Get off Your Phone! 4 Tips for Keeping it Face-to-Face

In the real estate industry, technology is an enabler — not a disabler. It has evolved to support and encourage consumers’ appetite to become more educated on the process of buying and selling a home. Buyers have access to more information than ever before, right at their fingertips — agent profiles and reviews, homes for sale, digital transactions, broker ratings, etc. That said, technology can get cumbersome at times or even get in the way of traditional means of agent success. Here are a couple ways you can up your game in today’s connected real estate landscape.

1. Online reputation management can’t be ignored.

According to Forbes, about 90 percent of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business. Good news, right? Clearly there is power in having a digital  footprint and highlighting your online rating, but it must be groomed and managed on a day to day basis.

Work with clients and encourage them to rate your business online. If a negative review appears, address it quickly and accordingly.

2. Forge meaningful, transparent relationships — online and offline.

It can be an obstacle for buyer and sellers to navigate and clean up false information online. This is where the real estate agent relationship can never be truly replaced. Prospects might find initial information online, but they will come to you as a trusted adviser during the buying and selling process.

Additionally, be blunt yet optimistic about the home buying processes, contracts, appraisals, etc. This sort of candor educates clients, all while showcasing your added value and credibility.

3. Don’t forget about personalization.

Home buying and selling continues to demand technology, but beyond this, it demands personalization. We must remember to specialize our approach to resonate with each and every client; while one might request a digitally advanced process, another might wish for hard paper copies of everything.

The key to success is listening and avoiding the assumption that they want it done one way and not another.

4. Sometimes you need to put the phone down.

Technology has revolutionized the way we do business with clientele, and many of us have adapted quite well. Maybe you text a client versus call them if you have something brief to share. But don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Tried-and-true best practices are not to be ignored. Meaningful outreach by way of brick-and-mortar, in-person communication and open houses might have more of an impact than you think.