Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danielle Giles. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Danielle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I truly believe that success is something personal and can be interpreted in many different ways depending upon the person and their point of view. Growing up in a traditional black middle-class home, my perspective of success when I was younger was to own a lot of STUFF. I wanted a million-dollar home with an expensive car to match, but my younger self was completely unaware of the responsibility and hard work that comes with owning those things. Now, years later, I’m adulting with a family and career and my attitude of success has completely changed. The first step in success comes from your mindset- what are your goals and what are your plans to achieve these goals? Without this mindset, you are essentially blowing with the wind instead of focusing on the paths that are going to lead you to where you want to be. In the words of Antoine Dr Saint-Exupéry “A goal without a plan is just a wish “. Because success is defined differently depending on the individual, I’ve always liked to ask different community leaders and business owners how they’ve become successful and the consist response is “surround yourself with success”. If there’s a business you want to emulate, go to the business owner and ask them how they’ve been able to do what they do so successfully. If you’re looking to be a public figure, connect with your local elected officials and/or attend events where they are seen the most. Inevitably, you will begin to be associated with those persons/groups and more information will be accessible to you that you can utilize to grow personally and/or professionally.
Lastly, I will say that success demands consistency. As you continue to achieve your set goals, there will be different obstacles that will interfere with your plan; however, be determined to never quit. It is absolutely tiring to try and try again, but failure happens to the most successful. Although I can be a very pragmatic person, most of my largest accomplishments came from taking risks. I can remember deciding to change careers from a very stable job in banking to the unpredictable market of real estate. I was terrified of change and how it would negatively impact those I care for, but it turned out to be the best decision I could’ve made. Instead of working an endlessly demanding schedule, I’m now able to work a schedule that works for me. I’ve been able to volunteer with organizations that truly impact my community and most importantly spend time with the people I cherish.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The NC Triad and Triangle are great places to live and work, which is why I chose to call it home. With roots in Lexington N.C., I decided to live in Winston Salem, N.C. in 2008. Real estate truly become a passion for me during my years working at the bank. I was able to learn that true wealth comes with owning land and/or having a home. Unfortunately, homelessness is an ongoing issue for many cities in the United States with an estimated 18% of the population being without a home. I truly believe that everyone deserves a home, regardless of their socioeconomic status and the first step is to be sure the community is educated on the process and able to identify that owning a home is more attainable than it seems.

I’m not just passionate about helping families find their next home but I also serve on many local nonprofits and charity organizations, such as Eliza’s Helping Hands and The Women Fund of Winston Salem, which has really provided another outlet for me to be a part of our ever-growing community.

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

I have found that the most effective strategy for growing my clientele is being consistently involved in the community. Over the years, even prior to real estate, I have truly enjoyed serving on different boards and committees that make large impacts on subjects that matter to me, especially those in our surrounding areas. Since joining one or two boards/committees in my earlier years, I have had the opportunity to serve on multiple boards as well as had many community members now reach out to me for membership. Another important part of growing my clientele is referrals. It still amazes me how well word of mouth has grown my business. I genuinely believe that my clients can tell I absolutely love what I do and it’s so rewarding to assist others make possibly one of the largest purchases in their life.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

One thing that many people miss regardless of their career is following up. I remember working in the bank and hearing how clients would switch financial institutions solely because no one had followed up with them after opening an account. Research has determined that only 2% of business is successfully made at first contact, which leaves 98% of business that legitimately rely on us following up with them. Social media has definitely made it easier to keep up with birthdays and anniversaries, but I prefer to make more personalize connections like knowing my clients’ favorite food or what hobbies they take up when they have time off from work. If I’m actively working with a client, I’ll reach out to them often just to be sure they are getting the service(s) they expect in all aspects of purchasing and/or selling real estate; I’m the go-to person for everything. If my clients are not in the market to purchase or sell, I treat them absolutely the same! I just try to personalize their follow up with things that matter to them where they are in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coldwellbanker.com/nc/winston-salem/agents/danielle-giles/aid-P00200000G6ZlpbqMPfWcdOShqwvF7luqQdNaOUH
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/danielle_giles.nc?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072465887686
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-giles-04079222a/