Success in real estate doesn’t happen by accident. In the following interview, Joyce Delery, Anne Delery Comarda and Marty Brantley of Engel & Völkers New Orleans discuss innovation, motivation and collaboration.
Joyce Delery
License Partner & Sponsoring Broker
Anne Delery Comarda
License Partner & Associate Broker
Marty Brantley
License Partner
Engel & Völkers New Orleans
New Orleans, La.
Region served: New Orleans
Average time on market: 24 – 28 days
Average sales price: $240,000
Top tip for thriving in today’s market: Be innovative and responsive to the evolving needs of agents and clients.
What do you like most about working in real estate?
Joyce Delery: Making a difference in people’s lives. From helping clients move to the next chapter in their lives, seeing a small child’s excitement as they pick out their bedroom in their new home, to helping a brother and sister sell the family home they grew up in as their parents retire and downsize, I enjoy being able to make an emotional part of someone’s life as smooth as possible.
What is your secret to effective time management?
Marty Brantley: We each manage our time differently, but what makes our individual approaches effective is being able to see when a teammate is struggling so we can pitch in to help each other complete the task at hand.
How do you keep your marketing strategy relevant?
MB: Our marketing strategy is designed to achieve or support two goals: 1) staying in front of our primary client base and former clients; 2) creating awareness and a connection with targeted demographics that we believe provide an opportunity for growth. We constantly monitor our local media outlets for unique placement opportunities that allow our company to stand out and, where possible, assess the results of a campaign as it occurs. We also believe each marketing campaign or placement should be unique to the audience it’ll be in front of. For example, our advertising in a few key local magazines is designed to tell the story of our company and the Engel & Völkers brand, rather than promoting a particular listing or home.
How does your company stay flexible and current?
JD: We’re not afraid to try new things or adapt our roles in order to continue to thrive and grow. By having three license partners, we’re able to lean on a wider array of leadership skills and our collective breadth of past experiences in other industries. This sets us apart from many of our competitors who may be limited to the strengths and skills of a single managing partner’s experience.
How do you keep your agents motivated?
Anne Delery Comarda: We recently concluded our annual “Run for the Roses” sales contest. We track transactions from Mardi Gras to the Kentucky Derby and assign a point value for each transaction—listing, sale, lease, under contract—and have an awards ceremony the week after the Derby. We divide our advisors into four teams, and we have team awards and individual awards with prizes varying from iPads to company-branded merchandise. We also believe in celebrating as a family—from a summer lobster boil to our annual holiday party.
For more information, visit www.evusa.com.