Are you using PLAN for your business? Have you heard of PLAN? In some form or another, I've heard of it, but I've never heard of it in this context until today. PLAN stands for Prospect, Leads, Appointments, and Negotiate.
If you're not doing PLAN each day, you're wasting time. This kinda hit home. I'm a control freak and like to do everything. I don't delegate well. But, when you look at PLAN, it basically says that if you're following up with a home warranty, or if you're following up paperwork, or following up with feedback, etc... that you're wasting value time continuing to build your business.
With this know enlightenment, even though I knew these easy things, it was just put into a different perspective that made the lightbulbs go off, I will very much be looking into hiring that Virtual Assistant I keep teasing about. If I can spend more time doing the things that need to be done by me, and less time working on the little details that can be done by someone else, I'm going to pass all my goals for the year, and continue to grow from there on out!
I'm excited! Do you PLAN? Are you a control freak too? How did you relinquish the control?? It's so scary and will probably take some time... days, weeks, probably months to let go...
I am a control freak also and now, building a team, have decided I am going to delegate if it KILLS me. Guess what, it isn't killing me and my wonderful team is taking over! WHEN it works it will make a major difference in what I get to do each day. It isn't happening quickly, but it is happening!
PLAN is my job - my only job and I love the way you put it. Good work!
Toby Davis
Thank you, Toby and Sharon, for your comments.
I HIRED MY VA!! She's starting the in morning. Just starting out a couple of hours a week to catch up on some phone call follow up. We'll see where that goes. Hopefully I'll have to bump her up to more hours!!
I'm so excited!!! YIPPIE!!
Am I a control freak or Virgo perfectionist? Is there a difference?? I know I need to learn to delegate! Thanks for the advice!
I'm smiling at this post. One of the questions on my New Client Assessment is "Are you a control freak?" A VA can't help you if you won't let go. :)
Kudos to Sharon for her excellent comment about harnessing the power of the "control freak" to develop systems. A VA needs clear direction from an agent, and if you don't know what YOUR system is, it will be hard to translate what you need to the VA. VAs love systems, and if you don't have one, most of us will help you set one up. This is a GREAT suggestion, Sharon.
Bob, I would say nothing is wrong with being a control freak, until it holds you back because there is just nothing more you can do. By freeing up some time, I can control other aspects better!
Kelly, in the same retrospect, maybe I'm just a Cancer perfectionist... except most Cancers are fairly laid back.
Betsy, I have a system all right. The system is to follow up constantly with everyone and everything probably everyday during each step of the buying and selling process. The VA is not taking over that stuff. She's just making calls to people who have raised their hand, but have not taken the next step.
Renee, Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes in case you want to lose some control.
Chris, I tried hiring a friend as my assistant last year... it lasted about 3 weeks. It's taken me a year to get an unbiased person to help out. I never wanted to question the efforts of my friend, but I'll definitely be questioning the efforts of the VA.