What if I told you that you could have anything you want in your career if you were prepared to do one thing? All you have to do is focus on one key strategy each week for the next 12 months, and your year will be even bigger and better than you could ever imagine! Here are the steps to help you get the most out of 2019.
Clarity & focus
Be clear about where your career is heading. To achieve success, you must write down your goals and targets.
Invest time in you
Allocate 30 minutes each day for personal development and education.
Believe in yourself
Back yourself 100 per cent and be the best BDM you can be. Make a commitment to providing exceptional service to your clients.
Bottom line
Know your bottom line and negotiation power. Life outside work Create positive working habits and take time for a break.
Ask yourself the tough question
Every Friday ask yourself, ‘Have I moved forward in my career this week?’
Eat that frog
Have you found yourself procrastinating over difficult decisions? Being indecisive is more damaging than making a wrong decision.
Why should a client choose your agency?
If you can’t answer this question, perhaps your potential customers can’t either.
Outsource
Remove duties that are impacting your skill set and taking you away from your passions.
Review your competitors
Try and find weaknesses in what they do to use as Frequently Asked Questions in your marketing/listing appointment.
Investment property specialist
Become good at telling people about your career and the agency. Passion = Profit.
Lightbulb moments
Make sure you have a notebook or mobile device around to capture the flashes of inspiration.
Prospecting is like a rubber band
The funny thing is we know what we need to do, but for some reason we allow fear to hold us back.
Never assume
Never assume your clients understand the product and service you are selling 100 per cent.
Slow month
When appraisals are slow, you need to multiply your prospecting and promotion activities.
Industry knowledge
If you want to be the industry expert, you need to be prepared to invest the time and educate yourself.
Embrace change
Be brave enough to get out of your comfort zone and try new things, new ideas, new products, new service, new everything!
Integrity
Make sure the entire team always acts with the highest levels of integrity.
Feed the energy
Surround yourself with positive, energetic and enthusiastic people.
The clock is ticking
Take the time to think about what you can do to speed up and provide a more efficient service.
Next holiday
It’s always best to have a holiday booked in advance as it helps to give you something to work towards.
Have a client release discussion with the team
Review and release any clients that are putting your business at risk, impacting your team’s mental health and costing you money.
Give back to your community
Try and commit to anywhere from three to five events each year and get the team involved.
Track your success
If you are a visual person, make sure it is up in front of you and regularly in your face.
Never stop having fun
Smile and encourage the team to get involved.
Enter Awards
Even if you don’t win, it is a great opportunity to reflect on your career.
Mistakes are an important part of growth
Understand that it is OK to make mistakes. If you want to stumble onto that million-dollar idea, you must try new things.
Show your customers appreciation
All your clients have a choice; they have chosen you based on a recent experience.
Believe in your product and team
Don’t be scared to charge what you are worth and be prepared to let go of prospective landlords who expect you to go below the agency’s bottom line.
The listing presentation is my stage
Many agents miss the opportunity to ask the right questions. ‘What has been your recent experience in buying, selling or leasing property?’ ‘What is most important to you when selecting an agent?’
Active listening
Practise active listening with every client you interact with over the next week.
Add value
It’s easy to discount for a new listing, but for the agency it’s far better if you add value. Where necessary, let a prospective landlord have a cheeky win.
BDM buddy month
Take the time to connect with other BDMs in the industry and share recent experiences. You can use this opportunity to have extra accountability.
Mystery shop
Organise a friend to mystery-shop your agency and individual team members.
Moment of truth
Where do most of your leads come from? Are they business generated, or have you generated them organically?
Disconnect from social media
Give your brain a rest and use this time to think clearly without all the other clutter going on around you.
Connect with professionals
List companies you would like to have contact with and build referral pod relationships.
Network & connect
Connect and network with people who have the same drive and passion as you.
Office appearance
A coat of paint, some new furniture or new uniforms will reinvigorate your agency and team.
Good news stories
Share your success stories in a way to educate other clients who may be interested in experiencing your service.
Put yourself in their shoes
When you are faced with a really difficult customer, stop and put yourself in their shoes. Empathy is a powerful tool!
Silent prospecting
Prospecting and promotion are not about how much time you spend, but how much effort you put into the activity.
Success stories
Ask for feedback and share it on your website and on social media portals where you have review options.
Remove obstacles
Do you make it easy for landlords to choose your agency or do you allow obstacles to get in the way?
Performance review
Get comfortable and find out how your team members are going. Ask them to review your performance.
What makes your agency unique?
What are your top five qualities that get clients thinking and back in the zone of selecting your agency to manage their property?
Consistency & Automation on Social Media
Do you have pre-prepared content? Do you plan out your social media 30 days in advance? Are you posting regularly?
Exceptional communication
Even if you don’t have the answer in the expected timeframe, keep the door of communication open. Don’t hide.
Follow up
This is a daily activity that will continue to build your prospecting pipeline if you are prepared to invest your time.
Review your connection time
You should be spending 80 per cent of your time in client meetings or on the phone, and 20 per cent of your time managing administration. Don’t let daily emails and office chit-chat consume your time.
Reward yourself
The journey of BDM is one wild ride, so make sure you celebrate the wins and don’t put all your energy into the negative outcomes.
Remember why you started
Be grateful every day. You are working in one of the most diverse and rewarding industries that only very few have the exciting opportunity to experience.
