3 Habits of Highly Successful Real Estate Agents

As a top producing agent and speaker, Leigh Brown has met thousands of Realtors over the years. She says that most agents fall into two camps: the wildly successful and the, well, not so successful. When we take a look at the Realtors at the successful end of the spectrum, you'll notice that they all share some common traits.

In this first in a series of videos produced by Washington REALTORS® (but full of great advice for Realtors nationwide!), Brown tells us just what those traits are. We've listed a brief summary below, along with a few of our own tips and resources to help you out.

1. Don't forget that you are—first and foremost—in sales. While you may play the part of consultant or advisor occasionally, never lose sight of the fact that you are a salesperson. That means you need to think like a salesperson and always be prospecting. Here are a few ways you can grow your database.

That also means constantly making connections, especially face to face. Don't hide behind your desk, or Facebook, or Twitter, Brown says. "You will never survive if you run out of people to talk to." Try these 7 tips to connect with people.

2. Keep in touch. "You gotta looove your clients during the transaction ... and also after," says Brown. That means calling, texting, and emailing them after the sale. Don't reflect that disheartening NAR statistic we've all heard: 80 percent of your clients would use you again, but only 20 percent actually will.

Stay in touch to stay top-of-mind in order to win repeat business and referrals from past clients. Here are some resources that can help:

• Ultimate Real Estate Scripts to Keep in Touch and Get More Business
• 4 Reasons Former Clients Forget You Exist

3. Don't forget the Golden Rule--especially when it comes to other Realtors. That's right--always treat other Realtors the way you'd like to be treated--"even if they're being complete and total slimeballs and jerks," says Brown. Code of Ethics. Treat every Realtor you come in contact with fairly and honestly. Brown reminds her fellow Realtors that you agreed to the Code of Ethics when you joined NAR. "It needs to be other than words on paper," she says. "Raising each other up raises the entire industry."

Need a refresher on the Code? Check out this article: The NAR Code of Ethics: How They Apply to Everyday Business.

Ready for more great advice from Leigh? Check out the next article in this series, 7 (More) Habits of Highly Successful Real Estate Agents.