F is for Focus

THE ABC's OF MINDSETS

F is for Focus

We all know someone who has jumped into real estate only to realize that Love It Or List It, or better yet, Selling Sunsets in no way prepared them for the new career they were so hyped about.

The real estate industry can be a very fast-paced and demanding environment, and I know many real estate advisors that have identified staying focused as their #1 pain point.

Why is staying focused so important, you ask? Jason Oppenheim does not seem to struggle with staying focused? Or does he... I’m going to bet he has placed many processes and people in place that help him focus. After all, he is human, and research shows that our ability to focus is on the decline.

One of the dangers of young real estate enthusiasm is a willingness to be all things to all people, coming from a fear of missing out on something. Running from one business offering to another daily, will have you feeling like a hot mess.

If you are putting both time and effort into doing lots of different things, you could easily wind up doing them, at best, in an average way that offers no competitive edge. Nothing happens over night or without a commitment to focus.

Without focus, it is also very difficult for potential customers to quickly get a handle on what it is that sets you apart.

In reality, the sooner a new advisor gets realistic about the need to focus, the more likely the advisor will be successful.

By focusing, you are compelled to be disciplined and stay the course, rather than wander around strategically and tactically looking for a much-needed spark. Lack of focus not only leads to distractions, but lack of motivation, and eventually burnout.

Let’s face it, most successful real estate advisors work long hours and juggle multiple tasks at all times. This in its self can lead to exhaustion and a lack of mental clarity, making it difficult to stay focused and achieve their set goals.

To address these challenges, we need to take steps to improve our focus, including setting clear goals, prioritizing our tasks, and taking breaks as needed.

Here are the top things I recommend any advisor think through and implement in order to have a successful career:

Vision & Growth

Create a clear picture of what you are wanting your business to achieve in the future. A strong vision guides you in making decisions that will help you achieve your goals.

Start by identifying your values and what you want to achieve with your business. This process involves creating a mission statement that clearly outlines what your business stands for and the impact you want to make.

Then create a vision statement that describes the long-term goals of the business. Your vision statement should be inspiring, concise and easy to remember.

This vision should be incorporated into everything you do. From your culture to marketing, customer service, etc. Then, regularly evaluate your progress of your business towards achieving this vision. This helps to identify areas that need improvement and make necessary adjustments to stay on track.

Time Block

Make a commitment to manage your day proactively. Divide your day into blocks of time and assign specific tasks to each block. This helps to focus on one task at a time, avoid distractions, and manage your workload efficiently.

Begin by identifying your most important tasks and allocating sufficient time to complete them. Then schedule your day around these tasks, assigning specific blocks of time to each task.

Focus on high-priority tasks early in the day, ensuring they are completed on time and to a high standard.

Manage your energy level by scheduling small breaks and rest periods throughout the day, to maintain focus and avoid burnout.

Turn off email and other distracting notifications to keep focused.

Ultimately, staying focused as an advisor requires discipline, motivation, and a commitment to self-care. With the right strategies in place, you can overcome your pain points and achieve success in your career.

Technology / CRM

Leverage technology to automate and streamline your business processes, this will not only save time but will also reduce errors.

Use your CRM software to manage your book of business and your interactions with all your customers.

Some other recommendations are video conferencing, social media scheduling, and KPI tracking systems.

Overall, technology is an indispensable tool for advisors to improve their productivity and chances of success. By leveraging it effectively, they can automate processes, communicate effectively, and gain valuable insights into their market and customers.

A word of caution, don’t overthink these systems, they can be simple to start with, the key is to be able to track your efforts, steamline and grow your business.

Supportive Network

Make sure you have a supportive network, consisting of people who offer encouragement, advice, and connections to resources that can help you overcome various challenges in your journey.

Seek feedback and ideas from mentors, coaches, or other successful individuals. By doing so, you will gain valuable insights and perspectives that can help you refine your strategies, improve your services, and make better long-term decisions.

Networking events, industry conferences, investors, inspectors, lenders and customers can all be allies for your business success.

Leveraging online communities and social media platforms to connect with like-minded individuals who share similar interests and goals. These communities can provide a wealth of knowledge and support, as well as access to resources and additional business opportunities.

Last but not least, in regards to focus, as advisors we should always be focused on our clients, as our primary goal is to help clients buy and sell property. From the initial consultation to the final closing, we should be attentive to our client's needs and preferences. We should listen carefully to the client's requirements, expectations, and concerns, and use that information to guide them through the process of finding the right property, buyer or contract terms.