With the rapid changes occurring in the world and in real estate, you may now be reevaluating your sales expectations for 2020 and asking yourself, “Should I adjust my goals? What will my business look like for the next few months and beyond?”
My advice: Do not give up on your goals! The biggest change in your business this year does not have to be in your production or income (unless up!)—but, you do need to change your strategies.
Here are three steps to take immediately to keep your year on track:
1. Increase Your Pipeline
You need to immediately focus on deliberately building an increased pipeline of clients that will hire you not only now, but also in 30 days, in 90 days, or later this year. Reach out to everyone in your sphere and ask what their home-buying and -selling timeframes are, and keep calling until you have twice as many potential clients for this year than you need to meet your goals. Confidently communicate your value in our current environment (more on that below), and guide them to either hire you now or be ready to hire you when the time is right. There is still more than enough current and future business out there to meet your yearly goals, so take this step now to create current business and position yourself for an influx of future business when this unusual period of altered reality eventually ends.
2. Fill Your Calendar
As you speak with potential clients, schedule virtual appointment times to discuss, preferably by video conference, how you will help them accomplish their real estate goals. Your goal should be to get as many new appointments as possible. It does not matter whether they are for tomorrow or for three months from now; get them on the calendar! Set a goal for how many appointments to schedule each week, bump that up by another 50 percent (people are starving for interaction, and you don’t have any travel time), and then keep track of the number of appointments you actual keep.
By the way, this will be a great opportunity to demonstrate that social distancing does not mean social or professional isolation. By remotely showing potential clients your value and your expertise in this unique environment, you will be more likely to earn their business.
3. Up Your Virtual Game
You need to be digitally current to be digitally relevant. I assume that you are already using phone, video and other means of remote communication, but what you really need to embrace is your online presence and interaction. Update your Facebook, LinkedIn and other online profiles immediately. Create a business page on Facebook. Update your page on your company website. Ask past clients for online reviews. Share both personal and real estate-related stories online. With so many current and potential clients at home, there are more eyeballs than ever looking at their phones and their computers, so pick at least one or two areas to update and improve, and do it by the end of next weekend.
A year from now, we will look back and see that some members of our industry adapted and thrived in a changed environment, and some did not. Be one of the success stories. Your commitment and determination are within your own control, even if circumstances are not, so stay busy. Fill your pipeline, set more appointments and be present in today’s virtual world. You will meet and exceed your goals if you do.
For a free copy of my exclusive webinar “Building a GoldMine™ Pipeline to Create Consistent Income,” click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. She is also an RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker as an industry Influencer. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.
