How a New Agent Closed $17M in Yr 2 Utilizing 1 Easy Technique

Are you likeable? That’s not a trick query. Getting strangers to know, like and belief you adequate to allow you to deal with the biggest transaction of their lives is the important thing to success in actual property. Get it proper, and you may construct a sustainable profession. Get it incorrect, and nicely, there’s at all times legislation faculty.

Tom Brennan is likeable — actually likeable. He’s gracious and sort, quick-witted, and he has a wildly charming Irish brogue. However in his first 12 months in actual property, Tom rapidly found that being likeable wasn’t sufficient. Each skilled agent in his metropolis was likeable — or at the least they may faux it convincingly sufficient to get by.

To kickstart his profession in his adopted hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, Tom created a easy, repeatable lead era and conversion system to show his likability into leads. To say it labored can be an understatement. Tom closed over $17 million in quantity in his second 12 months in actual property. To find out how, we sat down with him to be taught the easy techniques that helped him beat the percentages as a brand new Realtor.

Tom Brennan: By the numbers

Market: Charlotte, North Carolina

Area of interest: Luxurious properties

Yr one gross sales quantity: $1.9 million, 5 sides

Yr two gross sales quantity: $17 million, 18 sides

Main lead era technique: Open homes + networking

Highest ROI software program in 2024: iMessage (no kidding!)

Begin the place you might be, however discover your tribe

As a brand new agent, the place you’re employed is sort of as essential as how nicely you’re employed. The educational curve is steep — “drinking from a firehose” as Tom described it — so becoming a member of a group that gives the precise steering, popularity and assets for the place you might be in your profession is essential. The bottom line is to know when to go away for greener pastures. Tom did moderately nicely on his first group, however his enterprise solely began to take off after he joined the Your Property Individuals group at Compass.

His recommendation on switching groups was easy: Make a enterprise choice, not a private choice.

“My first team was great — great training, great people — but I made a conscious business decision to leave. I had to do what’s best for Tom Brennan and Tom Brennan’s family. So I joined the number one team in Charlotte (according to Real Trends Verified). Now I’m part of their success. If I wasn’t with them, you probably wouldn’t be interviewing me today.”

Unsure the right way to discover a group that may assist your small business soar like Tom’s did? Try Idaho Managing Dealer and Vetted Contributor Shannon Sharpe’s deep dive into discovering the precise group right here:

Don’t overthink lead era – do one factor rather well

Whereas different new brokers in his workplace tried producing leads with Fb advertisements, difficult IDX web site gross sales funnels or dancing on TikTok, Tom shrewdly caught to the fundamentals. He generated nearly all of his leads utilizing the technique so many new brokers flip their noses up at — open homes.

Wait, open homes? Actually?!

Sure, actually. Tom knew that constructing rapport and belief on-line as a brand-new agent was almost unattainable — a lesson some new brokers by no means be taught. The native competitors in Charlotte was fierce, and with solely a handful of closed offers, he knew he couldn’t compete with skilled brokers. He didn’t need to throw good cash after leads he would wrestle to transform. But when he might simply get right into a room with them, he knew he might win them over. Open homes gave him that chance in spades. With the precise technique, they’ll do the identical for you.

Tom’s technique is beneath, however there are dozens of the way to construct a strong basis for your small business from open homes. We compiled our favorites right here:

Use Tom’s networking tricks to construct rapport & belief

Networking at your open home (or wherever else) is about them, not you. Your position is to not promote, however to assist. If you go right into a retailer, would you like an aggressive, pushy salesperson following you round? After all not. Open homes aren’t any completely different.

Tom honed his networking abilities over a multi-decade profession in product and enterprise improvement for multinational manufacturers. Right here is Tom’s easy five-step system for networking at open homes:

1. Costume for the event

Tom pressured that step one to profitable networking is dressing for the event. First impressions are vital for any relationship, however particularly at an open home the place folks may be cautious of pushy Realtors. Dressing nicely can fluctuate broadly by area and season, however dressing professionally, however not too formally, works wherever. For Tom, meaning a sports activities coat and slacks, however by no means a tie.