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Is Your Business Planning System Helping–or Hurting You?

December 18th, 2019

Is your business planning system helping–or hurting you?

In these blogs, I’m focusing on business planning, to help you get ready for a great 2020. Look for ready to use checklists, systems, and processes, in the blogs, too.

Everyone knows they need business plans. Yet, most people attempt to write a plan without a system–a guide–a map. If your business plan isn’t really a roadmap, it’s not doing you any favors!

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Here are some aspects to look for in your planning system.

Is it a System, or is It Just a Piece of Paper?

Be sure your business plan is a comprehensive, proven system, designed to take you through the necessary planning steps. Here are three areas you need to evaluate about a planning system before you start using it for your plan:

1. Customization. Is the plan customized and proven for your business? You need a system that is proven for real estate salespeople. See the end of this blog for a ‘flow chart’ of a complete listing system.

2. Specific analysis of your past selling history. Does your planning system give you direction in analyzing the most critical parts of your business in the past year? This is one area that most planning systems gloss over. Yet, it is the most important area for real estate professionals to assess. Knowing exactly what your business habits were–and the results of those habits–will lead you to make changes in your business, both in business habits and in budgeting.

For example: Do you know the ratio of your listings taken last year–to your listings sold–in normal market time? Most agents don’t. Why? Because they weren’t asked that question in their business planning systems.

3. Separates the “dollar-productive” activity portions of your business from the support portions. Many agents fail because they don’t do enough “dollar productive” activities, those activities that directly lead to sales and listings sold. That’s because the business plan system they’re using doesn’t differentiate between those activities and “support” activities. In her work nationally with real estate companies and agents, Carla Cross has analyzed hundreds’ of agents’ plans. She has found that the planning system itself, if it’s deficient, will lead the agent off-track.

All Activities are NOT Equal. Poor business planning systems are structured in a way that leads the agents to believe that all activities are equal in outcome. Not true. It all needs to start when the agent first starts the business. Up and Running in Real Esta te, Cross’s online business start-up plan and training program, has clearly prioritized activities, numbers, strategies, and dialogue. Agents shouldn’t ‘graduate’ to a long-term plan until they’ve mastered short-term planning. This program has a coaching component, too, so your manager can support your success.

Being critical of your planning system is really the first step in planning a successful year. You’ve made sure the system you’re using is going to lead you through a thought process that automatically creates a good business plan. Now, the only thing left to do is the implement your plan!

Click here to see the ‘flow chart’ of an effective business planning system.

Over a year in the business? Have you done over 8 transactions this last year? You need a comprehensive business planning system. Check out Beyond the Basics of Business Planning.

FREE! Want some free business planning help? Check out my recorded webinar at carlacross.com (just hit the ‘webinars and more’ button).

Categories action plan, Business Plan, Experienced agent, lead generation, manager, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Budget, real estate history, Real estate systems, Up and Running in Real Estate, webinar
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Business Planning: Do You Know Where You Spent Your $$$ Last Year?

by Carla Cross

December 7th, 2019

Do you where you spent your money last year? Knowing is critical to your NOT having empty pockets next year. In my upcoming webinar, I discuss the importance of 3 critical areas you must know to succeed next year. One of these areas is your budget.

Here are the surprising results of a study on how top agents spent their marketing dollars:

As you can see, agents spent their money NOT on the best sources of business, but on other sources.

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Why? Maybe because they thought these other sources were more interesting. Maybe they wanted to try something new. Maybe they didnt know where they had spent their money before, and just kept throwing it at these less-than-stellar sources.

So, be sure YOU know where your money went last year, and how big a bang you got for your buck. Now, youre ready to plan for 2020.

Join Me for a Complimentary Business Planning Webinar!

Whether you’ve been in business 20 years or 20 minutes, you need an awesome blueprint for a great 2020. Join us for this fast-paced webinar, where Carla Cross, who literally ‘wrote the book’ on real estate business planning, will help you do just that.

In this webinar, you’ll:

Get the blueprint the most successful agents and businesses use to create a plan that works. You don’t need a ‘fill in the blanks’ color by the numbers plan–you need a businessperson’s way to think through your business so you’re ready for anything that comes your way in 2020.

Gain the critical step usually left out in business planning–the step that can literally save your money and efforts from going down those dreaded planning ‘cul-de-sacs of frustration and failure

How to predict and project your 2020 results so you know your plan is going to work for you–not someone else!

Your gold mine right in front of you—and few agents are ‘mining’ it. You’ll save thousands in marketing dollars, lower your stress, and enjoy a much better business if you create the right action plan for 2020.

You’ll get some stunning and surprising statistics that will help you create the right actions for 2020, instead of guessing at what to do next.

Managers: You’ll gain tips on helping your agents plan–and how you can be a true support for their planning efforts. Just imagine what your profits would be like if every one of your agents had a workable plan?

Questions: You’ll have a chance to ask Carla your business planning questions, too. You’ll gain handouts from her business planning programs.

Space is limited, so register now! Let’s work together to create an exceptional 2020.

$$$$$$ 2 lucky people will win Carla’s complete business planning systems, too.

When: Dec. 12 (Thursday)

Time: 10-11 am, Pacific Standard Time (west coast)

What: Business planning webinar (join with your computer)

Register here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Categories accountability, Business Plan, Coaching, customer satisfaction, lead generation, Marketing, New Real Estate Agents, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success
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New Agents Speak Out: What Works–What to Avoid

by Carla Cross

September 12th, 2019

Want the ‘real skinny’ on succeeding in real estate? Read what successful newer agents say to do–and what to avoid.

In the latest edition of Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s business start-up plan, I’ve put lots of updates including advice from successful newer agents. Rather than my trying to convince you of these principles myself, here’s what they’ve said:

On Training

Here’s a quote from Kyle Kovats, who was chosen as one of the finalists for the “30 under 30” honors from the National Association of Realtors. These select nominations are agents chosen because they are under 30 and very successful in the business.

Kyle advises: “Find a broker who has a comprehensive training program. Ask if you can speak with agents who have gone through it to get the agents’ perspective on whether it was helpful.”

{Note: Up and Running in 30 Days has tips for you new agents in choosing the right training program—a training program that actually assures you launch a great career).

The Importance of Coaches and Mentors

There’s a lot more to success than just attending even a great training program. Read this from Merrilee Prochaska, “I wish I had understood the importance of a mentor/coach before I began.”

{Up and Running in 30 Days discusses the trend toward coaches, and provides guidance in choosing the right coach for you.}

On What They Wish They’d Done Differently

It’s not all a smooth ride to success! Here are some comments successful agents on what they wish they had done differently

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. From Cerise Paton: “Followed up more and more consistently; understood the time and discipline and numbers needed for lead generation and lead conversion; recognizing the time it took to build trust; going on more appointments, failing more often, and getting better, practicing presentations with friends”.

Gary Richter’s comment on what he would do differently could apply to most new agents: “Contact all of my sphere and ask for business.” Gary admits he was reticent to ask them all for business.

On Prioritizing Your Activities and Lead Generation Sources

Don’t take my word for it that clearly prioritizing your activities as business-producing or business-supporting is key to success. Hear it from Gary Richter, who used Up and Running in 30 Days to start his career. He says his priorities are big reasons he’s succeeding now: “I am cognizant of my daily activities and recognized them as either business producing or business supporting. I spend the majority of my time on business-producing activities.”

And, Diane Honeycutt states, “Take the advice in this plan and be sure you’re not a ‘secret agent’! Develop a work plan and stick to it”.

Here’s what Kyle Kovats, that great ’30 under 30’ nominee, said: “Get out there and just do it. Try different forms of prospecting and see what works. An ounce of action is more powerful than a ton of planning.”

Gary Richter advises: “Get off your computer and go out into the areas. Focus on business-producing activities.”

More great advice from Kyle Kovats: “Be relentless. Follow up with handwritten letters rather than the generic form letters/cards most agents send people. Be unique.”

On the Importance of Client Relationship Management Technology

When I asked those agent and manager contributors the technology new agents should incorporate, here’s what they said:

“CRM and lead management tools”—Diane Honeycutt

“A really good and easy-to-use CRM”—Cerise Paton

“A good CRM”—Chris Cross

So, don’t be like the majority of new agents (and even seasoned agents who put off capturing all those leads in a database and then, even better a CRM!) Start using a database, or better yet, a CRM your first week in the business.

On Spending Money for Leads

Here’s some advice from one of those Top 30 Under 30 finalists, James Pierce: “Don’t pay a dime to sites like Zillow, etc.”

From Cerise Paton: “You will get a lot of calls to sell you leads, google placement, banner ads, shopping carts, you name it. Don’t do it. It either has no value, or you’re not ready for it, or you can’t afford it”

Tip for managers: As you read these comments, ask yourself, “How is my training, coaching, and business start-up plan keeping my new agents on track?” What needs to be changed or refined so I get better results?”

How about YOU?

Are you following these principles? How many have you rejected or violated in your first few months in the business? Why? Success isn’t always easy, but it always has patterns and leaves clues! Don’t try and re-invent the wheel. Follow a proven plan with assured results and you will be wildly successful!

Take a look at what’s in Up and Running in 30 Days: updates in 5th edition. If you’re not reaching your goals as a newer agent (or want to re-start your career), you NEED this detailed start-up plan–chock full of advice that’s up-to-date. only $32.95 plus shipping–and invaluable to your career success. Click here for more information and to order.

I’ve got a bonus, too, for you this month: You’ll also receive my ‘little book of Big Ideas--inspiration and motivation to keep going to success!

The Five Big Reasons New Agents Fail

by Carla Cross

September 6th, 2019

Do you know the 5 biggest reasons new agents fail? Here they are.

New agents come into the business, excited because they are ‘in business now for themselves’. They don’t have a “boss”. They can organize their time. They look forward to lots of ‘free time’. They’ve also heard one can make lots of money working 20 hours a week. What a dream world! Worse yet, they don’t know how to start the business! (Who would?) So, they fill the time with what comes easily. Most of us are afraid of rejection, and fear what will happen if we talk to human beings and ask them to buy real estate from us. So, we stay away from those activities that invite rejection. We gravitate toward ‘safe’ activities, such as:

get organized–all day
attend classes–all day
preview properties–all week
observe others–all week
do research and follow-up
Play computer and social media

A friend of mine observes that they seem to be “getting ready to get ready”.

The very dangerous thing about agents creating a daily plan without good business-start-up principles, is that they create habits of failure. In effect, they created their own start-up plan—one that assures low production.

Those 5 Big Reasons

1. Wait too long to lead generate–this is the biggest reason of all. They end up with very few leads–and those few leads are poor ones who won’t buy or sell!

2. Copy other losers–go preview pretty properties, drink coffee, gossip, etc.

3. Look for someone to provide them ‘leads‘ (no good producer expects leads to be given to them!)

4. Don’t lead generate at all! (They’re waiting for ‘a better way’)

5. Just hate people (these are those who say ‘I like houses; I just hate people’). These are people who shouldn’t be in sales. I surely don’t blame them. I blame whoever hired them for not screening properly. (I know we can’t be right all the time, but we should be using all the tools available to us, like behavioral profiles, to check our interview conclusions).

So, those are my 5 big reasons. What did I miss?

Up and Running in Real State Starts You Right to an Exceptional Career

If you’ve been in the business less than 2 years and you’re not getting the success you deserve, you need to give yourself the gift of this program. All the training, coaching, and supporting documents are online, so you can go at your own speed and go back as many times as you want.

How this program is different: It is foundationed with a business start-up plan, so you learn how to self-manage a successful business, not just do non-prioritized activities. And, there’s nothing else to buy–no extra cards that stay in your trunk! (And, there’s a coaching component for your manager so support you every step of the way!).

Check it out and see how you can reach your potential–and beyond!

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, action plan, Buyers, Coaching, expectations, goals, income, Internet leads, lead generation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Up and Running in Real Estate
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Has Your Manager Shared His/Her Expectations with You?

by Carla Cross

July 3rd, 2019

Has your manager shared his/her expectations with you?

A survey I did a few years ago of 155 new agents revealed some compelling facts. For example, most agents coming into the business today as ‘full-time’ careerists have high expectations. 92% of the new agents surveyed expected to make more than the median income of all Realtors. The most stunning statistic, though, from these new agents, was that 65% expected incomes in the $31,000 to 75,000 range–their first year in the business! This survey of new agents was done to gather research for Carla Cross’s book, What They Don’t Teach You in Pre-License School.

New agents need to be focused on business development—not training

Another stunning finding from the research was that 62% of the new agents expected to get a check in their first sixty days in the business! They expect to hit the ground running.

To do this, the new agent’s focus needs to be on business development, not on training. Normally, companies put the new agent into a ‘curriculum based’ program to tell them everything they’ll ever need to know about real estate. Unfortunately, the new agent thinks that all that knowledge equals success in real estate. That’s wrong.

Creating Success, not Useless Knowledge

New agents create early success when they focus on a business start-up plan that contained heavy business-producing activities. If you’re a new agent, you have to develop the mental toughness to ignore information that’s not critical to your business production. If you don’t, your money will run out before you learn everything! (Give it up; you’ll never know everything!)

Your expectations may vary from your manager’s expectations of you.

If the new agent expects high earnings fast, what did his manager expect from him? Most of the new agent respondents from the survey didn’t know. They hadn’t asked, and the manager, in the interview, had not volunteered to share any management expectations.

No News is Good News?

71% of the respondents didn’t know even the minimum expectations of their managers–the minimum production standards they would have to meet to have their contracts renewed the second year (or to be retained during any start-up period). To assure that the new agent and manager see ‘eye to eye’, both parties need to agree on mutual expectations in writing prior to hiring on.

Not only getting the ‘what’ in writing, but the ‘how’. Even agreeing on minimum activity and production standards doesn’t assure that the new agent will meet his goals with the full support of his/her manager. The new agent needs to see the ‘how’—exactly how that manager will coach the new agent to quick success. If you’re a new agent, you need to see the exact business activity plan* that you will be coached to. You also need proof that the plan has worked with others in the past to deliver the results you expect of yourself your first month, quarter, and year in the business.

Matching expectations assures no surprises and gets planned results. Take the wishing out of business expectations. Both new agent and manager need to get expectations in writing, agree on a business start-up plan, and start working together with mutual accountability to partner in great results. Your manager must be accountable to coaching you on a regular basis with a proven business start-up plan. You, the new agent, must be accountable to do the activities in the plan. Together, you will achieve your mutual goals.

Here’s the right combination of knowledge, skill and ACTION to get a sale in eight weeks–or get really close! If you’re not experiencing the success you expected, why not give yourself the gift of this proven business start-up plan? You’ll reach those goals and establish life-long business habits to ever greater success! Check it out **here!**

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, accountability, action plan, Business Plan, Coaching, creative training methods, lead generation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Sales Strategies, Training, Up and Running in Real Estate, What They Don't Teach You in PreLicense School
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Your Goldmine: Are You Cultivating a Database that Rocks?

by Carla Cross

June 28th, 2019

Your goldmine: Are you cultivating a database that rocks? Do you even have one yet? Most new agents are certainly not ‘database freaks’. In fact, I estimate less than 5% of agents under a year in the business even have a ‘purged’ (up to date) database! And, I estimate less than 25% have even any sort of populated database. How are they gathering and managing all those contacts they are getting from their lead generation? They aren’t–or they aren’t lead generating.

Social Networking has Taken the Place of Databases, Carla–You old Fuddy-Duddy…..

I know. You just love social networking. You could spend hours on it (in fact, you do). You go to all those classes on social networking, and, by golly, you know more about it than your manager. Don’t get too cocky yet.

There are two problems you’re creating for yourself by relying on social networking to keep track of your contacts:

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1. You are probably spending too much time at your computer and not enough time meeting real people and forming relationships. Remember, buying a home is not like buying a set of knives. You’ll have to work hard to establish a trusting relationship. Most of us aren’t good enough at writing to do that without finally meeting someone.

2. You are not gathering your future goldmine–your database full of people who are going to love you and what you do.

Who do you ‘Own’?

Here’s the problem with relying on the social networking sites to keep track of your potential clients. You don’t own them. The social networking site could go out of business. It could start charging you. It could sell your contacts. That’s why you need to ‘own’ those contacts in your own database. Now, you can create a marketing plan. You can communicate with those people on a schedule.

Also: You want to be able to put in notes about those you meet: Their birthdays, their anniversaries, their addresses, their kids’ names, their dogs/cats’ names…..those things that signal to them that you care more about them than just a commission!

Start and Populate your Database Intensely

You’re a newer agent. You want to make money fast. You want to establish a solid long-term career. Become a ‘database freak’ so that you can remember all those wonderful people you met. Lead generation is the most important part of the sales business. Doing a lot of it assures high income. That means tracking all those people you meet. It takes more than one communication to create a loyal client.

New Agent Key to Success: Right Priorities

Those of you who have used Up and Running in 30 Days to start your careers know that I have worked hard to prioritize your business for you so that you are successful quickly, and gain business management habits for life. I’ve prioritized types of business, best sources of leads, and all the activities you’ll do to get started quickly. I want you to prioritize your technology activities, too. Remember, you’re a salesperson.

Become that database freak and see your business develop quickly.

The Easy Way to Launch Your Business to Success

**Up and Running in Real Estate** is like Up and Running in 30 Days ‘on steroids’. Get a proven system to follow. Get the training you need in 25 short videos. Why not struggle? Start fast! ***Check it out here.***

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, customer loyalty, customer service, lead generation, Marketing, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Real estate systems, Sales Strategies
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Lead Generation: What The Experts Say Now

by Carla Cross

June 21st, 2019

Lead Generation: What The Experts Say NOW

You’ve heard lead generation is important. But, do you really believe it? Or, are you like thousands of new agents, looking for a different, a better, an easier way to sell real estate? If you’re one of those looking to reject lead generation as the principle for success, you’re not alone. That’s why the failure rate of new agents is so high! The vast majority fail to start lead generating in time to save their businesses!

My Business Start-Up Plan Again Updated

Dearborn Education Company has published the fifth edition of my business start-up plan, Up and Running in 30 Days. Of course, this business start-up plan accentuates lead generation. For the fifth edition, I’ve added new studies, along with advice and observations from top-producing newer agents and their coaches.

Although all successful real estate agents have embraced lead generation as their main reason for success, the majority of real estate pros haven’t acknowledged this same importance of lead generation until the last few years.

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Up and Running in 30 Days puts lead generation front and center as THE main activity real estate agents do to be exceptionally successful.

One of the studies I included in this latest edition of Up and Running in 30 Days was How to Fix New Agent Onboarding, a special report from Inman Select.

Inman Survey: New Agents Are Unprepared for the Realities of Working Independently

One of the big principles in Up and Running in 30 Days is to reveal how agents succeeded—and why they failed. One of the big takeaways of this report is that three-quarters of the respondents said new agents fail in large part because they are unprepared for the realities for working as an independent contractor.

The study revealed that, though some large franchises and boutique companies’ training programs were highly rated, it’s not enough to assure success. Other support systems, mainly coaching and mentoring, were deemed as needed to assure the new agent transferred the knowledge and skills gained in class to ‘real life’. In other words, lead generation activities need to be featured AND coached to.

Does Your Training/Coaching Spotlight Lead Generation?

In that Inman Select survey I mentioned earlier, How to Fix New Agent Onboarding, 47% of respondents stated lead generation is critical in initial training. And, they observed most new agents struggled with lead generation. That’s why this Up and Running start-up plan is so important to follow to the letter!

Inman also noted that new agents spend too much time on marketing and too little time on lead generation.

Which kind of agent will you be—or are you? One who gets after it by contacting many people each week so you have great leads? Or, the kind of agent who rejects active lead generation and looks for ‘an easier way’? It’s as simple as embracing success or predicting failure!

What is the reason you believe new agents fail?

You’ve observed agents coming in and out of your office. Why do you think they fail? What can we do, as trainers and managers, to assure a better success rate?

Take a look at what’s new in Up and Running in 30 Days: updates in 5th edition. This invaluable book is only $32.95 plus shipping, and has been used by thousands of new agents to launch successful careers. Order here.

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, Business Plan, goals, income, lead generation, mentor, New Real Estate Agents, onboarding, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Success, retention, Training, Up and Running in 30 Days, Up and Running in Real Estate
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New Agents: Stop Doing These Five Things and Start Making Money

by Carla Cross

May 15th, 2019

New agents: Stop doing these five things and start making money!

New agents unwittingly act themselves out of the business by doing five things that actually cost them money, instead of making them money. Below are the five things you MUST quit doing.

Are You Starting the Business or Waiting to Start the Business?

Why are you waiting to start your business? What do I mean? After all, you’ve probably been ‘starting your business’–you think. You feel you need to do all kinds of things before you actually start talking to people. I know. You’re scared spitless to start actually selling real estate. So, instead, you do all the other ‘stuff’ that keeps you out of trouble–that is, away from clients! After all, you want to te prepared!

That other stuff includes:

Paperwork

Blogging

Social networking (do some of those people do anything else?!)

Going to classes (you just have to know everything before you talk to a person, don’t you?)

And, the very worst, I think, looking at pretty houses.

Why Are These Activities So Bad?

If you are using Up and Running in 30 Days, or Up and Running in Real Estate, you already know the answer. Those activities actually keep you away from selling real estate. As we say in Up and Running,

the business starts when you start talking to people.

Yes, I know. You want to be educated. You want all that training. You want to be confident. But, here’s the big secret:

Performance increases competence and confidence.

Nothing Wrong with Preparation–in Context

Yes, you want to be prepared. Yes, you want to market yourself. Yes, you want to know the inventory. But, you need to put that in perspective.

False Confidence from Getting Ready to Get Ready

The problem about thinking you are getting confidence from all the Support Activities I listed above is that they don’t really make you confident. You just think you are getting somewhere for a short period of time.

99% of learning comes from doing, not watching, not hearing, and not reading.

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Do it and you will gain confidence and competence. What are you waiting for? When are you going to start talking to people–so you can make money?

Are Your Priorities Making or Costing You Money?

It’s so easy to get off-track. We all have been there. If you’re struggling to make those sales, you need a program that teaches you priorities, gives you a success path, and the prioritized actions to get there. Oh, and there’s that positive motivation built in you need to keep on keeping on!

You need Up and Running in Real Estate. Check it out here–all online, so you can go at your own speed, too. Click here to see more.

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, action plan, Coaching, lead generation, Marketing, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Real estate systems, Training, Up and Running in 30 Days, Up and Running in Real Estate
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Do You Have a Great Start-Up Plan?

by Carla Cross

May 9th, 2019

Do you have a great start-up plan?

May is my designated Training Month. So, I’m writing blogs on training for both this blog and my blog for managers and trainers, Management in a Minute. (Help your manager with training!)

You know what your training will do for you. So I hope you are convinced you also need to implement a business start-up plan to put all that information in perspective. But watch out—

there are more poor business start-up plans than good ones than good ones out there

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. As a CRB (Certified Real Estate Broker) instructor for 12 years, I taught thousands of owners and managers nationally. I saw plenty of poor plans managers shared with me. (These were the plans they were giving their agents, too.)

Some commonalities of those bad plans:

No priorities: They are laundry lists of busywork activities interspersed with activities that actually make you money, so the agent doesn’t get any evaluative perspective to create an effective business
Activities not spotlighted: They do not prioritize lead-generating activities, so the agent thinks all types of lead generation have equal payoffs.
No Tracking: They do not have methods of setting goals, keeping track of results, and analyzing results to make changes quickly. (Up and Running provides sales ratios so you learn how many specific actions it takes to get the results you want.)
Priorities lead to defeat: They do incorrectly prioritize actions. For example, as a high priority, they direct the new agent to “see all the inventory” before doing anything else. The rationale is that it’s very important to see all the inventory to build a knowledge base. It is important, but only as it relates to working with buyers and sellers. (It’s the means, not the end.) But new agents don’t want to do the high-rejection, high-risk activities such as talking to people. So they gladly see all the inventory until it becomes their job descriptions
Busywork is accentuated: They do include plenty of “busywork” as equal priority to lead generating—such as a broker having an agent visit a title company to learn how it operates. This keeps the agent busy and out of the broker’s hair! Also, the new agent loves the broker for a while, because the broker isn’t asking the new agent to do those high- rejection activities—those activities that lead to a sale!

Be very critical before you commit to any start-up plan. It is prioritizing your mind! The start-up plan you may love because it keeps you out of sales activities isn’t the plan that is going to love you back (get you the sales you want). What you do every day becomes your job description.

Let me know your evaluation of your start-up plan with the above points.

(This blog is excerpted from Up and Running in 30 Days.)

Up and Running in Real Estate Starts You Right to an Exceptional Career

How this program is different: It is foundationed with a business start-up plan, so you learn how to self-manage a successful business, not just do activities. And, there’s nothing else to buy–no extra cards that stay in your trunk! (And, there’s a coaching component for your manager so support you every step of the way!).

Take a look and launch or re-launch your career right!

Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, action plan, Business Plan, lead generation, new agent business plan, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Sales Strategies, Training
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Five Critical Points You Must Have for your New Agent Training

by Carla Cross

May 2nd, 2019

Here are the five critical points you must have for your new agent training. May is my Trainer Appreciation Month, so I’m focusing on training for this blog.

You’re an agent just licensed. Or, perhaps, you’re an agent with less than two years in the business. You want to be as successful as you can possibly be. You believe that some of that success will be due to your training program. You’re looking for a great training program. What should you expect from a training program?

What to Look For: Five Critical Points

If you’re looking for effective training to get your career started fast, you need to choose a training program that has these features:

The objective is fast productivity, not just knowledge. When you interview, ask what the objectives of training are with that company. If it’s just knowledge, run the other way! You will know a lot, but you won’t be in business very long!
The training program has business-producing expectations and goals. For example, if you expect to make money fast, your training program needs to help you learn to set prospecting goals and attain them. That doesn’t mean lecturing in class. That means you have an activity plan and are working in the field during the class duration. That also means that you aren’t in class all day.
The training program is built around a business start-up plan. Ask to see the company’s business start-up plan for you. If it isn’t sales-producing, it isn’t a real start-up plan.
Sales skills are practiced by the students in class. How can you expect to be competent with clients if you haven’t gained competency and confidence in the classroom? Clients are very discriminating these days. They expect agents to know what they’re doing! During the interview, ask for a description of how the students spend class time. If the manager says the students listen all the time, pick up your materials and go to the next interview. You need skills training; you don’t need to know everything the instructor knows.
Expectations for achievement in sales developing and packaging are clear. Is this a college-level training? In college, students are expected to perform during the course. If you’re not expected to practice outside class, and get your sales packages together (like listing and buyer presentations), then this isn’t a real training. It’s just a time-eating event. Wouldn’t your consumer expect you to have a high level of competence? Then, your training program must deliver.

Armed with these 5 critical expectations, you can choose a training program that is dedicated to assuring you quick results, high sales skill, and confidence with consumers. Why settle for less?

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Categories 5th Edition Up and Running in 30 Days, Business Plan, creative training methods, expectations, goals, lead generation, New Real Estate Agents, Real estate as a career, Real Estate Sales, Real Estate Success, Training, Up and Running in Real Estate
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