The trouble is, a good Realtor doesn't always realize that he or she does anything different from everyone else. You know all the things you do for your clients and feel that it's just part of the job. But you don't always recognize the fact that you're special. Not all agents do what you do.

For instance, some agents don't return their phone calls. Ever.

Just because you make it a point to answer your client's inquires as quickly as possible, you assume that others do the same. But some wait for hours, or until tomorrow, or until next week. And as I said, some don't bother to call at all.

You probably also keep your listing clients informed about activity on their property. But not all agents do that.

You probably take the time to prepare an accurate market analysis before suggesting a selling price. Some agents just pull a number out of the air, and some deliberately quote a high price in order to get the listing.

How about the way you market your listings? You probably go out of your way to take good photos, or even have a professional take them. And you probably take the time to fill in all the blanks on the MLS listing sheet - including some enticing descriptions. And then, you probably do an extensive "virtual tour" on yours or your company's website.

After that, you probably have some methods of your own that you use to get your listings in front of both buyers and agents with buyers. Right?

Not all agents bother with all that. Some just fill in whatever is required for a MLS listing and forget about it.

Beyond that you may offer special services such as help with staging or with finding rental properties for families who are in that space between selling an old home and moving into a new one.

And what about the help you provide during that crucial time between getting an offer and attending a closing? If you've been in real estate sales for very long, I'm sure you've run into agents who don't pitch in to solve the problems that can cause a transaction to fail.

So before you begin your next round of self-marketing, take the time to sit down and list all the things you do for your buyers and sellers - even if those things seem trivial to you.

Then think about which of those things are most important to your prospects, and write about them.

Remember not to start out by saying "I return all phone calls the same day." Instead, turn it around so the focus is on your prospects and the service they want. Say something like: "Your questions and concerns are important to me, so I'll always return your calls within X hours."

About the author:

Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter who specializes in writing for real estate and related industries.

She'll help you with one letter, or an entire marketing plan. For Real Estate agents and brokers who are ready to get full value from their websites, she'll be happy to put together an entire package - from the web copy to the lead generation packages that make an agent's phone ring.

For busy agents on a budget, Marte offers pre-written letter sets for use in postal mail or in e-mail continuity campaigns. The current selection includes letters for FSBO's, Expired Listings, Short Sale sellers, First Time Buyers, and a set for new agents to send to buyers. Read what's included in these sets by visiting http://www.copybymarte.com/pro/prospecting.html.

Marte's weekly ezine for real estate professionals offers tips and hints for building a successful business. To subscribe, and to see other resources available for real estate sales professionals, visit her at http://www.copybymarte.com.