How to Hit Hall of Fame Status in Less than Five Years

BethAnn Long (aka “BethAnn in Spokane”) says she “works a lot and works hard but keeps good boundaries.” A mom of five kids – including two sets of twins! – Long wanted to contribute to the family’s finances. So she entered into real estate figuring it was in her blood as her father owned a brokerage in the ’70s and ’80s.

She was with Coldwell Banker for 11 years and recalls, “I thought I was happy there.” But after she was contacted in 2014 by a RE/MAX office looking to expand, she realized she’d been missing out.

“I met with the broker and as I learned how agent-centric RE/MAX is, I was like, ‘WOW,'” says Long, a Hall of Fame agent with RE/MAX Inland Empire in Spokane, Washington.

Right at the time she was changing brokerages, the cancer survivor went in for a routine screening. That’s when she was diagnosed with a recurrence of thyroid cancer. In 2015, her second set of twins graduated high school, she underwent a radical neck dissection and sustained permanent nerve damage, all while striving to maintain a work/life/health/family balance and starting down her new RE/MAX path. Talk about #REMAXHustle.

Long joined RE/MAX based on its foundation of being “a business that builds businesses.” She knew the way to succeed with the brand was to dive in head-first and take advantage of its many tools and resources. Long credits her Broker/Owner, John Leland, and his predecessor, Jennifer Valerien, for their dedication to excellence and encouragement for her to explore all the offerings a brand of this size could provide. Within three years, Long earned membership into the RE/MAX Platinum Club ($250,000-$499,999 GCI in a calendar year) and within five years, she was inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame ($1 million in GCI). She says it was all about “using the tools RE/MAX has, studying them, and putting them to work.”

Here are her tried-and-true strategies for how to grow a business:

1.     Have Your RE/MAX Profile Speak for Itself

“Be sure that your RE/MAX profile is really good,” Long says. She credits eight to 10 deals a year to RE/MAX referrals thanks to her complete profile, online reviews and her habit of answering the phone. It sounds easy, but answering the phone is critical to success, according to Long. Except for when she is with clients or enjoying some family moments, Long always picks up the phone.

2.     Grow and Maintain Your Database

“You need a minimum of 350 people in your database,” Long says. “Your database is your gold mine, or should I say platinum mine.” Every month, she sends a mailer and an email newsletter, and every year she hosts a client holiday party and, as a Miracle agent, an August Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraiser. “You must be consistently top of mind for the people who know, like and trust you,” she adds.

3.     Keep in Contact

Whether it’s through RE/MAX tools, coaching or good old-fashioned texting and calling, stay relevant to your audience, she suggests. For Long, Larry Kendall’s “Ninja Selling” book was enlightening. She also loves Darren Hardy, and is currently attending his “Insane Productivity” course paid for by her Managing Broker. 

4.     Focus on Your Mindset

Taking a page from Adam Contos’ motto “Start With a Win,” Long believes a person’s belief system is everything. “I will not be brought down by any negativity about the market or what it means to be a Realtor. No matter what, there is an abundance of business in every market,” she says.

Above all, she advises other agents to remember they are in the business of service, not sales. Be where you are and be present. “In this high-tech world, giving people your full attention is a practice we can choose, and it makes a world of difference,” she says.

“Having a cancer diagnosis and recurrence gave me plenty to think about in my personal life,” she says. “I had to work at it, but it was freeing to give my clients undivided attention. In fact, it was energy-giving not to be splitting all my thoughts on other deals, my health and the market.”

Today, six years after she joined the RE/MAX family, Long says she is passionate about the RE/MAX brand (and attending the annual RE/MAX R4 convention!). Having operated as a solo agent until last year, she has now hired a part-time assistant and works with her son, Riley, who’s continued the generational career path and is a RE/MAX agent. Riley has his own separate business, but the two often collaborate and share common clients. Her brother Shane is also a very successful agent of 44 years, and has also joined RE/MAX.   

“None of the things I do are a secret,” Long says. “I hit Hall of Fame because I channel each and every one of these tips every day. I have tons of passion for this industry and believe everyone can reach their goals if they set their mind to it.”