In my years as a trainer, these two questions have always been my favorites to pose to top agents:
“So, successful real estate agent, now that you know what you know, what advice do you have for new agents or those relaunching their real estate careers? What would you do differently if you were to start over?”
You might be surprised by the simplicity of the responses and the general advice for succeeding in this business. Here are 9 of the best responses and tips from top agents to new or relaunching agents:
1. Generate leads in the morning
Time block every morning to lead generate in your office and connect with clients and leads.
Do not schedule any appointments during your lead gen time, ever. Having peace in the morning brings a sense of peace throughout the rest of the day; the rest falls into place.
2. Break it down
Set your annual goal. Break it down to month, week and day. Then each day, set your schedule to match those goals. Your actions must match your goals.
3. Do open houses regularly
New agents should do an open house every weekend for at least two months straight. Three to four months is better.
I know a brand-new agent who did that February through April, and it set up her entire year of leads. Don’t wait for them to come to you — go to the people.
4. Focus on 100
Focus on building your systems for finding sellers and buyers. You don’t need one client; you need 100. You are building a pipeline, so make sure your day reflects that core principle.
5. Get 3 listings, stat
Get three listings as quickly as possible. Everything else can build from there.
6. Set 2 appointments
Your job is to get two appointments every week. Once you nail that, your new number is four. And so on.
7. Database sooner
Who do you know? Who do they know? Database your top 100 coworkers, neighbors, soccer club, church and Facebook friends — all of them!
Get it together fast, and start communicating with them in a systematic and compelling, value-add manner.
8. Go small
Be a market expert starting with one neighborhood — stat! I know an agent who, when she started, could not afford to drive across town. She and her husband only had one car.
So she only focused on her own immediate, walkable neighborhood — and she killed it!
A few years later, she was a top agent in her office, and she dominated her own neighborhood.
9. Get enthused
Get in touch with your fearless self; wear your enthusiasm.
I’m pretty sure there is a life lesson in this tip. You are starting something big and new, so you have to show up with high energy and your best self.
Take inventory of how you are showing up in the world, and make sure it’s the version of you that attracts people and facilitates rapport.
Many top agents did not nail it in their first year — some did, but many did not. I have heard countless superstars on stage at various real estate conventions who humbled themselves by telling us the story of how they almost failed out of the business.
In many of those cases, something clicked in year two or three, or they finally took the right class or found the right coach or somehow stumbled onto the right advice or actions that resulted in traction and a new trajectory. You can launch or relaunch your career today with these nine tips.
What’s your best tip? Please share in the comments section below.
Julie Nelson is the chief success officer at The Nelson Project, Keller Williams Realty in Austin, Texas. You can follow her on YouTube or Twitter.