Friday, October 2, 2009

Guidelines to Real Estate Agents' Success

1. First and Foremost YOU are a business: Real estate agents work for a broker, but are self-determining, custom-made sales people. This means that you are a small business and must put into practice as a business. Again, remember you are a small business owner.
2. Embrace a Planning Attitude: If you don't have a plan, then you are on some else's plan - usually the successful real estate agent's. For the duration of last 10 years, what I have learned as a performance development consultant or coach is that most people place more value in forecast a trip to the grocery store or a vacation than planning their lives either professionally or personally.
3. Research Your Market Plan: Since you, as the real estate agent, are responsible for your own everyday expenditure, do your research specific to your marketing plan within your strategic plan. Time spent in constructing your marketing plan is definitely well spent. NOTE: Remember a business plan usually is data driven, while a strategic plan identifies who does what by when.
4. Establish Sales Goal: Using your strategic action plan, establish sales goals. If you are new to this industry, it may take 6 months before the first sale. SUGGESTION: Use the W.H.Y. S.M.A.R.T. criteria for goal setting.
5. Create a Financial Budget: Budgeting is critical given the up and down of this volatile market place. Your financial budget should plan for your marketing costs, any additional costs such as education and your foretasted income.
6. Make Managing Yourself a Priority: Building a business is not easy. You must learn how to manage yourself especially in the area of time management, ongoing real estate business training coaching continuing education units, and personal life balance. Real estate is said to be a 24/7 business much like any small business. However, it is important not to lose sight of your personal life including family, friends, physical health, etc.
7. Find a Mentor or a Real Estate Coach: Going it alone is not easy. Take the time to find a mentor who can help you steer through some of the known obstacles and help you during the "peaks and valleys." If you have the resources, you may wish to hire a real estate coach or an executive coach who specializes in small business help and sales.

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