Ita��s What Happened When We Werena��t Looking that Defeats Us….

I just finished the 4th edition of Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s business start-up plan. To do this, I updated the trends, and told new agents what those trends should mean to them as they start their businesses. But, let’s talk about trends from a management perspective. Are you anticipating them or chasing them? The last few blogs were concerned with trends and management long-term habits. It’s hard to change those habits. One way to convinnce yourself, though, that it really is time to make some changes is to look at current trends and see if you areA�

recognizing them

watching them

or

anticipatingA�them and implementing new strategies

A�Being able to identify a trend or micro-trend is an art and a science. Ita��s difficult for us brokers to step back and look at a bigger picture, because we are so busy running our businesses. And, many of our models of success a��and successful businesses–are based on old business practices (like hiring everyone who walks in the door). a�?If it works, dona��t break ita�? is our favorite mantra. Yet, that very philosophy has lowered our commission structures, threatened our consumer base, and made our good agents unhappy with our offices (if wea��re keeping non-producers and have no standards).

A�Getting a a�?whack up the side of the heada�� from this very challenging market now may be enough for us to take another look at our business practices and ask, a�?Is that the best we can do?a�?A�

How to Proceed. Choose one area of concern that you have with your business. (Hint: the foundation of all change in a real estate office is the implementation of standards). Write a plan for implementing that change. Take action in one area, and you will see how it positively affects other areas. Mentally get out of real estate for awhile. Look at other successful businesses to see how they handle their customers, their employees, their standards. Get a coach or consultant to help you as you make these changes, so you do these things with purpose, congruent to your core values. There are some of you reading this that will actually change the industry for the better!