Standing Out from the Crowd, Part 1 of a Series

Differentiating yourself from the over 1 million real estate agents in the United States can be a tough thing.  What do you bring to the table that is better than your competition?  Perhaps you know the area better, or you have more training or experience.  How will your potential buyers/sellers know that you are the better choice?  This series will focus on some *free* or almost-free resources and alliances you can use to distinguish yourself from your competition. 

The Scenario:

John and Mary Buyer are planning to relocate to your area due to a new job for John.  John works in high tech and is excited about his new position and the raise that goes along with it.  Mary is concerned about the impact of the move on her children and her career.  You see, Mary has been a project manager for almost 10 years and is leaving a fairly senior position so John can pursue his new job.  She is worried about losing her income and how this will affect their quality of life and the type of house they can buy.  They want to be in the ABC School District, the best in the area, which means buying a house at the top end of their range.  Mary and John are nervous to buy a house in this price range without knowing what Mary's income will be and how long it will take to find her a job.  They will be moving to your area in 45 days, but they are coming out for a long weekend in 2 weeks to look at houses.  While they want to buy one, with this uncertainty they are thinking of renting instead.

Moving can be an exciting, scary, or dreaded experience, sometimes all three.  Because you are the expert at buying and selling homes, you know you can help your client with this.  But so can your competition.  What can you do to help John and Mary Buyer accomplish their goal of buying a home instead of renting?

I spoke to Rebecca Warriner, the owner of Woodland Recruiting in Seattle, Washington, to find out how a real estate agent can utilize the services of a recruiter in a situation like this. 

"I know when a company is trying to relocate someone, they often put all of their time and effort into trying to sell and close the candidate - in this case, John.  They completely ignore the person who has the most influence on John and his decision - Mary.  It is really important to develop a relationship with the spouse and find out what their concerns and fears are.  If you address those, then you are really strengthening the support system for the entire family and the move.  A recruiter and a real estate agent can work really well together as a team to provide support for the husband and wife, which will help ensure not only that the move actually happens, but that it is successful (and they don't go hightailing it back to Nebraska after 12 months).

So, in this scenario, Mary is concerned about many things related to her children and her career.  Providing information about school districts, clubs & organizations, and moms groups can help with the former.  However, the latter is about much more than just finding a job.  Mary will need more than the web site link to the local paper or jobs board.  She really needs someone who she feels is going to partner with her and help ensure her career remains intact.  If the real estate agent can introduce Mary to an independent recruiter or career counselor who will provide the support she needs in this area, then a successful house purchase is much more likely. 

A professional recruiter will partner with Mary and answer her questions:

• which companies in the new location need her skills and experience?
• are there other industries she should be looking at?
• which local companies have good reputations?
• are there regional differences in resume and interview styles that she should be aware of?
• are there local networking/professional organizations she can join to help in her job search?
• what are average salary ranges for someone with her skills and experience?"

By forging a relationship with a local recruiter, you can help Mary and John solidify their financial future in their new city.  In addition, you are showing them that you care about more than selling a house, which they will remember when they tell their new coworkers and neighbors about their moving experience. 

Recruiters typically get their fees from the company that has the open position or through in-depth career counseling services to the job seeker.  By seeking out an experienced recruiter in your area, you will be able to offer your client a professional resource that you know at no cost to you.  And because you have taken the time to get to know this recruiter, you will also have the benefit of referrals from her when she gets a relocation client who does not have a real estate agent.  In many ways, this can be a huge addition to your business.  And the only cost to you is the time to find a recruiter with the skills/services that will help your clients the most and developing that relationship.  It is very important that you develop this relationship to make sure the recruiter is right for your business.  As with any industry, there is a wide margin of skill level and specialty and you need to do your homework to find the right person.

If you are in the Seattle area, Rebecca is a great resource.  She offers a free podcast to help job seekers refine their resumes.  If the candidate needs a little more intensive help to get ready for a job search, Rebecca offers job strategy development sessions for a fee.  In addition, she has a free job alerts email list.  Be sure that the recruiter you partner with is able to offer a wide variety of services to better meet the needs of your clients.

Remember, you can be One in a Million by making strategic alliances with other professionals in your area.  Now start networking!

Find Part 2 of the Series here. 

Part 3 can be found here.