Posts made in January, 2014

“SMALL” Can Sometimes Doom Your Business

“SMALL” Can Sometimes Doom Your Business

By on Jan 31, 2014 in Blog | 0 comments

As “The Niche Agent” I am constantly confronted with agents worrying that focusing on a niche in their real estate business will be too constrictive. In most cases I tell them that it isn’t true. If you TRULY understand niche’ing you understand all of the benefits of going small. But there are definitely times that agents can be thinking too small and this can be the downfall of their business. I will discuss some ways that real estate agents may be thinking too small.   Is Your Niche Too Small?   I continually promote getting more and more focused with your niche real estate business, but sometimes going too small can do you more harm than good. Finding a small market is key to success in your business, but don’t set yourself up for failure if the niche is too small. While golf course homes is definitely a great market to go after (we will be having a guest coming up who specializes in this), but going after golf course homes with 4 car garages and indoor pools MAY be too small of a market.   Is Your Budget Too Small?   Having the right target market is important, but if you don’t have money to put behind your marketing budget, you may find your business sinking rather quickly! You don’t need to have a superbowl ad budget to make an impact, but you will definitely need to make sure you have some funds to put into your marketing.  It is possible to get your business off the ground with little to no money, but after a while you will find it will generally not be worth your time to do the free strategies if you want your business to hit its ultimate potential. When your business is running at its peak, you will begin to understand the value of your time, your marketing dollars will not only free up time, it will help you reach more of your market.   Is Your Schedule Too Small?   Having a plan to dominate a niche market is imperative to your success, but have you stopped to think if you will have the time or energy to actually do what you...

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The Niche Agent – With Guest Ronn James (Episode 3)

The Niche Agent – With Guest Ronn James (Episode 3)

By on Jan 27, 2014 in Podcast | 0 comments

We want to welcome our third guest to The Niche Agent Ronn James of Stonemill Realty. Ronn James is not your average realtor! With more than 28 years experience in real estate and mortgage management, Ronn is widely recognized as a leading advocate on the fundamentals, strategies and techniques of buying and selling residential real estate. Ronn is a frequent guest on popular TV shows such as Breakfast Televsion and Cityline, and hosts his own segment on the CTS Network program Real Life with Sharon Caddy. Host of both Open House Real Estate Radio and Full Contact Real Estate Radio on internet radio, Ronn has also been a regular contributor to New Homes and Condos For Sale magazine, the Toronto Sun and Canadian Homeplanner, and co-authored the groundbreaking book Real Estate Agent Inc. – The Book That Makes You Think.   Listen/Download Audio File Here: The Niche Agent - With Guest Ronn James (Episode 3) [ 44:30 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (223) (To save, hit download, then right click on the screen and hit save as…) Watch The Youtube Version Here: You can connect with Ronn on his websites at www.StonemillRealty.com www.BuildingLotsForSale.ca www.Iloveopenhouses.com   If you haen’t yet, be sure to get your copy of The Niche Agents eBook “101 Real Estate Niche Markets” at www.TheNicheAgent.com/ebook     To you and your niche,   Ryan Smith – The Niche Agent www.TheNicheAgent.com   (P.S. If you like this episode and would like to learn more about the Niche Agent or just stay on top of what is happening on the program, be sure to sign up for the Niche Agent Insiders club at www.TheNicheAgent.com/Insiders.) (P.S.S. In case you haven’t got your copy yet, make sure you get your copy of the “101 Real Estate Niche Markets” eBook we created...

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5 Great Ways to Reach Your Target Market

5 Great Ways to Reach Your Target Market

By on Jan 24, 2014 in Blog | 0 comments

For some of the folks who have chosen a niche or have one in mind, one of the biggest misunderstandings is how you actually reach your target audience. This can definitely be something that holds a real estate agent back from really mastering their niche.   How you reach your audience is going to depend on who your target market is, but here are a few avenues to think about if you are looking to get in front of your ideal audience.   1) Attend Networking Events, Social Gatherings And Organization Meetings Being where your niche market is can be critical. Where do they spend time? Do they run in certain circles? Are they involved in certain organizations, committees and social circles? What better way to get in front them than actually getting “in front of them”! Get on your cocktail dress and go mix and mingle!   2) Offer To  Speak Or Do Some Personalized Training   If you are focusing on a niche and have a specific skill set, why not reach out and offer to share what you know with groups. Offer to present a short talk or formal presentation. Make sure you are adding value for them and they will be incredibly thankful. This is a strategy I have used for my consulting and training business on a regular basis.  By doing this type of training you give them a taste of what you know, while positioning yourself as the expert in your niche. In most cases you will have people interested in working with you if you provide enough value to them.   3) Present A Free Teleclass Or Webinar   If you aren’t comfortable teaching a class in front of people in “real life”, a teleseminar or webinar can be a very effective alternative (Not only for you, but for your target audience). By offering a no cost, no hassle seminar, you can attract more ideal clients without ever leaving your home or office. And they don’t have to leave theirs! This is a fantastic way to build your database, position yourself as the expert and add value to your clients. If you get good enough, you can even eventually start charging and...

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The Niche Agent – With Guest James Festini (Episode 2)

The Niche Agent – With Guest James Festini (Episode 2)

By on Jan 20, 2014 in Podcast, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Welcome back to Episode 2 of The Niche Agent with James Festini! I want to introduce our second guest James Festini of Century 21 in Southern California. Being a mega agent, James walks the walk and talks the talk. He is a top producer and has the numbers to show it. In the last few years he has taken his skills of cold calling and transferred them to door knocking and has really mastered the art. Listen to the podcast and get some tips and insight from James on door knocking for business.   If you would like to incorporate door knocking into your business, then this episode is a must for you!   Listen/Download Audio File Here: The Niche Agent - With Guest James Festini (Episode 2) [ 22:21 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (238) (To save, hit download, then right click on the screen and hit save as…)   Watch The Youtube Version Here:   James Festini described himself “I’m a REALTOR®, writer, runner, musician, father & husband. I push myself to improve & enjoy sharing this journey via Audio Podcasts, YouTube videos & blogging”   You can connect with James on twitter @JamesFestini or check out his website at www.JamesFestini.com And be sure to listen to his podcast “Your First Day In Real Estate” on iTunes.     If you haen’t yet, be sure to get your copy of The Niche Agents eBook “101 Real Estate Niche Markets” at www.TheNicheAgent.com/ebook     To you and your niche,   Ryan Smith – The Niche Agent www.TheNicheAgent.com   (P.S. If you like this episode and would like to learn more about the Niche Agent or just stay on top of what is happening on the program, be sure to sign up for the Niche Agent Insiders club at www.TheNicheAgent.com/Insiders.) (P.S.S. In case you haven’t got your copy yet, make sure you get your copy of the “101 Real Estate Niche Markets” eBook we created at www.TheNicheAgent.com/eBook...

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How Soon Is Too Soon To Niche?

How Soon Is Too Soon To Niche?

By on Jan 17, 2014 in Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

This question was brought up to me by a real estate friend of mine. We chatted for a bit about it. He’s relatively new to the business and said he had a niche in mind. And of course… I told him to “go for it!” That is when the hesitation started to creep up. At first he wasn’t sure if it was the right niche for him he said. I assured him it was a good market to go after. Then he said he was too new in the business and didn’t think it was a smart move to focus too narrow this early in his business and he wanted to wait and get more experience.  He wanted to test the waters before he jumped into a niche. The way I see it, he is in the absolute best time! This is his chance to define his business and own it.   I find many agents are waiting for that perfect moment for the stars to align and a sign from heaven to appear telling them that they should start focusing on a niche. The best time is now… I’m not saying you should blindly jump in and just haphazardly choose a niche and go after it. There should be time and energy spent to research and develop a game plan. But that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your niche in this moment.   As a new agent, you have a chance to really carve out your business an own it. If you have a certain set of skills, experience, passion, business connections, unique offer etc, I say use it in your business and make it part of your plan. You don’t have to give up all of your other opportunities for business outside of your niche while you grow, but you still should be working on your niche as soon as you can.   For agents who are new to the business (under a year or so) it can be a scary time. There is a lot to learn and a lot of mistakes can be made, but what better time to take those risks. Most of the new agents who will be successful in this business haven’t...

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