It appears that the real estate sector is experiencing continuous growth, particularly in the context of our housing shortage economy.
Given the increasing number of licensed real estate agents entering the field, the challenge arises: how can they, or perhaps you, distinguish themselves amid the expanding pool of real estate professionals?
As the owner of a real estate photography business, I’ve observed several agents successfully setting themselves apart and securing a substantial income for their families, even by selling one or two homes each month.
Here are some prevalent strategies I’ve noticed. However, it’s important to note that these approaches demand significant effort in terms of financial investment, time commitment, and dedication.
Ways to stand out as a real estate agent
Forget Your Time in the Industry
It’s not solely about the duration you’ve spent in the real estate business; it’s about how effectively you can assist your sellers or buyers in achieving their objectives. I’ve witnessed numerous first-year agents excel by building relationships with fellow agents, gaining a profound understanding of the market, and mastering effective negotiation strategies.
Sellers desire a swift sale at the highest possible price—how can you deliver this for them?
Buyers seek a favorable deal on a home within their budget, providing financial, physical, and geographical comfort—how will you guide them toward this objective?
While experience in the industry is valuable, even a 10-year part-time agent involved in real estate as a side gig—years alone don’t guarantee success.
Educate your clients on market trends. Share sound advice without making it sound too easy—because it’s not. Illustrate your approach in various scenarios to establish yourself as the expert. Once you have the seller’s or buyer’s agreement, open the floodgates of the best insights and valuable advice you can provide.
Be someone that happens to know how to do real estate
Building relationships is crucial in real estate. Cold prospecting doesn’t mean delving into their family history, but understanding their motivations and desires for buying or selling a home is essential. Once you grasp their “why,” tailor your approach to address that specific pain point.
Want a larger house? Why?
—Often, the initial reason isn’t the root issue. Use this opportunity to understand the household’s dynamics and discover the underlying reasons for needing a bigger space.
Considering downsizing? Why?
—Explore the physical and financial aspects that drive the decision to downsize. What considerations have they overlooked?
Thinking about an upgrade? Why?
—Highlight benefits and potential pitfalls they may not have considered in upgrading. What are the unexplored aspects of moving to a better property?
Planning to build a house? Why?
—While building a house may be more of a luxury than a necessity, delve into why they feel the need to build. Uncover the underlying motivations behind this decision.
share a high-level marketing plan with the seller that only an agent can offer
Avoid delving into every detail but provide enough information to guide them toward signing a seller’s agreement. Outline your high-level marketing strategy, including the number of marketing channels you’ll use, showcase your photographer’s work samples, present case studies of past sales with details on offers received and how they were generated.
Additionally, share challenges you’ve faced with previous sellers and how you successfully addressed them. If you lack personal sales experience, share stories from other agents (with their permission) about sellers who followed a similar marketing strategy.
Emphasize the collective experience of your brokerage or team by stating, “This seller’s experience with [YOUR BROKERAGE NAME] was…”—illustrating the benefits of being part of a reputable brokerage or team.
Create beautiful marketing collateral to leave with your buyers and sellers
Your presentation materials are crucial as they serve as a lasting impression after the meeting. Lack of compelling marketing collateral can result in prospects forgetting your service, making you indistinguishable from other agents. Utilize marketing content from your brokerage, incorporate listing photos from your portfolio, or explore third-party services.
Pro Tip: Collaborate with lenders or title officers for potential synergy. As a real estate agent operating in a B2C (business-to-consumer) space, aligning with professionals in B2B (business-to-business) can offer shared marketing benefits. This collaboration can enhance the quality of your presentation materials and strengthen your overall marketing approach.