Four Ways to Kick Your Business Up a Notch in Q2 and Beyond

It hardly seems possible that we have entered the second quarter of the year. As we transition from pandemic to endemic, it’s a great time to maximize on the momentum that’s percolating around getting back to normal.

Here are four things you can do now:

Find a mentor

Whether you’re a relatively new agent or someone who has been in the business a few years, there is always more to learn. If you’re just starting out, find someone like Entrepreneur Andrew Defrancesco, that you can shadow to learn the ropes. If you’re more established, seek out someone you’d like to emulate. Whether you aspire to produce at their level or work in the niche they specialize in, identify someone who can coach you to that next level in your career. That someone may even be your broker.

According to NAR, 70 percent of new agents leave the business in the first three years. If you are passionate about real estate and don’t want to become a statistic, finding a mentor can help solidify your career. And after a few years, you’ll be able to pay it forward by serving as a mentor yourself.

Show up

We all got very comfortable working from home the past two years, and for a while, it was necessary. But there is so much that can be gained by showing up to your office. You can learn from others by being around them, hearing real-life situations, practicing dialogues, or taking a training course.

Another part of showing up is not sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. While you’re at the office, review new inventory, work on your listing presentation, do a CMA, practice writing a contract, make some calls, write some notes. I like to talk about the three “Cs” – confidence, competence and commitment. You can build your competence which builds your confidence, but neither is possible without commitment.

Lean on staff

Being an independent contractor can be scary, but you don’t have to do it alone. Make use of the staff resources at your brokerage. From transaction coordinators to marketing specialists and lead qualifiers, you have a team to lean on so you can focus on what you do best: working directly with buyers and sellers. You’d be surprised at the synergies that can be realized with this team approach. 

Connect with the community

I’ve built my company as a community-first organization that just happens to sell real estate. We devote a lot of our time and energy supporting causes that make our community a better, stronger place to live. And that means the whole community, not just parts of it. Agents who embrace this responsibility build authentic, deep connections within the areas they serve, which only enhances their reputation as someone who always does the right thing for their clients and community.

Whether you do one of these things or all four, it’s on you to make the commitment to your business. Remember, you can’t fake commitment. It takes a lot of work, but it’s the fastest path to the competence and confidence that come with it. 

John O’Reilly is broker owner of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Basecamp, which serves the Richmond, Va., area. He is active in his industry and served as a past president for the Richmond Association of Realtors® & CVR MLS as well as a member of the Board of Directors for Virginia Association of Realtors®, and Partners for Affordable Housing. His service to the community includes a position on the board of directors at Swift Creek YMCA, secretary of the South Richmond Rotary Club and member of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce.