Yesterday we had the privilege of delivering a webinar with Zillow Academy. With so many opportunities to get distracted and off track in your real estate business, it's important to return to the foundation pieces of what make a successful practice.

We discussed four main areas on the webinar:

  • Embracing the #1 business generator: your past clients and customers
  • Becoming an effective lead generator for new business
  • Developing time management discipline
  • Creating a consistent customer experience

Here's the thing I notice: too many agents kind of skip over or through the basics without mastering them. They try to build a team without having solid systems in place for those team members to rely on. And then, they get frustrated when balls get dropped or new business trails off.

My challenge to you is to take just one of the four areas above, and set an intention to truly master it. Be the best agent in your area in that category. For example, if you're not getting in front of your past clients and customers at least on a monthly basis with some form of marketing or communication that reminds them you're still in the business, and shows them you care, then do just that. Sit down right now with a sheet of paper or an Excel spreadsheet open, and outline what you're going to put in front of them each month of the year in 2012. Here are some ideas used by fellow agents to get you started:

  • January: "Year in Review" - market data from the prior calendar year, broken into neighborhoods or price ranges, with a side-by-side comparison to the two years prior
  • February: postcard offering a free rose or carnation from a local florist (negotiate a deal with the florist in advance for a bulk price to be paid just on the cards brought in)
  • March: time change reminder
  • April: Q1 Market Summary and offer for a Property Valuation
  • May: postcard promoting a Document Shredding Event at your office
  • June: local summer activities schedule
  • July: Q2 Market Summary and offer for a Lender Pre-Qualification
  • August: magnetic fall football schedule for popular local teams
  • September: postcard offering a free pumpkin from a local farm (negotiate a deal in advance for a bulk price to be paid)
  • October: Q3 Market Summary and offer for a Property Valuation
  • November: time change reminder and holiday greetings
  • December: branded wall calendar for the coming year