“It opens pretty much any door.”

Recently, Las Vegas-based Authorify member Honey Borla shared how her books have given her an edge over other agents. In addition to her books, Honey is a member of Referral Marketing utilizing the monthly Home Sweet Home Magazine to create consistent touch points with her past client database. 

Michael Walter:

Could introduce yourself to us a little bit?

Honey Borla:

I'm Honey Borla and I'm actually in Las Vegas. I just got my 35-year pin and I actually worked for one of the top producers in Las Vegas for a couple of years prior to getting licensed. I am a three-term director for our association, and I used to be the corporate broker manager for the largest producing Century 21 company in the world here in Las Vegas. That was before the bubble.

Michael Walter:

When was it that you found Authorify?

Honey Borla:

I'm going on two years now. I'm always keeping my eye out for good marketing products, and I came across this and I also have the magazine. It works just phenomenal for me. I've got people that say, "Honey, where's my magazine?" You know? It's very nice to have. Between the book and the magazine and the fact that you can either do a hard copy or digital, it's a no-brainer.

There's an adage that, people remember by seeing more so than by hearing. And so I offer my books so that they can get a heads up. I do a lot of training prior to trying to sell my clients, and the book has come in very handy that way. I explain to them, "You're going to have questions. Once you have finished reading my book, jot your questions down and then we can get together." And, it's worked very well.

Michael Walter:

Talking about your book first, have you used it more so with sellers or for buyers?

Honey Borla:

It's a great mix. I use it for both. I have about six or seven different flippers that will reach out to me in a text because I've offered, this information to them. They're constantly reaching out to me, you know, "Do you have any listings yet?" In fact, a couple of them now are saying, "We'd like for you to represent us as buyers." So, you have to learn, what works best. I'm also a certified probate specialist and the attorneys like the book.

I'm old-world as far as marketing and prospecting. I like to go out and do nose-to-nose. I just get more out of it from my prospects. I show them an example, you know, “This is one of my books. I have several titles, depending on what your need is.”  And then I also let them know that I also have a free monthly magazine. I let them know that this magazine, “I can either give you a hard copy, or I can send it to you digitally.” It just works. 

I have two meetings a month to teach about financing or the real estate process. I've set it up through one of my escrow companies, and I will have an escrow officer there and a lender there. When I send out my notices, I tell them that you will get a free copy of whichever book applies to them for attending/ So it helps get the attendance up.

Michael Walter:

Yeah, absolutely. It's one of those things that with the book, it's not just a business card or maybe a flyer with some notes. It's something that they're going to hang onto and remember you for a long time.

Honey Borla:

I have a lady who, she's been my client now for several years, she loved the book. She had started out as a renter two and a half years ago, she became a buyer. She loved the book. She tells her children, “You're not using anybody but Honey, Honey will give you a book.” I don't have to open my mouth. She does it all for me. 

My eye doctor, I gave him a book and he asked if it'd be possible to get a couple more books for family members. I said, “Yes, absolutely.”  I'm not stingy in giving them out.

I am a firm believer you have to spend money to make money, but they're worth every penny. They're actually more, they're worth more than every penny, because your return is just super. I probably get four to five extra transactions a year, if not more.

Michael Walter:

You've said in a couple of these instances, maybe the woman that worked at the Chicos or the doctor, is it something that you always have copies of your book on you so that when the opportunity arises that you're ready to give it to Them?

Honey Borla:

I keep them in my car.

Last week when I ran into Chicos, I brought in three copies, and I gave one sales girl and two additional copies. And she said, “I'll put one in the break room.”

Michael Walter:

With a marketing background, you understand that with the book, I think sometimes it's hard to pinpoint the exact number of transactions or the exact number of leads that it brings in because it is that long-game type marketing, it's that authority-building type marketing. 

Honey Borla:

People don't want to be sold to. I detest hard sales pitches.

I've learned over the years, iIf I give them something, I'm already ahead of the pack. When people understand that you care, it's rare that I walk out without a transaction. I'm in my senior years, if I knew 50 years ago what I know now, my numbers would be huge.

Michael Walter:

If you were able to put a number on the amount of transactions that you have received from your books in the two years that you've been with us, would you have an idea of what that would be?

Honey Borla:

I'm an independent. I only do between 25 and maybe 30 transactions a year. If I had to go out cold to do a presentation anymore, it would be difficult. With that book and or the magazine, it's a lay-down, it opens pretty much any door. So, then it's just up to me. 

Michael Walter: 

Moving to the magazines a little bit, tell me what was it about the magazines that piqued your interest?

Honey Borla:

I like the articles. Number one, every month it's different. The magazine is polished, very professional looking. I like the idea that they've got me all through it so I'm not hard to forget. 

What it's also teaching my clients is feel free to reach out and touch me if you have a question. I'll get people saying, “Honey. I was wondering…”  And then they'll go into whatever the issue is, you know, and it's a good source to keep fresh. That's our biggest problem.

Michael Walter:

Just by emailing the digital copy every month like you do, you're continuing that line of communication. 

Honey Borla:

The biggest problem we have in our industry is agents don't like the prospect. It doesn't make it any easier than this. I personally don't care for lead programs because you have to spend an excessive amount of time incubating everybody. Having the magazines and having the book resolves a lot of issues. 

I start out every month with a copy of my magazine and every month I reiterate, “If you would like a family member to have a copy, just shoot me their name, email address and what it is they're looking for.” As time goes on, you build that rapport. It gives you a reason to knock on the door.

Michael Walter:

How many people do you think you're emailing your digital magazine to every month?

Honey Borla:

I have a database of about, and I've lost a few people simply because people are getting older or moving away, but I've got about 550 people that I reach out to on a regular basis.

Michael Walter:

Oh, that's fantastic. And I mean, like you said, it continues to give you a reason to go knock on that door. 

Honey Borla:

Most of my business also comes from past clients who refer me. A lot of these folks that I have in the system that I've given the books to, we've built such a rapport with each other. I mean, we, it's almost like we've become friends. So having to deal from the get go with a perfect stranger is rare for me.

Michael Walter:

Right. If these past clients, if they have your magazine or if they have your book, they're able to pass that information along and that it's not a perfect stranger anymore. I's a nice warm lead that already knows about you and knows what you offer.

Honey Borla:

Right. It's a positive. It's not, “Oh my God, that realtors after me again.” 

If you're thinking about it, you just, you know, give it a shot, but use them.

Michael Walter:

Right. I love that you have them in your car.

Honey Borla:

If I have leftover hard copies of my magazines, when I'm prospecting new people, I give them the old copy, the fresh copies go to my existing people that I'm talking to, you know, on a regular basis. I keep magazines with me at all times because number one, they're light enough. I can put a couple in my purse, so when I'm in the store cashiers love it.

You just never know, you never assume. In fact, one of my clients, I met at Costco. He'd just gotten transferred from San Diego. I went back to Costco to give him a magazine. He had told me his horror story about an agent that had just drug him through the mill and they ended up renting because the agent screwed up a transaction.  I think about four months later, maybe six months, he called me and he said, “My wife hit a jackpot. She hit a $25,000 jackpot. We've got the down payment.” But that came from a magazine.

You just never know.