Any of us that have been in the business any length of time can easily see all the innovations that have entered the real estate business the past several years. Real Estate coaches, PDA's, Email, Text messaging and on and on.
While I embrace technology and use it to grow my business I can say that there are basic things I see successful people (not only Realtors) doing day in and day out that bring success and happiness.
Here is my list and I am sure many of you have more you can add and I welcome you to add your recommendations.
Get out of the office - When I first started in real estate there was this agent named "Jerry". Jerry showed up in the morning for about an hour and made 2-3 "Pit Stops" during the day. He spent most of his days meeting people and making himself visible. Jerry was always in the top 3 in production in our office and he seemed to be able to drum up business when no one else could. The one negative about the internet is that it is addictive and I know of Realtors that spend the majority of their day in front of a computer. These agents are never even in the top 10 in production. Get out of the office!
Make sure your word has value - I recently purchased a new cell phone and the young salesman told me quote "If you have any questions do not call the toll free number for Sprint, call me" I called that young man 2 times in 3 days and left him messages to return my call. That was 2 ½ weeks ago and I have never heard from him. I see this a lot in our society today and it saddens me. What this young man does not realize is that I could have been a pool of referral business for him. The same applies to us: If people know that our word has value, our business will grow leaps and bounds.
Under promise and over deliver - One of the best formulas for success is to tell someone you are going to do something by a certain day and do it sooner. I guarantee you that if you tell ANYONE in life that you will do something by a certain date you will make points and again build credibility if you surprise them by delivering sooner. I recently told a seller I would have more marketing flyers to her home within 48 hours and I showed up at her doorstep within 3 hours with new flyers. This impressed her and she mentioned it to me days later that she told her husband how impressed she was with the attention I gave them. Try this next time. Tell your significant other, child, friend, business associate or client you will do something by a certain date. Do it ahead of schedule and watch the puzzled look on their face. You see our world just is not accustomed to this.
Show people you care about them - Go to any city, USA and pickup a Realtor magazine. You will see a lot of Realtors with HUGE egos that say "Look at Me"! I can assure you that this turns off clients faster than anything. When you give the public the impression you are more important than they are, it is a big turn off. Rookie of the Year, Realtor of the Year, Million Dollar Club, Chairman's Club and on and on which mean nothing to your customer or client. What does your advertising and website say about you and what messages do they send? When the public starts to see that they are more important than you, your world will start to change.
Dress for your market - I wrote a blog about this early last year. I man with a suit and tie has a hard time selling farms in my neck of the woods or even homes in Miami Florida. This was proven in the early 90's when Realtor Michael Davis was stuck in production in Miami Florida. He wore beautiful custom suits, drove a luxury car and promoted his million dollar club membership in sales. Hobbs Herder gave him a complete overhaul and had him wear Dockers and Polo shirts, drive a land rover and had him show his family and hobbies in advertising. Michael Davis's volume nearly doubled within a year. Know who your audience is and dress for it.
Give people what no one else is giving - If we all do what everyone else does, what makes us stand out from the competition? By this I mean find something that is unique to you and do something unique for your family, co-workers, friends and clients. About 2 years ago a Realtor that lives 30 miles to the east listed a home in my neighborhood. I sold his listing and after closing I personally delivered his sign back to him. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw what I did. He sent me the most wonderful "Thank You" card and has since referred me 3 clients. About a year ago I sold a home to an out of state buyer who could not move here for several months. I watered her lawn for her and had my nephew mow the lawn for 3 months until the buyer got into town. Use your imagination and think of what would "Wow" you.
Top producers dont' really think a lot about what they do, they just do what needs to be done and find ways to get it done. Because they have a passion for what they do and a "Servant Attitude" they are constantly finding new ways to connect with their sphere. Any agent can do what every other agent is doing. Don't fall into that trap. Set yourself apart and give your clients what they least expect. You will be rewarded beyond your imagination.
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Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate.
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