No matter the market, real estate professionals are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves in order to get to the next level. But what does it take to become part of that elusive 1%? In today’s ultra-competitive market, it takes persistence, tenacity and grit to make it to the top.
It also takes a whole lot of preparation.
This can be seen within a vast majority of industries, including sports. If you’re familiar with football, you know that the game isn’t won on the field. The game is won in the days, weeks and even months leading up to the actual game. It’s won in the hours of preparation that go into watching films of previous games, memorizing plays, hitting the gym and fueling your body with food and adequate sleep.
Professional real estate sales is no different.
I’ve been spending time with our Top 1% recently and documenting what they do. Curious?
Here are the top six things our Top 1% do consistently:
- They do their research and marketing
- They’re genuinely interested in and understand others’ personality style
- They’re prepared for anything, especially the objections and most frequently asked questions
- They leave their ego in the car
- They’re masters of managing expectations
- They debrief and learn from every situation
Research and marketing
We know from the National Association of REALTORS® that 63% of consumers find us through a referral from a friend or a past business relationship. And 68% of consumers choose us based on our perceived trustworthiness, experience and reputation.
Top producers know and understand these numbers and invest their time, energy and effort into where the business is most likely to be generated.
Genuine interest
What we have observed in the space between our top producers all the way down to those struggling is glaring. Top producers genuinely care about the relationship, while those struggling care about making a buck.
We use a unique system called B.A.N.K. to pinpoint someone’s personality in nanoseconds. Not only is it fun and engaging, but it also creates instant rapport. Interested in discovering your true personality? Crack your code now by visiting www.jparcode.com.
This high emotional intelligence approach leverages the best assessment tools, high-energy training and cutting-edge technology to maximize results.
Leave nothing to chance
Our top performers also take the time to rehearse or role-play frequently. In fact, many do this every day. Here are some tips I’ve picked up from watching my top performers prepare for any and all situations they may encounter:
- Make a list of every question, concern or objection your prospect might bring up. Create a list of everything that could go wrong.
- Develop a clear, logical and persuasive response to every possible question, concern and objection.
- Think of how you can get ahead of these circumstances by using stories and anecdotes, case studies and testimonials, statistics and facts.
- Have your information, ideas and documentation well organized so that you can reference the appropriate notes and materials at any time.
Ego
Gary Vaynerchuk put it well when he stated: “When you care more about the other person than you care about hitting your quota—when you make that shift—you go into the Jedi-ness of becoming a great salesperson.”
The professional real estate salesperson with a massive ego can easily mistake refusal with rejection. When you make this mistake, it’s all too easy to take it personally. The truth? Far more people will say no than yes.
So, how do you deal with this?
Our Top 1% have learned not to internalize rejection. Top performers exert power over their emotions and know that this is a critical skill to master.
Managing expectations
As the chief executive of a large organization, I’m responsible for the problems that others haven’t been able to solve. And they all have a common root: uneven expectations.
Many things have to happen, often in a specific sequence, before a transaction closes. Do you know what these things are? Do you know where you are in the process with each client, prospect and partner?
- Seek to understand what has to come before each step
- Don’t assume that everyone knows what will happen next
- Anticipate needs before others
- Communicate constantly and clearly
- Underpromise and overdeliver
Debrief
Debriefing is a structured learning process designed to evolve plans while they’re continuously being executed. It originated in the military as a way to learn quickly in rapidly changing situations and to address mistakes or changes in the field.
In business, debriefing has been widely documented as a critical component as far accelerating projects, innovating novel approaches and hitting challenging objectives. It also brings a team together, strengthens relationships and fosters team learning.
Our top producers have this concept mastered and execute this discipline more often than others. As such, these high-performing teams are more tight-knit than those who don’t.
The game is won or lost way before you step on the playing field. So, before you play in sales again, do your research, be genuinely interested in others, be prepared for anything, leave your ego in the car and become a master of managing expectations. Finally—just like the Blue Angels—debrief and learn from every situation.
Mark Johnson is the CEO JPAR Real Estate, a rapidly growing full-service transaction-based real estate brokerage focused on integrity, productivity and service. He is also the host of “Success Superstars,” a weekly show that highlights the blueprint of agent success and the co-founder of CoRecruit. He has invested decades in understanding the inner workings of high-performing real estate companies, managers, team, and their leaders in major markets across the world. Johnson has served as a business coach in progressive leadership capacities for one of the largest U.S.-based real estate firms, in sales and customer marketing leadership capacities for a major consumer goods company in addition to serving in the U.S. Army. Father of three, Johnson is a lifelong learner, Spartan and adventure athlete. He earned his MBA from California State University and a Behavioral Change Certification from the National Association of Sports Medicine.
