Geeking Out With Andrew Altman of Open To Close (OTC)

Topics Covered in this Geeking Out Session with Andrew Altman of Open To Close (OTC): Automations, IFTTT, Mapping Your Systems Out, Integrations, Leverage, Community, Custom Fields and more!

YouTube Link For Full Interview: https://youtu.be/jwQuacg0wx0 

1:40 - What was Andy’s “origination story” in to the world of automation (If This Then That - IFTTT) 

14:00 - Baby steps to building out automations (Andy’s “Soap Box”) 

• Start with “mind mapping” (drawing out) your systems - How does it follow
• “If you don’t have the end in mind you’re going fail at automation.” (IFTTT)
• Map out (draw out) your entire system and thought process prior to automating your process
• “Your system is not your tool and your tool is not your system 
• The power of humility: Once you’ve drawn this out, show it someone. You’re simply “too close to it” to effectively audit what you’ve drawn out or created
• Add notes to your “map” that help to bring clarity as to WHY you have chosen to do something a certain way
• Add additional notes that bring clarity as to what STANDARDS is this system or a particular action, flow and/or process designed to achieve - The purpose of a system is to achieve a specific standard

22:30 - Q: Are your systems built and designed to help you and your team live the live that they want to live?

24:00 - Q: What are some specific areas that could be automated within the real estate business? Role Specific suggestions…

• SIDE NOTE: There is real value in setting some specific time aside to build and draw these systems out - Time Blocking (one of David’s “love languages”)

25:30 - Role Specific - Marketing and Operations Manager

• Mapping and building out sequences and SOP’s within your tools (tools: CRM or marketing programs - IFTTT) 
• Tool Examples: ActiveCampaign & Follow Up Boss 
• Integrations Matter - When choosing any tool, remember to take its integration ability and features into account (exp: Gmail, Google, your CRM, LOOM, etc.) - Asking “does it have a great API”
• There is real power in video - It’s not about perfection, it’s about providing usable resources and tools - Keeping our training video under 2-5 minutes - Create them in “real time” (allowing your trainee’s to have “pride in ownership” of their training tools) 

36:30 - Role Specific - Agents 

• There is real power in creating and using filters and tags
• Using filters to help your systematically automate sequences within your database management tool (CRM)
• There is real value in drawing out your pipelines, sequences and system BEFORE trying to build this out within your tool (CRM)
• Tool Examples: CRM and dialer

42:04 - “Success breads success” 

42:10 - Automation & Leverage  

• Ensure that those you hire get the training they need and deserve to be successful 

43:00 - Role Specific - TC’s 

• Leverage can play into this as well - Automations can help provide some initial leverage before you can afford to grow your team - Creating leverage through your teams growth
• Automating specific emails 
• Advanced Level Email Automations could include things such forms that populate a transaction management tool, which then through some form of conditional logic will draft an appropriate and custom email 

48:00 - “SLOW DOWN… You don’t need to be a Level 10 right off the bat… Mind map it first.”

• David’s Suggested Exercise… 
  • Draw it out first 
  • Then perform that task a half dozen times strictly based around what you had drawn out to see where or if any changes could be made 
  • Once you are happy with what you have drawn out, show it to someone who can provide feedback or additional insight (you’re too close to it) 
  • Make final edits 
  • Then build it out within your tool 

• Additional suggestions…
• Trying running your processes via a “fake” transaction 
• Don’t test it on a real world client - Test it on a “fake” transaction
• Leaders, STOP driving your team nuts by changing your tools and your system every  day, week, month or quarter (“shinny objects”) 

52:00 - Who are you associating with matters

53:30 - Fields - There is real value and power in having and using custom fields

• Humanize your process and systems 
• Humanize your tools 
• Custom fields are keep tools to build automation off of

56:50 - “Don’t outsource your system” 

59:20 - “The system will always come before the tool” 

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For more lessons like this, visit our website: https://www.cultivatewins.com 
Or sign up for our Membership: https://www.cultivatewins.com/membership 
We also offer coaching, leave us a comment or message if you are interested https://www.cultivatewins.com/coaches

Also be sure to get to know Andrew and his amazing team!

Andrew Altman
Team Leader of The Altman Group
https://www.phoenixrealestatehelp.com/
COO of Open To Close (OTC) 
https://opentoclose.com/