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1 Week to Turn Your Business Around

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with CreativNess (Formally Ness Lindsay)

Well friends, here we are once again. The Friday evening before the March Break. You either fit into one of two categories.

  1. You’re reading this blog post which probably means you’re not travelling for the March Break. No worries. I feel your pain. *Smile*
  2. You’re reading this blog post AFTER the March Break because you quickly escaped the craziness of…er…life and work. God love you!

OR

Maybe, there is a third category here?

You ARE a groupie of category 2 but you haven’t left yet. In which case, stop reading now. Click on the cool icon at the bottom of this post and print this document, stuff it in your pocket. It is a great reading piece while you’re on the plane.

If you fit into category one, I have some March Break Madness tips for you. So, grab your java and keep reading. I will wait here for you and if you wouldn’t mind bringing me one as well.

That would be swell.

Boost Your Business Over the March Break

Ladies and Gentlemen, raise your hand if you wish to increase your leads, listings, and leverage.

We’re almost in and are about to go full swing into the spring market. Hard to believe, I know.

The market is picking up. Potential home sellers are starting to wonder what their home is worth and prospective buyers are starting their search for their perfect dream home.

Now is the time you want to make sure you have all your ducks in a row. Use this coming week to kick-start your business into the spring market the right way. Not everyone has gone to the land of beaches and sun. So, revamp and reach out now.

5 Days of Blood, Sweat, and Tears

We are going to write out your action plan for success. If you do the 5 days as outlined below, you will increase your chances of connecting with people in your community and your listings will soar.

Are you ready?

Day 1. Monday.

Create a Social Media Marketing Plan. If you’re not using social media the way you should be, you need to start now.

Put together an action plan that will start to merge social media into your everyday business. Folks, this is so important.  How people do business now-a-days has changed.

Start conversations and engage with people and businesses within your community. If you have a social media plan but aren’t using it as you should, today is the day to revamp that plan and put everything into action.

You should have at least one of the following social media sites in addition to your website. (I’ve linked to my own websites to show you exactly what I’m talking about.

  1. Twitter Account
  2. Facebook Fan Page 
  3. Linkedin Account

If you have questions or need help with this step, shoot me over an email at Ness@CreativNess.com – I would be delighted to help you.

Note to Self: Don’t forget to check your social media sites including your website to make sure everything is in working order and your information is up-to-date.

Day 2. Tuesday.

Database Recovery Day. When was the last time you went through your entire database? Not your assistant, not your team members but you.

Today is a great day to focus your attention on your database. Has everyone been recently contacted? Sending out a direct mailing is a nifty tool, but it doesn’t give you immediate results. Sort your database, if there are contacts that haven’t been connected with in a while, use the afternoon to start making phone calls.

If you don’t have an organized database. You need one. Like yesterday. Give me a call and I will help you with this task as well. 905.703.1793.

Tip: Sort your database into 3 different categories. 

A – High Referral Client – These are contacts that refer you to family, friends and associates often. These are key players in helping you build your business.

B – Medium Referral Client – These are clients that sometimes refer you to family, friends and associates.

C – Low Referral Client – These are clients that rarely refer you to clients. Can you turn them into an A client? Have you asked them for a referral? Why don’t they refer? Find out!

Day 3. Wednesday

Advertising/Marketing. Do you now advertise your business? Are you keeping track of your advertising ventures? Do you know what works and what does?

It’s important to  have a plan, but also to know what works. Create an advertising plan that is measurable.  How will people know you exist if you aren’t showing and telling them?

If you already have a plan. Review your systems. What has worked in the past? Are your dollars being spent wisely?

Take today to check everything marketing and advertising related with a fine tooth comb.

Day 4. Thursday.

System Implementation. It amazes me how many clients come through my door that don’t have a systematic approach to their business. Making sure each of your clients, no matter the category they fit into, receive the same level of service is vital.

Here’s some food for thought. How often are you ‘touching’ your clients? Once a month? You need to make sure you are keeping in touch with your clients regularly. Hence why Tuesday’s work was important.

Make sure all of your contacts are on some sort of touch program. Make use of your database management program so that you can easily handle this task. If you haven’t sent out a newsletter or some way to keep in touch and let past clients know you are in business, now is the time.

Make sure you have a system to handle your new leads coming into your office. Clients questions should be handled in a timely fashion and receive the answers they need.

I’ve helped many clients make a systematic approach to their business. I’d be honoured to help you as well.

Day 5. Friday.

Party time? Nope. Sorry. Friday is not the let’s take off early for the weekend day. There is still work to be done.

Target Market. Many of my clients’ choose to run their business where they don’t really have a focus of clients they wish to work with. Some will just work within the Halton Region, Kitchener/Waterloo, Greater Toronto Area, and so forth.

It is valuable to select and market to a specific target market and/or farm area.

This will allow you to hone in on your skills and market yourself for all your worth.  They say you need to show someone something 7 times before they actually remember it. If you’re attempting to market to an entire Region all at once, it can be hurting your leads.

Start small and grow big. Maybe there is a new sub-division in your area? Perhaps an older part of town, a particular area that caters to the elderly? What about an area that is filled with young families? Any empty nester area?

Use today to research your immediate community and find an area that you can use days 1 through 4′s work and put it to use in your new target area. Once you have targeted this area for a while, you can then start to look at branching out the scope of your business to more areas.

Note to Self: Don’t tackle the area of “everywhere”. Start small. Grow Big. 

Day 6. Saturday.

Grab your favourite drink and put your feet up for the day. You deserve it.

Day 7. Sunday.

Use the evening to do a complete review of this weeks work. You want to hit the ground running come Monday morning!

Cheers to your success,

Ness

Comments(7)

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Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Wow.  I better get to bed quick.  Not only do I lose an hour of sleep this weekend.  But, you will have me so busy, I won't even have time to eat.  Thanks!

Mar 09, 2012 11:55 AM
Elite Home Sales Team
Elite Home Sales Team OC - Corona del Mar, CA
A Tenacious and Skilled Real Estate Team

Nothing works as well as having a plan and then executing that plan.

Mar 09, 2012 12:46 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

This is a great plan!  I like the division of your database.  I keep in touch with past clients by email and phone calls.  The more years I am in real estate, the longer the list.  Dividing the database will make contact more manageable.

Mar 09, 2012 01:39 PM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Ness.

I think this sort of strategy makes a lot of sense and it probably should work.

Brian

 

Mar 10, 2012 06:56 AM
Ness Lindsay
CreativNess (Formally Ness Lindsay) - Halton Hills, ON

Suzanne, 

I will graciously provide you time to eat this week...but nothing else. ;) Than you for your comments. 

Elite Home Sales (Sorry, not sure of your first name) 

Thank you for your comments. 

Sharon, 

The division of your database works well. I also find with my clients that when the database is separated as I suggested it makes it much easier to communicate with each group via email. Things you would want to say to group A, you wouldn't necessarily say to group C. 

Brian, 

It most certainly will work. But, a lot of work is involved. Thank you again for your continued support. 

I would love to hear everyone's feedback come next Friday. 

Mar 10, 2012 07:10 AM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Ness, that seems like a great week long plan to get back in the groove and hit the spring season running. I'd rather be on holiday though.

Mar 12, 2012 12:32 AM
Ness Lindsay
CreativNess (Formally Ness Lindsay) - Halton Hills, ON

Malcolm, 

Thank you for your comments. Agreed! I would much rather be on vacation as well. The great thing about this plan it is doesn't have to implemented during the March Break. You can put it to use at any point. :)

To Your Success, 

Ness

Mar 12, 2012 10:02 AM