Don't Waste the slow Real Estate Season: Build a Better Business in 12 Weeks
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If the real estate market feels slower than usual, you’re not imagining it. Transactions are down, buyers are hesitant, and listings aren’t moving like they used to. But instead of spending emotional energy worrying about where your business is headed, this is a perfect opportunity to work on your business.
Before you know it, things will pick back up. And when they do, you’ll be busier than ever, with the kind of systems, structure, and focus you’ve always wanted.
Why Every Agent Should Try the 12 Week Year
I’ve been running 12 Week Year cycles with my real estate team in Cincinnati for years. And every time we kick off a new round, there’s this burst of energy that’s hard to describe. Everyone on the team has big goals and the usual struggle with focus. But when we go all in on what we want in our lives, not just our business, it’s almost intoxicating.
Working toward those goals together brings us closer as a team, and the progress we see in just 12 weeks is real. Health improves. Relationships improve. Business improves.
How It Works
The 12 Week Year is built on a simple idea: annual goals are too slow. The book walks you through how to break your long-term vision into short-term, highly focused 12-week sprints.
In real estate, most agents get slammed in the spring and summer, then tell themselves they’ll regroup in the fall or winter. Maybe rework their systems. Get healthier. Plan for next year. But before you know it, spring hits again and nothing has really changed.
The 12 Week Year solves that by giving you a repeatable structure. You set 1 to 3 goals, build a tactical weekly plan, track your execution daily, and hold a weekly WAM (Weekly Accountability Meeting) to stay on course.
It’s not complicated. It just creates urgency and structure around the things you already know you need to do.
Don’t Let Your Life Fall Behind Your Business
As salespeople, we put a lot of emphasis on our production. It’s a crazy career that can have us working around the clock, often at the expense of our health and relationships. During the busy seasons, we work 24/7. During the slow seasons, we worry 24/7.
But to stay productive and focused over the long haul, the rest of your life has to be in order too. That’s why building personal goals into your 12 Week Year is so important. Whether it’s your health, your relationship, or just doing something fun for yourself, those areas deserve structure and commitment just like your business does.
This industry can eat you alive if you let it. The agents who thrive long term are the ones who learn how to invest in their lives, not just their lead count.
Use This Time to Streamline Your Systems
When the market slows down, it’s the perfect chance to rebuild the backend of your business. One of the smartest 12 Week Year goals you can set is to finally clean up your systems in Nekst.
Review your workflows. Simplify your task lists. Organize your Detail Boxes. Update your email and SMS templates. Create client experiences that feel polished, not pieced together.
Nekst is more than a checklist tool. It’s a full Real Estate Workflow Automation System, and when it’s dialed in, it can save you hours each week and make your service feel five times more professional.
And if you don’t have systems, build them for the first time. The longer you wait to create structure, the harder it is to scale. You’ll be stuck reinventing the wheel with every transaction, chasing deadlines, and relying too much on memory. Systems give your business consistency and make it easier to grow, train, and take time off without everything falling apart. Nekst is designed to be one of the most effective Real Estate Process Management Solutions available, especially for agents building for long-term growth.
You Have to Go All In
If you’re going to try the 12 Week Year, commit to doing it right. This isn't something you casually scribble into your notebook and revisit when you feel like it. Start by building a real plan. Create a clear vision. Write specific goals. Then break those goals down into weekly and daily actions that actually move you forward.
Every week should have structure. And to complete a week successfully, you’ll need to spend less time scrolling TikTok or filling your calendar with lender coffee dates that don’t really grow your business. You’ll have to focus, and that’s the point.
Don’t do it alone. Find a few other people to go through it with you. Weekly Accountability Meetings (WAMs) are where the magic happens. It’s not about policing each other. It’s about showing up, sharing progress, and learning how to hold yourself accountable in a way most people never do.
This isn’t a motivational journal or a planner you pick up once in a while. It’s a system. And when you commit to it fully, you’ll be surprised by how much changes in just 12 weeks.
How to Get Started
- Buy the book The 12 Week Year on Amazon
- Download the audiobook on Audible and start listening today
- Grab a SelfJournal to help you stay focused and plan each week with purpose
SPECIAL BONUS FROM NEKST: Get Your Free 12-Week Starter Kit Below!