1) Try to get a “mentor” at your real estate brokerage. It is simply the best place to start once you have received your initial training on contracts, the MLS, CMA’s ex… Find an experienced agent in your office, which may be initially reluctant to take a new agent on, but if you keep at it they often will relent. If they see that you are competent and persistent that will usually help you. Make sure you come to the office every day and be a presence.
2) Offer your services to all the agents in your office for open houses and anything else they might need help with. Send an email to the office list of agents offering your services.
3) Get familiar with all the properties in your “farm” area you wish to work. Go to open houses whenever possible. Get to know other agents and network whenever you can. Team up with another agent to go with you and try to get a handle on prices and properties. Approach For Sale By Owners (FSBO’s) with a prepared a market analysis (CMA) to obtain new listings.
4) Use your family and friends as much as possible. Treat them like your customers and market to them in a nice and inviting way. Let them know how serious you are about your new career.
5) Follow up on leads by phone and email. If you are too shy to call, try to do it anyway…you have to become comfortable approaching people and you get better at it with time. Practice scripts and write down what you want to say ahead of time.
6) Know what you are talking about…do not appear tentative. Humble confidence in your ability will go a long way in building your new business. Save important questions for your mentor and watch training videos. It may be somewhat difficult at time when you just start out but work hard to learn the basics.
7) Read as much as you can about the field, read marketing and sales books as well, do webinars, attend classes and learn as much as you can because once you get busy you won’t have time.
8) Get a good website right away, invest in marketing materials and tell everyone you meet you are a Realtor. Be a creative marketer…team up with someone and do events, try whatever you can think of to get new customers. Advertise on whatever channel(s) you choose and advertise consistently, send mailings to a farm area which you choose carefully.
9) Being a real estate agent is like starting your own small business and you have to look at it that way and invest in yourself and your business at the beginning. It can take time but can be very rewarding and make you financially successful.
10) DON’T GIVE UP. Usually it takes a year or two to start up any new business and beginning a successful career in real estate is no different. Real estate is about relationships, build relationships and you will build a successful business.
