If you sell real estate in a small town or rural area, are you the Big Fish?
The county in which I live (Tate County,Mississippi) has a population of around 25,000. With only a 30 minute drive up I-55 to Memphis, TN, it is a fairly easy commute for those who choose to work in the city but live in the country.
I am not the big fish in my small pond. I am a relative newbie - having lived here for almost 9 years. The big fish in my pond has lived here all her life and her family has lived here for generations back.
Now, don't get me wrong - I like the big fish. I worked closely with the big fish for a couple of years. She was always willing to answer any question that I, or any of the other minnows, had. I observed the big fish and noticed that she had a way of making her clients feel special. When she was on the phone or speaking face-to-face with a client, she made that person feel like they were the only client she had, even if she had a hundred and one items on her calendar that day.
Not having the advantage of a ready-made local sphere of influence, I had to come up with other ways to get my name out there. At first, I worked mainly with buyers from out of town who did not know of the big fish. I became involved in community events, attended public meetings, and joined groups where I could get to know more people. I put into practice what I learned from the big fish - show your clients that you care about them. Listen to what is important to them. Lately, a lot of my business has been referrals from past clients. Maybe I have grown a little.
So, what about you? Are you the big fish or are you one of the smaller ones - getting a little bigger every day?
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