Becoming a secret agent might be exciting, even romantic. But leave that for the CIA or the FBI. Being a secret real estate agent is not the way to make a living.
How many people in your community know that you happen to be a top-notch real estate sales person?
If you said everyone, that’s good. You can start working on making sure they don’t forget it. But if you said hardly anyone, then you need to get to work.
I understand why it might be difficult for you.
When I first started it was extremely difficult. I had to first get over my early up-bringing. You, too, may have been raised with all those admonitions about not bragging, not calling attention to yourself, and on and on.
If so, there’s only one thing I can say: “Get over it!”
You may also be bashful about admitting that you’re in sales. Get over that too. Remember that you provide a valuable service to both buyers and sellers. Take pride in what you’re doing!
To avoid being a secret real estate agent you need to do two things:
- Make everyone aware of what you do.
- Never let them forget it.
Begin with your sphere of influence.
This consists of all the people who know and hopefully like you. Start with all of your friends and family, then go on to your spouse’s friends and family. Then there are your parent’s friends and your children’s friends (or their parents, depending upon their ages).
Think of all the people you know from organizations where you participate or
volunteer. Think about the person who does your hair or services your car – or cleans your teeth!
Now, make sure that every one of those people knows that you are their go-to person any time they have a question about real estate – or want to buy or sell.
Call or visit some of them. Send the rest a note. The important thing is that they learn to look on you as a resource for them. In other words, as a giver, not just a taker.
Offer to send your monthly or quarterly market reports so they can stay abreast of the local market. Let them know they’re welcome to ask the price of the house next door to them – just because they’re curious.
In preparation for making everyone else aware, have a good photo taken and put it on your business card.
Note that it needs to be a good likeness of you, and business-like. Not a glamour shot!
Now, put that card to use in helping you make sure that you’re not a secret real estate agent to the rest of the world.
Begin by handing out at least 10 cards every single day. Give one to the checker in the grocery store, the clerk at the dry cleaner, the waitress who serves you lunch (but only if you leave a decent tip), the clerk at the hardware store, and of course every potential customer or client who walks into your office.
Give your cards to everyone, even if you’ve given them one in the past. People lose things, you know.
Next, any time you go to a meeting of any kind, hand out your cards. You may assume that everyone there knows what you do, but you may be wrong. If you hand them a card, they’ll know for sure.
You don’t have to be pushy about it. Just mention that you’re willing to help with some project or would like to know more about something they said. Invite people to call you for a good reason, and hand them your card.
Remember also to put your picture on all your advertising, both print and on line. That includes newspapers, homes magazines, and farming letters. Be sure to put it on your web site!
Why is your picture so important?
Because people will stick your card in their pocket purse, and then possibly transfer it to a desk drawer. They won’t memorize your name, but if you’ve been pleasant to them, the next time they come across that card or see your face somewhere in print, they’ll get a good feeling. And the next time someone talks about real estate they’ll remember you.
I’m no expert on psychology, but there seems to be some benefit to a familiar face. When people feel like they “know” you because they’ve seen your picture often, they are pre-disposed to like you. That’s one of the reasons why having your picture on print advertising is important.
When I was still a real estate broker – and using this practice – people would stop me in the grocery store to say hello. They didn’t know me personally, but felt like they did, so they’d ask a question about real estate or comment on the market. I met a lot of new people that way.
I always thought it was funny when they’d stop and say “You’re Marte!”
Get Involved in your community
I highly recommend getting involved in the community. Volunteer for something visible. It gets your name and face in front of people in a positive light, so it’s good for business. It’s also good for the community that gives you your living, and best of all – it makes you feel good!
What else?
When you’re out and about, let your attire advertise your business. Whether it’s a cap,
a t-shirt, a jacket, a tote that you carry, or simply a REALTOR® pin on your lapel, it will help you avoid being a secret real estate agent.
And then…
- Attend yard sales
- Attend school events
- Frequent the local coffee shop
- Stop to talk with people when you’re out walking your dog
- Stop to talk with people in the grocery store – including the employees, if they’re friendly and there’s no one waiting for their attention.
- Send just listed/under contract/just sold cards
- Send open house notices to neighbors near your listings
Use social media.
You may have both a business and a personal page on social media sites, and that’s good. However, do mention your work on your personal pages. And do be sure everyone knows what city you’re in.
You don’t have to push on it, but you can do things like post a beautiful picture and note that you took it while you were showing a home. Or, you could say how much fun it was to hand over the keys to a young couple who just closed on their first home.
You might even mention that you’d just finished writing your market report and are glad to report… something.
It can be anything that simply reminds your online friends that you’re a real estate professional.
Step two: Never let them forget you!
Your presence on social media and your visibility in the community will go a long way toward that. However, don’t assume that it is enough. Sometimes people don’t pay attention unless they are addressed directly.
If you don’t want to become a secret real estate agent, you should contact everyone in your sphere and every one of your past clients at least quarterly – and more frequently if possible.
For some people, email will suffice. Others should receive a card or letter in the mail. I believe you know who belongs in each group.
What can you send? If you write asking for business or referrals every month, pretty soon your messages will go straight to the trash. So instead, send something informative or fun.
Send your market reports, send just listed cards, send news about the community, and if you want them to look forward to your messages, send my Event-themed keeping in touch letters. (Or something you write that’s similar.) These are fun messages that people might share with friends – thereby increasing your reach.
Give things away. I used to buy boxes of notepads with my picture and information at the top. I also bought boxes of 1,000 pens and every now and then gave a handful to each of our grocery store checkers. They were always out of pens because people walk away with them – so I provided “walk away pens.” That might not be as popular now that most people use plastic, but in those days we still wrote checks to pay for groceries.
In December, I gave away calendars for the coming year. It’s hard to forget someone who is hanging on your wall!
When you invite prospects to contact you, make it easy
Yes, if you provide your phone number or your email address on line, you’re going to get spam. But isn’t that better than NOT hearing from people who would love to hire you?
Some agents (and others) provide a “Contact us” tab – and then in place of contact information, they give you a form to fill out.
Based on my own experience in using them, it is my opinion that those forms must simply go into some kind of black hole. At least half the time no one ever responds. If they do, it could be days later, when I’ve either found the information I wanted or given up on the idea.
Since it feels like a waste of time, I no longer add my name and email to a “Contact us” form.
Do you fill out contact forms? Do you expect your prospects to do so?
Here’s a good rule to follow in marketing: “Never ask your prospects to do something you wouldn’t do.”
One more thing – make sure your website, your social media pages, and your email signature all reveal where you are.
No one will ask you to help them buy or sell real estate in your city if they don’t know that’s where you work.
