The Biggest Rookie MythUnderstanding: Not Getting into Action Sooner
When we asked hundreds of successful agents what they think is the most common mistake agents make, almost all of them gave the same answer: new or nervous agents think they have to be an expert at everything to do anything. These successful agents refuted this MythUnderstanding universally.
Here’s the truth: You will never know everything, so delaying your start is pointless.
Get Started
New York agent Jenn Baniak-Hollands says she saw this firsthand when taking a training course at the beginning of her career. “The people who failed were the people who were scared of getting it wrong,” she says. “Those folks had trouble growing their business. It’s impossible to know everything before you do something.” The people who fail are not those who get it wrong, but the ones who never start.
Too much time prepping means not enough time doing. Springfield, Missouri, agent Jen Davis puts it best when she says, “In anxious times, productive activity lowers anxiety.” Being productive will help you reach your goals faster than worrying about what to do first. Agonizing over the font on our business cards before we know anyone to give them to is not a recipe for success.
Spread the Word – Talk to People
California agent Deb Jolly says too many agents spend hours and hours developing their website, editing photos for social media, and taking classes instead of diving into what is actually going to propel their business. While these things are important and should be done in time, they can be used to procrastinate. “One of the biggest mistakes is when a new agent comes in and thinks they’ve got to learn everything before they talk to people,” she says.
One of the first actions you can do to jump start your real estate career is tell people that you got your license or have started at a new brokerage or team. A conversation framework that you can use when you reach out to your sphere of influence (that is, the people you already know) is as simple as that:
Hey [Friend], I wanted to let you know that I’ve just started a new career! You’re now pals with the world’s best new real estate agent.
So, if you or anyone you know is looking to buy, sell, rent or do anything in the property space, please reach out. I’d love to help and you’d be helping me start this new chapter.
The people in your life should be excited and want to help you – don’t be a “secret agent.” Let them know you’re open for business and available for them or other people they know.
Be Okay with Not Being Perfect
It's easy to get bogged down in trying to perfect every aspect of our business before we go out into the world. But this is not what breeds success. According to researchers, perfectionism is a trap. It often stems from a misguided belief that other people expect us to be perfect.
Think about the people in your life that you may think are perfect – would you say that they are people that you would feel comfortable having an authentic relationship with? When people are going through a real estate move, it’s deeply personal. Clients could need a new home because of divorce or death, or more optimistically because they might be expanding their family or are finally purchasing that weekend getaway. Either way, they will want to work with someone they trust.
Being on a perpetual path to being perfect won’t help you get started. It’ll just help you get stuck or alienate you from potential clients. What will get you to your goals is practicing conversations so you can connect with your sphere and door knock in your neighborhood.
Learn as you go and learn from your mistakes. Getting ahead of the game soon is what will propel you to reach your big goals.
In the upcoming book Rookie Real Estate Agent, we go deeper into the MythUnderstandings that keep new agents from success. But we’re curious – what do you think are the falsehoods new agents mistakenly believe to be true? Share with us on our Facebook page. And don’t forget to check out our resources page for free tools to build your business.