Growing sales in real estate and beyond, requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses marketing strategies, client engagement, market understanding and more. The following are some best practices to help sales professionals achieve sustainable growth:

1. Learn your audience: Conducting market research is so important prior to making any cold calls or outreach. Market research will help you understand industry trends, client preferences and the competition. Next, by taking the time to gather feedback from your clients and prospects, you will zero-in on their needs and pain points.

2. Deliver superior services: This might sound obvious, but it will serve you well. Ensure your services exceed client expectations. Through continuous innovation, you will keep your offerings relevant and better than your competition.

3. Strengthen your client relationships: By providing exceptional customer service, trust will be established and maintained. Resolve issues right when they happen. Don’t wait. And tailor your offers to the specific needs of different client segments. There is no one-size-fits-all here.

4. Optimize sales processes: Use a CRM software to manage and track all sales leads. Excel spreadsheets are not sufficient. Data analytics will track sales performance and identify patterns and trends. You can’t make informed decisions without this detailed feedback.

5. Expand your outreach: In terms of geographical expansion, it’s a good idea to explore new markets and regions in order to gain new clientele. Next, by diversifying your approach, you will also reach a wider audience. You can use a mix of direct sales and online platforms.

By combining these 5 suggestions, you can effectively grow sales in real estate and any industry for that matter. You want to build a strong foundation for sustained success and growth.

For more tips on Sales, watch this video that discusses sales in the context of real estate:

Homebuying is no simple feat. It can be time-consuming, expensive and confusing, so it’s no wonder people want to cut corners. But those cuts can be costly, especially when mortgage shopping.

Our latest survey found that the majority of buyers don't shop around for a mortgage and many are leaving money on the table because of that. Here’s what else we found. 

• Over half (54%) of those who took out a mortgage for their most recent home purchase only got one loan offer. Meanwhile, 22% got two offers and 17% got three or more. 
• Among those who compared more than one mortgage offer, 45% say the lowest offer didn’t come from their first lender.
• Refinancers are more savvy with comparison shopping. Of the 45% of homebuyers who refinanced, 56% shopped around. Comparison shopping paid off, as 81% found a lower rate than their current lender offered.
• Over a third (35%) of buyers say they purchased a home earlier than planned to take advantage of low rates. 

You can check out our full report here: https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/shopping-around-survey/

LendingTree's Senior Economist and report author, Jacob Channel, had this to say:

"The exact amount that a borrower can save by shopping around for a mortgage will vary based on factors such as the rates they’re offered and the size of their loan. That said, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for someone who received multiple offers and then picked the one with the lowest rate to save hundreds of dollars a month, thousands of dollars a year and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of their loan."