If you're reading this, I'm going to make a few assumptions. The first, is that you're interested to know what the heck I did and why it matters to you. If that's you, and you're not a real estate agent, I appreciate you reading this and I'm not sure what value there will be in here for you other than a peek behind the curtain to see how I approach building my business and maybe you get to know me better. My other assumption, which is probably more likely is that you are a real estate agent and you're on a mission to build your real estate business. Maybe to selling over $10M in one year which is called top-producer status, just like I did. And if that's you, let me tell you, the journey from zero to top producer is no easy feat. That is why some reports say that less than 5% of the agents out there achieve this.  But with the right mindset and strategies, you can make it happen faster than you ever thought possible.

Let's dive into the top few strategies that helped me sell over $10,000,000 in volume within just 24 months of starting my real estate business.

Mindset Is Key

The very foundation of my success and growth was rooted in my mindset. I made a conscious decision to eliminate any Plan B and committed myself entirely to the pursuit of my real estate goals. There were no other options or fall back plans. I removed the safety net and jumped in! Another important thing to know about my mindset approach other than I'm going to make this happen or die trying is that it's important to root it in a service-driven mission. It wasn't just about me and my goals. It was about helping others reach their goals. It was about helping support my family. It was about showing other agents they could do it doo. This kept me motivated and focused on what truly mattered.

Generate New Business Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Does)

Prospecting for new business as a real estate agent isn't just a part of the job; it is the job. And to me, I call "prospecting", relationship building. I'm not hunting for clients. I'm looking for quality people that I want to spend more time around and to serve and to help. I dedicated a minimum of 90 minutes a day (normally it was more like 300 minutes a day), five days a week, to meeting new people and deepening the relationship I already had with others. Leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn and scheduling Zoom meetings allowed me to meet new people consistently. For 8 months I met 5 new people a day, 5 days a week. Remember, building your network is crucial, but deepening those relationships is where the magic happens.

Prioritize Your Priorities

I firmly believe in putting the rocks in first. Picture a glass jar that you need to fit into it- rocks, pebbles and sand. If you start with the sand, the lesser important, but plentiful things, you won't have any room left for the bigger things. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. For me, family, health, and personal development took precedence on my calendar, followed closely by lead generation activities. So I put those in first and they got my full attention. 

Delegate and Dominate

As your business grows, so do your responsibilities and the tasks required to service all of that business also grow. But it's crucial to not let everything that's needed to do for client transactions eat into your lead generation time. It's the roller coaster effect that many new agents find themselves on. Up, down, up, down, up, down...get it? You work and work and work to get clients. And then you stop doing what you did to get those clients because you're too busy actually working with the client. And then once that transaction is complete, you realize your pipeline is dry and you need to start all over again climbing the roller coaster hill to find new clients. It crushes momentum and it's exhausting. Invest in part-time help, such as transaction coordinators and agent partners that can help service your clients asap, to keep your pipeline full while you focus on scaling your business. I did this from day one with my very first client. Delegating tasks slow at first but eventually delegating as much as possible that still allowed me to take care of my clients without them feeling passed off or neglected.

Set Stretch Goals

SMART goals are great, but I prefer to stretch a bit beyond the realm of realism. Setting ambitious yet achievable goals pushed me to strive for excellence and kept me hungry for success. If you aim low and miss...well you know what happens. So aim high. I like to set goals that make me want to throw up a little and make others seriously question my mental health. 

Stay Top of Mind

Consistent and thoughtful communication with clients, friends, and prospects is key to staying top of mind in the real estate game. From birthday cards to random pop-bys, find fun and creative ways to stay connected without coming across as pushy or salesy. Be you and work to move your relationship forward with each connection. My goal is that my people hear from or see me at least every 30-60 days in some fashion. And it's really important to note that it's not about real estate all the time. Hell, most of the time it has nothing to do with real estate unless that is what they want to know about. Nobody wants you calling them every week asking "hey, are you ready to sell your house yet?" No...I'm not...and I'm not calling you when I am ready. Provide value. Serve. And just stay on their radar.

Track, Tweak, and Thrive

Lastly, track your activities and analyze what's working. I am absolutely obsessed with tracking my data and looking for patterns of what works and what doesn't. When I find what works, I continually try to improve it without ruining it. And once that feels in a good place, I double down on those strategies that yield the best results and align with my strengths and preferences. Remember, success leaves clues—pay attention and adapt accordingly. Whatever you do, don't do this one month and that the next. And then on month 3 you try something all together new. Pick one or two things, go all in on them, and work to maximize what works. If after a reasonable amount of time it's not producing it might be the time to try something new but remember the work you do today will likely pay off in about 90-100 days so good things take time.

Building a top-producing real estate business isn't just about closing deals to me; it's about cultivating relationships, mastering my mindset, and implementing strategic actions consistently that I enjoy doing and that actually work. So much of this can be easily achieved by approaching your business like a business and not a hobby. Take it seriously and others will take you seriously. Put on that CEO hat and wear it often and proudly. Embrace the journey, stay focused, and never underestimate the power of grit, integrity, positivity and strategic planning.