6 Things Every New Agent Must Do

This is a quick post with my thoughts on how to establish yourself as a new agent. The term "brand" is thrown around so much now, that it's become a buzzword and something that can be tempting to ignore. But you really do need to be able to communicate who you are and what sets you apart from other agents from the beginning. It's important. So, here are a few of my tips. Hope they help you! Know your strengths. This is a slightly simpler version of knowing your value proposition. I had no idea how to do this when I was starting out. Keller Williams' IGNITE Program does this in the first class session, so if you join us you'll go through our process for answering the questions that will clarify this for you. It's a pretty basic series of questions, really. What are you known for? What are your strengths? How would someone describe you in 3 words? Ask a former employer, co-worker and an employee (if you ever supervised people) how they would describe you in just a few words. This can be a great starting point.

Develop your network. When I started I didn’t know anyone in this area. My family were all up in Canada and my only circle of acquaintances were a handful of co-workers from the airline I'd worked for and the people at my church.  So, I asked myself how I could expand my circle to hundreds of people. I started small with my own neighborhood and held a food drive there to meet my neighbors. Then I thought about all of the places I did business as a customer--my hair dresser, my local coffee shop, mechanic, etc.--and I networked with the people who owned those establishments or worked there. My advice is talk to everyone you know and if you don't know that many people, find ways to meet some. I also offered to work other agents' open houses. I did tons of those as a way to meet people who were looking to buy a home.

Get a coach. I've had a coach since I started at Keller Williams and meet with one weekly. A good coach will help you remember the basics and focus on your goals, which is especially important when you're starting out and everything feels new and overwhelming. Have them coach you on building a brand, on networking and communication skills. These things are important components of reaching your financial goals.

Develop an Authentic and Positive Online Presence. In many ways, being a real estate agent (or any business where you're front and center) is like running for political office. You must be clear and consistent in your messaging and you must be careful with your online image. You are building your tribe of prospective clients with the things you post on your blog, website, Facebook page and Twitter account. Don’t post anything you wrote after a stressful or frustrating day. Don't vent publicly about a bad experience with a client or colleague. Everything you write/tweet/post can influence a prospective client, so be thoughtful about the impression your online communications make. I teach a class for new agents and I tell them that I'm happy to read anything they're thinking about posting and give them my thoughts.

Know Your Story. This is in the same family as knowing your value proposition and is also covered in the IGNITE class I mentioned earlier. But I think of this as the more personal version of your elevator pitch. Know why you're an agent; what it means to you personally to do this work; and the kind of experience you want your clients to have. Know it and be able to articulate it in 30 seconds or less.

Lead with revenue. Inspect what you’re expecting out of the things you pay for. Meaning, I'm not going to invest in advertising or marketing without knowing how it will translate to more money in my pocket. In the first year especially, you need money in the bank and there are loads of free and nearly free ways to network and market. My first year I spent almost nothing and today I don't spend any more than $50 on any one marketing activity. My first year as an agent I paid $20 to join a breakfast networking group. That was really useful, actually. I'm still in touch with some of the professionals I met there and we refer clients to one another. When you do start investing in marketing, think about partnering with someone else (loan officer, insurance agent) and split the cost, if it's more than a $50 investment.

As always, feel free to leave your questions or comments in the Comments section below!

How To Know Where You Belong

I’ve been with Keller Williams for my entire real estate career and I cannot imagine working anywhere else! For a number of reasons—the interdependent business model, the continuing education/support/coaching opportunities, and technology resources (the list goes on!)—I truly believe it is the best brokerage, bar none. That’s why I started this website and why I serve in leadership roles for the company. But…

There are other solid brokerages out there that might be a better fit depending upon your personality, goals, working style or preferred business model.

No matter where you ultimately decide to put your talents to work, make sure you’ve asked the questions (and received the answers) you need to make an informed decision. To help you a bit with that, I’ll share the 5 questions I’d encourage you to ask real estate brokerages before you decide which one is right for you.

Question Marks

What business model does their company employ? Is it an independent model in which you are completely on your own as an agent—essentially owning your own business with all the risks and rewards that can entail?

Is it a dependent model, in which you are an employee subject to their rules, regulations and job descriptions?

Or is it an interdependent model (Keller Williams fits into this model)? As you may have guessed, an interdependent model combines many of the best parts about independent and dependent modes. In this model you get all of the perks that come with a big name brokerage: name/brand recognition, access to technology, educational, coaching, staff and other resources. At the same time, you get to build your own business under the brokerage’s umbrella. You get to set your own goals and build a business that is the size and scope you want.

What are their commission splits and office fees? Do you ever sell enough that you get to keep 100% of your commission? This is a very big deal. You need to know how much of what you bring in is going to go back to the brokerage and for what. And whatever that percentage is, you must decide whether you think it’s a fair tradeoff for the support and resources you’re getting from that company and how it compares to the other brokerages for whom you could work.

At Keller Williams you do get to keep 100% of your commission, once you’ve reached your annual responsibility to the company. As of this writing, once I’ve paid $19,000 to Keller Williams I get to keep 100% of any other commissions I make.

What kind of training is provided and, if so, what does that training cost? You’ll want to know what kinds of educational opportunities exist for you at whatever brokerage you select. And I mean formal, established programs. If you want to move into a leadership role, is there a curriculum you can follow to learn what you need to know to do that? If you want to start investing in properties and being a landlord as part of your business plan, does that brokerage have a program to help you be successful in that venture? Is there a mentoring or coaching program established at that brokerage, in which you could be matched with a more experienced agent who has a career similar to the one you want to pursue for yourself?

Ask to see a list of the educational and coaching programs that brokerage offers and make sure that the things that are of interest to you are available.

What kind of technical support is provided and what does that cost? By tech support, I don’t mean someone who can fix your computer if it breaks, although that is worth knowing too! When I talk about technology in this context, I mean does the brokerage provide you with the following:

• A Website

• Contact Management Database

• A Personal Mobile App

• Listing Syndication (and how many sites?)

• Technology Training

• Marketing Materials

What kind of support/support staff is provided? Does the brokerage have administrative support to offer you? How about transaction coordinators to handle the paperwork and manage the due dates associated with the purchase or sale of a home? If so, how many hours per week will you have access to that support and for how much money? Will they provide you with a computer, a printer, copier or other practical support you need to do your job?

My Plan.jpeg

These questions are by no means a comprehensive list of things to ask, but I think they are the five most important ones and a good place to start in drafting your list of questions.

I do office tours regularly for prospective agents (some already licensed and some who are not). If you haven’t taken one already, but would like to come in, ask me some questions and learn more about Keller Williams and careers in real estate, click on the Get Started page and send me a message.

A Sneak Peek...

No matter where you live, we can meet and you can tour the Puyallup, Washington, market center! Through the magic that is iPhone cameras and YouTube, I'm bringing the tour to you. So grab a snack, get comfortable, and spend a few minutes hearing some of my story and the highlights of a career with Keller Williams. Click here to watch!

The Points of Pain

Are you a slave to your job?

Alarm Clock

Are you overworked and exhausted?

Exhaustion

Do you just feel stuck?

Stuck

Do you cringe at the costs you're paying for childcare while you're at work? Or are you intimidated by the prospect of returning to work and the associated childcare costs?

Childcare

Does your debt keep piling-up with no end in sight?

Debt

I remember feeling all of those things.

My earning potential was limited and yet my debt was this massive obstacle staring  me in the face every moment of every day, and I had no hope of paying it off without a corresponding massive change in my income.

It was a vicious cycle. No matter how many extra shifts I took; no matter how many days I didn't spend one penny more than required to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs; I couldn't get ahead.

It was demoralizing. And it was frustrating. Because I knew that I was smart; I knew that I was a hard-worker; and I was motivated to build a life I could be proud of. I just didn't know how to do it. That

stuck

feeling is horrible.

Work Smarter, Not Harder.

I realized I needed a career--not just a job. I searched online but every position that sounded perfect for me required the college degree that I didn't have. And here's the thing about college degrees--they aren't magic. You can feel stuck and broke, overworked and dissatisfied with a degree too. So degree or not, this applies to you.

What I wanted was to be a in position where there were no limitations. Where whether or not I succeeded and to what extent was totally up to me and how

hard

smart I was willing to work. Where the rules that had governed how I thought about work went out the window, and I could, for once in my life, take a chance on

ME

.

All that to say, I've been where you are. And I can show you the blueprint for how get from where you are to where you want to be. Wherever that is! Your real estate career may not look exactly like mine. That's okay. That's good, actually. You have probably spent many years structuring your job/career based on what someone else (your boss, maybe) wants or needs it to be. Or having a recruiter or interviewer decide whether you're qualified enough for the job you want.

That can stop now. Be your own boss. Own your own business. And reach your potential.

We should meet! Email or call me to set up a time to chat.

Can an Introvert Be a Successful Realtor?

(By Guest Blogger: Erin) The title of this post is a bit of a confession. Could you tell? I am totally, unashamedly, proudly an introvert.

Introvert is not the same as shy, although I think you can be both. And I probably am a little shy too. It doesn't mean you don't like people or lack social skills.

The truth is that there are wonderful things about being an introvert and there are loads of successful and influential people who reportedly join me under that introversion umbrella. People like: Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Meryl Streep, JK Rowling, Warren Buffett, Dr. Seuss, and many more.

Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert really speaks to which kinds of activities energize you and which kinds drain you. Introverts find social situations draining, and are energized by quiet, solitary and creative pursuits. That doesn't mean we can't be social and charming (we totally can!). It just means that we'd prefer not to and when we are required to be, we have to plan for lots of quiet downtime afterward to recover.

All of that brings me back to the question posed by the title of this post--is being an introvert at odds with being a Realtor? I think to answer that accurately, we have to bust the myth that as Realtors we are primarily in the sales business. While it's true that we are helping people with the biggest purchase they will ever make, at its core, this business isn't about selling; it's about building relationships and connections. Something, incidentally, that introverts are really good at.

Here's a great example of an introvert in action. If I attend a networking event or a cocktail party, I will tend to have longer conversations with just a few people. Small talk isn't my thing. I'm kind of in awe of people who can work a room, meet everyone and end the party with a big stack of business cards in their pocket. I can't do that. And that's okay. If I tried to do that, my discomfort would show and I wouldn't make a great impression. So my goal generally is to meet five people; have a conversation where I learn something about them that can also be a point of follow-up; and exchange cards.

Hosting an open house is probably the most challenging task I do as an introverted Realtor. Those are the events where I'm most often having to interact with lots of people I don't know and where the amount of time I have to establish rapport is limited. So far what I've found is that having my scripts down pat is the most helpful preparation I can do. And I tell myself that it's okay if I can't make a connection with everyone who comes through. If I can have a nice conversation that leaves some avenues for follow-up with three couples/individuals, I'm thrilled with that outcome.

Introverts tend to be really good listeners and tend to spend more time doing that than they do speaking. Sometimes I think this comes across as aloofness, but it really isn't. We're just internal processors rather than verbal processors. And in a real estate context, where so much of your success depends upon listening and understanding what a client wants, that tendency often comes in handy.

So the short answer to my question is, yes, I think introverts can be great Realtors. And extroverts are too! I just think the strengths that extroverts have are much more celebrated generally, and seen as much more desirable than those of introverts. In an industry like real estate, I think it's important to highlight that introverts strengths are different but can be just as advantageous.

For more information about why it's great to be an introvert, check out Susan Cain's book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Another book I love that has a business application is Beth Buelow's, The Introvert Entrepreneur. That's been really helpful to me too.

And please leave your comments below! I'd love to hear from introverts and extroverts alike about how they leverage their unique strengths in their real estate careers.