With 2021 underway, I’ve been working with agents at my brokerage, JP & Associates Realtors®, to make sure they’re hitting the ground running. Here is my “golden ticket” of tips I’ve shared with them—and now you!
1. Your relationships matter
In a professional service business, relationships matter. But how are you planning to deepen and broaden your inner circle now and in 2021? From clients to partners, your next opportunity could be a conversation away.
2. Build your mindset on solid oak, not twigs
When faced with a challenge, do you ask the question, “how?” Consider reframing the question to “who?” When you are focused on the “how” of the challenge, your mental state can quickly shift to the worst possible outcome, and your behavior can easily follow. In the high-performance world, the “who” becomes critical. To make your outcomes possible, consider asking these questions instead:
- Who would I need to be?
- What would I believe about myself?
- What would I believe about others?
3. Conduct an audit of your business plan
What are your specific goals, and what do you need to do to get to the next step? Here are six mistakes you can avoid:
- Not thinking BIG enough. If your plan is too comfortable, it’s probably too small.
- Doing more of the same thing and expecting a different result.
- Not being very clear on where the business is coming from today – and how you will continue or expand that – plus the new lead sources you will test each quarter to create new business sources and partnerships in the new year (you’ll want to look into Knock).
- Not breaking down the details into a DAILY ACTION and the DAILY NUMBER. How many conversations about real estate do you need to have to create one sale?
- Not having the leading and lagging indicators UP and VISUAL… an “in your face” reminder like a scoreboard at a sporting event. What’s the best leading indicator? Appointments. Who do you need to be to create one or more new appointments each day?
- Not breaking out your marketing execution into a separate and specific plan with the actions, expected results, costs, and a content calendar that keeps your marketing moving.
4. Tidy up, clean up, and freshen up
Many of our associates are assessing their business cards and marketing pieces, Supra keys, yard signs, folders, and acrylic stands for listings. Don’t forget the annual headshot update. Others are adjusting their savings and investing goals higher, so they are in a stronger position when the market makes its next cycle.
5. Do your homework
Don’t rely on anecdotal evidence of what the market is doing, do your homework for your area, and be prepared. This is just one distinction between “the door openers” and “the value-added consultants.”
So my question for you is, “How are YOU going to do better than you did last year?” While 2020 threw a lot of curveballs, the path forward should feel more clear. From stronger relationships with our clients to refreshing your business and having partners like Knock, we’ve got exciting work to do.
About The Author
Mark Johnson
Mark is the host of “Success Superstars,” a weekly show that highlights the blueprint of success for peak performers like you, the co-founder of CoRecruit, and the Chief Executive Officer of JP & Associates REALTORS® in Texas, a rapidly growing full-service transaction-based real estate brokerage. He has invested nearly 25 years in understanding the inner workings of high performing real estate agents, teams, managers, and leaders in major markets across the world. Mark has served as a business coach in progressive leadership capacities for the 5th largest US-based real estate brokerage firm, in sales and customer marketing leadership capacities for a major consumer goods company, and served a stint in the US Army. He earned his MBA from California State University and a Behavioral Change Certification from the National Association of Sports Medicine.