There is a turning point in every field where members go from good to great. It’s easy to simply do a job and get by with the basics, but to round that corner and become an elite performer in your occupation requires an in depth knowledge and execution of what it takes to succeed. The average person for example can walk into a gym and do some basic exercises, use the machines or take a class, and eventually they will probably get in better shape or maybe lose some weight. But to become an athlete, that person would need to research and learn the common traits and accomplishments of an elite athlete, then work to achieve similar characteristics.  

Gone are the days in which people had only one or two options to choose from when hiring a service. Every professional market is now flooded with hundreds or even thousands of options for people to sift through. Being a successful professional in such a world requires standing out from the crowd.

The following tips are all essential strategies of successful real estate agents. With so people to compete against, it might seem impossible to reach the level of those with six or more digit earnings, but the common practices of successful agents are achievable by anyone. The trick is to learn the following tips, then put them into practice consistently and competently, and watch your earnings grow. 

1. Have a Strong USP: Unique Selling Proposition 

Competition is part of human nature, in sports as well as our personal and professional lives, and in any competition the main objective is to separate yourself from your competitors. This is especially important when your competition field is as enormous as the real estate market. Your success depends on the fact that people choose you over everyone else. It’s up to you to win them over.

One easy way to get their attention is to develop a strong USP, or unique selling proposition. Separate yourself from the masses by promising something that no one else in your field promises. This might sound like fishing for clients, but that’s the name of the game in today’s market. People are overwhelmed by so many advertisements that only the most memorable cut through the noise.  

By creating a USP unlike anyone else in your field, you guarantee that potential clients will pay attention and know who you are. Don’t try to be the best real estate agent in your area, try to be the only one who does, blank, whatever it is that you want to be known for. For example, I promise my clients that I will sell their home in 59 days, or else I will buy it myself. Even though most people don’t believe the deal at first, it catches their attention and brings in business, either trying to prove me wrong, or find out more. Both cases mean more business for me.  

Another example of a successful USP is the promise that for every home sold, I donate ten percent of the profits to the charity of the customer’s choice. Such a deal appeals to both the logical and emotional side of a client’s thinking, and therefore works as an efficient selling proposition. Focus on the unique part of your USP. Claiming that you have years of experience or simply stating that you are the best in your field is vague and an overused strategy.

Another tip is not to worry about every single individual in the market when creating your USP. It’s impossible to make an offer that will appeal to everyone, so instead try to make a strong offer that might appeal to a smaller group more successfully. This relates to the idea of playing to a niche market, which we will discuss more in a minute.  

2. Find a Niche 

Creating a USP may very well isolate some of your potential customers, but that could actually work in your favor. Instead of attempting to play to everyone’s ideal and spreading yourself thing, find a corner of the market to devote the majority of your attention towards. In the words of someone semi-famous, “don’t half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.”  

Devote your time and attention to a smaller pool of potential clients and play to their needs and wishes to the best of your ability. When I was looking to buy a condo in downtown Orlando for example, I contacted a well-known Realtor only to find that she worked in one specific part of town. She suggested a friend to help me, but from that day forward I knew exactly who to call for anything and everything home related in “her” neighborhood, and so does everyone in the industry.  

Whatever you want to specialize in, be specific and focus your attention and your marketing material on that area. In the real estate field, that might be new construction, a geographic area, or even something as unique as a religious niche. If you think about it, many people who actively practice their religion probably want a home close to their place of worship, and if they know that is what you specialize in as a Realtor, you will likely get their business. Don’t think about it as narrowing your potential client field, or isolating your audience.  

Think about creating a niche like a coffee shop deciding to only sell single origin organic coffee. It might sound too specific for some people, but it is much more likely to draw customers who are tired of the same old chain coffee shops, or curious to try something new. By finding a niche for your business, you are increasing your desirability through differentiation.  

3. Build a Brand 

Specifying a unique selling proposition and finding a niche market are essential elements of establishing a brand for your company. The most important aspect of your brand is consistency. Your LinkedIn profile, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and of course your own website should embody your brand and should all send the same message to anyone who visits any of the pages. People like familiarity, so the more you can make people familiar with your brand, the more likely they are to think of you when they have need.  

Think about some successful brands in our society and how they’ve seamlessly integrated themselves into our daily lives and culture. If Apple releases a product, their fans generally buy it without ever considering their competitor’s products. Build a brand that is memorable and people will think of you and call you first. It’s easier to sell a brand than a specific product or service.  

4. Master Social Media 

It should come as no surprise to anyone who’s ever lost hours in a Facebook black hole that the most successful real estate agents spread the word on social media. Once you have a brand established, including your USP and niche market, create social media accounts on all the major sites to share your brand with the world. Although your social media pages should be specifically created for your business, don’t shy away from posting more personal information. Embrace your community, promote local shops and events, and let your potential clients know that they are working with people and not just a faceless business.  

5. Revere Reviews 

Whether to find the best restaurant in town, a new hairdresser, or to hire a real estate agent, reviews sites are where we go for research. It’s much easier to trust the opinions of other customers than to rely on the descriptions and promises that we know are created for marketing purposes. Your future clients trust reviews from your past clients more than anything, so make sure that you cultivate good relationships, and follow through with ensuring that those relationships are described in review form.   

Seeking reviews should be a constant part of your marketing techniques. Whenever you complete a transaction or interaction with a client, send an email asking for their feedback. Supply a simple survey with a scale from poor to excellent, and if they respond with a positive score, send a link to your social media sites where they can write a full length review for other potential customers to consult.  

6. Cultivate your Client base 

All of these tips boil down to being personal and unique. Cultivating your database of clients simply means treating each and every one of them like they are your most important client. Act like they are your family rather than business associates. Build a method of continuous communication, not only to seek referrals and reviews, but just to keep in touch with them. Emails are easy, but everyone’s inboxes get overloaded and most people honestly don’t read them all. Instead, try something more personal, like a handwritten note.

I always send four handwritten notes each year, not just for major holidays, but on days like July 4th and Thanksgiving, so the notes don’t get lost in the shuffle of holiday cards. A fellow Realtor friend of mine bakes cookies and delivers them to everyone they’ve ever sold to or for. You can guarantee that his clients look forward to that. At the end of the day, focus on standing out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid to be different, and make people remember you.