New to the industry? Get started with everything you need to know about the early decisions that’ll shape your career, including choosing a brokerage, learning your market, creating an online presence, budgeting, getting leads, marketing listings and so much more. If you’re a team leader or broker-owner, New Agent Month will be jam-packed with resources to help your new hires navigate.
Being a real estate agent is the best job there is. Every day is different. You set your own schedule, meet amazing people, and in terms of success, the sky’s the limit. There’s a lot you can achieve in real estate — that is, if you know how to set yourself up right.
For new agents to grow their business, they need to constantly be making new contacts. Relationships are key in this industry. So, below, I have outlined six ways new real estate agents can make new connections and organically grow their business.
1. Start with your sphere of influence
Friends, family, colleagues, your connections on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more — they could all be your clients. The biggest mistake I see new agents make is not letting people in their existing network know about their transition to real estate.
Pick up the phone and call those in your network. Post on social media that you have received your license and can provide expert service, share the news of your journey into real estate with everyone you know.
And don’t stop letting people know. People in your school, workout class, local coffee shop, grocery store all could be clients if you speak with them and let them know what you can offer. Hone your elevator pitch and be ready to put your best foot forward at all times.
2. Advertise your services
I credit a lot of my success at the start of my career to taking a chance on advertising and sticking with it. It was during the economic downturn when this approach really paid off.
Everyone started pulling out of traditional advertising, but I committed to what I could afford financially. Of course, people needed to buy and sell real estate during this time, so who did they call?
I recommend for new agents to start off small and focus on the area that they farm, and look for publications and sources that reach that target audience. Being savvy when it comes to advertising can pay off tenfold and really grow your contact base. When doing so, be smart, be strategic, and stick to your budget.
3. Spend time on social
As we have seen during the past year, having a strong presence on social media is something that all real estate professionals need to have in order to grow their contact base and showcase their listings, spirit of conducting business and successes.
If you have a lean budget for advertising when you are starting out, focus on growing your social media presence. You can create a schedule and curate content with just your phone and laptop.
No listings to post? No problem. Now that open houses are back in business, head out and grab some content. This is also a great way to meet people and grow your contact base as well as learn about a particular market.
4. Be bold
Once you have closed some deals, ask your clients to share your information with their sphere of influence and write a review on your website or a letter of recommendation that you can share on social media.
In my experience, if you have provided great service and the clients are happy, they will be only too happy to take the time to help you with your request.
5. Keep a connection
Past clients are a great source of referrals, but as the old adage goes — when you’re out of sight, you’re out of mind. Maintain a roster of all past clients with special dates like the anniversary of when they bought or sold their home, when they rented a property, their birthday, or any special date that is appropriate for you to personally connect with them.
Sharing market data on the anniversary of home purchase or sale is a good way to remind a client of the great experience they had with you. It is also a great time to show them how much their home has grown in value.
If they are not ready to make their next move, perhaps the postcard, email, letter, or whatever item you sent, will be passed on to someone in their network who is — right now — searching for an agent just like you.
Additionally, be sure to set a drip email marketing campaign for all your contacts. Make sure to not bombard them with content, but rather, establish an organic cadence that includes noteworthy and useful items.
6. Meet and greet
Sitting open houses for other agents is another great way to meet new people and grow your contact base. Don’t be shy about approaching top agents within your company to offer your services as most of the time, they would be only too happy to oblige.
When sitting an open, every visitor to the home is an opportunity to grow your contact base, so be ready to bring your A-game. Be prepared to answer questions about the home, the neighborhood and more. Sitting open houses is the best way to showcase your expertise to people who are already interested in making a move.
The above six tactics to grow your contact base can prove to be invaluable tools when looking to grow your business. I also tell new agents to get out as much as they can and be active in their communities. Mix, mingle and network as much as you can, and don’t ever be afraid to walk up to someone, introduce yourself and hand them your business card.
When starting out, I would always remind myself that you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. As I previously mentioned, the sky is the limit for success in this business. With the right amount of determination, perseverance and patience, you will be sure to build your business and grow your contacts, and be well on your way to the top.
Mauricio Umansky is the founder and CEO of The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
