As real estate agents, you are an essential strand of the vibrant cloth that is our Middle Tennessee community. In your daily work life, you develop strong connections with each of your customers. As you know, doing so is the cornerstone of your successful business. But did you know that these same principles apply to your community at large?
Today, let’s talk about how to be a community influencer, and why your deep roots in your niche will yield sustainability from your ongoing business efforts.
By plunging your roots “deep,” you will be cultivating your existing connections rather than focusing your efforts on the more difficult task of drawing new clients to you from far afield. By strongly relying on word-of-mouth from your existing clientele; we posit that you will reap new business without investing a bundle of earnings into advertising and expanding your reach.
Here are our most reliable methods for planting your roots contentedly right where you are.
Know Your Niche Community
Make it a point to stay up-to-date on your community’s needs, preferences, and frustrations. Interpret the current real estate market through their eyes: the available properties, HOA rules, prices, and legal issues should all apply, and must be understood within this framework.
Remember where each of your clients works, what their position is within the company, and how much they can afford to invest in their home. Find out what economic and area factors are drawing new residents to the area. Are new developments happening nearby? If not, is there space for this to happen? What is the local government saying about development laws influencing the upcoming construction season?
Develop Solutions for Your Clients
Your in-depth knowledge of both your clients and the housing market will form a strong foundation for your efforts to create a range of solutions for the challenges your clients face. You can add enormous value to your services by understanding precisely how you can make your clients’ lives easier when they are ready to buy or sell a home within your area of expertise.
Your toolkit should include strong working relationships with the most reliable contractors, plumbers, electricians, painters, arborists, gardeners, landscapers, and roofers. For home interiors, your relationships should include cleaners, stagers, handy workers, and total pest control services.
Every service you recommend should execute impeccable work; anything less will reflect poorly on you, which is something you can’t risk.
Be Visible
Your niche community must be able to see you serving and learning from them. Attend meetings of the local council, especially when any real estate issues are being discussed or voted on! All fairs, festivals, school events, farmers markets, library fundraisers, and local sports games are ideal opportunities for you to volunteer, socialize, and solidify your existing connections.
Whenever possible, patronize local, independent businesses. Introduce yourself and visit often. Coffee shops, bookstores, cafes, music stores, and housewares are just a few types of businesses that present just this type of opportunity to connect.
Setting aside these structured activities, you may also wish to take an exercise class, go for a long walk on a busy trail, or take a gardening class. Anything that involves spending time with your community can serve to deepen your connections with them and keep you visible therein.
Give Back
Arguably the best way to deepen your community relationships is by giving back. We all have causes that stir a fire within us; promoting animal welfare, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, tending a community garden, teaching Sunday School, organizing a blood drive, and bringing joy to foster children via gifts of toys, clothes, and needed school supplies are just a sampling of the many ways your community would benefit from your charitable efforts.
Build trust and goodwill with your community by serving a cause that you are truly personally invested in. If you were to choose a convenient cause instead, it’s likely that your work will be perceived as self-serving and sales-driven. People arguably care more about your authenticity and honesty, so do all that you can to remain true to your values in all aspects of your life.
If you are truly unable to find a way to serve your community, feel free to go directly to the community and ask how you can help. Churches, schools, community centers, animal shelters, and food banks are all excellent places to start. Once you find out what they need, make it happen! This will certainly make a wonderful impression on all who are impacted by your efforts.
The Takeaway
Parks Real Estate is comprised of truly local real estate agents. We care about our communities; we live here, and we work here. Consequently, all of your efforts to make valuable connections here will benefit your own life as well as the lives of your family members, your friends, your clients, and your colleagues.
Thank you in advance for all the good you will do here in Middle Tennessee. We appreciate you!