Tips on how to be successful as a real estate agent here in the Philippines - Are you experiencing a "sales drought"

Are you experiencing “drought” in your sales?

In terms of a "selling career" drought means no sales which is equivalent to no commissions or you get to close deals but not enough to sustain your real estate selling career.

All of us including me at some point in time have experience “sales drought” or even “no sales” at all. I’m very sure many real estate agents at this moment especially the new ones are experiencing “sales drought” not only in some point in time but most of the time.

Photo courtesy of pinksherbet with creative commons

3 weeks ago I called up a real estate agent friend of mine and he is an In-house agent in one of the condominiums along Taft Avenue, Manila. Last time we saw each other was October 2012 when we pick up our commissions with a developer base in Quezon City. The client is mine and I just shared my commission with him so we split up the commission 50-50.

Of course the usual greetings and I asked him how’s going with his sales. He told me not doing well. I just told him just to keep it up but I told him also to make new marketing strategies. He needs to test and re-test his marketing strategy so he will know which is working or not.

Another friend also a real estate agent who stays in Las Pinas City and all her listings are from that place also called me up to say “hi” and ask me how’s my sales. So I asked her first the same question and she told me sales not doing well also.

The problem with her she does not have a website and she just rely on free ads online, manning and giving hand-outs (leafleting) and like what I have said in my previous articles How to grow your money and listings you should include in your website and paid online ads; marketing strategy and the type of listings you sell is very crucial to your success. What my friends are doing are good but not enough to give a steady sale.

I answered them both that as of May 2013 I only have 1 sale (I already got the commission) because it’s a re-sale. I’m also experiencing a “sales drought” as far as my real estate selling is concerned BUT the BIG difference between me and my 2 real estate friends is I have other streams of income that they don’t have.

I just don’t rely on my real estate selling to earn, because I have other streams of income and I have projected this way way back 5 years ago before I started in the real estate industry that not all the time I can close a deal so I need to create a marketing strategy that will augment my real estate selling.

These are the problems most real estates agents encounter and while you are reading this blog maybe you are encountering a “sales drought” as well. They don’t want to sell other products (I respect that) other than real estate properties. I mentioned in my other article that I knew real estate agents who are even more experienced than me in terms of the number of years they are in the business who went back to employment; many went to BPOs because they cannot sustain their sales.

If you don’t want to sell other products other than real estate properties these are my suggestions:

If you rely ONLY on advertising make sure it’s a “paid advertising” because free advertising won’t get you anywhere. Pay for it and be patient. Normally it will take you 2 – 3 months average to get a result. I have talked with many real estate agents who told me they tried “paid advertising” for a month and when nothing happened they stop and just rely on free ads. Who do you think will get more sales; the agent who does “paid advertising” online on a regular basis or the agent who just post free ads and hoping against hope someone will inquire? Well, you be the judge.

If you rely on a website only, MAKE SURE people are seeing your website or else no one will inquire. Your task now as a real estate agent is to see to it that traffic (visitors) are flowing into your website because this is where it all starts. Again be patient, having a good business is not a "quick rich scheme". Test and re-test your marketing strategy whether it's paid ads or website.

Use both strategy and see where you are getting your sales

Again I will repeat here; your task is how to drive traffic to your website for you to get sales.

The real estate agent and the southwest monsoon rains in the Philippines

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How to be successful as a real estate agent here in the Philippines – How to grow your money

How to grow your money

Today is the day - you are waiting for the developer to deposit you commissions in your ATM bank account or probably you are now in the office and getting ready to pick up your check/s and ready to en-cash them.

With the money in your hand now what will you do? You will go to Greenhills shopping mall and buy a new gadget or you would put your money in the bank as savings.

Well, honestly it's your money and you can do anything you can even spend it in just one day.

Being a real estate agent is not only about marketing and selling, I think in my opinion the measure of success in this field is HOW you can grow your money to give you a better life, a better life for your family and love ones.

There are several things you can do to grow your money once you got your commissions.

1. Separate some portion of your commissions for your marketing expenses
2. Separate some portion of your commissions to create a new business SELL ANOTHER PRODUCT that you are passionate to sell
3. Start some small investments like the "stock market'

I truly believe that "selling" is a SKILL and if you can sell a product worth millions (properties) you can sell a product less than that amount.

It's a matter of applying your "real estate" selling skills in selling other products.

Think of a product aside from selling real estate properties that you are passionate to sell or even a skill that you can offer as services and monetize them. Then build a marketing strategy around that product just like what you are doing when selling real estate properties.

1. Create a website for that product or skill
2. Put paid online ads for that product or skill

Remember also that these "other business" of yours will offset your real estate selling in case you don't have commissions yet. These other business will help you provide for your daily expenses or even it may be more profitable than selling real estate properties. There are unlimited possibilities.

As of now I only have 1 business, an investment and a skill I'm monetizing.

First is the business I put up 2 years ago. I decided to be a distributor of skin care products. As an entrepreneur I look into the potential of a business and believe me or not the skin care business world wide is a multi-billion $ business and no one company can corner this market. I put up this business with just a P10,000.00 capital and we distribute products nationwide and I do earn 30% profit in every sales I get.

Do you want to try your marketing and selling skills as a distributor?
Please visit Skincaremanila

"LIKE" my Facebook page Skincaremanila

I have been a fitness enthusiast for more than 15 years. Going to the gym and exercising is my passion. If there is one person who truly believe "HEALTH IS WEALTH" that is me. I believe if you're not healthy and always sick your DONE.

I monetize my skill by helping others achieve their fitness goals. I even created an e-book on "How to live a fit and healthy lifestyle" and many have already bought my e-book.

If you want to be healthy and fit as a lifestyle; my e-book is worth reading. You can get my e-book by visiting my Sulit ad

I also invest in the stock market for more than 2 years now.

Are you familiar with this quote:

"Do not work for money but let money work for you"

If you've never been in the stock market, you'll never really appreciate the above quote.

If you want to start investing in the stock market. Visit and learn at:

I want to learn the stock market

The things I'm doing may not be your interest or passion and my suggestion is find your skills and passion and monetize them aside from putting another business plus your real estate selling.

Are you experiencing "sales drought"?

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How to be successful as a real estate agent here in the Philippines – Listings that you need to include in your website to get fast commissions

Listings that you need to include in your website and online paid ads to get fast commissions

Let’s say your website is already driving traffic (visitors) the next important thing to do is to wisely choose your listings. Of course as real estate agents we can put any listings we want in our website, sky is the limit but it would be wiser if majority of your listings can give you fast cash right away ones sold.

Let me explain… Ones again I will base this on my experienced.

Have you pondered deeply "WHY ARE YOU SELLING A PRODUCT?" Let’s just removed for awhile the distinction “real estate broker” and “real estate agent”. In my opinion in the EYES of the client we are all salesmen and saleswomen.

I cannot think of any reason why do we chose to become a "salesman and saleswoman" and that is to earn more or let’s say to earn big for our family and love ones.

Of course if we want to earn big, is there any nice feeling other than getting our commissions "right away" and not waiting for such a long time. So my strategy was to build listings majority of which, ones sold-out I can get my commissions right away and not waiting for such a long time.

In my opinion it's useless to be a salesman or to sell a product if you will not be reciprocated right away

I'm not saying literally right away but at least you don't need to wait 1 - 2 years just to get your full commissions.

A sample scenario:

Agent A sold a home worth P5M
Commission of agent is 3% - P150,000.00
pre-selling
20% down payment payable in 1 year
Developer do not have a win-win situation policy (no monthly commissions)
Agent will get full commission upon full down payment
Agent has an allowance

Photo courtesy of Vectorarts with creative commons attribution 3 share alike

Agent B sold a home worth P5M

Home is re-sale
Agent gets only P1.5% - P75,000.00
Agent has no allowance
Agent is not tied up with a developer
Agent gets the P75,000.00 after 30 days

I'm not saying this is always the "scenario" but at least you have an idea.

If I’m the real estate agent, I will choose Agent B because I was RECIPROCATED right away for my effort. With the P75,000.00 in hand I can already be flexible. I can spend for my marketing activity, I can re-invest the money in other business or investments. Again, I go back to the question "what's the use of being a "salesman" if you don't get reciprocated right away"

The disadvantage of Agent A

1. Nobody knows the future
2. Not sure if the client is still alive by the time down payment term is over
3. Not sure if the client will not have a financial problem in the near future
4. Not sure if the client will not change his / her mind
5. Not sure if you are still alive by that time

The disadvantage of Agent B – seldom gets 3% commission on a deal and of course some of the above also.

I’m not paranoid but these are possibilities that may happen… I rather wait just 30 days or a little longer.

I’m not saying Agent A did not have a good decision, what I’m trying to point out here is “there is a better way” to get fast commissions.

Again this is only my strategy, I’m not forcing anyone to adapt what I do, It worked for me it may not work for you. Depends on what listings you want to include in your website.

My friendly suggestion is "mixed-up" your listings

Some agents prefer the 50/50 approach "50% re-sale and rents and "50% pre-selling"

I prefer the 80 / 20 approach "80% re-sale and rents and 20% pre-slling". I put all my resources, marketing and selling strategies on the 80% to get fast commissions.

You may look for developers who gives allowance and at the same time give monthly commissions (pro-rata) – just imagine if you closed 5 deals, it’s almost like you are being paid a salary by the developer. If one or two clients backs out at least you get some portion of your commissions.

1. Get re-sales for faster commissions
2. Get rentals for faster commissions

Happy Selling fellow sales agents!

How to grow your money

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