Looking back at 2019 planning, it is clear no one anticipated 2020. Most forecast a softening sellers market—and you don’t have to be an insider to know that wasn’t the case. Due to the pandemic, interest rates dropped and sellers were hesitant to list because of virus fears. This led to an inventory crisis. Bidding wars were common across the country.
Owners, leaders, and agents now wonder how they can maximize Q4 to keep business on track for 2021. We put together the strategies that we focus on at JPAR to help our leaders succeed.
Set your goals
You can’t make plans without first understanding your goals. Decide what you want and what business will look like on January 1. Evaluate recent successes and failures, compare numbers, and evaluate the actions that affected the outcomes. Establish three key goals and make them visual. Keep these goals front and center at all times. They can vary from productivity to systems, to team morale. Whatever it’s going to take to push the needle forward for your business, write it down.
“We’re focused on production this quarter,” said Tony Preston, Franchise Owner of JPAR Vantage (Gilbert, AZ). “We’re helping agents take a systematic approach to building their database, content strategy, and time management. Agents spend thousands on marketing with little to no ROI because they work without a system in place.”
“We use this time to evaluate our expenses from the past year and set realistic goals for the year ahead,” said Sarah Zdeb, Franchise Owner of JPAR Carolina Living (Charlotte, NC). One of the benefits of JPAR is that our agents can count on a flat fee model to help them create a more predictable budget for their goals.”
Manage your mindset
The latest trend in hustle culture focuses on the grind, but we’ve seen too much can lead to burnout. Nurturing your mindset is key to achieving long term success.
“We put people in place at JPAR that help guide us to our goal of exceeding expectations,” said, Giuseppe “JP” Piccinini, founder/owner of JPAR. “You, and by extension, your business, are products of those that influence you. We look for leaders to partner with at corporate and in our franchise ownership. We also enforce a productivity standard. Agents that are constantly striving to do better helps the tide rise.”
- Be disciplined. Write in your calendar when you’re taking time off and commit to it. Once that is scheduled, you can focus on your work time.
- Journaling is a known activity of successful people, but still, so many striving for success don’t do it. Daily journaling frees the mind for creativity and practicing gratitude. This practice breeds positivity into your everyday life.
- Motivate. Have discussions with your team to find out what they like and what they’d like to see more of in the future. When people feel like you’re listening it improves their attachment to your brand and pushes them to strive for more. A leaderboard can inspire agents and offer a competitive element.
- Prepare for the market change; the halt we see at the end of December of a normalizing market. When you run full speed, a slow down is hard to absorb if you haven’t prepared for it.
Plan your work. Work your plan.
You’ve figured out your goals, you’ve talked to your team, and you’re motivated. Pause. You have to plan.
These ideas aren’t going to happen if you don’t have a plan. Make your 2021 business plan and map out the marketing activities it’s going to take to achieve your goals for Q4 and 2021. Doing these together will help create a seamless transition from one year to the next. Budget your operations, your marketing, and your time to surpass your goals in the most efficient way possible. “As we work to open our fourth office, our goal is to grow by 40 agents per month across all four locations,” said Jason Will, Franchise Owner of JPAR Coast & County (Alabama). “We use innovation as a way to fuel the growth and wealth of agents that were previously stifled by traditional business models.”
Recommit and reenergize
You had a plan for 2020 and are in the last quarter push to make those goals happen. Recommit to your plan and daily requirements that you put together to guide your success. Make time to give your team the coaching they need to hit their goals and prep for the best year yet.
Success isn’t easy. It takes combining your goals with the right mindset, preparation, and dedication. Agents and franchise owners all over the nation are committing to this philosophy using the tools and support JPAR provides. Sometimes, a change in environment and finding or creating an ecosystem that matches your mindset is what you need most. To learn more about the options available at JPAR, visit www.JPAR.com.