Perhaps you've heard this saying before: "if you're going to talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk." In other words "actions speak louder than words." What it comes to for most clients is that your services go beyond your words and promises but are actually seen and felt by them.
Whether we like the idea of it or not, every day we interact with a prospect we are essentially on a job interview. These potential clients are researching us and determining if we are the right fit for their job whether they are selling or buying a home. Can we honestly say with complete certainty that we are providing relevant information and resources that highlight our expertise that shows we are the best solution for our clients?
Are you prepared to answer your client's tough questions with solid answers and solutions and will you - can you ~ deliver?
When it comes to interviewing for a job there are 3 important areas to consider:
- Research the company
- Review your experience and qualifications
- Review your resume to be sure it emphasizes your experience and qualifications that are pertinent to your potential employer's needs.
When it comes to real estate here's how you can make sure you're covering those three areas:
1. Research - that's right research the home of your potential seller so that you can effectively lead them through the process of placing their home on the market (setting the price, how to market their particular home, staging and repairs, etc.) Think of how much more effective you can be if you know that home, that area and by truly listening to that prospects questions and needs that they share with you when you initially speak. Listen well and use this information to best show how you can benefit this client.
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- It's also important to research a prospective buyer - learn all about their needs when it comes to what they are looking for in a home. Is location important, # of bedrooms, amenities, etc? Listening is the key to taking this prospective buyer to an actual buyer you can represent. If you're not listening to what they're saying they will know it and feel it and will easily find someone who will provide this for them.
2. Review your experience and qualifications - have you kept yourself up to date on the latest real estate trends, your education and marketing strategies that you can offer your potential clients?
3. Review your resume - Make sure it's up to date and includes and highlights some of the great services you are able to provide your client. Perhaps you are involved in a local community organization and that will speak volumes to a potential client.
Advice for Consumers:
- 1. Research and hire a Realtor that will mesh with your personality and that you feel will meet your needs. Visit their blog and website. Review their testimonials and whenever possible seek out referrals from friends and family that have worked with that Realtor.
- 2. Think about the qualities and strengths that are most important to you. You may prefer someone who is calm, cool and relaxed to lead you through this tough process or maybe you need someone that can push you along. At the very least you need someone that is knowledgeable, professional, knows the area you are interested in and will follow up with you in the way you need them to.
3. Research that Realtor online. In particular you want to Google their name and see how often they come up in the search (you can do this in any search engine.) Check out the sites they are listed and marketing on. Can you see this Realtor marketing your property? Do you like the way they market their current listings? Look at their website in great detail. Do they explain the process and what they offer their clients throughout the process? When it comes to their blog are you able to connect with them and do you feel the information they're providing is relevant to you?
4. Hire them & work with them. Once you choose a Realtor it's important to remember to work with them, rely on their expertise to guide you through the process and trust that they have your best interest at heart.
Advice for Agents:
- Be yourself
- Be in touch with what consumers want and need by the interaction you have with them both online, on the phone and in your community.
- Don't promise things you can't deliver. Share what they can expect from you and then exceed that expectation.
- Have a strong online and offline marketing presence. Use key sites that will showcase your listings and show your prospects that you do in fact have an online presence, especially if it's something you are promising in your PreListing Presentation.
- Update your website, blog and materials regularly with great and relevant content. Consumers are reading it all even if they're not ready to make contact just yet.
- Stay in contact with your sphere of influence and provide them with continued great service and contact. (You may be asked by a potential new client if they can contact some of your past clients.)
- Establish and maintain contact with your new/current clients
As someone that not only works with agents to assist them with their marketing presence but as someone that researched extensively to find a realtor to represent me in the buying and selling process, these are the areas that were important to me to ensure I hired the right person. It's very easy to forget what's truly important to our clients and we can be reminded of that by thinking about the process as if we were in their shoes. Ask yourself often as you look at your website, your blog, your social media sites and your marketing efforts - is this what I would want and expect if I were buying or selling a home? Can I relate to this person?
In addition to focusing on these key areas, also put focus on highlighting your strengths and using them every day to show your clients that you can do the job they are interviewing you for.
To recap: Converting many of your site visitors to clients really is like preparing for a job interview - it comes down to:
Being prepared, knowing and sharing your information and having the confidence that you can do the job.
What are the strengths that you are using every day that you can make a part of your marketing? (take a hard look at your online presence - all the sites you are on - are you highlighting these strengths in all your communications?) And more importantly are you delivering on those strengths?
Feel free to share in your comments, key strengths you feel a Realtor should have and use to benefit their clients. (we learn and improve by sharing)
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Some other helpful posts that relate to this subject:
Are your clients having a quality customer experience?
Does your client feel important to you?
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Ready to take your Marketing to new levels? Anne Marie Malfi ~ Malfi Marketing Solutions.com ~ Copyright 2009
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