SANTO DOMINGO.- If real estate agents focused more on providing customer service and less on chasing sales, their results would be more effective, said Reyna Echenique, who testified that her success in the sector took off the moment she changed this perspective.
“In my first full year in this business, I went three months without closing a sale, but everything changed the moment I stopped chasing sales and focused on customer service,” explained the “Queen of Real Estate,” speaking at the “Master Agent 360” event.
He called on real estate agents to let go of their obsessive focus on commissions and quick closes. “Sales start with you, but they’re not about you or your needs, but about your client’s needs. When emotions are contagious, sales are a process, not an event,” he said.
He said that if each step is not completed, the sale cannot be achieved. “Sales are a process, not an event; the commission is an effect, not a cause,” Echenique stated.
Reyna Echenique. (Fidel Pérez/El Inmobiliario).
He opined that the two pillars supporting the success of a real estate business are investment in itself and in the client. “It’s about focusing on satisfying the client’s needs, not just making a sale. We often focus so much on chasing the sale that we forget about ourselves.”.
He prompted the audience to reflect on the investment they are currently making in their growth, highlighting that this has been one of his main strategies in recent years. “I have invested in my personal brand; 99% of my clients contact me because of my personal brand. Invest in your image; it's the first thing your client buys. It's a powerful tool for boosting your sales,” Echenique asserted.
She added that she also invests in her technical skills. “In my self-knowledge, which has led me to discover my strengths, that's why I've identified that my distinguishing feature is the legal aspect,” stated the real estate law specialist.
He explained that when a real estate agent takes the time to understand their client's needs deeply, the outlook changes for the better. "It's not magic or luck, it's hard work.".
Reyna Echenique explained that when dealing with foreign investor clients, she doesn't limit herself to the typical question of whether it's for living or investing. “In my case, I go further. I ask them why they want to invest in the country, if they understand the taxes, their future plans, what they want to achieve, how much they want to earn each year, and these questions guide me in making my client my partner. That has been one of my biggest secrets,” she said.
He added that he never focuses on the number of rooms. “I ask them if they have children or plan to have them, if they are employed or homeowners. Selling an apartment to a single person who has never been married is not the same as selling one to someone who is getting divorced.”.
Echenique said that these questions "become the arsenal of knowledge to make our client our accomplice.".
Another mistake the real estate consultant, with 20 years in the market, cited is the lack of planning, because improvisation is the silent enemy. “Those who don't plan, plan to fail. If you want a positive outcome, you have to change.”.
Strategic communication
“We have a reputation for wanting to talk a lot, and a good communicator must know how to listen,” Echenique said.
He suggested to the attendees at the training session that they put strategic communication into practice, based on the client's needs. "The client wants us to focus on what they like. Two powerful words: the first is to ask; we are not God to know our clients' hearts, and the second is 'why,' and clients open up, turning them into partners.".
He talked about SMART goals: measurable, relevant, specific, achievable, and time-bound.
He advised real estate agents to work on building strong relationships with their clients based on a methodology of communication and follow-up, mentioning that in his case, working with foreigners, he sends quarterly reports on construction progress, travel planning, video calls, emails, key data, and that this methodology has worked for him.
“We are in such a beautiful, privileged business that allows us to change lives and improve the lives of our customers,” Echenique pointed out.
