A successful real estate career requires a strong work ethic while focusing on client service.
AM 570 Podcast
Column from The Wave
Dedication to one's work is a recipe for success that transcends all job titles and professions. We ought not measure success by one's bank account, but rather by the love and appreciation they have for their craft or trade. I've held many job titles in my life and can honestly say that I've enjoyed, or at least learned from, each and every one of them. To achieve professional success and happiness, it's immeasurably important to make the best of every situation and always put everything you've got into your work.
Most real estate agents and brokers are trained to play a numbers game and simply get as many listings (or recruit as many agents) as possible in order to increase their chances at a payday. This quantity over quality culture permeates and infects the real estate profession on many levels. It also allows unsuccessful agents and unsellable listings to muddy the waters and distract people from the good ones. Rather than focusing on providing the best possible service and results to their clients, most agents and brokers instead focus on making money. They also know and accept the fact that many of their listings will fail to sell but that's already factored into their numbers game so it really doesn't bother them. There's many agents out there who've made lots of money by playing the numbers game. They spend their entire days on the phone cold-calling and soliciting homeowners. They prey on naive sellers by taking their overpriced and/or ridiculously under-commissioned listings just to pad their numbers without any regard for the client or the outcome. They keep churning through listings just to stay afloat while client-focused professionals earn most of their listings through attorney referrals and client recommendations.
Each listing that I'm entrusted with represents a hill that I am willing to fight for and die on. Rather than viewing a new listing as a possible commission check, I see each listing as a tremendous responsibility. I also embrace the hard work that always follows. People with a weak work ethic seek the path of least resistance in search of their next bonanza or paycheck. These are content people, not successful people. I've yet to meet anyone who's found true success through mediocrity or corner-cutting tactics.
It's very rare that I'll recruit or train an agent, but when I do, one of the first things I suggest for them to be successful is to simply answer their phone at all times. Good communication is essential in every aspect of life. It boggles my mind when I come across agents who don't even care enough to answer their phone or engage in a conversation.
I'm always available to talk real estate with anyone because I sincerely love what I do. Brokers and agents who play a numbers game can make some money at times by doing so, but they can't build a successful career that way. They foolishly focus on the money rather than impressing their client.
Clients should always come first. That means being there for them at all times during the listing and beyond. Their needs must always be met and their expectations exceeded. Besides having sharply honed marketing and negotiation skills, successful brokers must also understand their clients' anxieties, reduce their stress and patiently answer each and every one of their questions. Contrary to popular belief, real estate is not a sales profession, it's a service profession that requires its practitioners to have a very strong work ethic in order to achieve success for both their clientele and themselves.
