RISMEDIA, August 27, 2010—Staying up-to-date with the latest technology is crucial for real estate professionals looking to find success in today’s market. Here, Barbara Mann, broker/owner of RE/MAX Realty Consultants in Greensboro, North Carolina discusses how her company is taking advantage of social media in order to build lasting relationships with clients.
Barbara Mann
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX Realty Consultants
Greensboro, North Carolina
Region served: Greensboro, Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Liberty, Burlington, Oakdale and High Point, North Carolina
Years in real estate: 15
Number of agents: 42
Average listing price: $225,000
Average days on market: 75
Advice for real estate rookies: You have to work your hardest for the first two years. You have to give it 150%. You can’t go into it thinking you can sunbathe half the day!
Most beneficial background experience: It would be my banking background. Customer service is superior in banks and it taught me a lot about who the client is.
What is your biggest challenge in today’s market, and how is your company taking it on?
Our biggest challenge is keeping the agents up-to-date with the technology and the changing market. We’re always educating our agents, trying to keep them on the cutting edge as far as technology, social media, and all the new ways to market and sell a house. We also encourage them to go back to their basics. Today, you have to go back to basics and really work on relationships with your clients.
How would you describe the current market in North Carolina?
Greensboro was never really hurting as bad as other parts of the state. The only thing that’s hurt us is getting through the last wave of foreclosures. We’re in good shape though, and our market is really picking up. We’re seeing great turnover. The whole key is to keep your agents positive and upbeat so they can do the same thing for the client.
How do you incorporate local print advertising into your marketing strategy?
It’s a big piece of our marketing. The Real Estate Book has such a great distribution locally and across the U.S. Three-fourths of our company is listed in The Real Estate Book. It keeps you implanted and gives you another avenue to market on the Internet.
What strategies do you use to stand out to clients and achieve customer loyalty?
I stand out because I’m with RE/MAX. We are in business for ourselves but not by ourselves. We are not micromanaged, but have the ability to do what it takes to sell. RE/MAX agents go the extra mile, and that’s what we have to offer. As far as loyalty, we’re there for the customer. We support them and give them all the technology and advertising they need, whether it’s a $50,000 house or a $2 million house. And we stay in touch—they are clients for life to us.
What tools and resources are most critical to ongoing success?
We create websites for all of our listings. RE/MAX has phenomenal tools, including a design center where I can design any brochure for free. They provide me with a tremendous amount of advertising that drives consumers to our website. Also, our local board of Realtors® and our MLS.
How are you staying one step ahead of your competition?
We stay ahead by having people on staff train us in technology, texting and social media, and then we educate our agents. RE/MAX stays ahead of technology. They think about the next level before we’re even there.
What makes your company unique in today’s market?
Our company is unique in the fact that we’re more interested in helping agents succeed. That’s our total focus—watching and trying to find the next thing we need to provide our agents with to help them succeed and make more money. We also provide them with a unique environment to work in—one that is stress free.
