New agents can understandably feel overwhelmed when trying to earn their first listings, especially when starting out in a busy market with a clear pecking order of established agents that have had success, built a reputation and can afford to send out fancy marketing materials.
But, you’ve quit your job, forked over the cash for your license and you’re banking on a commission check to keep the lights on for another month, so how do you spread the word about your business?
Easy. Take part in the lost art of human interaction.
You’ve got Facebook. You’ve got Twitter. You’ve got Snapchat. All the digital marketing comes easy to you, so spend less time behind your computer screen and more time knocking on screen doors.
First, develop a database that includes what we call your “sphere of influence.” Your sphere of influence includes everyone you know: your friends and family, past teachers, people you know around town, etc.
GARL Quik Tip: Add all of your Facebook and Twitter connections to this list. And probably your parents’ friend lists, too. Those people remember you from when you were a baby. They tell you this every time you see them, right?
After you compile a list, call all of these people. You will find buyers in that list, and you may even be lucky enough to find a listing. We’ll be sending out a post about Overcoming Call Reluctance soon, so check that out. It’ll help you quickly get over your fear.
GARL Quik Tip: Offer an agent you trust the opportunity to split a little cash to team up with you on these pitches. You can gain valuable insight by watching a pro.
Secondly, go after what we call the “low-hanging fruit,” which is Expired listings and FSBOs (For Sale By Owner). If you don’t have the money yet to invest in dialers or other forms of lead generation, then go knock on doors. Yes, it’s old school, but it’s also a great opportunity to practice your sales skills. Very few agents will knock on those doors, and the face-to-face engagements are a great opportunity to take down FSBOs information and, possibly, set up an appointment.
Lastly, set up some Open Houses. Before the event, knock on doors around the neighborhood to ask for hyper-local information about the area to present to buyers. This allows you to better serve attendees, while also placing you in front of potential sellers around the neighborhood.
Once you start closing deals, you can afford to begin delivering marketing materials to areas you want to target. Until then, do your business a favor, and shake the hands of people you want to serve.
If your fledgling business needs a jumpstart, consider joining our 6 Figure Community that costs about as much per month as your cell phone bill – unless you blast through data!
You’ll gain access to forms and scripts, join a Facebook community full of tips and inspiration and receive daily motivational calls and texts, putting you directly in touch with Get a Real Estate Life’s 6 Figure Coach, Genny Williams.
Go change the world, young grasshopper!
Ready to increase your business income easily? Give us a call today at (205) 378-8830, and schedule your 6 Figure strategy session.