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My first career was in business banking where I held a management position; this was a very sales-driven role. I was always very people-oriented and service-centric, and this was the stepping stone for my career path.
However, after the birth of my daughter, I wanted a job with more flexibility, so I earned my real estate license. I joined Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers in Atlanta, Georgia, because they have a great reputation for helping new agents get their careers off the ground. The brokerage was agent-focused and had a great training platform.
Getting started
I’m not going to lie. Starting a new career was daunting, but I got great advice: ” You have to start somewhere, so why not jump right in!” I told all my friends and bank contacts what I was doing and why I was so passionate about it, and my real estate career started to flourish.
Part of that early phase included learning how to cultivate real estate-driven relationships. I was used to doing that in the banking world, but I needed to learn how to do that in the real estate space.
I’ve never had a problem talking to people, but I’m not a pushy salesperson, and I think that’s the fine line. I think people expect salespeople to be pushing and hustling, and while we hustle, we can do it in a tactful way by sharing our stories and listening. If you don’t have a story that you can share with people, then you probably don’t enjoy your job.
I started out focusing on listings and working with sellers but have since expanded to work with buyers as well. I have specific checklists for both sellers and buyers. My goal is to take as much of the burden off my clients as I can, so I offer things like carpet cleaning, house cleaning and decluttering. Giving clients back time is truly invaluable at such a busy time in their lives.
Be true to yourself
One of my guiding principles when I started out was to be true to myself at all times. My husband works weird hours, so I often have my daughter with me while I’m working. My personal brand reflects that I am very family-oriented, and I don’t ever apologize for that. I can’t mold my business after something I’m not, so I just do me.
Early on, I set of goal of growing 33 percent YOY, every year. I’m a numbers girl after all! I broke that big goal into parts that I scheduled out over the year. Once I achieved that goal, I set another one. I made sure that I set attainable goals as well as big, audacious goals, and aimed to be somewhere in the middle of those.
Part of being very aware of my numbers is knowing how much business I can handle at once. I know from experience that I can’t have more than 11 or 12 active transactions at any given time. I like to have an even amount of business at every part of my pipeline so that I sustain optimal output at all times. I do this so I can have a sustainable business and always know that I have a healthy pipeline. When my pipeline gets low, I know I need to do more prospecting.
Prospecting in any market
When it comes to prospecting, my top focus is my “center of influence” — lenders, consultants and business bankers who are deeply entrenched with consumers every single day. I’m also a member of the PTA and the board of my HOA.
I’m also having a lot of luck right now connecting with past clients who bought in 2020 and 2021 and are ready to move again.
I follow all of my clients on social media and send them Amazon gift cards to recognize and celebrate their big moments. This was a great tip I learned from a top agent years ago, and it has helped my clients feel special and keeps me top of mind.
I truly believe a good CRM is the best tool for follow up, so my advice is to find the one that fits best into your business. A CRM only works if you use it.
A few years ago, as I started to see some real momentum, I integrated a transaction coordinator into my business, which not only frees me up to spend more face time with my clients but also provides an additional point of contact for clients during the transaction. My clients love this.
Looking ahead
Goal setting was really important for me in going from rookie to ringer. Now that I have achieved a level of sustainability in my business, I’m starting to focus on my broader career goals.
What’s my next plan? What’s my next path? I’m in the process of getting my broker’s license and starting to work with a partner on some commercial business. For me, it’s always about moving forward. That’s a great approach for agents at any point in their careers.
Leah Williamson is a real estate agent with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been the top-performing agent in her office for the past five years. Connect with Leah on Instagram.
