A successful career as a real estate agent can be lucrative and rewarding but it takes a lot of preparation to get there. Finishing the licensing course is one aspect of becoming an agent but you still have to learn how to actually make money in this business. You may be asking yourself questions like, how do I find my first client, where should I market myself, or what technologies will help me be successful? These questions can seem intimidating but there are effective strategies to solve them and we’ve mapped out a few here. These tips will help new agents find success in this business but they’re also a great refresher for veterans.

1. Use a CRM to organize your sphere of influence: A client relationship manager (CRM) will be a focal point for your business from day one. These software systems allow you to track how your customers are interacting with your business and create campaigns to stay in contact with them. Eventually this will become your living, breathing real estate business. CRMs should be used religiously from the outset of your business. Your first step is to place everyone you know in your CRM. All of your contacts should be entered with names, physical addresses, emails, and phone numbers. If any of this information is missing for a contact, use it as an opportunity to reach out and send a simple message like, “Hi Steve, I started a new real estate business and I am working on my contact database. It seems that I don’t have your current address and would love to add it as I may send out helpful real estate information from time to time.” There are many CRMs out there with a wide range of prices, so it will be easy to find one that fits your needs. But remember, the best CRM for your business is the one you use daily!
2. Send this letter to your sphere of influence: It’s important to give a shout out to the world that you are now a real estate agent. If you don’t tell them, how will they know? This carefully worded letter will notify your sphere of influence (the people you know) that you are now starting your own real estate business. You can customize this letter with your company logo, headshot, and contact information.
3. Start a strong social media strategy: After you send your New Agent Letter to your sphere of influence, a strong social media presence is a great follow up to stay top of mind. Social media offers opportunities to promote your expertise and skills with a Self Promo Letter or attract new leads with a Looking to Relocate. It’s also important to include some personal posts of your hobbies, pets, or family (if you’re comfortable) to establish your brand, show your clients that winning personality, and demonstrate additional reasons why your clients love to work with you! If you need more social media posts and ideas, click here.

4. Join Facebook groups: Lab Coat Agents and Next Level Agents are two of the best real estate Facebook groups for real estate agents. Agents will gather on these groups to talk about the good and bad experiences they’ve had on the job, which can be very helpful to someone just starting out. Spending some time on these groups can teach you what works for some agents and what doesn’t and overall help you grow as a new agent.

5. Find a mentor: Find a fellow agent  within your brokerage who has a track record of success. Look to them as inspiration and ask them to guide you through your first 60 days if possible. Even the most successful real estate agents started exactly where you are now, so use what they have learned to get ahead in your career.

6. Set Measurable Goals: It can be overwhelming to start a new career because there's a lot of pressure to do well. Setting goals for yourself is a great way to ease the stress of the unknown. Set short and long term goals,  and celebrate your progress along the way. Rewarding yourself is a great way to stay motivated and feel a sense of accomplishment on a regular basis. In order to establish your goals, develop your first real estate business plan and be sure to ask a mentor to help make some educated guesses for the numbers. If you are feeling especially industrious, work on your marketing action plan as well.

7. Watch online webinars: There are hundreds of webinars available online that will be incredibly beneficial to your growth as a new agent. On any given day, you can find webinars covering a wide range of topics, from market trends, lead generation, agent safety, and everything in between. The best part about webinars is you can watch them from the comfort of your home and most are relatively short, yet packed with helpful information.

8. Hold an open house for another agent: You've probably heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect." and there’s so much truth behind this. Hosting an open house on behalf of another agent is a great way to get comfortable conducting home tours and speaking with potential buyers face to face. By doing this, you will be able to host a successful open house for your own clients. This is also a great way to find your first client.

   In many cases, buyers will attend open houses in search of their dream homes without securing a buyer’s agent. This is the perfect opportunity to start a conversation and win clients. Make sure to follow up with your open house leads because they may be your first opportunities to create closings.

A new venture can be tough and real estate is no exception. For additional support launching a successful real estate career, consult your brokerage, continue your education, and look out for our updated New Agent Guidebook! Good luck out there and here's to your success.