Things to do list:
1. know your inventory. If someone enters your floor day, and asks for specific property information, do you know, immediately, what properties would fit the potential buyer's criteria? Do you have to do a search, right then, for same, or can you sound like "the expert", and suggest 3 to 5 items, immediately? If the answer is "no", then you need to use some of this supposed "down time", and do some drivebys/do some random searches for a "mythical buyer", just so you will "be prepared", and be able to respond without a lot of computer or paper time. Don't you think that would instil confidence, in any buyer, that they've lucked out and contacted the "local expert"?
2. keep clutter at bay. I don't know who thinks this is a paperless world, but it's essential to keep that desk surface "clean". Try sitting in the buyer's seat, sometime, and look with a critical eye at your office space. Maybe stagers could take a look at realtor offices for a change, and not just at their listings!
3. have a day, at least twice a month, weekly if possible, for "yourself", but not just to "goof off". Instead, do something to improve your mind. If all you think about is real estate, how to sell a house, get a buyer, you will be putting up shutters around your mind. We're in a people business, and that means connecting with people in a very personal way. Have something else to talk about, other than homes, so that you come across as an interesting person, in your own right -- you're not "just your job", are you?
4. don't be afraid to hire someone to make sure that you're totally in the digital world. Even baby steps are key, here. It's just a communication device. At the end of the day, you still have to be knowledgable about point # 1, and be doing something about point # 3.
5. if you have a family, remember to include them in your business, even in small ways, so that the business is seen as a shared responsibility and successes are a "team effort". There are no successful prima donnas, but there are a lot of failed relationships in this "always" business of communication and connection. Bring your "nearest and dearest" circle along for the ride. Inclusion, not exclusion!
6. your thoughts? Always welcome!
How may I help you to discover special Salt Spring Island & the Southern Gulf Islands? Call me!
