How to Fix the Crappy Perception of Real Estate Agents

The perception of realtors has really spiraled downward. In fact, it has gotten so bad that real estate agents garner only a 17% trust level amongst the public.

Realtors are lower than attorneys (no offense) when it comes to consumer perception. We’re almost as disfavorable as car salesmen! Yikes! ? I know there are a lot of great car salespeople but I don’t want Realtors to be compared to them.

This reputation pisses me off. Of course, like any profession, Realtors run the gamut from sucky to average to people like us—rockstars!

The agents that do awesome work often get overshadowed by the overwhelming number of horrible client experiences, delivered by mediocre agents.

I was a good Realtor – I negotiated, I provided value and I made my clients feel like VIPs.

The problem is, the majority of agents are average and it’s unacceptable. So the big question is why are Realtors average?

I blame a number of factors, but primarily it boils down to the majority of agents being lazy and inconsistent. Realtors don’t realize how their behavior affects their clients. My sales rep, Jessie, is having a hard time because his agent is so lackadaisical that he’s missing out on deals. In turn, Jessie’s work is suffering because he’s having to deal with his agent who is dropping the ball and not following through.

Here are three things that agents can focus on to help improve our perception:

1. Don’t tolerate average.

Give your clients the service you would expect. This stellar service starts by being honest with yourself.

Recognize the areas where you could bolster the service you provide from being average to being exceptional. Continually try to one-up yourself in terms of what you are bringing to the table so that you, as a brand, never get stale or ordinary.

2. Be a true professional.

You are an expert in the industry and should know the market trends and fluctuations, interest rates, and so on. Clients want an agent who they can rely on to fight for them, to negotiate and have their best interests in mind.

Dedicate yourself to your clients and be available to meet their needs, but do so in a manner that exudes confidence and action.

3. Go above and beyond.

At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Do I treat my clients the best that I can?” and regardless of the answer, make a plan to build on it. Take the current level of effort you put forth and then put it on steroids. Be sure to use action items that deliver a “wow” factor so that your clients always come back wanting more of you.

As a whole, we need to raise the bar, take action, and stop the trend. That’s why I’m here. I want to give you the steps for becoming killer agents so that you can leave the average and sucky agents choking on your dust.

Send this post to an average agent and tell them to GET BETTER!

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