New real estate agent - seeking advice

[Chuck Gilotra]

Hello BP world,

I am getting my real estate license next week and have already been attending a casual training workshop with a KW brokerage in Baton Rouge. I am 50% unfamiliar with this city. I say this because I did go to college here so I know the college area of the city, but not the other parts and neighborhoods. The training is honestly amazing here and the broker is even better. He seems to have a very effective lead generation system that he loves to talk about all the time. Here’s my problem:

I am born and raised in New Orleans, which is an hour away from Baton Rouge. I know the New Orleans neighborhoods, area, and culture as it were on the back of my hand. I have an opportunity to work in New Orleans under another KW brokerage. I’m not sure if the training is as good in KW brokerage in New Orleans, or if the lead generation system is that good there. Should I stick with the KW brokerage in Baton Rouge? Or should I start my real estate agent career in an area I am very familiar with? Should I value training/ coaching (and possibly lead generation) more than the environment? I feel like I am going to have to undergo a long process to understand the neighborhoods, culture, and market here in Baton Rouge whereas I already am familiar with it in New Orleans. Someone please guide me in the right direction.

[Craig Bellot]

Hello Chuck, 

As an agent you will need to begin building your identity as a trusted advisor in home sales and purchases. I think you will get great training at either office. But a rule of thumb as far as real estate is if you can, work where you know your market in your own back yard. 

That being said, in either area you want to market yourself, and it is just easier when you know the area inside and out.

I would begin marketing myself on Facebook. With social media, or any type of marketing, you need to understand the VRIN scores (which really helps if you know your market):

V stands for value.

R stands for rarity or how rare it is.

I stands for inimitable.

N stands for non-substitutable.

Value means you are giving your followers what they are interested in. Your posts need to be reaching your audience's values. I know my audience values growing their wealth safely, so I create content that shows how we do that. People value the payoff of real estate and investing, so I post my numbers, analysis and all the great tips that my businesses have profited from.

Rarity is how many other accounts are out there posting similar content. The more content that you provide that not many people get to see, the more excited people will be when they see it. It’s common sense. Rarity is the amount of emotion that people get when they see your post.

Inimitable means your post is hard to recreate. It means that not only is it rare, it’s unique and genuine. People can tell when what you’re posting is trying to be like someone else. You have to be unique, so others can’t reproduce what you’ve created.

Non-substitutable is similar to rarity, but it also means that what your posting is relatively impossible to be replaced by something new. You need to create timeless content, so as time goes on, your post is still relevant. If you master these, your business will grow and you will create a loyal audience, because you understand why your audience follows you and engages with you.

All this is just easier when you know what you are dealing with, rather than a relatively new place where you have to essentially get your bearings. 

Keep us posted on your decision.

Let me know if you have any questions!

-Craig Bellot