In many industries, there are so many competing businesses that
it makes it very difficult for the small business owner to stay
afloat, let alone rise to the top. You see it everyday on your
daily commute to work. How many restaurants to you pass between
your home and your place of employment? How many grocery stores
are there in your neighborhood? It is a tough world out there.
In the sales profession, the challenge becomes tougher. How many
car salesmen accosted you the last time you went to the car lot
to buy a car? As a new prospect drives into the car lot, dozens
of salesmen race for the prospect. The first one there gets to
take their shot.
If you think the world is tough at the car lot, wait until you
try to get started in the real estate business. As of 2005, there
are 2,636,783 licensed real estate agents in the United States.
Given that the United States has a population of only 297,970,318
people. That amounts to one real estate agent for every 113 men,
women and children in the United States. ( Source:
http://www.realtytimes.com/rtapages/20060112_arello.htm )
Differentiate Yourself From The Masses
If you are reading this article today, you have a great advantage
over most of the 2.6 million real estate agents in the United
States.
What differentiates you from the majority is that you are not
waiting for someone to drop success into your lap. Instead, you
are researching your industry to learn how you can be more
successful. You are among the cream. You are among the few who
are willing to step up to the plate and make things happen for
themselves.
While the guy in the desk next to yours is waiting for your boss
to bring him generic business cards to use, you are already on
the phone working to make connections with potential clients.
In most industries, the salesperson's employer bends over
backwards to make sure that the salesperson bows to the
supremacy of the employer. In fact, with most companies, it is
a requirement that the individual salesperson cannot market him
or her self as an individual entity.
Real Estate is a much different industry. While you are not
required to market yourself, it is not frowned upon. In fact,
real estate agencies appreciate someone who is willing to invest
in building their own reputation and business. They like seeing
business cards and advertising that demonstrates the face and
name of the salesperson on advertising materials with the company
logo and phone number.
If you are not willing to market your own name and face, why
should anyone else do that for you? Those individuals who are
not willing to step up to the plate to make things happen for
themselves must sit by the phone and wait for prospects to call.
Those individuals who are willing to step up seldom have time to
wait by the phone looking for that chance prospect. They are much
too busy.
As a commissioned sales person, the real estate agent cannot
afford to sit idly waiting for that big sale to come their way.
They need to be out shaking bushes trying to flush out that new
business.
Usually within the first two weeks on the job, most agency
managers know which salespeople will still be at the job one year
from now, and which ones will be changing jobs within just a few
months. The new salesperson is either a "go-getter" or a "walker"
--- walking out the door to find a new job that actually pays a
salary.
Define Yourself – Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
In real estate, your name and your face are the most valuable
assets you have, next to your skills as a salesperson. When
clients call, you want them to ask for YOU by name. When
strangers walk in the front door of the office, you want them to
look at you directly, then walk right up to you and introduce
themselves.
When you have done a good job at selling yourself, then prospects
will feel as if they know you --- even if they have never seen
you in person.
When working to find your next prospect, you need to work hard
to fashion your public image in a positive way. Your positive
image in the marketplace will bring people to you with positive
expectations for doing business with you. Positive client
expectations usually result in a positive cash flow for the
salesperson.
The positive image that you convey to others is better understood
as your "reputation." A good reputation will carry you when times
are slow. A poor reputation will push you out of the business
once and for all. Be careful as you construct your public image.
You public image / reputation will make or break your career as a
real estate agent.
Marketing By Referral
When you have closed a sale, your customer will be very happy
with you. Strike while the iron is hot. Ask for the referral. Ask
your happy customer if they know of anyone else who might be in
the market to buy real estate.
Take names and numbers, and then follow through.
Call Prospect One and advise them that your Happy Customer has
suggested that they might be in the market to buy a house, land
or commercial property. Tell Prospect One that you would be more
than happy to help them with their property search. Ask them
specifically what they are in the market to buy.
Don't be afraid to use Happy Customer's full name. The fact that
Happy Customer has made the referral, has just allowed you to
overcome one of the greatest roadblocks in the process of
selling. Happy Customer's referral has allowed you to knock a
lot of the wind out of Prospect One's fear of salespeople.
Most really successful real estate salespeople have mastered the
art of marketing by referral. The skill of acquiring names of
prospects allow most real estate agents to successfully move
from one sale to another without missing a beat.
Your Success In Real Estate Is In Direct Proportion To Your
Investment
Your real estate agency will spend money to advertise the agency.
They will provide you with a desk and telephone. They will make
sure that all of the legal resources that you need, will be
available to you. They will have established relationships with
appraisers and banks. They will provide you the foundation that
you will need to help you to be successful.
But, at the end of the day, the agency is not going to go out of
their way to make sure that you have the skills you need to be
successful. And, they will not drop business in your lap. You are
still expected to earn your own living.
Some agencies will go beyond the average. They will provide you
training and resources to help you to become more successful.
But, it is still up to you as to what you do with that training
and those resources. The ball is still in your court.
Invest in your name and face recognition. Invest yourself in your
customers and their lives --- this will help you to secure your
public image and positive reputation. Invest yourself to get
those personal referrals. Invest your time following up with your
prospects.
If you do all of these things well, then you could really become
a Real Estate Diamond On The Beach. Only certain pebbles of sand
have what it takes to become a diamond. Are you one of them?
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