There are dozens of tips that could benefit an agent, broker or real estate team, but I am going to keep it simple and focus on what I like to call “the three most critical Cs.”

These are the three most essential components necessary for achieving success in the real estate industry. Coincidentally, these are also the ones our industry is most lacking.

When I first begin working with an agent or brokerage firm, I can tell whether they have what it takes to be successful right from the get-go: if making decisions is an area of weakness and the decision-makers are consistently holding up our marketing efforts, failure is in the future, unless they reprioritize.

In a sense, poor decision-making skills show that the company isn’t dedicated to the brand, or worse, to the business itself.

So, how do you ensure the success of marketing efforts? It starts by employing the three Cs.

It isn’t enough to simply create a new brand or website. Instead, you must create a marketing plan and put it into action.

Start with a marketing budget, then plan what you will do each month and set aside the necessary funds. Be as detailed as possible, including items such as print media, digital media, direct mail, email, social media and content. Break down exactly how much you want to spend on each.

The more structured your plan, the easier it will be to follow through.

Whatever you invest in, make sure you can sustain it long-term and prioritize doing so. If you set out to send one postcard every month to your farm community, don’t find excuses to stall or forget to do it.

Marketing doesn’t work if it’s not consistently hitting your target audience. Trust me, your competition will send out those postcards every week and steal your market share.

You don’t have to run an award-winning, society-changing campaign … you just have to be more creative than the competition.

If you send the same exact postcard that your competitors are sending, you can’t expect to get results. Instead of jumping on the “direct mail is dead” bandwagon, simply change your strategy.

There is plenty that can be done in terms of design, copy and production to make direct mail effective — and the same holds true for all media.

Prioritize letting your brand show through with every piece. Don’t just promote yourself as number one; do something different and connect with your audience on a deeper level.

In real estate marketing, we tend to see a lot of the same old material, and that’s easy for prospects to ignore. There are endless opportunities to get creative, so take advantage of them.

To be successful, you must commit.

Referrals are vital for agents, and a great way to get them is by doing an excellent job. If you tell sellers you are going to market their home well, do it.

Regrettably, we see many agents promise the world to secure the listing, but then fall short when it comes to follow-through. They get too busy to send emails, mail marketing pieces or launch ads.

Always stay on top of your commitments; and if you choose to hire a marketing team, make yourself available to provide approval or supply the team with key information so nothing falls through.

Sellers can’t be fooled forever, and they will demand that you do what you promised. If you don’t, you’ll lose that listing to an agent who delivers, and you’ll likely lose future business as well.

This is even more true for homes at higher price points. If you can’t market properties well and get them sold quickly, you’re costing your sellers money, and you’re costing yourself referrals.

When we asked 50 random people why they chose their agent, everyone produced similar responses. In a nutshell, agents who make lasting impressions in buyers‘ or sellers’ mailboxes came out on top.

Is that proof enough of the importance of consistency, creativity and commitment?

I believe it is.

It’s time to stop putting off success and start achieving it by implementing the three Cs.

Laura Ure is the CEO of Keenability, a marketing agency specializing in lifestyle marketing that targets the affluent buyer. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Email Laura Ure

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