Let me start by saying how grateful I am for my Fairhope Team, our leadership and Bellator as a whole. I feel fortunate to have found a work home that I align with professionally and personally. 

I'm about a month into my prep for 2023 and I hope you guys are working on this as well. If you're not, I suggest starting today. It's not possible to optimize all 12 months of 2023 without starting 30-60 days before January 1st.  David Horn wrote a great Broker Bit on this a few weeks ago. In addition to business planning, it is time to create positive daily habits that will be necessary for you to meet or exceed your goals next year.  I hope you're all signed up for the Ninja Installation in January, where they'll lay out the Ninja 9 and lots of other tools, but today I'm simplifying here with two critical habits.

#1 Habit - Show up

Come to work every day. This is YOUR small business - at minimum, treat it like a job.  If you work real estate like a hobby, you will likely be compensated accordingly. Most of us have great intentions with our goals and business plans but can't string the 20-30 days together to create the habits required to see those plans through.  I suggest partnering up with another agent with the same goal and hold each other accountable. 

Improving your mindset and skillset is necessary to be a good or great real estate agent. This can only be achieved by being engaged in YOUR business regularly - preferably daily (full time). I have one agent who has asked for help with this recently. Brokers don't have time to do this all the time with every agent, but I'm sending this guy a blunt text if he's not in the office by 8:00AM.  To create the habit for 1/1/23, you must start today!

#2 Habit - Block Time

Block time for your FORD calls. Your business plan is based on your goals and your daily activities required to get there must be scheduled and worked daily for the next 30 days in order to create the habit. Hopefully, your database is set up and all autoflow systems are running - if not, take an extra 5 minutes when you make the FORD calls to set them up (your Marketing Department has plenty of instruction for this in SquareOne and make themselves available every Wednesday for one-on-one time to help with any of this).  

If technology is not your friend and you don't want to hire anyone to set up your auto-flows - the FORD calls are your number one tool, regardless.  We can all make calls and that's THE most important business tool that we have.  Face-to- face visits and FORD calls are low-tech but vital.  The auto-flows consistently keep you top of mind for your sphere, but the regular personal contact is what builds and fosters personal relationships.  Bottom line - Block 1 to 2 hours a day to make the FORD calls and, hopefully, update your CRM with notes/future tasks.

This is THE VERY BEST season to make EASY FORD calls. Take advantage of this season. If you avoid calls because you don't want to come across as a pushy salesperson (this is avoided by always intentionally listening to the answers to your FORD questions, always offering something of value, and never asking for business) you can always call now to verify addresses for Christmas cards. Start up with FORD, but this is a valid reason to call and hardly anyone can be offended by this call.  And we all know that the FIRST call is the hardest. After the first call, schedule the next call, make notes of your conversation and write that Christmas card.

You'll find that not only will you create great habits for next year (and, hopefully the rest of your career), but you WILL find a few deals right now.  It 100% will happen.

In short - NOW is the time to make 2023 the best it can be. If you need any help, talk to your broker.  Bellator has tons of resources for you, and we all want you to be as successful as you want to be.

Enjoy the holidays my friends!