The Race Has Started. Have You?

Photo by Derek Gavey via Flickr

Monday Morning Match is a quick post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

We're just a few hours from the first month of 2012 being over, yet many of our real estate brothers and sisters haven't even started their year. Oh sure, they may have turned their calendar and they have done the ceremonial business plan but they really haven't begun because they are still waiting for business to come to them.

Many of the active agents I know have some sort of business - at least one new listing or one new buyer.

Do you?

"The thing that has not been begun cannot be finished"

~ Robert Henri

If you don't have any business yet, ask yourself this: "Why not? What am I waiting for?"

It's been a few years since I have heard agents kick off their January so excited by the business at hand in the first few weeks of the year. I know listings are up in our local market and buyers have been pushed to jump in to the action with a combination of low interest rates, pent up demand and warmer than usual weather in the Central, Midwest and Northeast portions of the United States. I expect pending deals in January to outdistance 2011 and that's good news for a market that is in desperate need of a recovery.

How is your local market doing? Do you know the inventory that is available right now and how it compares to last year? How about the list price to sales price ratio? The average days on market? The average sales price? 

If you are knowledgeable enough, you will quickly become the "market expert" your client demands. Shouldn't you know the numbers of your market better than your local grocery store bag boy knows which aisles to find Tabasco sauce and condensed milk? Show you're a true professional and dig deep to understand your market inside and out.

"Can anything be sadder than work left unfinsihed?

Yes; work never begun."

~ Christina Rossetti

The old cliche is true - "He who lists, lasts." Get out there this week and start making phone calls to past clients and members of your sphere of influence. Contact local FSBO's and any listings that might have expired heading into the holidays. Their 30+ days of misery are over and it's time to get them on to their next phase of life. Build your inventory and get ready for the flood of buyers that will be coming soon.

I've never met a top agent who had a great year in real estate that didn't include a busy first quarter. There are about 60 days left until April 1st. Maybe the work you do these next two months will be what you look back on in December and say, "that's when I really got started."

Start today. If you don't, you'll quickly look up and realize it's the last week of 2012.

Focus on how you can build relationships, solve problems and have fun. 

Don't wait. Start right now.

Play Ball - What Realtors Can Learn from Little Leaguers

Monday Morning Match is a quick post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.


Today was my son Ryan's first day of baseball for his little league season. It was a beautiful day in Central Ohio as the boys played a double header and it got me thinking about some of the simple lessons Realtors can learn from little league.

Start Early - Today's first game started at 8am (on a Sunday, no less) but if you want to get your day off to a great start, get up early and set your mind right that you're going to win. Enjoy a good breakfast and have your day planned ahead of time. Ryan's To Do List today was "play baseball." What's on yours today?

Warm Up & Practice - The kids have been practicing hard for the last few weeks (in between rainstorms here in the Midwest) but it still was necessary to loosen up with some catch and a quick cycle of fielding ground balls before the game.

When was the last time you practiced your skills? Rehearsed dialogues lately? For most Realtors, the last time they practiced their listing presentation was when they gave it. Isn't that approach leaving your most important skill to luck?

Taking 15-30 minutes each day to review your skills, paperwork and technology tools might just be the trick to make you "game ready" when the next client shows up.

Know Your Position - The kids needed to feel comfortable running to their positions when the coach called out the lineup. They need to know their assignments and who covers each spot on the field. Doesn't it make sense that Realtor's should really know their "area" of assignment? Have you researched the market weekly to know the inventory, average sales price and days on the market? When a question about the market is hit your way, can you field it with a blend of competence and confidence?

Good baseball players can anticipate where the batters will hit the ball, giving themselves a better chance to get out of the inning and up to bat where they can score some runs. Good Realtors should know which way the market is moving and help clients get ahead of the prices - in either an appreciating market or a depreciating market.

Shake Off Errors - Everyone makes mistakes. Baseball players and Realtors are no exception. How you handle them is the key to your success. Do you learn from them and try to do better the next time? You need to shake them off and stay focused on the next opportunity.

You Can't Get a Hit If You Don't Swing the Bat - Ryan suffered a strike out in his first at bat but we cheered for him anyway. He didn't just stand there and let other people dictate his future. He swung the bat because he knows you can't get a hit if you don't first make contact. Sure, just making contact with the pitched ball doesn't insure you will get on base safely, but it's the first step.

In his second at bat, he stepped up confidently with a runner on third base and smoothly slapped the ball between the first and second baseman, scoring the runner from third for the teams first RBI of the season.

Good Things Happen to Those Who Hustle - Some very good advice for anyone in a sales position might be "keep your head down and get moving." Ryan's hustle to beat the throw at first base led to him being safe. He led off first and quickly stole second base on the next pitch, advanced to third on an overthrow and scored his first run of the season as the outfielders weren't able to gather the ball quickly enough.

Imagine the good things that could happen to you if you were the first person to contact that expired listing down the street, or knocked on the door the day the home owner planted his For Sale By Owner sign and started building the relationship right away. Start off each day contacting members of your "bullseye list" via phone calls and hand written notes and you're putting yourself in scoring position.

Pay Attention to the Action - When you're a nine-year-old it's easy to get distracted by any passing airplane, barking dog or loud cheering from another diamond, so paying attention to the ballgame in front of you is paramount.

Are you staying focused on your current transactions - allowing the checklists and systems you have created to keep you on track - as well as consistently blocking out time for business development activities? Are you letting social networking and chit chat around the water cooler swallow up your day? Just like we say to the kids, "Keep your eye on the ball."

Be Ready to Run - This is the first year kids have been able to steal bases and, as you can imagine, the defenses aren't exactly skilled enough to throw runners out. If you get on base, there's a pretty good chance you might score without your own team getting a hit. In this league, base runners and fielders always need to be on their toes.

Are you ready to meet with a client if an opportunity arose today? Do you put yourself in a good position to advance in your career by being in front of people at your church, gym, country club, school or maybe even your kids sporting events?

Cheer for your Teammates - Support of and for people on your team is so important. It's so much easier to get up after a failed attempt when you know your teammates are pulling for you to do better the next time. When you succeed it sure is nice to have someone to celebrate with, isn't it?

If It's Worth Doing, It's Worth Tracking - If you didn't keep score, it would just be a scrimmage - no winners and no losers. But that's usually not why people play a game. Keeping score is one way to measure your efforts and identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. The results will help you do better the next time or repeat successful actions to hopefully repeat a good outcome.

Are you tracking your prospecting efforts so you know how many calls it may take to secure an appointment and how many appointments it takes to secure a listing? How many houses do you have to show each buyer before an offer is written? It's time to get your score sheets out and aim for RBIs - Realtors Building Income.

Win or Lose with Class - Shake Hands - Kids learn at an early age that it's great to win but it's also okay to lose. Nobody starts a game hoping they'll come out on the losing side but when you do, look across the diamond and congratulate the winners. There's always another game. Whether you've won or lost, you can always do better next time.

Everything is Better with a Post Game Snack - What are you waiting for? Get out there and score some big deals, secure some new listings, sell some houses and then gather with your teammates and enjoy a cold Popsicle.

Get ready to play. It won't be long until your next game is ready to begin and the umpire yells,

"Play Ball!"

What Could You Do with 46,000 More Clients?

"Where can I find more a few more leads?"

I hear that all the time in some form or fashion from agents. Hard working, full-time Realtors are always looking for new clients but most people stop searching beyond their sphere of influence, open houses and telephone duty.

Sure, some work For Sale By Owners and others might work the expired listings. Corporate relocation referrals are always a nice source of "found business" but where else can agents look to identify home owners who might need an agent to help them sell or potential home buyers who need representation in the purchase of a new house?

Well, between December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2010 there appear to be almost 46,000 new places to look. And the actual number of potential leads could be much higher.

According to the National Association of Realtors Membership report, there were 45,987 fewer members heading into 2011 than there were at the start of 2010. (1,112,645 down to 1,066,658)
Now let's be honest, a large portion of those leaving the membership probably never did a single transaction last year but it's difficult to assume that there weren't a few very successful agents in that lot that just decided that it's time to call it quits. There might be some twenty to thirty-year veterans who closed hundred of deals in their careers who have just had enough of this challenging market.

So what happens to those clients who are living comfortably in their homes today that was lucky enough to work with one of those 45,987 people (or, in some cases, unlucky enough)? Who will they call for help? Who can they rely on to provide market updates? Who will be the recipient of their personal referrals for years to come?

Why not you?

If you're an agent who is looking to grow his or her client list, a great place to start is by searching for those "orphaned clients" of agents who no longer have a real estate license. Many of these former agents got in when the market got hot, sold a few homes, closed a few deals and then as the market cooled down, just like that, they're out of the business.

Search your MLS by Agent ID. Ask your branch manager or broker for a list of former agents who have left the business. Take a veteran agent in your office (or company) to lunch and ask them about some of the "old timers" who used to stroll up and down the hallways. Trust me, "there's gold in them thar halls."

You could contact any of those "orphaned clients" and simply introduce yourself. What have you got to lose? Your call might go something like this...

"Hello. I am Sean Carpenter with Coldwell Banker.

"I specialize in the area and while researching your neighborhood, I noticed that the agent who helped you buy your home back in ______ is no longer in the real estate business. Were you aware of that?

"I understand you may not need any real estate services at this point but I would hate to know of any homeowner who didn't have a friendly contact to help with any questions or concerns about their home or local real estate market .

"I'd be honored to be your new point of contact should you have any needs between now and when your plans may call for a housing change."

After making some contact, drop a hand-written note in the mail, include a few business cards and depending on how long they may have lived there, perhaps an updated overview of the market might be in order. By exuding confidence, displaying competence and delivering consistent and relevant information, you might be able to earn their trust and their precious future business and referrals.

Once you've established contact, you can add them to your everyday mailing and contact list. The stats don't lie. Most home buyers, when surveyed by the NAR, state that they "definitely would" (65%) or "probably would" (22%) use the agent who sold them their house again when they go to sell yet the actual number who do use the same agent when they go to sell is a much lower number (23%). Agents leaving the business is a huge reason why this is true. (Poor follow up is another...but that's a whole different blog post).

So what are you waiting for? It's time to put on your detective hat and start seeking out those "orphaned clients." They're going to eventually call someone. They just won't know it's supposed to be you.

Unless you tell them.

Until next time, keep building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

What Realtors Can Learn from College Football

Are You Ready to "Tackle" Your Way to the Top?

Thankfully, the college football season kicked off this past week. As a huge sports fan, this just may be my favorite time of year. Between college football, professional football (kicking off this week), baseball pennant races, the PGA and NASCAR playoffs and hockey training camps, the Fall is a great time to be a sports fan. It's also a great time to be a Realtor.

In the same tradition of my November 2008 blog post about What Realtor's Can Learn from Black Friday, let's take a look at What Realtors Can Learn from College Football:

Proper Expectations are Created During the Recruiting Process

When you became a Realtor, what were your expectations? My guess is no one gets started hoping to be "just average." Maybe you didn't necessarily want to be the superstar but you certainly wanted to be on a great team and have a chance to earn playing time.

College programs look for players with the right skills, work ethic and personalities that they can combine with the players they already have and the systems they run to continue to work towards a championship season. It also helps to understand a team's "system" so they can make sure the players that are recruited will fit in nicely. They promise to train, coach, provide maximum exposure to the best tools available and welcome you to their school and family of alumni, fans and supporters.

Real estate brokers should be doing the same thing, especially in today's ever-changing landscape. If you're with a full service company like Coldwell Banker, you probably met with a Branch Manager or Recruiting Coordinator who discussed how the company can help you get to where you want to be with substantial training, coaching, maximum Internet exposure and national branding.

Training Camp - Turning "Role Play" into "Game Play"

I have never heard of many players who look forward to the grueling days of pre-season training camp. Sure, they are excited to be back with their teammates, back on campus (their "home away from home") and just weeks away from starting another season. In August, everyone starts with an equal chance of hoisting the National Championship trophy at the end of the season. But unless they love pain, they're never looking forward to two-a-day practices, wind sprints and coaches in their faces for three weeks.

It is clearly evident once the season kicks off that the players (and teams) who give 100% effort in this phase of their season will earn the biggest payoff once the games begin. As the old saying "practice the way you play" infers, the more you can put yourself in "game situations," the more prepared you'll be.

Does your company offer a thorough training program? Do you take advantage of training opportunities such as scripting sessions, skill building workshops and on-line educational opportunities? Do you have a written business plan showing how your "season" is going to play out? Are you "lifting weights" by practicing scripts, learning about contractual changes and studying market inventory so when you're in a game situation, you'll react accordingly?

Just like most football players don't like the sweat equity required in August, they know it will help them in the trenches of a close battle with a equally prepared conference foe late in the season.

Will you be ready when face-to-face with a Seller who has a tough objection? Will you be confident when a co-op agent send you a counter offer and tells you you're in "multiple offers"? Will your training help you "act" like a skilled professional instead of "react" like a Rookie when it counts?

Preseason Rankings Matter...But That's Why They Play the Games

Do you ever wonder how people who are part of those pre-season rankings determine who gets their votes? Do they base it on the number of players returning each season? Do they look at the schedules of each team and try to determine the number of wins and losses each team will have? Do they vote for their favorites or perhaps their alma mater?

It certainly helps to start the season towards the top of the rankings because if you do what you're supposed to do (i.e. win games), you'll be at the top when the season ends. If you lose however, you'll need to climb back over people...sometimes with victory and sometimes with a little pizazz and P.R. for good measure.

Much of a team's pre-season rankings can be attributed to their reputation. Can the media (or those voting) count on you handle the pressures of a big game or will they assume you'll choke in a pressure situation? Many people didn't think BYU could beat Oklahoma during opening week but a untimely injury to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and a determined effort by Max Hall and his underdog BYU Cougars led to the first big upset of this season.

What does your personal marketing say about you? Will people have a preconceived belief about you before they meet you? Are you playing for one of the "big names" in town or will you need to have a few "upsets" to start becoming known as a challenger?

One thing is for sure - people love an underdog, so don't worry about your pre-season rankings. A skilled, confident and determined agent can deliver a quality presentation to any Buyer or Seller with the proper preparation. Just don't get caught reading your own press clippings and start believing how good you are. All it takes is one slip up to dramatically affect a season. Treat each client as if they are the only "game" on your schedule and deliver the services you know you can with enthusiasm, energy and service.

League championships and individual awards can't be won in week one but that can be lost. Titles aren't given out during the season just like commission checks won't be earned during a deal, so always be prepared for fourth quarter comebacks and pre-closing obstacles. Until the clock strikes zero or the HUD-1 statement has been signed, remember that the ball is still in play.

Your Schedule Plays a Big Role in Your Success

It's been said by many "experts" that Florida's schedule this season sets up well for the Gators to return to the National Championship game at the end of the season. As a Florida alum (Class of 1991) I am very proud and excited for our chances but will certainly reserve getting too excited until they arrive in Pasadena in January 2010.

In many cases, these schedules are determined years in advance, usually before any of the current players were even a candidate for recruitment. College players don't get to choose who they will play but once that first ball is kicked off in early September, play the games they must.

No questions asked, no excuses about "not being ready," and certainly a team would never just not show up.

A Realtor will be much more likely to succeed when they prepare and follow a consistent schedule. There are basically two sets of activities that should be on most Realtor's schedules: Business Development and Business Support.

What area do you think most agents spend their time on? That's right...business support. Where do you think they should be spending most of their time, effort and energy? You got it...business development.

You see, business support activities will never tell you "no!" Business support activities are easier and usually don't involve any self-esteem impacting events. But it won't take the business-saavy agent long to realize that without business development, there will be no "business" to support.

In addition to the weekly business meetings that will keep you updated with your office, company and industry, a schedule should involve prospecting activities (lead generation calls, follow up visits to FSBO's and Expired listings), listing appointments and buyer counseling sessions, showings and closings. It will also require time for coaching, training, script practice, follow up, inspections and computer research.

Just like a balanced team will need to practice offense, defense and special teams, a good Realtor should be sure to include personal activities into his or her schedule including things like church, children's activities and appointments.

Avoid the Big Injury

Just like Oklahoma will need to proceed without their Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradford for an undetermined portion of their schedule, making sure you stay in "playing condition" throughout the season will be a huge key.

Be sure to find some time in your schedule for physical exercise, maintain a healthy diet and listen to your body. Until you've been in this business for a while, you never realize how exhausting the role of a Realtor can be. Don't succumb to the fast paced, fast food filled world of real estate. One sure way to avoid exhaustion is to drink plenty of fluids.

Buy In to What the Coaches Say...and Don't Believe What the Media Might Say

In football and in real estate, your coaches/managers are looking out for your best interests. Magazines, reporters and web sites are looking to sell papers or gain subscribers and readers.

Good coaches and managers will help hold you accountable to the activities needed to achieve the levels of success you desire or expect (see above). They will strive to show you how your actions can positively affect your future.

The media will usually provide detailed accounts of what wasn't done and who was negatively affected.

Only you can choose who you will listen to.

Play with Emotion...Play to Win

No matter how loud the crowd cheers or no matter how good the band sounds playing the fight song, the success of a team will be determined by how well it executes once the whistle blows. Don't winning teams play with passion and enthusiasm? Don't winning teams execute each and every play as if it determines the outcome of the game? Don't winning teams have leaders who step up and challenge their teammates, encouraging them to give it all they've got?

The same philosophy applies to Realtors. No mater how shiny your name tag, what type of car you drive or who designed your suit, it still boils down to how well you know how to deal with people. Are you excited to help people achieve their goals? Are you confident in your ability to help people solve their real estate problems? Do you believe you are the best person for the job?

It's Game Time

So there you have it...a few things that Realtors can learn from college football. As the cool temperatures of Fall arrive and people break out their college sweatshirts to cheer their schools on, think about the "big game" you're facing in your real estate career right now. We're just a few ticks away from the 4th quarter - where games are often won or lost. Will you be ready to execute when your number is called?

Good luck to you and your team as you move through the season.

Down...set...hike!

Looking At It Through Another's Eyes

You're a busy agent or you're aspiring to be one. You go from appointment to appointment, return phone calls and emails as they occur and you feel like you've been putting out fires from sun up to sun down when you pull in your driveway at the end of the day. In fact, most days, it's almost like you're on auto-pilot.



Your assembly-line protocols may involve buyer packets used at Buyer Counseling Sessions, pre-listing packets that you drop off prior to Marketing Presentations, open house handouts or even FSBO and Expired packets. The information contained in these packets is detailed, thorough and designed to be impressive to the consumer. Ideally these materials are informative and educational, helping deliver a message in your absence.



So when was the last time you really looked at what you are putting into those packets or presentations? When was the last time yours were updated?



Today's post is to encourage you to schedule a time with yourself - ideally once a quarter for those closing 24 or more transactions each year (semi-annually below that level of production) - and look at your materials through the eyes of a buyer, seller or customer.



Here are some things to look for:



Has your photo been updated? Customers who see your materials should recognize you when they meet you for the first time and past clients shouldn't think you have been a guest on a Maury Povich makeover special.



Is your company logo sized correctly and in the correct colors? Brands spend a lot of money and work hard to established a recognizable logo. You should never use a logo in a different color scheme. Can you even imagine seeing a big green M outside a McDonald's?

Keep things in properly sized proportions. There's nothing worse than seeing someone who doesn't know how to format a photo correctly. You can tell because their head is either extra tall or extra fat. (If your head is naturally extra tall or extra fat, no offense was intended)

Due ewe half spell Czech? Dew U yooz it? People love to catch spelling and other typographical errors in marketing materials. Jay Leno has made a funny segment out of advertising bloopers and blunders in his Headlines segment. Double or triple check your copy to make sure there are no errors in spelling, punctuation or proper names. It's sometimes prudent to have a proof-reader review the materials.



Is your information correct? Facts are great...if they're true. Has anything changed since your original creation of the document? Sales figures or rankings? Titles or positions? Personal information such as children's ages, designations or office location? Has your team (buyers agents, mortgage providers, title reps) changed?



How many fonts do you really need? - Keep it simple by selecting a common font such as Times New Roman, Arial or Bookman Old Style. Stay away from the script fonts as they can be very difficult to read.



White space isn't bad - Every square inch of your fliers or materials doesn't have to be filled with text, photos or graphs. Allow some things to be more prominent, others more subtle.



Make a Resolution - That your photos used in your marketing materials and handouts will be of a high quality. Head shot photos and any property photos should be of the highest pixel quality available. Nothing shows less effort than choosing poor photos.



Laser-like Focus? Was the last edition of your handout packet created on a black and white printer? Have you upgraded to a color laser printer? Use clean, high quality paper but only use glossy paper or lamination when necessary.



Tell me if you agree with this statement - "Buyers buy homes...Sellers buy image."




If you think that's true, spend one hour this week looking at all of your "stuff" from a different view. See how many aspects of your materials you can make better. Trust me, your image and your bottom line will thank you for it.



Until next time, keep building relationships...solving problems and having fun.

Looking for Things to Do?

In my last post, I said I would share some activities and/or tasks that you could build in to your daily, weekly and monthly plans. See how many of these activities you are currently doing and then think about how many of them you could add.

Clear Voice Mails and Emails - Sure, we do this all day long but that is where we get into trouble quickly. If we don't have a scheduled time to check our messages, we can be drawn into a reactionary position instead of a position of control. Doing this first thing each day (sometimes before you arrive at the office) will allow you to determine the proper priorities for the coming day. Remember, not every thing is urgent and not every thing is important.

Time Needed: 15-30 minutes three times a day

Idea: Some people swear by the idea of updating your voice mail daily and letting callers know when you'll be returning their calls. It allows you to be in more control and also let's your callers know that you will reply. Now, the pressure is on to make sure you do what you say you're going to do.

Current Client Research - You should have a scheduled time to do basic searches in the MLS for any current clients you are working with. That means looking for new listings or price reductions, potential builder or interest rate updates for your buyers and a market snapshot around any of your current listings. This is also when you would complete any CMA's you may need.

Time needed: 60 minutes per day

Current Client Updates - Did you know that one of the biggest complaints from consumers about their Realtor is lack of communication? So what do you do to assure that you and your clients communicate regularly? I recommend that you schedule weekly calls to update all of your Sellers about your findings from your Client Research efforts. These should be 15 minute calls, scheduled at the time of the listing paperwork being signed. It is a great way to set expectations of "truly remarkable service" from the beginning of the relationship.

This is when you discuss new listings that have hit the market, price reductions of competing listings, anything that has gone into contract, was withdrawn, expired or sold and any "market specific" news that may affect the Sellers (Buyer activity, financial changes, school/zoning issues). Each time you contact your clients, you need to get a re-commitment on their motivation for selling their house - "Do you still need to be in Chicago by the 4th of July?" I recommend that these happen at the same time each week and then after three calls, a face to face meeting would occur so you can review an updated CMA.

Time Needed: 15-20 minutes per active client

Use the Prospecting Pyramid - We'll discuss this more in future posts but for now, are you reaching out to your sphere of influence each and every day? You should be using a combination of email, phone calls and hand written notes.

Time Needed: 20 minutes max for every 120 names in your sphere of influence

Other Prospecting Activities

Expired Contacts - During your "Current Client Research" you probably were accessing the MLS. How many listings, or should we say "market rejects," have expired today, this week or in the last month? Those are home owners who at one point had a desire to sell and move. Do you have a system in place to reach out to them? Do you feel that you have a the skills and level of professional service that can help them? If so, what are you waiting for? Go out and knock on their door. If they're not home, then you can call them and leave a message. Please just don't add them to a mailing list and start sending the propaganda and other crap about how great you are. They haven't asked for anything from you yet and just stop and think for a second how many other agents are just going to "mail it in" as well. Be different and show them what you do differently.

I once spoke to a homeowner whose listing had expired. She estimated that within the first week, she received over 70 pieces of mail from agents interested in obtaining her listing. Most went directly in the trash because it wasn't addressed to her - just her address. She got about 8 phone calls from Realtors (and several more who called and never left a message) and just 1 agent actually knocked on her door and introduced themselves. Out of 7000+ members in our local board just one agent went the extra mile. What does your efforts say about your service?

Time Needed: 1-2 hours per week from research to personal visits. (Plan ahead and these could be worked around your client appointments)

For Sale By Owners - The Three F's

• FSBO Finding - Drive around and identify homes that are for sale by owner or spend time on FSBO sites or even look in the want ads of your local and community papers. Yes - you know that buyers don't look in papers much anymore to find homes but most FSBO's don't know that.
• FSBO Facts - Do your research and learn about the neighborhood, their original mortgage balance (if available through MLS or other tool), how long they've lived there, etc. No need for a full blown CMA now - they haven't hired you yet. Just learn enough to discuss their situation and current market conditions.
• FSBO Follow Up - Schedule an appointment. Once again, you could take the easy way out and mail them something, you could call them or you could stop by. You'll find that when you actually make the extra effort and have done your research, you will have a better opportunity of getting an appointment with the Seller and you will have begin the process of showing them that there is a difference between brokers. It's easy to throw a mailer away and it's easy to hang up on a telemarketer but it is much harder to slam the door in someone's face.

Time Needed: 2-4 hours per week

Business Meetings- If you're associated with a full-service company, there's a good chance you are expected to attend weekly or bi-weekly Business Meetings. These are great opportunities to learn what's going on in your office, company, board, local community and other items that may help you provide better service to those you will work with. They also usually present you with an opportunity to network and personally promote your current clients to other full-time Realtors.

Time Needed: 1-2 hours per week, depending on office

Coaching Appointments - It's all about personal accountability in this business. Take advantage of the opportunity to have someone help hold you accountable for the things you need to do so you can accomplish the things you want to. These should be weekly for newer agents and anyone doing less than 12 transactions a year; bi-weekly for agents closing between 13-24 transactions; and monthly or bi-monthly for those of you doing 25+ deals a year. Many of the top agents in the world have a full time coach to assist them, help them stay focused and on task and provide additional encouragement.

Time Needed: 15-30 minutes per session

Community & Board of Realtor Events - Real estate trainer and national speaker David Knox has for years been talking about the importance for Realtors to "be there" if they want to succeed. It's not always the best agents who get the deal, it's the ones who are "there." Are you an active member of your local board of Realtors? Your children's PTO? Your Home Owners Association? A local charity that would love your help? Many of these activities will reap two rewards - you'll feel great about helping others and you just might start building relationships with people who could help build your business.

Note: I know of many people who ask why I would want to get involved in my local or state Board of Realtors when none of those people are never going to buy or sell a house with me. I guess I always had three good reasons:

• It gave me an opportunity to learn from those Realtors who had "been there and done that." Agents from all different companies from all parts of town who all do business in different ways with different people. If you can't learn something from them (even if it's the way you don't want to do something), you're just not a good listener.
• It lets you feel like your helping to support the organization that helps support you. Stop for a second and think of all that you get for the small amount of dues you pay to these organizations.
• The next time you're negotiating a contract with a fellow Realtor with whom you've built a relationship while serving on a committee or attending a local function, you'll be glad for that prior opportunity to get to know them and for them to have known you.

Appointments - Other than "talking to people," this is what our focus should be on each and every day, week and month. Without appointments, we'll never get to the closing table and a commission check. Preferably these appointments should be listing appointments and Buyer Counseling Sessions but you may also have walk throughs prior to closing, builder appointments on new construction transactions, home inspections and hopefully closings.

Time Needed: Ideally 50%+ of your time should be spent in appointments that will get you closer to a closed transaction and a commission check.

Tech Time - Maybe you're very skilled with the computer and you've figured out ways to maximize your time and energy on line. Perhaps you have implemented systems and have software that helps you stay in touch with customers, current clients and past clients. Good for you. Keep it up.

For many of you however, actually scheduling some time each day, week and month to get on-line is a great idea. First, it will help you avoid getting "lost in the sea" of the world wide web, especially social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. I speak to so many agents who are on Facebook but they are never "on" Facebook. Schedule 15 minutes into your calendar each day to jump on and update your status, connect to a few friends and see what some of your friends are up to. This information will come in handy if you would happen to run into them at a grocery store or kids sporting event.

How about exploring or keeping up to date with blogs? There are some fabulous blogs about real estate, negotiating, general sales, personal health and motivation and much, much more. Build in dedicated time to stay up to date on blogs. You could also subscribe to them and save the reading until your next open house or phone duty time. It's better use of that time than reading Cosmo or filing your nails.

Does your company have an on-line learning system? Could you improve your skills on some aspect of technology? Think of how much more confidence you'll have when you can learn how to better utilize the tools in your own "Realtor's toolbox"?

Time needed: 5-30 minutes per day for social networking (at different times throughout the day). 1 hour per week for technology classes.

Personal Time - Why are you in this business in the first place? My guess is your answer isn't "to work 85+ hours a week, be ready to go at the snap of my client's fingers and make enough money so I can spend time with my kids after they have grown up and moved away," is it? Start putting your own needs into your calendar. What time does your kid have soccer practice and games? What night is your golf league? Do you try to attend church regularly? Are you the kind of spouse or partner who has a "date night"?

Time needed: this one is up to you? How much do you need?

Don't compromise on these times because that helps you be a better, more focused agent when you are "at work." It also allows you to forget about real estate every now and then. One of my favorite quotes for us workaholics is this"

"The work will wait for you to look at the rainbow but the rainbow won't wait for you to finish the work."

I hope this list has given you some good ideas to build into your business plan and daily, weekly and monthly schedules. What else do you have on your schedule that helps you be a better Realtor? I want to know so I can share with others. Please leave a comment one your scheduling habits.

Until next time, keep building relationships...solving problems... and having fun.