Three Decisions and Actions Determine Your Strong Start to 2011
The year is ending. You can decide to coast through December or take a few simple actions that ensure a strong start and continued success throughout 2011.
The Actions: Complete a simple business plan. It is very important that it is both simple and completed quickly.
Take immediate action on the first workday of 2011 to ensure that you begin your plan within the first week of the New Year.
Begin to embed the actions of your 2011 plan as habits that ensure you stick with your plan for the entire year.
Your Simple Business Plan: Time Required -Approximately 1 Hour.
As you begin this plan it may seem familiar. As you get to the last steps and beyond you will see why it is likely to be the plan that actually makes your goals happen.
Important: Complete these steps quickly. Do not dwell on or labor over them.
Your Motivation and Attitude: Write down why you want to sell Real Estate in 2011; and what you want your Real Estate results to do for your life and your loved ones in 2011.
Write down the minimum amount of income or sales production that would make you feel that you are achieving those things for you and your loved ones. Review your past three year’s income or production so that your goal is based on facts.
Write down (or type on a document) the 12 months of the year one under the other. Write down a production by contract date for each month. Example: Jan: $300,000 under contract. This is the total sale price of the homes you will put under contract in January. (Note: contract not closing month)
Determine how many sales for the year that will require. Simply divide the annual goal by a conservative estimate of your average price. Example: Annual Goal is $3,000,000. Divided by Average Price of $150,000. Total sales are 20.
Determine how many new Clients you will need for the year to achieve this. Double the number of sales. Example: 20 sales require 40 new Clients. (We have proven this statistic with thousands of Agents coast to coast.)
Determine how many new Clients you need each week. Divide by 40. We use 40 instead of 52 weeks for the year to be conservative and realistic. Example: 40 new Clients needed divided by 40 weeks is 1 new Client per week.
Decide what 2 or 3 activities are most likely to get you that small number of appointments per week. Base this on where your past business has come from. Actually list where your sales have come from for the past one or two years so you are completely accurate about sources. The most common activities are: Follow up on current and past leads, Internet leads, ad and sign calls, open houses, calling or networking with your Past Clients and Spheres of Influence, personal marketing, hyperlocal marketing (farming), and if necessary expireds.
Take Action Immediately in 2011 to Begin Your Plan
Print the simple seven step business plan above. Right now, put an hour on your calendar to back through it and actually take each step. Then do this step (B.) and put the last step (C.) into your calendar for January. You will increase your chances of success next year by tenfold. In fact, it will guarantee your success in 2011.
Using the 2 or 3 activities you chose in number 7 above make a list of what actions will you take on January 3rd through 7, 2010 (Monday through Friday) to put your simple plan into motion?
These actions may include making calls, reconnecting with all or last year’s leads, web site work, e-mail blasts, preparing and sending your Sphere of Influence mailing, previewing homes in your farm, preparing and sending your farm mailing, communicating with your pending Clients and listed Sellers.
Begin to Embed The Actions as Habits
Embedding a habit turns single or random actions into consistent and dependable systems. A habit is an action that you take at the same time, on the same day, in the same place, and in the same way every day or every week. As you perform the action consistently day after day or week after week you become better at it. You learn how to continually improve it.
Following is the most effective way to turn your plans into results by creating the habits for those activities that ensure consistent results all year.
Choose one type of activity for each day of the week. And first thing in the morning before you open your e-mail (same time), on the same day of week, in the same place, schedule just a half hour to do each of the following. (You can expand the time later. A half hour helps establish the habit.)
Monday – Call Leads and Make Initial AppointmentsTuesday – Advance Your TechnologyWednesday – Traditional Sphere of Influence and Hyperlocal Marketing
Thursday – Communications with Pending Clients and Listed SellersAlso Thursday: Rehearse and Improve Presentations
Friday: Strategize by looking at results for the past week and plans for the following week
Important: As you begin each day review and remind yourself of A1 above, your motivation and reasons for succeeding with your Real Estate career in 2011.
There are many other activities in an Agent’s business that are hard or impossible to turn into daily habits; for examples, showings, writing offers, listing presentations, and negotiating,. You will always find time for these because they demand your time.
Reaching your goals in 2011 depends on your commitment to make those “Daily Habits” a part of your business. Your success or disappointment in 2011 depend on it.
It’s that simple; not easy but simple. The key to a strong start to 2011 and guaranteeing your success throughout 2011 is dependent on the simple planning and habits you establish as this year ends and the New Year begins.
The Success of Your Business Plan. You control it every day with your decisions. You have the power to make it happen for you each day.
If you want to schedule time with me to set your strategic plan for the year call our office. I have severely limited time but I love to coach. My Assistant will talk to you about fees and schedule time for you.
Rich Levin speaks to Real Estate audiences and coaches Real Estate Agents coast to coast raising their production. He motivates Agents into action and teaches them the most productive possible actions. He conducts a free live webinar every day to help Agents instill these habits. You can register at www.FreeCoachingWebinars.com. Contact Rich at 585-244-2700 or Rich@RichLevin.com.