4 New Year’s Resolutions for The Busy Broker

‘Tis the season to make those pesky New Year’s resolutions. We all make them, with varying degrees of success:

1. I will lose 20 lbs by March
2. I will get to the gym 3 times a week
3. I will get up by 6 every morning and be early to work
4. I will get to more of my daughter’s soccer games

But as a real estate broker, how about making some resolutions that, with just a little work and discipline, you can keep, and which will make a significant impact on your real estate team, your business and your quality of life? Here are a few suggestions from the team at Weichert®.

Discard The Distractions

Between the phone calls, never-ending emails, and relentless social media notifications we have become bogged down by distractions as a society. As a real estate broker, your focus is also threatened by various marketing gimmicks and contracts that fall into crises and need your expert influence. However, all of these distractions prove to be very costly over time. Studies show that when working on a particular task, it can take a full 20 minutes to get back to your most productive level after a distraction. To combat this, make it a priority to eliminate unnecessary notifications on your phone and install browser extensions like Forest which force you to stay focused on the task at hand.

Be Proactive About Your Own Development

There is nothing as stressful as waking up to the realization that your continuing education credits are due and there is no room in your schedule to get them done by the deadline. Of course, you have no choice but to make that your main priority; however, your business can definitely suffer a hit as a result. This year, make it a deliberate goal to get all of your CE credits done ahead of schedule, so that you can absorb the information at a realistic pace and continue on with business as usual. Put it on your 2020 calendar now.

Schedule Your Activities

It is one thing to set goals for your recruiting and production for the year. It is entirely different to map out exactly what activities you will need to make part of your routine to achieve them. Schedule them in for yourself. Most people report that they are more productive when time-blocking, so take back control of your schedule by blocking off the most appropriate times for lead generation, recruiting, business development, client education, etc.. Schedule your most daunting tasks first to set yourself up for a feeling of accomplishment that will power you through your other activities with ease.

Get Closer To Your Agents

With all of the day-to-day tasks that can consume your schedule as a broker, it is easy to become disconnected from your team. When scheduling your regular activities, factor in some quality time to continue developing your relationships with your agents on a personal level and as a team. Check-in with them to see where they are struggling, what they feel is working best within the brokerage, and where they believe there is room for improvement. These conversations will provide you with valuable insights on how you can continue to grow and attract similar agents in the year to come.

For more information about how to set yourself up for your brokerage’s most successful year yet, visit us at  www.weichertfranchise.com. 

Original content posted on https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/4-new-years-resolutions-for-the-busy-broker/

Hit the Ground Hard, After the Holidays

There is no denying that many real estate agents and brokers across the country experience the slowing season in Winter. While many will just accept this as being par for the course, in real estate, your drive to start off the new year with a bang can put you ahead of the game in 2020.

In between hanging those holiday decorations and doing all your shopping, you can use your extra time over the holidays to recalibrate, allowing your business to tear out of the starting gate in the new year.

Explain the Advantages of Buying A Home Now

One of the reasons that the spring season is so crazy in real estate is that people perceive it as the most convenient time to make a move. Conversely if more people understood the benefits of moving during the winter, they might be motivated to make the move now. Create blogs, videos, and podcast episodes to explain the advantages of moving during the less competitive winter season, such as lower costs and less competition to book moving companies. Share your best tips for moving in the colder months. Create this awareness all year round, but especially in the slower winter months.

Leverage New Year’s Resolutions

While many people focus on common new year’s resolutions like losing weight, there are plenty of people out there that resolve that this will be the year that they become a homeowner or move to the neighborhood of their dreams. With tax season right around the corner, remind people that their returns would be better spent on a down payment than something frivolous. Take advantage of this line of thinking while their motivations are still high by planning, promoting and hosting a first-time buyer seminars. Weichert, for example, supplies its affiliate offices with complete seminars in a box—including invitations, presentation deck and handouts–to host such events. This helps you connect with potential prospects early before they make the decision to act and engage with another brokerage.

Grab the Attention Of Sellers Early in the Year

Once the ground begins to thaw, it is a mad dash for agents to get their hands on all the shiny new listings. However, if you initiate relationships with people who are considering selling in the upcoming year now, you will already have your foot in the door when they are ready to list. Now is the best time of year to start holding seminars about how to sell a house. When marketing these seminars, be sure to tap into the common reasons why people may want to sell their house this year including an upgrade in lifestyle, a change in career, or even a change in their family needs. Weichert also supplies its affiliate offices with complete seminar kits to support hosting these types of events.

Focus on Your Existing Relationships

Once you have your buyer and/or seller seminars in place and operating like a well-oiled machine to attract new prospects, you can return your focus to your sphere. This is a great time to personally check in with everyone to see how their holidays were, what they are looking forward to in the year to come, and if there is anything you can do to help them. Remember, it is through the cultivation of your personal and professional relationships that you will attract your best clients. Having a good CRM system will allow you to do this efficiently.

Have a Great Post-Holiday Season, in Every Way!

Do you have the tools and systems in place to take advantage of the winter season and prepare you and your agent team for Spring? From farming materials, such as seminar kits to a powerful CRM to stay in touch with your sphere, an affiliation with Weichert can give you everything you need to compete. Sow the seeds for a great 2020. Make one of your new year’s resolutions to contact Weichert Franchising to find out more about how we can help you and your agents be more productive than ever.

Best wishes for a prosperous year ahead!

Original content posted on https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/hit-the-ground-hard-after-the-holidays/

Hit Your Agent Recruiting Goal Next Year With These 3 Tips.

2020 is finally upon us and just like most successful real estate brokers, you are probably bursting with motivation to make this year your best yet. It probably also means that your mind is constantly filled with thoughts about recruiting and how you can accomplish significant goals for expansion over the next 12 months. You may even be feeling slightly discouraged if you came up short on your recruitment goals for this year. Don’t worry because the team at Weichert has the know-how to help you recruit the agents you need to support your business this coming year and rise to a new level of real estate stardom in your market.

Immerse Yourself In The Community

You can’t expect to attract many new agents without your brokerage being a prolific member of the community. The more opportunities that you seize to host events, get involved in charitable works, partner with other businesses, and network with like-minded people, the more brand awareness you will achieve. Your goal here is to make your brokerage synonymous with the area you serve, so that when agents think of your market, they automatically think of you as the most active brokerage in the area, and thus the one most likely to facilitate their success.

Become The Go-To Educational Resource

Agents crave education and support from their broker, so by regularly hosting classes, webinars, and publishing content that will help them grow, you can improve your current team’s production and create buzz on the streets that will attract motivated agents. When it comes to hosting educational or recruiting events, think practically. Rather than hosting your events during the day when most people are otherwise busy, hold them in the evenings to increase attendance. You should also invest in proactively marketing these events on websites like Eventbrite, in your social media and in your conversations with agents. While in many ways agents act like standalone businesses, the more you demonstrate your leadership, expertise, and willingness to give back through education, the more agents will be eager to park their desk inside your brokerage.

Have Materials That Keep You Top of Mind

Agents that are considering you brokerage are eager to understand what makes you different and how your model can benefit them. Face to face meetings are always best, but make sure you are armed with takeaway materials for those you come in contact with that they can digest later and also serve a reminder of your meeting. Whether its flyers, simple brochure or a recruiting card distributed at a career fair or a more detailed piece for a targeted recruit. Help them remember you when they leave the meeting. Gather testimonials from your existing agents to promote on social media. Promote activities that your agents participate in as a team, such as charitable drives and social events to show off your awesome culture. Create video testimonials of your current agents discussing the benefits of joining your brokerage and share them on your website, YouTube, and social media accounts for prospects to see.

Implement Proven Systems & Processes To Meet Your Recruiting Goals

So whether you’re targeting 5, 10 or 25 agents, you can hit your number with the right infrastructure in place. Just ask our Weichert brokers! The challenge is to create the recruiting systems, activities and tools needed to meet your business goals. It can also be daunting when you don’t have the tools and technology behind you to offer agents a reason to join your brokerage. Affiliating with a brand like Weichert can provide you with support in both areas. With our proven recruiting system, coupled with a full suite of recruiting materials and our package of marketing tools, training, technology support and lead sources, you’ll have everything you need to grow your agent base and your overall business.

Learn more about how the Weichert system can set you on your way to recruiting for the next level of success. 

Original content posted on https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/hit-your-agent-recruiting-goal-next-year-with-these-3-tips/