Denise Says: The Key to Success in Real Estate

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

There are so many enormously successful real estate agents out there that sometimes it boggles my mind.  Often I am truly amazed at how powerful this profession can be for so many.

And yet, for others sometimes success can be elusive.  There is one key all successful agents have in common.  In fact, it is truly the key to all success in real estate.

Do you know what it is?

The key to success in real estate-although it's really the key to success in anything-is simple in concept, but at times difficult to implement. 

It has nothing to do with I.Q.  It has nothing to do with education.  It has nothing to do with how long you've been in the business.

It all comes down to one word:

Discipline.

Discipline is the key to success in anything, but especially in real estate.  The most successful agents understand this and inject it into their lives every day.

Webster's Dictionary defines discipline as, "mental and moral training".

My personal definition of discipline is:

"The ability to carry through on what you have intended to do."

Most agents have a problem with the "intention" part.  Many don't know what they intend to do.  They don't know the right steps.  They have difficulty seeing where they are and where they are going next.

Is this you?

I have a formula-a series of steps I take consistently-that is based on discipline.  I always know where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going.

But I didn't always know.

It took years of struggle and refinement to understand the power of simply acknowledging discipline.  I can safely say that all my own personal success-and all the success of every real estate agent I know-is based on doing what I need to do, even when I don't want to.

For example, one of my business disciplines is to get this Zebra Report you're reading right now out every Thursday on time.

But there are days I don't want to.

Even this morning as I write this, I'm recovering from the flu.  My head hurts, my joints ache, and I feel like I'm moving in slow motion. 

I don't "feel like" writing this Zebra Report at the moment.  I'd much rather prop my head up on pillows and watch television until I'm fully and totally recovered.

But I made a commitment to myself a long time ago that The Zebra Report was going to go out every Thursday-no matter what.

If it weren't for this discipline, you wouldn't be reading this right now.  your inbox would have nothing from Denise Lones.

Now, certainly the world wouldn't come to an end.  You'd go about your day and maybe later you'd say to yourself, "Hey, I didn't see a Zebra Report today from Denise.  Hmmm, I wonder why."  Then, you'd return to your daily tasks.

No big deal, right?  Or is it?  To me, it IS a big deal.  If I'm not there on time every week, then I've lost one little ounce of credibility with you.  And one ounce lost is unacceptable.

In order to demonstrate to you that I live by my own principles-that I'm NOT a "Do as I say not as I do" kind of person-I must stick to my discipline.  No matter how small that discipline may be.

This is powerful.

But sadly, very few agents have learned this lesson.  They spend their days letting circumstances dictate their actions-running around from task to task with no game plan.

Don't be this agent!

Here are three disciplines that will bring you an amazing amount of success if you incorporate them into your business:

1. The Discipline of Follow-Up.

You've heard it before from me.  You'll hear it again from me.  It is my mantra: "Follow up."  Be in touch with your clients.  Be in front of them every single month talking about real estate. 

And ONLY real estate.  Not cookie recipes.  Not the latest Seahawks game.  Not personal finance.

You want your name to always be linked to what you do.  When they hear you or see you, they should automatically think "Real estate!"

2. The Discipline of Marketing.

Make sure that nothing goes out-not one piece-that doesn't have your "brand" on it.  You are an entire corporation within your business.  People hire you because they like you and want to do business with you.  But if they don't know who you are and what you represent, they will ignore you.

Be ruthless in your editing.  Edit, edit, edit.  There's nothing worse than a marketing piece that is badly worded, full of misspellings, or a jumble of thoughts that have no coherent theme.

It's worth it to spend the time to get it right.  Otherwise, you look unprofessional and nobody will call you.

3.  The Discipline of an Action Plan.

Very few agents have an Action Plan.  Sure, they make New Year's Resolution and Business Plans.  Both of which nobody ever follows.  They are useless.

Business plans do not work.  ACTION Plans work. 

What actions are you going to take?  Are you going to do instead of sit and plan?  What systems will you implement?  What classes will you take this year?  What will you do to improve your Buyers' and Sellers' Packages?  (You do have Buyers' and Sellers' Packages, right?  You'd better.)  What are you going to present to your clients on a Listing Presentation?  What company-provided tools will you use?  What technology will you learn about?

Real estate is a disciplined business.  Get disciplined and get successful.