We are going to revert back to a basic concept today, which many people tend to overlook. Professionalism in your Real Estate Marketing is an essential part of being able to effectively sell a home.

Dressing the part is important, but your appearance involves a more comprehensive effort. Factors such as confidence, clothing, grooming, listing presentations/tools, vehicle you drive, and more go into increasing your chances of winning a listing and closing a sale.

Like they say, “First impressions are everything.” It’s very important to remember this since you only have one chance to do it right. Do you pay attention to your voice inflections when speaking on the phone? What does your word track look like when responding to internet leads? Make sure you arm yourself with the right tools to create the ultimate first impression.

What are some of your tips, failures, and stories that you have experienced when making first impressions?

If you got it flaunt it…right? Building the strength of your brand is essential when attempting to maximize marketing potential. One of your best resources in doing so are previous clients testimonials. It may seem simple, but you would be surprised at how many business owners fail to exploit the great work they have done.

Utilize Different Types of Media:

Capture testimonials through a variety of different sources such as video, email, letters, etc. Having a variety of sources will allow you to develop an arsenal of unique content, which you can exploit through many different media outlets. It is best to create a list of questions beforehand for your clients to reference, which will also ensure that testimonials will cover what topics you are looking for. Then, set a schedule and don’t be afraid to ask your clients, as most will be happy to go to work for you! Make sure to update testimonials regularly to ensure that information is current and relevant.

Do you have a mirror…good, now look into it. I want you to take a good look at yourself as a realtor and think of all of things that you do well. Now I want you to list all of the areas where you can improve. A little painful right? Your weaknesses are not something you should be afraid of, but rather viewed as an opportunity for you to better yourself and your business.

The ability to turn inward and see where you can improve is what will set you apart from the rest of the competition. It will take some extra time and energy, but the payoff will be hard to ignore. Where is it that you need to improve? Is it your social media outreach, is it your appearance, is it your website, is it your lead capture? It is important to be able to pick out the areas where your business needs some work and then find solutions to fill those holes. I challenge you to create a list of the 5 areas where your business could improve the most. Check out the review via Wired Magazine about David Allen’s Getting Things Done for some helpful tips. From that list take the top two and take the few weeks researching ways to overcome these hurdles. Please leave any helpful reflections and/or tips below.

Typically, a salesperson gets involved with a potential buyer towards the end of the marketing cycle – actually at the point where the client has clearly got a need, and a budget and is generally ‘qualified’.

The role of the salesperson is to CLOSE THE DEAL!

A professional salesperson is most likely to be someone who is a great listener, rapidly develops empathy with the client and has a passionate belief in the excellence of their service or product.

A successful salesperson requires:

• Expertise in the product or service you are selling
• A good marketing system or process to generate sales leads
• The ability to communicate effectively
• Personal integrity and discipline

Market Knowledge.

A good salesperson builds trust and confidence with their customers and clients. One way to do this is to demonstrate expertise. The more you can demonstrate, share and inform your client about the market in general, relevant homes and the process of buying or selling a home, the more your customer or client will trust in your abilities. This is classic ‘services’ selling – making the intangible tangible. Information and knowledge creates credibility which leads to trust, which ultimately facilitates a sale.

Communication Skills.

Effective communication will allow you to build a relationship with the client. This relationship will lead to trust which will enable you to close the sale.

Communication with your client may be face to face, by telephone and by almost certainly by email. You need to be a master of email communications and understand fully how to use this medium to help you sell.

Discipline and Personal Integrity

Your bills will get paid when you close the deal. Never forget – “Coffee is for closers!” (See movie “Glengarry Glen Ross”).

Get a plan and work a schedule for your week. Be positive! Stand up when you make phone calls!

I have found that actions always come back to haunt you. This is why speaking the truth and doing the right thing has such a positive impact on sales over the ling run.