SPRING IS HERE BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU

Spring is here but you have to make it happen for you

Spring is traditionally a season where business peaks. Maybe it's the warmer weather, maybe it's the desire to move before Christmas, or maybe 't's just that sellers feel their homes will look better in the Spring.

This presents a great opportunity for those offices and sales people who have prepared. This traditional surge can provide the opportunity to really build your business and income, so long as you are not taking it for granted. If you have not done so already, now is the opportunity to prepare a focused activity regime until Christmas.

If you want to change your business outcomes -

Why not set up a specific set of goals for October, November and December?

Now is the time to set up a regime of activity that stretches you into new performance areas. With the summer holidays not far away, you know there is a break coming late December so you know it's not for-ever.

Take a breath and sit down to work out what you are going to achieve for this 3 month period. Remember there is a holiday coming at Christmas where you will be able to recover. Whatever you goals there will be other expenses over the summer anyway - seems to be a tradition of Christmas that none of us escape.

The key here is to maintain a focus on the key tasks until the holidays arrive.

Don't go on holiday until the holiday arrives!

So write down your income targets for this period:

• How much money will you require to be ahead of the game and have a great holiday?

• How many sales is that?

• How many Listings is that?

• What type of listings?

• Are you an Auction expert?

• How much Advertising budget will you need and who is paying?

• So how many Listings will you get with increased advertising expenditure?

What Activity will you engage in to make this happen?

• How many Listing Presentations will that take?

• How will I find these potential vendors?

• What is my marketing - prospecting strategy to ensure I make contact with enough people?

• How many mail-outs?

• How many phone calls

• How many face to face meetings?

• Which Advocates of mine am I tapping on the shoulder?

• Can I use e-mail to make contact with more prospects?

How will I keep track that I'm on track?

Contract with your manager or coach, to be held accountable for the activity that will make it happen. Meet daily if need be and check you are sticking to your plan.

Discuss with your Manager/Coach that you have the key tasks required and in sufficient numbers. So how many people will you talk with each day?

Set yourself stretch goals - speak with at least 30 people a day!

Change your listing Strategy.

In this busy market it is crucial that your vendor receives the advantages of being exposed to the total market - not just the buyers you already have. One way to meet more prospects is to market your listings thoroughly. To sell a new listing in this market in the first few days denies your vendor access to the whole market of buyers, and you the opportunity to meet new prospects. If you are in a Sellers market right now remember that the odds of the first offer being the best offer are reduced to 20/80, not the 80/20 of the Buyers market.

Look after you whilst you focus on work at a new level

Remember that when you are taking a focused and more urgent approach to your real estate business, that you will need to look after you as well.

Plan your days off in advance and stick to them

Watch your diet and make sure you don't over-do the carbohydrates. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet. Watch-out for the risks inherit in overworking and any developing reliance on caffeine and energy drinks. Up you water in-take and get that exercise programme or gym attendance up and going. You need to be in fighting fit condition to take full advantage of this market. Remember you have a partner and family and you must continue to set aside time for them. Make sure you discus with your partner your new focus and get agreement with them for this period. If you are going to make a difference some things have to change. Don't do this alone - get your partners agreement and help.

Set yourself smaller targets - weekly, with rewards and punishments in place. If you stick to your plan each week you can have a meal out or take in a movie. Failure to stick to the plan means you forgo the treat. You can set daily targets that have a reward; such as if you have to have a coffee each day, then, set yourself a minimum number of calls to make before you can have that coffee.

Use this period to launch Next Year

By working right through you will maintain your activity regime right up to Christmas. From late November you will need to make a decision about holding off your new listings until the New Year. Take a look at your market place - some of you will be in centres where the summer holiday is your peak time and your break will be in the winter. For those of you in metropolitan centres it is likely that the buyers and sellers all leave town for a few weeks.

But you need to be ready to launch with a flourish in the New Year. It's too late at Christmas to plan that - now is the time to start preparing listings to bring to the market in the middle of January. This way you can avoid the old custom of - a month off takes a month to start up again. That's nonsense if you plan it right. The key is to keep working until the last day of your plan - not mentally leave and have your head on holiday a week or two before the time.

Clear your head from the office "herd" Beware the pre-holiday behaviour of the lesser performers in your office. These people like to take lots of lunches and long coffee breaks and their best defence of their behaviour is to distract you from your work and take you along as well. DON"T!! Let them be envious - who cares. Get on you're your own plan, it is set up for your success not theirs. So avoid the gradual easing of effort that will go on around you. This is the time and the market to stretch your goals and achieve what suits you.

All through this maintain your sense of humour and keep that smile on your face. Plan carefully now and you will have a great run up to Christmas and start the New Year with listings in the bank.