This article is about planning for your 2013 year in real estate – starting now. That’s right, now.
Everyone is geared up from the election results and hoping for a better future for our country. So, take that energy and apply it to your business, because here’s what I know for sure: no matter who’s living in the White House, people will always buy and sell real estate. The occupant of the White House will be going about his business, and you should be going about your business of figuring out the best way to help those people buy and sell real estate.
The plain fact of the matter is, you hold the power of making your 2013 poor or great. It’s in your hands. It’s in your control. Sure, you can make excuses all day long about external factors: the economy is bad, this new president will hurt real estate, there’s too much inventory. Go ahead, fill in the blanks again with your reasons for why you won’t reach your goals in 2013: ____________, _____________,____________.
Now that you have that out of your system, do this: commit today to realizing your future is in your hands. Start from inside yourself (and give no credence to external factors, i.e., the president) and start building a plan that will put your business where you want it to be in 2013.
In the meantime, here are some tips to get you started:
- Don’t wait till Jan. to plan next year. Start now. Think about this: Your January 2013 closings will be your December sales. So start planning now for those December sales.
- Make your goals SMART. Author Paul J. Meyer once said goals need to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Also, set a primary goal and then set a “stretch goal” that’s 20 percent higher than your primary goal. That way, if you fall short of the stretch goal, you’ll still hit the actual goal.
- Develop an ideal weekly schedule. To reach goals, start by listing all the tasks you’ll do every week to reach your goal. Get very specific here with who’s going to do what and when are they going to do it.
- Be held accountable. Even the best plan won’t be worth a cent unless you execute. Of course, I suggest an outside coach, but I’m partial! Regardless, get someone who’ll ensure you’re doing what you say you’re going to do.
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.