Getting into real estate opens up numerous lucrative opportunities, but, like anything good, working as a real estate agent also comes with its challenges. Preparing for the challenges early can help you jump those hurdles to get to the next sale (and the commission that comes with it).
Getting Your First Client
Don’t expect the phone to ring off the hook immediately after you open. You will need to work hard to get your first client, which isn’t easy when you just open up. This is when you will need to use your ambition to hustle and promote yourself to anyone who will listen. After you get a potential client’s attention, you need to demonstrate what sets you apart from organizations with more experience and resources.
As a new agent, emphasize the fact that you can offer a high level of personalized attention and a slightly reduced fee. You can also show your hunger to succeed by studying as much as possible, ensuring you can answer questions about any house as well as questions about the current real estate market in your area.
To help speed things up, most real estate agents enlist the help of a real estate agent marketing service such as Homes.com to get the name out there. This allows you to let someone else handle your marketing while you focus on your business.
Managing Clients
Real estate sales revolves around relationships and communication, and it starts from the first greeting. Do your best to present yourself in a professional and likeable manner, personalizing your strategy to fit their personal needs and purchasing style.
It’s important to understand your client’s point of view. Start by casually chatting in a comfortable setting and asking a lot of open-ended questions and learning about their needs while also creating a connection.
What are your client’s needs v wants? Do your clients have any time constraint? Do you mesh well together based on your first meeting?
If both parties want to move forward, clearly explain things honestly to ensure you and the client are on the same page from the very beginning. From there, the fun begins!
Slow Periods
The world recently learned that the economy can come to a halt at the drop of a hat, especially the real estate market.
Plan ahead for slow periods by saving instead of spending all of your commissions right away. You also need to find ways to be productive by working to maintain important relationships, create new ones, enhance your business processes, and learn more about your industry and how to be successful. Make the most of the time and remember that you can still make sales in a less than perfect market.
Starting out as a real estate agent is an exciting time, and it doesn’t have to be something to stress yourself out about. If you market your services, your clients will be able to find you. From there, you can focus on communication and building up your business.