You need to know the answer to why real estate clients should choose you if you hope to compete in today’s market.
With inflation and rising interest rates altering the market, fewer homeowners are choosing to list their homes and fewer buyers are able to purchase the homes they want. Competition for those who can and will participate in today’s market will be stiff.
If you don’t know why real estate clients should choose you, it will be difficult to convey those reasons to prospects.
Thus, if you don’t know why real estate clients should choose you, it’s time for some self-evaluation. Knowing those reasons is important.
Start with the fact that you read blog posts like this one. That alone shows that you’re eager to learn more. You’re willing to invest more time in your career – and many agents aren’t.
But what else makes you special? Here’s how to decide:
Think about what clients have said to you…
You can begin to realize which of your traits and routine practices really matter to clients by thinking back to the complaints you’ve heard about their last agent. How often have you thought “That’s ridiculous” or “That’s outrageous!” You wouldn’t dream of treating anyone the way some agents do.
Now think about the last time a client – or anyone else – gave you a compliment. You may have thought “Anyone would have done the same,” but that’s not necessarily so. They noticed enough to pay you that compliment because not everyone would do the same.
Do you have some testimonials, or email messages and notes of thanks from satisfied clients? Re-read them. You’ll probably find a common thread running throughout. And by the way, do keep those notes handy in a file so you can read them now and then. They’ll help keep you grounded and moving forward in a positive manner.
For instance, you might find variations on things like:
- “You really listened.”
- “Your patience in explaining every step of our purchase helped ease our fears.”
- “Your knowledge of the market and your clear market analysis made it easy to accept your price recommendation, and we’re so glad we did.”
- “Thanks to your expert marketing, our house sold almost immediately.”
- “Thanks to your patience, persistence, and negotiating skill, we were able to buy a house we really love.”
If you aren’t getting feedback to use in testimonials…
Go to https://www.copybymarte.com/real-estate-transaction-feedback-letters/and copy my free client feedback letters. People may not think to write you or go to a website to add comments. However, most will reply to your request for feedback.
Do look beyond your clients to see why real estate clients should choose you.
Think about how you get along with other agents and the various other people who help you serve your clients. Your good reputation with them is a benefit to your clients because it means your listings are shown more; your offers are given good consideration; and things run more smoothly.
Now… think about why you would choose you if you needed an agent.
With that in mind, write yourself a letter. In it, tell yourself all the good reasons why you should choose you. Go all out – give details about the extra service you give, your good habits, your expertise, your knowledge, your attitude toward clients, and your specialized talents.
You don’t have to let anyone else see that letter, so go hog wild. When you’re finished, write down the important points and do away with the letter. (OR – tuck it away to re-read on those days when you’re feeling a bit down.)
This is an exercise I encourage agents to do as they’re filling out the questionnaire I give them before writing their agent bios.
I follow that with these 5 questions:
- What special or added services do you offer to buyers and sellers?
- What do you do better than your competition?
- If you had to give 3 adjectives to describe yourself, what would they be?
- What 3 adjectives do you think your past clients would use?
- What one thing do you believe is most important for potential clients to know about you?
Whatever makes you special should take center stage in your marketing materials…
Show those attributes as benefits for your clients and:
- Include them in your agent bio
- Include them in your listing presentations
- Include them in your personal brochure
- Include them in your prospecting letters, and
- Include them on your buyer and seller pages.
You may not feel entirely comfortable “Tooting your own horn,” but if you want prospects to choose you, you need to do it.
No, you don’t need to sound like an egotistic braggart…
Worded correctly, the attributes that make you special will simply be seen as benefits to your clients. If you need help with that, get in touch. I’d love to help you.
Can your individual strengths be added to pre-written prospecting letters.
Of course. All it takes is the addition of a sentence or two – or the addition of a brief bio in the envelope with some of your letters.
