3 Ways RE/MAX Commercial Brokers Can Build Bigger Business in 2023

Brandon Hughes looks back on his first few years in commercial real estate and recalls the road to success. Now an Associate Broker with powerhouse brokerage RE/MAX Commercial Capital in Alberta, Canada, Hughes’ first three years were the building blocks of something much greater.

“I grinded,” he says. “I knew it would take some time, but I always had the expectation that good things would happen.”

They certainly have for Hughes.

The 27-year-old was recently named one of eight finalists for the Canadian Real Estate Outstanding Young Leaders Award 2022. He’s developed a reputation in the commercial community for his work, including being recognized at the recent Toronto Real Estate Forum as a leader in the industry. Hughes’ commitment to the business and his clients bodes well for his future. While the profession isn’t easy, Hughes says the RE/MAX Commercial brand provides unique advantages to commercial brokers looking to grow in 2023.

Here are a few ways commercial brokers can expand business and close more deals in the new year.

1. Take advantage of robust marketing tools – like Buildout

In 2023, commercial brokers can increase their local awareness and better promote listings by prioritizing marketing. One avenue is to take advantage of technology resources offered by RE/MAX.

Buildout is a digital property marketing platform that empowers commercial professionals in the U.S. and Canada to generate leads. RE/MAX commercial brokers in the U.S. and Canada have access to Buildout at no additional cost.

Best of all, the RE/MAX program for Buildout has been upgraded from the previous “Listing” package to the expansive “Marketing” package. With the upgrade, RE/MAX Commercial brokers using Buildout now have access to existing features as well as email blasts, site plans, comps, offering memorandums and agreements, grids data designer, and more. RE/MAX affiliates not yet using Buildout can get started by contacting RE/MAX Product Support.

Buildout allows commercial brokers to input all the information on a property, create an individual website for a property and then create seamless marketing pieces, including assets for social media. The platform also helps create sales reports, confidentiality agreements, and offering of memorandum documents.

“It’s powerful to have a company resource like Buildout where all commercial brokers can put our listings into one place,” says Doug Jennings, Co-Owner of RE/MAX Commercial Alliance in Denver, Colorado. “And then from there, we can syndicate it to other platforms we need to.”

Buildout helps RE/MAX commercial brokers do what they do best: Close more deals and focus on clients.

2. Expand a referral pipeline

When commercial brokers curate a trusted pipeline of referral connections, they can generate a stream of deals from all over.

When Hughes started out in real estate, he spent his first year attending as many industry events as possible – and to this day, the annual RE/MAX Commercial Symposium is a mainstay for him. He credits the relationships ignited from these events as the foundation for future success and advises others to get involved with local and widespread adjacent organizations to expand their sphere. Hughes is a member of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and now serves on the board.

“It gives me another level of credibility,” he says.

RE/MAX Commercial brokers are active with organizations like CCIM and the REALTORS® Land Institute (RLI), and RE/MAX affiliates have access to membership discounts and more.

“Referrals come in from all over the United States,” Rod Canterbury, Broker and Manager with RE/MAX Advantage in Durant, Oklahoma, says of his involvement with the RLI.

3. Focus on client satisfaction for repeat business

It sounds simple, Hughes says, but not all commercial brokers do it. A couple of years ago, Hughes took a closer look at his closed deals and began tracking the source of each lead. This method, he says, allows commercial brokers to know where to allocate their time and money when searching for new business prospects.

At one point, Hughes realized nine deals in a row had come from repeat clients.

Sometimes, commercial real estate runs at a slower pace compared to the residential side of the industry. Commercial deals often take six to nine months to go from inception to closing. Hughes says a lot of those commercial deals come from repeat business and the same clients – and he recommends focusing on those top clients and really investing in those relationships.

“Don’t communicate with only emails, texts or your computer,” he says. “Being face-to-face is something I’m really going to focus on this year to be successful. I’m going to make sure to do in-person meetings and drive deeper conversations.”

Get RE/MAX News delivered to your inbox! Sign up for News Alerts in the footer below.