Make a Personal Financial Statement

Take a clear look at your financial situation. What are your large assets, what are your liquid assets, and what are your outstanding liabilities like mortgage or car payments? Once you calculate your net worth, you’ll get a good picture of your financial situation and be able to make changes accordingly. It’s hard to reach your financial goals without a financial plan.

Review 2011 and Decide What Worked

Take a long look at your current marketing plan and decide what worked in 2010. Were you strong in the social media space? Did your leads turn into conversions? Did you develop an audience for your blog or were you able to establish and entrench your name in the community?

Review Your Personal Strengths and Weaknesses

We all have our comfort zones and boy do they feel good. Comfort zones are great because it usually means we’re strong in a particular area. Do you love staging and showing homes or networking to get new business? Take note of these strengths and apply them to what worked in 2010. On the flip side, what are you less comfortable with? Do you feel awkward asking for referrals or are you uncomfortable with social media?

Make a Plan for Improving Your Weaknesses

If you dedicate yourself and if you’re not afraid to go through some growing pains, you can take steps to improve on your weaknesses through practice and training. Take a class or read some of the latest industry articles on areas that you feel you need improvement on. Don’t be afraid to ask colleagues for help too. They might be able to rely on you for one of your strengths some day.

Use Your Strengths to Your Advantage

Now that you have a plan in place to improve your weaknesses, get the most out of your strengths. Focus time and energy on getting the most out of what you do best and become a leader in that area.

Conquer Technology

Studies show that more and more real estate purchases and sales begin on the Internet. Conquer technology and become an expert in the space. Practice and understand social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, but go beyond that to researching and learning to use YouTube and optimizing your email campaigns. Websites are also a key component in the sales funnel, so get up to speed on search engine optimization (SEO) and get started on a blog. For 2012, look at the areas in technology where your strengths and weaknesses lie and make a plan to conquer it all.

Nurture Your Existing Client Base for Referrals

You worked hard to make your existing clients happy. Don’t lose those relationships or let them go stale. Nurture the goodwill you’ve generated by keeping in touch with your existing client base, connecting with them in-person, through the mail, email, and on social media channels to gain referrals. Word of mouth travels fast and you don’t want your name too far from their minds if someone in their social circle is suddenly in need of a REALTOR®.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions you’re planning on making? Do you have any tips for how to start the New Year off right? Share them with us in the comments!

Read more:   http://themembersedge.blogs.realtor.org/2011/12/19/realtor%C2%AE-guide-starting-2012-the-right-way/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheMembersEdge+%28The+Members+Edge%29