2011 HAS BEGUN!
This week I started my annual business review meeting with our agents. This is something I have done every year since opening my doors and started inviting other agents to join our office. It has always been a valuable tool in helping me to keep steering our company in the direction our agents need to succeed in this wonderful - though crazy business.
The 2011 process actual started about 6 weeks ago when we held several training session, live and online for our agents explaining just what the heck a business plan is and more importantly what it will do for them and their business. All the agents who have been with us for more than a year or two "get it", but unfortunately it seems that other agents who join us whether they be new or veterans, have not yet grasped the idea behind this valuable tool.
Our process starts with the end in mind. We ask our family of agents to select a date that they'd like to be able leave their business for an extended period of time (think Italy) and the business continues to thrive. Not necessarily retirement, though it could be, but more a business that they build over the next 3-5 years that allows them to live the lifestyle of their dreams. We ask them to each visualize what that would look for them, and with 70+ agents we hear 70+ answers! We then help each agent develop their road map to what they see when doing this exercise.
Now here's what's so cool. After our first week of these sit downs with 7 agents with production levels from 1 million to more than 16 million, those who followed their plan (6 out of 7) in 2010 are blowing away their goals. Not just with the numbers but with their life plans. One agent is pregnant with that baby they have long wanted, one agent has decided to finish that College degree he thought he never would. Another is booked for that Italy trip and still another bought her first investment property!!
I am very close with my agents and for the most part know what's going on in their lives, in and out of the office. They also know me, I'm pretty much an open book, but having this one on one time has become one of my most powerful tools in building our business to exceed the expectations of the only true asset we have in this business...our agents!
Comments(0)