The arrival of spring can only mean one thing: it’s the busy season for Realtors®. Now is time to kick your business into high gear. You’ve got to make appointments, return phone calls and plan open houses. Not to mention, send out those “just listed” postcards and update your marketing materials. How do you stay on top of it all and capitalize on the busy spring season?
Of course, you wouldn’t be in this business if you didn’t know how to close the sale, right? But what about staying on top of that pesky paperwork? When’s the last time you did an expense report?
Work Smarter
You may not like to do all of these nitty-gritty little details, but you’ve got to learn to manage them efficiently. And the key to being organized is effective time management. Successful real estate agents know that you must work smarter, and make sure to follow through.
To-Do
Start with a simple to-do list. Write down things to do today or this week and check them off as you go along. Create a calendar (complete with both long and short-term goals), set priorities, and keep your work neat and organized.
Distractions are everywhere. You’re the middle of a call with a prospective buyer when you bump into an old customer. You’re on your way to a showing but there’s a huge traffic jam and you’re running late.
Technology is Your Friend
Take advantage of technology—use your smart phone to keep track of everything you’ve got going on. You can download the many real estate tools and apps to help you become more efficient.
Many people will tell you that they’d be lost without their smart phones. You can put together a calendar, daily agenda, sales goals and even add your customers’ birthdays. Make sure to take a few minutes to read real estate articles and real estate blogs. Update those house photos. But whether it’s a smart phone or an old-fashioned paper and pen, you’ve got to make the best use of your time.
Setting Priorities
OK, you’ve put together your to-do list. Now, it’s time to set priorities. Experts suggest suggests that you prioritize items according to their importance. An item of high priority would be designated as “A”, medium priority “B”, and low priority “C”. Within these designations, you can create subcategories – item 1A, 2A, and so on.
Giving yourself goals, setting priorities and finishing what you’ve started are the keys to effective time management. And effective time management will lead to your success as a real estate agent.
Bit-by-Bit
When tackling a large project, it’s best to break it up into small, management chunks. Taking things step-by-step helps manage a project and make it seem less overwhelming.
Got 10 Minutes?
Try the ten-minute rule. Tell yourself you’ll work on something for at least ten minutes, and chances are, you’ll go at it for longer than that. But even if you only do those ten minutes, at least you’ve done some work toward your goal.
Use these tiny blocks of time to return a text, make a quick phone call, or jot down some notes before an appointment. Ask yourself this: “What is the best use of my time right now?”
Those Nagging Little Tasks
Let’s say you don’t like writing real estate announcements. You may want to do those nagging little tasks first. Save the enjoyable things—the things you are good at—for later.
Done!
There’s nothing quite like checking off an item on your to-do list, especially one that you’ve been putting off for some time. Completing a job gives you momentum to accomplish your next job.
Reward Yourself!
Don’t forget: while time management is crucial to your career success, you can’t neglect yourself. Stress management is just as important as time management. Whether it’s a delicious cup of cappuccino or a brisk walk in this beautiful spring weather, be sure to reward yourself for a job well done!
BestPrintBuy.com provides print and marketing solutions for real estate agents and their franchises. We offer online design and print solutions for business cards, postcards, postcard mailing and marketing, folded note cards, door hangers, note pads, bookmarks and several other products to real estate agents.