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	<title>UP AND RUNNING IN 30 DAYS &#187; Training</title>
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	<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com</link>
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		<title>What Are Your Clients Saying about YOU?</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/what-are-your-clients-saying-about-you/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=what-are-your-clients-saying-about-you</link>
		<comments>http://upandrunningin30days.com/what-are-your-clients-saying-about-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:47:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raving Fans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consumer demands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=684</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What do you think clients think about real estate agents? If you said, “Not much.” You’re right. And, now, clients have a way to let everyone and their brother know what they think of their agent. Check out www.realestateratingz.com www.incredibleagents.com www.zillow.com These are agent feedback sites. You’ll see the good, the bad, and the ugly. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What do you think clients think about real estate agents? If you said, “Not much.” You’re right. And, now, clients have a way to let everyone and their brother know what they think of their agent. Check out</p>
<p><a href="http://www.realestateratingz.com/" target="_parent">www.realestateratingz.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.incredibleagents.com/" target="_parent">www.incredibleagents.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.zillow.com">www.zillow.com</a></p>
<p>These are agent feedback sites. You’ll see the good, the bad, and the ugly. In fact, you’ll be stunned, I think, at the impact a testimonial has in writing—on the net. This is a huge trend: Clients providing feedback that can be accessed by everyone. Now, even Realtor Associations, like the Houston Association of Realtors, is regularly surveying members’ buyers and sellers for feedback. Expect this trend to get bigger quickly.</p>
<p><strong>Two New &#8216;Players&#8217; in the Agent Information Business</strong></p>
<p>In addition to the sites I told you about above, Bank of America and USAA are getting into the &#8216;information about agents&#8217; business. Check them out, too.</p>
<p><strong>It’s So Easy to Stand Out from the Crowd</strong></p>
<p>You don’t have to be a top producer. You don’t have to be a technical genius. All you have to do to succeed is to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think,</p>
<p>“How would I like to be treated? How would I like to be answered? What makes me trust a person? What makes me walk away from the product or service?” You’ve got it. You’re on your way to a stellar reputation and business.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/After-the-Sale-Survey.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-934" title="After the Sale Survey" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/After-the-Sale-Survey-231x300.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="300" /></a>Survey, Survey, Survey</strong></p>
<p>Are you surveying right now? Would you like a copy of my survey? If so, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/272vrar" target="_blank">click here.</a> Let me know how it works for you!</p>
<p><strong><em>Question</em></strong>: Why are agents afraid to survey? Studies show that only about 10% of agents actively and regularly survey.</p>
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		<title>How the Buyer Qualifies You</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/how-the-buyer-qualifies-you/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-the-buyer-qualifies-you</link>
		<comments>http://upandrunningin30days.com/how-the-buyer-qualifies-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:17:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[buyer presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer loyalty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buyer agency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach newer agent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How does a buyer qualify you? We all talk about qualifying buyers and sellers. I hope, as the year unfolds, that you’ve made a goal of better qualifying methods for 2012. But, in addition, buyers actively qualify agents to figure out who to work with. (Or, if they just take any agent who comes along, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>How does a buyer qualify <em>you?</em> We all talk about qualifying buyers and sellers. I hope, as the year unfolds, that you’ve made a goal of better qualifying methods for 2012. But, in addition, <em>buyers</em> actively qualify agents to figure out who to work with. (Or, if they just take any agent who comes along, they are disappointed because ‘<em>the customer doesn’t know what he’s getting, until he doesn’t’</em>.)</p>
<p><strong>Why meeting buyer qualifying criteria is important</strong>: Buyers today have many choices of how to find homes. You need to create competitive reasons to help buyers choose you.  It will save you time and money. And, if you’re a newer agent, creating solid reasons to help buyers choose you will increase your self-confidence 200%.</p>
<p><strong>Five Critical Questions Buyers Should Ask Agent ‘Candidates’ </strong></p>
<p>Here are five critical questions I believe buyers should ask agents to assure they have a ‘match’ between what they are looking for and what the agent provides. In addition, I’ve added what I believe <em>buyers</em> should look for in the anwers (that means that we agents must be able to qualify on these terms):</p>
<p>1. &#8220;Is selling residential real estate your full-time career?&#8221;</p>
<p>My advice to buyers: Listen to be sure the agent specializes in residential real estate. You want someone selling homes for a living, not apartment houses. Listen to see if this is the agent&#8217;s full-time career. Ask additional questions if the agent&#8217;s answers need more clarifying.</p>
<p>2. &#8220;How many homes did you sell last year?&#8221;</p>
<p>My advice to buyers: You want someone successful; that means, at minimum, the agent sold homes to buyers at least six times in that year.</p>
<p>3. &#8220;How long have you specialized in residential real estate in this area?&#8221;</p>
<p>My advice to buyers: Be sure the agent has been working in the area where you want to purchase for at least six months, so you know the agent has expertise and interest in that area.</p>
<p>4. &#8220;Describe the work you do in our price range and area.&#8221;</p>
<p>My advice to buyers: Listen to be sure the agent zeros in on the area and price range you need. If the agent says, &#8220;I work anywhere with anybody&#8221;, that agent may not be for you, for he may be trying to cover too much ground to know very much about specific areas.</p>
<p>5. &#8220;Tell us how you will work with us.&#8221;</p>
<p>My advice to buyers: Listen as the agent describes the buying process, as he views it. Does it reflect what you’re looking for?</p>
<p><strong>Agents: Think These Criteria are Too Tough?</strong></p>
<p>Did some of those questions and my advice to buyers make you defensive and argumentative? That’s because we agents tend to look at things ‘inside out’ (from our perspective). Instead, pretend you are a discriminating buyer. You’re going to spend $60,000 on a car. What kind of customer service do you expect? Now, think in terms of the real estate buyer. What kind of service should a real estate buyer expect?</p>
<p><strong>Newer Agents: Panicked Because You Think You Can’t Qualify? </strong></p>
<p>Relax. You don’t need to qualify on all terms. But, you need to have answers and explanations ready so you can provide buyers reasons to work with you.</p>
<p> Advice: Educate yourself so that you are as well-prepared to help a buyer as an agent who has sold 100+ homes in his/her career.</p>
<p>Sound off! What did I miss? Are some of these questions too tough? What do you think?</p>
<h2><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/small-VerlHead.jpg.jpeg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1424" title="small VerlHead.jpg" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/small-VerlHead.jpg.jpeg" alt="" width="94" height="100" /></a>Complimentary Sales Webinar with International Speaker</h2>
<p>Master Motivator Verl Workman helps you get your year started off right.</p>
<p>This action packed 1 hour webinar is like a private consulting session with one of the industry&#8217;s top coaches and mentors.</p>
<p>Verl will take you step by step through how to build your business plan and achieve your financial goals.  Using the 3 Ts:  Technology, Training, and Trade Secrets of the top performers in the world, Verl will show you how to make 2012 your best year ever in real estate.  Invite your friends, partners, teams and entire companies to this event. </p>
<p>When: Jan. 19</p>
<p>Time: 1:30-2:30 PM, PST</p>
<p>What: a webinar</p>
<p>To register:  <a href="https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/289780334">https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/289780334</a></p>
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		<title>Is Your Job Description Working for You? (or Against You?)</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/is-your-job-description-working-for-you-or-against-you/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=is-your-job-description-working-for-you-or-against-you</link>
		<comments>http://upandrunningin30days.com/is-your-job-description-working-for-you-or-against-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:27:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real estate as a career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach newer agent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1413</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do you have a job description? Is it working for or against you? Most agents tell me they did not receive a job description when they started in the business (or in the interview). If not, why not? In my last blog, I discussed the fallacy that agents should start out as &#8216;independent&#8217; business people. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Do you have a job description? Is it working for or against you?</p>
<p>Most agents tell me they did not receive a job description when they started in the business (or in the interview). If not, why not? In my last blog, I discussed the fallacy that agents should start out as &#8216;independent&#8217; business people. Now, I don&#8217;t mean they shouldn&#8217;t take responsibility for their actions and success. I mean that we shouldn&#8217;t abdicate our responsibility to teach, train, and coach them so they become great salespeople (so they can become independnet).  Besides not having skills they need to succeed, they usually don&#8217;t even know what the job is!</p>
<p><strong>Poor Job Descriptions Abound</strong></p>
<p>As I teach management courses nationally, and speak nationally, I see many examples of poorly thought-out job<a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/job-description-not-Carlas.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1414" title="job description (not Carla's)" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/job-description-not-Carlas-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="232" height="300" /></a> descriptions and activity plans. What do you think is a poor job description? <a href="http://getarealestatecoach.com/?attachment_id=1731" target="_blank">Take a look </a>here.  ( a preview is to the right).</p>
<p>Why do you think I regard it as a poor job description? It&#8217;s not:</p>
<p><em>Prioritized</em></p>
<p><em>Some of the activities don&#8217;t result in success</em></p>
<p>My conclusion: This job description was written by an academic who had never been successful in real estate!</p>
<p><strong>Abdicating  Leadership Responsibilities</strong></p>
<p>Part of that abdication of management responsibility, I believe, is managers not providing a prioritized job description to agents. Notice I said &#8216;prioritized&#8217;.  Which activities should the agent start with? Which are important to be successful? Which are less important?</p>
<p>Before I share my job description with you, please write the job description you believe is the one you follow. Is it helping your hurting you prioritize your most important activities?</p>
<p><strong>My Prioritized Job Description</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/A-Prioritized-Job-Description-of-a-Successful-Real-Estate-Agent.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1415" title="A Prioritized  Job Description of a Successful Real Estate Agent" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/A-Prioritized-Job-Description-of-a-Successful-Real-Estate-Agent-231x300.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="300" /></a>Now, take a look at the prioritized job description I developed as a foundation for the new agent&#8217;s start-up plan,  <strong><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4" target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a></strong>. How does yours differ? What does your job description say about what you think is important? Are you gaining as much success as you should? What does your job description and business plan have to do with those results?</p>
<p>For a printable copy, <a href="http://getarealestatecoach.com/?attachment_id=1733" target="_blank">click here.</a> </p>
<p>Get that job description refined. Talk to other agents to assure it&#8217;s the job description that reflects how you want to work. Compare that job description to what you actually do every day. How close can you come to your job description in your everyday execution? Now, you&#8217;re getting much more effective and efficient.</p>
<p>Getting the guidance you need to succeed: If you&#8217;re a new agent (under 1 year), you need <strong><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4" target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a></strong>. If you&#8217;re a seasoned agent, you need The <strong><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=6" target="_blank">On Track to Success in 30 Days System</a></strong>. Why not assure you have a better year in 2012?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Why &#8216;Independence&#8217; Isn&#8217;t in Your Best Interest</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/why-independence-isnt-in-your-best-interest/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=why-independence-isnt-in-your-best-interest</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:34:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real estate as a career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach newer agent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1408</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Perhaps you went into real estate because you wanted to be independent. You wanted to be your own boss&#8211;name your own hours&#8211;work at your own speed.  Not so fast! Even though real estate is considered to be a career where &#8216;you&#8217;re in business for yourself&#8221;, taking that thought too far can result in failure.  Whether [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Perhaps you went into real estate because you wanted to be independent. You wanted to be your own boss&#8211;name your own hours&#8211;work at your own speed.  Not so fast! Even though real estate is considered to be a career where &#8216;you&#8217;re in business for yourself&#8221;, taking that thought too far can result in failure. </p>
<p>Whether you&#8217;re new or in business for decades, read on. You may be deluding yourself about your path to success.</p>
<p>There are many skills required in this business that people new to it just don&#8217;t have. Yet, too often agents believe all they have to do is to start in this business and go to training. They will be successful. Then, when they start failing, they can&#8217;t figure out why. In this blog I&#8217;ll name 3 qualities and skills you need to develop fast. My question to you is: How are you going to develop or refine them?</p>
<p><strong>Skill # 1: Time management</strong></p>
<p>Most people go into real estate from a field that required them to show up on time, do specific work, and work for at least eight hours. If they didn&#8217;t fulfil the minimum requirements of the job, they were fired. Understandably, many people don&#8217;t like to work under those strictures. So, they go into real estate where they can name their own hours, work at their own speed, etc. etc. The problem is, with many, that they don&#8217;t understand that working at their own speed many be working at a failure speed.</p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em>My question: How are you developing your time management skills? Did you bring them from your former business? (Most agents don&#8217;t).</em></span></p>
<p><strong>Skill # 2; Being accountable to a plan</strong></p>
<p>When I was regional director for a very large international franchise company, I found, as I screened them,  most potential owners and managers had never had anyone hold them accountable. In fact, there was a negative feeling about being held accountable. When you have a &#8216;boss&#8217;, you are accountable to that work plan and to your boss. In real estate, we&#8217;re so careful not to step over the boundaries of the independent contractor concept, we rarely hold anyone accountable to anything. The result: Most people never know what the job really is, and whether they are on track to attain their goals.</p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em>My question to you is: Who is helping you be accountable for your own success? Who is your coach? (And don&#8217;t tell me it is YOU&#8230;..)</em></span></p>
<p><strong>Skill #3: Implement a plan of action.</strong></p>
<p>It is just amazing to me the kablooey plans of action out there. In another blog, I&#8217;ll show you why most of them lead to an agent&#8217;s failure. Most of the time, in fact, an agent isn&#8217;t provided a plan of action. He/she is just told suggestions or 50 ways to do something. The result: The agent has no idea how to prioritize activities and proceed. He has no idea whether what he is doing every day actually is leading him toward a goal.</p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em>My question to you is: Do you have a proven, prioritized plan of action and are you executing it?</em></span></p>
<p><em>S</em>o, after I&#8217;ve given you 3 skills agents need to succeed, what do you think? Is real estate an &#8216;independent&#8217; or dependent business? I believe it needs to be a &#8216;dependent&#8217; business at the beginning. That is, I coach the new agent as he/she starts his/her business. I am the leader. The new agent is the follower (or the struggling agent). There is the dependence. Once the agent &#8216;has it&#8217;, I step back, and become more of a consultant. Have you been a successful follower, so you can learn the business right? If so, why not?</p>
<p>If you haven&#8217;t read the great book,  O<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1299981730&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">utliers</a>, get it and read it now. One of the great lessons in the book is that no one succeeds alone. In later blogs, we&#8217;ll talk about the &#8216;community&#8217; it takes to help someone be successful today.</p>
<p>Give me your feedback on the &#8216;independent&#8217; or &#8216;dependent&#8217; concept. What do you think?</p>
<p>Getting the guidance you need to succeed: If you&#8217;re a new agent (under 1 year), you need <strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4 " target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a></span></strong>. If you&#8217;re a seasoned agent, you need The <strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=6  " target="_blank">On Track to Success in 30 Days System</a></span></strong>. Why not assure you have a better year in 2012?</p>
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		<title>New Agents: DO NOT Do a Business Plan!</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/new-agents-do-not-do-a-business-plan/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=new-agents-do-not-do-a-business-plan</link>
		<comments>http://upandrunningin30days.com/new-agents-do-not-do-a-business-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:26:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lead generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach newer agent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1402</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Perhaps you&#8217;ve been handed a great, long business plan to complete? You look at it and think, &#8216;How can I do that&#8217;? Well, you&#8217;re right. You can&#8217;t. Why? Because: 1. You don&#8217;t have a sales history to review (a large part of the business planning process). You don&#8217;t have a frame of reference. 2. You [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Perhaps you&#8217;ve been handed a great, long business plan to complete? You look at it and think, &#8216;How can I do that&#8217;? Well, you&#8217;re right. You can&#8217;t. Why? Because:</p>
<p>1. You don&#8217;t have a sales history to review (a large part of the business planning process). You don&#8217;t have a frame of reference.</p>
<p>2. You don&#8217;t have a need to think out 3-5 years.</p>
<p>3. You don&#8217;t have a need to make complex marketing plans.</p>
<p>What you do need: A prioritized business start-up plan. If you don&#8217;t have that, you will do meaningless activities like:</p>
<ul>
<li>get organized&#8211;all day</li>
<li>attend classes&#8211;all day</li>
<li>preview properties&#8211;all week</li>
<li>observe others&#8211;all week</li>
<li>do research and follow-up</li>
</ul>
<p>A friend of mine observes that agents who fall into this action plan seem to be &#8220;getting ready to get ready&#8221;.</p>
<p>The very dangerous thing about agents creating a daily plan without good business-start-up principles, is that they create <em>habits of failure</em>. In effect, they created their own start-up plan—one that assures low production.</p>
<p><strong>Dump that Long-Term Plan and Look at your Start-Up Plan&#8211;If You Have One </strong>Why not rate your plan now to see which path you are on? Simply add up the number of hours you spent last week in the activities above. Now, add up the sales producing activities (lead generation, showings, listing presentations, sales, and listings gained). Which of the categories has the larger time block?  What does that tell you about the job description you have created? Is it a job description that leads to sales?</p>
<p><strong>Attributes of an Effective Business Start-up System</strong></p>
<p>So, then, what is an <em>effective </em>business start-up plan? And, what else do you need? An effective business start-up plan has these attributes:</p>
<p>1. An organized activity schedule that has certain activities prioritized first, so you can manage your time effectively—throughout your career</p>
<p>2. A schedule that has certain activities scheduled secondarily—and why—so you don’t teach yourself to be a failed agent</p>
<p>3. A road-map for a continuing plan, so you can continue growing your business to the next level. (These are all attributes of <em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4 " target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a></span></em>, the new agent’s business start-up plan).</p>
<p><strong>Plan must be integrated with training and coaching. </strong>But, that’s not all you need. You need integrated programs with a skilled coaching professional (it can be your manager, or an outside coach), to help you implement successfully.</p>
<p><strong>When to Switch to a Bigger Business Planning Process</strong></p>
<p>1. When you&#8217;ve completed 8-12 transactions in a year (now you know how to organize and implement your prioritized day-to-day activities)</p>
<p>2. When you have a track record so you can review your previous year to see patterns and make changes</p>
<h2><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a><span style="color: #327299;">New Business Planning Series</span></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re unsure how to start your plan, if you don&#8217;t see the benefit of planning, I&#8217;ve got some answers for you.  I&#8217;ve been working on business planning for years&#8230;&#8230;and I&#8217;ve just come up with a series that I think answers questions like, &#8220;How do I get started? How do I know what numbers to put in? How can I make my plan useful?  How will I know that it works?&#8221;</p>
<p>I call this big program <strong><a href="http://365leadership.net/splash/" target="_blank">Come See 2012: Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.</a></strong> In it, I&#8217;ve created 2 webinars to walk you right through the planning process. I&#8217;ve made it simple and straightforward&#8211;but not so simple it won&#8217;t work!  Along with that, I&#8217;ve provided the most updated versions of my planning documents&#8211;15 of them!</p>
<p>In addition, I&#8217;ve added several bonuses:</p>
<ul>
<li>From the Coach: 53 Pointers for your Business Plan</li>
<li>Biggest Marketing Dos and Don’ts</li>
<li>Especially for teams: How to use the planning process to teamify and inspire</li>
</ul>
<p>All for a VERY affordable price of $79. Why not let me walk you through the process, provide inspiration, and confidence that your plan will work to give you a great 2012? <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/crossbusplan" target="_blank">Click here </a></strong>for more information and purchase.</p>
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		<title>Have you &#8216;Commissioned-Proofed&#8217; your Business Plan?</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/have-you-comissioned-proofed-your-business-plan/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=have-you-comissioned-proofed-your-business-plan</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:15:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 business plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1396</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know you&#8217;re finishing your business plans for 2012 (aren&#8217;t you?). Well, if not, I&#8217;ll &#8216;guilt&#8217; you into it. Not really, but, I highly suggest you think through your business this week so you&#8217;re not taken by surprise next year. My question today is,  &#8220;Have you built in those safeguards into your business plan that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know you&#8217;re finishing your business plans for 2012 (aren&#8217;t you?). Well, if not, I&#8217;ll &#8216;guilt&#8217; you into it. Not really, but, I highly suggest you think through your business this week so you&#8217;re not taken by surprise next year. My question today is,  &#8220;Have you built in those safeguards into your business plan that assure your commissions aren&#8217;t eroding?</p>
<p>A recent study showed that shrinking commissions was the largest problem perceived by top producers.</p>
<p>I was asked to do a presentation on real estate trends and their impact on real estate professionals for the National Association of Realtors’ Mid-Year Convention. So, I did lots of research. The presentation is called “The Drumbeat of Emerging Trends”. In it, I explore the five most important trends affecting real estate right now.</p>
<p>In this blog, I want to share with you how to assure your commissions don’t shrink.</p>
<p>After all, if you’re a committed agent who invests monetarily and emotionally in a long-term career, you deserve the commissions you want to charge.</p>
<p><strong>What it Takes to Preserve the Commission Levels you Want</strong> </p>
<p>There are two things you can provide that more than earn your ‘generous’ commissions (and that a computer search can’t do for a buyer or seller):</p>
<p>Expert <em>consulting</em></p>
<p>Expert <em>negotiating</em></p>
<p><strong>Becoming that ‘Value-Added’ Consultant and Negotiator</strong></p>
<p>There are some specific steps you can take to provide truly deliver immeasurable value to your clients. Here they are:</p>
<ol>
<li>If you haven’t taken interactive, tough, to-the-point consulting and negotiating workshops, do so now. Unfortunately, most agents aren’t trained consultants or negotiators, so they’re missing the opportunity to differentiate themselves from other agents—and impersonal web-based services</li>
<li>If you don’t use a written questionnaire to interview prospective buyers and sellers, get and starting using them now.  (see <a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=12" target="_blank">The Complete Buyer’s Agent Toolkit</a> and <a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=11" target="_blank">Your Client-Based Marketing System </a>for comprehensive consulting tools)</li>
<li>Regularly survey your clients, at least at closing, to find out how you did—and keep refining your buyer and seller systems based on client feedback</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Surveys Now on the Web for the World to See</strong> </p>
<p>A huge trend: websites have been created that feature surveys from real estate clients. The client has been feeling let down by agents, and now can either vent or brag! Take a look at</p>
<p><a href="http://www.incredibleagents.com/">www.incredibleagents.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.realestateratingz.com/">www.realestateratingz.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.zillow.com/">www.zillow.com</a></p>
<p>Ask yourself: If I were a client, what kind of feedback about an agent would cause me to want to work with her? What would cause me to avoid this agent? Some of the client surveys you’ll see on the site are awe-inspiring—and some are exceptional for entirely different reasons! </p>
<p><strong>Down to the Wire</strong> </p>
<p>I believe that, very soon, companies will be either full service, generous commission companies, with dedicated, career-focused agents, or limited service, “less generous” commission companies. Which level of service (and fee structure) will you offer?</p>
<p>What education, training, and skills are you going to build into that business plan to assure you are the professional of choice&#8211;and worth every penny of what you want to charge?</p>
<h2><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a><span style="color: #3d72a3;">New Business Planning Series</span></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re unsure how to start your plan, if you don&#8217;t see the benefit of planning, I&#8217;ve got some answers for you.  I&#8217;ve been working on business planning for years&#8230;&#8230;and I&#8217;ve just come up with a series that I think answers questions like, &#8220;How do I get started? How do I know what numbers to put in? How can I make my plan useful?  How will I know that it works?&#8221;</p>
<p>I call this big program <strong><a href="http://365leadership.net/splash/" target="_blank">Come See 2012: Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.</a></strong> In it, I&#8217;ve created 2 webinars to walk you right through the planning process. I&#8217;ve made it simple and straightforward&#8211;but not so simple it won&#8217;t work!  Along with that, I&#8217;ve provided the most updated versions of my planning documents&#8211;15 of them!</p>
<p>In addition, I&#8217;ve added several bonuses:</p>
<ul>
<li>From the Coach: 53 Pointers for your Business Plan</li>
<li>Biggest Marketing Dos and Don’ts</li>
<li>Especially for teams: How to use the planning process to teamify and inspire</li>
</ul>
<p>All for a VERY affordable price of $79. Why not let me walk you through the process, provide inspiration, and confidence that your plan will work to give you a great 2012? <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/crossbusplan" target="_blank">Click here </a></strong>for more information and purchase.</p>
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		<title>Your Business Plan: How to Spend your Marketing Dollars</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/your-business-plan-how-to-spend-your-marketing-dollars/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=your-business-plan-how-to-spend-your-marketing-dollars</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:29:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 business plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[make money fast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1392</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[During December, I&#8217;m focusing my blog on business planning, as well as in my managers&#8217; blog, Management in a Minute. Look for ready to use checklists, processes, and systems. Let&#8217;s make awesome plans for 2012! Today, real estate agents capture much more of the gross commission dollar than ever before. At the same time, they [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>During December, I&#8217;m focusing my blog on business planning, as well as in my managers&#8217; blog, <a href="http://getarealestatecoach.com" target="_blank">Management in a Minute</a>. Look for <strong>ready to use checklists, processes, and systems.</strong> Let&#8217;s make awesome plans for 2012!</p>
<p>Today, real estate agents capture much more of the gross commission dollar than ever before. At the same time, they must become real businesspeople, because they must allocate some of these dollars to marketing—to increase their business. But, how do you know how to spend those marketing dollars?</p>
<p><strong>Here are two basic principles of marketing dollar allocation</strong></p>
<p><strong>Principle One</strong>. Spend a proportional amount on <em>your best source (s) of business</em>—it will beget more business (your best source of business is from your past clients and people who know and trust you).</p>
<p><strong>Most Agents are Not Spending Their Marketing Dollars Right</strong></p>
<p>A recent study showed that agents spent the largest amount of their marketing dollars on direct mail, advertising, and the Internet. Yet, the majority of their business came from traditional &#8216;people to people&#8217; sources </p>
<div>•Referrals<br />
•IVR Technology (interactive voice response)&#8211;the only &#8216;technological&#8217; lead generating source<br />
Repeat Business<br />
•Open Houses<br />
•FSBO/Expired Leads<br />
•Face-to-Face Networking</div>
<p><strong>Do you know how much you spent on your best source of business last year? </strong></p>
<p>Only one percent of the agents do. That means they aren’t treating that group of people as a ‘target market’. You must segregate your best sources and allocate funds directly to marketing to them. You must make a marketing plan directly to these people, and attach a budget to this best source.</p>
<p><strong>How much Money Should You Spend?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Principle Two. </strong>Spend between 5 and 10% of your projected income on marketing to your best source of business.</p>
<p>Example: If you were to project for next year that you will get 20 sales from your past clients, and that income would be $4000 per ‘revenue unit’ or $80,000, you would allocate $4000 to $8000 to marketing to that source.</p>
<p>Simply reviewing how you spent your 2011 and allocating adequate marketing dollars for 2012 will, in the end, save you money. Also, you&#8217;ll have something to measure and adjust.</p>
<h2><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a><span style="color: #397473;">New Business Planning Series</span></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re unsure how to start your plan, if you don&#8217;t see the benefit of planning, I&#8217;ve got some answers for you.  I&#8217;ve been working on business planning for years&#8230;&#8230;and I&#8217;ve just come up with a series that I think answers questions like, &#8220;How do I get started? How do I know what numbers to put in? How can I make my plan useful?  How will I know that it works?&#8221;</p>
<p>I call this big program <strong><a href="http://365leadership.net/splash/" target="_blank">Come See 2012: Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.</a></strong> In it, I&#8217;ve created 2 webinars to walk you right through the planning process. I&#8217;ve made it simple and straightforward&#8211;but not so simple it won&#8217;t work!  Along with that, I&#8217;ve provided the most updated versions of my planning documents&#8211;15 of them!</p>
<p>In addition, I&#8217;ve added several bonuses:</p>
<ul>
<li>From the Coach: 53 Pointers for your Business Plan</li>
<li>Biggest Marketing Dos and Don’ts</li>
<li>Especially for teams: How to use the planning process to teamify and inspire</li>
</ul>
<p>All for a VERY affordable price of $79. Why not let me walk you through the process, provide inspiration, and confidence that your plan will work to give you a great 2012? <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/crossbusplan" target="_blank">Click here </a></strong>for more information and purchase.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Five More Critical Areas You Need in your Business Plan</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/five-more-points-you-need-in-your-business-plan/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=five-more-points-you-need-in-your-business-plan</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:14:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lead generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1380</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In December, I&#8217;m doing blogs on business planning, as well as on my manager&#8217;s blog, Management in a Minute. Check often for complimentary forms and training. Do you have a business plan for next year? Is it in a format that I could actually follow if you delegated running your business o me? I doubt [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In December, I&#8217;m doing blogs on business planning, as well as on my manager&#8217;s blog, <a href="http://getarealestatecoach.com" target="_blank">Management in a Minute</a>. Check often for complimentary forms and training.</p>
<p>Do you have a business plan for next year? Is it in a format that I could actually follow if you delegated running your business o me? I doubt over 5% of the agents could answer that question ‘yes’. Yet, we all talk about the importance of a business plan. In my earlier blog, I discussed what needs to be in your plan&#8211;points 1-5. Here are next five of ten critical points you must have in your business plan to make it a plan that actually works for you, not just a thesis that looks important on the shelf!</p>
<p><strong>6. Create a robust lead generating plan.</strong></p>
<p>Create a lead generating plan that you can actually follow! Too often, our big goals don&#8217;t translate into what we&#8217;ll do every day and eery week to get us closer to our goals. So, be sure your lead generating plan is in place, and that it coordinates with your goals.</p>
<p><strong>7. Prioritize your action plan as either business-producing or business supporting.</strong></p>
<p>In <a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4 " target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a>, the new agent&#8217;s start-up plan, I introduced the concept of dividing all activites into these two categories. Be sure you have your priorities right on your business plan! Otherwise, you will be drawn to support activities&#8211;safe, but not productive.</p>
<p><strong>8. Put deadlines to all your action plans to hold yourself accountable.</strong></p>
<p>Put deadline dates in your activities and put them on your calendar. It’s what you do every day that has a relationship to the results you said you wanted. A mistake agents make is that their daily schedules have no relationship to their stated goals! They’re too busy in taking care of the immediate and demanding that they don&#8217;t do the important things.</p>
<p><strong>9. Assign people to carry out your plan.</strong></p>
<p>You will get to the point where you know you need help. To prepare for that, put the names of the people who will carry out the activities, so you know to whom you will delegate.  It will save you so much time and clarify to your staff exactly what you want.</p>
<p><strong>10. Use a proven system to write your plan.</strong></p>
<p>Use an organized process and system to write your plan. The ‘plans’ I have seen aren’t really ‘plans’—they’re just a small portion of a plan. The most important part of planning is the <em>thinking</em> part. Find a great system that teaches you how to think through your plan. There’s nothing more important to your business than profitability—and thinking through your plan before you launch your actions assures profits.</p>
<p>As Dwight D. Eisenhower said,</p>
<p><em>Planning is everything. The plan is nothing.</em></p>
<h2><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a><span style="color: #3a6f73;">New Business Planning Series</span></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re unsure how to start your plan, if you don&#8217;t see the benefit of planning, I&#8217;ve got some answers for you.  I&#8217;ve been working on business planning for years&#8230;&#8230;and I&#8217;ve just come up with a series that I think answers questions like, &#8220;How do I get started? How do I know what numbers to put in? How can I make my plan useful?  How will I know that it works?&#8221;</p>
<p>I call this big program <strong><a href="http://365leadership.net/splash/" target="_blank">Come See 2012: Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.</a></strong> In it, I&#8217;ve created 2 webinars to walk you right through the planning process. I&#8217;ve made it simple and straightforward&#8211;but not so simple it won&#8217;t work!  Along with that, I&#8217;ve provided the most updated versions of my planning documents&#8211;15 of them!</p>
<p>In addition, I&#8217;ve added several bonuses:</p>
<ul>
<li>From the Coach: 53 Pointers for your Business Plan</li>
<li>Biggest Marketing Dos and Don’ts</li>
<li>Especially for teams: How to use the planning process to teamify and inspire</li>
</ul>
<p>All for a VERY affordable price of $79. Why not let me walk you through the process, provide inspiration, and confidence that your plan will work to give you a great 2012? <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/crossbusplan" target="_blank">Click here </a></strong>for more information and purchase.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Business Planning: How to Review your Time Management</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/business-planning-how-to-review-your-time-management/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=business-planning-how-to-review-your-time-management</link>
		<comments>http://upandrunningin30days.com/business-planning-how-to-review-your-time-management/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:55:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 business plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1356</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Through December, I&#8217;m focusing on business planning in my blogs. Look for checklists, processes, and systems&#8211;ready to use. Business Planning: How Was your Time Management this Year? If you’re like most of us, you have much more on your ‘to do’ list than you get to during your business day. What does that have to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Through December, I&#8217;m focusing on business planning in my blogs. Look for <strong>checklists, processes, and systems</strong>&#8211;ready to use.</p>
<p><strong>Business Planning: How Was your Time Management this Year?</strong></p>
<p>If you’re like most of us, you have much more on your ‘to do’ list than you get to during your business day. What does that have to do with business planning? At this time of year, we need to analyze how we spent our time. Then, we can make adjustments for next year. All of us have the same amount of time, yet, some people seem to know how to optimize it.</p>
<p><strong>We Don’t Manage Time</strong></p>
<p>The notion that we manage time is actually a mis-nomer. We manage activities. Have you ever known an agent who comes into the office every day, seems to work hard, yet makes little money? That person would tell you he manages his time. Yet, his time is spent doing the wrong activities. (Or, maybe, he intends to spend his time in non-productive activities…….).</p>
<p><strong>A Major Principle for Great Time/Activity Management</strong></p>
<p>In <a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=4" target="_blank">Up and Running in 30 Days</a>, (use this program if you&#8217;re under a year in the business for business planning) I introduced the principle of <em>categorizing activities </em>so that you can tell whether you are spending your time in activities that will make you money—or not. All real estate activities can be categorized as either</p>
<p><em>Business producing or</em></p>
<p><em>Business supporting</em></p>
<p><em>Which are which:</em> Those activities that have you meeting people directly, working with people, and selling houses are business producing. All the rest are business supporting.</p>
<p>I created a tool to easily analyze how you were spending your time, and whether it was productive&#8211;or not.</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/27dazls" target="_blank"><strong>Click here</strong></a> to get my time/activity analysis, excerpted from <a href="http://store.carla-cross.com/product.php?pid=13" target="_blank">The Business Planning System for the Real Estate Professional.</a></p>
<p>Let me know what you found out from your time/activity analysis, and the changes you’re making for next year’s business plan.</p>
<h2><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a>New Business Planning Series</span></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;re unsure how to start your plan, if you don&#8217;t see the benefit of planning, I&#8217;ve got some answers for you.  I&#8217;ve been working on business planning for years&#8230;&#8230;and I&#8217;ve just come up with a series that I think answers questions like, &#8220;How do I get started? How do I know what numbers to put in? How can I make my plan useful?  How will I know that it works?&#8221;</p>
<p> I call this big program <strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://365leadership.net/splash/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff;">Come See 2012: Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.</span></a></span></strong> In it, I&#8217;ve created 2 webinars to walk you right through the planning process. I&#8217;ve made it simple and straightforward&#8211;but not so simple it won&#8217;t work!  Along with that, I&#8217;ve provided the most updated versions of my planning documents&#8211;15 of them!</p>
<p>In addition, I&#8217;ve added several bonuses:</p>
<ul>
<li>From the Coach: 53 Pointers for your Business Plan</li>
<li>Biggest Marketing Dos and Don’ts</li>
<li>Especially for teams: How to use the planning process to teamify and inspire</li>
</ul>
<p>All for a VERY affordable price of $79. Why not let me walk you through the process, provide inspiration, and confidence that your plan will work to give you a great 2012? <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/crossbusplan" target="_blank">Click here </a></strong>for more information and registration.</p>
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		<title>How Do You Rate on the Business Planning &#8216;Exam&#8217;?</title>
		<link>http://upandrunningin30days.com/how-do-you-rate-on-the-business-planning-exam/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-do-you-rate-on-the-business-planning-exam</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:28:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Carla Cross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Real Estate Agents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real estate as a career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 business plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[businesss plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carla Cross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Up and Running]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://upandrunningin30days.com/?p=1341</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Through December, I&#8217;m going to be blogging about business planning, to help you create an exceptional business plan&#8211;a roadmap&#8211;for next year. Look for checklists, processes and systems&#8211;ready to use, too. What should a business plan do for you? Appease your manager?  (I’ve been there, so I know that&#8217;s why we do it sometimes….) Or, should [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Through December, I&#8217;m going to be blogging about business planning, to help you create an exceptional business plan&#8211;a roadmap&#8211;for next year. Look for <strong>checklists, processes and systems</strong>&#8211;ready to use, too.</p>
<p>What should a business plan do for you? Appease your manager?  (I’ve been there, so I know that&#8217;s why we do it sometimes….) Or, should it actually provide you specific, day-to-day guidance about what to do to make your business thrive? If you’re a practical person like me, you don’t like to do ‘busy work’. You and I believe, then, that a business plan should have a practical application for <em>every day</em> of your business.</p>
<p><strong>How Does your Business Plan Stack Up?</strong></p>
<p>Take this quick ‘exam’ to see how your business plan stacks up.</p>
<p>1. By going through your process of business planning, you get the ‘vision’ and mission principles to make the positioning, marketing, hiring, and termination decisions right for your particular business.        T                      F</p>
<p><em>Does your plan have an over arch of your vision? </em>Few business plans start with <em>vision</em>. This causes huge problems when real estate professionals try to implement—such as implementing a marketing plan.  A potential coaching client told me she ‘wasn’t very good at marketing’, and wondered how to get better. You can’t become a great marketer unless you have a very clear vision of who you are and where you expect your journey to take you.</p>
<p>It all starts with a crystal clear idea of your vision, mission, and positioning in the market. Your business plan should contain these very important statements. Then, when you design an institutional marketing plan, you’ll be able execute your thoughts and feelings visually.</p>
<p>If your vision and mission aren’t well defined in your business plan, you simply have no solid foundation to make those tough leadership decisions.</p>
<p>2.  Your business plan starts with reviewing and researching the past year in all your business areas.                                             T                         F</p>
<p><em>Are you ignoring the obvious</em>? If your planning ‘template’ doesn’t lead you through the analysis of key business statistics, you simply don’t know what <em>happened.</em> So, you can’t possibly make decisions for next year, because you don’t know whether to do it, stop doing it, or start doing something differently!</p>
<p>Example: What percent of your listings sold within normal market time? What was the percent of list price to sale price? Few business planning templates ask you to grab these statistics and analyze them. Yet, these are the statistics that directly point you to your strategies and tactics for the coming year.</p>
<p>3. Does your business plan have an ‘action plan’ area, so you can translate your yearly and monthly goals into daily actions—and actually schedule these actions?                                                      T                         F</p>
<p><em>Is your business plan so theoretical that no one could follow it daily</em>? I have seen so many business plans that only played on the ‘results’ playing field. Writing down the results you want are great, but if your plan doesn’t get down to where the rubber meets the road, (what you need to do daily), you simply are doing an exercise. In other words, you have to get past the ‘what’ and get to the ‘how’ and ‘how much’.</p>
<p>For example: You may say you want to increase your ‘sold’ listings by 25% in the coming year. How are you going to do that? You may build into action part of your plan that you are going to take several courses in gaining marketable listings.</p>
<p>4. Does your plan consist of integrated, ready-to-follow systems so you can delegate?                                                                           T                      F</p>
<p>Michael Gerber, author of <em>The E-Myth</em> and <em>The E-Myth Revisited</em>, says that a business plan consists of the integration of <em>systems.</em> Most managers and agents feel they are working too many hours. They want to be able to delegate specific duties. But, without systems and processes in place, delegation is impossible.</p>
<p><strong>Sell me your business. </strong>Pretend you wanted to sell me your business. I walk into your office. What systems do I see? What systems can I buy from you, so I don’t have to ‘reinvent the wheel’? What systems do you have that integrate and reflect your values in the overall way you do your business?</p>
<p>How did you do on the ‘exam’? Here’s your opportunity to think through your business at a much deeper, more meaningful level. Doing so will re-motivate you, re-ignite your passion, and provide you some solid answers for next year.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/2a4huem" target="_blank">Click here</a></strong> to see each of the parts of a business planning system&#8211;and the order in which they should be explored</p>
<h2> <a href="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1319" title="come see 2012" src="http://upandrunningin30days.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/come-see-2012-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a>FREE Webinar</h2>
<p>Join me on Nov. 29, at 1-2 PM, PST, for a &#8216;meat-packed&#8217; webinar on business planning: <strong><a href="https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/552642430" target="_blank">Beyond the Basics of Business Planning</a></strong>. I&#8217;ll help you find the hidden problem areas of your business, reveal how to put inspiration into your plan, and give you several strategies for next year. Space is limited! Register today.</p>
<h2><a href="https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/552642430" target="_blank">Click here </a>to register.</h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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