The recession has had a negative impact on the majority of businesses here in the United States. It has unquestionably changed the way some businesses do things. But there is at least one vital aspect of business that we business owners cannot allow the economy to change.

One of the most important trends I noticed consistently in my real estate business was the number of homes sold as a percentage of the number of new leads I generated.

This one finding completely transformed my business because it allowed me to narrow my focus. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have both said that “intense focus” was the key to their success.

Before my numbers breakthrough, I ran around every day like a chicken with its head cut off. I chased every single shiny object I saw. I would hear a new idea and I would be off to work on it. I didn’t focus on any ONE thing and therefore I didn’t make any real progress.

Based on my coaching and consulting to hundreds of real estate agents, I’ve noticed that the majority have the same problem. Especially now in these economic times, people tend to chase whatever opportunitythey think they can get their hands on.

There are a lot of shiny objects out there for us to chase. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Tracking numbers allowed me to break out of this cycle. I finally realized that the most important thing I could do each and every day within my business was to:

Generate New Leads

If 100 leads turned into four home sales, then 200 leads would be 8 sales. I finally had instant focus. I realized that I didn’t need fancy business cards or the latest “smart” phone to check the listings on the road.

I simply had to generate leads every single day.

This lesson has stayed with me every since. Lead generation is my number one business focus, no matter what. I do something every day to generate new leads. Generating leads for your business is exactly like feeding your body.

Don’t feed your body, and it starves. Don’t feed your business new leads, and it dies.

I realize the real estate market is slow. Do not use this as an excuse to stop marketing. This is a big mistake.

In fact, I would suggest that you market more now than you have in the past. I’m marketing my business more today than I’ve ever marketed it before. In fact, I’ve actually increased my monthly lead generation goals from 2008.

To sell more houses, you must generate more leads.