You are success oriented with a clear vision of what you want for your business, short and long term. Once you set your expectations, you define your goals and plan your activities. You constantly reevaluate your approach to business, review and fine tune your goals regularly so that your vision is really a work in progress that can be adjusted or changed as markets shift or change. The prominent point is that your vision is compelling and is something that you feel passionate about.

You understand that in order to have a successful real estate career, you must systemize your process. In doing this, you are able to take time off without losing control of your business. You are a master at time management, are incredibly organized and are able to delegate the "busy" tasks and focus on "productive" activities. Your database of contacts is your priority which you nurture, building trust and confidence with prospects who know you and are familiar with your Higher Standards™ of real estate service. Over time, your real estate business shows incremental but consistent improvement and provides you with a retirement strategy. Your goal is to create a "real estate practice" that you can sell. Your real estate business provides lifetime security for you and your family.

You are not trying to be all things to all people and realize that the days of being a generalist are past. Instead, you have identified three or four areas that are a fit for your skills, experience and personality. Perhaps it is a geographical focus or farm, or maybe a type of property such as Commercial or Platinum properties. As a highly skilled real estate agent, you choose to work with people you like and with whom you have interests in common. The trust level is already or much more easily established and there is a magnetic attraction that happens when you are relaxed and happy with your clientele.

You understand that having a vision and a plan is your starting point and that real achievement comes from implementation. As such, you maintain clarity and focus on getting the best payoff for your invested time. You put first things first and choose high leverage activities, like maintaining contact with people in your database, rather than allowing yourself to be distracted by office gossip and water cooler complaints. You have a dollar-productive mindset and are resolutely committed to your daily productivity plan. You are self-propelled, do not need hand holding and realize that discipline is the key to making the most of your time.

You realize that in order to compete in this highly competitive market, you must deliver your Higher Standards™ service at a level consistent with your clients' expectations. You do not wait until you are forced to learn new technology but are an early adapter. By taking advantage of modern technology, you are able to facilitate the real estate process and systemize your business. You have mastered basic computer skills, implementing a word processing program for letters; a publishing program to create flyers and marketing materials; an internet site rich in valuable real estate information; a database program integrated with an email program to maintain contact with your clients; and finally, a financial management system to track your budget. It is not necessary to have the latest technology, but be competent on the tools that you do have.

As a leading real estate professional, you are not only sales-minded but are primarily business and marketing focused. You understand that attracting business is a lot more rewarding than constantly chasing the next deal. As such, you have a compelling marketing plan that truly defines your unique selling proposition and incorporates the entire portfolio of HomeLife® innovative, affordable marketing systems. Although you provide impeccable service, it does not matter if you are not given the opportunity to show what you can do. Consequently, your powerful business development plan is designed to keep you visible and accessible in the marketplace.

Effective marketing is the key to attracting leads but effective follow-up is the key to converting those leads into successful transactions. Your computerized database program is your key to maintaining contact with your prospects who are not now ready, willing or able to buy/sell real estate but who will be sometime in the future. By maintaining contact with your qualified leads, you build trust, rapport and confidence in your service. Remember the rule of seven: Your prospects must hear from you at least seven times before they focus on you and pay attention to your message. You are patient, dedicated and never give up on your leads. People prefer to deal with professionals whom they know, like, trust, and who do not drop the ball.

You are a winner and expect to win. You believe that you can achieve anything once you put your mind to it. Your healthy ego is critical to having faith and confidence in your ideas to grow into a peak performer. You mentally visualize real estate situations and practice your response to each of these situations. Therefore, you are not afraid of objections but realize the enormous benefit of displaying confidence in your face-to-face interactions. You compete on value, not price and visibly demonstrate your value to your clients. You are committed to Higher Standards™ and accept nothing less from you or others.

You are proactively involved in networking with influential people, as well as, building and maintaining relationships within your community. You volunteer to sit on local boards, participate in local events and charitable causes where the other big players are found. You are recognized and appreciated for your hard-working attitude and high-quality service. As such, you have a large sphere of influence from which you receive high-level referrals and powerful testimonials. It is not only who you know but more importantly, who knows you.

You have high values. Ethics is a way of life. You do not take shortcuts but instead, strive to do things to the highest of standards. You recognize that your business reputation is based upon making the effort to include the small courtesies and favours needed to make a transaction flow smoothly for your clients. You go the extra mile practicing patience, integrity and hard work, never settling for anything less than the best. You are completely dedicated to Higher Standards™ in all your real estate activities.

You are a patient communicator who asks pertinent questions and acknowledges the answers in your quest to determine the needs and desires of your clients. Listening is a learned skill that you practice continually. You are a truth teller, communicating to your client information that is based on facts and market statistics rather than simply what you believe your client wants to hear.

You are the most important asset in your real estate business. As such, you are an information omnivore focused on constant and never-ending improvement. You always read, attend seminars, listen to audio programs, participate in continuing educational programs and exchange ideas with your colleagues. You monitor the market from many angles and solicit feedback so that you can fine tune your business practices. You work continually to find the best path to achievement.

Success in real estate sales comes to those who take the time and effort to become professionals. This means that you have current knowledge of all local, provincial, and national guidelines and your performance honours the letter and the spirit of those laws. Knowledge of the rules, regulations and ethical standards requires constant attention to changes in the laws or changing judicial interpretations of existing laws. There is no wiggle room in the requirement to know and obey your local real estate rules, regulations and ethical standards.

You are a master at aligning your priorities of family and personal enrichment with your real estate schedule. Being a top producer is more than having high production. It is honouring what is really important with respect to family life, relationships, children, physical health, mental health and spiritual well-being. It is all about creating balance in your life and knowing that without it, your career, your health and even your relationships will suffer. Success is the building and maintaining of spiritual, physical, philosophical, psychological and financial goals.