You're new to the industry and are unsure of how to differentiate yourself from the other great real estate agents out there. Your brand is everything in real estate, much more so than in other professions.

However, there are many agents out there, especially if your market is competitive. How can you ensure that you are noticed?

I believe there are a few critical factors that make agents stand out from the pack:

• Professionalism. You’re accessible. You get the job done.

• Knowledge. You know the market. You have connections.

• Personality. You mesh well with your buyers. You’re memorable.

Some of these traits are easier to develop than others. But they’re all achievable.

Let’s dig deeper into how to stand out as a real estate agent and find more clients.

Develop a personal brand and stick to it

How would you introduce yourself to a prospective client? Are you an expert in luxury condo design and construction? Are you a powerful corporate negotiator?

Or are you simply someone who enjoys assisting families in purchasing their first home?

The most common mistake is to create an inauthentic brand. Or simply not creating a brand at all. Your branding is informed by who you are as a person. People can tell when you are being genuine.

Your brand is many things: how you look, how you speak, and the things that are important to you. Most importantly, it tells you who your clients will be. When you first start, you are not competing with the world's largest brands. You don't want "any client," you want clients who are a good fit for you.

Does that sound overwhelming? There's a reason why so many successful real estate agents hire a branding consultant.

Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends

I overheard a conversation between a young professional and his real estate agent the other day. "I want to buy, but the interest rates are so high," he explained. Do you think they'll fall? ”

"4% is still historically low," the agent stated. You'll be just fine."

The rates have been above 6% for weeks now.

There are a lot of part-time agents out there — and there’s nothing wrong with that. As long as you can back up your services with up-to-date information. To be a successful real estate agent, you should make an honest effort to stay current in the real estate industry and to provide your clients with real estate industry insights.

You are not required to become an economics professor. You should also avoid giving financial advice; leave that to the professionals. Clients, on the other hand, will forget the 99 times you were correct and remember the one time you were horribly wrong.

Real estate is rapidly changing. A few years ago, a real estate career would not have necessitated as much research. However, the more research you conduct today, the better you will be able to serve a potential buyer or seller tomorrow.

Build meaningful relationships with your clients

"Every time I go to the stylist, she asks about my cats," a coworker recently told me. I've always wondered how she remembers I have cats. I finally asked her. She stated, "I cheat!" "I keep a little fact book."

Building a relationship with your client entails remembering details about them, such as the number of children they have, whether they have pets, and what they do for a living. It not only helps you build relationships, but it also helps you figure out what they're looking for.

This comes naturally to some people. Others, on the other hand, may necessitate cheating. What's the bottom line? Remember specifics about people. Show genuine interest. Through and through, real estate is a people business.

Word-of-mouth advertising will always be the most effective form of real estate marketing. It's also the most affordable. When you remember what people want and work to get it for them, they don't just remember; they tell others.

Use new technology to your advantage

You must have a website. You require social media. When someone wants to buy a home today, the first thing they do is search for "real estate agents in my city" or (more dangerously) "homes for sale in my city."

Many agents have signed up for Zillow, Redfin, and other referral services. The world is evolving. It's becoming more efficient. You will be left behind if you do not use technology to your advantage.

The truth is that you must now compete with the internet and all of its bells and whistles. People can go online and buy a house through Facebook Marketplace. They shouldn't be able to, but they can.

People will look for faster, easier... and cheaper ways to do things as the economy tightens. You position yourself to be able to do things more efficiently by utilizing technology, whether those things are finding buyers or finding houses.

If you're not comfortable with email newsletters, social media, or creating a real estate website, there are affordable services available to assist you.

Be a problem solver, not just a salesperson

What exactly does this mean? Everybody has a roadblock in their life. To truly stand out, you must first determine what it is.

Watch a bad HGTV show. She's a seamstress who requires space for a 20-foot loom. He's a powerful lawyer who needs to be in the city. You must resolve this issue if you sell them a house.

People enter the real estate market with preconceived notions. They'll tell you they want a condo, only to discover two weeks later that they never wanted a condo — they just don't want to deal with a big yard. Rather than simply trying to sell something, delve deeper into what people want and need.

It benefits them as well as you. Perhaps that high-powered attorney doesn't need to be in the city at all; he just doesn't want a long commute and requires high-speed internet. Instead of attempting to locate a $3 million condo with enough space for a 20-foot loom, you could simply locate a nearby suburb with excellent fiber connectivity.

Conclusion: How to stand out as a real estate agent

So that's how you differentiate yourself as a real estate agent. But, in reality, you're here to sell more houses.

Real estate is a business that pits quantity against quality. According to the "Pareto principle," or the 80/20 rule, 80% of your business will come from 20% of your clients. Many real estate agents discover that there are "big fish" clients who keep returning and referring friends and family.

So, it's not always about "more," but about finding clients who want to do business with you — clients who will help you build your career not just now, but in the future.

That includes building your brand. It entails expanding your online presence. And it requires a little ingenuity. Above all, it necessitates perseverance and consistency.