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Planning to Plan? Put it in writing.

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with RE/MAX Home Experts

As we near the end of 2010, many agents (I hope) are working on their business plans for 2011. What astonishes me is how many agents actually put together a plan for their business each year. I mean, you don't have to write a formal business plan worthy of attracting investors to buy in to your idea and dream. All it takes is putting it in writing.

But the need to plan doesn't (and shouldn't) stop there. Actually, that is only the beginning. How can agents be adverse to planning? When we take a listing, we need a plan, no? When we have a buyer, we need a plan. When we get a deal under contract, we set up a plan to get to the table. Yet, more and more times I see agents "wing" it. Perhaps they don't think that deep about it. Essentially, we are all planning all the time. Some just are not planning as well or as efficient.

I'd love to hear how many of you write your business plan for the upcoming year. What factors do you emphasize on. How does it change each year? How do you expect to achieve your goals? I like to evaluate my past year's production and quality of my service. Then I write down my goals for the upcoming year and devise how I will achieve them. I use bullet point brainstorming to set the plan (and change things as I go). Regardless of the method, I am planning to plan and I hope you are too!

Comments (3)

Linda Graves Arnold
Coldwell Banker Gundaker-St. Louis, MO - Chesterfield, MO
St. Louis Real Estate Pro - 314-422-2762 - Referr

We are starting that process this week.  Our broker forces all agents in our office to put together a business plan and present it to her during our annual review.  We do a business plan each year.  Then, we write it on a white board in our office with planned activities noted by month.  As we accomplish an activity, it is crossed off the board.  It always feels good to see things crossed off.  By using the white board, we also can add ideas that we notice that other agents are doing at that time to consider incorporating the next year. It also helps us to see what activities didn't get accomplished and we can evaluate why and if it was important that they were missed or if they were unneeded or unnecessary for next year.  Here's to success in 2011!

Dec 07, 2010 02:32 PM
Debra Davis
Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners - Snellville, GA
Realtor - Atlanta, Decatur, Snellville, Loganville

I'm a firm believer in a written business plan. I am almost finished with mine.

Dec 07, 2010 02:42 PM
Chandler Real Estate Liz Harris, MBA
Liz Harris Realty - Chandler, AZ
#ChandlerRealEstateAgent

Although I have lots and lots of training and experience in writing business plans, my thoughts on the subject have changed as I grow more experienced.  Now, I set the vision (different from "goals")... I even create a vision board with very, very clear objectives of where I want to be and what I want to be doing.  Rather than writing out each and every detail of how I'll get there, I now let my daily course of life take me there and it's been working like a charm!

Dec 07, 2010 03:20 PM