Have you heard this quote before?
“What is measured improves. What is measured and reported back exponentially improves.”
A study of Olympic-level figure skaters. First, the skaters trained on their own, in their usual ways. They attempted 60 elements (jumps and spins) in one hour of training. Then, a whiteboard was brought out onto the ice so their coach could tally the number of jumps and spins in real-time. The result:
The number of elements attempted rose from 60 to 100. When the whiteboard was removed, the number declined substantially, back to 60. Then the coach brought the whiteboard out again. Suddenly the figure skaters were attempting 100 elements again.
Clearly, the coach monitoring and accountability sparked more effortful behavior.
The No. 1 leverage you can put in place to achieve the success that you deserve is up to your level of accountability.
You deserve exponential growth, and that’s why I’d encourage you to work with an accountability partner and level up your TAG! What’s TAG? The appointment game.
What would happen to your business if, over the next 45 days, you simply focused on the number of new conversations about real estate you create each day and focused on the number of new appointments you create each week from those conversations.
Over the next 45 days, I challenge you to an appointment setting game. First, appointments are any meetings that will positively impact your business, including:
– Sitting face-to-face with a motivated seller
– Working with a buyer who wants to buy
– Previewing a motivated For Sale By Owner property
– A face-to-face meeting with a past client, someone from your center of influence or anyone who can refer you business
– Meeting with potential investor clients or directors of HR involved in employee moves
Consider this seven-step plan:
1. Focus daily on setting appointments. Some agents focus on the amount of time they engage in some form of lead generation each day. Some focus on the number of people they contact each day and some focus on the number of leads they generate.
Top producers focus on:
– Setting great appointments
– Getting contracts signed
2. Create a definition of an appointment that serves you. If your definition of an appointment is something like, “I only meet with sellers who will list with me today at 2:00 for 25% under fair market value and 9% commission,” you will likely find yourself with an empty appointment book.
If you want a full appointment book, create a definition of “appointment” that serves you and does not trap you. In my view, appointments are any meeting that will positively impact your business and deepen or build a relationship.
3. Affirm that you set appointments daily. Affirm that you will set an appointment each day. Say this simple affirmation constantly throughout the day:
“I set one or more new appointments each day!”
Consider this easy exercise and watch how it can positively affect your mindset and results.
4. Carry your best leads with you at all times. One way to do this is to put your best leads on three by five index cards. Or enter them into your smart phones note or reminder app. Or use a CRM with mobile capability. Have a system (any system) to keep you best leads top of mind.
The key is to call your leads constantly throughout the day. Consider calling your leads separate times each day to increase the probability of reaching them and setting an appointment. Call them first thing in the morning…try it again around lunchtime…do your last attempt at the end of the day. You cannot overcall your leads.
5. Know your automatic shot. Your “automatic shot” is the source of business you know you can count on if you really needed a transaction. We all have areas in which we excel over others, and we all have sources that are particularly favorable for us. It is critical you know what it is for you.
Ask yourself this question: “If you absolutely had to set an appointment today, who would you call?”
The answer to this question will define who or what your automatic shot is. Make sure to take your automatic shot every day!
6. Learn five to seven basic closes to improve confidence. Skills and confidence are critical in this market. Resources like the David Knox library and Travis Robertson’s “Real Estate Playbook” will build skills and confidence.
7. Be unattached to how and where your next appointment comes from. The key here is to just remain focused on the fact that you intend to set at least one appointment each day. Once your intention is set, simply go about your business. Go follow your schedule. Go out and do your lead generation and conversion.
There you have it, seven steps to more appointments. I dare you. I challenge you to take me up on this 45-day game of TAG.
TAG, you’re it!
Mark Johnson is the chief executive officer of JPAR Real Estate, a rapidly growing full-service transaction-based real estate brokerage focused on integrity, productivity and service. He is also the host of “Success Superstars,” a weekly show that highlights the blueprint of agent success, and the co-founder of CoRecruit. He has invested decades in understanding the inner workings of high-performing real estate companies, managers, teams, and their leaders in major markets across the world.
