Heidi Harris, one of your favourite Raleigh real estate agents, shares her journey of how she became an award-winning and accomplished real estate entrepreneur.
Heidi Harris is an ambitious real estate agent who has used her hard work and excellent marketing knowledge to reach where she is today. Heidi and her team’s goal is to make sure all their clients have a positive and quality experience, whether they’re buying or selling. She is passionate about negotiating and leaving her clients with a big smile on their faces by helping them make the best decisions and fulfilling their goals. Learn more about Heidi’s success story by checking out her interview with PropertySpark below!
When did you start your career in real estate?
I started my real estate career in January 2013.
What inspired you to start in real estate and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?
I saw a 3 star or C+ field that was dealing with most peoples largest investment. Most real estate agents aren’t born communicators or marketers and I am both, which gave me an advantage. I knew I could make a difference and disrupt the “norm” with 5 star service so I gave it a shot and it, in turn, forever changed my life.
Comparing your business from back then to now, what has been the main thing that allowed you to expand your business?
Word of mouth. 100%. Starting out was hard because I didn’t have a proven track record. I knew that if someone could give me a shot, I could wow them and earn the referrals of their friends. Today, most of my business is from referrals of past clients which is great because clients aren’t interviewing other real estate agents, they want the Home Sweet Heidi experience. A lot of blood, sweat and cold dinners went into that momentum and I’m forever grateful for it and hope to never take advantage of it.
What’s the most profitable aspect of your business, why do you think this is and how can others apply this to what they are doing?
Face to face interactions. Get coffee, meet your friends’ new baby, engage with your sphere of influences lives. It’s all about top of mind awareness so that when someone thinks of buying or selling, you’re at the top of the list. I try to meet with someone in my SOI once a week and since implementing that, I can directly see the fruits of those interactions with new clients and closings.
How do you work? (Do you wake up early, work late, communicate, what jobs do you do yourself, who do you talk to, etc.)
Every weekday morning, I’m in the office at 8:30 to get squared away for my day. Often, the day gets away from me with last minute showings or negotiations between set appointments so having a time to get situated is instrumental. When I have a new listing, I put it on the market from my home office around 4:30 am when the house is quiet and I can have a clear mind. I often get back to work after getting the kids to bed at night. I do all negotiations myself as that’s one of my favorite parts of my job.
When did you realize you were successful/made it and how did you feel/celebrate?
I don’t think I’m there yet, mentally. I keep setting new challenges which makes the past ones seem small but I’m proud of where I came from just 5 years ago armed with company paid business cards and dream.
Looking back, what could you of done sooner to of got to that point quicker?
I feel like since I got my real estate license, I’ve been sipping water through a fire hose. It’s been a natural progression and I’m comfortable with my growth. Our plans for 2018 are huge and I’m excited to grow.
What should other real estate entrepreneurs reading this be focusing on to expand their own business?
Be the first person people think of when they think of real estate but do it in a way that’s comfortable for you. If you’re doing something inauthentic, people can sense that. If you rock at open houses, spend every Sunday doing them. Personally, I was awkward doing open houses but I love throwing a party so I did “Sangria Sundays” which put a fun spin on an open house and created more attention than the traditional way (and my sangria isn’t too shabby). If you have a good social media following, put your efforts there. Whatever you do, be yourself and that will naturally lead you to your strengths.
What do you consider the main differences between those people who have been successful in your industry and those who have failed?
Grit. You either have grit or you don’t. The ability to continue to prospect when things are busy, work tirelessly for each client to earn their referrals, and to know that even the crazy clients have a closing date (thank goodness) all comes down to grit.
How has social media and online marketing affected your real estate business? How much more success have you had now after implementing social media and online marketing efforts?
I average 1 solid lead a month on Facebook and these are hot leads. If I don’t personally know this client, they feel like they know me from the content we push. I’d love to grow these leads in 2018 and I have some fun stuff up my sleeves to do so.
We hope you’ve learnt a great deal about becoming a successful real estate agent. Make sure to reach out to Heidi Harris for a phenomenal and a one of a kind experience in buying or selling real estate in Raleigh!
Check out Heidi Harris’ Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/HomeSweetHeidi/?ref=br_rs
Check out Heidi Harris’ Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/homesweetheidi/
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