Our Honest Advice to Anyone Starting in Real Estate

Like some of you, we grew up in a time when old people often spoke in riddles, quotes and old wives’ tales, but they never bothered to give us the answers, or tell us the deeper meanings behind any of them. 

Well, we have a quote of our own, which is “Experience is something that we all get…five minutes after we actually needed it!” 

we won’t leave you hanging in suspense. The point is, you will indeed gain valuable experience, but it’ll probably be after you’ve already fallen flat on your face. I want to save you some time, embarrassment and frustration by giving you the answer key right up front.

If you’re new-ish to the real estate game, the following four tips will fast-track your business and save you a world of hurt.

#1) What do you have that satisfies your clients more than your competition?

You have a skillset, a unique set of experiences, maybe even a niche focus, that sets you apart from the rest. What is it? What is your unique selling proposition and competitive advantage in the eyes of prospective clients?

Which pain points do you solve, and for whom? And how do you do it better than the rest? Figure this out, clearly define it, then shout it from the rooftops! 

This is your core value, your winning formula, and your secret sauce that puts you at the top of your game.

#2) Define your signature process.

Differentiate yourself from the rest by establishing your unique signature process. You don't just sell properties and negotiate good deals - there's clearly more to it than that.

Being able to really articulate your difference and the benefit to a prospective client, is essential for staying competitive in your market.

What are your credentials and history? Why are you better, and why should people choose you? How are you different from the market and your competitors? What is it you do differently, and how is it effective? What is the problem that you’re solving for your clients? What is the transformation they can expect with you, and can you articulate that clearly?

Use these as the basis of your process in delivering results for your clients. Communicating your uniqueness makes it easier for people to identify and relate to you rather than lumping you together with your competitors.

#3) Commit to moving from good to GREAT.

Separate yourself from the masses. Good is everywhere, but great is often hard to come by. Don’t believe me? Do your own social experiment. Go out to eat at a restaurant, or shopping at a retail store, and see if the level of service and care is exceptional, basic, or nonexistent!

Commit to excellence, do more than is required, and be the one that your clients can’t stop talking to their friends about. Elevating your game is about refining the small details and executing flawlessly so that the client experience is smooth and seamless.

Provide services and solutions to your clients BEFORE they even knew that they needed them!

When you move from good to great, there is no more competition. You’re at a different level, and you’re no longer selling yourself at appointments. You’re consulting as a professional and you are now qualifying them!

#4) Learn how to WOW!

How can you deliver a 10+ level of service every single time? What can you do to surprise your clients and exceed their expectations before, during and after the sale? What are you doing right now in your business, and how can you make it even better?

Incorporating these standards into your process is key to growing organically and encouraging a steady flow of incoming referrals. Build a service model that outshines your competition, and one that you can replicate for every client.

Think of stellar service as a huge part of your marketing strategy, in that it creates goodwill, word-of-mouth advertising, and a flow of positivity.

If you’re brand new to the real estate business, these questions may be difficult, if not impossible, to answer honestly. But, I want you to dig deeper. Lean into your past and your future. What jobs, roles, and achievements did you have in your past life (professionally, not spiritually!) that you are bringing with you to real estate? Those characteristics are still in play today, and I encourage you to galvanize those into the fabric of who you are, what you do, and where you are going.

Secondly, you are an extension of your brokerage, office manager, team leader, trainer, mentors, and so on. This track record and support system is part of your extended team in the community, and provides legitimacy and professionalism to you as an agent or broker when starting out. Build your story around the collective, not you as the individual.