How To Read the Trends and Stay Ahead of the Curve in Real Estate Sales

Let me ask you a question: How do you stay informed?

Do you read your favorite publications? Watch the daily news? Listen to talk radio?

Fair warning: even if we have options on the table, we can’t keep up with the trends when we turn to the same sources over and over again.

To me, getting outside our own little self-defined box puts me ahead of the latest trends.

I’m not suggesting that your sources are wrong or unhelpful; I’m just suggesting that they might be incomplete.

So how important is it to read the trends and stay ahead of the game? Let’s find out.

Tips on How to Read the Latest Trends

We care about what is coming down the pike because it will affect our personal and professional life.

The question is: How can you think about what would happen in the future?

Here are some things you can do to stay ahead of the game:

Listen Broadly

In catching up with the latest trends, we have to listen to different voices. Naturally, our brains listen more to people who we are comfortable with and with whom we agree because their opinion is already like ours.

However, when you’re listening to people with dissenting opinions you are forced to think harder. Your natural tendency is to want to reject, even when an opposing concept makes some sense.

That thinking hinders your growth and, ultimately, your goal to keep yourself updated on the latest trends.

So, you may want to just backtrack on that just a little bit. It’s not necessarily about disagreeing — it’s more about finding different voices.

Look at Both the Upside and the Downside

A healthy aspect of trend spotting is to look into the future and both best-case and worst-case scenarios. If you were seeking alternate opinions by Bradley searching out other sources for information, take the next step and ask about those best- and worst-case scenarios.

In so doing your gain clarity about how to prepare for whatever the future has in store. But more importantly, you can speak effectively and persuasively about all sides of an issue.

This can be applied to market trends, consumer preferences, and even organizational shifts.

Create an Alternative Plan

What are you doing to prepare yourself for whatever happens next?

This is where contingency planning comes into play. It acts as a backup solution that you can use to address problems as they arise.

Creating a contingency plan starts by having a clear vision of the possible problems that you may face. Take a break from the day-to-day problems and asking “what if” questions, like:

• What are the first steps we would take if the market turned in a different direction?
• How would we respond right away if customer preferences quickly changed?

You’re less likely to get blindsided by change when you have already come up with even some rough ideas for how you will respond.

Wrapping Up

Keeping up with the trends is easier said than done, but it is possible. Listen to the people with compelling ideas, try to see both sides in every situation, and never forget to create a backup plan if all else fails.

When we think outside the box and contemplate the road ahead just a little bit, we’ll add tremendous value not just to our organization today, but to our organization of tomorrow.

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to help you solve them! You can message me, and we can chat directly in Sales365, my brand-new coaching, personal development and community app. Click here to join us!

I’ll be talking more about this topic at the annual Sales Leadership Summit, the first in-person event in the homebuilding industry in 18 months.

At Sales Leadership Summit 2021, you’ll learn the Builder Pivot Blueprint™ to help you rise above today’s market frenzies and prepare for whatever comes next while maintaining a great customer experience throughout the entire journey.

You’ll get what you need to pivot in these five areas:

• Redefining the Customer Experience
• Rethinking Margin: Money, Time & Land
• Rapid-response Training for Sales Teams
• Recruiting/Staffing for the Downturn (AND for the next boom!)
• Reading the Trends and Staying Ahead of the Curve

Every year, the Sales Leadership Summit is the biggest and only conference designed exclusively for sales leaders in the real estate industry.

Hundreds of people return every year to experience great teaching, build new strategies, learn new tools and expand their network of friends.