Jef Conn

By Jef Conn

We all want to make more money, to be the best agent or broker, to sell the most houses or commercial properties. Regardless of how much time you’ve spent in your real estate career, the following five tips will help you make more money this year and every year after.

But first, you must understand this: There is a direct correlation in your ability to communicate and the amount of money you’ll make in the real estate industry. Read that again: Communicate better and you’ll make more money. You can take that to the bank.

Here are five ways to become a better communicator.

@fill, 2015. pixabay.com

1. 1. Join Toastmasters. You’ve probably heard of Toastmasters, but you might not know what it is. Toastmasters an organization with local chapters that meet weekly to help participants become better communicators. The groups of about 15 to 20 members take on various roles and teach one another how to speak in front of an audience, become an active listener, gain more confidence, and develop better people skills.
   2. Practice your scripts and listing presentations. Stop winging it every time you head out to meet a client. Yes, you can make the presentation relate to and respond to what the client is saying and doing, but you must have a baseline presentation that’ll keep the conversation moving to get a contract signed on a new listing or purchase contract. It’s been said it takes two weeks to create an impromptu speech. You’ve got to make sure you work hard practicing your presentations to make it look professional but natural.
   3. Record yourself and play it back. Think you’re a good communicator? Practice giving a listing presentation or contract explanation on video. Just record it on your phone—we all have one of those within arms reach at any given moment. Then play it back to yourself. Want to step it up a bit? Play it for a friend or colleague and ask, “How can I improve?” You’ll likely realize there are areas in which you can improve. Work on those! Film it again, replay it, and repeat. You’ll become a better presenter by being able to spot ways you can improve your own speech. 
   4. Write something that requires some thought. You can write an article for the YPN Lounge blog (email Erica for information), a market update for your fellow agents in your office, or an article about a specific neighborhood in your market for your own blog or website. You might not be great at writing to begin with, but practice helps! Just like speaking, learning how to communicate through the written word is vital to your success. Practice and you’ll get better—and start seeing results. Pro tip: Improve your writing skills, then  combine them with steps 1-3. You’ll be in a position to start recording videos of market updates and neighborhood videos. Post them to YouTube and your website. That’ll help separate you from your competition.
   5. Find places and organizations where you can give a 15- to 30-minute presentation about your real estate market. This won’t be a sales pitch, but an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge, which has a chance of turning into new business! Organizations such as the Lions Club, church groups, junior leagues, and other civic groups are always looking for speakers. With practice (see tips 1-4 above), you can work on your speaking ability and give an informative real estate update on new developments, neighborhoods with a lot of sales activity, or any city planned developments that will have an impact on the audience. Done properly and with ample practice, you’ll be invited to speak at other organizations and get your name out as the real estate expert. This will lead to more sales!

Jef Conn, CCIM, SIOR, is a commercial agent specializing in industrial, office, and investment properties with Coldwell Banker Commercial in Lubbock, Texas. Jef  served as the 2017 president of his local association and currently serves as Region 1 vice president and executive board member for Texas REALTORS®. Connect with Jef on LinkedIn or via email: JConn@CBCWorldwide.com