Welcome to 2009! As I struggle to retrain my tiny brain to write 09 instead of 08, I eagerly look forward to what this year will bring! I hope all of you are putting together a solid marketing plan. I know it seems to be the same song and dance year after year, but what are you going to do differently this year?
I want you to take some time and examine your current situation and ask a tough question. That question is “Why?” Why am I in this situation? What behaviors, habits, and events have worked together to land me into my current situation – be it good or bad?
Straight answers work best here, even if it’s not what you want to hear or admit. I’ll give you a little peak into a few of these “self chats” I’ve had with myself. I put everything on paper or into files on my PC, so I can always go back and find my habits. Here’s one from a few years back:
Negative habits:
- Too many activities going at once
- Find it difficult to say ‘no’ to new ventures
- Organization of files
- Too much time spent online
- Checking and responding to non-critical emails
- Work too many hours
Those were the negatives I found in myself. (Stop laughing at my admission that I work too much!) I’m sure this is by no means a conclusive list. haha – But I had to come to terms with the fact that those seemingly small issues were working together to limit my income and productivity. Here were the positives I came up with:
- Take action quickly
- Not afraid of cold calls or prospecting
- Creative with marketing and sales approach
- Proficient with online marketing
- Straight forward with prospects
Now I had to find a way to enhance my positives and minimize my negatives. Of course when doing this exercise I expanded on each item so that all the facts were on the table staring me in the face. Once you’ve identified your positives and negatives, you will be better equipped to structure your marketing plan for 09.
It is of vital importance that your plan for 09 addresses your negative attributes/habits or else you’ll simply repeat 08 as the same mistakes are made over and over again. Been there done that…
Make it a great year!
CW – Loan Officer Marketing Lab
I just wanted you to know I bought an autodialer from usautodialer.com and it is already reaping benefits. I am getting several new mortgage loan possibilities a day now. I bought the 4 line dialer but may go to the 8 or 16 line soon. Check them out and good luck in 2009.
Rob
Thanks for sharing your 09 goals! Reading this made me think maybe I should do the same & maybe that’ll help me from spending so much time online as well! Although, I think I may have to wait for 2010 to put “stop working so much” on my list
Would talking to yourself be labeled as positive or negative?
Seriously, I don’t write down stuff, but I talk to myself a heck of a lot. Sometimes it helps, sometimes I just end up second guessing myself. Just want to know which side it should be listed on.
You’re brave to put your personal weaknesses and strengths online, if the first couple of weeks of 2009 are any indication of the rest of the year, then it’s going to be great. So far, we’re off to a great start!
Would talking to yourself be labeled as positive or negative?
Seriously, I don't write down stuff, but I talk to myself a heck of a lot. Sometimes it helps, sometimes I just end up second guessing myself. Just want to know which side it should be listed on.