As you start to think about business planning this year I put together a few thoughts for you to review before our session begins.  Imagine starting a business – which you all have done by becoming independent contractors  – with only a vague idea of what kind of product or service you would sell or provide to clients.  You meet with potential investors and you say, we may sell IPad skins in Europe or set up a mobile dog washing service in the Mid-West, and let’s just see what happens.  How would they respond?  Not very favorably is my thought, how about you?  You should never start a business without a clearly defined business plan, set of goals, a plan of action to accomplish the goals, and numbers for you to track to keep you on target to get you where you need to go.  This is our objective today.  Help you assemble the framework to get you down the right road to the success you desire.

As we work through today, think about the following questions:

• What are your goals as a Realtor?   Is it money?  Is it the number of satisfied clients you want to have by the end of the year?  Is it starting a team to get you more balance in life?  Whatever the goals are yours but they must be written out, reviewed and then acted upon.
• Do you have what it takes to reach the goals you have set for yourself?  Do you have the knowledge, expertise, sphere of influence, time and/or desire?  Think hard before you write them – just don’t write something down because it looks good or you think it could happen.  Be realistic.
• How will your goals be achieved?  What is your plan of action?  How will your day be structured to achieve these goals?  Are you in the right frame of mind to make it happen?  Your attitude is extremely important in this endeavor.  As Zig Ziglar says, stinkin’ thinkin’ doesn’t work.
• Are you willing to be held accountable to tracking your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)?  Will you participate in Jason’s monthly review classes?  Will you meet with me one on one to review your progress?
• Are you willing to put together a Gap Analysis being honest about where you are today, where you want to be next year this same time and what it will take to get you there?  As you do this, don’t compare yourself to others, compare yourself to you and who you are. 
• Are you willing to make adjustments to make your goals a reality?  As we all know, the market changes, financing changes, regulations change – will you adjust your original plan to adapt?  Be open to constructive criticism about your plan?  And, be open to change?
• As you go through today, think strategically.  Stephen Covey says, you must begin with the end in mind.  Write down you goals, then work backwards to make it happen.  Think of the people, tasks, time, and the number of communications it will take to make your goal a reality.  Then put it on paper to solidify it in your mind.

Are you ready to be all you can be and stop making excuses?  Then let’s get started!

Now, if you aren’t ready, perhaps you should consider a different career or continue to do the same things you have always done and continue to get the same results.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!