By Julie Escobar
RISMEDIA, June 4, 2008-If you are like many agents, today’s market may make you feel as if you are on an episode of “Survivor, Real Estate!” For some, you face unfamiliar challenges, uncommon objections and often times that nagging uncertainty that can throw you-and your production-off balance.
What you many not realize however is that uncertainty can be a good thing. It can force us out of our comfort zone and propel us to get creative, resourceful and most importantly, take action. If you’re ready to loosen the grip of uncertainty on your career, then I invite you to adopt the following six secrets:
Attitude is everything. Well, almost everything anyway. Consider the study recently conducted by Harvard Business School which reported the four key elements for success in life:
Experience
Knowledge
Intelligence
Attitude
Stop and think for a moment how you would answer that survey if polled. How would you rate each of these factors in order of importance? Of course, the bullet title gives it away! Harvard found that of these four, experience, knowledge and intelligence comprised only 7% of the elements for success. Attitude represented a whopping 93%. The most critical facet is also the one we have the most control over. So, take control. Rid yourself of the negative and empower yourself with the positive and you’ll be well on your way to keeping uncertainty at bay.
Over-prepare. What happens when you know for a fact that you are ready for anything? When you’ve done your homework, practiced, drilled, rehearsed, dotted every “i” and crossed every “t” on your to-do list? Over-preparing for your next listing presentation, price reduction, face-to-face or negotiation will fill you with the confidence and certainty you need to win. Our company President Jim Morton always teaches the importance of going those extra steps to be practiced and prepared. So much so, that even if someone were to wake you in the middle of the night from a sound sleep and asked you, “Will you cut your commission?” the words and mannerisms would flow from you as naturally and effortlessly and of course, your commission would be intact.
Market statistics. There’s never been a more important time to know your numbers than right now. The agents who succeed in today’s market are masters of information. They bring to the appointment table all the ammunition they need to make their point, prove a position, price effectively and help the consumer understand better than anyone else the reality of your local market. Using visuals such as graphs and statistics to chart market changes over the last month, year, two years and more. What does all this homework afford them over their competitors? Confidence and credentials – two extraordinary essentials for surety and success.
Stick to a schedule. Without it, it’s simply too easy to get off track and find yourself in a rut and nothing can quite fuel uncertainty like a good old-fashioned rut! Put yourself on a clear, concise, tight schedule which includes that all important must-do prospecting time each day. A precise and practical approach to working on your business not just in your business will allow you to not just be more productive but actually eliminate a great deal of stress in your days. Prioritize your to-do list and keep those “money” activities such as prospecting, presenting and closing on the top of that list.
Master your ABCs. I am reminded of an article by Floyd Wickman which featured this idea. In today’s market you must Always Be Closing. Our market is quickly changing, shifting and making adjustments and the time is now to truly help your customers make the right decisions for them rather than play the procrastination game. To close is to ask. Ask to list. Ask to accept. Ask to reduce. Ask to buy. Sound simple? It is. Yet, most agents are not asking (closing). So go ahead – ask!
More is more. Times have changed. The cheese has moved. The economy is shifting. All of these are factors far beyond our control and all represent the change we are all feeling today. It’s all right though. That’s the nature of the beast. Nothing lasts, not the good or the bad, but certainly how we react to change plays a large role in whether we just survive, thrive or find ourselves looking for “a real job.” The not-so-secret secret here is to do more. Be better. Get stronger at your skill sets. Master your dialogues. Do your homework. Start earlier and stay later when you have to. Readjust your calendars. Create more value for your customers. Consistently stay in touch with your sphere of influence. Commit to learning, fine-tuning and crafting your presentations and your presence. Challenge yourself to step outside what “you’ve always done” and seek to go further than you’ve ever gone.
Ilya Prigogine once said, “The future is uncertain, but this uncertainty is at the very heart of human creativity.” What a great reminder that is for us to truly ignite our ingenuity. Tony Robbins tells us that one of the most defining factors that control and shape what we do and how well we succeed is not resources, but resourcefulness. In other words, it’s not your broker, not your colleagues, not the market and certainly not the new stationary that determines your success or failure. It’s that deep down emotion that allows you to really want something that powers your resourcefulness to make it happen.
Finally, keep your sense of humor about you. If you truly implement these ideas you are bound to feel some change, some growing pains and uh-oh, some uncertainty. Roll with it. Laugh out loud with your friends and your family. Let your hair down and gift yourself with the medicinal power of laughter. Whether you are a “Jack” or a “Jill” – all work and no play makes for a dull life and a sure case of burn-out.
I hope you’ve picked up a secret or two to help you not just survive but truly thrive in this industry. Share these with the people you care about, the new guy or girl who’s just starting out, that old-timer in the corner who can’t seem to get out of the rut, and anyone else who could use a little “shot in the arm.” One of the best ways to create abundance in your life financially, emotionally, spiritually and in your career is to share the wealth. The capacity in which you’ll find it boomeranging back to you is extraordinary.
Julie Escobar is Director of Corporate and Convention Marketing for ProspectsPLUS! and has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience in the real estate industry. This published author, poet and mother of three continuously provides fresh ideas, products and tools for the talented ProspectsPLUS! sales and training team and its incredible network of valued clients.
For more information, visit www.prospectsplus.com or call Julie Escobar at 1.800.287.5710.
