With high competition and low inventory, how do you stand out?

Whether you’re a seasoned agent or brand new to the industry, there are a number of ways you can become a top agent in your city.  We’re going to walk through 6 strategies to be a prominent agent in your market.

Here we go:

1. Discover your niche

There are agents in every market who will represent anyone. While there is nothing wrong with this, top agents do so well because they find their niche.

The real estate industry is saturated with agents claiming to be a jack of all trades for their clients. If they’re good at everything, can they be truly great at anything?

There are so many niches from luxury townhomes to large ranches. If you’re looking to be a prominent agent in your farm area, focus on a specific home type or neighborhood, you will build credibility with your target audience.

 

2. Find your professional photographer

A prominent realtor has a defined brand. Part of this branding includes a strong and consistent listing portfolio. If you’re a sellers’ agent, you’ll want to secure a professional real estate photographer for all of your listings.

Real estate images captured by a professional photographer stand out online, have more showings and sell for more money than those taken by a non-professional.

Being a well-known real estate agent means your brand is consistent, professional, and eye-catching. Make sure to find a professional photography partner that can help you achieve all of those things.

 

3. Stay active on social media

Social media is your gateway to so many real estate opportunities – from networking to lead generation to valuable referrals. With 90% of buyers searching online for listings before going to a showing or choosing a realtor, you want to make sure you’re seen online.

Here are a few ways to stay active and engaging on social media:

• Post value-based content with links back to your website/blog
• Engage in community Facebook groups and real estate networking groups
• Reshare popular content onto your channels
• Ask open-ended questions to get conversations going
• Offer special promotions to prospects

If it’s overwhelming to be on multiple social media platforms, select the 2-3 platforms that work for your market. We would suggest Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (to target professionals relocating).

 

4. Create a referral plan

(content below is originally found here.)

Maintaining a systematic plan for growing your referral pool is necessary for achieving higher close rates. The first step to creating a referral plan is setting up personal referral goals. This will ensure that your referrals remain priority number one on your path to becoming a successful real estate agent.

Your goal should help you decide how many referrals you wish to obtain in a given amount of time.

Real Estate Express suggests ranking referral sources as shown below:

Level 1 Sources. Past and present clients who will likely send real estate referrals to you because you have a good rapport; relatives, friends, and other contacts who send you leads regularly; and associates in influential social/professional positions.

Level 2 Sources. People who will probably send referrals to you, but require additional work such as repeat requests or additional interaction. Additionally, these sources may also place certain limitations on their referrals to you.

Level 3 Sources. People who may send you new business because they have heard about you, but you do not know when or how they will do so.

Your referral plan should also include obtaining and maintaining quality referrals.

 

5. Write about your city

A prominent real estate agent is one that is considered a thought leader in their industry as well as an active and engaging member of their community. It’s important to show those within your community that you know everything about the neighborhoods they are interested in buying or selling in.

There are plenty of topics you can write about when it comes to your city. Here are some go-to’s:

• The top neighborhoods in [your city]
• The best restaurants in [your city]
• 10 things to do in [your city]
• Buying a home in [your city]
• Selling a home in [your city]
• The top parks in [your city]

For more topic ideas, try a topic generator like Answer the Public.

 

6. Leverage your sphere of influence

(content below is originally found here.)

A prominent real estate agent has a strong and reliable COI (Circle of Influence), also known as a Sphere of Influence. Your sphere of influence will be your go-to for generating new referrals while nurturing current relationships.

Your sphere of influence will include your family, friends, peers, acquaintances from previous jobs and so on. You can continue to build this sphere by attending local events, joining community organizations, participating in your child’s school’s PTO, etc.

Stay in touch through texts, email campaigns, mailers, and online.

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To be a prominent agent, you must establish effective marketing strategies and stick to them. An agent that is eager to experiment with different marketing techniques and learn from them is an agent that will have a career that flourishes.