January 20 2014
We have been publishing a series of articles that profile how real estate professionals are leveraging Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®) to be more successful. Today, our article focuses on a commercial REALTOR®, Paul Martis.
We understand that you're busy, so we're going to provide a quick summary here. In one minute or less, these are the things you can take away from Paul's success with RPR®:
Don't wait until your MLS signs up for RPR® before taking a look at it, because there's actually some value you can take advantage of without an MLS agreement.
Visual representation of data is an important way to communicate with clients and can help get them more excited about their real estate transaction. RPR® can help provide highly visual reports that enhance clients' understanding and enthusiasm.
Mention RPR® tools, and the opportunities they open up, to clients during a listing presentation to help win the listing.
As a member of MRED, Paul Martis does not yet have access to full functionality of RPR® (although it should be available soon). However, this did not stop him from exploring the possibilities of the tool after a presentation to the Main Street Organization of REALTORS®.
"Soon afterward," Paul explains, "someone referred a new client to me, a wine retailer. It was a perfect opportunity to leverage RPR®." Usually, commercial agents are asked to research an area and negotiate on the client's behalf for a good lease. "We don't usually suggest a marketing approach," Paul explains, "but RPR® helped me show my new client a hidden opportunity for direct mailing in an area that was a bit beyond the immediate area in which they were located." This suggestion gave Paul another level of value with the client, "and we have a continuing relationship because of it."
How'd he do it? Using heat maps, Paul looked beyond the usual 1 to 3 mile area around a client's retail location. The heat maps revealed an area of active consumer spending. Without RPR®, he says, he might have overlooked those areas, and missed an opportunity to prove his value to his client.
Even before you win a listing, Paul says, RPR® can help. "Most metro markets have a small percentage of commercial brokers that are not part of an association. Because they're not part of an association, they won't have access to the RPR® tools. This is something I would mention in a presentation to a new client." Paul explains that RPR® also becomes a recruiting tool for bringing in a new broker to your office.
Paul Martis is a commercial REALTOR®, educator and mentor based in Oak Brook, IL. With a B.S. in Urban Planning, he is a licensed real estate managing broker and Illinois licensed CE instructor.
Read past articles in our series about RPR®: