Test, adjust, test, adjust, test, adjust

Anytime I can travel with a bicycle, I do. Once I get accustomed to a location, I start laying out courses that normally span 12,15,20,25,30 and 50 miles. I was on the 12 mile run this morning and thought back to the process. I have a 12 mile run at home as well. The first time I did that run it took me around 52 minutes. 

That seemed like a long time to me since I had been cycling forever, so I looked at my technique. I realized that my pedal stroke was only averaging 40-60 rpms and my miles per hour was hanging around 15-18 mph. I noticed that I was riding my road bike at mountain bike speeds. As I began riding that course more and more, I changed a lot of things to get a better course time.

I changed my pedal stroke to average of 80 rpms by changing my gear ratio throughout the ride. Instead of trying to muscle my way through every mile, I would spin my way through. It turned out to be a much more efficient way to ride. My mph went up to 20-26, but I average 22 mph. I realized that in order to maintain 22 mph in a mountainous area, my heart-rate would need to stay in the 80-85 percent of my maximum heart-rate. I took that first ride time down to 38 minutes in a short time. My new goal is 30 minutes. That will mean new changes and goals. Pedal stroke, miles per hour, heart-rate and gear ratio are all part of the equation for accomplishing my time goals. It takes them all to meet the challenge.

In our business, we have similar pivot points that will push us along, or if ignored, they will keep us at a slower pace than the competition. Such as:

• Focused prospecting. In our business, it seems like nearly everyday is a good day to prospect. How you prospect is up to you, but you've got to find something that works well in the current market. That might mean talking to the clerk at the grocery store, bringing up your profession in small group meetings (it doesn't have to be obnoxious), reaching out to friends, neighbors and family members about real estate. Whatever works for you should be a part of your daily routine. Everyone can find a system that works.
• Blogging. I can't over emphasize the power of building an online presence, but it isn't something that you do once and stop. It's a regular daily event. The more you blog, the more likely you will build a stronger presence. 
• Learn the best practices for your blog. Writing a blog isn't enough. You've got to learn how to maneuver your blog into a top search engine position. There are so many techniques that will help get you there, but the bottom line is the content has got to be something people want and need to read. 
• Google Analytics. You need to have Google Analytics analyise your web-sites everyday. Check it everyday. Just like I look at my heart-rate monitor on a ride every couple seconds, you need to check your results regularly. It will give you the heartbeat of your online presence. If people aren't stopping by, that's a bad sign. Find out why and make changes to build more consistent views. It is the lifeline to more business.
• Always ask clients where they got your name.
• Invest in marketing that produces results, and drop those that don't. Spend your money on things that bring you money. There are a lot of companies that would like to get a part of your income. Make sure you only give it to those who produce results. Ask around before you buy. Don't get caught up in empty promises, and many of the online companies can make some pretty outlandish promises. 
• Make marketing and building your business a part of your daily routine. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of business, but before long, your business slows and you're left wondering what happened. You build December's business in September, and so forth. What you do today builds business for tomorrow. 
• Check, double-check and triple-check your results. What's working? What's not? Jettison things that don't work early so you don't waste time on unproductive processes. Reinforce successful techinques.
• Include team members in your mission that add to your success and drop those who detract. That may sound harsh, but if someone is not performing for you, maybe you need to cut them lose so they can find their niche. You are not helping them by keeping them in an unproductive role.
• When you reach a goal, set a new one and start the process again. Make sure you're always builidng, always reaching, always trying to best your previous accomplishments. 

Cycling for me is a great stress release. I do have a great deal of technique involved, even if I'm just out for a fitness ride. Once technique is learned, it should not be optional, but it should be built upon. It doesn't matter if I'm on a fitness ride or a performance ride, my technique will not deviate, but my intensity will. In business, our technique is the pathway to our goals. If our technique is good, our goals are easier to reach. If it is poor, even simple goals are a challenge. 

 

1. Buying your first home in Winchester VA

2. What to look for when buying a foreclosure in Winchester VA

3. Short Sale inventory in Winchester VA

4. Winchester, VA - The best bedroom community for the Washington, D.C. area

5. Passion is contagious - Infect somebody!

6. Winchester, Virginia is a great place to buy a house at great discount!

7. This simple electrical test could save your life.

8. Turn setbacks into springboards

9. Reduce your mortgage by pre-paying principle and eliminating interest

10. What can I do to sell my home more quickly?

********************************************************************************

Give me a call, or email me for all your real estate needs, and let's make something amazing happen. 

mikecooper@cbginc.net, 888-722-6029

Cell: 540-336-5522

 

Real Estate Sales and Property Management         

 

 

(Disclaimer:  All grammatical mistakes, punctuation breakdowns and misspellings are purely for your amusement and entertainment.   Feel free to cackle.)