Archive for free business planning

10 Best Questions to Answer for that Business Plan

January 18th, 2021

Got that plan done? Check it now against these 10 questions to answer

Have that business plan done? If you have even half of it done, congratulations! I hope you did it in the right order. If you’re ready to create your action plan, you’ll love this post.

Don’t Start at the End of the Planning Process!

“What actions should I put in my business plan for next year?” “What should I do?” “Give me what to do so I’ll do everything right next year.” Unfortunately, that’s doing your business plan backwards. It’s like starting at the end of a piece of music and playing it to the beginning.

Creating your action plan is the last thing you should do in your business plan.

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What You CAN ‘Copy’ for a Great Business Plan every Time

Another thing you may have heard from agents: “Give me a business plan.” or “I want to use _______’s plan.” That’s another big mistake. It’s your business and it needs to be your plan. However, what you can copy is the process for a great plan. In fact, Dwight D. Eisenhower (former US President), said, “The planning is everything. The plan is nothing.” What he meant was that it’s the thought process that’s important. So, use a planning process that takes you and your agents through the necessary steps. (See Beyond the Basics of Business Planning, for an online business planning system based on the strategic planning process).

10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Create the Right Action Plan for You

Recently, I did a business planning webinar for an association. I provided attendees with 10 questions to ask themselves. The answers to these questions provide the guidance needed to create that effective, individualized business plan. Here are those questions for you to use as you create your plan.

Your Answers will Inspire you to Make AND Use your Plan

Using these 10 questions will motivate you to create plans that work. Let me know your results!

Want more free business planning advice? See my recorded webinar on my website. My latest business planning webinar and planning docs are there for you–Free!

Categories Business Plan, free business planning, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Pivot business plan, Real Estate Sales, webinar
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Your Mission: How to Inspire Yourself to That Business Plan

by Carla Cross

January 7th, 2021

Unfortunately, most business planning systems just ask you to fill in some forms. Boy, that’s really inspiring….not!

So, how do you inspire yourself (and your team) to create and use your plan?

Create your mission.

What is it?

A statement that defines your real estate career in these areas:

What you do
What you specialize in
What you are selling in real estate
What areas/target markets you specialize in
What kind of services you provide

As important as your mission is in defining what you will do, it also is restrictive, because it guides you in deciding what you won’t do.

Mission statements are:

Not lightly changed
Written in the present tense
Not objectives
Not tied to time

Some examples:

To take my clients step by step through the home buying, selling, or building process as a consultant who approaches each transaction with empathy, integrity, and professionalism, resulting in a nearly 100% referral real estate practice.

We provide superior service to each individual represented by The Farnsworth Team. Our goal is to ensure that our customers and clients have every advantage as we begin, process, and conclude our real estate transaction.

I am a real estate professional.
I specialize in residential properties.
My clients and customers are upwardly mobile and established professionals.
My premise of service is to find out what people want and help them get it.
I proceed with honest, intelligent effort.
I bring to my clients a sincere concern for their welfare.

Gain my mission worksheet here and inspire yourself, your team, and your clients.

Let me know how the mission works for you. I’d love to see your mission statement, too. Email me at carla@carlacross.com. Thanks!

More Help in Business Planning

Want more guidance, specific, targeted worksheets, and help in creating that awesome 2021 strategic business plan? See Beyond the Basics of Business Planning, my online program–one for real estate agents, one for leadership. I’ll guide you right through the process.

Bonus: Invest in Beyond the Basics of Business Planning before Jan. 15 and I’ll also coach you through your plan, with 3 coaching sessions, starting the third week in January.

Less than 2 years in the business or have you done less than 8 transactions: You need my business start-up planning program for agents under 2 years in the business: Up and Running in Real Estate. Regularly $249, it’s $199 for you if you register by Jan. 15 and use the code make $ now.

Categories Business Plan, free business planning, mission, new agent business plan, Pivot business plan, Real Estate Sales
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Make an Action Plan that Works for You: Business Planning

by Carla Cross

December 22nd, 2020

Trying to make your action plan before you’ve answered these questions is a big mistake.

At the end of each year, I dedicate these blogs to all my real estate friends who are doing business plans.

Don’t Start at the End of the Planning Process!

We managers have heard these questions many times: “What actions should I put in my business plan for next year?” “What should I do?” “Give me what to do so I’ll do everything right next year.” Unfortunately, that’s doing your business plan backwards. It’s like starting at the end of a piece of music and playing it to the beginning.

Creating your action plan is the last thing you should do in your business plan.

Click To Tweet

What You CAN ‘Copy’ for a Great Business Plan every Time

Another thing you may have heard from agents: “Give me a business plan.” or “I want to use _______’s plan.” That’s another big mistake. It’s your business and it needs to be your plan. However, what you can copy is the process for a great plan. In fact, Dwight D. Eisenhower (former US President), said, “The planning is everything. The plan is nothing.” What that means is that it’s the thought process that’s important. So, use a planning process that takes you through the necessary steps. (See Beyond the Basics of Business Planning, for an online business planning system based on the strategic planning process).

10 Questions to Ask Yourself so You Create the Right Action Plan for You

Recently, I did a business planning webinar for an association. I provided attendees with 10 questions to ask themselves. The answers to these questions provide the guidance needed to create that effective, individualized business plan. Here are those questions for you to use as you create your plan. Strategic Business Planning 10 Questions to Ask

Let Me Help You Create that Plan

Contact me to find out how I can educate your company or association on business planning and support and coach you. Give me a call at 425.392-6914 or email me at carla@carlacross.com. I can do a webinar series for you, supply you will all the planning documents, and help your leadership coach your agents–at a very affordable cost with big pay-off for you.

Categories action plan, Business Plan, Coaching, free business planning, inspiration, Motivation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, online training, Pivot business plan, Real Estate Sales, Training
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Your Business Plan: How to Spend your Marketing Dollars

by Carla Cross

December 16th, 2020

During December, I’m focusing my blog on business planning, as well as in my managers’ blog, Management in a Minute. Look for ready to use checklists, processes, and systems. Let’s make awesome plans for 2021!

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?

Here are two basic principles of marketing dollar allocation

Principle One. Spend a proportional amount on your best source (s) of business—it will beget more business (your best source of business is from your past clients and people who know and trust you).

Most Agents are Not Spending Their Marketing Dollars Right

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 ‘people to people’ sources

•Referrals
•IVR Technology (interactive voice response)–the only ‘technological’ lead generating source
Repeat Business
•Open Houses
•FSBO/Expired Leads
•Face-to-Face Networking

Do you know how much you spent on your best source of business last year?

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.

How much Money Should You Spend?

Principle Two. Spend between 5 and 10% of your projected income on marketing to your best source of business.

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.

Simply reviewing how you spent your 2020 and allocating adequate marketing dollars for 2021 will, in the end, save you money. Also, you’ll have something to measure and adjust.

Your Best Business Planning System

Why not step up to a real strategic plan this year? My system is the only one published internationally for real estate professionals. Check out Beyond the Basics of Business Planning. There’s a program for agents and a program for leadership. Why not create a plan to work for you in 2021?

Categories Business Plan, free business planning, free webinar, Marketing, New Real Estate Agents, Pivot business plan, Real Estate Budget, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, webinar
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Business Planning: Work your Best Lead Generating Sources

by Carla Cross

December 9th, 2020

During November and December, I’m writing about business planning, to inspire you to get your business plan done for next year. Managers, see Management in a Minute for managers’ business planning tips.

Part of your business plan should be your lead generating plan. In Up and Running in Real Estate, we teach you how to prioritize those leads. Do you know which lead generating sources were your best for this year? Have you done a review? Do you know how much money you’re spending on them?

Prioritizing those Sources

When you’re prioritizing your sources, think of these evaluations:

Easier. Which is easiest?

Some lead generating sources require a great deal of sales skill, ability to handle objections, and ability to overcome low trust (like for-sale-by-owners). I’m not telling you NOT to call on these sources. But, you just have honed those sales skills and be very tenacious.

Trust. In which sources is there the largest trust already established?

The larger the trust, the easier it is to get to a ‘close’. Also, you are much more apt to retain the customer long-term–which is worth lots and lots of money to you!

Least marketing cost. Which costs you the least?

If you’re putting money in mass media (like newspaper advertising) to gain leads, you are spending lots of money per lead (figure it out). Do you math and review to see where all that marketing money is going.

Competition. In which is there little competition from other agents?

If you calling on expired listings, along with 40 other agents, you have lots of competition. Do it, if you can be tenacious, develop a great process, and keep at it until you wear out the competition.

Return business. Which will provide you the best long-term business?

To gain return and referral business, you must create high trust and confidence. In sources where you already have a head start, you have a much better chance of creating return and referral business–which costs you much less than new business.

Join us for this complimentary business planning webinar, coming up on Dec. 15 at 10 am PST. Find out what you need in your plan for 2021 and how to create a plan you’ll actually use next year! ***Register here.***

Categories action plan, Business Plan, classroom to online training, free business planning, FREE real estate coaching, free webinar, New Real Estate Agents, online training, Pivot business plan, Real Estate Sales, webinar
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Archive for free business planning

10 Best Questions to Answer for that Business Plan

Your Mission: How to Inspire Yourself to That Business Plan

Make an Action Plan that Works for You: Business Planning

Let Me Help You Create that Plan

Your Business Plan: How to Spend your Marketing Dollars

Your Best Business Planning System

Business Planning: Work your Best Lead Generating Sources

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