Sales Advice: 7 Sales Tips for Real Estate Agents
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Real Estate Published on: 05 April 2018 Last Updated on: 26 September 2024
There are about 2 million licensed real estate agents in the United States, and slightly over 6 million homes were sold in 2017.
A layman can argue that each real estate agent sold about 3 homes in that year. Of course, we know this isn’t true. There are agents who sold hundreds of houses and there are others who sold a handful.
What separates the top selling real estate agents from the rest? What is it about them that keeps bringing customers their way?
Need answers to these questions? Read on for the best sales advice.
1. Get Proper Training :
Real estate isn’t a career you can succeed at with just passion. Yes, being passionate is crucial to being happy and satisfied with your career, but you need more than that to excel.
As such, the first, and certainly the most handy piece of sales advice we can give you is to get proper professional training.
Don’t opt for the short courses that are often a shortcut to secure a real estate agent license in your state. How about pursuing a bachelor’s degree in real estate before going for the license?
Clients love well-educated agents, so you will easily stand out from the pack.
2. Learn from the Best :
Well, it’s one thing to have a great education, and it’s quite another to turn it into a great career.
This is why after earning your real estate education and licenses, you should not go all out and start your own agency.
It’s advisable to learn the trade by finding employed at a top agency or brokerage. You’ll get the opportunity to gain valuable skills from experienced agents who know what it really takes to net clients and close deals, even in difficult markets.
3. Pick Your Niche :
One of the most common mistakes real estate agents make is to broaden their practice.
From a layman’s perspective, it makes sense. Being available to sell any kind of real property, from stand-alone houses to condos and luxury coastal homes, enables an agent to cast a wider net and improve his income prospects.
The problem is the modern property buyer is getting savvier. They know too well that the best chance of selling a property is in working with an agent who specializes in that kind of property. So if a client is selling a condo and your portfolio shows you are a jack of all trades, sorry, you’re not getting that business!
Ready to heed our sales advice now? Good!
As you learn from the best, figure out niches you can specialize in. Go beyond commercial vs residential real estate. If you like residential, do you want to only focus on new homes? Luxury properties? High turnover neighborhoods?
The answer really depends on the dynamics of your local market, but you catch the drift.
4. Grow Your Professional Network :
Why is it important to network with other agents – or, put in other words, your competitors?
You’re right. Another agent is very unlikely to refer a client to you, but a professional network serves as your soft landing when the grind gets hard.
Let’s face it. Burnout rates in this industry are high. Difficult clients, rotten markets, regulatory changes, and other factors all combine to make the work of a real estate agent harder.
It’s during these times you reach out to the agents in your network for support. Who knows, they could give you the sales advice you need to get that sticky deal over the line.
Apart from filling your network with other real estate agents, expand your horizons. Get in touch with real estate attorneys, mortgage brokers, home inspectors and other professionals who operate in your industry.
5. Build a Digital Presence :
As recently as 2016, 44 percent of property buyers began their search online. In 2018, that number is probably closer to 100!
And in business, to find customers you must be where they are. This means as a real estate agent, you need to grow your online presence.
Are you on Facebook? You definitely are, but are you there in your personal or professional capacity? If your last post was of the fun times you had hiking with your family, it’s time to switch gears. Create a new page and start posting real estate stuff.
Beyond joining other social networks, don’t forget to create a website, as well as a blog where you can share your knowledge and insights with the world.
Equally important is the need to build your brand. Contract a branding specialist to design a logo for your business, as well as craft the tagline and work out other branding essentials.
6. Build Your Own Team :
As a small-time real estate agent, you can get on as a one-man show. You can handle your clients, manage your social media and take care of other aspects of your job.
But as you start pulling in more clients, you’ll inevitably get busier. Consequently, you’ll slack off on other aspects, like social media. Given the importance of a strong digital presence, that’s one area you don’t want to lag behind.
The solution lies in building your own team. If you were operating without a physical office, get one and hire one or two employees. Gradually, you will expand and before you know it you’re one of the largest agencies in your region.
7. Don’t Shy Away from Challenges :
Sometimes the difference between failure and success is the ability to take on challenges. If you tackle a challenge successfully, you’ll become more confident in your abilities.
One of the biggest challenges in real estate is selling a foreclosed home. There are many difficult variables involved. Here you’re dealing with a family that’s staring the prospect of losing their home, and such houses are not great hunts for buyers who are looking for a “home.”
However, selling a foreclosed home enables you to help the sellers get a good deal, which can be a source of joy in such a distressing time.
Ready to take on the challenge? If you’re based in Utah, check out foreclosure Salt Lake City.
Grow Your Real Estate Career with Our Sales Advice :
Sales don’t only occur when money changes hands. It’s a lengthy process that begins long before you even meet a prospective client.
In this article, we’ve given you the sales advice you need to become a sought-after real estate agent. Your immediate task is to implement these strategies and watch your career take off.
Finally, don’t stop learning. Keep exploring our blog to learn more about sales and marketing.
Read Also :