Real Estate - The Lure of Easy Money?
Realtors are not born, they evolve. Like any start up business, only by understanding the nuances of customers and the market, will an agent be successful. As in any business, real estate changes a...

Realtors are not born, they evolve. Like any start up business, only by understanding the nuances of customers and the market, will an agent be successful. As in any business, real estate changes and adapts over time. At every point in human and business lifecycles, the requirements of survival change. Having the proper tools in place to cope with these changes is vital. To adapt, an agent must be informed and skilled in the art of customer relations, to make decisions.

Don't be a secret agent. Over the years, the technology we have come to rely on so heavily, as eroded personal relationships. Blackberries, cell phones, e-mail, and other contemporary forms of communication are wonderful time saving tools, but can never replace face to face contact. You have chosen a sales profession. First, and foremost, you must sell yourself. A client must know you and like you before they can trust you to sell their property.

As a new agent, your primary focus is on sales and marketing to generate awareness and motivate clients to hire you. Visibility in the marketplace is your priority. Picture yourself as a mannequin in a display window on a heavily travelled street. What makes you stand out from the rest? Do you present a professional image? Why would anyone pick you over your competition?

Every day is a sales day. Make it your goal to meet and greet at least two new prospects a day. Each individual you encounter throughout the day is a potential client. People are the most important aspect of your life as well as your career. Mary Kay Ash said, "Treat everyone you meet as though they are wearing a sign around their neck that says, "I'm important". Treat everyone with respect and kindness and they will remember you.

In the mid 1960's, my husband and I thought we knew everything there was to know about real estate. We didn't see the advantage of paying an exorbitant commission to a realtor. Deciding to sell our home ourselves, we put a For Sale By Owner sign in our front yard and waited. And waited, and waited, for two months, without a single call from an interested party. We did, however, receive a phone call a day from various realtors eager to list our property. Their approach was insincere and impersonal. It wasn't until one afternoon when I answered a knock at the front door, and a gentleman introduced himself as a new agent from a local real estate office, that I succumbed to his sales pitch. He made an appointment to visit with my husband and me that evening and we ultimately listed our property with him. His approach was professional and personal. He was the only agent to actually make a personal presentation and sell us on his services. Our home sold within the next month and we enlisted him for the purchase of our next property. It was a win/win situation simply because he went out of his way to become personally involved. He became a good friend and a very successful agent. We referred him to everyone we knew.

There is no more effective prospecting method than working with individuals referred to you by your current customers. It's the most powerful way to work. It's the most enjoyable way to sell.

Review your motives periodically as to why you chose real estate for a new career. In the song "The Gambler", by Kenny Rogers, there is a line that goes, "You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table, there'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done". When you're sitting at a listing presentation with your seller, never let them see the dollar signs in your eyes. You are there to help them. It has been said, "If you help enough others get what they want, you will get what you want."

As you begin to experience growth in your new career, it may become necessary to implement some of the time saving technology mentioned previously. In order to reduce the impact this may have on your clients, you might need to hire an assistant who is well versed in customer relations. Teamwork is a valuable concept in the real estate industry. Your clients will be assured of reaching one of you at any given time, rather than a machine. Maintaining constant communication with clients is a must. During the listing period, keeping clients updated and providing them with relevant information on market trends in their area, will give them added confidence in you. A clear vision and strategy are paramount so that everyone involved in the transaction knows the direction to take. This will enable you and your client to focus attention and resources where there is the best chance of success.

Understanding customer needs and adapting to the changing real estate environment, learning from past experiences, and analyzing industry information to make better decisions can make all the difference between success and failure. To survive, you have to be fit; to succeed, you have to the fittest.

Tags : atthetable resittin Younevercountyourmoneywhenyou

Category : Home&Business

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