Starting in Real Estate in 2015, Learn From Those That Have Been There
The business of Real Estate can, at times seem to be a full contact sport. It is highly competitive as the reward is a paycheck, and the second place finisher gets nothing and quite possibly a decrease in their reserves. The truth is simply close to go forward.
So many people get licensed, and just wait for the business to fall into their laps. It doesn't work that way and the statistics support that. Sixty percent of new agents are out of the business within the first year. Another 50% of the remaining will be out within the next 3 years. By the 5th year, only 10% of the remainders will be in business. For those that attend real estate conferences, the speakers will all look at the room and start going through the numbers of years and usually start with those at 5 years of service. Not for anything other than to get an appraisal of potentials that may buy what-ever get rich scheme is on the agenda that day.
The message that rings consistent with all of these professionals is to reach out and make yourself known. As listings are usually difficult for new agents to secure, the focus at first might be for buyers.
First rule of sales is to target the familiar. New agents need to prepare their sphere of influence while still preparing for their license exam. Once passed, and they have positioned themselves into agency and gotten their cards, the handwritten notes with the cards get mailed to all they know. There is a follow up to that which should be reminders for at least the first year. Many an experienced agent has gotten a call from the client letting them know they are giving their deal to a friend or relative that's just starting in the business. These initial contacts are how that happens.
Another way to obtain buyers would be to ask agents in the same agency to host Open House events for some of their listings. This can serve as a source of potential contacts provided they are not working with agents.
When I started out in the business, I would promote HUD listings as a way of getting calls from buyers. HUD listings being government foreclosures are open listings for promoting even though they would be listed with HUD approved agents. I have even seen independent brokers holding Open House events at HUD properties hoping to secure a client.
The Internet has opened up new avenues for seeking clients through Social Media. With some creativity, the social media pages can be used for personal promotions which hopefully will develop business.
The we come to the potential for blogging. A creative writer can promote themselves and the area they serve without actually having any buyers or sellers. It's the potential to demonstrate their knowledge of an area and being consistent with that effort that will make one the expert to call. The statistics from the MLS are readily available and this type of details are what sellers and buyers would seek when they do their searching as well.
The key to the blog is to know how to be creative enough and have the knowledge to make it attractive to the Search engines. BY reading and being active with the people that blog regularly on this ActiveRain platform, one can gain insight as to how to best promote yourself and subsequently get the emails and calls that will lead to business.
Starting in Real Estate in 2015, Learn From Those That Have Been There
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