[Question] Getting New Business

[Inland Sea VS]

Hello to all the REVA's out there. My business is mainly geared towards the contract to close transactional side. I would like to pick up a couple of more agents to do work for.
Any input from anyone on how to market your services to Agents to help them understand that your payment comes at the closing as a transaction fee, and using my services for everything that happens from the contract being signed to the closing table frees up their time to do other things?

[ShelleyH]

Maybe you could join real estate forums or follow blogs, make comments, get acquainted, give advice, helpful hints and tips on the forums are always nice and they show that you know what your talking about. I am finding that people dont want to 'just hire me', they want to get to know me a little, see if we get along. They may not even realize they need you so spending some time educating people is the best way to promote yourself.

[Inland Sea VS]

Thanks Shelley

I appreciate your help

[OnlineOfficeLink]

I've been teaching classes once a month at a local real estate office. I'm finding the face to face interactions are working for me to get new clients. By showing them what I know they get to know me and see how I can be of help. If you have the opportunity to meet agents in person it might help. Good luck!

[micarter]

LoriAnne:
How did you get in to get such classes going for the real estate agency? How did you present and what are the topic you teach? I have been on the flip side of these classes as the office manager of the real estate manager so I do know "how" you got the class but would really know how your represented it.

[Balancing Act]

I just recently picked up a four person real estate team that I will be assisting in ALL aspects of their business. I think I may be able to help you help me lol. Send me a PM and we can chat about it.

[OnlineOfficeLink]

Marian, I used to work full time for a realtor team before I started my VA business. So I already knew a lot of people in the office. They have a schedule of classes each month that the agents volunteer to teach so I just started volunteering to be on the schedule.

So far I've done 3 classes: free online resources for real estate agents, making the most of ShowingDesk Web edition, Flyers 101 (for new agents). The next one coming up is Creating a Facebook Fan Page. The classes are in a conference room and they are very informal. I use my laptop with a projector and usally have handouts to pass around (with my business contact info on them :-)

Hope this helps!

[Administrative Partners]

LoriAnne,

Real Estate agents aren't may target market anymore but I love your ideas. Sometimes we forget that what we deem as simple is actually something we can teach others (i.e the Fan Pages in Facebook). Realtors are especially behind with technology and as a Realtor it is very frustrating working with those who are, I would rather work with their VA.

All the best in business.

[micarter]

LoriAnne,
It does help. Thank you so much for sharing. Since I moved to a new city I don't know many local Agents so I am going to have to get my feet wet again and network. Thanks for the advice.
I hope all goes well for you!

[executive_assist]

My initial idea is like yours. Instead of teaching a class I am hoping that the offices in my area do morning meetings like the office I used to work at, and that the agents actually attend those. I will ask for 5 minutes to give a presentation for the services I plan to offer and have flyers and business cards to hand out. I am just starting and will begin writing a business plan soon, but how to get clients in a new market was the first hurdle I wanted to tackle. lol.