6 tips for leveling up growth and success

After a year or two in the real estate business, you’ve learned it’s a fiercely competitive, self-driven, entrepreneurial business where success is determined by your ability to learn, network, market, and consistently demonstrate your value to the most fearsome, demanding bosses of them all—your customers.

As you go farther in the profession, it’s heartening to know there are lots of passionate, caring professionals willing to help new Realtors^® excel and build a successful practice. We’ve assembled some of their collective wisdom with seven tips to follow during your “sophomore” rite of passage.

1. Develop a business plan

A well-crafted business plan provides a roadmap for reaching this year’s goals and creating a solid foundation for the years beyond. It also gives you an opportunity to evaluate what you’ve done well, and which areas need improvement. Your business plan should include:

• Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)
• Evaluation of your target audience and market
• Long-term and short-term goals
• Specific strategies for achieving goals
• Time frame for accomplishing goals

2. Find leads online

Real estate is a relationship business, and relationships begin with leads. Everyone learns the basics on day one: work your sphere of influence; make cold calls; go to open houses; and knock on doors. And while these time-honored methods can certainly yield results, technology provides a way to cast a wider net. Building a solid website and social media presence is integral to generating leads. In fact, some are getting as much as two thirds of their leads from online sources.

Demonstrate your value and expertise in the digital space by:

• Providing helpful information and resources about the communities you serve
• Writing blogs about different aspects of the home buying and selling process
• Creating videos that showcase your specialties and help prospects connect on a personal level

Remember, leads are your lifeline and the source of your income. If you want to meet your financial goals, you need to do the math and calculate how many leads it takes to sell a home, and how many homes you need to sell to cover your marketing expenses and overhead, and still make a profit.

3. Invest in marketing

Developing a marketing plan tailored to your audience and area can pay outsized dividends. And you don’t have to spend a fortune to connect with new prospects. Facebook and Instagram let you target specific demographics, and Google ads let you reach viewers who are actively entering the real estate market. Be sure to test your marketing efforts to determine which channels and messages are generating the best quality leads.

Don’t overlook traditional channels. Printed newsletters and direct mail that showcase your expertise can make an impact on prospects outside the oversaturated Internet. Lastly, polish your brand and make sure every element of it is cohesive and consistent, from web design to the look and feel of letterheads, stationery and business cards. And don’t forget to keep your image up to date by getting a new headshot every two years.

4. Use technology to manage customer relationships

Once leads start pouring in, you need an efficient way to cultivate and manage them. While excel spreadsheets may keep you organized at first, investing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software helps you execute your lead nurturing plan and convert more prospects into clients and closers. A good CRM allows you to automatically connect with prospects at critical points in the conversion process; create pipelines for potential clients; and track conversations and other communications with clients. Pipedrive, HubSpot, Agile, and Bitrix24 are all popular platforms used by brokerages across the country.

5. Relentlessly seek referrals

You work long and hard to take those clients from signing the representation agreement to the closing table. Referrals and testimonials are the best ROI you can get. Be sure to gather them and ask for them while the experience is fresh in your client’s mind. Keep your services top of mind by touching base with phone calls, emails, birthday and anniversary and “houseaversary” cards. Continue demonstrating your value by being the networking source for all the services homeowners need, from trusted plumbers and painters to landscapers and roofers. Chances are, when one of these clients has a friend, neighbor or relative who needs a Realtor^®, your name will float to the top.

6. Put people first

Your customers are not transactions. They are humans with needs, fears, and aspirations just like your own. By helping them buy or sell a home you are participating in one of the most meaningful and often emotional experiences of their lives. The best and most successful Realtors^® take pride and satisfaction in connecting people with their piece of the American dream. If you have a passion for helping others and improving the human condition one closing at a time, chances are you’re in the right business.