Disclosure: I believe you must be passionate in order to be successful. I want to help you find your passion and realize the opportunity and potential that is inside of you!
Most real estate professionals get their initial education from a real estate school. They take a test; receive their license and then step into the industry with little more than a hope and a dream.
The challenge in this is the simple fact that while real estate courses are designed to teach you the legalities of real estate, they fail to teach you sales or marketing strategies that affect your bottom line. They also fall short when it comes to sharing how to structure and manage a successful business.
This leaves most real estate professionals at a significant disadvantage right out of the gate. Unless a decision is made to align with a brand that offers a solid training program, any newbie might tend to flounder.
So how do you gain the knowledge and skills that matter most to your business growth? Below are my four success principles that when applied will propel your success!
1. Collaborate
Build your resources and relationships
• Identify your resources – If you don’t have them, develop them. Immediately!
• Develop your “A-Team” – Mortgage officer, inspector, repairman, title agent, and insurance agent.
• Understand the process – You must have an understanding of what each person does within the purchase or sale transaction. Meet with them and ask what they contribute and how they manage that part of the process. This knowledge allows you the true ability to gauge the severity of a concern in a sale and better control the emotions in yourself, your client, and the transaction.
2. Innovate
Never stop learning. Implement your ideas with passion. Constantly improve your systems.
• The only fast lane to success is through education. The more you know and comprehend about the industry; the easier it is to gain momentum.
• Familiarize yourself with technology and the tools that will allow you to multiply your efforts.
• Learn how to handle high stress situations and how to properly navigate conflict.
• Consistently monitor your lead generation strategy and adjust when necessary.
• Always be on the lookout for opportunity and know where and when to capitalize on it.
• Prepare a business plan every year and follow it without fail.
• Break down your growth goals into bite-sized pieces that you can consistently follow on a daily basis.
• Systemize everything you do. Everything.
3. Generate
Commit to building out your business
• Know that you will need to commit 24 months of long days and hard nights of work, work and more work. This means it is what you did yesterday and it is what you will be doing today and tomorrow.
• Treat every client/customer equally and with respect. It is not just about them, it is about everyone they know and will refer without fail.
• Realize that you must always have six months worth of living expenses in your bank account at all times and treat that as your true bottom line. From there, you can start building wealth.
4. Dominate
Overcome the bad habits that set the tone for your business
• Battle against excuses or they become a habit you cannot break.
• Strive to provide value in everything you do.
• Know that you must earn the right to close every sale.
• Everything is a learning experience to constantly evolve and grow your skills.
• Be consistent in your actions.
• Don’t worry about trying to know all of the answers. Strive to be able to get the right answer by seeking council and looking to those that have the education and knowledge.
• Create balance in everything you do.
• Plan your day, week, month and year.
• Do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.
• Find the one thing that means more to you than anything and use it to push yourself farther than you have ever gone.
• No single transaction is ever worth your reputation. Ever.
• Never lose who you are.
• Never let anyone else decide your emotions for you.
• Never accept less than your best.
While this list is by no means exhaustive, it is my heart to yours sharing why passion for what you do is so important. Real estate is hard work and not for the faint of heart. Loving what you do will allow you to keep pushing forward even on the days you are ready to throw in the towel.
The only thing between you and success is time! Don’t forget to enjoy each moment along the way and take the time to celebrate each and every victory.
Leighton Dees is the Chairman and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Generations in Mobile, Alabama.
To read this article on Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s blog, “Clean Slate,” visit: http://bhgrealestateblog.com/2013/03/28/top-4-real-estate-success-principles-that-every-agent-must-follow/
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