The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen R. Covey is one of the best-selling and most influential books about personal development featuring advice that can be applied to real estate transactions as well.
One of the key features of successful people is being proactive. Being proactive means taking the initiative and responsibility in the process of selling or seeking real estate for a specific client. Planning is key. Setting daily, weekly, monthly and annual goals is necessary in order to steer all business activities towards meeting the client’s needs and desires. Since this is not a 9-5 job, real estate agents must be ready to fully dedicate themselves to their work. Being proactive, in this sense, also means being focused on finding solutions to business challenges during their free time as well because being successful in this line of work is directly tied to reacting quickly. Sometimes it is simply not possible to leave something for the next day. It is not very often in the real estate business that a deal can be made thanks to fortunate circumstances alone. It is almost always necessary to create conditions and manage the process that will result in the sale of a real estate.
One should have a goal in mind throughout the entire process. While doing so, an agent must be aware that it is sometimes necessary to disregard short-term gain for the benefit that can be realized through long-term cooperation. Business operations must be profitable but they cannot be the only purpose of doing business. If an agent fails to keep that principle in mind, there is a greater possibility that his/her assessments of specific business opportunities would be wrong. For example, sometimes you must make a greater effort and spend more time to sell a particular real estate. Even though doing so may seem senseless at first, that sale may lead to a recommendation from the client that may lead to numerous deals in the future. This is why the agent’s knowledge and experience is of key importance because he/she will make the right decision based on knowing the client and assessing the situation in terms what that investment will represent in the future, and what efforts are merely a waste of time. In other words, it is important to know how to set your priorities.
Agents must keep in mind the interdependence between the company and the environment it operates in. A company that is geared towards establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with its targeted public must promote and protect their interests. When it comes to real estate sales, during the sale (and, to a certain degree, following the sale), an agency must be accessible to its clients in terms of giving advice regarding property and legal questions, recommendations and practical details. Simply closing a sale is not sufficient. The entire process is important as well as the trust the client has placed in the agent that leads to the client contacting the agent in the future regarding buying or selling real estate.
In order to build a good relationship, an agent must strive to understand the client’s requests, wants and needs. Not vice versa. This also pertains to team work in the agency. Mutual respect is the foundation of synergy that ensures results better than those achieved if everyone on the team worked for themselves. You must value the contributions made by each individual and award him/her accordingly. Lack of effectiveness is often the result of a lack of motivation. Successful individuals are those who can stimulate others to achieve their potential and thereby contribute to individual business endeavors.
