Executive's Table Archives - https://blog.buffini.com/category/executives-table/ Tue, 28 Jan 2020 00:52:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 86877239 Keep Focused on Your Goals https://blog.buffini.com/4-success-lessons-can-learn-dave-liniger-founder-remax/ https://blog.buffini.com/4-success-lessons-can-learn-dave-liniger-founder-remax/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2016 08:00:02 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5576 We all encounter bumps in the road on our journey to success. The secret to fulfilling […]

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We all encounter bumps in the road on our journey to success. The secret to fulfilling our potential and getting to our destination is to keep focused on our goals, even when the going gets tough. As Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!”

I recently had the privilege of sitting down and interviewing Dave Liniger, founder of RE/MAX. Dave has experienced his own fair share of struggles, from personal and professional setbacks, so I was very curious to find out how this small-town boy from a farming community in Indiana became so phenomenally successful. The short answer is… he simply refused to quit!

When Dave started RE/MAX in 1973, the country was in recession. With a military background, he didn’t really understand business or economics. The one thing he did know after working in real estate for a few years was that he wanted to help people buy their own homes.

But, it wasn’t easy. The real estate landscape back then was very different to what it is today. Dave in many ways was the original disruptor as he turned the real estate business model on its head by moving the control and influence from real estate companies to real estate agents. Facing the sort of opposition he did, many would have given up. But Dave persisted because his mission was far more than a money-making exercise – it was a cause. He wanted his agents to receive the maximum amount of commissions and the 100% commission model was born. RE/MAX was founded, meaning Real Estate Maximums.

Forty-four years later, RE/MAX is one of the largest real-estate franchise in the world. So, what can Dave teach us about success? Here are some of his top tips:

Keep your goal in sight. When he founded RE/MAX, Dave wanted to build the most successful real-estate network in the world. To make sure he stayed on course, he wrote down this goal and devised a step-by-step plan to realize it. He looked at that plan every day, made adjustments as he went and applied laser-sharp focus, determination and work ethic.

Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Getting feedback and advice from experts is critical if you want to improve and grow. Throughout his career, Dave has leaned into others and found people to complement the skills he has.

time-managementBecome an expert in time management. We all have the same 24 hours in the day. Use them wisely and prioritize what’s most important. You won’t find Dave wasting time on social media! In his own words, he likes to be reading or doing. Instead of watching TV, go have your own adventures. Scheduling in personal time like this is a vital way to keep fresh, vital and enthusiastic about your work and your life.

Be a student of success. You can be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Dave believes that coaching is the true key to success. He has been coached his entire business life. Like him we must all keep learning, keep curious and keep sitting in that front row, taking notes and listening!

As we head into the second half of the year, it can be easy to forget what it is we’re working for and how we’re going to get there. But instead of getting off track, let’s refresh and refocus. Keep your goals in front of you and, like Dave, no matter what bumps you hit in the road, you will succeed!

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The 3 C’s Vital to Your Success: Clarity, Consensus and Commitment https://blog.buffini.com/3-cs-vital-success-clarity-consensus-commitment/ https://blog.buffini.com/3-cs-vital-success-clarity-consensus-commitment/#comments Mon, 09 May 2016 08:00:13 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5507 When I was appointed CEO of Buffini & Company in 2013, one of the first things […]

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When I was appointed CEO of Buffini & Company in 2013, one of the first things I did was meet with employees in each department, explain the goals of the company, outline the role each group would play in making these goals a reality and explain how each group would benefit from the company achieving them. Then I took it a step further: I asked for feedback.

Now, many leaders can be reluctant to do this last part. When they’re given the reins of a successful company, they’re excited to create a vision and plan to take the company to the next level. While they may consult the CFO and COO in the process, they may not think to talk to the people who may be impacted the most by the changes: the employees.

It’s human nature to resist change at all costs. We get comfortable with things as they are; after all, we’re used to things being a certain way. To propose changes to the status quo makes some people dig their heels in and say, “Nope, we’re not changing.” However, if you’re open to feedback from your employees—whether you lead a few people or a large organization—you’ll be able to create a better, clearer vision and get everyone onboard to make it a reality.

Here’s a simple three-part formula to help you turn your vision into action.

Step 1: Clarity

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, “Without a vision, the people perish.” The key to sharing your vision is to clearly communicate it to your staff. Your vision is more than the goals you have for the company, it includes benefits for the customer and the overall company as well. People want to know what’s in it for them. Outline what you expect and plan your resources: How much time, money and people will it take to achieve the overall goal? Once you have a clear picture of what you want, you’ll be able to share it with your team.

Step 2: Consensus

Next, you have to get people on-board. There’s a saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” I know I’m not the only one with ideas at the company; there are plenty of bright people waiting for a chance to share something they’ve thought of – and those ideas can often come from the staff who work directly with customers. It’s important to get people in the room together and talk. This is where you explain your vision and ask for feedback: What are their thoughts? How can they use their expertise to contribute to turning the vision into reality? How can they make it better?

This part takes preparation. Not everyone will be ready to offer input right then and there. The more analytical people in the group will want to think about and digest the vision and what you’ve outlined before they contribute to the larger discussion. Emailing people ahead of time with a list of questions or points to consider will jump-start the conversation when it’s time for the meeting.

Building consensus also takes time. When I took over the helm of CEO it took me almost a year to meet with everyone and collect feedback. And, feedback came in throughout the year.

Once you’ve met with each group or leader then organize a meeting where you remind everyone of the overall objective. This meeting will help get everyone on the same page. Encourage them to share what they’ll do to help the company achieve its vision. Everyone gets to see what their role is, as well as the roles of others in bringing the vision to life.

Let me be clear: You’re not running a business by committee. Achieving 100 percent agreement is almost impossible, especially in larger companies. Instead, aim to achieve majority agreement. The great thing about consensus is that all voices are heard, so everyone feels their questions or concerns have been considered, even if the final version isn’t exactly what they had in mind. They feel as if they have a stake in the final outcome.

Step 3: Commitment

Commitment is the final step. An amazing thing happens when you include key stakeholders and your staff into creating a vision for the company—they’re committed to seeing it through. They feel motivated and personally responsible for achieving the goals. They can see and understand the big picture and know that they have an important role within it.

Remember to revisit the vision and goals regularly. We review ours every month at our company meetings. People get busy and may lose sight of the vision. Even motivation begins to slip. Zig Ziglar famously said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.” It’s funny because it’s true. Going over the vision periodically, say at a monthly team or company meeting, will keep it fresh in their minds so they’re always focused on achieving it. They’re excited to achieve it!

The whole process takes time, energy and participation from everyone involved. However, with patience, the practice pays off in the end. Your team will be more engaged and productive and you’ll find that with everyone onboard, the company is able to achieve its goals and move forward.

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How to Win Your Year in the Next 12 Weeks https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-win-your-year-in-the-next-12-weeks/ https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-win-your-year-in-the-next-12-weeks/#respond Mon, 07 Mar 2016 08:00:08 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5366 It’s the first quarter of the year, the time when we’re still feeling that initial surge […]

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It’s the first quarter of the year, the time when we’re still feeling that initial surge of motivation from the new year, and we’re confident this will be the year that we achieve all our goals. However, motivation doesn’t last and without it, we’re less likely to reach our goals. You’ve probably experienced it yourself: You create goals for the year in January, feeling motivated and eager to achieve them. But how do you feel midway through the year or at the end of the year, for that matter, when you remember you have goals and only a month to achieve them? How can we harness our motivation and use it to help us not only achieve our goals, but get more done each day? the-12-week-yearOne of the things we ask our clients to do to “sharpen the saw” is to commit to personal growth—attend classes and seminars, read books and listen to CDs. Since one of our core values is to live what we teach, and as the CEO of Buffini & Company, it’s essential I do the same. So, I want to share a bit about a book I recently finished called The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, which offers tips to help people streamline their productivity and get the results they want in less time. It’s a timely topic—who doesn’t want to be more productive? A quick search on Amazon for “productivity” books brought up more than 36,866 results. It’s a hot topic! What struck me most about The 12 Week Year is how well the concept dovetails with our own Work by Referral system.

Instead of thinking in 12-month intervals, Moran and Lennington explain that it’s much more effective to plan in shorter, 12-week intervals. The shorter timeframe forces you to change the way you think about your productivity, which then helps you operate within a very effective and productive time frame. According to the authors, 12 weeks is long enough to achieve what you want, but short enough to help you stay motivated. Since you’re working within a short timeframe, you’ll make better use of your time and your results will show in how much more you get done each day.

The system is broken down into 12 weekly plans, which narrow your focus on the activities that matter most. Your time is divided into “strategic blocks” to complete goal-centered activities (e.g., lead generation), “buffer blocks” to complete unplanned activities (e.g., the ‘fires’ that spring up during the day) and “breakout blocks” where you focus on something other than your business (e.g., personal development). Each day you review your progress and goals, and track your performance.

Sound familiar? If you’ve completed Peak Producers® training, it should ring a few bells. Even if you haven’t completed the training, you’ve definitely heard Brian Buffini discuss it over the years during monthly conference calls or at any of our events. Like our system, the 12-Week Year requires accountability, a commitment to the system every single day and the choice to do all that is necessary to reach your goals. And, in order to get results, you have to change the way you think, create and stick to your weekly plan, and track and review your progress. Now do you see why I’m a fan of this book? It’s similar to what we’ve been teaching for two decades!

At Buffini & Company, personal growth is a vital part of what we teach. We’re always looking for ways to keep you motivated and informed so you can be at your very best. We’re excited to launch the It’s a Good Life podcast this month. Be sure to tune in each week to learn more about the latest trends, timeless strategies to boost your business and a healthy dose of motivation.

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We’re Bridging the Gap between Technology & Real Estate https://blog.buffini.com/were-bridging-the-gap-between-technology-real-estate/ https://blog.buffini.com/were-bridging-the-gap-between-technology-real-estate/#respond Mon, 08 Feb 2016 08:00:09 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5363 We’re celebrating 20 years of helping real estate professionals lead successful businesses, but we’re not resting […]

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We’re celebrating 20 years of helping real estate professionals lead successful businesses, but we’re not resting on our laurels. We want to help even more people!

While we encourage our clients to use the fundamentals to build their relationships, we’re no strangers to technology. We see technology as a tool that makes business even more effective and efficient.

People are always asking us, “What technology should I use?” There are so many apps and gadgets out there that promise the world results, but many of them don’t deliver. They’re difficult to use, don’t mesh with the basics of a referral-based business or only serve to distract us from our goals. We see the challenges our Members face trying to find the technology that is right for them and have committed to taking the guesswork out of the process.

As a company, we’ve invested heavily in technology that supports our philosophy to help our clients build the relationships that drive referrals. We put our money where our mouth was a few years ago when we developed Referral Maker® CRM to help our clients support their referral-based businesses. And we’re about to do it again with the MarTech Trends™ event.

During the one-day training, three of our best speakers will share the latest tech trends and marketing strategies to help real estate pros thrive in today’s high-tech business climate. We’re excited to share strategies and technologies that will help our clients cut through the clutter and take their businesses to the next level. While technology can’t replace the fundamentals, when leveraged with relationships, it can make our clients unstoppable.

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3 Marketing Strategies to Help You Stay Relevant in Real Estate https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-stay-relevant-in-real-estate/ https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-stay-relevant-in-real-estate/#respond Mon, 11 Jan 2016 17:09:31 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5327 There’s no doubt that technology has changed the way we buy and sell homes. Fifty years […]

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There’s no doubt that technology has changed the way we buy and sell homes. Fifty years ago, buyers would search through newspaper ads to find a home; nowadays, the majority of buyers search for homes on the Internet before consulting an agent.* It’s not just the Internet that’s changing the game; the increased use of smartphones make it easier to look for homes. With buyers and sellers having access to more information about the market than ever before in history, how can agent make him or herself essential to their clients?

Relationships Matter More than Ever!

One thing we’ve researched at Buffini & Company is the top reasons people choose their agent over others. We’ve found most often their choice is based on these three questions…. Can I trust you? Do you care about me? Are you good at what you do? No where in there is a question about how many Twitter followers do you have. That’s because in today’s business world artificial connections are a dime a dozen. The agent who goes above and beyond to create deeper, more authentic relationships wins!

Technology isn’t the enemy, but it’s not the solution to an empty pipeline either. It’s a tool, if used right, that can help you build community, increase communication with your clients and better execute on key activities like lead generation. Here are three impactful tech and marketing trends that will help you stay relevant, while keeping the focus where it should be—on building relationships with your clients.

Get online. If you want to serve your clients, you have to get where they are. Social media makes it easy to share information about the market or home buying or selling tips with your clients. You can also use it to share information about your listings. Blogging gives you a platform to share your knowledge and experience with your clients and followers.

Incorporate video in your emails. Share a message with your clients via video. You can send it as a standalone email to a few people or use it to introduce your eReport, a monthly email loaded with helpful information and housing stats specifically for your clients. The eReport is included in Buffini & Company’s Marketing Kit, which we designed to help you maintain consistent contact with your database and Work by Referral. Either way video is an impactful way to deepen relationships with your clients and is sure to standout. Remember, keep it short, positive and remind them that you’re never too busy for their referrals.

Use a CRM. Technology makes it even easier to keep all of your clients’ information and your business activities in one place. A Customer Relationship Management system, such as Referral Maker® CRM, not only keeps your client’s information organized and at-hand when you need it, it can also help you stay organized in your business so that you can generate more leads. What’s better than that?

To thrive in the new era of real estate, it’s essential to embrace technology and use it to serve your clients better. Want to know more about using technology to improve your business relationships? Sign up for MarTech Trends™, a one-day Buffini & Company event where Joe Niego and other experts will give you a crash course on how to create the perfect blend of technology and marketing in your real estate business.

*Source: NAR, Real Estate in the Digital Age, September 15, 2015

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How to Achieve Sustainable Success in Real Estate https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-achieve-sustainable-success-in-real-estate/ https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-achieve-sustainable-success-in-real-estate/#respond Fri, 11 Dec 2015 07:06:12 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5290 A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking before successful brokers from across […]

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A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking before successful brokers from across the country during the CEO Exchange Super Session of the RISMedia Real Estate CEO Exchange. The topic of the session was, “Sustainable Success.”

We know a thing or two about sustainable success here at Buffini & Company. We’re proud to coach and train our Members to take control of their businesses and achieve sustainable success along the way. Our Members will close approximately 625,000 transactions this year, which breaks down to one in eight homes. That’s right; every one in eight homes sold in North America is sold by you, one of our outstanding Members. We must be doing something right!

One of the reasons many of you came to us is because you didn’t have a system in place. Or, you were working transactionally and became discouraged by traditional methods of lead generation that force you to continually rebuild your databases at the start of every year.

The beauty of working by referral is that it focuses on building relationships with your past and current clients.

The beauty of working by referral is that it focuses on building relationships with your past and current clients. While you provide value and great service to your clients, they become more likely to refer you to their family and friends when you ask them to. As a result, you’re able to build a solid network of advocates for your business while creating a steady stream of reliable leads. Much like interest compounds on loans and investments, you compound the clients in your database. What’s more sustainable than that?

Warren Buffet said, “The solution to productivity is training, systems and motivation.” Having a system isn’t enough if you don’t continue your training with seminars and classes. You’ll not only keep your skills sharp and enhance your knowledge; you’ll also stay motivated to succeed regardless of the challenges you may face.

The end of the year presents a great opportunity to reflect on the progress you’ve made toward the goals you set in January. It’s also an ideal time to plan for 2016 and recommit to the Work by Referral system. What will you do in 2016 to make your business more sustainable? Recommit to the system and you’ll enjoy the benefits in the year ahead.

Need help getting started? We recommend new and seasoned agents take Peak Producers training to sharpen their skills and get motivated to have their best year ever. Click to learn more about Peak Producers Training!

It’s a good life!

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How to Create a Happy Workplace https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-create-a-happy-workplace/ https://blog.buffini.com/how-to-create-a-happy-workplace/#respond Mon, 16 Nov 2015 09:00:44 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5222 What makes for a happy workplace? Is it state-of-the art facilities, ongoing training opportunities, extra vacation […]

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What makes for a happy workplace? Is it state-of-the art facilities, ongoing training opportunities, extra vacation days, or simply a rewarding salary? After working with leaders of real estate companies for nearly twenty years, and in my position of leadership as Buffini & Company’s CEO, I have learned that all of these factors can certainly impact job satisfaction, but the difference between a company where employees are engaged and energized and one where they’re unmotivated and lacklustre is really down to one main ingredient – feeling appreciated.

The number one reason that people quit their jobs is not because they want more money, but because they feel under-valued. Work gives a sense of identity and purpose, but if employees believe that they’re not being adequately acknowledged or championed then negativity inevitably develops. This is an economic as well as an emotional issue. When people think that their efforts are being ignored or they’re not being treated fairly, then they will lack passion and enthusiasm – and that will consequently have a serious effect on a company’s bottom line.

When workers are unhappy, staff turnover rates are high, customer satisfaction is adversely affected, and a firm’s reputation and profits suffer. When employees are content, it’s a different story. They will do the very best job that they can day after day, which means that customers will be pleased, morale will soar, and the business will thrive. Simply put – the more positive a worker’s emotions are, the higher a company’s profits will be.

heritage-profile

At Buffini & Company, each one of our team members receives a Heritage Profile, which is an outline of their natural strengths, abilities, and work styles.

So, how can you create the sort of workplace where employees are ready and willing to always go that extra mile? Firstly, it’s vital to know each team member’s individual strengths and capabilities. At Buffini & Company, each one of our team members receives a Heritage Profile, which is an outline of their natural strengths, abilities, and work styles. This allows our leadership team to communicate with and motivate each person in a way unique to their particular personality. This also allows those in leadership roles to more appropriately assign tasks and projects to individuals based on their strengths, giving each team member a deeper sense of satisfaction in their work.

In addition, you must ensure that they are consistently and genuinely recognized and respected for the work that they do and the contribution that they make. This process may mean asking some tough questions of yourself and your management style. Do your colleagues and co-workers feel that their concerns, comments and ideas are listened to and acted upon? Do they believe they are supported and able to honestly voice their opinions? Do they receive the sort of helpful feedback that matters to them? Do they truly feel invested in the business and part of an effective, harmonious team with a common goal and purpose? All of these issues must be taken into consideration when trying to create and sustain a culture of enthusiasm and engagement.

We’ve tried to be very intentional about our communication practices at Buffini & Company by doing “Lunch & Learns” with each team to discover more about their individual roles and how we might help them preform at a higher level. Additionally, we have initiated a program where individuals can submit ideas about how we, as a company, can “Do It Better.” During each staff meeting, we recognize the people who have had their ideas implemented and reward them gift cards. These are similar to the practices we teach Team Leaders who are in our One2One Coaching membership to implement, in order to help them build a more productive, cohesive and happy team.

It’s not an easy task to achieve – it takes a lot of hard work to earn the respect, support and trust of your team. Conflicts and difficulties will naturally occur along the way. But if you’re true to your word, encourage open dialogue, foster growth, and celebrate achievement then an atmosphere of honesty, trust, and fairness will be the result. The reward will be that your company will attract the best workers and enjoy excellent employee retention rates, high levels of productivity, and increased success and profits.

It’s a simple premise: Take care of your employees first and then the kind of happy work environment in which everyone can flourish and win will be created. Who wouldn’t want that?

Looking for ways to provide additional value to your team? Stream Brian Buffini’s Success Tour live to your office on December 2! It’s a great opportunity for you to get your team together, in the office, to spend a few hours working on personal and professional development.

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Making Strategy Work: How to Avoid the Traps and Execute Brilliantly https://blog.buffini.com/making-strategy-work-how-to-avoid-the-traps-and-execute-brilliantly/ https://blog.buffini.com/making-strategy-work-how-to-avoid-the-traps-and-execute-brilliantly/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:20:13 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5221 It’s undeniable that a successful strategy can reap huge rewards for a business. The difficulty, however, […]

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It’s undeniable that a successful strategy can reap huge rewards for a business. The difficulty, however, is that very few business owners know what a strategy should be or how it should be implemented. Even the word itself is often used as just another corporate catchphrase, a buzzword whose true meaning and significance has been lost. It’s no wonder that so many strategies fail when the guiding principles required to devise and execute them are so vague.

One of our core principles at Buffini & Company is to live what we teach. Not only have I had to examine the business strategy for our company to thrive, but I’ve had to ensure that the chosen strategy is in alignment with how we teach our coaching clients to run their businesses. In essence, effective strategy is about recognizing the difficulties facing a business and then formulating a coherent and resolute approach to overcome these. Our coaches help our clients do this every day and it stays top-of-mind as one of my main priorities as a leader. If you’re in a position of leadership, or self-employed, you’re likely having to devise and revise your business strategy regularly. But simply devising a cohesive response to potential issues or problems isn’t enough.

To be truly successful, a strategy must be underpinned by passionate and committed implementation.

To be truly successful, a strategy must be underpinned by passionate and committed implementation. Many well-intentioned strategies fail because they aren’t properly executed. If a strategy is to work, then well-bolstered supports, defined guidelines and a solid framework must be in place. If not, then a strategy isn’t worth the paper it’s written on – and a business will pay in both time and money.

To ensure that your strategy won’t fall prey to the many traps and pitfalls it will invariably encounter along the way, you must use a map. Just as you wouldn’t set off on a road trip without directions to guide you, so you shouldn’t try to drive your business forward without knowing how you’re going to get to where you want to go. It’s vital to develop and refine the specific processes and tactics required to negotiate and sidestep the potholes that your business will meet on the road, so that you can achieve your desired strategic outcomes. As Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War ‘Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.’

Above all else, a strategy’s success or failure relies on action. It’s an inconvenient truth that it’s easier to make a strategy than it is to make a strategy work. But talking about what needs to be done will get you nowhere. Action is what sets a successful strategy apart from one that is doomed to failure. It isn’t always easy. Executing strategy is a step-by-step process that takes time, determination and a series of expertly coordinated, disciplined and intelligent actions. But nothing is more valuable to your business.

So know what you want to accomplish, set out the tactics you will employ and methodically track your progress. Then your strategy will be truly effective – and your business will be on course to succeed.

Need help building your 2016 business strategy? Our Coaches are experts at walking you through the process of developing a system for your marketing activities on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Sign up for a Complimentary Coaching Session today and find out what Coaching is all about!

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Do More with Your Day – How I Learned to Increase My Productivity https://blog.buffini.com/do-more-with-your-day-how-i-learned-to-increase-my-productivity/ https://blog.buffini.com/do-more-with-your-day-how-i-learned-to-increase-my-productivity/#respond Mon, 24 Aug 2015 23:11:45 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5065 When you run your own business, it can seem as if you’re always up against the […]

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When you run your own business, it can seem as if you’re always up against the clock. There are never enough hours in the day to do what you need to. Often, your entire week can pass in a blur of fighting fires or dealing with time-sucking tasks like email, leaving you feeling frustrated and disheartened. Sound familiar?

There was a time when my own working day used to follow exactly this sort of hectic and unfocused pattern – I was constantly multitasking and juggling, and yet I never felt satisfied with my progress. Today, however, I’m extremely productive and achieving far more than I ever thought possible. What changed? My routine. I identified my priorities, set a schedule, and worked hard to leverage my strengths and shore up my weaknesses. In other words, I got organized!

priorities

Identifying your priorities is probably the most important step you can take in order to become more productive.

Identifying your priorities is probably the most important step you can take in order to become more productive. Knowing exactly what it is that you want to achieve helps to give you laser-sharp focus and prevents you getting distracted by the million and one other things clamouring for your attention on any given day. Of course, it’s critical to put the right processes and structures in place to support your efforts too – and that’s where a good schedule is invaluable.

A rock-solid schedule is something I now swear by. It keeps me on track and makes sure that I get all those ‘to-do’s’ – both professional and personal – ticked off my list. By breaking the day into manageable chunks of time – 60 to 90 minutes maximum – and then working without distraction, it’s possible to function at peak capacity and achieve a phenomenal amount. Don’t forget to schedule in some breathing space too – we all need wiggle room and having a little flexibility is good for the soul!

The other secret to working at peak production is to delegate your weaknesses. I long ago came to accept that, hard as I may try, there are some things that other people will always do better than I will – and that’s OK. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, ‘The best leader is the one who has the sense enough to pick good people to do what needs to be done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.’ (I’m working on the not meddling part!)

Time is a finite and limited resource. If we don’t use it well then we – and our business – will stagnate instead of flourish. By learning to manage time effectively, it’s possible to work smarter instead of harder and be far more productive than ever before. So make a start on getting organized today – it really will be worth your while.

It’s a good life!

Dermot Buffini, CEO

Download our free infographic all about productivity from the Buffini & Company Resource Hub!

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Tee It Up! Golf and Real Estate are a Lot Alike https://blog.buffini.com/tee-it-up-golf-and-real-estate-are-a-lot-alike/ https://blog.buffini.com/tee-it-up-golf-and-real-estate-are-a-lot-alike/#respond Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:05:46 +0000 http://buffiniblog.wpenginepowered.com/?p=5013 I love golf! Growing up in the Buffini household it was almost a religion. Each one […]

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I love golf! Growing up in the Buffini household it was almost a religion. Each one of us kids was introduced to the game by our dad, George. And every summer we’d receive a handful of balls that were to last us until fall – if you lost one, you’d better find one!

Golf is a great game and tests you in so many ways; one minute you’re having the game of your life and the next you’re thinking about taking up a different sport. Some days, the harder I try, the worse it gets and then it happens…I hit one incredible shot and get a glimmer of hope that keeps me coming back. Just like real estate; one good sale and we keep coming back for more.

In my opinion, today’s professional golfer is not just a great golfer but a great athlete as well. It seems every top golfer in the world has an entourage of coaches, fitness experts, psychologists, physiotherapists and nutritionists working day and night to help them perform at their highest level.

Why do they need so much support? These are the best golfers in the world, after all; shouldn’t they know how to hit all the shots? The reason is: we all need feedback. We need to know when we’re doing the right things, and when we’re drifting off track.

coaching

In 2014, Buffini & Company Coaching Members earned on average over $290,366.

What on earth, you might wonder, has this got to do with real estate? In 2014, the average real estate agent earned just over $36,000. In 2014, Buffini & Company Coaching Members earned over $290,366.

What’s the difference between these two groups of agents? Are our Members luckier? Do they have thousands of friends on Facebook or followers on Twitter? Maybe they’re just better looking and that’s why they outperform the average Realtor by eight times!?

Just like great golfers, great real estate agents seek accountability to help them master the fundamentals. But here’s the challenge, in today’s world we often look to technology to take the place of the things we need to do to be successful.

In golf, the clubs are bigger, the golf ball flies further, and there’s even a Golf Channel to help us play the game better. But here’s the thing . . . the average amateur golfer’s score hasn’t improved in 30 years. The average golfer 30 years ago shot a score of 100. In 2015, the average golfer scored…you guessed it, 100 shots.

In real estate today we have the internet, email, social media, smart phones, tablets, GPS systems, virtual tours, listings online and almost 100 million more people living in the United States than we did 30 years ago. But today, the average Realtor still only handles about 11 transactions annually.

When you listen to the best golfers in the world talk about their games they say, “I’m working on my grip, my posture, my tempo.” When you talk to a Buffini & Company Member they say, “I’m doing my pop-bys, writing my notes and setting goals – I just work the system.”

So I guess to improve your golf score or your number of transactions it all boils down to this: knowing what you need to do, doing it, and then getting a little help along the way.

Maybe you want to raise your game? So take action. We have Coaches and staff here to help. Or maybe there’s a Mentor in your office that can take you through Peak Producers®. Either way, we can help you help you become the best that you can be.

Here’s to your success, on and off the course. Tee it high and let it fly!

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