Top 5 Things a Real Estate Agent Should do to Finish 2013 Strong

Create Success in 2014 With Some Simple Last Minute Steps in 2013 - Don't Stop Now Agents!

It's often doing the little things most others don't do that causes some to rise to the top in their profession. So while you're competition is sipping rum and eggnog and booking off for early holidays take a little extra time these next few weeks to solidify a rock solid foundation for your 2014 real estate business.

Here are my Top 5 Strategies for REALTORS® to Work On

1. Write and share your year in review letter. Make the letter about family, events, favorite sites, announcements; basically all the year's hi-lite moments personally and nothing about real estate or work. Invite them into your lives and deepen relationships with your clients.

2. Put together a business plan - Use the 7 ideas below for your outline.

• Create a vision or mission statement for your business. Identify the core values of what you believe. Share the purpose and the "why" of what you do.
• Set goals in the five areas of your life (personal, financial, business, spirituality, relationships).
• Create a budget for your personal and home finances as well as your business and work. Know the monthly amount both your personal and business require. Commit to controlling and managing expenses which is key to creating profit.
• Track and know your real estate numbers next year. Days on market, listings taken vs listings sold, sale price to list price, average or median price, absorption rates and more.
• Identify your sources of business and your ideal client. Create a visual of your perfect week schedule in real estate and a visual of your perfect ideal client.
• Create your vision board of pictures of what you desire most. Place the vision board on the mirror in the bathroom, on the kitchen fridge and screen saver on your phone.
• Update, purge and input your database. Grab the names from listing, prospect and sale files, your social media contacts, your cell phone contacts, your email address book and directories from groups and activities you are a part of.

3. Give the gift of time. Call and book face to face visits with clients, friends, family, service providers and give them the greatest gift of all.... Your time.

4. Share a small token of your appreciation this time of year like a holiday card, hand written note, chocolates, tree ornament or poinsettia (try to keep it under $10). Its the thought more than the gift.

5. Create a plan for the first 6 months of 2014.

January - Send your "best year in real estate" letter and a report on how to appeal your homes tax assessment.

February - Send out annual property evaluations of your clients... just the sales, expireds and actives and not sharing what it is worth. This is in hopes they call you to share your thoughts and values.

March - Host a buyer seminar with your service providers. Invite your lawyer, mortgage broker, inspector. Each share 15 minutes of tips.

April - Host a spring client appreciation event like renting a movie theatre and having a family movie event. Run an Easter coloring contest and give away Toys r Us gift cards. Have them post their entries on your Facebook page.

May - Visit office meetings and network with other agents in the areas where a lot of clients tend to move from to your area. Build an agent to agent referral network.

June - Deliver a "pop by" gift like the ketchup, relish and mustard packs. Put a sticker on it saying "just ketching up and hope I cut the mustard when it comes to real estate and I relish your referrals!"

These are just a few tips to work on and to hopefully help get your own creative juices flowing more freely.

Strength and courage,
Wade

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