If you haven't watched this 👆 you are doomed 😬
Just kidding! no seriously, watch it.
Branding yourself is sending a message to the world, talking, writing, promoting, creating, marketing, every effort you're making to build a name for yourself.
Obviously branding yourself is not something you do over night, and because it's a process that happens naturally (with your attention or without) you must understand that the silent branding (when branding happens without your involvement) you are at risk, your brand is at risk because everything you do, say or have can reflect back on your brand!
People seek success naturally, we thrive by imagining ourselves in a better situation fincnaiclly, socially, health and otherwise. We want freedom, love, appreciation. That's great! Without wanting more, nothing is achieved. But branding...branding is different.
Let's talk about a typical real estate salesperson at the beginning of their career...
A young lady name Sharon gets her real estate license. She takes an online course and about a month later, after passing the State exam she receives her real estate license.
Immediately after, Sharon joins a real estate brokerage down the street. Her broker has been in the business for many years and therefore she assumes it's a good place to start since the brand is locally known. On her first week Sharon attends a light training with a mentor who shows her the ropes, how to write offers/contacts, how to use the MLS, how to order cards, signs, how to do an open house, how to book showings and off she goes.
Sharon is now an independent contractor who feels like she has what it takes to begin her real estate career and start making money. The following week Sharon decides to send out an email to all her friends and relatives notifying them that she can now help them with their real estate needs. She then post some messages on her social media and goes to visit a colleague at an open house. Weeks go by and although she posted many "real estate promotions" on social media, Sharon doesn't get any leads. She now wonders..."I wonder why no one has returned by emails or liked/replied/shared my posts". Sharon decides to ask her broker what she can do to find clients. The broker recommended Sharon to call her friends and relatives to offer them help with their real estate needs. But Sharon doesn't feel comfortable calling people and "selling". She thought she'll be getting some leads by now.
After a few days her broker sent her a text: "Hi Sharon, a friend of mine is looking for a house, call her and see if you can find her anything". Hurray, sings Sharon, I finally have someone to work with.
Sharon calls the lead immediately and leaves a message. The following day her phone rings, its Jannet returning her call.
J: Hi Sharon...
S: Hi Jannet, how are you?
J: I'm good and you?
S: I am great! thanks for asking. Jannet my broker told me that you are looking for a house in our area, is that right?
J: Yes Sharon I am looking for some time now, but I can't find anything I like.
S: I see. How many homes have you seen?
J: Well, me and my husband have been looking for a while, we have seen many homes but nothing to fall in love with.
S: Ok, I understand. Let me run a search for you and I will send you what I believe to be a great home. I will get in touch with you later on today. What is your price range? and how many bedrooms/baths are you looking for?
J: Well, we are approved for $350K but we prefer to stay below $300K and we need 4BR minimum with 2 baths.
S: Great! I will be in touch...
Sharon now spends 2 hours looking at every possible opportunity in the area. She then calls Jannet and says:
S: Hi Jannet, it's Sharon...I found 2 homes in your price range that I believe to be a great opportunity.
J: Nice, can you send me the listings via email?
S: Sure I will send it to you right now. Bare with me...
J: I got your email. I am sorry Sharon, but we already saw these homes.
S: Oh, and you didn't like them?
J: Not really, one is over priced and the other has only 1.5 baths.
For the next 3 weeks Sharon has spent countless hours looking at MLS, going to open houses and trying to get Jannet to meet with her, but Jannet seamed to dislike every opportunity.
At which point Sharon started wondering: "Maybe I should find another job until I actually sell a few houses".
How long would it take someone having a similar experience to quit real estate sales altogether?
This is a typical experience that more than 70% of new licensees in our industry experience. Most real estate agents, especially at the beginning find it difficult to generate leads, let alone convert those leads.
So why am I talking about this right now?
Well, when an agent decides they want to become a listing specialist, focusing on working with sellers more than they do buyers, it is crucial to realize that a different approach is in need.
Most people who begin their real estate career tend to struggle with marketing themselves, let alone branding. Branding is an entire concept and it must be studied and practiced for a long period of time. I found that Branding gets better with time, as long as the agent keeps at it with style, with purpose, with focus and persistency.
Listing agents tend to do much better than anyone else because they focus on branding and find a way to generate and convert sellers leads into listings.
Here is what it is going to take for any real estate agent, especially for beginners, to become successful at listing properties:
Find a niche you are passionate about (inside real estate, for example luxury homes or multi family homes).
Study it and specialize in it (go preview as many properties in the category as possible, know the stats, know the players, know the competition, study competitors, take a related course, know the language & practice it).
Find out where your ideal clients hang and how to connect with them.
Build a database of ideal prospects and constantly market to them (CRM is obviously preferable with this task).
Get your Brand in front of your ideal prospects on a regular consistent basis with prospecting, phone calls, door knocking, postcards, videos, emails, newsletters, social media, blogging, SEO, targeted ads, all which require content creation.
Grind it until you make it, even if you need to discount or work for free, to accumulate hands on experience.
Under promise and over deliver, 100% of the time!
Refer all other business to someone else (when you get a buyer lead, unless its a referral or a past client, choose to refer them to another agent you trust to do the job).
Find other professionals in the same industry who already have relationship with your ideal prospects and build a relationship with them that leads to referrals (attorneys, inspectors, contractors, school teachers, politicians, priests, mortgage brokers, hair dressers, and other local businesses who could help promote your brand to them).
Study what works (what brings you leads) and scale it up (do X more).
Study and develop communication skills, I'm talking about prospecting, conversing, handling objections, presenting, negotiating, etc.
If you feel ready to devote yourself to the process of becoming a listing specialist and do whatever it takes to make it happen, begin with these 11 steps and you are on your way!
Written with love ❤️
Coach Ran Biderman