I have been talking about motivation, goals and achievement in the real estate industry the last couple of months. I have shared ideas on blogging and what to blog about. This activity has generated a lot of interest both publicly and personally for me with lot of questions to answer. One Realtor® wonders how you can stay motivated, another wonders how to stay focused when you know what to do, but don’t. Real estate is a very difficult industry right now, these are great questions and forces me to think deeper. The lending hoops are so much more difficult to get through in a timely fashion these days. The internet with all the information and disinformation has clouded the true and clear path towards home ownership. Internet real estate companies providing no real service have driven down the value of all Realtors through their discounts and approach. Old school agents in your office create a toxic atmosphere of non-change and arrogantly sticking to the ways that gave them success a couple of years ago. There is a lot to worry about.
The job of Realtor® is a varied and complex day filled with prospecting, following up and closing, plus a whole lot more. There are a thousand things that need to be done and without a goal each and every day it is easy to slip through the day without feeling you have accomplished anything, even though you have checked off 27 things on your ‘to do” list. So this is what I do that is working for me. I break things down into “income producing activities” and “non income producing activities” The income producing activities always take precedence over non income producing activities, that is a rule. I look at the amount of time I spend on my activities each day and make sure that I have spent more time in income producing activities than anything else. I make sure the non-income producing activities I take on each day have a direct relationship to income producing. For instance, this blog that takes me an hour each day to write and post, is it income producing or not? I have it listed in a non income producing activity, but I know that it has led to referrals, leads and opportunities that are income producing and so I continue to slot time for the activity.
Prospecting is another one that can feel like nothing is happening as you slowly plod through a farm area development, but it is a direct line to listings and must be worked on each and every day. Personally, I have a difficult time making calls and knocking on doors, which I know are an integral part of the industry and so, I put this work early in my day. (In truth I only knock on a door after I have spoken to someone about something. I am knocking on the door to follow through to that conversation.) I don’t like people I don’t know knocking on my door and so I don’t do it to other people even though I know this tactic has worked for others. Therein lies the constant and never ending idea of improvement. It is essential that your fill your “to do” list every day not with tasks but with goals that line up to your tasks. I will make 20 calls because if I do I will get 5 appointments and land 4 listings. I try not to think of the task to be done but the result that will be gained.
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