When you hear the word Olympian, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you picture Michael Phelps, Dorothy Hamill or the Dream Team? Or do you think of those athletes who fought the good fight and missed qualifying for the team?
My first thought is of my son, Matthew O’Donoghue, who fell just short of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Lightweight Rowing. I accepted the challenge to write about the Olympic spirit as I know firsthand the amount of work, dedication and sacrifice required by each and every athlete.
As I reflect upon my business in terms of the Olympics, I know one trait I possess worthy of a gold medal and it is the service I provide to my customers and clients. I am not the #1 agent in my area but I don’t need to be #1 to an “area”. I only need to be #1 to the people relying on me in a particular deal.
A few months ago, my business was at a standstill. I began to question my place in the industry and am I even good at this job? The basics of phone calls, postcards and open houses weren’t resulting in listings or buyers and my social media was gaining Likes but not Loves. I took a good look at what I was doing each day and I realized I had moved away from the routine that worked for me. I am someone who needs the To Do List and a set schedule and plan of attack for the day.
I arrived at work the next day ready to battle my opponent; complacency. I wrote a daily business plan and dove in head first to work the plan. A few weeks later, I received a referral from my friend’s brother. It was the result of stopping by saying hi and reminding my friend I sell real estate. The deal closed this past Friday and it is the biggest deal of my career so far. The listing agent happened to be the #1 agent in town and he congratulated me on a job well done.
Real Estate agents don’t get the respect and recognition of other industries. Whether that is due to our own leadership and education standards is a topic for another day. The only thing I can control is my own reputation and if I continue to provide better customer service than other agents in my area, my medals will be in the shape of keys.
