I’m a Realtor and so are you, but do we have a plan of action to actually grow our sales? Have we planned beyond getting to the next closing or are we just hoping someone accidentally asks us to list their home? The fact that so many agents don’t make a living would make me believe very few agents have a marketing and business plan. So lets get past the friends and family and create an active living business.
1. What do you sell? -So many Realtors want to sell “everything” and it’s just absurd to chase that business. We are not Walmart and never will be, so why act like it. Look back at your most successful transactions based on cost of client acquisition, revenue and time invested. Then decide if that is a great product to sell. If not find what is and be successful at it. You can’t tell me spreading yourself out in every County, chasing every listing and trying to get all your contacts as clients is effective. Focus and sell.
2. Where do you sell? -Nothing is more of a turn off then a Realtor with every City, Town and County listed as their service area. It’s a joke to think you can really be an expert in all of that. Pick a couple of areas that you can really be a dominate realtor and focus on them. Build a couple of referral partners in those other areas to keep the revenue flowing in but not to waste your time doing business there. Then study those markets and be THE Realtor in them.
3. How is your business? -Do you know where you are from last year or 5 years ago? Probably not really. Put a spreadsheet together with dates, sales, commissions, locations and lead generation. Then focus on what works and what isn’t. You can’t just go off of more sales or higher commissions. Be strategic and work a plan. There has to be a system to your business or you will fail.
4. Whats your marketing plan? -You now know What, Where and How your business works so lets do something with it. Take the time to create an ongoing marketing plan to advertise your services. Everyone knows you have your Real Estate license but do they know why you are the best choice? Be content driven and act as a filter to your target market. The end results should be your future and current clients using you as a short cut to their Real Estate goals. Sell That!
Unless you study and have a plan to sell Real Estate you can’t expect really great results. Every once in a while I hear of a close friend making a deal with another agent and I can immediately gauge whether or not I missed a sale. Did I educate and guide them or did I just hope they would pick me as their Realtor? Your results will be immediately impacted as you put a great plan into place. Happy Selling
-curt
