Winning With Teamwork
While Kyle Killebrew was earning a finance degree from Western Illinois University, a professor inspired him to go into real estate. Good call. He was the No. 2 agent for his office in 2009. A team-building session at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in 2009 inspired him to hire a coach and begin building his three-person team. Although he and his teammates close more than 150 transactions a year, he says they work hard to give each client personalized attention. Over time, he'd like to build a portfolio of investment properties and drive up his price range while reducing his transaction numbers.
Start With the Basics
Killebrew is no technophobe, but he prefers direct communication over Facebook or Twitter. "I think some of the new media distracts new agents," he says. "I think you need to go with the fundamentals first. Technology is imperative—but as a supplement."
Farm, Farm, and Farm Some More
Killebrew grew up in a teeny Illinois farming community (population: 850). Today, farming has a new meaning for him. He sells what he loves, targeting neighborhoods he finds appealing. He'll knock on doors, send mailers, and create local Web sites to demonstrate to residents how eager he is to become “their guy.”