By definition, high performance in the real estate industry means high sales volume and top results. This can mean agents spend all of their time chasing listings. But Area Specialist Founder Michael Choi says there’s more to being a top performer than chasing listings. With the right strategy, you can invest your time more wisely, and let the listings, and the results, come to you. Here, Michael shares his top five strategies to help you achieve that goal.
Remember past clients
Why spend so much time and energy desperately seeking new clients, when you already have past buyers and vendors that are happy to work with you.
It’s critical to develop a process that allows you to leverage off those already-positive relationships.
Create systems that allow you to recognise and make contact on anniversaries and Christmas. Get in touch every year to offer an updated appraisal on their property, maybe send a gift in the mail on the fifth year of homeownership.
Better yet, do things ‘just because’ to engage past clients. For example, hire out a cinema and host a free movie night. Your past buyers and vendors won’t be able to resist, and you’ll be the first name that comes to mind when they do eventually decide to buy or sell or have a friend in need of an agent.
SMS updates
Text messages are the easiest, most convenient, least invasive way to make contact with people. Email is easy too, but how many of us skip past any email that looks like spam. Let’s face it, most of us are so swamped with commercial emails, that our eyes barely register them.
Text messages are a different story – it’s so easy to pick up your phone and read a short message. You can do it anytime, anywhere.
Automate your text messages to update people on information that is relevant to them.
For example, a sale on their street, regardless of the agency, a double-storey sale in the same suburb of a double-storey property owner, or a waterfront sale to a waterfront living client.
Remember to always send results from other agencies, not just your own. Be the Google of real estate in your area.
Personalise your brand
It’s becoming more and more evident that vendors are listing with people – not brands.
That’s why personal branding is more important than ever. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a traditionalist or not.
You can still sell real estate the old fashion way, but if you want buyers and sellers to contact you when it matters, they need to know your name, and your face.
Become your own brand by showing your face, and your message, in as many places as possible – car signage, pointer boards, sponsorships.
Potential clients need to feel like they know you. That’s the way of the world these days – you simply can’t hide behind a brand name.
Real estate agents are more than someone who manages a transaction, they’re a partner in one of the biggest financial decisions of their clients’ life.
Hire Help
Let’s face it, real estate agents can be control freaks, wanting to manage and control every element of the process.
But if you really want to become a high performer, you need to learn to let go. But it’s critical you’re letting go of the right things. Not the wrong ones.
As your business grows, consider what parts of the process are actually ‘dollar productive’ and focus on those things. Everything else can be outsource by someone as good, if not better, than you.
Keep it simple – if it’s not prospecting, listing, or selling, give it to somebody else to do.
You can outsource, administration, data entry, building inspection or photoshoot attendance, and other running around tasks.
This will free your time up, allowing you to dedicate more time and energy into activities that increase your business. You’ll also have a better lifestyle.
Digital updates
There’s an old marketing saying that says “if you don’t know what the product is, then you are the product”.
This statement comes to mind here, and is particularly relevant when it comes to just listed and just sold drops.
Reaching potential clients through their phones is the new letterbox drop, although people are glued to their phone far more than they ever were to their letterbox.
Social media channels have the dedicated attention of their users, and you can bet that almost all of your local potential clients will have social media of some kind.
Get involved. Understand social media, learn how to leverage hashtags, know how to be seen by potential buyers and sellers.
Digitally advertise your listings and sales, and use lead forms to capture and grow your database.
You’ll reach a lot more people, a lot more quickly, and you won’t need to wear your runners.
