Being the best local real estate expert means standing out as a strong community leader. Making sure that you’re known for more than buying and selling property will go a long way in helping to grow your business, so keep these 5 tips in mind to set yourself up as a strong leader of the local community.
1. Look for Volunteer Opportunities
To stand out as a true leader of the community that you serve, be sure to selflessly go above and beyond. Putting in volunteer hours might mean serving the homeless, participating in after school events, and getting your hands dirty with community enhancement projects. Be sure that you budget your volunteer hours wisely so as not to cut into your business; this might mean just 1-2 hours a week or a full-weekend. The important thing is showing the locals that you care about the community.
2. Show Appreciation To Past Clients
It’s important to remember that your current business success is wholly dependent on interactions with past clients, so make sure you maintain these relationships by regularly showing gratitude. This can include hosting events like renting out a movie theater, having a BBQ, or organizing outdoor adventures. These can be great ways to stand out in the community while also enhancing network opportunities for everyone involved. But at the very least, make sure you’re sending out holiday cards and it can also be a good idea to remember special clients’ birthdays.
3. Host Community Fundraisers
There is no shortage of local organizations that could use extra funds to enhance their communal involvement, so consider organizing events to help them out. When networking and getting to know the community, be on the lookout for ways to help–does the local little league team need new gear? Would organizing a group to walk for cancer research be of interest to people? What about things related to green spaces and communal beautification? Remember that if your business organizes and sponsors successful fundraising events, you will stand out as a leader of the community.
4. Value Human Connections Over Sales
Networking is extremely important for success in the real estate market, but it goes a long way if your contacts are more than just business resources. Remember that clients rely on real estate experts to make some of the biggest decisions of their lives, so it’s important to make sure that their feelings and concerns are put ahead of your bottom line. Treating people with respect and valuing the human connection over the desire to make sales will go a long way when building and maintaining a strong reputation as a community leader.
5. Be A Valued Community Resource
Being open to and looking for ways to help the people in your network should be second nature to community oriented real estate experts. One way to make sure you stand out is by offering education in the form of free seminars about financing, the local market, retirement, and anything else that can help people grow their knowledge. Also, let people know that they can call your office for anything related to contracting, refinancing, and community development. If you show that you're always willing to help, you will become a trusted community leader.