Question: What could be more important than your business plan?
Answer: Your habits.
An Agent’s daily and weekly habits are more important than the quality of their business plan. Both, plan and habits are best. But of the two, habits rule.
Consider these two Agents. Which would you rather be?
Amy Agent has a great plan and lousy habits. She is really excited about her plan. But… her lack of habits means that she does not consistently take action. Her lead generation and follow up are mediocre. Her marketing is random. Her service and communication with her Clients is hit or miss. It is easy to imagine how these lousy habits limit Amy’s success and add to her frustration.
In contrast Annie Agent actually has no formal plan but she has great habits. She always feels like a better plan would help her. But… on the same days of the week, at the same times, in the same place, in the same way she consistently follows up her leads; sends direct mail, e-mail blasts, and blogs. She communicates with her Clients on schedule. It is easy to imagine how Annie’s habits feed her success, create personal satisfaction and a better quality of life.
Habits Work. Consistency Works. Consistency Wins. It’s universal.
Habits ensure success in every endeavor. The athlete and the team with the better habits win. The marriage with the better habits thrives.
It’s Not Time Management. It is Priority Management.
Time management seldom works. Priority management always works.
In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey wrote, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
There are eight priorities that guarantee success in a Real Estate career. Scheduling them is remarkably easy. Developing the tiniest bit of discipline around them, one at a time, turns them into habits.
The Priorities of a Successful Real Estate Career Are:
Look at and Update Your Measurable Results Daily
Make Appointments with new Clients
Conduct Your Technology Marketing
Implement Your Traditional Marketing
Provide Quality Service to Your Listed Sellers and Pending Clients
Think and Strategize
Improve Your Presentations (as necessary)
Learn Inventory by Previewing Property (as necessary)
Presentations, handling pending transactions, showing, offers, negotiating, etc are also priorities but they are dependent on other people’s schedules. Therefore they are difficult to build as habits. Turning the above eight priorities into habits guarantee the presentations, showings, offers, etc that result in your success.
Four Critical Keys to Turning the Eight Priorities into Habits
Schedule the priorities, for 30 minutes (at the beginning); first thing in the morning as soon as you sit down at your desk. That’s not the real key. This is; complete the priorities for that day before you open your e-mail!
Schedule each priority on the same day of the week, at the same time, in the same place, and get started in the same way.
Start with one priority at a time. Once you experience the value of having one habit. You will be motivated to add the next.
Start with 30 minutes or less. This feels less burdensome. It motivates efficiency. And the fact is that you can accomplish a lot when you are really focused for 30 minutes on one priority.
In all of my workshops, on every topic, I teach Agents to create habits. I teach Agents to implement the topic of the workshop through better habits.
Let me be clear. Business planning is very important. In fact planning is a main focus of my coaching and teaching. But I know that your habits, not your plan, dictate your success. And it is your habits that will guarantee the implementation of your plan and the success of your business and your life.
Rich Levin speaks to Real Estate audiences coast to coast on raising Agent production. He customizes a coaching plan and business strategy for each of his Clients. His planning tools are simple and extraordinarily effective. People immediately recognize his sincere desire and commitment to improve the business and the life of everyone he encounters. Contact Rich at 585-244-2700 rich@richlevin.com.
