This week we spoke to an agent who is targeting an untapped niche and is not getting much competition with how he is doing it.
Main points we go over:
- He used direct mail to get his current 22 listings.
- He now targets divorced homes in a unique way.
- There’s no competition in how he targets these.
- Why he uses the Smart Agents program now.
Interview Highlights:
Full Interview:
| Smart Agents:
|
How long have you been a realtor? |
| Ivan: | Since September, 2014. |
| Smart Agents:
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Since September ... What drove you to want to work with us? |
| Ivan:
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I just ... When I listened to the webinar, it was just seemed like ... I hate to use the phrase no-brainer, but it's one of those deals that why didn't somebody else show me this, or why didn't I think of that, because you're going out there, portraying yourself as the real estate expert, and what better way to be the real estate expert than to have a book, right? |
| Smart Agents:
|
Divorce isn't something that is targeted much, and talk about what you do with the divorce books and what you're trying to get into with them. |
| Ivan:
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There are over 110 different divorce attorneys in Lafayette by itself. Do you target every one of them? No, I don't. I like to target the top ten and then go from there as we trickle down, and then just recently found out that there's a lender that I know that works with divorced couples. That was an avenue I really didn't even think about, was working with a lender on divorces. I got a point with them to give them one of my books and see if we can't work our way in that way. |
| Smart Agents:
|
Have you had any successes or referrals to these any of these yet? |
| Ivan: | Not as of yet. I just got, I guess last month, to be in the first of the year, it's been a whirlwind. However, my plans are to get, to do the follow-up. It's all about follow-up. Even though you give the books away, you have to follow up where they're at. |
| Smart Agents:
|
Is divorce something that you've targeted in the past? |
| Ivan: | Actually, no. It's something that keeps popping up, so I said why not, you know? I work with divorce ... I'm wanting to work with divorced people more as I work with expireds. Those are the two major parts of my business. |
| Smart Agents:
|
Did you get any other books besides divorce? |
| Ivan: | I did. I got the expired, and I did get a for sale by owner book. However, my focus going forward after getting them, I will use the ones I have, but my focus going forward is probably the divorce and the expired ones. Why I say that is I have 23, 24 listings, and all except one, two, three, three of them, four of them ... I've got 22 listings right here. 18 are expireds. |
| Smart Agents:
|
What tactics did you use to market yourself and went over those expireds before? |
| Ivan: |
Those I just would call or send a letter, and those being ... I was kind of intimidated, being new to going after the high dollar, the luxury homes, so with this book I feel more, I don't know, Superman if you will, that hey, look, let's see if we can't get your home sold, and here's my book. Let's see what we can do. |
| Smart Agents:
|
What other marketing techniques or things to get yourself out there, like what type of direct mail did you used to send, or do you still do, probably? |
| Ivan: | Mail, I sent just letters, expired letters, "Hey, look, your ... I noticed on MLS your house is expired, and sometimes some of the best homes don't sell the first time around, so let's go from there." |
| Smart Agents:
|
Yes…. |
| Ivan: | I also send postcards out to aged expireds. One of my deals. |
| Smart Agents:
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Do you have anything else you want to add about the books or anything else that goes around in your market? |
| Ivan:
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No, I'm just looking forward to getting the results that I know can be had through these books. I'm just waiting on the results and the follow-through. |
One of the best methods we use at Smart Agents to separate yourself is books. Books have a huge perceived value. They don’t get thrown away.
They can get tucked away somewhere, but most people aren’t going to toss them in the trash. They’re worth something, and they’re worth something to the author’s name.
Do this and you will position yourself as the authority in your market. When you give away your book, it will separate you from your competition. That’s how a smart agent thinks!
Want to get a free sample of the book that will get you more listings? Click the link below.
Joe Nickelson is a real estate professional dedicated to helping home buyers and sellers achieve their dreams of owning property, and helping real estate agents stop using the sometimes-vicious tactics that weigh on their consciences. He believes that the Smart Agents books will, quite literally, change people’s lives for the better. Check out his full bio here!
