Sales Strategies in Real Estate

A real estate person without a sales strategy is not in business. It is essential you run your real estate business with a well thought out plan. Today, I will be sharing with you two sales strategies in real estate and possibly other businesses that can help propagate your business and ensure you remain in business.

One of the strategies to adopt for your real estate business is doing quality and intensive research that will aid you get a list of prospective customers and target clients. You would also have to strategise on how to contact them.

In doing research to increase your list of prospective customers, reading industry based papers can be a tonic. By way of analogy, if you are an agent who likes to let out properties to new companies and companies coming into the country anew, you should be able to look out for some publications that focus on businesses, probably start-ups and talks about foreign investments.

Publications that provide information on investments or companies having a ‘go’ at the country, their area of specialization, products and projects.

For instance, if you operate from Nigeria; probably in Lagos or Abuja, a newspaper like Business day should be a good research tool for you.

What do I have to do?

Usually what Business day does is to advertise companies/businesses, both local and foreign ones coming into the country. Invariably they dish out news on trending companies, businesses, products and projects. Therefore, reading such will create a right platform for you to know who and where to take your business to.

Subsequently you delve online to google on such companies/businesses, to know the location, the brains behind the companies; that’s talking about the directors and possibly their management team. You can as well go into their archives to prod into their past in order to be acquainted with their previous achievements and what projects they are currently embarking on.

If they are just coming into the country, you try to find out about them, where they currently exist, and what projects they intend to embark on while in the country.

It is also essential you find out the exact country they originated from or the country they are coming in from; these should include a background check on their representatives and their affiliate countries.

The essence of these is to work out a relationship with the various embassies responsible for such individuals or group of individuals which ensures that they employ your services when needed. For example, if the company coming to invest is a UK based company, then be sure they will have to deal with the UK embassy.

Hence, writing a business proposal to the UK embassy in a bid to letting them know your business, the nature of your business, what you do, and the properties that you have to let out is key.

The aforementioned details should form the core of your list, in terms of the services you render. This will enhance communication between you and those that may be needing your services and also a reference point.

After a thorough background check on you and your business by the ‘said’ embassy which should be expected, provided on the information you’ve given and the ones they garnered, there are bound to be referrals.

The whole essence of having a working relationship is basically for referrals and that is because when such investors/companies/business come into the country, they usually would go to their embassies. Due to the fact that they come in through them, they are probably their first contact that enables them table down their issues, needs and inadequacies. And one of the key functions of an embassy is to support their nationals that newly come into a country where they have their operations.

The embassies assist them in settling down and adapting to the economic and social conditions therein. Other aids include; accommodation and security tips. So you may want to be able to let your professional letters go ahead of you to those embassies to give then a brief of what you do.

This strategy ensures that your business is brought to fore when such foreigners come into the country with their business, seeking the assistance of their embassies in the country. If the attention they seek is directed towards the services you render, then they may request to see your list.

In your list they could probably see their immediate needs and strike out the ones they ain’t so sure they will be needing any time soon or retain such if they would be needing it in the near future.

Because you’ve strategized and done your homework by sending a professional letter to the embassy in question thereby initiating a working relationship with them, they may most likely contact you if and when such needs are in demand.

Also, because the information you initially provided about your business, the nature of the business, location e.t.c, gave them the leverage to do a background check on you and your business which afterwards gave a level of credibility to your business, especially if you belong to some reputable organization and stake claims to various means of functionality in the society, these puts you in business and gives you the needed edge.

These strategies ensure your business plans falls into place because you have a well laid out plan.

Let’s look at another scenario: Assuming the company is in the country already and have fully established. Nonetheless, you can just write to their office; it could be the Managing Director, an Admin person or the procurement officer. The letter would include an instant introduction of your firm/business, the services you render, the assistance you can offer, and a listing of your properties. You may also want to assist them search for and possibly get properties that they need yet not in your listed properties.

Having fulfilled these, you would have succeeded in creating a solid brand for yourself. Of a truth, people get calls and referrals doing these. So that’s one way you can leverage on research and writing of proposal in getting business and staying in it.

I want to assume the focal point of this article is to implant useful tips in your hearts that you can imbibe effectively in your real estate business. The volume of the article shouldn’t be your centre of attraction because that could possibly get you more confused.

However picking out salient points from an article should be your main objective and being able to work on the tips garnered herein and consequently making good money for yourself ought to be your end result.

Have a great time doing business.

Debo Adejana
MD/CEO Realty Point Ltd

Read also: Carving a niche for your real estate business