You’re nearing the end of the busiest real estate season of the year, and you finally have a chance to catch your breath.
But if you want to be a top agent, now’s not the time to slack off!
While the number of available listings might be declining, that doesn’t mean you should stop trying to improve your business or hold yourself accountable for tasks you didn’t have time for in the spring and summer months.
Have you been putting something off that you think will kick your business up a notch? Today, I’m going to help you hold yourself accountable for getting it done.
But first, you have to decide what goal or goals you’d like to achieve.
What kinds of goals should you set for yourself?
If you don’t already have a goal in mind, here are some easy ways you can improve your business.
Start a blog.
If you don’t already have a blog, establishing one in the slower season could give you a leg up when spring rolls around. Not only do you get a chance to establish yourself as a seasoned real estate professional, but you can personally connect with clients and potential leads.
Share helpful real estate advice, give commentary on current market trends, or even share a little bit about a recent family vacation.
Writing about a variety of topics will keep your blog interesting and boost your readership. Depending on the platform you choose, you can keep track of which posts receive the most engagement, so you’ll know which areas to focus on — and which to avoid — in future posts.
Don’t have time to keep up with a blog? Our MyBooks membership includes access to 100+ pre-written blog articles you can post on your personal blog.
We’ve also written helpful content to help you get started.
Stay on top of your social media platforms.
Consistently posting and interacting with your social media followers keeps you at the top of their minds.
Lots of real estate professionals share listings on their pages — and that’s not to say you shouldn’t do the same — but if that’s all you post, people will be quick to unfollow your page.
Share fun stories and quotes, post personal photos, and share client testimonials. While you should remain professional, you also want to be relatable.
We’ve written some blogs to help you employ the most effective social media strategies.
Improve your website.
Is your website in need of some updating?
If so, now’s the perfect time to update it.
At minimum, your website should include:
- Your contact information and/or a form to contact you
- A bio — You can list your professional accomplishments, but remember to also be relatable and share a little bit about your interests outside of the office.
- Testimonials from former clients — The more you have, the better. Make sure you update these fairly frequently to show you’re continually working and closing deals.
If you really want to stand out, consider including:
- A welcome video on the homepage that links to your YouTube channel at the end.
- A section for your blog (or a highly visible link if you blog on an outside platform).
- Links to your social media channels — You can also install widgets that display your most recent Tweets, Instagram posts or status updates on your website.
- A page displaying your current listings (and a gallery of homes you’ve sold).
- Video testimonials from past clients — These may take some coaxing, but they’re much more effective than traditional text reviews.
Get your name out in the community.
Sometimes, nothing is more effective than becoming a friendly, familiar face in your community.
Attend local events, mingle with the public and volunteer with local organizations. Public events are also a perfect opportunity to hand out your books, so always keep a few copies in your car or a purse/bag.
Collect testimonials from former clients.
Testimonials are the lifeblood of any business. If the last testimonial on your website is from 2016, potential clients may be wary of listing with you.
Consider reaching out to former clients and asking them to write reviews. You can even give away prizes as an incentive for writing them.
Offer to put anyone who writes a review into a drawing for a local store or restaurant gift card, or tickets to a local sporting event.
Set a calling goal.
Cold-calling can be a bear. That’s why we recommend warm-calling.
What is warm-calling?
It involves giving potential clients something of value before you call them — something that solidifies your reputation in their mind before you ever call — so that when they answer the phone and hear your name, they already have a positive impression of you and what you offer.
Our books are the perfect tool to make a positive impression ahead of time.
When you mail someone a book, you’re...
- Giving them something of value.
- Solidifying yourself as an expert in their minds.
- Establishing a general recognition and respect for what you do.
If you’d like to test out a copy of our book, click here for a free sample.
Tools to Help You Stay on Top of Your Goals
Now that you’ve established a goal, it’s time to hold yourself accountable!
Sure, you can have family, friends and colleagues check in on your progress, but they have their own lives and agendas to worry about.
There are numerous apps and tools available on your phone or online that can keep you on track. Here are just a few:
Habit Share
Habit Share advertises itself as “the only habit tracker that is social to its core.”
The application allows you to you choose which (if any) friends can view your “habits.” Your friends can also share habits with you, and you can hold each other accountable.
How it works
Habit share allows you to:
- Set reminders to help you remember your new habits.
- Create custom habits that fit your specific goals, including daily & weekly habits.
- Add friends for extra accountability and motivation.
It’s also 100% free and available on iOS and Android devices.
StickK
StickK is an app that helps you set a goal and stay on track with a financial incentive. If you fail your goal, you have to pay the price — literally.
According to its website, StickK uses “the psychological power of loss aversion and accountability to drive behavior change.”
With a financial penalty on the line, StickK is considered one of the most effective accountability tools on the market.
How it works
StickK works under what the app calls a “Commitment Contract.”
- You pick your goal and set all the parameters.
- You determine how often you’d like to work toward that goal.
- You select which day of the week you’ll submit a progress report.
- The app allows you to choose between a financial incentive, a personal referee, or a support team — you choose the most effective form of accountability for you.
Coach.me
Coach.me touts itself as “a home for ambitious people.”
Depending on which level of the site and app you invest in, you can have access to a personal coach that specializes in a specific area of focus — including categories like exercise, diet, meditation, writing, productivity, and breaking addictions.
The coaches are ranked based on client feedback, so you can choose the right one to help you achieve your goals. The person you choose will message you every day with reminders and helpful suggestions to keep you on track.
How it works
The program includes three separate coaching levels:
- A free habit-tracking app, which also gives you access to a community of other people trying to achieve their goals.
- Habit coaching, which starts at $15 a week, allows you to message your own personal coach through the app or arrange phone consultations.
- Leadership coaching, which costs $249 a month, allows you to solve workplace problems and achieve career success with a structured leadership coaching program.
Why is accountability so important?
Setting goals and working toward them is great. But unless you have an unbreakable willpower and focus, it’s easy to lose sight of our end goals.
Real estate is a fast-paced industry. It’s easy to get caught up in endless cold-calling and employing the same prospecting tactics, without stopping to consider how well those tactics are working.
Use this time to take a step back, establish your goals, and find a pathway to achieve them. By the time spring rolls around, you could be well on your way to becoming the top agent in your market.
Joe Nickelson is a real estate professional dedicated to helping home buyers and sellers achieve their dreams of owning property, and helping real estate agents stop using the sometimes-vicious tactics that weigh on their consciences. He believes that the Smart Agents books will, quite literally, change people’s lives for the better. Check out his full bio here!
