Prepare for the New Year by learning to locate clients, build your brand, and leverage technology
This article was provided by RCN Capital
At the beginning of every business venture, a solidified plan of action always sets the tone for success. There is no better time to reset focus and establish new habits and goals than at the end of every year.
For brokers, the formula for success can seem straightforward in theory, but in practice it takes effort and execution. There are three major keys for brokers to focus on when working with investors.
- Locating investor clients in person and online
- Create marketing strategies to secure an investor’s business
- Utilizing tools and technology to strengthen business partnerships for long-term success
If a broker can fine tune these three aspects of a deal transaction, they are simultaneously attracting new clients while fortifying existing investor relationships.
Client connection
With so many interactions occurring on various social media platforms online, the value of an in-person meeting seems to dwindle each year. However, this is where brokers can still make the biggest impact. Due to its scarcity, these in-persons connections or first-time meetings can be much more memorable if a broker is willing to take advantage of it.
Opportunities such as local Real Estate Investor Association (REIAs) meet ups and tradeshows that attract professionals from across the country are where brokers can find those connections. For the REIAs, it is a good idea to establish a presence locally and let people know that a real estate broker resource is available to them if needed. A lot of professionals generally gravitate towards a local connection due to familiarity, so brokers have a leg up in that regard.
A broker should always speak up and introduce themselves and their business when given the opportunity but be sure to reiterate the value a broker can provide as it pertains to workload. These relationships work best when it’s a two-way street, and an overt sales pitch can turn people away.
At trade shows there is an opportunity to meet people from all over the country. Having investor clients in different pockets of the country investing in different types of properties is a huge win for brokers. This allows for a steady flow of business and can lead to improved knowledge simply by closing a variety of deals. Brokers can take the experience and success they’ve learned from investors nationwide and funnel it back to their local clients to allow them to expand their business if it makes sense to do so.
There are also countless industry experts that attend these trade shows. Both extremely successful brokers and investors often speak at these events so brokers who attend these sessions can take something away from it and implement it into their business.
Evolution of a broker
Every broker’s goal in the industry is to help their clients close more loans. This is no easy feat at times, but a truly great broker wants to reach this level and then find another gear as an industry professional. Once a system is in place and loans from investor clients are flowing, a broker should focus their attention elsewhere to offer a variety of services for their clients.
One area where a broker can help newer investor clients are strategies for marketing a newly renovated property that an investor wants to flip or a long-term rental that needs a tenant. Investors often get caught up in securing a property or making the necessary renovations that forgetting the exit strategy can sometimes happen. Relaying tips such as professional photos for the listing, landscaping out front for a good first impression and being spot on with the listing price are all ways brokers can help their newer investor clients find success at the back end of the transaction.
From a broker perspective, working on your brand is another aspect that can set someone apart from their competition. A broker’s brand can attract investors based on a variety of aspects in the investment space, all of which are up to the broker.
What loans does a broker specialize in? What areas of the country do they excel in? How many financing options are available to them as a broker?
All these questions and more can be answered by specific branding across all social media platforms. The two platforms that are getting the most traction for brokers to target investor clients are LinkedIn and Instagram. If a broker can establish a strategy for these two sites, they can acquire investor clients at a much higher rate.
For example, major news just dropped that affects investors on the West coast. Filming a video that explains the new legislation or regulations can be a gateway to earning an investor’s trust that they could be working with an expert if they decide to reach out.
Instagram could be used to shoot a video that details how simple a recent loan closing was and why it went so smoothly. It is more than okay for a broker to highlight a successful transaction to attract investor clients. Interaction with investors on these sites are crucial as well and lets them know there is a real person willing to help behind the brand or social media personality.
Tools and technology to achieve and sustain success
As brokers gain confidence and grow into the industry, a larger client base is generally not far behind. With more clients to attend to, the method of organization becomes paramount. CRM (customer relationship management) software can be a broker’s best friend in the industry.
Being able to track every business transaction is a win for brokers, but more than that, a CRM can offer note-taking capabilities and schedule reminders to keep a personal touch in a business that is very transaction focused. Remembering a client’s pain points in the last deal that a broker helped them close can be just as important as remembering a birthday or anniversary when it comes to retaining business.
The step above that for top-tier service as it pertains to a broker-investor relationship is the utilization of tech software that allows brokers to find deals on behalf of their clients. With the help of notes in a CRM, a broker can begin to sense a pattern regarding what each client tends to look for in a real estate property.
Brokers can be proactive to win over their client for long-term success. If a client’s last three deals were fix-and-flips in the Syracuse, NY area, brokers can now hone in on price point and style in that exact area and send options to the investor client. There are plenty of investment property software options out there that will allow the broker to take control and find these properties if they are willing to put in the work
With these strategies in place, a broker can make a difference on a personal and professional level and become irreplaceable for their clients.
Start next year strong
Finding investors, building a reputable brand and implementing strategies that retain clients are all ways for brokers to win in 2026.
It’s important for brokers to challenge themselves and be honest about where they can improve. Set goals to attend more tradeshows, post more on social media and take advantage of tech software.
With consistency comes results. Results breed confidence and a confident broker is one that can make a difference in the real estate investment space next year and for many years after that.
