Most agents set goals for themselves. Many who reach their income goals dedicate every fiber of their being to maintaining and growing their business. These agents who devote all of their time to their business earn great money, but don’t take the time to enjoy their success. Larry Kendall teaches agents how to maintain a high level of income while freeing up more time to go out and have a life.
Kendall, creator of the Ninja Selling System and founding partner and chairman emeritus of The Group, Inc. shared the two biggest concerns facing agents today and what they need to do to solve these problems. The biggest concerns are:
1. The lack of inventory
2. What they should be doing for marketing: lead generation, social media and other new technology
One of the things that keeps agents from achieving a higher hourly income is their inability to focus on what Kendall calls “the vital few.” They get bogged down by their fears and spend time worrying instead of completing the tasks they need to focus on to get the biggest results for the time invested.
Fear causes agents to pay for products and services they don’t need and lose productivity. They spend more and more money to do business each year while making less or the same amount of money, which can be problematic.
“We have this fear,” Kendall explains, “that if we don’t sign up for this technology platform, or this marketing program, then we’re going to be left behind.”
Kendall offers these solutions to solve such problems:
1. Tune out or remove distraction. If you have a solution that works, you don’t need to find some secret technique. Tune out things you can’t control and focus your efforts on things you can control and influence.
2. Remember your universal pillars. There are universal pillars of real estate that remain the same no matter how else the market changes.
– Frequency: Sellers stay in their home from eight to 10 years, so the homeowner’s last buying/selling experience was different than it will be today. And, because a real estate purchase happens so infrequently, it will always be a big event on par with a graduation or wedding.
– Uniqueness: Every real estate transaction is a one-of-a-kind situation. The property itself is the only one of its kind. The buyer, seller and market conditions are all unique. The circumstances and motivations for the sale will vary from transaction to transaction.
– Transaction Size: Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial and emotional decisions a person will ever make.
– Complexity: There are a lot of details involved in a real estate transaction.
– Risk: You can’t return a home if you find something wrong with it down the road. That’s why a trusted advisor is so important in a real estate transaction.
3. Practice your “Ninja Nine.” The Ninja Nine are all about getting in touch with your contacts to build great relationships and increase your income per hour. “What I find,” explains Kendall, “is that only about 6% of our industry really focuses on building relationships.” This is one of the things you have control over. Focus on the things you spend time on, such as building relationships or how you start your day, for example.
For more tips and advice about the Ninja Selling System, join the Secrets of Top Selling Agents Facebook group to watch Kendall’s webinar recording here.
Joe Sesso is director of Sales and national speaker for Homes.com. For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com.
