A FOCUS Strategy for Estate Agents

A FOCUS Strategy for Estate Agents Image

I have a coaching client at the moment – a very successful four office owner from Kent – who can’t wait to use the techniques and strategies I’m sharing with him in his business.

There’s just one problem – he wants to do them all.  Right now.

As estate agents, we like shiny new things, right? I certainly do.  The latest tech, the hot new trend, the newest style website. We want them all, and we want them now.

It’s not our fault; we’re made that way. 

 We’re salespeople,  and that means we love the thrill of the deal, and the roller coaster ride that goes along with it. After all, who in their right mind would run a business where we do all the work months (or longer) before we take a single penny from our clients, and where even then, only around 75% of deals will come off??

So if you want to implement all your new ideas, immediately, you’re not alone.  Trouble is, you can’t. Well, not successfully, at least.  You’ll get overwhelmed, frustrated and burned out before you’ve managed to implement everything. I know this, because I’ve been there, lots of times.  I too felt overwhelm at all the exciting new ideas I wanted to apply to my business, and ended up with a lot of half-baked, half-finished, poorly-executed initiatives, most of which just didn’t work.

Then someone told me about this acronym:

F – follow

O – one

C – course

U – until

S – successful

It made a lot of sense.  So I reined in all but one of my ideas, putting all the rest of them on a list called ‘Backburner’. Then, I divided up the campaign or project into several smaller steps, and put them in the best order for implementation.  I printed out a calendar and wrote each step on a date that represented a realistic timeframe to get it done, and a final delivery date for the entire project.

Then I worked on it until it was finished. Without looking at any of the other shiny ideas on my Backburner list.

And it worked!

My tactic was to work on each project first thing every morning, for at least an hour or two, before opening any email or switching the phone on.  Perhaps you’d prefer saving a couple of hours at the end of each day, or taking a whole day every week to work on your current project, maybe from home, to avoid work distractions.  Whatever works for you is fine, just so long as you actually set aside the time to do it. Otherwise, as we both know, it will become sidelined amongst all the detritus of your working day.

Are you going to try it? Let me know in the comments; I’d love to hear from you.

What to read next: Is Your Diary Running Your Business? 

What to do next: Do you get my Supertips? They’re jam-packed full of great tips and marketing strategies just like this one, and best still – they’re free! Get yours here -> www.samashdown.co.uk/samsupertips

Speak to Sam: If you’d like to know how I think you could improve your marketing, just answer a few short questions here and I’ll tell you if and how you could be more effective.

Sam Ashdown

Sam is an industry-renowned marketing strategist to estate agents. She helps agents grow and flourish, using her unique smart marketing techniques and strategies. Sam works with agents throughout the UK to help them gain more valuations, win more instructions and sell more properties.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Alterations can change a property’s rebuild cost

‘Don’t get caught short’ warning to homeowners from valuations experts – alterations can change a property’s rebuild cost Properties change over time. Homeowners may add an extension, upgrade a kitchen or bathroom, alter the layout, or even change how the building is used, but when do those changes mean it’s time for a new rebuild…
Read More →
Breaking News

HMO conversions hit investors for £82,000 on average

The average cost of converting a property into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) is estimated at more than £82,000 across England, according to new research by residential property management specialist, Rushbrook, although investors looking to avoid the conversion process have more than 2,500 existing licensed HMOs available to purchase. Rushbrook analysed HMO property listings across…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Selling a HAUNTED house?

Property lawyer reveals whether you have to tell buyers about ghosts    HOMEOWNERS selling a property with a spooky reputation have been warned that its haunted history could come back to bite them if a nervous buyer starts asking questions. From unexplained footsteps and doors opening by themselves to tales of former residents refusing to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Renters call for greater transparency in HMOs

National findings released as 1 in 5 tenants report feeling unsafe at some point during their tenancy because of a housemate Rising housing costs pushing more people towards shared accommodation      42% of tenants received no information about their housemates before moving in 60% wish they had known more about who they would be living with…
Read More →
Breaking News

Housing Insight Report: August 2026

August’s figures reveal a housing market where activity continues, but buyers are taking a more cautious approach, making realistic pricing and negotiation increasingly important. Meanwhile, growing tenant demand and limited rental supply continue to create challenges across the lettings market, highlighting the different pressures facing buyers, sellers, landlords and renters. Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark,…
Read More →
mycelium growth
Estate Agent Talk

How to spot and prevent damp and mould in your home

As temperatures fall and homes become more susceptible to condensation and moisture, Propertymark is urging tenants and homeowners to be aware of the signs of damp and mould and take action early to protect their homes and their health. Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from a severe respiratory infection after being exposed to damp and mould…
Read More →