Goal Setting for Real Estate Agents: The “Divide and Conquer” Technique

Someone once said that a goal is a dream with a deadline. Although that’s undeniably true, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Yes, you do need to set a deadline for reaching a particular goal. If you don’t then, human nature being what it is, you’ll just keep moving the finish line farther away. In order to maximize your chances of success, you must do something that — on the surface, at least — may seem a bit mundane.

You must make a plan.

A good plan is like hiring a good real estate coach. It keeps you moving forward and doing the right things. It also reminds you when you’re falling behind.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to create such a plan is the “Divide and Conquer” technique.

Here’s how it works…

Say, for example, your goal is to double the average number of real estate referrals you get each month. That’s an exciting target. Imagine the impact that would have on your real estate career! But you can quickly see that merely setting the goal and deadline is not enough. You’re going to have to take action.

To do that, jot down what would need to happen over the next year to reach that goal. Your list might look like this:

• Build relationships with ten new business-to-business referral sources. (Contractors, lawyers, movers, etc.)
• Get a good real estate CRM system and learn how to use it.
• Re-boot relationships with 20 previous clients that I haven’t been in contact with for a while.
• Use real estate direct mail to build loyalty with those older clients (as well as with recent and new clients.)
• Find some good real estate scripts that will help me ask for referrals, comfortably and professionally.

Your next step is to divide those activities into specific steps and schedule them into your calendar. That’s where your goal starts to form into a practical action plan. Take the first activity, for example. Dividing that into parts and scheduling them might look like the following.

• January: Make a list of five potential new referral sources.
• January: Contact two of those contacts and invite them to meet for a coffee or lunch.
• January: Put those contacts into my CRM.
• February: Follow-up on January’s meetings.
• February: Contact two more contacts and invite them to meet for a coffee or lunch.

You can create your “divide and conquer” plan in your real estate CRM using the Tasks and Calendar features. You can even set reminders so — like a coach that never gives up on you — you’ll be prompted when you need to take action.

When it comes to real estate agent success, action is what creates results, not just dreams. So, when setting a goal, create a plan to achieve it. Then, work that plan!