Habits of trusted property Real Estate Agents in Nigeria
To become a successful real estate agent in Nigeria, you have to develop certain habits. If you love your job as a property agent and look forward to becoming even better at what you do, I have come up with a list to help you excel.
1. Leverage on technology and the power of the internet
Technology is not restricted to the internet alone. Millions of Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are on the internet. Technology makes the task of reaching them, enlightening them and selling to them much easier than was possible 25 years ago. In essence, leverage the power of online exposure to grow your businesses.
For instance, you could use social media Apps to reach mobile customers.
Using nice phones device also gives you an opportunity to capture images and videos showing exciting views of properties.
You really can’t underestimate the power of social media when it comes to property marketing.
2. Know your neighbourhoods
To build a reputation of a reliable real estate agent, it’s important to know your neighbourhoods in details. For instance, if you introduce yourself as a real estate agent with expertise on the Awka in Anambra State, it would be a shame if you don’t know neighbourhoods like Udoka Estate, Ngozika Estate, FourWays Court Estate, Millennium City Layout, Okpuno, Amawbia, Awka GRA, Ifite, Obinagu, and Serenity Estate
However, it is not enough to know just the districts, you should also have a broad knowledge of the best schools around, the best restaurants, the kind of people who go there, the best places to shop. Your clients will have a lot of questions when they approach you to rent or buy an apartment or a property, which reinforces the need to know your neighbourhood.
Also note that when you really know your neighbourhoods, people can tell when you are talking about it and it leaves a strong impression about you and your work.
3. Listen to your client
Ohh Yes!!!!
A dependable real estate agent pays a lot of attention to the needs of his/her clients. Make their needs a priority and what you should focus on is getting them a property that is right for them and not one that you feel is right for them.
If for example, your client is adamant on a specific price range, don’t distract the client by showing him/her more expensive properties in the hope that he/she will be carried away by the beauty of the property.
Same applies to their preferences on location.
As a property agent, your reputation counts as much as the things you pay attention to.
4. Respond to clients in good time.
As a real estate agent, responding to clients is as important as getting them. Regardless of whether the client come in via emails, phone calls or Direct Messages on your social media accounts, they are all important. Make it a priority to respond to them as quickly as you can.
5. Advertise online
This is very important especially in this our competitive property market.
Paid adverts are effective ways to reach your audience. You must understand that advertising is highly targeted. Your clients are people and companies that need your service. Therefore, you can create ads that target such people. For example, Google is the most popular search engine in Nigeria and people use it to search for everyday stuff. Reaching people at the point of need using Google ads, for example, delivers better ROI than other channels of marketing.
Paid search advertising essentially stands out as an effective online channel, which leads to fast results. It also attracts good Return On Investment.
6. Don’t ignore social media
I must have to say this again and again. Don’t ignore social media.
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter (though it’s banned in our country today), Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat are powerful tools in the hands of a real estate agent.
As a property agent, consider the internet your friend because, the larger your network, the wider the number of people you will be able to reach. You should also encourage your friends to share your social media posts on their timelines. The idea is to reach far more people that you would have pulled on your own social media accounts to facilitate a quicker sale.
In Conclusion,
A successful real estate agent never stops learning. Regardless of how successful you are, find yourself a mentor.
Having a good mentor comes with a flurry of personal and professional benefits, which include:
Tight Spots: If you ever find yourself in a situation that you find tricky to navigate, you can rely on the wisdom and experience of a mentor to bail you out
Building on Your Success: A mentor is not just there to guide you through tough moments. You can share your success stories with a mentor as they are in a good position to help you build on the success you have recorded
Staying Focused: In this era of fleeting attention span, you can easily get distracted. Successful real estate agents in Nigeria rely on mentors to keep them on track and this is precisely what you should also set your sights on. A mentor will help you focus on the things that are important even when you suddenly find yourself veering off track
Personal Development: Your personal development never stops regardless of how successful you become. Mentorship in the real estate circle gives you the opportunity to build a strong network of people who add value to your experience.
Accelerated Growth: Having a mentor comes with the benefit of having someone to talk things through with. The sheer experience and network strength of a mentor give the advantage of achieving great results quicker than you would have if you decide to take the longer route.
Successful real estate agents in Nigeria don’t take their mentors for granted; neither should you
The career of successful real estate agents in Nigeria do not happen accidentally. You have to be deliberate about your choices and the things you pay attention to.
When you win the trust of your client and offer them true value, they will be more likely to refer you to their friends and family.
