7 Business and Strategic Planning Tips for the Year Ahead

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to think about how you want your real estate business to grow. From building a business plan to formulating an online marketing strategy, we've published plenty of great articles that can help you get organized and plan ahead for success.

The articles below are just a sampling of the best business and strategic planning articles of the past year. Take a look for ideas on how to succeed in 2013.

1. Tips, Tricks and Tools for Your Business Plan - by Emily Williams
If the thought of business planning strikes fear into your heart (or just plain turns your stomach), you're not alone. Most entrepreneurs dread building a business plan. At the same time, it's an invaluable tool that can take your enterprise to the next level. We're going to provide a few tips, tricks, and tools to make the process less daunting.

2. Creating Actionable Social Media Strategies - by Market Leader
If the thought of starting and maintaining an actionable social media strategy seems overwhelming, it's time to come up with a game plan. In the world of social media, you are either a player or sitting the sidelines. Writing a blog from time to time, creating a Facebook page that you rarely visit or tweeting every couple of weeks doesn't keep you in the game. In fact, it shows that you are inconsistent. Go beyond just creating a presence.

3. Prepare Now to Sell More Homes in 2013 - by HomeFinder.com
Michael Lindstrom, nationally recognized business coach, has a client roster that includes industry leaders, public figures, top executives, professional athletes and most recently, the five winning real estate agents of the HomeFinder.com Agent Makeover Sweepstakes. Below, Michael elaborates on the top things agents should focus on for success in to 2013.

4. Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan - by Emily Williams
Our CEO, Victor Lund, is always saying it: "Plan your work and work your plan." And he's usually saying it when he's trying to motivate our team to do the things we don't want to do. He's a smart guy; he knows that it's easy to remember the things you enjoy but conveniently easy to forget the things you dislike.

5. 99 Problems, but a Niche Ain't One - by Jim Cronin
So often when I hear real estate agents complain about their lack of leads or lack of web presence, I try to explain to them that it might be a lack of focus that is keeping them from success. It's so much easier to be a big fish in a small pond than vice versa.

6. Budget Season: Will You Be Making These 3 Marketing Expenses? - by Emily Williams
I recently spotted an article on Mashable that listed three marketing expenses as "must-haves" for the upcoming budget season. I'm going to discuss each and then ask you to weigh-in on whether or not they'll appear in your budget.

7. Build a Business Plan... Build a Business Plan... Build a Business Plan! - by Ernie Whitehouse of PCMS Consulting
Have you had enough of the pundits screaming "Build a Business Plan" from the lecture circuit? While they are correct, the fact is few of them have actually done it themselves. They are terrific motivational speakers, and they really can talk the talk. But walking the talkin the everyday pressure cooker of running a business is a different story. Especially in this economic environment.