What a new commercial sales agents needs to do

The first thing any new sales agent must do to become successful is to make themselves an expert in their area of concentration. This can be done by tracking sales and leasing of both residential units and commercial properties. It is not a difficult task but it may be time consuming. Tracking your transactions is invaluable. The agent also needs to walk the area and become familiar with their territory. They should know about any new developments, new retail tenants, demographics and any positive or negative influences that will affect their area. Territory intelligence is very useful when it comes to impressing a potential client. A new agent needs to get a good database to store the information and be a sponge for every bit of property data they can find. The agent also needs to identify the buyers, sellers and developers in their area. You must know your competition. A commercial sales agent is about market intelligence. A prospective client, either buyer or seller, wants to work with someone who is knowledgeable, credible and likable. Credibility is everything in this business. Once you lose your credibility with either party it is very difficult to get it back. There are many aspects to becoming a successful broker. Some things can be learned but it's what is inside that broker that sets them apart from the rest and takes the broker from average to exceptional. Be confident, persistent and accountable. Marc Alper is a broker and trainer at GFI Realty Services, Inc., New York, N.Y.