Why Most Business Plans Don’t Work
A well known trainer sent out a business plan template recently for agents to use in the coming year.
The first page was a budget of expenses to determine the correct income goal for each agent. If you are like me, you are a classic sales person, which means you have no idea what the actual numbers are. I scanned the list and thought “I need to make a boatload of money next year”.
The next few pages broke down things like average price point, average commission dollars earned per transaction, how many listings versus buyers, number of prospects needed, etc. My thought here was, “well, they always say you need more prospects that you plan to close, because they don’t always come together so I guess that I need a boatload x 2”. Gotta love the precise math there!
Then it went on to cover where the business will come from. Oh my goodness, the options are endless!
Yes, I am making fun of this process, but my guess is that the above scenario is not too far off from what most agents experience each year when doing a business plan.
Either way, it is not overly helpful. The whole thing feels like it’s designed to overwhelm and intimidate.
Part of being able to succeed in achieving your goals is knowing how you are wired. For me it does not work to break it down into number of buyers and number of sellers and average price points, etc. There are too many opportunities to be off track, which only stresses me out and demotivates me.
I do much better to decide how much money I want to make and then focus on the actions needed to get me there. The sales will come, some will be small and some will be large, but they all add up to the number I want if I just keep moving forward each day.
Focusing on actions vs. sales allows me to feel successful each day.
Here are my top 3 actions for achieving my goals each year:
- Make one phone call and write one note card to a past client each day
- Ask myself each day “what action can I take to move myself forward?”
- Preview one house a day
It may not sound like much, but trust me, do this consistently and you will be well on your way to having your best year ever.
Signup to receive Nicole's blog posts via email weekly:
Other Posts
Bet On Yourself VS The Market
Last week I shared how the end of August is a weird time – wanting to savor summer, while also shifting back into work mode. Turns out I’m not the only one this happens to! Thank you for all of the notes and feedback. I’ve found that when I’m not taking action, I spend WAY…
I Used To Dread The Last 2 Weeks Of August
Thirty years in real estate has taught me a lot of things. One of the best is this: I can finally see my own patterns. Like the one where I get twitchy every year mid-August. Part of me wants summer to stretch on forever. Part of me is itching for routine, order, and the satisfaction…
Beliefs = Actions = Results – It Matters Where You Start
August is an interesting month for me. I’m savoring the relaxed pace of summer, while also starting to think about Fall and shifting back into work mode. With a shift in focus I naturally start wondering what will happen. Will I be busy? Where will my clients come from? Will they be buyers or sellers?…
What Do You LOVE About Your Business?
I’m back!!! There’s been a lot going on lately, (more on that in a later post) and it’s been a few weeks since I’ve sent you a note. Needless to say, I’ve missed you! I’ve been moving through a lot of ‘life’ lately, and there’s been a common thread in my business that has surprised…
How Do You Want Summer To Feel?
Summer is often a season of expectations not meeting reality. I used to think my perfect summer meant iced tea on the patio while reading every day. For the record, that’s never happened. And for a while, I felt bad about it — like I was missing out, like I was doing summer wrong. Until…
You’re Not Behind, There Are Infinite Options
Your in box is about to fill up with emails about us being 1/2 through the year. You know – the ones that ask if you’re on track with your goals, and offer a solution to whip you into shape for the next 6 months. If you are having a great year – I celebrate…
Letting Go Of The Hustle Sounds Great, But You’ve Got a Business To Run
To be clear, I am 100% for less hustle, more flow, manifesting, receiving, regulating my nervous system, and letting things be easier. But somewhere between: “That sounds amazing” and “I’m a real estate agent – I need to generate clients and sell houses to earn an income” Things can get confusing. Because no matter how…
The Beauty of Not Doing It Alone
Thank you for being part of this community! I learned something beautiful and powerful last week. It was vulnerable to post about recalibrating, and being in the messy middle of grieving. Yet the conversations, emails, texts and notes have meant to much. To know that we are not alone is one of the greatest gifts…
Recalibrate In a Business That Runs 24/7
It happens to me every year about this time. The need to recalibrate. In a business that can run 24/7 – it’s easy to look up one day and realize, your batteries are drained and there’s no break in sight. Side note – It doesn’t have to be a 24/7 thing, but that’s a topic…
It’s Okay For Things To Be Different
I often find myself comparing things. I compare my business this year to years past.I compare my health and fitness to where I was 10 years ago.I compare how I show up and experience different life events. On the one hand – it makes perfect sense. Our brains crave predictability. It calms our nervous system.…