By Jen Ward, CRS — Guest Editor
I am an explorer by nature. I love trying new things: restaurants, food, travel destinations and more. I’ll try anything once and if I really enjoy it, I’ll do it again. My dad noticed my meandering ways and used to tell me that I needed to choose a focus. He would say, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” My dad, a mechanical engineer, knew the power of focus within a very specific field. He had patents on more than a dozen inventions and people hired him to solve their problems even after his “retirement.” There is proven success in having a specialty or niche.
I’ve observed that agents who specialized and developed a niche were particularly successful. If you asked your manager or broker a question, they would sometimes recommend you speak with Agent X who has a deep knowledge of a specific topic. These days, real estate Facebook groups are popular forums to ask questions. Have you noticed in this seller’s market that you are reaching out to agents who are known to work a specific neighborhood or type of housing in your city to find a home for your buyer, or that you are receiving those calls from buyer agents? This is the power of the niche.
It seems like agents with a niche are overnight successes, but they worked on developing that expertise and the messaging for that market over time. Take a moment and reflect on the business you have: “Who am I, and what kind of business do I attract? What is the source of my business? What gets me excited?” Wouldn’t it be great to develop a niche that you are passionate about and brings you absolute joy?
I’ve attended various educational events with RRC, from webinars to Sell-a-bration®, where I have learned from people who have cultivated a specialty. Some have followed a passion for historic homes or new construction, some have determined a personality type or avatar like engineer or executive and some enjoy working with millennials while others prefer seniors.
I’ve learned that some have developed their business strategically while others have come to their niche organically. Have you developed a niche, and are you looking to network with other professionals with your niche? Reach out to the network of over 28,000 CRS Designees at the Residential Real Estate Council, plan for the next RRC event, and elevate your networking by seeking your niche of people.
