I recently had the pleasure of having Brittney Pino, broker-owner of Brittney Pino & Associates, speak at my team meeting about her journey from solo agent to team leader and then to a solo broker — with only a team of admins in lieu of buyer’s agents.
Pino ran a team for years, and after getting tired of the constant shuffling of agents in and out, in 2018, she decided to reboot her entire business and start from scratch. She didn’t have any agents on her team, but instead decided to employ a “team” of admins to assist her in her business as a solo broker.
Last year, she ranked as No. 5 RE/MAX agent in terms of sales volume in the state of Louisiana, and soon after, she opted to strike out on her own and start her own real estate firm. What was the secret to her success? Here, she shared the top five levers you need to pull to maximize your production.
1. Use video regularly
She made market-update videos telling consumers what’s going on in the real estate industry as well as current mortgage rates. She always starts with a hook and doesn’t waste time. Instead, she answers a compelling question that consumers ask on a regular basis.
She also interviews vendors that cater to real estate but makes sure that the videos provide value to buyers and sellers of real estate. She posts this across all of her platforms and then emails it to her database.
2. Leverage your business by employing admins instead of agents
Pino said that when an agent gets to $7 million in production, it’s time to consider adding a full-time assistant. She has an assistant who monitors her email address, text messages and calendar. Speed-to-action is very important in servicing her clients at the highest level.
She recommended auditing actions and figuring out what work you shouldn’t be doing that someone else could be doing, like being in front of your buyers and sellers, and negotiating contracts. As you and your assistant start getting busy, you’re going to want to hire a second assistant.
3. Nurture your database
This is the No. 1 thing to focus on for all agents, and I give this speech to agents over and over myself. Yet, it needs to be repeated. Use anniversary cards, pop-bys, Facebook messages, and anything and everything you can to cultivate relationships with the people in your database.
And even if they aren’t looking to buy or sell right now, being in front of them will put you top-of-mind with friends, family and coworkers. Pino said that at least 70 percent of your business should be from repeat clients or referrals if you’re doing your job right.
4. Take care of your wellness
Making sure that you are eating healthy and exercising is not only good for your body, it also gives you more energy and mental focus. Keeping an active lifestyle will allow you to be more patient in your work life and handle everything this crazy business throws at you every single day.
Pino said that what’s happening inside of us usually shows up on the outside. Taking care of your wellbeing should be a priority.
5. Live your life
Pino said that if you change your calendar, you change your life. By scheduling vacations and quality time with your family, you’ll not only be more organized in your work life, you’ll also avoid burnout. Taking some time off every now and then will ensure you’re working at the highest capacity.
It’s always interesting to hear how many ways there are for agents to be productive in real estate. We always seem to get focused on building a “team,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean a team of agents. If you’re a top producer, you should think about building a support staff to help you keep up with your clients needs.
Ryan Rodenbeck is the broker-owner of Spyglass Realty in Austin. Connect with him on Instagram.
