We recently connected with Carly Jones and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carly, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Engel & Völkers focuses on relationships versus transactions in the real estate business. This flows with my values in working with my clients. I work hard to working collaboratively with my clients and to create a personal relationships that focuses on their needs, wants and desires. It is not just about closing a transaction. it is about listening to my clients and figuring out how to make the process as easy and stress free as possible, while also understanding their pain points and what they are worried about or concerned about. I worked in corporate America previously and love that I am able to work to gain my client’s trust and work with them to make them feel valued and heard.

I have many clients who look for their dream home for 2-3 years. While some agents may say they are not willing to work with a buyer that long, I believe it is very important not to force buyers into a decision regarding their new home and to make sure that they are truly getting a home that they want. I believe giving them guidance and listening to their concerns is more important than completing a sale. I want them to move into their home and be thrilled that they found most of what they were looking for.

Carly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I previously worked as a litigation attorney, mostly on the defense side. I worked on cases that involved medical malpractice, products liability, and other civil defense matters. I then transitioned to a different law firm that focused on financial litigation and ended up working on foreclosures of big subdivisions during 2008-2011. After I had my older daughter, I decided to take a break and be a stay at home. After about 5 years with my two girls, I knew I needed to go back to work and wanted a more flexible job that would allow me to make my own schedule. I decided real estate was the perfect fit and started in 2016. I’m now licensed in Illinois since 2016 and Michigan since 2020. My legal background gives me extensive knowledge in negotiation skills and contract interpretation. I love being able to use my legal knowledge in real estate, but having more in depth relationships with my clients. I love that I get to create lasting relationships with my clients and the majority of my business is made up of repeat clients or referrals, which I love!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I am a big believer of marketing yourself and your brand. I have a concrete marketing plan that I use to introduce myself to the areas I service and also to show the properties I sell and the people I work with. I make sure that every year I track what marketing is working and what is not and then I tweak my marketing plan each year to make it more robust. I always make sure to make my marketing personal and not just about real estate.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

For me, the best source of new clients is getting referrals from my old clients. My past clients are my best referral source because we have built a relationship and there is a feeling of loyalty and trust. I always try to make sure that when I have people looking for certain referrals, I always think of my clients and the types of services they provide, so it is a two way referral source. I believe that my past clients can speak directly to how I work, the attention I give to all my clients, my ability to listen and truly hear what they need or want, and that I can work hard for their needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlyjonesengelvoelkers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlyjonesrealestate
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyjonesrealestate/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carlyjonesengelvoelkersilmi

Image Credits

Engel & Völkers Americas (for all but the image of me)