There is an old story of two lumberjacks who had a competition to see who could saw the most wood in a day. The first man was young and strong and no doubt had the greatest endurance. The second was not as young and not as strong, but had years of wisdom on his side. As the two began at the break of day, it was obvious that both were intent on winning the competition. The only real surprise was that the older lumberjack would stop and while he rested, he would casually sharpen his saw blade. At the end of the day, the young man had done an impressive amount of work, but the older lumberjack had clearly won the contest. The loser had worked harder, but had not worked smarter. By keeping his blade sharp, the experienced man was able to be much more effective.
As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power” and you must believe that no truer words have been spoken. Obtaining the skills and maintaining a superior level of proficiency within the field of real estate will take you from the rank of unremarkable to the sought after accolades of excellence, extraordinary, and exceptional. Becoming a professional that fits that bill really is quite simple. All you need do is adapt the one element that separates those two categories, expertise. Yes, knowledge is the key! It will unlock every ounce of potential that the business has to offer including the ability to elevate one’s self to the very top echelons the real estate ladder of success.
As with any business or occupation, one of the key elements of success is to utilize the tools of the trade. If the elements of success are not used in a proficient manner there is no way anyone can hope to successfully execute the fundamentals of the profession. As a result, the question to be answered has to be, what tools would benefit most on the quest to excellence?
1. Attitude
Above all else, create an atmosphere of succeeding. This is mandatory in order to excel. If you do not enter the room with positive thoughts of your own capabilities, all else will be for naught. You must believe that you can!
2. Education
Armed with the strength of your ability, you must gain every bit of information and knowledge about the industry. The real estate field is growing and changing and you must know your product inside and out. Research the areas in which you plan to sell. Become acquainted with the neighborhoods, secure information on the school systems, and on taxes. Make yourself aware of trends, good and bad. Become a specialist on every aspect of the field. You must be an expert from beginning to end; this includes current mortgage facts and data, government issued rebates and incentive programs and anything else that will invite the potential buyer to close the deal.
3. Consistency Counts
In order to master your craft you must deal with it daily. Each day peruse the new listings. After all you cannot sell that million dollar property if you don’t know that it’s for sale. Your “hotsheets” from your MLS are your best friends. Besides the new arrivals they will also inform you on listings that have expired and closed. If you begin each day with the practice of reading them, you will close each day with a better handle on your sphere of influence.
4. Construct a Consortium
The term networking has been tossed around as long as you can remember and may have lost some of its bang, but not for you. It is your bread and butter. Selling a home is a group effort, so elect yourself the group leader! Assemble trustworthy professionals that will serve to simplify the process for your potential homeowner. Begin with the end in mind and add representatives from each aspect of a home purchase. Mortgage lenders, real estate attorneys, and appraisers will be part of your team. Don’t forget the pest control experts (those radon and termite clearances are important), electricians, plumbers and other repair technicians. Lastly don’t forget the movers to help get the new owners settled into their new home.
Just like the wise woodcutter, we need to stay sharp by increasing our knowledge and education. Your skill and preparedness will be the vehicle that drives you to the top of your field. Each satisfied new homeowner will be the source of your next potential client. Your level of professionalism and knowledge of the field will draw to you the income and satisfaction of a job well done. Work smarter, not harder.
Wishing you a most profitable day,
Cynthia Hill
Simple Habits…Lasting Results
-Cynthia Hill is the Founder of Blueprint by iGetSales. Blueprint by iGetSales is an effective CRM specifically designed for real estate agents and managers to build and maintain string relationships while dramatically increasing sales and agent count.
Quote of the week:
"Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience." -Denis Waitley
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