THE NEW REAL ESTATE AGENT CHECKLIST: SIMPLE STEPS TO BUILD YOUR BRAND
Rick Coyne
So, you’re a new real estate agent in Maine. If we had to take a wild guess, you’re probably feeling just a little bit overwhelmed right now. Trust us, we’ve all been there!
The hardest part of getting started is knowing where to start. When it comes to building your business plan and marketing strategy, you may be struggling with prioritizing what’s most important.
The trick is this: start small and work your way up. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your new real estate business won’t be either.
By knocking out the items on this checklist, you’ll be well on your way to creating a marketing plan that wins.
Sign Up for Market Insights
The real estate market can change as quickly as the weather, and your clients are looking to you to answer their questions.
There are always a lot of rumors and speculation about where the market could be headed. It’s up to you to provide basic insights backed by experts and facts to clear the air and help your clients make the most informed decision.
Make sure you’re making it a part of your weekly routine to stay current on what’s happening in real estate.
Get a CRM
Those 3 letters are one of a real estate agent’s most important allies in getting listings.
If you’re not ready to commit to a paid platform, we recommend creating one the old-fashioned way: in a spreadsheet.
Any agent will tell you that organization is key to success and keeping your CRM neat and tidy will help you keep track of all your leads.
At EXIT Oceanside Realty, all of our agents have access to a robust CRM and marketing suite.
Set Up Business Instagram & Facebook Account
These days, one of the first places potential clients are going to try and find you is on social media. Not only does having a Business Profile add to your credibility, it also gives you more opportunities for connecting with leads, creating ads and getting engagement.
Get 2 Posts Up on Social Every Week
Now that you have your social profiles set up, it’s time to start posting.
If you’re not sure where to start or are kind of intimidated (totally understandable), just start with small goals. Posting a couple of times per week is enough to build a solid social presence without all the pressure. And remember, this doesn’t include listings!
Post a local market update, community highlight, a new graph, a motivational quote-there is no limit to your feed!
Create a Welcome Email
The average welcome email generates 4x more opens and 5x more clicks than regular email marketing campaigns.
As the first impression for most of your leads, this is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and start the conversation.
They should be brief, friendly, and cover these bases:
- Set expectations for frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
- Incite some sort of an action (set up an appointment, follow on social, etc)
- Be personalized
Remember, your welcome email should be short, sweet, and to the point!
Create a Cloud File Storage System
The early days of being an agent are the best time to create systems that will keep you organized for years to come, and cloud storage plays a huge part in that.
Whether you’re using Apple, Google or Dropbox, make sure to take some time and set up a basic system that you can use for years to come.
Remember, this is where you’ll be storing a lot of your paperwork so make sure to build out a secure system that’s easy to navigate.
Get a Listing Presentation Ready
A listing presentation is one of the most important tools an agent can have, and it’s never too early to start working on yours.
Your listing presentation should be professional, personalized, and spare no detail about your incredible marketing plan for selling their home.
Use a lot of visuals, market data, and show, rather than tell, that you’re the best agent for the job.
Sign Up for a Virtual Conference
We know…you just finished your real estate courses and probably don’t want to hop right back into school.
But there are tons of different virtual conferences and courses that will help you learn the ins and outs of real estate. Want to learn more about marketing? Need help with your scripts?
There’s a learning opportunity for just about everything. Just start googling.
At EXIT oceanside realty, all of our agents are given access to in-depth training not available in a real estate course. We believe it's our job to get you started off right.
Bottom Line
When it comes to real estate, your marketing will take you far but your branding will take you further.
Spending these early months on building your brand and connecting with your local community will not only help you get more listings, but it will also help you build meaningful relationships that last a lifetime.
The key is prioritization and automation. By learning how to focus on what matters most and turning to real estate marketing content for the rest, you’ll be able to focus on what matters most: your clients.
Rick & Pam Coyne Broker/Owners
At EXIT Oceanside Realty we believe that real estate is more than just a financial transaction. It's welcoming you to the warmth that is home and helping you navigate the transitions on life’s journey.
We look forward to assisting you with the sale or purchase of Real Estate in Wells, Maine, Ogunquit, Maine and Kenenbunk, Maine.
