Commentary by John Wendorff
Over the last 40 years, I’ve worked with real estate agents to help them reap the rewards this industry can give. The letters G.R.E.A.T. perfectly illustrate my beliefs about what makes a successful agent.
“G” Is for Gratitude
Long-term success requires the ability to be grateful. Gratitude is key to
success, not only for the real estate business, but any business. Ideally,
you’re working with people you enjoy, and you believe your work makes a
difference in other people’s lives.
Remind yourself that what you do isn’t just about money; you’re helping people solve housing challenges. Be grateful for your skillset and your abilities.
“R” Is for Responsiveness
The responsive agent gets referrals and repeat business. It isn’t enough to
just return the call, email or text. It’s about responding in a timely and
relevant manner. Is this client anxious? Do they need a lot of hand-holding?
Generally speaking, prospective clients spend about three days deciding which agent to use. Strive to follow up with every email, text and phone call within one hour. It’s a discipline, and while difficult, the more you do it, the more you’ll set yourself apart in the marketplace.
“E” Is for Enthusiastic
You’re excited about your opportunities and your solutions. Being excited about
a transaction means that you enjoy working with these individuals, they’re
ready to buy and you have solutions to fit them exactly.
If you’re not excited, ask yourself whether you’re the right person for that opportunity. Sometimes, my lack of enthusiasm is a sign that it belongs in somebody else’s hands. Stay focused on helping people solve their problems in the very best way you know how.
“A” Is for Awareness
Put people first and the transaction second. One of the hardest things about
real estate is staying aware of all the different pieces—regulatory, financial
and marketing. We forget that this business is about people and our ability to
read them. Are they defensive? Are they indecisive? The ability to understand
people and respond appropriately makes all the difference. Without awareness,
you might come to the end of the transaction only to find that you lost the
people halfway through.
Every time you meet with people, fully engage them. Be aware of where they are mentally and emotionally so that you can empathize and help make their dream a reality.
“T” Is for Targeted
Focus on a specific area of the marketplace. Many agents believe that any
listing is better than no listing—but without a target, you’ll deplete your
energy so rapidly that you’ll never be able to manage everything.
Pick an area, a type of home or a type of client. Hand off other prospects to other agents. Be the agent who knows more about a specific neighborhood or a particular kind of client than anybody else. You cannot be a great agent without some type of targeting.
Apply these principles to your business each and every day, and you’ll be on your way to success. Most of all, focus on putting people first, as that will truly make you a G.R.E.A.T. agent.