Hey you! The one with the shiny new real estate license
Congrats on passing your exam and finding a broker to hang that license with. We know what you’re thinking:
“Now what?”
We’re willing to wager that the first day in your new office you sat around and stared at a blank computer screen while listening to the conversations around you about client deals and commission checks.
Made you feel like a fish out of water, didn’t it?
The good news is that, like any new thing, you’ll get used to it, learn and hopefully become more successful than you’d ever imagined.
But, it starts with a deal. Just one deal.
And, for that, you’ll need a client. It’s a good thing you’re visiting ProspectsPLUS! because we’re about to walk you through some brilliant ways to connect with that one person who will get you started down what we hope is a long and prosperous career.
A business card is just the beginning
Carry as many business cards as you can and hand them out to everyone. The guy who makes your coffee in the morning, the dry cleaner, your kids’ teachers and everyone you interact with at the gym.
But handing out business cards is just a baby step. You need to get found and one of the best ways to do that is with a website.
NAR tells us that 51 percent of their 1,334,668 members have had a website for at least five years. It’s a surprisingly low number when you consider how much business you can get from your site.
Even more surprising is that only 9 percent of REALTORS® have a blog – one of the best traffic generators if done right.
The typical homebuyer searches for homes online before doing anything else, including seeing if they can even qualify for a mortgage.
If you don’t have a website, there is no way you’ll be found. So, while you’re sitting in your cubby at your broker’s office, work on getting a website (with IDX, a blog and a system to capture leads) up and running.
Who do you know?
It’s time to fill up that CRM and announce yourself to the world with a card from our Announcement Series. Any veteran agent worth his or her salt will counsel you to rely on your sphere of influen
ce for that first transaction. To determine who is in your sphere of influence, make a list of the following:
- The family who live in the area you want to serve
- Friends
- Neighbors (an especially good source of leads)
- Former colleagues
- Connections on social media
- Casual acquaintances, such as your hair stylist, dentist, doctor and even your pet’s veterinarian (check out the awesome doctor loan products for medical professionals)
This list comprises your network so you’ll need to further refine it to narrow it down to only those people over whom you have some influence. This is your sphere of influence.
“Think about it as the people who would see a movie, read a book, or try a new restaurant because you recommended it,” suggests the pros at Contactually, a CRM provider.
Don’t toss the original list because many in your network will eventually be added to your sphere. Right now, you just want to reach out to folks that you have been in contact with over the past year or so.
Your goal is to, first, let them know that you now have your real estate license and steer them to your website or Facebook page. Aside from calling each one, the best way to get the word out is via social media.
But, since not everyone in your sphere is likely to be a friend on these platforms, email or snail mail is the next best way to announce your new venture.
What to mail, or email
Although later in your career you’ll want to avoid overt, heavy-handed and frequent self-promotion, right now, it’s a must.
In fact, you may need to beat people over the head (metaphorically, please) with the fact that you now help people buy and sell homes.
A marketing postcard is the ideal medium to use to announce your status as a real estate agent. Send one to each person in your sphere. Then, never mention again that you are a new agent. All future contact with these people should offer something of value, with no reminders that you’re fresh out of real estate school.
What would be considered valuable? A market report, the offer of a free market analysis of their home, news of a neighbor’s home for sale, homeowner tips, etc.
With a monthly Community Newsletter, you can work in all of these topics and more.
We understand that, right now, it seems as if finding that first client may be an elusive dream. But, take the steps to market yourself effectively and that client will appear.
Send out the New Member of the Family postcards from the Agent Introduction Series to all of the contacts you have added to your brand new Sphere of Influence!
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are 2 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan.
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here
2. The Free Online ROI Calculator.
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here
Also…check out these cool tools 
Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone
MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards
Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand
Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!
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