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How to turn your business around now

By Bob Corcoran

“The moment one definitely commits oneself… all sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events … raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and … material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Goethe, the great German writer and philosopher, would have made a fine Realtor. His quote makes the point I’ve been preaching since I started in real estate consulting 20 years ago: When you make a commitment (I mean a full and true commitment), your whole world changes.

If you’re not where you want to be in your real estate business you need to spend some quality mirror time with yourself and ask this essential question: Have I made the truly deep commitment I need to make with myself to be the most successful real estate agent I can be?

I know, you’re saying, ‘Ah, Bob that’s hocus pocus, self-confirming hog wash.’ Say what you want, but I’ve seen it happen time and time again: Agents who commit fully are turning their businesses around and sometimes doubling their numbers in less than six months.

One client of mine, Andrew Duncan in Tampa, Fla., has doubled his business each of the last three years.

“Many agents are feeling down because of all the bad news in the media,” Duncan says. “And many have left the business, so the ratio of number of clients to agents is about the same as it was before the market went down. So the agents who commit and work to make themselves stand out can do, and are doing, quite well.”

So the first (and most important step) is to commit. And here are four more tips I’ve used and seen work in the real lives of agents all around the country:

1. Get a business plan that reflects your market. Duncan serves a heavy military population that’s very mobile. So he began this offer for clients: if they have to move within 12 months of buying, he’ll sell the house for free. “Yes, sometimes they do move within a year, but the amount of business we’re getting from that offer is more than making up for that cost,” Duncan explains.

That’s smart business. His business plan is focused very specifically on his market and it’s paying off.

 

2. Stick to an ideal weekly schedule.  You must manage your time. I give all my clients an ideal weekly schedule that they commit to following and it works wonders for them. E-mail me at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you a free one.

3. Get focused on dollar-productive activities. An ideal weekly schedule will keep you focused on the four tasks you need to do all day, every day: list, sell, negotiate and prospect. Adjust your schedule and concentrate on these items.

4. Be held accountable. This is a tough one for many agents, but you need to have an accountability partner or get a coach who will hold your feet to the fire so that you get done what you must to be successful in your market. It’s easy to say you’re going to sell 100 houses but actually doing what you need to do to sell that many houses is a job for more than one person.

Let me hear from you. Are you feeling a need to turn your business around? If so, what are the factors at play? Do you feel you’ve sufficiently committed to your profession? Do you have a plan to overcome hurdles that are hindering your progress? Please send any comments or questions you have to Article@CorcoranCoaching.com or http://www.facebook.com/CorcoranCoaching.

Bob Corcoran is a nationally recognized speaker and author who is founder and president of Corcoran Consulting Inc. (CorcoranCoaching.com, 800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into the residential or commercial broker or agent’s existing practice.

We look forward to hearing from you.  Sign up TODAY for your complimentary business consultation. http://www.CorcoranCoaching.com/bpw.php