There are 525,600 minutes in a year. Are you happy with how you used yours? Exceed your own expectations in 2018 (and surprise yourself with a best-ever commission advance) by hitting the ground running thanks to these real estate New Year’s resolutions.
1. Revisit Your Business Plan
You’ve just completed 365 days of work, and that brings about a lot of change. The idea of a new year meaning a new slate is bunk, but you can use this as an opportunity to look at your performance with a critical eye to see what’s working, what isn’t and what might propel you toward a bigger, better listing advance over the next 52 weeks.
Ask yourself:
- Where did I fall short in 2017?
- What were my biggest successes?
- What goals do I have for 2018?
- What do I need to do to achieve those goals?
2. Mine Your Existing Network
Hopefully you already have your professional social media pages up and running, but how often are you reaching out to your personal network? Nobody wants to be bludgeoned by sales pitches on their news feed, but there’s nothing wrong with letting everyone know what you’re up to. Infuse your updates with enthusiasm (and a few touches of humor here and there), and the excitement will prove contagious:
- “Thrilled to be showing this cozy bungalow this Sunday! The art deco fireplace is one-of-a-kind.”
- “Closed on a house today, putting my clients in their very first home. Talk about a great day!”
- “What do you guys think of my new brokerage brochures?”
3. Read More
Line your shelves with books on success, self-improvement and motivation, and better yet, actually read them. No time to peruse more than a few pages? Try swapping out TV time for an hour with your Kindle, or check out audiobooks and podcasts that you can play while you drive around town. Continuing education is so important, and you’ll learn how to get ahead from some surprising sources, many of which won’t even be in the real estate industry.
4. Establish Your Authority
Forget your former life as a shrinking violet. If you want to beat out the competition for that hot listing or bring in a rash of new clients, you have to be willing to sing your own praises and make sure that everyone listening believes in what you’re selling (YOU). Throw up some Facebook Live videos, give a talk at a Chamber of Commerce meeting, rent a booth at a convention or pitch a story to the local news station. Get attention and give the people some information they can sink their teeth (and money) into.
5. Make Marketing a Priority
So you have a Facebook page, and you Instagram when the mood strikes. That’s nice, but it’s hardly a solid marketing campaign. In 2018, do your business justice by juicing up your marketing strategy.
- Incorporate Content Marketing: A blog (at least four posts a month) is essential, but also consider putting together an ebook about a key neighborhood or an infographic about property investment.
- Focus on Social Engagement: It doesn’t matter that you have a million followers if none of them are engaging with your brand. Ask questions (“Which open house theme should I go with?”), invite users to share their own photos and hold contests to help keep your name fresh in everyone’s mind.
- Interact With Your Connections: Comment on posts by key influencers and community bigwigs, attend networking events and keep in touch with past clients — it’s no good knowing people if they don’t know you.
Craving a bigger commission express? Stop waiting for success to come to you by using these resolutions to catapult your business to new levels of prosperity in 2018.
