WITH the intenet changing the way buyers shop for homes, there is some kind of belief that you must brand your self if you want to succeed. Can new agents afford this? I hear things like "you can go door to door , but that takes a lot of courage and the ability to face regection" I am wondering what they think is going to happen at the bargain table./. In my opinion, part of achieving big goals is doing things that you may dislike--its like that on almost any job even if you like it...plus i think going door to door keeps your mind active and increases confidence--plus it separates the champions from others while doing what others fear... Branding seems important, but i dont know if thats a top priority as a newer agent... any feed back?

What's important as a new (and old) agent is making enough money to allow you to remain in the business.

Goal setting is very important because it gives you a track to run on and the ability to measure your results against an objective, i.e. "if I contact 100 people and ask for their business that should lead to one piece of business that will deliver to me a paycheck."

It doesn't get much simplier than that.


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Jim Lee, CRS, ABR, GRI, e-PRO
Realty Executives Associates
Knoxville, Tennessee
http://www.KnoxvilleMLS.com
Jim@KnoxvilleMLS.com
1999 REALTOR of the year, Knoxville Association of REALTORS

I am not an attorney, I am not your attorney, and I am not giving you any legal advice. This response is only given for informational purposes and should not be construed or substituted for legal advice.

The idea of going door to door in really kinda nerve racking , not only do i think its annoying but it does take alot of time ... What about sending direct mails ? or how about leaving door hangers on the doors of appartment complexes and move on ... If the incentives and the benefits placed on your adds are good enough , prospects will respond ... dont u guys think ??

You need a plan before you get into real estate as to what you will do to market yourself.

If you have more money than time, do more mailings, print advertising, and other forms of passive marketing.

If you have more time than money, do more active marketing like going door-to-door, telemarketing, and event marketing.

If you have relatively equal amounts of both time and money, do equal amounts of both passive and active marketing.

In my experience, I've found that it's much easier for agents to throw money at something (like print advertising) in hopes that business will come out and jump at you.

Much tougher to get oneself out there doing the low monetary investment, active forms of marketing.

I've found that people are willing to throw money at most problems in life in hopes of finding a solution...take the supplement and weight loss industry, for example. Don't look good? Suffering from memory loss? Take this pill and your problems will be solved. Seems like everyone is looking for a nice, solution in a easy capsule form these days. Real estate sales people are constantly being bombarded with offers of quick fixes to help them attain six figure salaries (seminars, coaching, mentoring, tapes, books, etc.)...it's a big business since people are always looking for the quick, easy, purchasable fix.

Agree their is no Quick and Easy way to succeed in Real Estate.

The key is to identify what assets you have and effectively use them.

One of the points already made is to start from your very first contact and develop a database of potential clients of all types. Those that will buy, those that will be selling, those that will become investors, those that will provide referrals. Constantly up date that database with critical information such as e-mail addresses and personal information.

e-mail can be a very effective element in gaining name recognition. It can be very cost effective and time effective if merged with a good contact management program and automated contacts are pre programed. As being only one element... you need to other more active marketing elements such as face to face contacts, drip mail programs and a mix of general broadcast marketing (I prefer minimal amounts here). More targeted marketing is far more effective and can provide a faster return on your marketing investment.

Look at affinity marketing... marketing to people that you have something in common with such as an interest group... golf, boating, tennis, volunteer work, church groups, youth groups and activities, seniors programs what ever your normal interest are... start at that point and expand with a mix of marketing elements but always keep the database building in progress.

I spent $50,000 my first year on ads alone. I barely had enough left over to pay the bills, but buy year 2 I had to dress up to go get gas. I had an 8 foot poster of myself in the mall, magazine ads, etc. After 12 months in the business people thought I had years of experience. I was never quizzed at listing appointments about my experience or how I would market their property. It did great for me- but I had the money to spend. Now I work mostly with investors and just teach free classes- I hardly spend anything on advertising any more.

Good job, Carla.

Xeno, you hit the nail on the head. I had more money than time, so followed a business and marketing plan. I do more direct mailings now than cold calls, but I'm also involved in the community. A combination of active/passive and direct/indirect advertising is healthy. A new agent with little money may want to focus more on the face-to-face and telephone contacts since direct mail or ads can be very expensive unless you bring in a partner.

The Austin Rookie of the Year got a billboard where her broker paid for 1/3 and another company paid for the other 1/3. She had instant name recognition, like Carla mentioned. The agent is now a broker and credits her success to planning and marketing. Like Carla, her advertising caused people to view her as a very experienced agent even though it was only her first year.