Sarah Bernard

As the lead of a highly competitive real estate team, I recently asked my top-producing agents what they feel sets us apart from the competition. Here are their five most important strategies for gaining a competitive advantage. 1. Your Database Every email our team collects goes into a database. You never know who will eventually…

The consumer experience is important for your business. If it’s memorable, it will set your team apart from the competition. Here are five easy-to-implement ideas for creating a lasting experience for your clients. 1. Use your team. As agents, we start off doing it alone and quickly get overwhelmed being both a marketing and sales…

I have to admit that I loathe posting about myself. I dread looking at my Facebook account if I’ve missed a few days, and I’m frustrated with the importance we place on social media. At the same time, I know that social media is a powerful and easy way to stay in touch. As a…

Just got licensed and don’t know where to start? We’ve all been there. Some of us come right out of college, some from the corporate world, some out of semi-retirement. No matter where you’re coming from, heading straight ahead into a career that is paid completely on commission is scary. From my personal experience, and…

Just got licensed and don’t know where to start? We’ve all been there. Some of us come right out of college, some from the corporate world, some out of semi-retirement. No matter where you’re coming from, heading straight ahead into a career that is paid completely on commission is scary. From my personal experience, and…

As real estate professionals, we love to either brag or complain about being “on” or “available” 24/7. Great customer service, we call it—a way to stand out among our colleagues. We are at the mercy of contracts that don’t follow the business protocol of days that end at 6 p.m. or weeks that end on…

Ah, the holidays. Just the mention of it brings up a lot of different emotions and triggers—relaxation, frenetic to-do lists, family togetherness, shopping among crowds, year-end “Let’s wrap this up” energy. It’s a busy time, but also a perfect time to reconnect with clients old and new, relive the year’s memories, get reinvigorated for the…

So you’re a new agent—or maybe a veteran—but you’re doing it solo. If you’re brand-new to the real estate world, this is how most agents start. If you’re a veteran, chances are that you’ve realized that sometimes it’s okay to ask for help. That’s where building a team comes in. Real estate agents are entrepreneurs,…

I would love to have a personal shopper—someone at a department store or boutique keeping an eye out for me for a beautiful dress or blouse that might fit me perfectly and is in my budget. Occasionally I’d get a phone call like this: “Sarah, an amazing dress just came in and I think you…

I may be a business owner, but learning to be an effective manager is the hardest part of my job. I can sell real estate all day long. I can make marketing decisions like no one else. I can keep a calendar, schedule meetings, and get more done than anyone I know—but, gosh, sometimes it’s…