Read the following interview to learn one real estate prop’s top methods for getting listings, turning leads into business, and striving for competition differentiation.
Susie Hall
RE/MAX Today
Years in real estate: 13
Region served: Richmond, Va.
Average market time: 54 days
Which demographic groups are most impacting business in your area?
Richmond is so diverse that it is hard to pinpoint which groups are having the biggest impact on our market. That says, we have a lot of boomers and a lot of millennials. Richmond offers great jobs, great schools and great outdoor space. We are only an hour to the mountains and two hours to the beach. Because so many people move to Richmond, we are seeing a lot of first-time homebuyers. And the families who already live here are upgrading. I suppose the one group we are not seeing as much are retirees.
What’s your best strategy for getting listings?
My office is agent-centric. Basically, everything I do is for my agents. Ninety-five percent of the business I generate is from the Internet—and there is a big difference between getting leads from the Internet to give agents and getting new buyers and sellers from the Internet to give to my agents. I have been partnering with Internet lead-generation companies for the last 10 years and failed early on by partnering with the wrong companies. If you don’t have the right partners, those Internet leads are worthless. But we have found an excellent partner in Tiger Leads, which makes it so I am providing my agents with solid buyers and sellers.
How do you turn online leads into closed business?
You have to have the right agents, and those right agents have to work those leads. You have to call the lead back within the first five minutes. Sometimes incubating those leads can take up to two years, so you really have to stay on it. What’s more, we want to be valuable to our clients. My agents are awesome. They care, they want to help, and that spirit shows through.
What’s most challenging about being a real estate agent?
As a broker, sometimes I believe in my agents more than they believe in themselves. So I think the toughest part about being an agent is staying motivated and disciplined. Real estate can be very difficult. Time management is also important. I find many agents are creative and lively and bright, but not as good with time management. So that’s where I come in to help them find their way.
What’s the best part of being a real estate agent?
My agents all love that moment when they find the client that perfect house. That’s an amazing feeling.
What’s your competitive differentiation?
The biggest difference is that we are agent-centric. Everything we do is so that the agents can do better. Our support is excellent. We help our agents get business, develop that business and provide five-star value. I also hired a mentor and coach to work with our agents. And we just brought in an agent care manager who takes care of everything from copying to making flyers and marketing materials. You name it, he does it—anything so that our agents are free to work with their clients and provide first-class service.
For more information, visit www.thesusiehallteam.com.
