Author Shares His 10 Success Secrets

Ken Eddy is a self-described “student of the industry,” and he’s intrigued by the qualities and strategies of top performers.

“I’ve always wanted to know what makes the powerhouse agents tick,” says Eddy, a Chairman’s Club member with RE/MAX Real Estate Central in Calgary, Alberta.

He’s earned the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, and was honored earlier this year with the Robert H. Cherot Award from the RE/MAX of Western Canada Region.

Here, Eddy shares some of his observations and own experiences from his strategy-filled book, Secrets of Success: 10 Reasons Why 10% of Realtors Control 90% of the Business.

1. KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT YOU DON’T KNOW
Learning about your field is a career-long challenge. Get into the habit of engaging with top agents and constantly sharpening your skills.

2. USE YOUR STRENGTHS
Do what you do best, and seek the help of others to balance your weaknesses. Your strengths will ultimately generate the income, so free up your time to really use them.

3. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Successful agents have common traits, including a positive attitude, communication and organizational skills, resilience, discipline and motivation. Make it a goal to develop these characteristics in yourself.

4. BUILD YOUR NETWORK
Stay in regular contact with clients, industry leaders, mentors and anyone who has the ability to make new connections. They all could be influential in expanding your customer base.

5. HAVE A WRITTEN BUSINESS PLAN
Not having a written business plan is like starting a trip without a map. Include the standard components (expenses, estimated profits, etc.), but don’t forget a vision and mission statement, plus achievements and future opportunities.

6. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS OF THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME
Eddy suggests agents create a three-step self-education plan: first, write a prioritized list of questions and, second, find three to four experts who can provide the best answers. Finally, he advises scheduling short, effective meetings such as coffee breaks to connect with these selected specialists.

7. ADAPT AND CHANGE WITH THE TIMES
Ken Eddy writes that staying up-to-date will help you “know what to focus on so you don’t needlessly waste time, energy and money, ” as well as better serve the tech-savvy clients who have unprecedented access to listings and information.

8. TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR FOUR WALLS
Ken Eddy advises to focus on what you can control. He urges brokers concentrate on making their business the very best, and most effective it can be, and downplay negative outside forces – such as global economy or politics – which they cannot change.

9. INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
Urging humility, “understand that you don’t know everything,” Eddy recommends agents create a list of industry areas they want to explore, then educate themselves by joining local organizations, attending conferences and meetings, and taking advantage of training programs.

10. FOLLOW A SCHEDULE
A yearly/monthly and weekly schedule “helps you put your business plan to work,” explains Eddy. “If you truly want to be effective every day, week, month and year, you have to follow a schedule.”