Work Your Business Like a Business

By Beth Barnett, Director of Communications I remember hearing this phrase as a brand-new agent. I don’t think the ink on my license had dried yet! This sounded great and I remember being so excited. I also remember that in my inexperience and naivete that I hadn’t a clue what that statement meant. I then spent years and a fair amount of my hard-earned money with coaches, seminars, books, mentors, colleagues and even competitors learning exactly what this phrase really means. So, in an effort to pay it forward here’s a few bullet points for you to ponder. Set achievable goals; should have short term, midterm and long-term goalsrn Know your numbers; need to know lead conversion rates to set realistic goalsrn Network, network, networkrn Use scripts; don’t be afraid of this concept! Never pre-judge a lead! Use a decent CRM systemrn Have an exit strategy; no matter how wonderful your current broker is there will come a time when it better suits your needs to move on. Have a plan. Find a Mentor; sometimes this can be someone outside of the industry. A good mentor will LISTEN and be able to point you in the right direction at the right time. Find balance in your personal, business and spiritual life; neglect this one at your own risk! Delegate; you simply cannot do it all. Find a good transaction coordinator Get help with branding/marketingrn Consider forming a teamrn Find a good tax accountantrn Consider forming an LLC or INC – get good legal advice Lastly, never stop learning, but never let learning stop you from taking action toward your business goals and dreams. If there is anything I can do to help you, feel free to contact me.