Written by Frank Borg

Selling makes the world go round, and I mean that quite literally. Almost nothing would get done unless we sell to each other. Whether we like it or not, selling is an integral part of our daily lives. Whatever our status or career, we are all sales people to a greater or lesser extent. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we close our eyes at night, we are constantly proposing ideas and preferences to loved ones, friends, acquaintances and colleagues, or offering products or services to prospects and customers. Either way, we are selling something. With this stated, is a career as a real estate sales advisor one which anyone can easily jump into and make a success of?

Over recent years, many have tried their hand at the industry. As with everything else, some have proven themselves to be suited, while others have either given up too soon or realised that this might not be for them. If you are thinking of taking the plunge, here are four points you should consider to ensure you make an informed decision:

1. Commitment and enthusiasm
   While a career in real estate has the potential to be a lucrative one, especially in the current market, you have to brace yourself for a job that requires your flexibility around the clock seven days a week. Unless you are prepared to immerse yourself in the job, demonstrate enthusiasm, zeal and commitment to make yourself available to your customers, sales targets will be missed and commissions won’t be forthcoming. Don’t let the ‘fluff and feathers’ perception blind you. Property Sales Advisors are self-employed individuals and the amount of time they put into the job reflects what they get out of it. Being self-driven, energetic, ready and available are prerequisites to enjoy success in this exciting field.
   
   
2. Working with people
   Successful Sales Advisors love people and enjoy working with them. Being able to handle different types of characters will put you at a definite advantage. The successful real estate sales professional is driven by an unselfish desire to help their prospects looking to purchase or sell property. This must be your brand if you are to position yourself as one who is eligible to be a top real estate Sales Advisor. Having a genuine outgoing concern for your prospects must be your absolute starting point; this includes developing people skills, listening skills, being helpful and service oriented and supportive. You must focus on face-to-face personal contact in a respectful, professional and service oriented way, which are key ingredients to achieving sustainable, consistent and profitable results. Outstanding Advisors have the ability to build relationships and follow through with what they promise.
   
   Interestingly, the word ‘sell’ comes from the original word ‘sellen’. This Old English word liter-
   ally means ‘to give’. There is no wonder that the attitude of the best Sales Advisors in this industry is that of ‘giving’ of their time, patience and dedication to their prospects.
   
   
3. Being your own boss
   Being self-employed in this industry means that remuneration is commission-based; no sale means no pay cheque. Individuals seeking to enter the world of real estate sales should consider having six months’ living expenses in an emergency fund. If you are new to the industry, it will take a few months to receive training and start to develop necessary skills. Realistically, it also takes a minimum of three months or possibly longer to receive commissions from the date a promise of sale agreement is signed. You should also be prepared for volatility in the market or a slow period you might encounter along the way. However, make no mistake about it, if you are ambitious, have focus, are determined, consistent and persistent in the right way, the sky is the limit as far as where this career will take you.
   
   
4. Training and coaching: Selling skills are learnt
   To help give you the best start and put you on the right track to a promising career in real estate, choose to work with a company such as Alliance Real Estate which offers sales training and ongoing coaching. Both of these are extremely important to ensure each candidate reaches their potential in this exciting industry. Ongoing training will help to furnish you with the product knowledge, selling skills and winning techniques necessary to build your career to professional levels, ensuring you keep ahead of the game being up to date with developments. Coaching helps to accelerate performance as it works to initiate changes, however small, to help you perform at your very best.
   
   Being your own boss, handsomely rewarded for the time and effort you put into the job and working to your schedule are but a few of the top reasons that lure many, rightly so, into becoming a Real Estate Advisor.

Frank Borg is Chief People Officer at Alliance Real Estate. Author of three books on sales, goals and public speaking, Frank has built a wide variety of training content for groups of all sizes and throughout his career, he has trained people throughout Europe, North, Central and South America and the Philippines.

To find out more about joining Alliance Real Estate People, email a brief intro about yourself to: hello@alliance.mt