This article series is largely taken from the The Real Deal: Billion Dollar Real Estate Broker with permission from the author.
The real estate industry is forever evolving and changing. However, there are certain tried-and-true concepts, traits and habits that a lot of successful agents in the industry use to stay at the top of their game.
Not only do these agents earn millions, they are hugely admired, have a rock star-like following and stand out in their communities. If you want to achieve the pinnacle of success, there are a few things you’ll need to hone and master.
1. Raise the bar
Stand out from the crowd! To achieve greatness, you have to think outside of the box. You must be consistently innovating and evolving. Are you modelling excellence in your everyday work life?
Not only do you need to model it — you need to be creative with it. Consumers are always looking for a “better way” to do things. They have an appetite for uniqueness. What used to wow them in the past is just ordinary today.
Resting on your laurels no longer cuts it. Never stop raising expectations. Expect more from yourself, do better, and stay consistent.
2. Don’t listen to the voices in your head
Even more importantly, don’t listen to the voices of the naysayers. Cut out the noise. We all have amazing ideas that have been left dormant — left somewhere deep within our minds because we didn’t have the courage to execute them.
How often has someone else done something or invented something you thought of but didn’t pursue because you were too afraid of criticism or embarrassment, or just lacked confidence to go for it.
Just follow the lives of the most famous entrepreneurs in the world, and you will see how many times they failed, but they never gave up on their ideas regardless of how ridiculous others thought they were. Do it! Dare and execute.
3. Work on your presentation skills
Presenting, listing and speaking are all skills you need to hone. It may come naturally to some, however, for most of us, learning to be an excellent communicator takes effort.
Take a public speaking course. Learn key phrases and words that your audience can relate to and resonate with. Identify your audience, and speak to that audience. It’s not a one-size-fits-all world.
Some of the most famous people in the world have taken speaking courses. The most notable course being the Dale Carnegie public speaking course.
You don’t have to have an English degree or hold a Ph.D. to be a successful speaker. Take a simple course, or hop on YouTube, and apply those skills in your day-to-day communication with clients. I assure you, this is far more valuable than any diploma on your wall. Even more importantly, this is a monetizable skill.
4. Become obsessed
The most successful agents eat, sleep and breathe real estate. They are laser-focused, and they don’t put things off. They expect more from themselves and demand the same from their support network.
We live in a world full of distractions. A popular term amongst millennials is “work-life balance” — are you kidding me? Ask successful agents about their journeys. Yes, they may be living a comfortable life today, but I assure you, that life is a result of the sacrifices, struggles and efforts of the past.
You may even be surprised to hear that they continue with their efforts each day to maintain their business and status in the industry. Success wasn’t achieved by procrastination or taking it easy.
5. Never stop learning
Knowledge is power — this is not just another saying or overused cliché. Knowing what you know and knowing what you don’t know is so important in growth and success.
How are you spending your free time? Here’s a tip: What you do during your downtime has a huge impact on your success. Become a reader or a listener of audiobooks and podcasts.
Now more than ever, it’s easier to gain knowledge on any topic. It doesn’t even have to be on real estate. Imagine how powerful it would be to learn the psychology of selling, like Robert Cialdini’s book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, that dives deep into neuro-linguistic programming, and how to persuade and influence.
Would that help you in your career? Yes! Join a book club, or get an audiobook subscription, and commit to reading one book per month. These are some very simple but extremely powerful actions and concepts. If you apply them to yourself and your career, you will see the results.
Faisal Susiwala is a broker at RE/MAX Twin City Faisal Susiwala Realty in Ontario, Canada. Connect with him on Instagram or Facebook.
