RISMEDIA, June 21, 2008-As real estate professionals take this time to refocus their practices, it’s vital to keep in mind that a more challenging market allows for the reevaluation of company basics-recruiting, retention, agent education and true customer service. In the third and final part of this Viewpoints series, Jane Ellsworth Purcell, vice president of Sales, for Property Minder Inc. asks, do you remember when you first got your real estate license?
Jane Ellsworth Purcell
Vice President of Sales
Property Minder Inc.
www.propertyminder.com
Do you remember when you first got your real estate license? You may not remember the exact date or what you were wearing, but who can forget the promising opportunities that beckoned with that license in hand?
Who can forget the excitement and rush that stemmed from the thought of changing the world, $1 million home at a time? You may even recall your motivation and inspiration that you used to stock your artillery as you headed out on your real estate adventure. You knew your basics and were eager to learn more.
As for the trip down memory lane, those ambitions and basic knowledge that might have made you successful then, may still apply in today’s market. “Back to Basics” may have a completely new look and meaning concerning real estate and the use of the Internet.
The Web has become the most efficient and beneficial supplement to reaching success as a real estate agent. With this paramount asset now on our hands, we must go back to the basics. It’s not about the quantity of doing things, but the quality in which we do them. If we can couple that with the passion and enthusiasm that we were once well acquainted with as a beginner, we can continue building toward sales goals. This means following up on every lead, knocking on doors, or sharing your website address with everyone you meet.
It means including it on your voice message and your sign riders, and making sure that everywhere your name is printed, your website URL is also listed. It’s essential that you use your website not only as a track record, but also to exhibit your passion.
At the beginning of a career, it is common to be well aware of the professionalism and profit that will accommodate our career. However, the real magic begins with the patience, passion and practice that is created and nurtured throughout that career. Many successful entrepreneurs will present the success maxim-find your passion and the money will find you.
I think we all understand that, today, your website is the vehicle that drives your business. Your website should not only impress your clients, but take them exactly where they want to go, without ever running out of gas. Look to your website. Go back to your website and master all the options there.
Start with the basics, take time to check all your links-do they still go where you intended them to? Are all your stats still relevant? Do you have an updated photo? If the market is slow, does your site move slowly, too? Are you tracking everyone who comes to your site and following it up with a thank you e-mail?
Have you set up a home-buying anniversary campaign to never forget past clients?
The Internet may have changed how we approach relationship marketing, but the same practices from 20 years ago still apply. So whether you are making simple updates to your website or an entire renovation, it is vital to your future success that, either in the field with potential buyers or in the office with online clients, you remain consistent and diligent in your work. By doing so, you create a reliable, accessible, and updated environment that clients can trust.
To read part one, featuring Bruce Zipf, president & CEO of NRT LLC, click here.
To read part two, featuring CJ Olsen, Outside Sales Coordinator for On the Move, click here.