Well, regarding your mailings... is it a mail list or a customer list? Have you categorized the names into a,b,c and d (eliminate the d's). In other words target your approach a little more (if yoou aren't already doing so).

How about phone calls.... how many people on your list have you called and chacked in with lately?

I have my best success with personal one on one contact... I devote about 2 hrs a day to it. I have reduced my ad budget by about 1/2. My client sides are way, way up. From 40 two years ago to around 70 last year to being on track for about 85 this year...

Best of luck... you can do it!

Sometimes if you try to hard you are pushing people away.  Enjoy yourself and make it fun for everyone.

Do you have a niche or are you all things to all people.  By focusing on a smaller segment of the market, you just might capture more of it.

Now Have a Blessed Day,

John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR
Mission Grove Realty
Hemet CA Real Estate

Sounds like you are doing great!  Are you asking for referals?  Ask all your past and current clients to refer you and be sure to have something great to thank them with when they do refer you.

Hey David.  Are you asking every one of your clients for business?  Staying in front of them all the time could improve it.  Ask them how they are doing, what is new, and then slip in the old "Do you know of anyone that is looking to sell or buy?"

i send out many post cards, have websites, mailings, ads in the local newspapers...i rarely get anything ..i get more business from referrals..

ask family and friends to pass out your name.

David,

What's worked for you before?

JC, Mortgage Virtual Assistant 

Thanks! 

I will happily pay you a 30% referral fee when you have people moving to the Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, TX areas.

David--  I don't exactly speak from a lot of experience, but I have increased my sales from 10 each of the past 2 years to 20 so far this year.  I would suggest that you just concentrate really hard on the leads that do come in... do you get them ALL on long term drip mail campaigns?  That seems to have been my best overall arsenal. 

Take a Brian Buffini course.

David, measure what works and what doesn't and eliminate those strategies that have poor ROI.

1. Take a hard look at your online presence and make sure your sites have many opportunities to create leads using strong compelling offers. If your websites aren't driving leads, seek help from a professional.
2. Totally agree with John, find a niche market and work it from every angle.
3. Be sure your branding (tagline-logo-UPS) look and feel is consistent from your post cards to websites and everything in between. Repeated impressions build trust
4. Farm a community and become the neighborhood expert.
5. Sign-up for Michael Russer's "Mr. Internet" ePower Training and Newsletter
6. Purchase Brad's eBook on Web Strategies which will be released soon.

Marketing is a marathon and not a sprint so hang in there. Remain agle and be ready to shift your strategies when you see a better opportunity or you determine something doesn't work.

        David--- Before your wife puts you in the ground from stress and worry, it is time to just RELAX.

        4 years in the business, 15-20 transactions a year,name recognition and growth ahead; you are

        doing just fine. Never compare yourself to some "Top Producer" in the office. They have the same

        fears and panic attacks as everyone else. Perhaps a step back from all your self promotion might

        let some new ideas come to the front. It might also save on a little bit of your cashflo.I have seen

        many agents,(including some of my own), over the years ,lose their balance about what is really

        important in one's life. Take a look in the mirror and tell yourself each day that you are doing great

        and love your life. The moment we let that glass look half full, our brain sends us on a long negative

       journey. Try setting a few small goals for your yourself; one new client a month, changing the way you talk to someone( this makes us much better listeners).

      Give yourself lots of credit, you are on your way to becoming one of those "Top Producers".

     Have a great day,  Kim Harris

First, be happy with what your getting. Striving for more is all well and good, but let yourself admit your doing well with what your getting now.

I think when you hit a wall like this, it is time to consider options you have been less comfortable with. I am not talking ethically uncomfortable, but things that stretch your comfort - not your standards. 

I hear you!

Kay Van Kampen had great advise ~ Brian Buffini could help... work your sphere of influence and ASK for referrals!

The other thing I do when I get frustrated is try something different... make the decision that today you are going to make something happen.

Step 1: take the day off

Step 2: go somewhere fun (beach, bar, park, tourist attraction, museum)

Step 3: let go and enjoy yourself

You will be surprised at what happens... when I do this I always "stumble" upon a lead, meet a new person, or get a call from someone unexpected.

Try it!!! Let me know how it goes :-)

Aloha!

David I have been in the biz 4 years too. Work smarter not harder. get systems in place hire a part time assistant, I agree refferals from your sphere is the biggest return.  Make a graph of all your sales last year, where is your business coming from? I have done all you say you are doing  when I did the graph numbers my farming did not work any more ( I farmed condos the hottest sales at the time but times have changed) most of my sales came from my sphere of influence -referrals so I beefed it up I added anniversary of the home cards & I send ( actually my assistant does the work)  a monthly newsletter to my sphere of 300 that gets me calls monthly. Test your web-site  Google Katy TX real estate are you on 1st page? if not get yourself there. its more about loving what you do than being a top producer ( most of the top producers in my area have a lot of things ( jewelry, furs, fancy cars ) but lose what is most important, their spouse & family) be careful what you wish for. 

I agree with what most people are saying here. First of all, having a life with your family should be the most important thing. Being a top producer might get you a lot of money and the things you can buy with it; it may cost you the more valuable things it can't buy like your health and your family.

Referral business is always the strongest business you can have. It sounds like focus would help. You seem to be trying to hit everybody instead of selecting a niche an hitting it specifically. What area, type of property or type of people do you most enjoy working with? Try focusing your efforts there.

Hi David:

Lots of good pointers for you in this post!

I have been selling for 12 years and I was a "late bloomer", too, but now I have my own brokerage and am doing wonderfully. I pace myself and don't get caught up in the number of transactions, but my income is steadily climbing at a wonderful rate. Statistically, I have read that I fall into the "Super Agent" class, but I don't really think that means a hill of beans. Spending time enjoying my family and life does!

As a matter of natural course, your client base will grow, but there IS something that struck me about your list of things you do. In this "techie" society we live in, we get too focused on ONLY the internet based side of the business. There is no replacement for personal realtionship and contact.

Once a year at Christmas time, you could take two days to stop by each past client's home with a cookie basket. You could spend lots of time prospecting by just talking to folks. You don't have to call and say, "Hi, remember me and I'm still in the re business..." You can call and say, "Hi Sam. I was driving by a Dairy Queen the other day and I thought of you and Julie and the Kids! Remember how many times we stopped for ice cream on our tour of homes last year? How are things?" You may never mention real estate to that person in the entire conversation, but he will know you are his Realtor and he will be reminded to let his friends know how caring. You can almost see him at work telling a friend, "Yeah, and my Realtor called me last night...the one that sold us the house last year...just to see how we're doing!"

I would not stress.   The longer you are in the business the more referrals you will get.  On top of that with 15-20 transactions you are not starving.  So I would just relax.

David,

I go through this myself and my husband reminds me that I still have business coming in (even though I think it should be tons more).  It makes me feel a little better when I talk to others that are struggling too (not happy about them struggling, just makes me realize that we're all in this together).

Anyway, I agree with John... sometimes we try TOO HARD and push others away.  I just did a blog on 'The Secret'.  You may or may not agree with it but it definitely helps with the attitude and getting people focused.  Go to my blog and check it out.

David,

I make daily affirmations. "My business is growing and I am attracting great, easy to work with clients." I know it may sound a little silly but when you claim it, it then becomes reality. Best to you!

Thanks for the advise!  If anyone else wants to chime in to help... please do!

David