Operating on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Daniel Robinson has achieved remarkable success, completing 52 property transactions in the last 6 months and generating $943,900 in commissions, putting him well on track to significantly exceed his previous year’s performance.
His success has enabled him to purchase and renovate a beautiful home in Mount Martha, a move he says wouldn’t have been possible under his previous business model.
Daniel’s journey to Area Specialist came after feeling constrained by his previous company’s inability to support his growth ambitions.
“I had felt being at the previous company that they seek your growth for a period of time, but then you can get too big for a brand and too big for a company where you actually clash,” Daniel said. “They don’t actually have the ability for you to grow.”
That pressure resulted in a significant performance drop one year. However, since joining Area Specialist almost three years ago, Daniel has experienced consistent year-on-year growth.
“Every single individual which has now started contracting at Area Specialist Collective has increased their performance from their previous best year at any other estate agency,” he said. “That to me is the best metric we have.”
Dominating the Peninsula market
Currently ranked fourth on realestate.com.au across the entire Mornington Peninsula, Daniel’s achievement is even more impressive considering his lean team structure.
Operating with just himself and one team member, he’s competing against agents with teams of three to five people.
“Pound for pound, we are probably the number one performer on the entirety of the Mornington Peninsula,” Daniel said. “We’re choosing to grind. We’re choosing to work hard. We’re choosing to bear the cold face, and we’re loving it.”
He said having experienced agents directly serving clients is essential in the current market, where buyers require significantly higher levels of service and are more diligent in their decision-making than ever before.
The attraction business model
Daniel credits much of his success to finally understanding what industry veteran Tom Panos has preached for twenty years – creating an “attraction business.”
“I never understood it. He’s like, create an attraction business. Don’t be just slamming the phone calls,” Daniel said. “And I get it now.”
His approach involves constant subliminal marketing through letterbox drops, social media, and prominent for-sale signage, with a focus on promotion over cost-saving.
“Make decisions to promote, not save money,” he said.
Daniel said the increased budget available through Area Specialist’s model has been crucial to his marketing strategy.
“I have a much larger budget for marketing expense because I can claim a considerable amount more, but also naturally returning more enables me to put more into client experience, more into finding new business,” he said.
Strategic selectivity
Another key to Daniel’s success has been his willingness to say no to business that doesn’t align with his brand positioning.
“I say no to business now more than I ever have,” he said. “For me, it has to be a nice looking, well presented, certain value of home because now that’s what people are attracted to me for.”
When he does decline business, he ensures clients are well cared for by connecting them with the right agent for their needs.
Authenticity above all
Perhaps Daniel’s most passionate advice for agents is to embrace authenticity over traditional real estate stereotypes.
“No one cares anymore that you’re a real estate agent. No one cares that you wear a nicer suit rather than a standard suit,” he said. “I really stress to young people getting in the industry to create a real profile of just being who you are.”
Daniel typically wears a t-shirt, blazer and slacks – similar to what his clients wear coming home from work.
“Don’t position yourself above them. Just be real,” he said. “The moment you try to pretend, you can’t fake sincerity, and it’s noticed.”
Area Specialist is a real estate platform for top-performing agents, providing the systems, tools and technology they need to create, grow and power their business. For more information visit beyourboss.com.au