We all want to achieve success. We have dreams of being star real estate agents and record-setting brokers. But we all know that dreaming doesn’t make that happen. So, what makes some agents more successful than others? We have compiled the following list of habits and characteristics that incredibly successful agents have in common.
1 Have a business plan and a marketing plan.
Have a plan. Have a schedule in place for your business goals, objectives to complete in order to meet them, and the projected budget you will need to do so. Your marketing plan, on the other hand, should include tactics you will use to reach your business goals, an execution plan, and a system of analyzation to measure effectiveness. Your plans should mirror both your short- and long-term goals and should be calculated and executed to naturally create a running report of what works in your office and what doesn’t.
2 Use all available resources.
Successful people are constantly in a work frame of mind. They are masters at looking for new clients and meeting people. After all, every relationship holds the potential to become a future client.
3 Answer new leads promptly.
Leads often appear at the most inopportune times, such as during a showing, a business meeting, or even while out to dinner with the family. The most successful agents reach out to each lead immediately, even if only through text. Making the quick connection to a lead shows that you are actively engaged and ready to help the client, even if no immediate information is provided.
4 Keep up with new technologies throughout the industry.
Do you know which CRM platform hit the market last week? You should. In the mortgage industry, platforms and partnerships are constantly evolving. Set aside time each day to catch up on technology updates and information that can help you become more productive or visible in the industry.
5 Know your neighborhoods intimately.
Get involved in the neighborhoods you represent. Participate in local activities and community events. Learn about the residents and businesses. Once you know your areas well, you can more properly and successfully locate property buyers.
6 Keep buyers in the loop.
Homebuying is stressful. Buyers are often worried that something may occur to prevent the sale from going through. They stress about their new neighborhood, whether the home is in as good of condition as it seems, and 101 more little things that could go wrong. Help put your clients’ minds at ease by keeping them in the loop at every turn. By keeping your clients informed, you are providing exceptional service, and your clients will tell their friends about their positive experience.
7 Have an exceptional network of service providers.
Nothing is worse than a contractor that takes twice as long as he promised to complete a job. Take steps to ensure your service providers are reliable and trustworthy. Build a running list of performance times, levels, and prices that you can easily refer to later in order to ensure you always have top service providers to utilize.
8 Prioritize your tasks and responsibilities.
A common trait of truly successful people is prioritization. It’s important to be able to decipher which tasks need to be done immediately and which ones should take the back burner. The development of this skill will create better time management as well as more productive results.
9 Set and meet daily goals.
A great way to make your hours more productive is to set real, reachable goals every day. This helps with staying on track to accomplishing your larger long-term goals. Daily short-term goal setting also helps with perseverance, self-image, and self-awareness by exposing the areas of difficulty and areas in which you excel.
10 Work hard but play hard, too.
According to a Market Leader survey of almost 2,000 Realtors, the country’s most successful agents begin before 7 a.m. To the contrary, the country’s least successful agents start working after noon. Beginning early can alleviate a rushed feeling throughout the day by creating planning time at the start of each day. The survey also showed that the most successful agents took at least four vacations per year, which gives the brain and body a much-needed rest and allows agents to return to the office refreshed and re-energized.
11 Dress the part.
Successful agents replicate their clients’ level of professionalism. When clients regularly attend appointments in shorts and the agent is always in business attire, it can create an awkward feel and eventually a level of disconnect. Evaluate your clients’ personalities and vary your attire according to theirs. This way, everyone is comfortable and relaxed in every meeting and appointment.
12 Take care of yourself.
The most successful agents are aware of their health and understand that being healthy creates energy, brainpower, and a better mood to tackle their daily activities to the best of their abilities. They regularly eat healthy foods, exercise properly, and get plenty of rest to remain at peak performance. Changing simple actions and habits can have an immediate and lasting effect on your success as an agent as well as give you a stronger feeling of accomplishment and progress in the industry by helping you stay more organized, less rushed, and healthier.