The property industry is a highly competitive and cutthroat one. To stay successful is not easy and requires more than just talent and determination from real estate agents. Some important things you need to consider are:
Tip 1: Keep In Touch With Former Clients
A large amount of any real estate agent’s business comes through referrals. All your former clients are your lifeblood, so you need to stay on excellent terms with them. Keep in semi-regular contact, and check that they’re still happy with their home. They will appreciate that you are calling out of courtesy and not just business. Perhaps they know someone who is looking for a real estate agent. This all helps you to build up a priceless network of personal clients.
Tip 2: Always Build New Relationships
Make sure you never turn anyone away and treat every general enquiry with the utmost consideration. You never know where they will lead. Someone who rings you with a very banal query and doesn’t seem that interested could turn into your best client. Perhaps they are interested in buying investment property in the future. Building strong relationships is pivotal to the success of any agent, so treat everyone like a valued customer and they may well become one.
Tip 3: Stay In Touch With Latest Trends
We’re living in a world where trends and technology are constantly changing. As an agent you need to be very adaptable. Allocate some time each week to studying the latest trends. Whether it is new mobile phone technology or a new online marketing tool, you’ll be far more successful if you’re one of the first agents to jump on the bandwagon. You should also spend time researching the market – that includes property research in your local, domestic market and research on the larger economy, so you have a confident idea about where prices are headed.
Tip 4: Watch the Competition
As an agent you don’t want to live in a bubble. Sales techniques that have worked for you in the past could easily become outdated. It always pays to keep an eye on your rival agencies. Are they doing things you could learn from? If they are suddenly becoming very successful in an area that threatens your business you need to find out why. Lastly, it never hurts to attend the openings organised by rival real estate agents, to see how they operate.
Tip 5: Always Present Well
This tip is as crucial for novice agents as it is for experienced agents. Presentation is simply everything. Dress to impress – smart but not too flashy. Be well prepared when going to meet a prospective client. Make sure you are there on time and you know how to get there. Don’t think your sales record will be enough to win someone over. Each new client needs to be wooed. They will want to see that you’re empathetic to their needs and they’ll need to like you before they choose you as their agent. As an agent, you’re only ever as good as your last sale so you can’t ever afford to be complacent. A good rule of thumb is to treat each prospective client as if they are your only one.
