As a rookie, I came into real estate thinking that you got your license, got up and went to the office everyday, got leads from the brokerage, and ran to the bank! Wow, am I wrong! This is one tough business with plenty of competition ranging from rookies to megaagents. I have learned that I am building a business within my broker's business. It is an "intrapreneurial" model. So, my success is dependent upon identification of a niche or target market (business plan), and a plan to market my services within that target market (marketing plan). My business plan has to identify a budget for marketing dollars. My marketing plan has to identify how those dollars are allocated.

My marketing plan is based on a theory of maximizing my lead generation strategies. Success Strategies Institute teaches that there are more than 30 lead generation systems. A "succeeding" agent will have more than 15 lead generation systems. Generally, new agents start with their sphere of influence (SOI) or centers of influence (COI) and gradually add systems such as expired listings, or FSBO's (For Sale By Owners). These are known potential leads in the market. My plan includes a combination of direct mail to a geographic farm of over 2000 households, advertising in key magazines, website/internet presence (www.kendrashearer.com), key networking groups, and prospecting.

My daily accountability includes allocating time everyday to: lead generation, lead management, and lead follow-up. Each of these processes involves different steps and requires a systematic approach to assure that leads are not dropped. Some new agents start out as a buyer agent for a successful listing agent, and begin managing leads within the team. Other agents are happy with a few deals a year. Set goals to incrementally grow your business, with you as the "brand". Any agent that fails to create "mindshare" will not achieve megaagent status! That's the goal and remember, as Gary Keller says, "It's not the money, it's about being the best that you can be".

Have a great week, Kendra