You Can't Offer What You Do Not Possess
It's about serving not selling.
Red Carpet Service
- You can't offer full service, if you're a discount broker: it doesn't pencil out.
- You can't offer true experience if you're in this industry less than 10 years ( because anyone in 2024 with less than 10 years experience was never a real estate agent in a market like today's market). It doesn't mean you can't be a good agent, it just means there are those of us that have been here before, and you have not.
- You can't offer creative solutions if you've never had to save an escrow from imploding or get two bickering parties, back to playing off the same sheet of music. Many avoid perceived conflict these days, when in in fact it's merely negotiating and haggling. I see it all the time and shake my head at their lack of care for their clients.
- You can't offer proven results if you are not selling multiple homes per year.
- You can't offer updated and cutting edge skills and tools if you never pay for over and above training and coaching. I'm not talking required classes. I'm speaking of above and beyond classes, seminars, retreats, coaching, technology, masterminds groups, etc.
These skills and talents as well as so many more only comes from thousands of hours at kitchen tables, sitting in cars, touring and selling properties, phone hours, research hours, classroom hours, rolling up our sleeves and working the problem to find solutions hours, etc.
One of the most common questions I get asked is "Why should I hire you?" Sometimes its a challenge question, but most of the time, it's because they really want to know. They have not ever hired a San Diego REALTOR® before or it's been years since they did (and a lot has changed in the San Diego Market since then).
This is the moment when an experienced agent enjoys sharing their USP and a new agent or a seasoned "bad" agent either panics or gets defensive. Their tone, demeaner and response will tell you a lot about them in that moment.
So, what is a USP? It's their Unique Selling Proposition and if they are smart, they figure out your needs first before they offer it. Because experienced agents like me have more than one! And not all are going to matter to you. My challenge is to understand which "arrow in my quiver" will serve you best, because it's about serving your needs not showing off my experience.
For example it may not matter to you I offer Rebates to my San Diego Veterans, if you're not a Veteran or Active Duty in our Military. You might not care that I donate to San Diego Classrooms from my closed deals to support local teachers in need of books, art supplies and other basics if you are not a teacher. It may not apply to you that I offer discounts and rebates to First Responders if you're an engineer or an HR manager.
It may not matter to you that I'm professionally coached by the #1 Real Estate Coaching Company in the world since 1999 to assure you that I have the skills to help you enjoy the thrills of homeownership or getting your home sold properly for more money.
I'll ask you several questions first to determine which of my USP's will both matter to you and benefit you as a San Diego home buyer or seller.
So actually one of my many USP's is the fact that I put my client's needs ahead of my own and find out how to serve them uniquely, since no one likes to be served by a cookie cutter style service. Is the agent you're interviewing right for you? Consider this:
- Do you feel heard or do you feel talked at?
- Ask your agent if they are full-time? These days this is a full-time career. You'd be surprised how many think they can work a full-time job elsewhere and then side-hustle real estate.
- Does this agent have a buyers plan or a sellers plan. Can they articulate how they will help you from A to Z buy or sell?
- Does this agent serve you personally or pawn you off on a team member once you've been onboarded?
- Does the agent ask you questions about you or brag about themselves?
- Does it feel like a consultation or a sales pitch?
- Are your questions being answered intelligently?
- Does this agent have years of experience in markets like this one?
- Does this agent sell homes regularly.
- Does this agent offer referrals to the other professionals you may need like a mortgage lender he/she trusts, an attorney, a CPA, inspectors, etc.
- And then ask any question that has you still wondering. Because if these questions do not resolve your decision making, you may have a unique question we may not realize, but if it is a concern of yours -you should ask it.
- The only dumb questions are the ones you never ask. You're not bugging a true professional - ask us!
- Do they have a fair amount of positive reviews online - are they even presence online and what image does that present?
The REALTOR® you choose should make you feel cared for; you should have a good sense of their confidence and character. It helps to like them, but it's more important to respect and trust them having your best interest at heart. Sales Agents Can't Offer What They Do Not Have.
"Small Enough To Care, Big Enough To Deliver!"
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR®, Working By Referral since 1999
Veteran Specialist, CDPE, Certified Residential Specialist, RCS-Divorce, Author
DRE# 01261476 Vision Drive Realty, Inc.
Brokered by Big Block Realty DRE# 01885775
Mobile: 858-232-8722
www.ThomasJNelsonRealtor.com
TJN@ThomasJNelsonRealtor.com
red carpet Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
red carpet 2 Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
service Image by kalhh from Pixabay
stars Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
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