School of Thought: If You Have a Pulse, Read This

By: Nathan Butrum Realtor®, NextHome Excellence

So, you think you’re successful? You had a great year and feel unstoppable, and the world is at your mercy? Fantastic! What happens when the real estate rollercoaster goes into freefall, and your stomach is in your throat, you’re holding on screaming, mouth wide open, and that pigeon flying above you just got lighter? It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, doesn’t it? How do you adjust? How do you even start?

I would venture you all know that over 90% of agents fail within the first 5 years, and the minority of agents do the majority of the business. They tell you this in orientation, and let’s face it, this profession isn’t for everyone. There’s a stereotype of wealth, style, and class, along with a public misconception about what we actually do and how we earn our living. Most of it is dead wrong, and it’s up to you to set the standard. Being a Realtor® is 80% hard work, 96% hustle, 75% empathy and compassion, and a sprinkle of luck. Counting on your fingers and confused? It’s no surprise that the turnover rate is high! So what can you do to stay on top?

1 | Understand, this is a lifestyle and a profession, not a job. You have to curate your image, build your brand, stand out, and know that your personal and professional life is in the process of having some pretty fluid boundaries. Real estate is local and constantly changing. You must be able to pivot and make the smart decisions. If you’re wrong, you’ll realize soon enough, and that is better than being frozen and indecisive.

2 | “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.” Are your customers just a paycheck, or are you invested in getting the best possible outcome for them, even if it hits you in the pocketbook? Sometimes short-term losses lead to long-term gains. Your customer will thank you in the end, and if you follow up properly, a referral is pretty likely. There’s always more out there.

3 | “That’s not my job.” Yes, it is. It’s at the very least your job to make sure it gets done. Make the phone calls to vendors, title, loan officers, plumber Pete; it doesn’t matter. You are the benevolent OZ, pulling strings and making magic happen behind the scenes. Done properly, you will be their actual “Realtor® for Life” and not just in your social media hashtag. 4

| Time Management will make your life easier. Whether it’s a notebook or the calendar on your phone, stick to your schedule! You know that feeling when you’re at a red light, it turns green, and someone is on their phone? That’s how your customers feel waiting on you. Don’t do it, it’s rude. Give yourself a buffer if possible, but respect their time like you would your own.

5 | This probably should be #1. You are never too good, too busy, or too successful to stay on top of your education. There are resources to help you stay on trend and stats. Florida REALTORS® Newsletters, RASM classes, NAR online classes, Keeping Current Matters, Inman, amongst other sources, help keep you informed on local, state, and national news. This is a powerful booster to your confidence and skill, with the added benefit of actually knowing what you’re talking about. We walk a thin line at times in our explanations and if you say the wrong thing, you open yourself up to liability. Also, if you start the conversation with “In my XYZ years in the business…” then you might need some education about the changes also. New is not always better, and old is not always right.

6 | Pick up the PHONE! It doesn’t bite! Make that call. And please, for the love of *insert deity*, answer when someone calls! Prospect every day, and you’ll likely be on a top producer panel of Realtors®, where everyone wants to know your secret. The worst anyone can do is tell you no, and every no gets you closer to a yes.

7 | No matter your brokerage, we are all brothers and sisters in the same family. There will be drama, of course, but we all work together towards the same goal. We may put on different logos to go out and conquer the world, but when the sun sets and we have put humans over houses, we have all won.

“Have fun with empowerment. It seems to make everyone that gets it really happy,” Rick Sanchez. •