Login
iscover
“So Andy, what is the difference between the agents that are going OK and the elite performers that you work with? What do you do to help them get to the next level?”
I was being interviewed a while ago, and I got asked this question:
So, what is in the recipe for success? It’s not so much about a winning formula or some magical system that you get tempted by, but if you can nail these things, then you’ll be well on your way.
- Strengthen your fundamentals to increase efficiency
If you’ve managed to achieve a degree of success while avoiding certain components of the sales role (e.g. social media), then you’ll be harbouring some gaps in your armour that will be exposed in one way or another as soon as you attempt to elevate your success.
Do you have to be an “expert” on everything? Absolutely not, and as your resources grow, you’ll want to outsource your weaknesses. However, if you don’t know your way around things like social media, or a different method of sale, then you can quickly waste money on false promises and average services, so get your head around those things that you often avoid.
- Become a “WHY” agent
This is not about your “why” (although that is incredibly important in itself).
As well as creating more opportunities, we’ve got to look at ways of cranking up our conversion percentages and focusing on this will help you to do just that.
The goal of this is to be able to relate every element of your process, marketing, method of sale and communication to the client’s purpose for selling, and in doing so, allowing them to understand why each element is the right one for them.
It’s about being the true definition of an “expert”, which is being able to take your knowledge and apply it to the customer’s situation in terms that the client can understand. So simply telling potential vendors “what” is in your VPA schedule is no longer good enough; you need to understand how each component of your schedule contributes towards success and why.
Detailed understanding of the tools you have at your disposal; otherwise, it’s like our man Einstein says – “If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
- Work smarter AND harder – Valuing your time
Believe this – the phrase “work smarter, not harder” was written to help sell “get rich quick” schemes and systems that prey on lazy people!
To achieve more, you need to work more. Now that’s not necessarily in terms of physical hours on the clock; it also means making sure that you’re squeezing as much value out of your day as possible.
Take the space to analyse your efficiency with your time and be way more critical of how you’re using your time.
- Work smarter AND harder – Using technology and strengthening your data
Once you’ve analysed your time, you then need to ascertain what you can outsource and whether there is a technology that can give you more of your time back to connect with more humans.
Yes, that’s right, technology isn’t there to do your job for you; it’s there to give you the freedom to provide the value beyond the basic transaction. So, find your repetitive tasks and see if there are ways to automate them.
You then need to make sure that you’re using the right technology to make the most out of your data.
Data can either be your best friend or your biggest hindrance!
My advice? Make it your brother from another mother, or your sister from another mister!
You will generate more opportunities that you have a higher chance of success with, if you keep your data fit and healthy. Using things like artificial intelligence to assist with maximising the power of your data is (in my opinion) the best money you’ll spend, and the return will be incredible, providing you back it up with your human skills.
Segmentation also plays a critical part in making sure that you’re even remotely being paid attention to, and making sure that every message that goes out offers a degree of value to your potential customers is vital.
As you can see, most of this is about creating greater efficiencies within your business. But here’s the thing – if you can increase the level of success from the output that you are currently producing, then scaling your business to the level you desire becomes a lot easier and a lot more cost-effective.
Do that and you can pick whatever number GCI you want to achieve that’ll make YOU feel successful.
Andy Reid is an auctioneer and the head of training for Century 21 and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Australasia.
Newsletter
