Special offer

What Do You Bring to the Table?

By
Real Estate Agent with Online Real Estate Agent Training

What do you bring to the tableIf the only reason you can give as to why someone should work with you is because you've been in the real estate business for "x" years, you really need to rethink your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).  You need to have a more compelling reason other than the number of years you've been in the business.

Longevity Does Not Make You Good

When I ask the question, why should people work with you, too frequently I hear real estate agents reply, "Well I've been in the business for "x" years".  But what they don't fail to understand is that longevity alone does not make you a good agent.  Longevity does not mean you bring value to the transaction.  Longevity doesn't make you current on the market conditions.  Longevity only means that somehow you've been able to hang on as an agent for an extended period of time...it definitely doesn't mean you're a good agent.  And this could be a news flash for some, sometimes longevity can be viewed as a negative unless you bring along other necessary skills.

What's The Benefit To The Consumer?

Consumers don't want to hear how fabulous you are...even though you may be.  Consumers want to know how THEY benefit by working with you.  So you need to construct your USP around the consumer, not yourself.  Stop for a moment and ask yourself, "what do I bring to the table"?

  • Strong negotiating skills
  • Stellar marketing programs
  • Neighborhood expert
  • Technology wizard
  • Working with first time home buyers
  • Large pool of potential buyers

What's Your USP?

With so many options to choose from, you need to let the consumer know why they should work with you versus the hundreds/thousands of other agents in your market.  And if you don't have a Unique Selling Proposition, there's no time like the present.

Related Articles

Real-Life Real Estate Training – Real Training, Real Results!

  • Have you struggled turning contacts into clients?
  • Are you working hard, but hardly making any money?
  • Are you beginning to think you made a bad career choice?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you are in the right place! The Real-Life Real Estate Training program was designed to transform you and your business so that you achieve your goals. It doesn’t matter what stage in your real estate career you are in…new, experienced, or somewhere in between, our systems will help you focus your time, energy and effort on the right areas of your business. The Real-Life Real Estate Training program was designed by an active real estate agent, so our program is totally realistic, doable and easy to put into action immediately. You’ve learned how to become a real estate agent, but now it’s time to learn what it takes to BE a real estate agent. My name is Candy Miles-Crocker and I’d love to talk to you if you still have some questions or need additional information. Fill out my online contact form or give me a call at (202) 669-1924. Check out what our valued clients have said about us on our testimonials page.

If you haven’t done so already, please connect with us on Twitter on FacebookGoogle+ andLinkedIn

Let’s Go to Work!

 

Posted by

Candy Miles-Crocker

Real-Life Real Estate Training

Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Great post...thanks for sharing!  I hope you have a fabulous weekend too!

Feb 19, 2015 10:29 PM
Candy Miles-Crocker
Online Real Estate Agent Training - Chevy Chase, DC
Realtor - Real-Life Real Estate Training

Thanks Kristin...you do the same!

Feb 19, 2015 10:31 PM
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

Great post! It always has to be about the consumer... not us!

Feb 19, 2015 10:33 PM
Sharon Kowitz
CRS-SRES-ABR-GRI-E-Pro-CREN ~ COMPASS RE - Cary, NC
Cary, NC Relocation Specialist ~ Buying or Selling

I love this post! Thank you for sharing and making us think about our business.

Feb 19, 2015 10:37 PM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Good morning Candy. Some markets like mine have hundreds of agents but there's plenty of buyers and sellers to go around. I think ultimately it comes down to personality and whether or not the client feels they will work well with you. We all basically do the same things to market and sell a home.

Feb 19, 2015 10:41 PM
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

The agent or broker that has been through lots of real estate markets, sees the signs, adjusts the "sales". When thousands of sales are under your belt, that experience has so much knowledge to weave into every situation wrinkle. Real estate is emotional, knowing and being able to help people has nothing to do with the number of years you have listed, twisted, sold real estate either. Keep up, reinvent the industry that is ever changing, evolving!

Feb 19, 2015 10:42 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Yes to this posting and hostess too...Value is a living self-evident dynamic

Feb 19, 2015 11:17 PM
Tanya Van Blake-Coleman
Van Blake-Coleman Realty, St. Thomas/www.talk-to-Tanya.com - St Thomas, VI
Improving the Quality of Your Life

Great post Candy. Longevity should mean that you have evolved with the market, adapting to the new strategies and eschewing the old ones that failed. Expertise within your market and the ability to cater to varying needs of consumers seeking to find residences or commercial properties in your market. As long as you can grow and adapt to fill the changing needs within the evolving circumstances of your market you can remain viable as well as do much better than simply last.

Feb 19, 2015 11:25 PM
Jayne Esposito
Coldwell Banker - Morgan Hill, CA
SRES, GREEN

Thanks for sharing this and causing us to ask ourselves some humbling questions.  On the flip side, you can have great agents in the business for a year...usually Rookie of the Year.

Feb 19, 2015 11:38 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Oh my, it's so true that in any business (not just real estate), longevity doesn't really mean anything. It's great results that matter.

Feb 19, 2015 11:59 PM
Tom White
Franklin Homes Realty LLC (615) 495-0752 or www.FranklinHomesRealty.com - Franklin, TN
Franklin Homes Realty LLC, Franklin TN

Candy, I love your thinking on this. We've just opened up our own brokerage and we are in the process of taking a close look at what makes us different--and better--than our competition. Like it or not, it's a competitive business!

Feb 20, 2015 01:09 AM
Marla Yost
The Yost Team- Keller Williams Realty - Arlington, TX
The Yost Team

Thank you for making us think about our business ...Alot more people should read this.

Have  a great weekend.

Feb 20, 2015 03:15 AM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Candy Miles-Crocker even if it is just a year in business, if you care for someone, they'll care for you! WIIFM....isn't it?

Feb 20, 2015 07:53 AM
James (Jim) Lawson, DBA
DomainRealty.com LLC - Bonita Springs, FL
Broker Associate, RSPS, BPOR, HI & PE

Nicely done Candy. I believe there are two challenges here. One is to differentiate yourself from the competition as you so ably point out. The other is to convince your prospect that your skill set is the best choice. Obviously, these challenges are related and mutually supportive.    

Feb 20, 2015 02:22 PM
Thomas F. Scanlon
Borgida & Company P. C., CPA's - Manchester, CT
CPA, CFP

Candy Miles-Crocker - Well done. USP is key. Need to be able to articulate it to your clients, prospects and centers of influence.

 

Cheers!

Feb 21, 2015 12:37 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

 Candy, thank you for this very insightful post. I am in my eighth year of real estate but often feel like the new kid on the block. I have gone up against some pretty tough competition with agents who have many more years in the business than I do. I was one of two agents who was interviewed for a $1.5M listing last year. My competition had been in the business 20 years and sold $50M in real estate in 2013. Why did I get an interview? Because he saw that I was doing what no other agent in the area is doing. Now, I didn't get the listing. But I made a good, confident presentation and my internet presence got me in the door. And that's the clear benefit I provide to buyers and sellers.

Feb 21, 2015 01:59 AM