Natalie Carpenter discusses the diffeence between building a business with paid leads versus building a sustainable business organically.  

"To Buy or Not to Buy Leads" discusses the financial implications and long-term sustainability of real estate agents purchasing sales leads versus cultivating leads organically. Natalie Carpenter highlights that while paid leads can initiate a career, they often result in significant commission loss over time due to high referral fees. She argues that owning relationships and nurturing a personal sphere of influence leads to more consistent and predictable income, as these connections can generate repeat and referral business without additional cost. The text ultimately advocates for agents to gain control of their business and income by focusing on organic lead generation, offering coaching and strategies to achieve this balance.

The provided text from "Partner referrals.pdf" highlights Natalie Carpenter's advice on maximizing professional networks for real estate agents. Carpenter emphasizes that agents often give referrals without receiving them in return, suggesting the key is to actively ask for business. The document outlines various professionals as potential referral sources, including loan officers, attorneys, financial planners, contractors, home inspectors, appraisers, and insurance agents. It also surprisingly suggests wedding and event planners as a valuable, often overlooked, source for future homebuyers. Ultimately, Carpenter encourages cultivating mutually beneficial relationships through proactive outreach, promising increased income and a stronger professional team

The provided text outlines Natalie Carpenter's strategic approach to business planning, emphasizing the retrospective analysis of past performance. Carpenter suggests that individuals should review their sales history from the preceding twelve months to identify the origin of each opportunity. By pinpointing the initial action that led to a connection, such as a casual conversation or a targeted outreach, one can track and quantify which methods are most effective. This process allows for the identification of personal strengths—the actions consistently leading to sales—which then form the foundation of a future business plan. Ultimately, the goal is to double down on proven activities, adjust underperforming ones, and build a detailed, actionable strategy based on what genuinely works for the individual.

Real estate professionals should identify and leverage their strengths to build a sustainable business rather than focusing on weaknesses. It suggests performing a SWOT analysis to understand one's unique value proposition, often called "secret sauce," which distinguishes them from competitors. The text also highlights the importance of aligning business goals with personal lifestyle, understanding one's target market, and ensuring marketing efforts resonate with an authentic persona. Finally, the source stresses the critical role of continuous training, coaching, and utilizing appropriate tools for business growth.

You don’t have a business plan1. A business plan is compared to a GPS for travelers entering unfamiliar territory, as it helps keep you focused on what matters to your business.
Why a Business Plan is Essential: A business plan is crucial because it lays out the steps you need to take to achieve success. It includes the strategy and actions necessary to meet your goals. For real estate agents, at a minimum, it should involve calculating the number of deals needed to close to meet monetary commission income goals. This involves dividing your commission goal by the commission generated per transaction to determine the number of transactions required. For example, to make $100,000 with a $7200 take-home per sale, you would need to close about 13-14 properties.
Components of a Good Business Plan: Good business plans typically include sections on prospecting, sales and marketing, and expenses. Other helpful components can be a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), professional partnerships, support, and outsourced services. The sources emphasize that in-house coaching, business planning guidance, and support are invaluable for both new and experienced real estate professionals.