools they need for a simple, yet effective website that could be up in days, not months.   In this episode, Todd shares how to make your real estate website effective, the best practices to capture leads from your website, hosting platform recommendations, and the biggest mistakes people make when building their websites.  Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event Key Takeaways to Optimize a Website for Real Estate Investors   How Todd helps real estate investors with their websites   Why your website is a critical component to your business success    People expect a business to have a website, and when you don’t, it hurts your credibility   How to make your REI website effective   An easy way to capture contact information from your website visitors   Examples of effective lead magnets    The steps involved in the process of building out your website, figuring out who your audience is and creating a lead generation aspect   What to look for in finding the right web hosting platform   Working with WordPress vs. other web hosting platforms    WordPress is more powerful, as you will eventually run into roadblocks and design issues with the other systems.    The challenges of working with Wix, and Squarespace    The timeline to building a website when hiring someone to do it for you   Best practices for investors and business owners on how to engage with the leads captured by their website    The biggest mistakes people make when building their website Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: A competitor offered the same services with a higher price point, and paired up with everyone. This mistake cost us millions, but I learned what not to do from the experience.    Digital Resource: Toby (Extension for Google Chrome Browser for better bookmarking)    Most Recommended Book: Ten Lessons to Transform Your Marriage (John M. Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman, Joan DeClaire)   Daily Habit: Having a morning routine of exercise, journaling and affirmations    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: A more realistic expectation of how much work it is to run a business   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Huntington, PA Boxers   Rohnark, VA The Jerk House    Contact Todd: Apartment Investor Pro  

Target Market Insights: Multifamily + Marketing

Ep. 228: How to Optimize A Website for Real Estate Investors with Todd Heitner

Over a 20 year investing career, Mike Morawski has scaled a multifamily portfolio across Alabama, Texas, and Ohio. He started off as an agent, before transitioning to real estate syndication. The biggest adjustment Mike had to make was locking in on his investment criteria and raising private equity from investors. Initially, Mike took a less conventional path to find private investors. He attended real estate seminars and paid a premium for a sponsorship booth.    Mike also credits his education and mentors as a major key to his success in multifamily syndication. He created My Core Intentions to help educate and mentor other investors looking to grow their own portfolios. In addition, Mike is hosting the first Multifamily Global Summit, a virtual apartment investing event.   In this episode, Mike shares how he made the transition into real estate investing, tips for market selection, raising private equity, and the difference between a mentor and a coach.      Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Takeaways   Switching from owning a general contracting business to real estate investing Lessons learned from transitioning from real estate agent to syndication   Success leaves clues and if you follow and model successful people you will become successful   Starting out raising private equity How to expand into other markets due to price point   There's no difference between closing an 11 unit deal vs. closing a 150 unit deal   How a small unit deal is no different than a larger unit deal The ramifications of not doing your due diligence on a deal  System and strategy tips to scale your business The smart money is in Northern Alabama (Huntsville, Alabama market) other good markets include Dallas, TX, and Ohio Valley The criteria you should analyze to choose a good real estate market for investing How to use Building & Economic Departments to see the future of the city for smart investing decisions A proven strategy for raising equity   When you truly come from a place of character, empathy, and integrity, that’s when organic growth happens   How having a booth at The Donald Trump Real Estate Seminar enabled profitable networking connections What to expect from the Multifamily Global Summit (October 15-17, 2020). It’s about education and exposure How and why Mike started a coaching business    My business increased 20% year after year as a direct result of personalized coaching    The differences between coaching, mentoring, and consulting Tips on how to start your own coaching or mentoring business   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Resources: CityFeet (commercial real estate research) CityData (market research) REIS (commercial real estate data)   Apparent Failure: On his first deal, he didn’t do enough research and due diligence which taught him what not to do on his next deal.   Digital Resource: Buildium (multifamily property management software) Appfolio (multifamily property management software)   Most Recommended Book: The Millionaire Real Estate Investor (Gary Keller)  How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)    Mike Morawski Book (Coming out late September 2020) Exit Plan    Daily Habit: Prayer in the morning.   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: The power of influence and relationships    Best Place to Grab a Bite in Chicago, IL Tufano’s    Contact Mike: My Core Intentions Mike@mycoreintentions.com (Email for a FREE 60-Minute Coaching Session!)  Multifamily Global Summit (October 15-17, 2020)

Ep. 228: Real Estate Syndication Strategies with Mike Morawski

Video marketing is a powerful tool to connect with new leads and convert clients. In 2019, users spent a weekly average of six hours and 48 minutes watching online videos. And this number can only be expected to increase in 2020. Social media videos have steadily gained popularity, evidenced by the rise of Tik Tok and the launch of Instagram Reels.   YouTube and Facebook are the social media kings of video content and video marketing, but Chris Weiher prefers LinkedIn. Chris is the owner of Cleaver Creative, a video production firm that helps brands turn viewers into buyers. Chris’s video edit company was being driven by word of mouth, but he knew he needed to start marketing to attract new business. He was familiar with the power of video and realized it’s true strength when he used video marketing for LinkedIn.     “There are so many professionals who are there with a purpose to build their business, find a new job or network with other professionals,” says Chris. In addition, LinkedIn still delivers strong organic engagement. LinkedIn videos are a great way to market your business to a targeted audience.   In this episode with Chris, we discuss the importance of video marketing, leveraging video for social media, how to create the content your audience really wants, and how to avoid the 5 biggest mistakes people make using video marketing.   Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event Key Takeaways  Helping business owners with videos for LinkedIn Why LinkedIn marketing works better than other social media platforms. Creating engaging video content that viewers want and need For ideas on video content, write down 10 frequently asked questions from your customers/clients   The impact of answering your businesses FAQ (frequently asked questions) using video Key points to analyze to determine if you will benefit from using video marketing Tips on how to get started in creating videos (#1 Tip: Be authentic!)  The different types of videos you can market (it doesn’t have to be all you!)  Debunking the myth that you need 10,000 followers to market successfully on social media How to use YouTube and Facebook to effectively market your video content   YouTube works well for ‘how-to’ videos. LinkedIn and Facebook shine with shareable videos.   Tips on how to market your business on LinkedIn  The right way to build your network on LinkedIn (don’t start with your pitch!)  Why providing value to your target audience is the strongest marketing tool you have in your toolbox The 5 biggest mistakes people make when leveraging video for their business   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Resources: 5 Biggest Mistakes I See in LinkedIn Videos   Apparent Failure: Getting laid off from my video production job was the single best thing that happened to me as I love being in business for myself.    Digital Resource: Trello (Team collaboration software)   Most Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Work Week   Daily Habit: Using time tracking software   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: It’s easy to be positive when things are going well   Current Curiosity: Doing more A/B testing for Facebook ads   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Chicago, IL Pizza Art Cafe    Contact Chris: LinkedIn

Ep. 227: Video Marketing for Social Media with Chris Weiher

Developing a successful multifamily investing company starts with education and surrounding yourself with the right people. Buying and managing apartments is at the core of any integrated multifamily business, from there it can be expanded into complementary endeavors. Devin Elder understands this as much as anyone. Devin was a guest back on Episode 60, where he shared insights and key metrics for investing in the San Antonio market. Devin is the managing partner of DJE Texas Management Group.    Since we last spoke to Devin, he has elevated his portfolio, developed his own in-house management company, created his own podcast, and launched an apartment investing coaching business. His decision-making process to add these endeavors centered around solving pain points. The property management company was a desire to be more profitable and retain more control over his properties. The podcast allows him to connect with and learn from other investors and expand his perspective. The coaching program allows him to help individuals in a structured method beyond a coffee chat.     With all of these initiatives, Devin has created an integrated apartment investing company with complementary divisions. These business arms allow him to help more people, continue growing his business and still explore new opportunities. During our chat, Devin goes into more detail on building a complementary business, an update on the San Antonio market, and why he started investing in raw land - and buying pet zebras.    Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Takeaways   From corporate America burnout to SFR to flipping and finally to multifamily investing San Antonio Texas Market: The 7th largest metro in the country.  Vertically integrated: Private equity company running the investments as well as the operations company running the day-to-day operations The pros and cons of working with third-party property management companies   I make decisions based on a pain point that needs to be solved   The key questions to ask before starting and running a property management company (it’s about time and money) How Devin and team grew their business quickly  The unexpected benefits of producing a podcast    Doing a podcast, you get to learn so much through awesome conversations, with different viewpoints, with successful people around the world.    What to evaluate if you’re thinking of starting a podcast Apartment Educators: How to set up a system to effortlessly run a coaching business to help others as an additional source of revenue  The different levels of fulfillment one receives from guiding and educating others as a coach and/or mentor How to vet a coaching student, enabling a win-win situation    If you have a student who is intelligent and motivated, but all they are missing is some guidance, it’s a lot of fun and super rewarding to work with those people and see them move their career forward    How to weed out those coaching students that will not benefit from your services The multifamily opportunities in the San Antonio, Texas market and how to take advantage of them   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Invested $100K hard earnest money on a deal that he had to walk away from because of COVID, but that set him up to be ruthless about their expenses   Digital Resource: Slack (chat messaging)   Most Recommended Book: The Millionaire Real Estate Investor (Gary Keller)   Daily Habit: I write my thoughts down every day to clear my mind for the day.    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: It’s all going to be alright   Current Curiosity: Rural land business    Contact Devin: DJE Texas Management Group  The DJE Podcast Apartment Education Coaching  

Ep. 226: Creating an Integrated Multifamily Business with Devin Elder

Are you lost when it comes to marketing your business effectively? The first step to developing an effective marketing plan is to understand the business you are actually in. You may sell real estate or t-shirts, but your business is actually marketing. We spoke to Cody Butler, who is the author of the 90-Day Marketing Plan to understand how non-marketers can develop and implement a strategy to grow their business.   Most people just start marketing their products or services but don’t invest the time to develop a clear strategy. A clear marketing plan helps to provide a blueprint to help you identify who you help and what they need from you. Understanding this need allows you to develop powerful content and messaging that converts prospects into customers. Ask yourself, how can I provide instant gratification to my audience?   The next step is to develop the “tip of the spear” as Cody defines it. This is a product or lead magnet that allows you to attract the ideal customer for your business. While you may have multiple products or offerings, there should be one that you focus on to bring leads into your database. The messaging around this piece should combine the pleasure of what they want and avoids the pain of what they don’t want.    In this episode, we discuss developing a 90-day marketing plan, understanding your ideal investor, tips to ignite an audience, and creating powerful messaging. Partner: Get More Leads with Ardor SEO   Key Insights to Create a 90-Day Marketing Plan   The beginning steps to developing an effective marketing plan.  If you’re in business, you’re in the business of marketing  How to approach marketing your business without becoming a full-time marketer Know what you want your visitors to do on your website with a clear call to action  The 90-Day Marketing Plan structure and example  Identifying the one thing you want to be known for (what is your brand?) What is the gateway drug for your business? Using content marketing to build awareness while branding your business  What is the highest valued product or service you can offer that provides instant gratification?  Understanding that urgent need marketing / quick win marketing is not a viable strategy If you have a network of 500 subscribers, you’re sitting on a little gold mine Staying top of mind with your current and potential clients Tips on how to engage your network on a consistent basis  Key steps to developing a 90-Day Marketing Plan  How to identify what your potential clients want Your winning message includes what pleasure your product provides and what pain it relieves    Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Bankruptcy: It gave me the skills and resilience to survive in a tough environment    Digital Resource: Learn Facebook Ads   Most Recommended Book: Tested Advertising Methods (John Caples)    Daily Habit: Writing down on paper my goals for the day    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: I’m not as smart as I thought I was.   Current Curiosity: What is the key to enlightenment?   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Sydney, Australia The Boathouse at Palm Beach   Contact Cody: Cody Butler  The 90-Day Marketing Plan  

Ep. 225: How to Create an Effective 90-Day Marketing Plan with Cody Butler

What’s the difference between a hotel and a resort? In hospitality, these two types of lodging choices have many similarities, but the main difference is the experience that guests expect when they stay at a resort. A hotel can be luxurious, but ultimately, guests are seeking a nice hotel room with amenities like a gym or a restaurant. A resort on the other hand is about the experience first. These are special vacations and planned well in advance for relaxation, excursions, and major life events. At a hotel, you may only interact with the check-in desk, but at a resort, you will interact with numerous employees throughout your stay.    Josh McCallen has been able to create world-class resort experiences by focusing on creating a culture of service and care. And as an investor in the hospitality sector, Josh knows that there are differences when investing in hotels and resorts as well. Differences that make resorts a compelling investment vehicle, even in a sector being crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic.     Josh is a renowned entrepreneur who partners with investors for hospitality developments. He is the co-founder of Accountable Equity and CEO of VIVÂMEE Hospitality. They focus on value-add hospitality development, turning hotels, and dated resorts into world-class experiences. In this episode, Josh shares how he started investing in hospitality, why he loves investing in resorts, and how he and his wife created a culture of service. Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Insights on Investing in Hotels, Resorts and Culture  How and why Josh started investing in resorts.  Transitioning life experiences into the world of land development.  "I didn’t come with an engineering background, I came from an ‘I care’ background."  Coming out of the recession with larger muscles, from selling, leadership, and making prudent choices. Creating a new business model of flipping dumpy hotels into experiences  "You can get exponentially more value from a real estate deal if you focus on service. " Investing in hospitality and the difference between a resort and a hotel. (Resorts have multiple revenue streams)  In commercial real estate, if you change the profit, you immediately change the value of the building The secret revenue generators of resorts  Generating revenue from creating unforgettable experiences  Share your core values with your potential employees, as you will attract the right people  Building a strong team based on your core values Implementing principles into your business (The Culture Meeting) Coaching employees to reach their full potential  Living by your ‘why’ Why this is the time to buy resorts and hospitality assets "Be greedy when they’re fearful" -Warren Buffet    Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: A failed franchise produced the epiphany of “What if this is only  the middle of the movie?”    Digital Resource: The Knot  Instagram    Most Recommended Book: The Greatest Salesman in the World (Og Mandino)   Daily Habit: Weak at daily habits, using Miracle Morning to do better.    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Focus on the ‘we’ and share the accolades   Current Curiosity: The effect of stimulus dollars on real assets    Best Place to Grab a Bite in Philadelphia, PA Pat’s Cheesesteaks    Contact Josh: Accountable Equity   

Ep 224: Investing in Hotels, Resorts, and Culture with Josh McCallen

Generating leads online has become increasingly important with in-person events, all but shelved during COVID. For multifamily investors and business owners, social media is a great outlet for attracting investors. And while most people turn to Facebook, another platform might be even more powerful for raising capital. Yakov Smart says LinkedIn is the platform real estate investors should leverage to attract investors.    LinkedIn is designed for professionals seeking connections and makes it easy to identify potential prospects. It is a powerful tool that still has strong organic reach, meaning your content can be seen by many of your connections. And you can leverage the search functionality to identify ideal investors - such as doctors or private equity groups. And unlike other platforms, you don’t have to build a massive following or post multiple times per day to consistently generate leads.    Yakov Smart is an expert at using LinkedIn to raise capital and attract investors and authored the book, Disrupting LinkedIn. In this episode, Yakov shares how to use LinkedIn to identify and connect with high-networth investors. In addition, he highlights how to engage on the platform without creating content, key insights on LinkedIn’s algorithm, and how to optimize your profile to attract clients.  Partner: Get More Leads with Ardor SEO   Key Insights for Attracting Investors on LinkedIn Lead generation opportunities in virtual digital media (webinars, on-demand training, etc)  Why reaching high net worth investors online is getting easier   The people who are going to win in this virtual age are those who are proponents of educating people first   Best practices in creating content and how to market it on different digital channels You can generate leads on LinkedIn without posting anything  The three biggest marketing issues real estate investors face and solutions on how to avoid them Understanding the levels of Investor Attraction DNA (Knowing who you are, understanding your ideal investor, merging them together with other key online ingredients)   Not everyone should be making their own unique content, you can be a creator or a syndicator.    The 3x3x3 social media content strategy for those who have trouble creating content  Unlocking the combination of how to market and engage the investors you want to attract  Understanding what marketing tactic is best for your business based on your expertise The importance of, and how to create, your ideal investor avatar Understanding the LinkedIn system and how to work it to your advantage in generating leads   LinkedIn is the most underutilized, best, and most scalable lead source for attracting high net worth, high-quality investors   Building hyper-targeted list of high net worth investors on LinkedIn Your LinkedIn profile must be optimized to appeal to your chosen audience (It’s the first thing people see when they Google your name!)  Strategies for accelerating trust based on your messaging on LinkedIn  How to enroll more investors with the perfect response to their inquiries  The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make on their LinkedIn profiles   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Earlier this year in Australia speaking at a live seminar, he realized live events were not aligned to him and then COVID hit, and it set him up to dial in on his online systems.    Digital Resource: Zub Title (video transcription service)   Most Recommended Book: Psycho-Cybernetics (Maxwell Maltz) Hustle Harder, Hustler Smarter (Curtis Jackson aka 50 Cent)   Daily Habit: Meditation   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Simple works better   Current Curiosity: Marketing and behavior    Best Place to Grab a Bite in Scottsdale, AZ Ocean Prime   Contact Yakov: LinkedIn Raise More Capital with LinkedIn Leads (Free Online Training)  

Ep. 223: Attracting Investors on LinkedIn with Yakov Smart

Many commercial real estate brokers (and educators) will sell you on the ability to just hire a third-party property management company once you buy an apartment community. However, it’s not quite as easy as hiring a PM and profiting. Property managers are valuable partners whose day-to-day responsibilities include screening tenants and fulfilling maintenance requests. However, they may not be equipped for asset management, where the real profits are made. So what exactly is the difference between property management and asset management?   The two go hand in hand, but the roles and objectives are different. Property management focuses on the resident's needs and physical structure, while asset management focuses on the financial performance of the property. Good property managers optimize rent collection, streamline maintenance requests, and proactively manage risks. Good asset managers monitor expenses and discern between increasing the property’s value and investing in necessary expenses. In this regard, asset managers are involved in strategy and execution, while property managers may only be involved in execution.    Whitney Ward realized that many commercial multifamily brokers have no vested interest after a deal is sold and wanted to create a full-service solution for investors to take them from acquisition to disposition. Whitney is the Founder and Principal Broker for Intuitive Management Partners. She oversees a full-service approach to investing in multifamily assets. She helps investors acquire, manage, and dispose of assets with an active role in asset management. In this episode, Whitney covers her full-service approach, the difference between asset management and property management, insights on third party management, and emerging trends in the Atlanta market.  Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Asset Management and Property Management Insights The benefits of using a full-service multifamily broker and management service  How Whitney built Intuitive Management Partners:  Working on a fee-based vs. an equity stake in deals Best practices for asset and property management  The differences between asset and property management Challenges and solutions of working with large property management companies   What to expect when working with a property management company (pay attention to the fees!) You should manage 3rd party or partnership opportunities the same way and the fees should be the same as well. The advantages of partnering vs. hiring a third party management company The state of the multifamily market and how it’s affecting acquisitions.  No rent growth for 2 years, 3rd year you might see a 4-5% spike due to pent up demand.  The hot real estate markets of Atlanta, Georgia Best practices for real estate dispositions  Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Whitney used to think that her 11 years in corporate America was a waste of time, until she realized that the skills and experiences she gained, allowed her to be where she is today.   Digital Resource: LinkedIn RealPage (investment management software)    Most Recommended Book: A Debt (Lane Strickland)    Daily Habit: Working out   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Multifamily investing   Current Curiosity: When the pandemic will end and who the President will be.   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Atlanta, GA:  Marcel   Contact Whitney: Intuitive Management Partners Intuitive Management Partners LinkedIn whitney@intuitivemp.com   

Ep. 222: Multifamily Property Management Best Practices with Whitney Ward

Business owners know that websites are a great resource to attract new customers. The challenge is driving actual traffic to your website. In fact, over 90% of content gets no traffic from Google according to Ahrefs. To learn more about SEO tips to optimize your real estate website, we spoke with Kris Reid to understand the steps to drive more traffic.    According to Kris, the first step to optimize real estate websites for SEO is to understand what relevant keywords people are searching for on Google. But it’s not just about the keywords, it’s about understanding the intent behind the search terms. If people are searching for apartments in Cincinnati, they may be searching for a place to live, not a building to invest in. With an understanding of the intent, you can develop content that resolves the searcher's inquiry. Then the next step is to get backlinks that allow you to build authority in the space.    In this episode, Kris shares great SEO tips to optimize your real estate website and gets into details to get backlinks from other trusted sites. He also shares how to get your site to convert, moving up the Google rankings, and ultimately, attracting more customers.    Partner: Get More Leads with Ardor SEO   Key SEO Tips to Optimize Your Website From computer geek to SEO specialist Driving the right people to your website  Understanding user intent to create your SEO strategy  Making data-driven decisions to understand what people are searching for How to utilize search terms to drive traffic (Short tail keywords and long-tail keywords) The steps to ranking higher on Google  90.63% of content gets no traffic from Google, your business needs to be in the other 9.37% Understanding the Page Rank Algorithm  How to use backlinks to rank higher in search The differences and benefits of SEM and SEO  The difference between being ranked in position 10 vs. 1 on Google is 10x the amount of traffic How you can move your content up the Google Ranking ladder Understanding SEO from a logical standpoint  The value of email marketing to fill up your sales funnel  How to utilize your content for the biggest impact  The metrics to look at to see if your content is converting  The importance of having a clear call to action once people get to your website How to attract more customers through digital marketing  The first step in how to improve your digital marketing to drive revenue    Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: When starting out he was running two businesses at the same time, which held the company back as he was pulled in too many directions.    Digital Resource: AHREFS   Most Recommended Book: The Daily Stoic (Ryan Holiday)   Daily Habit: Taking his dogs for a walk while listening to something aspiring, reading Daily Stoic and writing in this productivity journal   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Should have read a lot more.    Current Curiosity: When the pandemic will end.    Contact Kris: The coolest guy in SEO (Google it)  Social Handle: @thecoolestguyinSEO CasmonCapital.com/review (Kris will personally review your website, your ranking, market and what keywords will make a positive impact in your business)   

Ep. 221: SEO Tips to Optimize Your Real Estate Website with Kris Reid

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Have you heard this quote? It’s great if you can get paid for doing what you love. But undoubtedly, you've also heard of the starving artist. Following your dream can come at a price that leaves many artists and creators struggling to pay bills. So how do you create enough income to turn your passion into profits and create enough income to survive and better yet, thrive?    Moses Hall faced this challenge as he pursued his love of music. He dreamed of being in the music industry and studied at performing art schools but knew he didn’t want to be a starving artist. As a recent college grad, he transitioned from the artist side to the business side and decided to lease an artist loft space to help other creatives have a space to create. That sparked his interest in commercial real estate.    Today, Mo is the founder of MoHall Commercial & Urban Development. His firm revitalizes communities on the South Side of Chicago. He has been recognized by Realtor Magazine’s “30 under 30” Class of 2019. In this episode, Mo shares how he turned his passion into profits, transitioning into commercial real estate. He also shares how he launched his own real estate brokerage firm, the importance of personal branding, and investing in music publishing.     Key Insights to Turn Your Passion into Profits Moses loved music but did not want to be a starving artist and he found an opportunity in commercial real estate.  What helped Moses be successful the first year after he got his license.  Why Moses took a year educating himself before he made his first deal  Finding the right property management company will make or break your investment  Quote: Educate yourself and build relationships with people in the industry that can help further your business, which will enable you to be an asset and resource to your clients The hurdles of owning a brokerage firm vs. working for a firm Business strategy for growing and expanding MoHall Commercial Tips on working with out of town and international investors (trust is the #1 factor) Representing yourself to potential investors to instill trust, confidence, and comfortability  Ways to make it easy for people to connect and engage with you when networking Taking his passion for music and rolling it into a lucrative business: MoHall Musical Publishing, acquiring royalty rights to celebrity music catalogs.  The opportunity and intricacies of investing in music publishing Advice to young entrepreneurs on how to follow your passion to profit Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Not getting hired led him to start his business ventures, which he wouldn’t have started if he had gotten hired.    Digital Resource: CoStar LoopNet ExamSmart    Most Recommended Book: Millionaire Success Habits: The Gateway to Wealth & Prosperity (Dean Graziosi)   Daily Habit: Meditation and prayer    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Don’t count your money until the deal closes and the check is in your hand   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Chicago, IL Babette’s    Get in Touch with Moses: MoHall Commercial & Urban Development  Social Handle: @moseshall

Ep. 220: Turning Your Passion into Profits with Moses Hall 

Growing your business through marketing can be a challenge for business owners who don’t know where to start. With so many marketing channels, it’s easy to get caught up on the latest social media craze like TikTok or Instagram Reels. Without a clear marketing plan, many brands struggle to pick the best platforms for their business and clarify their messaging.    Tim Fitzpatrick is an entrepreneur and founder of Rialto Marketing. He helps people eliminate the confusion of marketing by developing a 90-day marketing plan for their business. Tim says there are three fundamentals for every marketing plan to drive success. First, you need to understand who you are trying to reach. Next, you need to determine what you will say to them. Then, you need to create a system to engage them consistently.    In this episode, Tim shares how entrepreneurs and business owners can gain clarity on their marketing plan, the core elements needed for an effective plan, and how to determine the mediums and channels to reach more customers.      Partner: Get More Leads with Ardor SEO   Key Multifamily + Marketing Insights   How Tim founded Rialto Marketing How to take what you love, and leave what you don’t, and build a business around it Quote: The plan you start with is oftentimes not the plan you end with. Recognizing when small businesses need an infusion of growth through marketing Why understanding marketing fundamentals is critical for growing your business The Fundamentals of marketing that business owners need to be aware of: Know your target market, what you say and how you say it (good messaging) and a consistent system for your marketing execution.    Pull Quote: Get the fundamentals down, and the level of everything you do will rise. -Michael Jordan   Leveraging various marketing mediums to reach your audience. The 90-day marketing plan strategy: Who is your target, what is the goal, defining your budget, reviewing current plan, creating 90-day marketing plan, identifying the metrics you are going to use to identify your success.  The different elements of a strategic marketing plan Breaking down the different channels of marketing Why marketing fundamentals is critical to executing a strong marketing plan  How to create consistent messaging through social media, your website or paid advertising (it’s all about storytelling!) How to diagnose what is not working in your marketing strategy  Quote: You have to look at marketing as an investment not an expense The biggest marketing challenges for small businesses or entrepreneurs The Marketing Rule of 7: Someone has to see your brand or message 7 times before it registers Understanding unrealistic marketing expectations  From a revenue standpoint, when small business owners should think of hiring a marketing agency The biggest mistake small business owners make when hiring marketing people in-house   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Looking back at his real estate career as a failure, but found it was an opportunity to start again with more knowledge and wisdom    Digital Resource: Loom (video messaging)   Most Recommended Book: Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen (Donald Miller)   Daily Habit: Meditate and exercise    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Don’t be afraid to ask for help   Current Curiosity: How COVID19 will continue to unfold and impact businesses   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Denver, CO Raising Cane’s    Contact Tim: Rialto Marketing SPECIAL LINK: Exclusive (and free) resources for Target Market Insights listeners: The Marketing Strategy Trilogy A Simple Marketing Plan Template The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy The Customer Journey Free consultation 

Ep 219: Developing a Marketing Plan in 90 Days with Tim Fitzpatrick

With uncertainty in the market, investors are looking for investment opportunities that mitigate risk. Multifamily has performed well during the pandemic, proving to be resilient during rough times. However, many apartment investors are wondering how to adjust their strategies to protect themselves in case of a further downturn. To better understand how investors are adjusting strategies, we spoke with Raj Gupta who is a multifamily syndicator with holdings in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.    Raj Gupta is the co-founder of Impact Prosperity. He began investing in real estate in 2008 and owns over 4,000 units in his portfolio. Raj has served in the Navy, worked as an attorney, and spent time as an investment advisor. Raj believes in balancing risk and reward, focusing on getting the highest reward with the least amount of risk. Because of this, Raj says now is a time to focus on recession-resilient investments. He shares his thoughts on the current economic state, risk vs. reward when evaluating investment opportunities, the Dallas-Fort Worth market, and evaluating multifamily deals in today’s market. Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Multifamily + Marketing Insights   The economy and how people are reevaluating their finances due to COVID19 What is driving risk today Evaluating the multifamily market How to change your multifamily business strategy for success in today’s challenging market  Risk vs. reward Heightened risk environment = compensation on a higher return Quote: Raising extra capital for cash reserves is a better idea than ever to mitigate the heightened risk. Understanding the Dallas-Ft. Worth Texas real estate market today The submarket evaluation of DFW Evaluating Class A properties in today’s market climate Understanding overall economic occupancy impact during a recession based on the property classification The changing behaviors of renters due to COVID19 that are creating multifamily investing opportunities  The incredible opportunities due to the low-interest rates that are available today Navigating today’s gap between buyers and sellers The trials and tribulations of asset management during a recession Assessing multifamily investment opportunities in a fluctuating market (Hint: Underwriting is key!)  Evaluating the macroeconomic system and the resulting market dynamics    Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Learning syndication fundamentals through his first 16-unit deal in Detroit, which was a disaster. It was an invaluable experience, and he wouldn’t be as successful as he is today without it.    Digital Resource: City Data Best Places Rely on data when underwriting instead of making emotional decisions.    Most Recommended Book: Recession-Proof Real Estate Investing (J. Scott)   Daily Habit: Make a list of what to accomplish for the day   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Get in earlier, and go bigger, quicker.   Current Curiosity: How things are going to play out in the economy   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Chicago, IL: Portillo’s    Contact Raj: Impact Prosperity Impact Prosperity Newsletter raj@impactprosperity.com

Ep. 218: Risk vs. Reward in Today’s Real Estate Market with Raj Gupta

There are 5.6 billion Google searches each day. That’s 5.6 billion times people are looking for answers or solutions to a question or challenge. Ranking high for key search terms can organically generate enough leads to fuel most businesses. That’s why Search Engine Optimization or SEO is critical for anyone with a website that is used to generate leads.    According to a study by Backlinko.co, the #1 ranking position on Google is likely to get 10x more clicks than the #10 position. Because of this, we decided to connect with an SEO expert to learn more about Google, search engines, and how to rank higher on Google.   If you Google “digital marketing company,” you will likely see Markitors on the first page. Their CEO and Founder, Brett Farmiloe created Markitors when he was producing freelance digital marketing work and decided to build out a staff and create an actual agency. In today’s episode, we talk about how he got into SEO Marketing, understanding how SEO works, search engine algorithms, and specific strategies to optimize your website and content.    Partner: Get More Leads with Ardor SEO   Key Multifamily + Marketing Insights Interviewing over 300 passionate business people across 16,000 miles and 38 states in an RV for Pursue the Passion How Brett was able to get his one-man shop ranked as the top digital marketing company on Google Living up to his Google ranking How to transition into offering specialized services  Specializing allows you to have a good process in place which then allows you to fine-tune the profits you are able to generate You must know your marketing objective to decipher the best route to meet that objective  The mathematical approach to getting more sales through digital marketing Why SEO may be all you need to deliver on your marketing objective  Breaking down exactly what SEO is and how it works The three buckets to high organic SEO ranking: Content, digital PR (backlinks) technical SEO Content marketing best practices: Identifying keywords and creating content around them  Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC) an immediate way to drive traffic  How to organically create content to help boost google ranking through keywords Quote: If you are able to create content that helps satisfy what search engines think users want, you will have a better chance at a higher ranking Developing backlinks that substantially boost your search ranking Different ways to get backlinks from trusted sites (the hardest thing to do in SEO!)  How technical SEO works and tools you can use (Google PageSpeed Insights Tool)  How to create content that ranks higher than your competitors  The best host domains for your website    Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: You have to go through failure or rejection to get to your optimal situation.   Digital Resource Google Analytics AHREFS Google Keyword Research Guide Most Recommended Book: The Hard Thing about Hard Things (Ben Horowitz) Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (Michael Lewis)   Daily Habit: Celebrating short term wins   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: The importance of deep focus    Current Curiosity: Undervalued SEO metrics: How to make SEO work for small businesses   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Scottsdale, AZ Prado Craft 64   Contact Brett Markitors.com

Ep. 217: How to Rank Higher on Google with Brett Farmiloe

After working a blue-collar union job, going back to college, then working a white-collar corporate job, Mike Simmons made the decision to invest in real estate. However, procrastination, fear, too many options, and self-pity made it difficult for Mike to get started. He spent 5 years attending real estate events and networking with others before finally pulling the trigger. He began flipping houses and was soon able to leave his corporate job to focus on the flipping business.    Mike Simmons is the author of “Level Jumping” and host of the Just Start Real Estate podcast. He shares how you can use other people’s experience to expedite your growth and skip levels on your accent. In this episode, Mike shares how he overcame his fears and finally got started, how he leveraged a mastermind to accelerate his growth, and tips to scale your business.     Partner: 1 Question Marketing Survey for New Event   Key Multifamily + Marketing Insights How a midwest kid tied to the auto industry, went back to college at the age of 32 Recognizing the rat race for exactly what it was and getting out Learning real estate investing Why it took 5 years before Mike did his first deal: Got locked into the procrastination (fear) and analysis paralysis (too many shiny object)    Pull Quote:  When you start doing something and get some momentum, that is the most valuable education you can get.   What made Mike snap out of it and start moving forward in real estate investing  If you have a goal, tell the world; it keeps you accountable Transitioning from side hustle to full time investor    Why success didn’t allow Mike to expand his expectations of himself    How systems, processes and a great team can give you your life back   Pull Quote: Understand people's hindsight and use it as your foresight   The reasons behind starting a mastermind: Surrounding himself with people who are at a higher level to feed off their knowledge and experience  Level Jumping to a million dollars gross profit How to hire a great salesperson for very little money, while building your business Tracking your numbers should be top priority to scale your business The biggest key to scale your business: Bridging the gap between operator and leader  Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Over leveraged a high-end property and lost 6 figures, taught him that making smart decisions rather than ego driven decisions is the better, and more profitable way to go.   Digital Resource Deal Machine (app to find deals)    Most Recommended Book: Extreme Ownership (Jocko Willink & Leif Babin)   Daily Habit: Listen to motivational speeches    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: New investors focus on the wrong things starting out. Focus on the macro view not the micro view.   Current Curiosity: How to manipulate your brain and body in ways that are productive in getting you to where you want to go.   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Detroit, MI Slows Barbecue  The Pegasus    Contact Mike Mike’s Book: Level Jumping - How I Grew My Business to Over $1MM in Profits in 12 Months Just Start Real Estate Podcast Flip Hacking Live 2020 Event

Ep. 216: How to Level Up and Find Success with Mike Simmons

German and Oscar were both serving in the military, but only recently began investing in multifamily. Sparked by a family scare while deployed, Oscar and German decided to build up a multifamily portfolio to provide some flexibility. After overcoming limiting beliefs, they built relationships online to do their first deal in Ohio.   The REI Brothers developed a strong engagement on social media, which was especially interesting since they did not have a huge following. They figured out that there are specific tactics to drive reach and engagement without having a huge audience following you. Oscar and German share their journey from being enlisted investors to growing their GoodDay Capital firm, how they work with property managers, and tips to drive engagement on social media.     Partner: Get Multifamily and Marketing Consultation through the Capital Impact Club   Key Multifamily + Marketing Insights Their journey into fix and flips while still serving in the Marine Corps and Air Force Transitioning into multifamily for more passive income and time with family  Oscar & German’s first multifamily deal through meetups in Ohio Crushing limiting beliefs by realizing they were underestimating their buying power    You don’t have to start small, it’s actually easier to start with bigger multifamily deals.   How to successfully manage a multifamily portfolio from out of state Using Facebook groups to generate leads Taking advantage of an undermanaged portfolio while helping the seller Negotiating a low appraisal  Tips on how to find a good property manager (remember, you get what you pay for) The secret hashtag strategy to drive engagement  Social media marketing tips:  Working with algorithms and engaging with other people's content makes a significant difference   Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package   Bullseye Tips:   Apparent Failure: Starting in fix and flips, they soon realized that was not their niche.   Digital Resource Podblade (podcast editing) Hashtag Expert (for Instagram) Anchor (podcasting) Syndication Pro    Most Recommended Book: Raising Capital for Investors (Hunter Thompson)  Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want (Michael Hyatt & Daniel Harkavy)   Daily Habit: Journaling Reprioritization    Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: The importance and value of networking   Current Curiosity: What next year will bring after COVID19 What we can control and where we are going   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Colorado Springs:  Joey’s Pizza   Best Place to Grab a Bite in Los Angeles:  Gin Sushi    Contact Oscar & German Good Day Capital The Millionaire Enlisted  German on LinkedIn  Oscar on LinkedIn   

Ep. 215: How to Increase Social Media Engagement with Oscar and German Buendia

Multifamily and marketing insights to help real estate professionals and apartment investors with the market research and marketing tips they need to grow their portfolio. Each week, John Casmon speaks with multifamily apartment investors and marketing specialists to talk about emerging markets, market research, marketing, branding and useful tips for investing. Listen and learn how to identify the best markets and submarkets and leverage marketing for your real estate investing.

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Target Market Insights: Multifamily + Marketing

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