It’s easy to say that top producers in real estate are a “different breed” of agents. But that assumes that top producer status is somehow predetermined.
It’s not. People aren’t born to top producer status – they earn it.
Here are five ways the best of the best make it to the top:
- Do the work – Consider this the amalgam of most other “how to reach top producer status” lists – one where the advice is “build a web presence,” “answer calls and emails promptly” and “deliver great customer service.” Those are the baselines, and every agent should meet them. Yes, agents need to check the standard boxes, but top producers don’t stop at standard. A remarkable career is built on a sturdy foundation of hard work and innovation.
- Don’t be James Bond (i.e. a secret agent) – By “secret agent,” what we mean is don’t hide your career – you never know when someone you meet could become a client. Agents need to embrace their role. As any successful agent will tell you, selling real estate is more a lifestyle than a career. Building a strong referral network and brand (recognizable not only by name but also by reputation) means cultivating the image of a consummate real estate professional and an authority in the industry.
- Get published – The Internet has fundamentally altered the role agents play in the homebuying process. Ninety percent of buyers go online during their home search, according to NAR. If agents want to be taken seriously as authorities on the market, they need to present themselves that way online. Pitching articles and blog posts to existing real estate publications (like this one) is a great way for agents to publicly demonstrate their knowledge and put some real power behind the phrase: “I am an expert.”
- Bring on a coach – In an Inman survey questioning agents specifically about their experiences with coaches, nearly 40 percent said that within the first year of working with a sales coach, their business increased by no less than 10 percent and as much as 25 percent. Hiring a coach isn’t a sign that things aren’t going well; it’s a sign that agents are pushing to achieve even more. Even the best agents can benefit from a real estate coach.
- Join a team – According to longtime Chicago real estate professional Matt Laricy, who serves as managing partner of the Matt Laricy Group at Americorp Real Estate: “People like the big number. It’s America; we’re attracted to fast and sexy.” Unfortunately, for many inexperienced agents, the big number eludes them, because they haven’t had a chance to earn it. Joining a team is a way to circumvent that, because it allows agents to benefit from the accomplishments and abilities of the team they’re a part of. And if that’s a top-producing team, that team brand is even more valuable. As Laricy said: “I would think it foolish not to join a team if you’re an agent just starting out.”