I’ll bet you’re coming into real estate from a former career–a career where you knew the answers–where you were confident. I came from a two-decade career as a musician (I actually started playing piano when I was four). Then, I went into real estate.  I remember so clearly my first few months as a real estate agent. My favorite phrase was “I don’t know but I’ll find out”. In truth, I knew very little! Sometimes I was so humiliated and frustrated I almost quit.

So, how did I keep my spirits high? By remembering my ‘wins’ from my former ‘life’.

Keep a Journal of your ‘Wins’

In Up and Running in 30 Days, I advise new agents to keep a ‘motivation journal’, to remember their strengths and keep their spirits high when delving into this challenging–and exciting–new field. Remember, we were all new once! You will find more rejection in real estate sales than you thought possible. Yet, those who persevere create a career with almost unlimited potential. Remember, if you think you can do it, you CAN!

Gather Lots of Motivational ‘Muscle’

Besides remembering your strengths, gather quotes, books, videos, and podcasts to elevate your self-esteem. Every top performer I know does this. Why? Because, sometimes you need more than yourself to keep those spirits high. When your self-esteem is up, you’re willing to tackle the tough stuff.

What tools do you use to keep your spirit high when it’s tough out there?

P. S. I’ve provided lots of motivation and inspiration for you in Up and Running in 30 Days, too.

The Combination that Gets you Business

Here’s the answer to the question, “What is the one thing I should do to get business?” Yes, people are always asking me that. I think it’s because I’ve written two resources for would-be and new agents: Become Tomorrow’s Mega-Agent Today and Up and Running in 30 Days. Now, we know that becoming a skilled real estate agent isn’t just one answer. But, there is one thing new agents (and seasoned agents) can do that requires

No skill

No experience

No money

Little time

And, this one thing will make you stand out from the crowd better than any other one thing you could do! What is it? Simply:

Write a thank you note (a real hard copy note, not an email)

Why?

Because manners and ‘thank yous’ have gotten increasingly uncommon! You will stand out simply because you’ve taken the time, thought about that person, and cared enough to write—and put that stamp on it.

Write More Than One Note

I’m not going to tell you to write a certain number of notes per day. You can set your standard (that means the minimum you’ll do). However, the more notes you write, the more business you’ll get……

What to Say

Thank you. Thinking about you. I appreciate you. I used your advice. Here’s something for you that would be helpful. I found the information you wanted.

Note to managers: This is also one of the strongest motivational tools you’ll ever have–writing notes to your agents with encouragement, thanks, etc. Do you do enough of it? Set your own goals now.

Big important sales principle:

Contacting people is simply finding an excuse to write, pick up the phone, or go see.

My challenge: How creative can you get?

You are more creative than you think they are. Now, sit down and think hard about 5 people you’ve started to work with, but need to contact now. What about them fits into any scenario for you to write that note, pick up the phone, or go see?

Proof is in the Pudding

My first year in real estate, I sold 40 homes. Also, I sent more things in the mail than any other of the 30 agents in my office. Why? Because I wanted to create a ‘critical mass’ of people who thought I was wonderful. Yes, an agent can also do this with social media. But, you want to stand out. And, you will stand out much more if you write to one person than to many. After all, you are working with that one person who will pay you thousands of dollars. He/she is worth that special, individual effort! That’s the one thing you should do to get and keep business.

Have you found yourself going to too many different directions? Do you have some significant time management challenges? In this world of lightning change, salespeople can struggle just to stay even–much less get ahead. The ability to organize these changes seems daunting. But, the need is greater than the risk. If we can’t manage the day-to-day business through systems, we’re caught forever in ‘crisis’ management. Here’s how to organize, systematize, and automate our jobs so we can manage change—rather than having change manage us.

You as a System

I want you quit thinking of yourself as a creative individual, and, for a moment, consider that you can organize what you do just like software organizes tasks (well, almost!). In other words, you can systematize YOU, to some extent.

Choose or create systems—then harness technology. First, create your systems. Then, choose the technology to run those systems. You’ll spend less money and utilize your technological investments better if you’ve organized your business systematically first. Then, you’ll know exactly what systems you want to automate. In Up and Running in 30 Days, I’ve provided a Technology Planner, to help you prioritize your needs.

Five Steps to Systematize Your Business

1. First, itemize the tasks you do each day.

2. Prioritize your tasks as they relate to accomplishing your main objectives. What are the most important tasks you do to assure you make money consistently? (Up and Running provides lots of guidance on prioritization.)

3. Organize your high-priority tasks into systems–or purchase systems.

Should you create your own system, or buy one? Smart agents buy systems, if they’re available. An example is a listing presentation. Even though an agent could create a system, time spent on creation isn’t worth the price paid in ‘down sales time’ profitability. Don’t be a creator unless you just can’t find a good system.

4. Choose your technology to support the systems you already have in place. Let’s say you now how a manually-created listing system. You’ve decided who you will involve in the plan; you’ve decided which tasks you can delegate. Now, you’re ready to choose technology to automate your system. Because you know what you want this technology to accomplish, you can make a good choice. You can easily customize the software to meet your needs–because you already have a system in place.

5. Package your systems so you can promote your exceptional business organization to buyers and sellers. For example: If you’ve never worked with a particular buyer or seller before, that buyer can’t know if you’ll communicate regularly. Show the buyer your process/system for communicating regularly, so he can start trusting you as the professional you know you are. Remember, we believe what we see, not what we hear.

Start with just one series of tasks and get that systematized. Soon, you’ll be running your business much more like a business.

Questions: If you’re wondering whether systems are worth investing time and money in, think about the top agents you know. Do they operate without systems? Could they?

What systems do you have? What systems do you need?

their manager

Yet, what if your manager isn’t the type to catch you at the right time, say all the right things, and provide specifically what you need?

Look Elsewhere to Assure You Get that Motivation

There are two ways to get that motivation, that appreciation, that support you need. Many people think someone else should be in charge of their atittude. But, there’s another method. That’s the method so few of us use:

Going inside.

We shy away from acknowledging our own efforts. Why? Perhaps your mom (as mine did) told us not to brag. It was unseemly to be immodest. 

Not about Bragging

Acknowledging yourself is not bragging. It is not only positive, it is absolutely critical to do if we are to be effective salespeople. We must use all the methods as our disposal to keep ourselves ‘up’, so we can be models for our clients–and those agents who look up to us. 

Going inside. Someone you can always count on.

When I was in college, I remember going sailing with a group of people. It was a gorgeous day. We sailed around the large lake, enjoying moderate winds. Then, about 6 o’clock, we decided to sail back to the dock. Problem. No wind. We had no choice but to wait for that wind to bring us back. (or use the little outboard motor, which the purest ‘captain’ was loathe to use.)

Frequently, we count on others to ‘sail us back to the dock of positive attitude’ when we’re down. Like the wind, though, they may not be there when we need them!

Draw a Different Conclusion

Actually, though, we have our own outboard motor onboard–our own minds. We have the ability to change our minds about things (especially we women, men say…). We have the ability inside us to re-draw a conclusion about an event. For instance, we managers get ‘down’ when the agent we thought we were going to hire went to another agency. We can look at it as a loss, or as an opportunity to learn from the experience. If we’re good at managing our attitude, we’ll call that agent to find out what attracted that agent to the other company–and learn from the experience.

See Up and Running in 30 Days and The On Track to Success in 30 Days System for Experienced Agents for many motivational strategies.

Who gets you ‘up’ when you’re down? What ‘tricks of the trade’ do you use to keep your attitude on an even keel?

Why Tell Me Now?

Right now, I’m doing several things that I think will greatly impact the success of a new real estate agent. Here they are:

1. I’m making a new online version of Up and Running in 30 Days, to help new agents and managers assure that new agent gets started fast–doing the right things in the right order. I’ll be providing coaching, training videos, and accountability to show ultimate support for that new agent–and the broker enrolled in the program.

2. I’ve just been named New Agent Expert for a national real estate publication, which will interact with pre-license schools. So, I’ll have an opportunity to help agents prior to their coming into the business. 

3. I’ll be providing brokers with coaching so they can stay on track with their new agents, and assure that everyone has the same focus–success quickly for that new agent.

So, I have two questions for you:

1. What does the new agent need to know to succeed?

2. What does the new agent need to do to succeed?

To answer those questions, think of the successful agents you know. What did they do in the first 3 months of the business? What did they avoid?

Training: What new agent training helped you? What was useless? What ought to be there?

Coaching: Were you coached as a new agent? What was good? What was not useful to you? What do you wish someone would have told you?

Your Opportunity to Help the Industry

Okay. Here you go. Comment on this blog and help the industry, so we can raise the level of expectations of new agents, give brokers some guidance, and help consumers think well of us. Thank you!

What to Measure

Of course, you’ll want to measure the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Use this form to do that.

Your Time Management

Agents say time management is their biggest challenge. And, it all comes down to prioritizing your activities. Here’s the question: Are you spending more of your time in

Business-producing activities (lead generation, interviewing/qualifying, showing, selling, listing, listing sells)

or

Business-supporting activities (everything else)

In my business start-up plan for new agents, Up and Running in 30 Days, I break all real estate activities into the 2 categories above to create a business start-up plan for success. Why? To give new agents a precise, correct model for a successful business.

Creatures of Habit

We are creatures of habit. Without a different model, we tend to do whatever group of activities which appeal to us because they’re easy and don’t take us out of our comfort zone. Unfortunately, then, we create a business activity plan that leads us to failure, not success.

How to Analyze your Time Management

How do you know which ‘business plan’ you’re following? (because you’re following one, whether you’ve written it down or not!)? Simply look at your schedule for the last 2-3 weeks. Put your activities into the two columns above. How many business-producing activities did you do? Is your activity schedule highly ‘tilted’ toward business supporting activities? Why? What do you want to change?

Note: There are many more analysis tools in this month’s featured resource, The On Track to Success in 30 Days System for the Experienced Agent.

This comprehensive resource is like having your own consultant 24/7. In each section, you have the opportunity to analyze your strengths and challenges and make a specific plan to improve. In addition, there’s a 30-day regeneration plan. See more at The On Track to Success in 30 Days System for the Experienced Agent.

The Ten Tips

1. Learn non-verbal skills and apply them in writing, on the phone, and in person to establish rapport in an increasingly ‘cold inquiry’ world. (For example: That’s voice pacing, inflections, pauses, pitch, dynamics–just to name a few ‘hearing’ non-verbal skills.) 

2. We believe what others say about a salesperson, not what the salesperson says about themselves. Use testimonials; check evaluation websites to see what consumers are saying about you.

Check out www.realestateratingz.com and www.incredibleagents.com.

3. Create an after-the-sale survey and use it consistently. If there’s something wrong, fix it fast.

4. We believe what we see, not what we hear. Show, don’t tell. Use visual presentations consistently.

5. Flip your sales presentations. Ask questions—lots of questions—first. Educate. Finally, sell (well, you won’t have to sell).

6. Tell the truth attractively. Show evidence.  Don’t try to scare the client into action by predicting  the future.

7. Evaluate the client for long-term relationships. Is the client someone you want to add to your ‘tribe’?

8. Use ‘tough love’ with a client to tell the truth, turn down a client—to stay true to your values. Do what’s best for the client.

9. Re-cap. Regularly, stop and re-cap with the client. Do this, too, when you can’t meet client expectations.

10. Book of Greatness: Don’t brag about yourself in the middle of apresentation. Create a ‘Book of Greatness’ to use in your pre-first visit so your clients get to know you and your approach to sales.

Trust evaluator: See what your trust level quotient is. Click here to get the Trust Evaluator. The higher your trust quotient, the more money you’ll make–more easily.

1. Do the work.
2. Don’t argue.
3. Don’t make excuses for not doing your start-up plan.
4. Don’t tell the manager you’ve been in the business two weeks and you have a better way.
5. Do thank your manager frequently.
6. Do tell other agents that you appreciate your manager’s efforts.
7. Do tell other new agents you meet in other companies that you have a great manager.
8. Don’t bug other people in the office to find another answer because you didn’t like your manager’s answer.
9. Don’t change the Up and Running plan because you “don’t like it”. (You just don’t like lead generating, do you?)10. Don’t miss a coaching appointment!

I’d love to hear what you think of my ‘ten commandments.’ Are there others you think are important?

Managers: Why not make your own ten commandments and discuss them in your interview process. Then, turn the tables and ask the agent about his expectations of you and the office.

Agents: Before you hire on, get in writing exactly what your manager is going to do to assure your success, so you won’t have disappointments later. Getting agreement on what we both expect before we decide to work together is key to a happy partnership. The only surprises I want you and your agent to have after you start working together are good ones!

Side note: Managers: My belief is that you owe it to your agents to coach each one, regularly and professionally, in starting his or her business. That shows your 100% commitment to each person’s success.

Managers study how to attract and keep agents. They learn how to do recruiting presentations that they hope are mesmerizing to their candidates—so mesmerizing that they’ll say yes when offered a position in the company. They don’t rest on their laurels; they hone their skills so they’re better managers, trainers, and coaches. So, I’m going to turn the tables, and ask you agents: Do you know how to get the best from that manager? 

Turnabout is Fair Play

My eighth grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor, had wonderful sayings that she would drop on us at opportune times. These either kept us attentive or scared the you-know-what out of us! They included, “Time passes. Will you?” and “to each his own, as she kissed the cow.” (Well, some were better than others). The saying I’m remembering now, though, was, “Turnabout’s fair play”. In other words, if you mess with Mrs. Taylor, you will get the appropriate treatment! And, if you cooperate and get your work done, you’ll get appropriate treatment, too. So, let’s apply that idea to the relationship and expectations of agents and managers.     

What Did You Find Out in the Interview about What was Expected of You?

The real estate industry is the only industry I know that hires with a “trust me” from both the manager and the agent. No mutual expectations here, just promises! It may have worked in the past, but it won’t work in the future. A challenging market means we’ll have to do things differently. Right now, managers, make a list of what you expect—and have a right to expect—from an agent. Draw up a Mutual Expectations agreement. Go over that agreement in the interview. Get it signed. Doing it after you’ve hired the agent is way too late! (There is an example new mutual expectations agreement in Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s business start-up plan).

Consequences of the Mutual Expectations Agreement

A note to agents: Are you worried you may not meet the expectations of your manager? Yet, you don’t know what they are? Here’s the time to find out. Some questions to ask:

1. How much money do you expect me to earn my first year (or this year)?

2. What other expectations do you have of me? (meetings, training, coaching, etc.)

3. How do you expect me to contribute to the office?

How to Work with your Manager

After you’re hired, you need to find out how to get the best from your manager. Here are the areas you need to explore with the manager:

1. How can I (the agent) get the best from you (the manager)?

2. How do you want me to report/give input/be accountable to you for my daily/weekly/monthly work?

3. How would you like me to interact with you? (call first/email first/get on your schedule)

4. What DON”T you want me to do? (What annoys you?)

5. What behaviors from me would make you think I am really committed to success in this business?

6. How will I get referrals from you (or, will you get referrals)?

7. How do you expect me to work with the other agents in the office?

Readers: What questions do you wish you would have asked to your manager at the beginning of your relationship?

Know Your Business

Do you know where the majority of your business came from last year? Do you know what percent (or even how many) of your marketing dollars you spent in creating that business? Some agents know the answer to the first question. Very few agents know the answer to the second. A few months ago, I was a speaker at a large regional company convention on business planning. I found that about half the agents could answer the first question. They knew their best source of business was referrals. However, only one out of 400 knew what percent of his total marketing budget he had spent generating this best source!  Why? Agents take referrals for granted. They don’t build a marketing plan around this best source, so they have no way of allocating marketing dollars or measuring results. Their approach to their best source seems to be, when you’ve been in the business for awhile, you get referrals, don’t you?

 Are you Mining Referrals or Just Waiting for Them?

Assuming that referrals automatically come to you as a result of being in the business for awhile is a costly mistake. Smart salespeople in other fields today know that planned, purposeful business networking for referrals is the best way to increase your business at small cost. No matter how many referrals you get now, here’s how to increase that goldmine. An added bonus: Your business experiences will be less stressful, for you’ll be working more with people who know you’re wonderful–or have heard you’re wonderful. Here’s how to systematize your ‘goldmine’ to assure that getting referrals is not just a great idea–it’s a major part of your business plan.

Two of the Six Goldmine ‘Moves’

1. Find out where your business came from last year. This is a very important, though usually left out, part of your business planning process. My new business planning program, Beyond the Basics of Business Planning, has a system for analyzing your best sources of business (as well as analyzing all of the most critical areas of your business) . 

After discovering where your best sources of business were last year, add the number of marketing dollars you spent on each source of business. Compare sources with outlay of marketing dollars. Are you allocating more of your marketing dollars to your proven sources? What’s your return on your marketing investments? Are you, as many agents, spending too many marketing dollars chasing the wrong sources of sources of business?

According to marketing research companies, it costs five times more to get a new customer than to keep an old one! But, you say, why should you spend marketing money on people who won’t buy another home from you, or list their home, for another five-fifteen years? Because you’re not after just the sale. You’re after referrals.(insert figure here)

2. Start thinking of your best source of business as a “target market”. Who gives you referrals? Your most important source are old customers and clients. Your second source, in that same category, are people who know and trust you. Have you ever thought about these two groups as a specific “target market”? Looking at them that way changes your whole view on their importance to growing your business.

A word of caution about concentrating on getting referrals as merely tactical moves. It’s bigger than that.  To grow your goldmine with referrals, you must integrate this referral concept into your business plan. This is a specific market, one that’s much more important than for-sale-by-owners, first-time buyers, or other markets. Why?

What insights did you get reading this blog? How much money did you spend on your best source of business last year? What changes are you going to make?