Wow, what a weekend!  Went to the beach with some friends here in Panama, it was so cool.  Beautiful blue water, wide white sand beach, spent 6 hours under a tiki hut which had full meal and drink service…loved it! And the best part?  I got a new listing while I was there!  Super cool.

You know what else I love?  

Learning from others.  

As a real estate agent, it’s always good to learn from the best in the biz. And what better way to do that than by talking to other super successful real estate agents and seeing how they run their business? (Or at least, how they pretend to run their business when they’re being interviewed.)

Just find someone in area close to you, successful agents will feel less threatened to talk to you.  Ask to take them out to lunch, most will say yes.  Here’s what you focus on when talking to successful real estate agents:

1. Marketing: Successful real estate agents have a marketing strategy that’s stronger than a Starbucks venti latte. They may use a variety of tactics, such as social media (because apparently people still use that), direct mail (which is just a fancy way of saying “junk mail”), or open houses (which are basically just free food and a chance to snoop around someone else’s home). By asking successful agents about their marketing tactics, you can get ideas for your own business. Or just steal them. No one will know.

1. Networking: Successful agents likely have a wide network of contacts, including other agents, mortgage brokers, and other industry professionals. They may also be active in local real estate groups or associations (because who doesn’t love networking at 6am on a Saturday?). By talking to successful agents about their networking strategies, you can learn how to build your own network. 

1. Lead generation: Successful agents likely have a system in place for finding and converting leads into clients. Asking them about their lead generation strategies can give you ideas for your own business. Or just ask them for their leads. Yeah, right!

1. Time management: Asking successful agents about their time management techniques can help you streamline your own business.

1. Customer service: Asking them about their customer service strategies can help you improve your own approach.

By talking to successful real estate agents, you can learn valuable insights and strategies for running your own business. Don’t be afraid to reach out to these industry leaders and ask for their advice – they may be willing to share their expertise with you. 

Or just give you all their secrets. 

Either way, it’s always a good idea to learn from the experience of others.