Five things every new real estate agent needs to know

If you're just starting out in the real estate game - welcome to the industry. Being a successful real estate agent or salesperson takes passion, drive, a true love of your local area and, in 2019, a strong digital marketing plan (we can help you with that last one).

Here are five things every new real estate professional needs to know.

1. Choose the right real estate license

Not just anyone can sell a home. People working in the real estate business are licensed professionals. There are three classes of licence, issued by the Real Estate Authority, depending on your experience and qualifications. These are Salesperson, Branch Manager and Real Estate Agent. You must also fit certain criteria around honesty and being a fit and proper person.

Depending on your licence, there are rules around calling yourself an “Agent” in your marketing or advertising.

2. Build your personal brand

Relationships in the real estate industry are built on trust, which is why it’s so important for property professionals to have a strong personal brand. It’s inevitable that a successful real estate agent or salesperson will build a profile in their area.

Ask yourself:

• What are your values as an individual?
• What do you want to be known for in your community?
• When you’re not in the room, what do you want others to say about you?

All this adds up to what we call your personal brand. Once you’ve found the answers to these questions, you can begin owning your narrative.

Read more: 5 ways to become the go-to agent in your area

3. Embrace digital marketing

When was the last time you Googled something and scrolled all the way through the results to page four or five? Everyone knows page one is the place to be and the same can be said for your listings.

From landing on page one of the realestate.co.nz search results for your suburb, to Google Ads, newsletters and running your Facebook page… we know there’s a lot of jargon to get up to speed with. However, understanding the power of digital marketing will help you deliver results for your clients – and gain more clients in the future.

Read more: What sellers need to know about marketing a property

Read more: 6 metrics to measure digital marketing ROI

Read more: How display advertising should reflect a property listing

4. Social media is your friend

Social media will play a key role in your digital marketing strategy – so much so, we reckon it deserves its own section here.

Social media is a valuable tool to communicate with your audience, as well as being a cost-effective marketing channel. It’s different to traditional advertising because it allows you to engage with potential customers in a way that’s more personal and authentic.

Social media can help your clients see you as a ‘real’ person, not just a smiling face on a billboard or a flyer, and they can reach out to you directly at the click of a button (or the tap of a screen).

A growing number of your clients and customers will expect to find you on social media – especially as younger buyers and sellers join the market, who may prefer to drop you a message online rather than pick up the phone.

Read more: Top 6 tips for social media success

Read more: Introduction to social media for real estate professionals

5. Establish a network of valuable local contacts

As a real estate salesperson, you play a huge role in helping your clients achieve their property dreams – but they can’t do it alone. Your clients and customers will need to surround themselves with a network of professionals before they can pop the champagne on settlement day, and it’s likely they’ll come to you for recommendations.

Every great agent has a little black book of local contacts they can share with valued clients, such as conveyancers or builders. After all, your clients trust you, and you don’t want to recommend someone that will offer them anything less than stellar service.

Read more: Top 5 relationships every real estate agent must have

As New Zealand’s most established property site with over 1.1 million unique users each month, we offer real estate professionals the tools they need to reach serious buyers, renters or investors. To get your listings seen by a huge pool of serious buyers, take a look at our realestate.co.nz digital marketing packages here.