Projecting Success as a New Agent

In real estate, there is a time to be “real” and a time to be a salesperson.  The fact that the majority of a new agent’s business will come initially from friends and family makes it extremely important that you, as a new agent, project that you are successful selling real estate even if you’ve made less than $10,000 over the past 6 months.  

When you announce to your sphere that you are quitting your conventional 9-5 corporate job to enter the risky and often undervalued business of real estate sales, you are setting yourself up for a lifelong conversation about “how the housing market is” and “how your business is going”.  

When I talk to my non-realtor friends, I rarely ask how their company is performing or how the tax industry is treating them.  We may talk about upcoming promotions or late hours, but rarely do I question their security within their job.  As a real estate agent, you’ll be compelled to provide an answer about how your personal business is performing, and how you answer this question will dictate whether you earn the business of your friends and family or if you give them a reason to consider an alternative agent.

Too often I hear new agents being very honest about the state of their business by saying things like “it’s slow but they say it takes two years before you can start making good money” or “I’ve only closed on two houses in the past 4 months”.  Statements like these project failure, not success. If I were your friend, I would not want to work with you.

Instead, keep in mind that you are building a personal brand not only within the industry but also within the minds of all of your friends and family.  Here are several ways to respond to the question “How is your real estate business going?"

• It’s great!  I’ve never been busier.
• The market is really picking up!  I find myself working way more than I ever thought I would!
• We are in the busy season so I’m showing a lot of property or We are in the slow season so I’m working on my business and getting clients prepped for the spring market.   
  

Although you may find a few friends and family members will support your endeavor in the beginning, several will need to be convinced of your competency before trusting you to sell their home.  Make sure your website is polished, engage in several different forms of marketing and be sure to announce when you’ve successfully closed a sale.  

Take advantage of the slower days to build the systems behind your business.  Become an industry expert by subscribing to daily news alerts from Inman.com or other real estate blogs.  Before you know it, you’ll no longer be a new agent and the success you’ve been projecting will become a reality.