Every year in mid-November I hear the same complaint from agents. They come to me and say:

“Denise, everything is slowing down. I feel like there’s no point to doing anything right now. So I think I’ll just ramp things down and plan next year.”

Wrong!

While it’s a good idea to plan next year, it is a very BAD idea to slow your business down to a crawl just because we’ve entered the holiday season. If you’ve been enticed to put in less effort just because the world is entering “holiday mode”, I want you to stop it right now.

There are opportunities in November and December that just aren’t available to you at other times during the year.

First and foremost, there is a serious lack of competition. Because of the very fact that most agents fall into “holiday mode”, that means more business for YOU. That’s the simple math part.

By staying “ramped up”, you’re going to be the agent catching all the transactions swirling around like snowflakes—because the office is near-empty and nobody else is putting in the effort. Ramp up!

When I say putting in the effort, I mean getting in contact with your clients right now.They too are in danger of falling into “holiday mode”. Your mission is to rescue them—to pull them out before they fall into the abyss.

• Remind them of the tax advantages of closing a transaction before January.
• Remind them that deals are more plentiful because there is less competition at this time of year.
• Remind them that we don’t know what’s going to happen with interest rates in 2011, so now is the time to take advantage of the historic lows.

It’s really all about mindset. While that may sound simplistic, I can assure you it’s not. I’ve seen it in action year after year. Agents who embrace the holiday season with a strong mindset do well.

They just do. It’s a fact.

A healthy mindset can be tough if you’re surrounded by negativity. And if there’s one thing most agents excel at, it’s negativity. You need to avoid it like the flu.

Pretend that you can catch negativity just by being in a room where two agents are whining and complaining about how slow things are. Get out of that room! Get back into your office, your car, or your home. You can’t afford to be exposed to one negative thought! It will make you sick.

What about “quality of life”, though? Don’t I always preach that it’s important to take time off? Why not take time off during the holidays to spend with your family?

Yes, absolutely take time off. I’m not suggesting that you be out there on Christmas Day at 5am giving a listing presentation. Not at all.

All I’m saying is that you can’t let your business slide during November and December. If you want time off around the holidays, then it’s important to take it.

Just remember the phrase “Work hard, play hard.” If you’re off, then you’re off. Immerse yourself in being off. Enjoy it. Be with your loved ones.

But if you’re at work, then work! Don’t put in half the effort just because tinsel and holly are strewn around your office. Treat a day at work the same as you would in any other month.

I’m also not saying that you should be so busy that you don’t plan for 2011. This is critical. Make sure that you set aside some time to do this important task as well. You need a game plan in place for the new year.

Ask yourself: What is going to make 2011 better than 2010?

Start by reviewing 2010.

• Did you accomplish everything you wanted to accomplish?
• Did you really implement everything that was on your to-do list back in January?
• Did you polish up your presentations so that you win people over like never before?
• Did you take a good hard look at your branding to see if it’s effective?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then it’s time to start thinking about what you can do differently.

Need some help with this? In January, The Lones Group is hosting Trek to Success. This is a special two-day “Safari” event to help you see where you are and what you need to work on.

It’s going to be an intense session in which you will learn more about your business than you could ever do on your own. With a group of motivated like-minded people,you will put together a plan to take your business to new heights in 2011.

We’ll start by analyzing everything you’re doing right—and everything you’re doing wrong. The only way to create a plan that works is to face facts and see what you need to change. What better way to do it than with someone who has helped thousands of agents turn their businesses around?

That someone is me. You can’t stump me. I’ve seen it all. I really have.

I don’t say this to boast. I say it because it’s a fact—gained from the experience of working with thousands of agents. I know what causes an agent to fail. I know what causes an agent to succeed.

Please allow me the opportunity to bring my expertise to your challenges. I want to help you make 2011 the best year ever for your business.

Click here for more information.

Can’t wait to see you there!

By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI