We were lucky to catch up with Kelli Rae Hurst recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kelli Rae, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share a customer success story with us?

I was recently introduced to a woman with significant health diagnoses and barely able to walk, if at all. She and her then husband lived in a three-level waterfront condo, and needed to sell due to the decline in her health and inability to navigate so many stairs like she used to. This condo had an amazing spot on the water in a desirable community, but was in need of serious work before it could be brought to market. The most obvious issue being the clutter. Nearly every floor had to be cleared of truckloads worth of personal property. The laminate flooring had extensive damage from pets, and the entire interior had been painted black and gray, which contributed to a very dark, uninviting feel in what ought to have been a bright, lakeside retreat.
I contracted my own team of handyman, cleaners, painter, and movers to begin work on the property. We rented a POD in which my movers and I packed, loaded and sent off with the largest portion of personal property to storage. My handyman got to work changing light fixtures, vanities, and making small repairs throughout the unit. To save my clients on costs, my painter and I combined forces to put fresh coats of neutral paint throughout, completely transforming the vibe. I also hired a great flooring company to install new luxury vinyl plank and carpet on every level. My cleaning team then gave everything a good polish before photos of the completely transformed space were taken.
The property showed beautifully, both in the listing and in person, and we had much interest. Within 11 days we were under contract. The seller profited the exact amount desired from the sale, made possible by these extensive preparations. The costs of which were financed by my business up-front, and interest-free. The total was refunded to me upon the closing of the property with the generous proceeds she was able to net from the sale.
This is my value proposition as an agent. I go the extra mile. I roll up my sleeves. I put my own skin in the game. And I put my clients needs first.

Kelli Rae, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I love real estate because I am good one-on-one with people. I have a natural and learned skillset, and history in the service industry, that reinforces my abilities in being a great agent. I have personally walked through more than my fair share of stressful property transactions involving historic homes, new builds, luxury, unusual and usual financing, and commercial scenarios, I sympathize with the stresses that moving can bring. I can and will do whatever possible to alleviate those stresses, and make my clients buying and selling experience as efficient as possible. I am knowledgeable, responsive, understanding and thorough. I am a natural investigator, creative, and problem solver. I welcome a challenge.

I have an artistic background and eye for design, so effectively prepping a property for the most impact on the market, and within a restricted budget, is my wheelhouse. I love helping sellers showcase what makes their property special, and assisting them in their transition to the next chapter by removing all hinderances to that goal. And with an extensive network of professionals and team of contractors to perform whatever tasks needed in that endeavor, my clients know they are covered.

I am an experienced agent in the buying and selling of all types of residential real estate including land, luxury, and condos, but my specialty is the preparation and marketing of properties for the purpose of a greater profit margin on a sale. I turn challenging properties into desirable listings.

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

It may simple, but genuinely care about people. They can tell when you do. And we all want to be around people we feel care about us. However, that care must be coupled with capability. Care without capability will only take you so far. But if you do what you can to continually learn and apply yourself in your field, and you actually care about the betterment of the lives of others, you can’t lose.

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

I have found custom emails to work great for me. My open rate is high, my unsubscribe rate is low. But there are a lot of businesses who use emails to market. What makes the effective ones different? I look at the practices of other companies/brands to see how I might creatively set my messaging apart from the marketing bombardment we are all under, and seek to do it in such a way that adds value to others.

For example, I do not send emails frequently. Maybe two or three per year. Scarcity breeds value. And when I do, I try to make sure they’re interesting. I include information not real-estate related in my emails. Real estate is only so interesting to most audiences. So I include other things. It just so happens I am also an artist, so I include photos of shows and events, new work, etc. It’s a bit unconventional, but that’s better than boring. If I wouldn’t care to see it, why would I think anyone else would?

Include high quality and interesting photos. Not stock images. It needs to feel personal. I’m an event person. I host regular events such as art shows and things involving client appreciation, and I make sure to get adequate records of those events and use them to circle back and show gratitude. It also shows that I’m one who makes things happen, which instills confidence, even if it’s not directly in real estate. Understand what it is you do well, and put it out there. Make it quality, and make it interesting. Tell a story.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelliraere.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellirae.hurst
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellirae.re.design
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kelli-rae-hurst-keller-williams-pinnacle-group-mason?utm_source=ishare
• Other: pinterest: https//pin.it/6JvJN8I

Image Credits

Shannon, Luxe 3D Cincinnati