The world of real estate is not for the faint of heart. Sure, there is a chance you’ll be among the lucky ones who get to win more than $1 million annually, but to get there, you need a lot more than just people skills.
Real estate agents have one of the most dynamic and demanding jobs on the market. Plus, they live on commission (most of them, at least) and their earnings are directly influenced by the housing market and the state of the economy.
Not to mention that, under US law, real estate agents are considered independent contractors. This means you are responsible for finding new clients, filing for taxes, and keeping track of your budget.
Still, if you have the right skills and tools, this is a great job that doesn’t limit your chances at a better life. So, if you’re interested in becoming a better, more successful realtor, here are a few tools that must be in your kit:
#1: Website & Social Media Accounts
These two go together for real estate agents because one tool supports the other. The website is your office online – here you present your offer, provide contact information, and other important details your customers (existent and future) need to know.
Social media accounts are your way of reaching out to anyone interested in buying, selling, or renting property. Given that people spend at least a few minutes every day on social media, these channels may easily become the main drivers for marketing campaigns.
Lastly, the website and social media accounts have a symbiotic relationship. You use social media to promote the content from your website. Also, the content is designed to attract new leads to your site, where they can learn more.
#2: Management Software
As your business increases, you will have to manage several customers at the same time. This can be problematic without help from an assistant who can keep track of files, documentation, and meetings.
Luckily, you don’t have to hire extra staff for this task. You just need a solution that provides transaction management software for real estate agents. This type of software is designed to help realtors and brokers with their daily tasks. It provides easy access to information wherever you are and manages every aspect of your business without losing files or mistaking dates.
#3: Electronic Signature
Time is money and in our highly technological world, we have the chance to make full use of our time. With an electronic signature solution, you can send and receive legal documents via email.
This saves you a trip to the other side of the town, just to get a customer’s signature. Plus, it reduces the physical paperwork which makes document organization and storage a lot easier.
#4: Lead Generation
To increase your business, you need more opportunities to get new clients. Sure, a solid online and offline marketing campaign helps, but it’s best to have a steady supply of good leads.
One of the best lead generation tools out there is word-of-mouth, but there’s little you can do about it as a beginner. As your experience increases, your reputation will follow and happy customers will recommend your services to their own circles.
But successful agents take it one step further by placing themselves (their ads) on platforms that bring together buyers and sellers (real estate portals like Realtor and Zillow). Each of these platforms has tools that agents can use to get more leads and increase their visibility.
#5: Email Marketing
Even though it’s such a simple tool, email marketing is still going strong. Once you have a solid email list, you can use it to promote new listings, offers, and more. Still, as the list gets longer, it’s best to choose a tool that allows some automation.
This way, you can use your time for more complex tasks while your email marketing campaign continues to run in the background.
Wrap Up
These tools will help a realtor get more visibility and improve their business management. However, there’s more to being a successful realtor than this. If you take a peek at the world of retail, you’ll notice most successful brands work hard to understand their audience.
This is a useful tip for real estate as well – if you know what the customer wants, you will be able to improve your campaigns and even sales.
