Real estate technology has come a long way in recent years allowing the consumer more control over the homebuying and selling process. The entire real estate search process has been democratized, leading consumers to ask the question, “Why do I need a real estate agent anymore?”
Agents are no longer the gatekeeper to listings, and technology wants to make buying and selling a home as easy as ordering an Uber. Agents need to step up and prove their value to stay relevant in the age of “uberfication.”
Modern real estate consumers are hiring real estate agents not to find homes, but to help first-time buyers and sellers through the transaction and homeownership process. Consumers now know the home they want to buy, and want a real estate agent to negotiate the best deal and secure financing. Helping consumers make the right decision is the true value of a real estate agent; however, agents do a poor job of communicating this value proposition overall.
To better promote this value proposition, agents need to change their advertising messages from “I sold x homes in 2014” to “My clients saved $x dollars in 2014.” Incorporating metrics in this way allows you to illustrate how you help clients; it’s a much stronger value proposition than the average real estate agent’s. Here are three tips for shifting your value proposition from “about you” to “about your clients.”
1. Devise metrics to prove your worth
Think about why people hire you as a real estate agent, and focus on the unique value proposition you provide. From there, try to quantify that value proposition.
For example, instead of promoting “I am San Diego’s Top Producing Agent,” state this instead: “I helped more clients sell their home for asking price in San Diego than any other agent.”
Using specific data points that resonate with real estate consumers elevates your value proposition beyond the average agent. There are a million real estate agents who can help people buy and sell homes; you must explain why you are specifically qualified to be someone’s agent using metrics.
2. Leverage data to tailor your client experience
Technology has reached a point where you can deliver a personalized experience to each current and prospective client. Delivering information at the right time to the right person is the name of the game. Understanding how to leverage data will separate you from the pack and allow you to excel as an agent. In an age where you can find more about people online than they know about themselves, it is relatively easily to find the information you need to deliver a personalized experience online and offline.
3. Deliver a mobile experience worth experiencing
Everyone is telling you to go mobile and that more people are using smartphones and tablets than laptops. While this is true, focus first on delivering a mobile experience that you would actually use. Mobile is about speed and grabbing the user’s attention span. Delivering users the information they want and need with the fewest amount of clicks is the key to a successful mobile strategy.
Metrics, data and mobile are the future of the real estate technology. Incorporating these into your business will allow you to thrive and convince more consumers to hire you as their real estate agent.
Will Caldwell, a San Diego resident, is the CEO and co-founder at Dizzle, a mobile real estate tech company that helps Realtors generate more word-of-mouth leads.
