You have been encouraged to put the best agents and most effective tools in your corner throughout the RealtyIT blog. You should also make the time to foster your mentorship with a top agent.

A great way to kick off one of your first conversations with a mentor, that will get you an engaging opportunity to learn, is to ask questions about their rookie experiences. Ask the best agents in the industry about their first real estate transactions. Odds are you’ll hear quite a variety of stories. But, one consistent theme will likely be that of apprehension and nervousness. Learn to prepare for and overcome these concerns by asking about their first listings, how they felt about them, what they did to prepare, what they learned and how their approach has since changed. Often, what is discussed and suggested by leading agents are acquiring market knowledge and conveying confidence.

Gaining market knowledge is a function of digging in and learning all that you can about your area or community. You must do your research to be as effective as the top agents you follow. There are many tools that vary by town, city, region and state that will give you a great deal of data and information about your listing area. A great agent can confidently answer any question about their territories and knows where to look when an answer is not quickly recalled. A tremendous resource for community data can be found at The Community Commons. The wealth of data here covers economy, education, environment, equity, food, and health. Another resource is the American Community Survey. A surprising amount of information can be gathered and referenced using google maps. One tool that is being developed is an Interactive School Ratings Map. (More resources can be found on our resources page.) Leading agents have the knowledge necessary to be naturally confident.
Confidence is key and the last points have led us to it. Want to be recognized as the agent your clients need? Knowing and discussing aspects of your community as often as possible, with members of the community, will help develop your confidence. Having great mentors to support you will further your sense and projection of that confidence. Fundamental to any facet of sales is the way in which your client perceives you. To loosely paraphrase a line from a great sales focused film, Boiler Room: “There is no such thing as a no-sale interaction. A sale is made on every client interaction. Either you sell the client or he sells you a reason he can’t. Either way, a sale is made; the only question is who is gonna close? You or him?” – Jim Young (Ben Affleck). Taking this attitude might seem a little aggressive. But, closers make deals and deals make money. We’ll assume, for now, that you are in the industry to make money. So, be confident through knowledge and mentorship and project it when engaging clients.

Would you be surprised to know that a leading motivator in successful client interactions is also your attitude? Knowing this may take you from novice agent to market leader more quickly than you think. It is a factor of which you are in 100% control. You don’t have to study for hours, train rigorously, or labor to change your attitude. It can be done in a moment and instantly alter the outcome of your interactions. What is confidence without energy and enthusiasm? In a number of ways it may come off as arrogant or worse, false. So, get motivated by any reasonable means necessary. This may be built in to your bulletproof daily routine or just a quick thought that leads you into your discussions. But, whatever it is, be positive, excited and engaged.
Being positive and having the right attitude will produce happier clients. Projecting confidence and pairing it with that energy will close more deals. Learning all you can from your market research and mentors while projecting confidence and pairing it with that energy… that will generate a lifetime of success in real estate and ensure you sell and list like a pro. We expect you will be great. Will you?