Real estate sales may be slow during the colder months in North Carolina. But that doesn’t mean your real estate business can hibernate, too. Slow periods can provide you with significant opportunities to improve your marketability, expand your client base, and grow as a real estate salesperson. Not to mention, pursuing these opportunities will prepare you for when the market bounces back in the spring and summer. Fight the cold, and survive the real estate off-season, by trying out our tips to keep busy this fall and winter.
1. Network
If sales are slow, one of the best things you can spend your time on is networking to get new clients into your pipeline. Traditionally, attending community events, business luncheons, and local volunteer opportunities are excellent ways to network and meet new people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, networking may look quite different. Instead of in-person meetings and events, set up video chats or phone calls. Whatever you do, be sure to follow up with any new contacts you meet.
2. Develop new marketing skills
Good marketing skills are perhaps one of the most beneficial tools a real estate professional can possess. “The problem I see over and over,” says Josh Rubin, web developer, SEO expert, and licensed real estate agent, is that real estate salespeople “spend the slow times fighting for every dollar they can find, chasing leads, and when times are busy in the spring and summer, they completely abandon their marketing efforts. It’s too easy when you’re making offers, writing contracts, and so on, to forget that you need to market yourself actively for future buyers and sellers to find you. That pipeline dries up, and it’s back to feast or famine.”
3. Further your education
What’s hot in the real estate market right now? What skills do you need to build? Seek out courses to help fill those voids. Do you have some continuing education courses to finish up before you renew your North Carolina real estate license? Slow periods are a great time to finish them. You can also seek out professional development courses on just about anything you want to learn about. And when spring and summer roll around, you’ll be at the top of your game.
CE Courses: Achieve your real estate career goals with our live and online continuing education classes.
4. Explore new niches
Another great way to maximize your free time during the real estate off-season is by branching out into new and exciting fields. Because the industry has the reputation for being fiercely competitive, North Carolina real estate professionals often feel like they must learn more, be more, and do more to succeed. However, this theory is somewhat misleading. You should, in fact, be selective in identifying your target market. When brokers market themselves as experts in a certain real estate niche, it not only helps the broker but the client as well.
5. Experiment with social media
Using social media outlets is a great way to utilize your free time during the slow months. And the best part is you don’t even have to go out into the cold to do it! Nearly 74% of sellers use social media to find their brokers, meaning you have an opportunity to share insightful, quality content with clients and prospects, position yourself as an industry expert, and make it easier to attract new customers—all from the comfort of your home.
For additional tips, check out our post, 7 Ways to Generate Real Estate Leads Online.
