A dynamic, rapidly changing industry demands agents that are flexible and committed to growth. The best agents never stop learning, both about the developments of the market and about how they can sharpen their skills.
However, learning isn’t only an investment in your future. Here are some ways to continue learning while generating the leads you need to grow your business.
1. Attend Classes, Workshops and Seminars
Attending classes, workshops and seminars is a great way to continue your education and improve your communication skills. Yes, there are lots of online courses (and add those to your roster, too), but think about spending some money to attend in-person events. These can be a great way to network and connect with agents and influencers (maybe even get some leads!) while learning the steps you can take to increase your business.
2. Choose Your Continuing Education Classes Wisely
Continuing education classes are already built into your real estate license, so take advantage of them. These classes can offer you much more specific information that goes beyond broad local laws you learned to get your license. Think about focusing on specific topics that you might be interested in, such as military relocation or investing. Some courses can prove to be potentially lucrative, or you might surprise yourself by finding out that you’re passionate about what you’re learning.
3. Learn From the Best
This might seem deceptively simple, but try to connect with an agent in your brokerage or personal network who you look up to and whose work you admire. Some things are best learned by experience and, if you haven’t had much yet, ask a seasoned professional. They’ll have a unique insight that you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. If you’re an experienced agent, isolate an area that you want to improve in and see what tricks you can learn from someone who’s doing great at it. Your mentor might also send some business your way and can help you network with other agents.
4. Get Educated on Your Area
Even if you’ve been working or living in a place for a long time, it’s wise always to consider yourself a student of that area. Make sure to read the local news, follow local businesses on social media and take lots of walks (or drives) down your streets. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes: What does someone relocating see? How about someone who has lived there for a while? Keeping a finger on the pulse of the neighborhood can help you see changes from further away and develop hyper-local knowledge that you’ll be ready to share with clients. Getting educated on your area can also include volunteering your time to local charities and participating in local events. Meet the people who’ll be in your real estate pool, start building connections, and get ready for business and referrals!
5. Get to Know Digital Marketing
Doing some homework or enrolling in an online course are great ways to wade into the ocean of digital marketing. Email campaigns and social media can build your sphere of influence and generate leads, and the sooner the process is demystified, the sooner you’ll be able to leverage this critical tool. The more experience you have with using digital marketing tools, the better you’ll adapt to changes—and, social media is an increasingly important means of generating leads.
6. Get Educated About the Ins and Outs of Rentals
Many agents recoil at rentals, but more people than ever are renting—almost 50 of the U.S. adult population, and over 60 percent in urban areas—and millennials are more likely to rent than any previous generation. While many want to rent now, many renters eventually want to become homeowners, so working with rentals is a great way to build your pipeline of first-time homebuyers. Renters and potential renters are a segment of the population that agents can’t afford to ignore. Learn how to build rentals into your business plan with online courses or continuing education courses.
Aleksia Silverman is the content strategist at Rental Beast. To learn more about the Rental Beast platform and how you can use rentals to sustainably grow your business, please visit rentalbeast.com.
