Special offer

8 QUESTIONS TO TURNING END-OF-THE-YEAR BUSYNESS INTO BUSINESS

By
Education & Training

I am a planner so much so that I am already planning the new year.  But, I get it.  You may not be a planner and may have cringed at just reading my admission.  So for you, I have just 8 questions for you to answer to help win the next 12 months.  Some might call this business planning, which invokes panic attacks and procrastination like in tax season for many.  Let's avoid all that unpleasantness.  Instead, I want you to just call it "seeing the win".  Hopefully, that takes the stress out of the "p" word.

Grab your favorite beverage and invest the time it takes to watch a rerun of Friends in answering the applicable questions below:


NEW AGENTS 
As a new agent, you may not know where to begin.  Your starting point should be using what you have to as your tools to developing your business.

1. In what have you excelled? 
To answer this fully, think about when you were in school, past jobs, sports, clubs, and even volunteer activities. List EVERYTHING! This is for your business growth so no time to take short-cuts and give half-answers.

2. What are the underlying skills you had to display in EACH achievement? 
Did you have to master working with difficult people, negotiating or the art of persuasion?  Did you have to become a wordsmith on social media, learn how to juggle multiple clients, or manage money?  No matter what skills you had to use, list them all.

3. How can EACH of those skills be used as tools in your real estate business? 
Next to your list from number 2 above, write how those skills can be useful in real estate sales.  For example, if you have a knack for graphic design, this can translate into you having a great website, email campaigns, social media posts, and handouts for your clients that explain the real estate process with pictures.

VETERAN AGENTS
You have made money in real estate sales and you want to keep it that way!  Get ready and stay willing to make some business adjustments.

4. What activities generated business for you this past year? 
Think about EVERY new client and list EACH activity.  Are you great at drumming up business from networking events?  Does your tribe (your sphere of influence) send you business every time you ask?  Are you a superstar at using social media?  Do ads add closing deals to your month?  Be very reflective in your answer because herein lies the key to your next several wins.

5. How can you do those more in the next 12 months (including hiring help)?
Often times, we "old-timers" chase the latest trend, training, and technique.  This can be costly if we ignore or forget to use what we do well and what has worked.  Employ your strengths.   Give away your weaknesses (i.e. hire, refer or outsource).

ALL AGENTS
Nothing in real estate stays the same.  Anticipate changes.  "Level up" your future footsteps.

6. With what type of client do you want to specialize (i.e. first time buyers, military, relocation, luxury, etc.)? 
If you are a one-person shop, you may kill yourself trying to be all things to all people.  That is not to say you turn business away if it does not fit your "ideal client" but that does say you are strategic in how you spend your time, money, and other resources to acquire new leads.

7. How are you daily making connections with this clientele?
You can connect your way to closings.  If you are not reaching new people and reconnecting with existing contacts every week, it is time for a business makeover.  The 1-2-3 Slam is a simple way to make the most of your contacts.  Grab the complimentary infographic at http://bit.ly/123Slam.

7. What webinars and trainings on this subject can you attend this month? 
This quarter? This year? Research this.

My great-grandmother repeatedly emphasized in her 101 years, "Be on time, be prepared and know your subject".  Despite her being a school teacher, not a real estate sales agent, we real estate pros can do wonders from taking her advice.  Specifically, do you know your subject, the type of client with whom you want to transact?  A "no" answer should not discourage you.  Rather, let it inspire you to learn your subject through classes and webinars.  There is a wealth of information available from successful agents, brokers, trainers/coaches and REALTOR® associations so do a little "googling" to stay ahead.

8. How can you implement after each?
I am sure you have been to wonderful trainings but are still trying to get around to implementation.  The secret-sauce to running with what you learn is deciding in advance how to implement.  Will you spend 2 hours after the training reviewing and updating your calendar with what was learned?  Will you spend the weekend visiting the online resources provided by the trainer?  Build this into your schedule before the trainings to bring learning lessons into play.

Shout-out to Venngage I was given a complimentary subscription to try out this fantastic infographic maker, which is where today's infographic was crafted.  Infographics are good tools to keep your homebuyers, sellers, and real estate investors intrigued with your emails, social media posts and handouts.  I found Venngage to be easy to use with many templates that I could quickly convert to my own content.  Working on a buyer's guide or tips to selling a home?  Create an infographic using Venngage's free user account and tell me what you think!

Sound off - I would love to hear from you!  Give me a shout on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Google+ or by visiting LearnWithLee.Realtor.  And, be sure to tell the real estate agents you know to get a copy of the 5-star rated workbook, Plan to Win, to transform their real estate sales game plan.  Here's to your success!

Comments (3)

Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Well done, Lee. These are important questions to ask, and even better to have some good answers, to make 2017 even better than 2016!

Happy Holidays!

Jeff

Dec 20, 2016 06:57 AM
Lee Davenport

So true, Jeff - thanks for stopping by and happy holidays to you!

Dec 20, 2016 07:33 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Yes, tracking where business comes from each year, and implementing plans to take advantage of the great sources of business, is something we all should do.

Thanks for the post!

Dec 20, 2016 07:09 AM
Lee Davenport

Thanks for stopping by, Kat!

Dec 20, 2016 07:34 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Great post, Lee.  We should not mistake busyness for business.  Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by the late Earl Nightingale:  "Do not mistake activity for progress".   Happy Holidays, Lee !

Dec 20, 2016 11:06 AM
Lee Davenport
Love that quote, Carol! Thanks for sharing 😉
Dec 20, 2016 01:49 PM