Are you the constant multi-tasking type of real estate agent that does too many things and just doesn’t do any of them well? Are you feeling like your real estate career is a treadmill you just can’t get off? Like myself constantly falling into the common trap of trying to be all things to all people.
We all have the tendency to do too many things and not do any of them well because of having little time or little focus. Why can’t we focus on a few high impact activities and do them with excellence? Why do we feel to be productive we have to do more than we can, even at the cost of poor execution?
Most of us not only do too many things and tend not to do them well but we also do them over long periods of time until we finally burn out and quit doing them all together. The real estate business does not have to be a marathon but can be a series of well executed sprints. I know in my own career after a six week period I often began to really not enjoy people.
Now in the real estate business (just so you know), this is not a good thing and could become very destructive and costly. Take the time to think what six… and only six activities you do in your real estate business that give you the most energy. What specific activities energize you and your business? Not just energize you and your business but have the biggest impact and return on investment. Once you have determined your top six activities you commit to them for the next 6 weeks.
Giving you a 6 by 6 plan. 6 energizing activities over a 6 week period and then walk away, rest and regroup for your next 6 by 6. How many of us could handle six high impact, energizing activities over a six week period. Instead of 52 or more activities over a 52 week period? What would that mean for your energy levels? Your production levels? Your overall effectiveness in your business and personal life?
My 6 By 6 Recommendations In 2022
1.) See the people – make appointments to visit past and current clients and give them the gift of your time over the next six weeks.
2.) Business Plan – take the time to see where you have come from and where you are going. You can’t improve something you don’t measure.
3.) Goal Setting – What’s your why? Set new sails for 2022.
4.) Give back – this is a great time of year to help others and to make a difference. It makes you feel good.
5.) Rebrand – time for a new photo, logo, slogan? a whole new look?
6.) Family and Fun – enjoy some time with people you care about the most. It can’t always be about work.
So their you have it. What’s your 6 by 6 going to be. Take the time to journal them and meditate on them and really try to nail things down with less being more in your work and in your life. I dare you!!
It’s hard to earn a high income when you’re selling homes worth less than a million dollars. Because you’re only making a couple thousand dollars on each listing, you’ll need to sell dozens of homes if you want a six-figure income. That’s why the average real estate agent only makes $45,990 per year, as opposed to a luxury real estate agent. You don’t have to get stuck in that low salary range. You can meet your financial goals by selling high-end homes to maximize the amount of commission you get from each sale, becoming what’s known as a luxury real estate agent. Wondering how to become a luxury real estate agent and increase your earnings? Here are some tips to help you break into this lucrative market and become a luxury real estate agent. How to Become A Luxury Real Estate Agent Even If You’re Not Rich. You don’t need to come from a wealthy background to sell high-end homes. Here’s how to become a luxury real estate agent even if you don’t know anyone wealthy.
Familiarize Yourself with the Market. – You’ll need to convince clients that you’re an expert in high-end real estate in order to win their business and become a luxury real estate agent. And when it comes to the luxury market, you can’t really fake it till you make it. Luxury properties are notoriously hard to price because they don’t fall into a simple price per square foot model like regular houses. To understand what these unique homes are worth, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the luxury listings that have recently sold in your area, as well as ones that are still on the market. Pay special attention to the finishes and amenities in each home because they have a major impact on the value.
Work on Your Image. – When you’re trying to attract high net worth clients, a logo and website you made yourself probably won’t look good enough to get their attention. You should strongly consider hiring a graphic designer who works with luxury real estate agents to perfect your visual branding. If you don’t have a big enough budget for that, look to other luxury agents in your market for design inspiration and make sure your website is clean and easy to use. Another thing that you shouldn’t overlook is your wardrobe. Although you don’t have to start shopping at designer stores, your clothing should be tailored, well-maintained, and professional. Showing up in a suit that’s too big for you and scuffed shoes won’t make the right impression.
Co-List With An Established Luxury Real Estate Agent. – High net worth clients probably won’t trust you with their million dollar homes until you have an established track record of success. So how do you get those first few listings you need to prove yourself? Many new agents team up with an established luxury Realtor on a co-listing. But you’ll have to show them how working with you will benefit them before they agree to it. Let them know that you’re a motivated agent who’s willing to do most of the work for a fraction of the commission. If you agree to hustle hard for only 20% of the listing fee, the agent may co-list a luxury property with you, enabling you to get the experience you need.
Prospect for Expired Luxury Listings. – Luxury listings often expire before being sold, which gives you an opportunity to reach out to the homeowner and potentially win their business. But to get them to sign on with you, you’ll have to convince them that you’ll do a better job than the last agent. One way to do this is to send them a letter that discusses your credentials and lays out a solid marketing plan for the home. Include things like testimonials, examples of marketing materials you’ve made, and results you’ve gotten for past clients to prove that you’re the right agent for their listing.
Network in the Right Places. – Unless you come from a wealthy family, you probably don’t know a lot of high net worth individuals. In order to get luxury listings, you’ll need to find out where affluent people in your city spend their time and network with them. Country clubs, art galleries, bars, and high-end gyms are often good places to start. When you run into someone who looks like a good prospect, you shouldn’t pitch them your services right away. If you strike up a conversation, the question of what you do is bound to come up. Then you can let them know you’re a real estate agent who specializes in luxury listings and hand them your business card.
Earn a Certification. – Another way to gain credibility and break into the luxury market is to earn a certification in high-end real estate. There are a number of professional designations you can choose from, including Accredited Luxury Home Specialist and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist. To earn one of these certifications, you’ll have to take a course, pass a test, and sell a few luxury homes to prove your expertise.
Improve Your Marketing Skills. – Not only will you need top-notch marketing skills to win luxury listings, but also to sell them. Million dollar properties stay on the market for an average of 24 days longer than lower end houses. And multi-million dollar homes can get relisted multiple times over several years before they finally sell. So you’ll have to brush up on your marketing skills to move these listings. Instagram is one of the best social media sites for advertising luxury listings because it’s highly visual, so it’s important to know the ins and outs of the platform. You’ll also need to improve your photography and video editing skills or budget money to hire a professional, because iPhone photos won’t cut it. Open houses and print ads are also a key part of marketing high-end homes, as is creativity. If you get a tricky listing that doesn’t respond to these tried-and-true marketing strategies, you’ll have to think outside the box to get it sold.
Treat Your Clients Like Gold. – Wealthy clients expect a higher level of service than the average customer. That’s why it’s important to go above and beyond the call of duty. Try to answer their phone calls and emails right away, even if it’s after hours. Make sure to give them regular status updates about their listing. Once you start earning commission and have a bigger budget to play with, find ways to treat your clients like taking them to lunch at an upscale restaurant. If you make your clients feel taken care of and do a great job with their listing, they may recommend you to their high net worth friends.
Feel free to share your Luxury market strategies in the comments. Would love to hear from those that are having huge success in this niche.
Often I hear realtors tell me how expensive it is to do effective marketing as a real estate agent and how they don’t have the budget for these costs. Although I agree there are some very pricey marketing tactics in play right now, I assure you there are countless highly effective tactics that are “zero” cost or low cost.
2018 Low and No Cost Marketing Ideas for Agents…
1. Pick up the phone and talk to 5 current or past clients a day. 2. Ask for the business just by adding to your email signature “The greatest compliment you can give me is a referral to your family, friends and colleagues.” 3. Record a new, upbeat and original message on your voicemail every day. Try a riddle, joke, tip, quote or short story. 4. Create a “do it yourself” info graphic of your local market statistics for real estate and post it on social media or email it to your clients 5. Check the local news or internet for a good news story and clip or print the story and send the person who the story is about a personal note saying “well done or congratulations” and include your business card. 6. Create a video of your best buying or selling tips and post them to YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter. 7. Create a video of a past client testimonial sharing their experience doing business with you and post it to your website or social media. 8. Create an instructional video on “How to” or “Step by Step” process. 9. Constantly wear your company name badge. Don’t be a secret agent. Even add a company logo to your clothing. 10. Join or start a networking group like Business Network International (BNI). 11. Write and post some of your best marketing, buying or selling ideas in Real Estate on your own blog like I have done with AgentsBoost! 12. Submit press releases each week to local media sources like new innovative real estate marketing, using drones, videos, interactive floor plans, virtual reality, etc. 13. Create joint ventures and partnerships with other businesses and services that fall in line with the real estate industry. Add them to your website! 14. Complete a detailed profile of yourself in Google, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. 15. Write a short market snapshot or update each month and email it to your database. 16. Post classified ads on free online websites like Craigslist, Kijiji, Oodle. 17. Teach other business owners and service providers how to market with little or no money. 18. Write and send a hand written note to 5 people every day. 19. Door knock an area where you have or your company has a bona fide buyer, recent sold or recent new listing or invite them to your open house. 20. Post on social media and email every month your local market “best bets” for buying opportunities. All categories like first time buy, move up buy, foreclosure or rental. 21. Visit face to face an expired listing owner with a sold topper in hand and say “We have just been notified your home is no longer on the market and I am sure the last person you want to see at your door is another real estate agent. I just have 2 quick questions and will be on my way. First why do you think one of these “sold” signs did not get on your property and second why did you want to sell in the first place?” 22. Hold an open house on a listing any day that only takes a customer no more than 2 open house signs to get to from the main traffic. 23. Create a contest or a client referral rewards program. 24. Volunteer for an event or at a local charity. Join a service club. Attend a networking event and exchange business cards. 25. Host a buying, selling or investing real estate seminar. Co-present with other experts like lawyers, lenders, inspectors, etc. 26. Logo your vehicle if you are not a bad driver. 27. Video interview local business owners, service providers and professionals in your community. 28. Create an agent to agent referral business with agents from other cities sending you their buyer and seller referrals. 29. Connect with solicitors that represent family, estate or financial institution law for referral business. 30. Visit face to face a for sale by owner and offer to provide them tips and ideas on how to sell their home themselves in exchange for referral business in the future. 31. Create a referral network with trades people, contractors, renovators and handyman professionals. 32. 97% response rate texting someone and asking them “How’s biz?” and in exchange you can expect them to text back the same question to you about the market!
So there you have it an in depth list of ideas for agents with smaller or no marketing budgets in 2018. Feel free to add more ideas and suggestions to this year’s list in the comment section below!
Are you the constant multi-tasking type of real estate agent that does too many things and just doesn’t do any of them well? Are you feeling like your real estate career is a treadmill you just can’t get off? Like myself constantly falling into the common trap of trying to be all things to all people.
Often I hear realtors tell me how expensive it is to do