Confidence is an essential factor in any career, but it’s especially crucial when working in competitive fields like sales and real estate.
Whether you are a sales representative or a real estate agent, having confidence in yourself and your skills can make all the difference between success and failure.
To be successful in these fields, you must have the drive to succeed. You must also have the ability to maintain a positive attitude even during challenging times.
With that being said, here are some tips on how to build your confidence in the world of sales and real estate.
What is Confidence?
This may seem like a silly question, but let's start with the basics: What is confidence? Confidence is a belief in yourself, your abilities, and the value of what you do.
Most importantly, it doesn't come from pretending you're someone you're not – it comes from believing in the real you. It’s an understanding that even if things don't always go your way you can still find success because you are a person destined for success.
On the F.I.R.E.D. Up Podcast episode “Unlocking Your True Potential Through Confidence in the World of Sales and Real Estate 😎 Ep. (794)”, professional speaker and author Heather Monahan sat down with host Krista Mashore to discuss just this.
Being conventionally attractive women has been a positive and a negative in their experiences, especially when it comes to reactions to what they wear.
But they both noticed that once they had the confidence to “rock what they wanted to rock” after establishing themselves and their careers, they knew the audience would listen to them no matter what.
Confidence is also something that is cultivated over time. It doesn’t come overnight, but it can be developed through practice and by changing your mindset.
Confidence also looks different in different settings. Monahan and Mashore both noticed that certain people would listen to them more if they wore formal business clothes, which made them more confident when dealing with those people.
They also noticed that later in their career, what they wore mainly had to make them feel confident because their audience knew and respected them no matter what.
What Do Confident Sales and Real Estate Professionals Look Like?
A confident professional in the fields of sales and real estate looks like someone who knows their worth. They understand that their abilities and skills have value, and they are comfortable asking to be compensated for them in both sales and real estate.
Furthermore, they understand that success is never guaranteed but can still come through hard work and dedication.
Confident sales and real estate professionals also understand the importance of networking in these fields. Networking is a powerful tool for connecting with potential clients or partners, learning about industry trends, and finding support from other professionals in your field.
It’s important to approach networking with confidence because it will help you make meaningful connections that can lead you on a path of success.
On the podcast, Monahan also highlighted how she's using AI like Grammarly to keep her written communications confident, especially through brevity. “People want you to get to the point,” She said. “They want you to appreciate them, convey a message, and keep it moving.”
Keeping your writing concise not only helps you sound more confident but also makes you feel more confident that your clients understand exactly what you're trying to convey.
Tools like Grammarly will even evaluate your writing to tell you how confident it is, giving you suggestions for how to improve.
Confidence Is Not…
It’s important to remember that confidence is not about being perfect. It’s also not about pretending you have all the answers or know everything. Confidence is simply believing in yourself and your abilities, even if you don't always get it right.
Real estate agents and sales representatives need to understand that mistakes are inevitable. You will probably say the wrong thing to potential buyers or forget to email property managers at some point in your career.
Having a confident mindset will help you bounce back from them quicker and learn from them so they don’t happen again in the future.
You should never let a mistake define who you are as a professional or what your capabilities are. This often leads to negative self-talk, which can cause you to develop a lack of confidence in your abilities.
You should also always be open to learning, and if you're trying too hard to be perfect or know everything, you'll miss out on some great learning opportunities.
Also, confidence is not about being arrogant or having a false sense of superiority. Confidence is about believing in yourself and your abilities, not belittling others to make yourself feel better.
It’s important to remember that every individual has their own unique strengths and weaknesses – no one person can do everything perfectly!
And finally, confidence is not about staying in your comfort zone. It’s important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and take risks if you want to be successful, but it’s also important not to let fear get the best of you.
If you have confidence in yourself and your abilities, then you can take those risks without being crippled by fear or anxiety. Of course, do some things to make yourself feel comfortable, but always look for ways to push yourself beyond what you ever thought possible.
Selling Confidence
We've discussed this a bit already, but how exactly do you convince others that you are confident? Selling confidence comes from a lot of different small factors combined that you build up over time. Here are some of the key factors Monahan and Mashore discuss in the F.I.R.E.D. Up Podcast:
- Dress for Success: It's important to dress for the part. When you look good, you feel good, especially if you feel comfortable. It also conveys an air of confidence. But keep your audience in mind – some people will respond better to formal attire, and others will be more at ease with someone who dresses business casual.
- Get to the Point: Don't ramble or get lost in details. Be concise and direct, and make sure your point is clear. Whether you're emailing, on the phone, or making a sale in person, work on how to state the facts without fluff. AI is a great tool to help with this!
- Embrace Change: Monahan and Mashore are embracing new tech like AI to get work done without fear. But they aren't relying on it completely. They are using AI like Grammarly and ChatGPT as helping tools to get them started or edit what they've already written.
- Always Work Hard: Whether you are in the sales or real estate industry, always work hard and be willing to put in the extra effort. It will show your clients that you truly care about their needs. Do your research and don't cut corners – it's easy to tell who put in the work and who didn't.
- Good Things Come to Those Who Wait: Don't expect immediate success. It takes time to build your business and establish yourself as a credible source. You're never too late or too early to get started – just keep working hard and it will all pay off in the end.
- There's Always Another Way: Don't get frustrated if one plan doesn't work out or you keep hearing “no”. Look for ways to think outside the box and see where else you can find potential long-term success. It may be somewhere completely unexpected, so keep your eyes open!
- Be Friendly and Build Your Network: Having a friendly attitude and building relationships is critical in any career, but especially in sales. People are more likely to work with you if they trust and like you. If you nurture those connections well, they could stick with you for years to come.
By adding just a few of these skills to your day-to-day operations, you're sure to feel more confident – and your prospective buyers are sure to notice.
You can learn so much more about building confidence through these factors by listening to Monahan and Mashore on episode 794 of the F.I.R.E.D. Up podcast, available on Google Podcasts. You can also get regular updates from Monahan on how to be your best, most confident self by following her online! Check out her website, Facebook, and/or Instagram for tips like these and more to unlock your confidence in the world of sales and real estate.
