It’s important, at this stage in our companies development, and in your personal development as agents, to focus on planning for long-term success. Many agents start their career without any real focus or business plan; this is a huge misstep on their part. Finding a reason, a purpose for your business and then finding ways and reasons to succeed is a true roadmap to an illustrious career. One in which the agent can focus, hone and create long lasting and deep business, personal and interpersonal relationships. An agents career is like a game of chess, and just like in chess, if you get sidetracked by unimportant and inconsequential busywork, you may lose the opportunity for the win we all strive for. So here, we will explore in a bit more detail why the ‘why’ is so important, how we can define it, and learn about some tools that will help enhance and hone our business.
The ‘Why’ is important because it is your purpose. Knowing your ‘Why’ helps you focus your business. Finding your ‘Why’ comes from three important questions that are always asked in any industry: 1) what do we do, 2) how do we do it, 3) why do we do it? What we do and how we do it are pretty easily answered. These are universal to all agents. But the ‘why’ is the thing that sets all agents apart from each other.
Since our industry is such a singular one, it’s important that your ‘why’ is strong, it is personal to you, and it is something for which you are always striving. Remember that your ‘why’ is meant to be a motivator for you— not something that just explains who you are or what you do. It is supposed to propel you forward and guide you in the moments when you’re not feeling motivated, when you may be at a crossroads, when you aren’t achieving the success you’ve been striving for, or in the timeframe you thought you would. There will be moments when you feel like you are wasting your time or maybe aren’t pursuing the right path, but your ‘why’ is your beacon and it’s the thing that should always speak to you, personally. So it’s crucial that you choose something that has both short- and long term goals for you and shows your passion and drive
Remember, success comes when we take purposeful steps to achieve certain and specific goals. This means things are not just happening to us— we’re making them happen. Live with intention— act from intention, both personally and professionally. When you act from intention, the distractions seem less appealing and your focus becomes much stronger. The ‘why’ helps you find clarity and confidence to choose the right focus in your career and then develop relationships and interact with communities and organizations that support your goal.
The ‘why’ hopefully motivates you to improve your selling skills and capabilities. It helps you attract clients and relationships that open whole new avenues of success in the industry. Some of us are seasoned veterans and have found ways that work for us, and others are bringing new energy and ideas into the industry. Whatever works for you is what works best, but it is always beneficial to see what is working for some of the most successful agents in the industry and borrow some of their advice. This leads me to the next idea, which is one that, as I did more research, I found really embodied the mission statement that JohnHart has adopted and what most of us have found works for us.
This concept is called Purposeful Selling. There are 4 main factors in purposeful selling. They are:
- Stop selling. Don’t sell; attract. The way to attract is to create value. What is ‘value’ in this industry? It’s the idea that you need to have a product that is in demand. You need to offer something that potential clients can’t refuse.
- Create a relationship-based business. Build confidence and relationship-based networks so that your business not only grows up, but grows deep, so there is a sense of loyalty and trust between you and your clients. Realize that this industry is not based on disposable or short-term relationships. You don’t just check in with your clients when you’re looking for business or referrals or leads. In 2012, repeat business accounted for 21% of agents business. That’s one fifth!! This tells you everything you need to know about the importance of maintaining a healthy, long-term relationship with previous clients. Check in with them regularly and consistently and focus on your long-term goals.
- Make sure your business is customer based, not “us” or “me” based. Work on being a people person— learn the art of people and make sure you’re meeting your clients where they are, not where you are. Think outside of your own comfort zone, time frame and criteria and focus on the bigger picture.
- Personal mastery means creating and following a belief system that is in line with your business and personal goals and motivations. To be better (to perform better, to have a better business outcome), you have to do better, you have to interact better, you have to know the ins and outs of interpersonal relationships and be able and willing to excel in those, not just in your business dealings. I know it sounds cliche, but you have to want to be a better person. So if you’re willing to develop yourself and take chances to challenge yourself, it will only pay off for you in the long run, both personally and professionally. Be the best you that you can be.
I created JohnHart because I don’t believe that the solitary road that is so often idealized or encouraged as the “right way” in this industry is the only way or the best way to achieve success. I believe that you don’t have to figure it out all by yourself. I don’t believe this industry offers true success that way. I believe in community, in training, in self-betterment and in you. I believe in you. I believe that we all have massive potential within us, and I believe that with training, experience, and drive, we can all get there. After all, that’s what JohnHart is built on. Let’s crush the second quarter and ROCK the rest of 2018.
See ya in Vegas!
-HK
After working with, and for, many different real estate firms, it became apparent to Harout that there was a major disconnect between what consumers needed/wanted and the service that was being provided to them. It was upon this realization that Harout founded and opened JohnHart Real Estate; and as the CEO/Principal Broker he has continued to break from the norm and redefine real estate with an insatiable appetite to give his clients the service and attention they deserve.
