An Open Letter to REALTORS Who Are Struggling

By Jason Blackburn, Real Estate Trainer

Dear REALTORS,

Thank you for your emails, tweets, and Facebook messages. I appreciate you sharing your frustrations about achieving success as a real estate agent and the failure of current real estate training options to get you there.

There is no doubt that we are in one of the most difficult and challenging economic times in our lives. But as difficult, frustrating, and fearful as these times are, they are not without opportunity. While only 3% of the American population earns six figures, over 10% of the REALTOR population earns $100,000 or more.

We know of NO CHANGE, NO FATE, NO DESTINY that can hinder or control the HUMAN SPIRIT. Don’t settle for less.  To build your future, REACH OUT, LOOK INWARD, and STEP FORWARD and do it with all your HEART, MIGHT, and STRENGTH.

We know one thing – that all high achievers embrace their future with an enthusiastic welcome because they have defined their PERSONAL POWER based on their BIG WHY and that gives them a STRENGTH OF PURPOSE.

With that in mind, I have a couple of questions for you, and then some advice on what to do to break through your plateaus.

First,  are you committed to your real estate career for the next 3 years, 10 years, or even 15 years?

Or do you think you will change you mind, take a “real job” or look to the next sure-fire MLM “business opportunity” to provide residual income until your real estate career takes off?

If real estate is not something you are passionate about, then by all means find a new career. Real estate is not for everyone, and there is nothing wrong with discovering that and then doing something else that provides you with more personal, professional, and monetary fulfillment.

In fact, I know of many friends  who I consider successful who struggled to find a career that they were passionate about and could identify with.

But when they finally let go and began to take actions with honesty and feeling, and allowed their career choice to become an extension of who they were, THAT is when success kicked in.

Second, I know you see a lot of real estate agents succeeding with gimmicky styled marketing and sales scripts. However, you must understand that it is not the gimmicky marketing or sales scripts that is a secret ingredient to their success.

What really matters is a BIG WHY that powers their daily actions. What you need is a big why that energizes you in the morning, that allows you to stay focused on the tasks that most important to your career, and that give you the strength of purpose to do the things that you do not like doing.

And while you might not have discovered your big why yet, I know that you can and will.

But right now you need stability, focus, and the correct course to realize the dreams and goals you had when you got your real estate license.

Right now your current situation might feel like you have driven a tiny rowboat into the middle of the ocean during a tropical storm. You may feel like you are getting tossed around in too many directions.

What you need is a big, strong, steady ship that can navigate the rough and ever changing waves and move you safely to dry ground.

So here is what I want you to do right now.

These steps come from our training series “The Not So Secrets of Real Estate Success” and will be detailed in our new book coming in January 20112.

Set a 10 year mission for you real estate career.

Tell me, what big goal do you want to achieve in the next 10 years? It must be specific. Ask yourself these questions to help you find that answer;

1. Someday I will _____________________________________________.
2. Someday I will have _________________________________________.
3. Someday I will be ___________________________________________.

Once you have set this Mission , it will guide every decision you make.

Imagine that you are climbing a mountain, and you see your BIG GOAL at the top of the mountain. That is your destination.

But as you begin to climb, there will many distractions and rocks in your way that might tempt you to stay where you are or give up and climb back down.

And while you may zig and zag a bit, when you have your destination clearly in you mind, yoru big goal, your mission, your BIG WHY, you will find a way to stay on the correct course.

Understand that, keep your eye on that at all times and you will never find yourself wandering aimlessly, or worse changing course and going in the opposite direction toward danger.

Having a mission, a BIG WHY, will mean you will always come back to the path that keeps you on the path to achievement and success.

The Mission guides all your decisions.

Your mission, your BIG WHY, should be so powerful that you will stick to it on both great days and on your toughest days. In fact, your BIG WHY, will be your inspiration that sees you through the days when you generate no new leads, when underwriting denies your client’s mortgage, or when a listing prospect hires another agent.

The Mission will always be their to guide you. Please take you time and think deeply about this because it one of the most important decisions you will make.

Define Your Core Values

Your values are the bedrock of all your performance. They are the ‘rules’ on which you run your business and you life—the reason for all of your actions.

You could almost imagine them being you own employee manual in 5-10 bullet points.

Anytime you are faced with a decision, a simple review of your core values should be enough to help you make the right decision.

You don’t need a 100 point to-do list when you have powerful core values guiding you.

Examples could be:

1. Help People Make Smart Buying Decisions.
2. Customer Service and Experience is my priority.
3. I am always learning and improving.

Think Strategically

Come up with at least 5 strategic moves  or actions where you can be your best and will set yourself apart from other real estate agents. For example;

1. Master direct mail
2. Commit to attending one weekly non-realty networking function.
3. Send 5 daily handwritten thank you cards to your sphere of influence for something they have done for you.
4. Calling all you past clients and asking them to provide you a review on your profile at Yelp.com, LinkedIn.com, or Zillow.com.
5. Learn how to run your own Google Adwords campaign back to your IDX website that will generate on new lead a week.
6. Commit to setting at least 1 new appointment a week.

Identify your unique talents. This is talent that you can do better than anyone else. And trust me, we all have a unique talent. Use this trait you possess to build you business and add value in a way that no other agent can.

That’s it my friend.

I hope this letter will help you overcome the struggle you are facing right now.

You have the personal power to whether any storm, to make the choice between excellence and mediocrity, to succeed where others will fail.

You just have to discover your BIG WHY to power the changes you will make. Just do it before you have to.

Your friend,

Jason