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"For a ship bound for no harbor, no wind is favorable." Seneca, the Roman philosopher Show me successful real estate agents and I promise I can tell you one fact about them. They had a plan. There's not a single successful agent, golfer, CEO or movie star who didn't have a plan. Today, more than ever before, planning is critical. Sure, we have tons of tools, skills and technology to help, but a lot of agents will struggle again in 2014 simply because they didn't plan. Will that be you, or will you choose success? The good news is you can choose. The power to get more customers rests with you. It's inside you. The first step is simple: Pick a goal -- pick a harbor you want to sail into. Set the carrot out there for you to get excited about. Make it tantalizing, one that starts a fire in your belly. Take time to think about what it'll feel like to reach that goal and all the good things that will come from reaching that goal: career satisfaction, professional prestige and awards, more money, a better living, savings for the kids' college. Write them down and keep them in an obvious spot so you can remind yourself of what you're working toward. The next step is getting a plan that gives you a wind so you steer towards your harbor. Start with a SWOT analysis. S = Strengths (i.e. good negotiator, great communicator, problem-solver, people-person); W = Weaknesses (i.e. phone-phobia, procrastinator, not good with details, insecure); O = Opportunities (i.e. first time homebuyers, expired listings, lower mortgage rates); T = Threats (i.e. economy, tighter lending practices, unemployment levels). Know your opportunities then build a plan to capitalize on them. What are the opportunities in your market? Short sales? First-time home buyers? Expired listings? Investors? Relocation? Choose three or four to focus on and build a plan around each. Break down each opportunity first into your annual goal. For example, 24 closed transactions from expired listings. Then make it monthly (two per month). Then list all the tasks you'll do to reach your goal. Get very specific here. Who's going to do what and when are they going to do it. And most importantly, who's going to hold them accountable. (I, of course, suggest an outside coach, but I'm partial!) After this, take time to re-visit your goals - I recommend going over them at least weekly with everyone involved. Something my clients use and find helpful is an ideal weekly schedule. I'm happy to share a sample weekly schedule with you free of charge. Verl Workman is president of Corcoran Consulting Inc. (800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into the residential broker or agent's existing practice.
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