I saw this article and wanted to pass it on to you since it’s along the same theme as I was writing about yesterday. Very timely as we do tend to “let our hair down” and coast to after the Holidaze.
Decision Time
Published on Tuesday, September 7, 2010, 1:05 PM Last Update: 11 hour(s) ago by Rich Levin
Summer is ending. Many Agents have lost momentum. Many are taking vacations and preparing children for school. Those Agents who have lost or feel a loss of momentum must make this decision or suffer the consequences.
Either:
1. Step up activity and focus on finishing the calendar year strong
2. Or make no decision and coast.
The latter, coasting, is very costly. It guarantees both a slow finish to this year and a slow start to next year.
August into September is a softer market every year. But this year, in particular, it is natural to think the softness is the market, the election, the economy, short sales, or something else that is out of an Agent’s control. That thinking, “it’s out of my control” is dangerous and incorrect.
Even if the sales activity in your market is down by a large percentage (in most markets 20% would be huge. That leaves 80% and) there are still dozens or hundreds of sales that will occur. So, there are always two or three for any single Agent, for you.
Here are seven surefire, guaranteed ways for you to have a strong finish to this year and ensure a strong start to next year.
1. Get active. Call the leads that you already have. Hold Opens. Go to picnics, parties and events. Visit or call past Clients. Call on Expireds and For Sale by Owners. Be active every working weekday.
This year in particular have “talking points” handy; lowest rates in decades, softer prices (for Buyers), and the concept Real Estate markets are local and you know what is going on in your market. The soft economy creates tremendous opportunity. It is an excellent time to invest in Real Estate, or whatever is true for your market.
2. Don’t get sloppy or inconsistent with your prospecting and marketing. Or if you have been sloppy about it during the year, then tighten it up for the next sixty days. (You’ll have built a better habit after sixty days that will continue.)
3. Look at what has been working best this year in your business and be sure to keep doing that. This is the time for consistency. This is not the time to start a new venture unless you are also able to keep your consistency and momentum. If your direct marketing has been generating a good response, stay consistent with it to the end of the year. If your search engine optimization or your Ad Words campaign has been generating lucrative leads then keep up that campaign. Prospecting activity, networking, open houses, past Client calls, whatever has been working choose to stay consistent with it through early December.
4. Lead follow up is crucial during this time. Follow up more conscientiously on leads. Use the phone not just e-mail. Get back to everyone that said they wanted to wait and see if waiting is still in their plans or if they are ready to proceed. All Agents have a flow of leads that have been in a waiting pattern for one reason or another. The fall season is the perfect time to touch base with them.
5. Remind yourself of why you want to be successful in Real Estate? How will you benefit? Who else will benefit? How will you feel if you succeed? How will they feel? How will you feel if you fail? What effect will that have on them?
6. Keep up or start up your marketing; direct mail and/or web. Send at least two mailings between now and year’s end. Whether you e-mail blast, blog, are active on social media, or optimize your search positioning organically or sponsored; keep it up or start it up, now.
7. Have monthly goals and an annual goal for this year. Set goals for how much business you will put in contract each month to the end of this year. (Then in December set the same for all of next year.) Remind yourself of your annual sales goal. If it is out of whack based on what you have done so far this year, then adjust it and then keep it in front of you for the rest of the year.
In our coaching practice we look at Agent monthly production for the past three years. Lower production in the last four or five months is so common you might think it is inevitable. But when an Agent sees this and takes the above actions they always have their best year end ever. It happens always, every time. It can happen for you, too.
The September Decision is to get active and stay active into mid December. Real Estate is and will continue to be one of the greatest professions in the world. You are lucky to be a part of it. So this month get focused and make this crucial decision that will affect your business and your life.
Rich Levin speaks to Real Estate audiences and coaches Real Estate Agents coast to coast raising their production. He motivates Agents into action and teaches them the most productive possible actions. He conducts a free live webinar every day to help Agents instill these habits. You can register at www.DailyRealEstateCoaching.com585-244-2700 or Rich@RichLevin.com.
Let me know if I can be of help!
