With all due respect to Abraham Lincoln, all real estate agents are not created equal.

 

Now before you get mad at me, hear me out. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that agents are unequal. It’s just the way I see it. For example, if you judge agents by how many houses they sell, they are clearly not equal. Not every agent sells 100 houses a year.

 

So what I am saying is that each agent brings his or her own unique gifts to the office. And the key is to understand your own special gifts, and then put them to work in a way that not only makes you more successful, but also makes you stand out from all the other agents in your market.

 

And I honestly believe one reason some agents outsell some of their peers is precisely because they’ve taken time to – in the words of Ms. Abzug – establish their “professional identity.”

 

Consider for a minute what you think – what you really think – when you hear about an agent that’s outselling you in your market. Be honest. Probably a little bit of jealousy, sprinkled with a little resentment.

 

Well, the way I see it, you have a couple of choices. You can feel that jealousy (and there’s nothing wrong with that – you’re only human). But if you leave it at that, you don’t improve. You sit there with your sour grapes.

 

The other choice is to stop and take a little time to learn from those successful competitors. When you do that, you’re heading up the on-ramp to a speedy interstate of faster sales.

 

And if you do examine top producers, you’ll soon realize they all have something in common: yes, that strong professional identity. They’re easy to spot, they have a consistent way about them and they exude professionalism.

 

So, have you taken time to consider your professional identity? Have you thought about the impression you’re making out there in the trenches? What do potential clients see when they see you up close and in person? What do they see when the see one of your ads in the newspaper? What impressions are you marketing materials leaving with the public? And, even more importantly, what impressions are you leaving with people you meet face to face?

 

When I work with clients to help them develop their professional identities, I like to use the SWOT analysis – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. For purposes of this article, focus primarily on the first two: your strengths and weakness. Then later you can look at the other two as they relate to your particular market.

 

Assess both your strengths and weaknesses carefully. And recruit others for this exercise. Find out what your friends, family and coworkers see. Many times others see things you miss.

 

Then develop specific ways to put your strengths to work in your business life. And look at the weaknesses you believe you can change. Work on them to slowly turn them into strengths. When you add your strengths to your services, you begin to shine through in all that you do for your clients and prospects, and before you know it, you’ve created your very own professional identity. E-mail Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and ask for a blank SWOT form for you to complete.

Make A Commitment: I will connect in abundance while having fun!

Deadline: _________