Business, Personal and Real Estate Coaching by Coach Stuart Kaufman

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Stuart Kaufman, MS, MBA
“The Real Estate Coach”

Winter 2006 - Volume 6, Issue 4

Q. Dear Coach:

I have a question that I hope you can answer. I am a fairly new Realtor and am having great difficulty in obtaining leads. My broker has promised numerous times that leads should come in any time now, but month after month passes and I see no results.

I know so many people do great in Real Estate, why am I having such a difficult time in moving forward? I have tried many avenues to pursue clients and get business, but to no avail. Do you have any advice on how to jump-start my career?

Signed,

Need a Jump Start

A. Dear "Need a Jump Start":

The best way to “Jump Start” your career is to ensure you are running your Real Estate business like a business while focusing on getting out and meeting people. I would offer the following thoughts and ideas.

Focus on your “Sphere of Influence”. These are the people who know, like, and trust you. Let them know you are now selling Real Estate by meeting with or calling them. Personally connecting with people in your Sphere is the single most effective way to “jump start” your Real Estate career. This is a proven fact. To learn how to accomplish this, go to www.GetYourSphereInGear.com. Unfortunately, most new agents spend more time, energy, and money sending mailings to people they don’t know, rather than devoting their resources to personally connecting with people they do know (their Sphere). Mailings can take years to generate business. Personal contacts take weeks or months to generate business. Be proactive and go after the business. Don’t wait for it to come to you (you may end up waiting awhile).
Establish a daily routine that focuses on doing the high priority and high impact activities, such as getting out and meeting people. It is easy to be a “busy” agent. It is more challenging to be a “productive” agent.
Develop business, marketing, and financial systems that help you be effective and efficient. This includes having a quality listing presentation and buyers packet - tools of the trade.
The broker you work with can (and will) greatly influence your success. If your broker is not providing you with the support you need, move to a new office with a broker who delivers on his/her promises and is dedicated to your growth and success.
Find a mentor agent who will help you avoid the pitfalls inherent when starting a Real Estate career. This step alone, can help you jump-start your career.
There are many companies who are now providing leads to Real Estate agents. My clients, who have participated in these programs, have sometimes discovered that they receive a large quantity of low-quality leads. As a result, they end up spending a lot of time (and money) following up with people who are not very motivated to buy or sell. Talk to other agents in your office, to find out their experiences before committing.
Finally, make sure that selling Real Estate is what you really want to do. Are you enthused and excited about being a Real Estate agent? I have worked with clients who have discovered that the required skills and lifestyle of selling Real Estate, are not for them. Your enthusiasm and positive attitude are an essential asset in jump-starting your Real Estate career.

About the Author:
Stuart Kaufman, MS, MBA, is a Real Estate Coach who specializes in helping Real Estate agents run their business like a business while “Getting their Sphere in Gear”. He resides in Washington State and is a regular contributor to numerous Real Estate publications nationwide. Got a question for the coach? Contact Stuart at coach@stuartkaufman.com or 206-725-1584.

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