The 2012 Joy Ride

December is here and many of you are wondering what to expect from the real estate market in 2012.  Rest assured that there will be plenty of opportunity for you to have an abundantly successful year.

Good News Already

In November there was a higher rise in consumer confidence than there has been in more than eight years.  Also, 2012 will be the year that housing inventory across the nation will consist of the highest percentage of motivated home sellers than there has been in recent history.  The landscape is clear, and most everyone knows it.  So too is the horizon.

I Don’t Get It

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I don’t get this.  I am more intelligent than that realtor, more professional looking, better organized, have better sales skills and I have a better reputation.  Why does she always have so much more business than I do?”  The answer is simple.  While all of these traits are important, none are as important as consistent prospecting.  In other words – that other realtor is out-prospecting you!

Where should I focus my attention

I’m a simple man so I’m going to make this real simple for you.  Don’t be offended if you heard this advice before; most every realtor has.  Yet somehow it’s often ignored.  Due either to a lack of organization or because we think that, in the the ‘new world order,” things are much more complicated than they really are.  Below are four items to focus on today.  Tomorrow’s post will include more.

1.  Pick up the phone as explained in yesterday’s blog post.

2.  Use name riders – If zoning allows, utilize them always and forever.  Don’t go one day without one.  Attach them to your sign the moment it is planted in the ground.  It’s free advertising.  Your next buyer or seller may drive by that day.  To not leverage that opportunity, and believe me there are realtors who don’t “get around to it,” is beyond my comprehension. 

3.  Be on time.  I arrived at a public open house recently and I was there fifteen minutes before the Realtor who was hosting it.  Not good.

4.  Choose a social media venue and utilize it every day.  Blog, facebook, twitter – it really doesn’t matter which one.  What matters is that you learn how to implement social media strategically, effectively and consistently.  Choose the one that you enjoy most.

Simple enough.  I think so.  Watch for tomorrow’s blog to find more ideas on how to turn 2012 into the most rewarding year of your career.  And why not, you certainly earned it!

What say you?  Please leave your comments below.

Expand your mind and receive your dose of “The Daily Tonic” everyday.*   It’s always brief and thought provoking.

Simply go to the top of this page or the home page of  thedailytonic.com, enter your email in the navigation bar to the right and click “subscribe.”  Of course your email address will be  kept private.

 *The Daily Tonic is published every weekday, M-F.