A common question that I get from agents and teams is how to get that competitive edge—an advantage over others in their market. This is a loaded question because so much can depend on what kind of edge you are looking to have and who the competitors are in your market. However, I think the most important thing to focus on is getting your houses in order. What I mean is, to get that advantage that you are looking for, you need to make sure that your processes and systems are in order or that you even have processes and systems. To get anywhere in your market or grow your team, then you need to have a great foundation.
A client doesn’t want to work with an agent or a team that is flying by the seat of their pants. Removing uncertainty from your business will allow you to give great services and an experience that will only make them want to give you referrals after they complete a transaction with you. Consider asking for testimonials from clients that you have worked with already, this may help you decide what you are good at and what needs improvement.
If you don’t have them already, developing core values and a mission statement for your team, is the first step to building a solid foundation to work from. Having core values and a good mission statement, your “why,” from the beginning can be the difference between success and failure for your team. Those two important core concepts are what makes a team out of a group of people; it’s what bonds them and directs your team in the same direction.
After finding your “why,” you should complete a SWOT analysis. Discover your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Then adapt your business plan to best suit your unique personality and situation based on the results you discovered. To explain further, the SWOT analysis sums up your personal capacity to thrive so that it’s easier to see your options for how to best move forward. If you are lost, this shows you how to find your way.
After the SWOT analysis, complete this third important step in your business plan: the four pillars of income. Find four pillars of income that you can use in your business and work each one as if it is your only source of income. The four pillars emphasize that your actions create income and by focusing on them, you will eventually exceed your income goals by understanding and perfecting each area. Focusing on the four pillars will concentrate all your efforts on the top money-making activities that will help you gain a competitive advantage in your market.
Once you have established the minimum level of acceptable service with your pillars of income and good customer feedback, if you want to create five-star experiences, you simply need to think of your business as a whole operating system instead of only a way to bring in money. There are so many things that we can do to raise the bar and set ourselves apart. The bottom line is that you must choose the things that are consistent with who you are and what you value. Always do the right thing, be compliant and we wish you luck with your next hundred five-star reviews!
Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems (385-282-7112), an international speaking, consulting, and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and building successful power agents and teams. Contact him at Verl@WorkmanSuccessSystems.com. For more information, please visit www.WorkmanSuccess.com.
