Tip: Develop a business philosophy and a plan to reach long- and short-term goals.
As Houston couples contemplate saying “I do” to each other, they also consider saying it to Bernadette Hurley. She’s turned four annual bridal shows into a source of 4,000 leads.
Show attendees complete a form about their homebuying plans for a chance to win wedding-related prizes. Hurley, a salesperson with Keller Williams Realty in Sugar Land, Texas, then invites them to a comprehensive homebuying seminar. “On the showroom floor, I have 30 seconds to make a first impression. In class, I have a captive audience, where they have three hours to get to know me and I can assess their needs,” she says.
Another source of business is seminars on homebuying and investing she conducts at Lowe’s and Home Depot. Hurley set up the seminars by pitching the idea to store managers.
She manages the leads and business through Houston Home Buyer Resource, a team of five licensed practitioners, a licensed assistant, and an office manager, that she formed in 1999. “Every year we fine-tune our systems, and every year we’ve doubled our business,” says Hurley. In 2001, HHBR had $9.8 million in sales volume.