Josh Kohn directly addresses camera:  While there's a lot about commercial real estate that is different from residential real estate. One thing they have in common is that your marketing must be creative. I'm Joshua Kohn managing partner and broker with Kohn Commercial Real Estate in South Florida. An investment and property management company. We specialize in repositioning underutilized properties and have experience with purchase and lease negotiations.
Portfolio management and development. Let's take 5 minutes to discuss creative ways I find tenants and buyers for our commercial properties and listings. You'll be surprised at how similar they are to how residential agents find buyers for single family homes. You may think that farming for commercial clients is different than residential farming, and the truth is there are many similarities between them.
The easiest way to begin is to use cold calls to establish new relationships. Always check your local do not call registry. Also, tap into your network of friends, family and other industry professionals to gather and share information about the neighborhoods we are working. Surprisingly, real estate signs provide the best return on investment for us as the calls that come from them are usually tenants in the area looking for space and they're usually unrepresented.
If the location does not work for them, we can help them find one that does. Having local knowledge is key. Another way we find clients is by staying in touch with past clients and asking for referrals. You will be surprised at the number of people who say they never hear from their agent after a lease is signed or a transaction is closed.
We might send the gift of a historical and current photo of the property to let them know we appreciate working with them. We also send out a quarterly newsletter with market information. One way we serve our clients is to reach out to off market property owners. Sometimes it's as easy as finding the contacts on Sunbiz.org, but often it requires a more extensive search.
We may look at court documents, county records, news articles and search online. With some research, we are successful in finding the information we need. Not all conversations will lead to immediate listings or contracts. Some clients may only call on you periodically to get market information. Staying current on the market and knowing about new and upcoming changes in local laws can help you stay at the top of their mind when they are ready to make a move.
My last tip to find clients and promote your brand would be to get involved locally. I am a board member with Miami Realtors Commercial, a division of the Miami Association of Realtors. I'm also a volunteer coach with special Olympics Florida for the Miami-Dade stand up paddle team. The prospect of working with people with similar interests and mindsets can make the transaction process less challenging.
I am often surprised at who owns property or is looking to invest. I may be the only commercial realtor they've met. It is especially satisfying to work with people you know and like. Prospecting for commercial properties is the same as for residential. It's about working hard, building relationships and being the source of information. When the buyer is ready to make a move.