What's your Mid Term Grade?

Can you believe we are already reaching the mid point of 2012? As a commercial real estate brokers in San Francisco, we are enjoying the best start to a new year in a long time. Technology has led the charge of a major boom hitting our market and our hope is that it not only continues, but also carries across the country so that everyone benefits; like the dot-com boom of the 90's.

As a salesperson it is now time to evaluate where you stand mid way through this year. If you established goals and results for yourself at the beginning of the year, now it is time to evaluate the results and make whatever changes are necessary to hit your ultimate year-end goals or better them. If you are the type of salesperson who works hard and understands that results come from this hard work, it is still important to spend time checking back on where you stand: in terms of not only income but also future business opportunities ahead of you. I believe in the grading system and now the time for you to grade yourself.

If you give yourself an A, congratulations – but only if it is an honest A. If you give yourself a D or F congratulations are still in order: the first step for improvement is to first admit things are not going the way you anticipated.

If you feel you have been busy so far this year but have not achieved the results you were expecting, then make time for self reflection to determine if you are indeed on the right track. Are deals coming in soon or have you been keeping busy to avoid doing the real things needed to get results?

Sales are about connecting with people who can give you business. An effective sales plan includes paperwork, proposals, research and other aspects that can take up a lot of time. However, if the majority of your time is not spent looking for more business you will not be successful in the long term, though you may be working hard.

Don't wait any longer, have a look in the mirror and give yourself a mid-term grade. Then sit down and look back at your year so far and ask yourself what has worked for you and what has not. Please don't end that review with the excuse "Well, it's the market" – because it isn't! Great salespeople sell in any market.

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Hans Hansson is President of Starboard TCN Worldwide Real Estate Services as well as a member of the Board of Directors for TCN Worldwide Real Estate. Hans has been an active broker for over 27 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in office leasing and investments. If you have any questions or comments please email hans@starboardnet.com or call him at (415) 765-6897. You may also check out his website, http://www.commercialspacefinder.com/.