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Set your New Year Resolutions yet? Here's 6 Steps to Success in 2014!

By
Real Estate Agent with East West Realty 0226005035

Thinking about your Goals for 2014? Now's the time to make your New Year's Resolutions for 2014.

 

Resolution - to decide to change or improve something about yourself.

How is your resolve? Our intentions are good, but our resolve weakens the further we get into the year. Hopefully, everyone has already established their goals for 2014. If you haven’t, today is the day to start the new year off right. While everyone else has settled down for the holidays, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what it is that you want to accomplish next year and HOW do you plan to do it?

A recent poll reported that 84% of Americans make at least one resolution. However, only 28% of us follow through in trying to keep them. And, of those who do follow through, 25% of the resolutions we do make will totally be abandoned within the first 15 weeks. Those who do manage to make a resolution last for longer than 6 months have usually tried to keep it 6 times previously without succeeding.

Setting Goals for 2014: Now’s the time for establishing our Action Plan for 2014. Goals should be measurable, obtainable, and easily accountable. We need to dig down deep inside for what we’re willing to do to overcome all obstacles in our way to accomplish our goal.

Here are 6 Steps to Success!

1. Have a GOAL.- Goals must be clear, specific, detailed, definite, achievable, written down, measurable, and reviewed often.

2. Have a Plan for that goal. Write it down on paper.

3. Prioritize your action plan, and be specific.

4. Schedule- How much time? What kind of activities will you do each week?

5. Implement- When are you going to start? How much time on each activity?

6. Measure and Monitor your goal and action plan periodically.We must understand the value & how you benefit. What are the consequences if I don’t achieve it?

New homes salespeople MUST CREATE A NEW HABIT- Prospect, Follow up and follow through

Practice changing your habit. If we're still trying to do business the way we did ten years ago, or even 5 years ago, it's time for a change. The world is changing the way we do business and we must change with it... we need to continue to reinvent ourselves.

Evaluate your goals every 90 days. We have good ideas and not so good ones. The market changes as well. Develop consistency and follow through. Social media marketing, Prospecting, Follow-up, Follow-through should become a new habit. It takes discipline and a positive attitude. Treat Prospecting and Follow-up as an appointment. Be goal oriented, develop a daily schedule. What one thing will I change in next 30 days?

To Assure Success, Select a Goal that…is urgent and compelling- a real attention-getter, is a first-step goal achievable in a short period of time- in weeks rather than months, is bottom-line result, discrete, and measurable. Select a goal that makes you feel ready, willing, and able to accomplish- a motivator. Agents should schedule the most difficult takes in the morning, include prospecting time, social media time, follow up time, and also time for personal interaction and building one on one relationships with your cooperating brokers. Don't forget to schedule fun time and important family time in your weekly schedule.

Set your sales goals on a monthly and quarterly basis. Historic traffic figures show that 35-40% of our annual walk-in customers visit us in the first quarter of the year. 60% of our house sales occur in the first half of the year. (When establishing your monthly/quarterly goals, keep this in mind)
  
 
PERSERVERANCE
  • Avoid the Quick-Fix Mentality- start a one-year personal growth and development project.
  • Set a goal, develop a plan, and read books & videos on selling and follow up.
  • It's critical to understand that buyers who visit your models are not "just looking" any more, they are there to buy. Myers Barnes says prospective homebuyers spend 1-4 years talking thinking/talking about moving, and an average of 90 days searching online... that by the time they enter your model, they're there to purchase or eliminate you. However, agents still need to return to “basic selling fundamentals" to endure the obstacles today. Rapid Resonse follow up is more important today than ever! Instant texting as soon as they leave your model home is critical as is Video email follow up a way to set yourself apart from the competition. Handwritten notes are still in need as is appropriate qualifying questions when in a one on one selling situation.
  • Above all, avoid the temptation of trying to become the best too quickly.
  • Avoid procrastination, and give yourself time. There is a reason for everything-even success
  • The keys to success are patience and foresight. The man who lacks this is not cut out for business, We all know that this market is going to turn around, and those who are ready for it will reap the benefits…
Remember, your current customers and prospects are also other salespeople’s prospects.
 
Therefore, persistence and consistency are the keys to keeping a meaningful relationship. The moment you stop calling, texting, emailing, or writing is the moment they become involved with another salesperson. Be ready to execute your game plan January 2nd, so you will be successful in 2014!

Celebrating our 40th year creating Virginia's Best Places to Live and Play. Discover the best in lifestyle communities at Founders PointeEagle HarborLiberty Ridge, and The Riverfront at Harbour ViewEast West Realty Sales Centers are open 7 days a week on-site.

 

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Posted by
Mark Edwards (757) 288-7584

Comments (11)

Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

GREAT POST, and one we all need to consider as we go into the New Year.   Without a plan, you have no path to achieving a goal.

Dec 27, 2013 10:22 PM
Donna Foerster
HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO
Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Mark~ That last point about our customers and prospects ALSO being prospects for others is SO true. That's why it's critical for us to stay top of mind and that's my #1 goal for 2014. If I can do that, everything else will fall in place!

Dec 28, 2013 01:49 AM
Graziella Bruner
NCS Premier Real Estate - Detroit, MI
Associate Broker - Serving Wayne & Oakland County

Excellent Post and worth a reblog!  It's so true, we have to have a plan and work that plan!

Dec 28, 2013 07:25 AM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Mark, I like your six steps.  Coupled with perseverance, I think this is a winning recipe for success!

Dec 28, 2013 10:55 AM
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Mark,

phenomenal post. Setting goals is so very important.  May you have a great 2014!

Dec 28, 2013 11:20 AM
Mark Edwards
East West Realty - Suffolk, VA
East West Realty

Wayne and Jean Marie, Thanks for your comment. Appreciate it!

 

Dec 28, 2013 01:22 PM
Mark Edwards
East West Realty - Suffolk, VA
East West Realty

Sharon, Graziella, and Donna,

Thanks for stopping by and your input.  hope you all have a happy and prosperous new year!

Mark

Dec 28, 2013 01:24 PM
Andrew Payne Realtor® Richmond VA Homes For Sale~804-938-5257~
Piedmont Real Estate - Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA, Real Estate, SRES®, NAR Green

Mark,

Thanks for your tips.  Making goals and an action plan are very important.  Best wishes for great health, happiness and prosperity in 2014!

Dec 28, 2013 01:48 PM
Mark Edwards
East West Realty - Suffolk, VA
East West Realty

Andrew, thanks so much for your kind words. I apreciate it. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you as well!

Mark

Dec 29, 2013 07:29 AM
Mark Edwards
East West Realty - Suffolk, VA
East West Realty

Will, thanks. Every year, just having to establish the goals and a plan motivates me and helps get me jump started. Good luck to you also in 2014!

Mark

Dec 30, 2013 05:18 AM