At the end of June Agents notice that a substantial part of the year is passed. Six months, or one half of the year is behind us. That makes some Agents anxious and nervous about how the year will wrap up. Others are excited and eager. The difference is completely based on each Agents feeling about how they are doing. Following are four of the best solutions to being excited and eager about your business instead of anxious and nervous.
Ready for Change
Okay… We are at the half way point of the year…..So the question is…What has changed in how you are doing (or not doing) your business to make real money?
We are all prisoners of our habits, and especially after a certain age, it is tough to “change”. It’s been said, that if we keep on doing what we’ve always done, we’ll keep on getting what we have always gotten….but that is not true anymore! In today’s competitive marketplace we may not even be able to survive doing the “normal”. Today’s market requires innovation, creativity, and execution, using new tools, systems, strategies and the biggie: A willingness to CHANGE!
For the “I Don’t Have Time” Broker: Last Two Steps to a Great Business Plan
Are you a ‘don’t have time to plan’ broker? Having been a manager and regional manager for two decades (yes, I really am getting that old….), I know how difficult it is to sit down and slog through writing a business plan. So, I’ve been working hard for you to make it fast easy—but accurate as a blueprint for 2011.
5 Keys To Success With Today’s Toughest Buyers
Buyers are inexperienced. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, business executives don’t know as much as you do about buying a house. The Internet doesn’t teach them. If you bought in another state how much would you know about the market, the contracts, the inspections, and even the financing? You would know what questions to ask. They don’t even know what questions to ask. Your first job is to educate the Buyers. (I recorded this a couple years ago. It is still completely applicable today. www.BuyerMarketTips.com)
Your USP… It Can Be The Difference Between Success and Failure
Today, prospects are more discerning than ever. Gone are the easy days in which a prospect would list their home with just about any agent. Now, you actually have to work for a listing. In this market, consumers are not just looking for real estate agents, they’re seeking out real estate experts.
Let’s say that you are an expert, at least relative to your local competitors. So, how then, do consumers know that you’re their best choice? The better question is how do you get their attention long enough to even have a chance to educate them about what you can do for them?
Do You Know How Much the Consumer Loves You?
The recent survey by the California Association of Realtors shows some stunning and alarming trends about customer service expectations and delivery. In 2005, Internet consumers rated their overall satisfaction with their agent at almost 90%, while traditional buyers rated their overall satisfaction at 37%. However, in the ensuing years, the ratings have plummeted. In 2009, both Internet and traditional buyers only rated their overall satisfaction with their agent at 4%! (The ratings of Internet and traditional buyers now are equal). In other words, consumer expectations of what an agent will do for them are just not being met. In fact, value received for what the consumer paid the real estate agent was at only 4% for all buyers.
Why Agents Struggle With Negotiations
Over 21,000 agents opened (and read) the article “Top Ten Negotiating Rules for REALTORS®.” from the Pacific Coast Highway to the Hamptons; from the Upper Peninsula to Corpus Christi; real estate agents are eager to improve their negotiating skills. It makes sense since REALTORS® negotiate all of the time, yet get little or no formal training in it. Negotiations are a handful of quick tips you can begin using immediately.
5 Steps to Making Your Goals a Sweet Reality
Every year we enjoy watching the Tour de France, especially when fellow Austinite, Lance Armstrong, is racing. The Tour de France is a grueling race that lasts for days. The racers travel around the French countryside, climbing two mountain ranges. While the goal may be to win the “yellow jersey,” on any given day there are a multitude of steps that the riders must take just to stay in the race. The lesson here is that success doesn’t depend upon the ultimate goal — it is contingent on a multitude of actions the riders take each day. While winning is the goal, in order to win, the riders must stay focused on the steps within the process.