If you missed Week 1, click here

Week 2: Gather/Analyze 2009 Data

Numbers geeks, you're going to love this week's task.

Pull out your goals sheet from 2008 (I hope you set goals!). What were you planning on doing in 2009? How did you do?

Write down each closing you had on a yellow pad or a notebook:

Address, Sale Price, Your Commission, Buyer/Seller names and -- most importantly --where did they come from? Last column is critical.

Identify: sign calls, newspaper ads, farming, internet lead, SOI or referral, repeat client

Where is your business coming from?Hopefully it's SOI, referral & repeat clients

Now break down your SOI into deeper categories: friends, neighborhood, church, Rotary Club, lenders, etc. Who is helping you by sending you referrals?

Where are you "wasting" money on your marketing?

Where should you INCREASE money spent? Hint--if you are getting good business from one channel, such as your website/internet leads, try putting more money into it and less into some other medium.

Did you hit your goals for 2009 (you know what closings should happen in Oct/Nov by now, so you can estimate this)? If not, why not? Where did you fall short?

On your yellow pad start a fresh page and pull out your 2009 date planner/appointment calendar.

For each month, add up:

- number of listing appointments you went on

- number of listings you TOOK

- number of buyer appointments you went on

- number of offers you wrote for your buyers

- number of these buyer offers accepted

- number of your listings that went pending

- number of your listings that closed (plus the dollar volume you closed, commission income, and how much you TOOK HOME)

HINT! If you do this every month as the year goes on, or every week, this task is easier. Start doing it this year.

Next Week: Using 2009 data to set 2010 goals.