You get paid what you believe you’re worth.
Not what the market dictates. Not what your competitors are charging. What you believe, and more importantly, what you can confidently justify.
Let’s break down what that really means and how you can start lifting your fees by backing yourself properly.
1. You set the standard, not the market
If you walk into an appointment unsure about your value or apologising for your fee, guess what? You’ll either lose the instruction or end up dropping your rate.
On the flip side, if you walk in confidently, fully prepared, and ready to clearly demonstrate the value you bring, vendors will be more willing to pay what you ask.
It’s not just about the number you say. It’s about everything you’ve done before you even get to that conversation.
2. Preparation is everything
You might be thinking, “That would never work in my area”. But the truth is, it does work when you do the prep properly.
Before you even walk through the front door of a potential listing, you should already be presenting yourself as the local expert. Your marketing, your social media, your presence in the community, all of it should support the idea that you’re the go-to agent in your patch.
Then it’s about how you actually deliver your pitch. You don’t need to memorise a script. You need to own your presentation. Learn it so well that you can deliver it naturally, confidently, and flexibly, no matter who’s sitting across from you.
3. Embrace training and development
One of the most powerful and most underused tools at your disposal is recording your appointments.
Record your pitch. Watch it back. Notice where you lose energy, where you ramble, where the vendor’s eyes glaze over. Then fix it.
This kind of self-review is common in B2B sales, but in real estate, it’s rare. When you do it, you’ll improve fast.
If you run a business, take this further with your team. Go on valuations with them. Coach them. Give feedback. You’ll be shocked how much that’s missing in the industry.
Can you develop on your own? To a point, yes. But often you need someone outside to challenge your thinking. There’s also plenty of content out there (podcasts, training, videos) you can learn from. But you can’t just consume it. You have to apply it.
4. Experience isn’t the same as growth
Just because you’ve been in the industry for 15 years doesn’t mean you’ve been improving for 15 years. Too many agents repeat one year of experience 15 times.
If you’re not actively working on your craft, you’re not developing; you’re just cruising.
The top agents who consistently earn two or three percent in some markets aren’t lucky. They’re committed to constant refinement.
5. Good is the enemy of great
If you’re doing okay right now, it’s easy to settle. But “okay” is dangerous because it tricks you into thinking you’re at your best.
Think about it this way: if you have 8% market share and your nearest competitor has 6%, you might feel like you’re winning. But you’re still missing out on 92% of listings.
What would happen if you took full ownership of your processes and improved them at every level? That’s how you go from good to great.
At the end of the day, this is about responsibility. Your development. Your standards. Your results. If you want to get paid more, win more instructions, and grow your business, it starts with what you believe you’re worth, and whether you’re prepared to prove it.
So back yourself. Prepare properly. Practise like a pro. Ask for the fee you deserve and deliver on it. That’s how you win.
