Given the full-throttle force of technology and social media in today’s world, you wouldn’t be wrong to think that Twitter and blogging have reshaped the way those of us in the housing industry do business.
As a real estate or mortgage professional that depends on Facebook and certain apps to communicate with clients, to market your practice or simply promote new listings and mortgage products, social media tools and the Internet are an important part of our daily repertoire. For many, it is an entrenched part of our business culture. For some, it’s a matter of getting there. For others, they probably never will.
But it’s a mistake to give cyberspace and its accompanying workings more power than its face value because, frankly, they’re only tools with which to play your trade. Simply put, they help you get the word out.
So are social media and the web the cornerstone for modern professionals in the real estate and mortgage industry's? Yes, they probably are, strictly from a functional standpoint. But without the human underpinnings with which to build upon, Twitter might as well sing its final tweet.
Clients today don’t need more BFFs. They want the same kind of housing professional they’ve always wanted.
Here’s a look:Be Professional – We’re not talking toy soldier stiff, but high-fives and a sloppy appearance might be a sign that it’s time for an attitude adjustment. We live in a fairly casual world today, but that doesn’t mean you should be ultra laid-back in your approach with clients. Treat them with respect and kindness. Dress neatly, keep your car tidy when chauffeuring clients and if you see clients in your home, keep it clean and de-cluttered.
Know Your Stuff – One sure-fire way to disengage clients is by not knowing your market. Of course, you can’t be expected to know everything, but have reasonable answers at your fingertips when questions get asked that you may not have an answer for. Know the schools, hospitals, churches in the area in which you sell. It’d be handy for you to bone up on speciality shops, restaurants and cafes in the neighbourhood as well as statistics about crime, especially if it’s on the low side. Know of cultural attractions such as museums and libraries.
Are You a People Person? – If not, you might want to look for a new profession. Enjoying the human race is not something you can fake. People can smell a rat. Always be honest with your clients. No need to sugar coat. Your client should feel that they are the centre of your universe and no request they make is too ridiculous or petty, even if it may be. To earn serious brownie points, your clients will want a sense that you’ve gone above and beyond what the average agent or broker would do. At heart, you’re a people pleaser.
Communicate – The world would be a much better place if we all communicated on a higher level. As a REALTOR® or mortgage professional, you’re tasked with the job of listening, really listening, to what your clients want and helping them get it. You’re naturally expected to communicate with your clients and other parties during the process, which could include other communication skills such as negotiating, bargaining, writing, advertising, and promoting. The better you are at getting your client’s message across, the easier your job will be.
Well connected -- People like their agents and brokers to be well-connected. By that we mean someone who’s in the know when it comes to obtaining real estate lawyers, property inspectors and mortgage professionals. More than that, though, it also means someone who understands the ins and outs of the housing professions, someone who gets it innately and someone who understands the value of professional networking.
No Word of a Lie – Honesty and integrity are words that commonly come up when clients are asked about the most important attributes in their realtor. They’re not kidding. Play it straight. Don’t over promise and under deliver because that will only serve to perpetuate the profession’s bad reputation and spread word that you’re not worth the name on your for sale signs.How has technology changed the way you do business?
Do you still operate from the same principles as always? Share your thoughts.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
How Lending a Hand Assists You Professionally
As an independent contractor whose community profile might match that of the local politicos, realtors are often asked to donate their time, money and expertise to various causes, events and charitable organizations within the community in which they work. In fact in our recent survey, over 43% of your were regularly undertaking volunteer work within your community.
While it’s not uncommon to automatically think no when a request for help comes at you out of the blue, perhaps you’d be better off if you took your time to consider the request without immediately closing the door.
And as well-thought-of professional it behooves you to give back to the community from which you’ve built your reputation, earned a living and developed a sphere of influence or a trusted social network of friends.
Volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. As such, volunteering lets you better connect with your community. But it’s not simply a one-way street and those who think so are woefully mistaken. Volunteering your efforts to help, say, with the local humane society can end up out-benefitting you in the end as you connect and build relationships with other animal lovers.
Volunteering can also help you build upon skills and talents you already have and use them to benefit the greater community. As a realtor, for instance, you raise awareness for your favorite cause or event as a volunteer advocate, while further developing and improving your public speaking, communication, and marketing skills.
The exposure alone is invaluable. People come to know and recognize you as that advocate of whatever the cause or event. Your name and your face get plastered in the community papers. That level of recognition can’t be bought.
As you become more and more involved in your cause or charity, your mounting community profile could lead to new or related paid gigs.
Now that you have the volunteering bug, the question will be what cause or charity really excites you and motivates you to give of your time freely. Here, thanks to Volunteer Edmonton, are some questions you should ask yourself:
• If you had all the time and money in the world, what problem would you solve? What would you change or create? Your answer will tell you what matters to you most.
• How much time can you commit? Weekly? Monthly? Mornings or evenings?
• What kinds of people do you want to work with--both in terms of who is receiving the services and who your co-workers might be? Do you want to volunteer with children? The seniors or disabled?
• Where would you like to volunteer? At home or at an organization? Do you have transportation?
• Do you have specific skills or talents you would like to share? Others could benefit from your expertise--whether that is gardening, sewing, bookkeeping, web designing and much more.
• What are your personal goals? Gain work experience, explore a new career, champion a cause near and dear to your heart and
• Are you willing to participate in a training course or do you want to start your volunteer work right away? A training course can boost your skills, but it can also be time-consuming.
• What DON'T you want to do as a volunteer? Identifying your dislikes will give you a clearer picture of what your ideal volunteer experience looks like.
Whether you’re selling raffle tickets for a draw, helping run a small agency as a board member or serving food to the needy, remember that your efforts not only serve to inspire you but others as well. There’s nothing like starting a rippling effect of kindness.
What kinds of charities or causes do you enjoy helping out with? What is one of your most rewarding volunteer experiences? Do you plan to volunteer more or less this year?
While it’s not uncommon to automatically think no when a request for help comes at you out of the blue, perhaps you’d be better off if you took your time to consider the request without immediately closing the door.
And as well-thought-of professional it behooves you to give back to the community from which you’ve built your reputation, earned a living and developed a sphere of influence or a trusted social network of friends.
Volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. As such, volunteering lets you better connect with your community. But it’s not simply a one-way street and those who think so are woefully mistaken. Volunteering your efforts to help, say, with the local humane society can end up out-benefitting you in the end as you connect and build relationships with other animal lovers.
Volunteering can also help you build upon skills and talents you already have and use them to benefit the greater community. As a realtor, for instance, you raise awareness for your favorite cause or event as a volunteer advocate, while further developing and improving your public speaking, communication, and marketing skills.
The exposure alone is invaluable. People come to know and recognize you as that advocate of whatever the cause or event. Your name and your face get plastered in the community papers. That level of recognition can’t be bought.
As you become more and more involved in your cause or charity, your mounting community profile could lead to new or related paid gigs.
Now that you have the volunteering bug, the question will be what cause or charity really excites you and motivates you to give of your time freely. Here, thanks to Volunteer Edmonton, are some questions you should ask yourself:
• If you had all the time and money in the world, what problem would you solve? What would you change or create? Your answer will tell you what matters to you most.
• How much time can you commit? Weekly? Monthly? Mornings or evenings?
• What kinds of people do you want to work with--both in terms of who is receiving the services and who your co-workers might be? Do you want to volunteer with children? The seniors or disabled?
• Where would you like to volunteer? At home or at an organization? Do you have transportation?
• Do you have specific skills or talents you would like to share? Others could benefit from your expertise--whether that is gardening, sewing, bookkeeping, web designing and much more.
• What are your personal goals? Gain work experience, explore a new career, champion a cause near and dear to your heart and
• Are you willing to participate in a training course or do you want to start your volunteer work right away? A training course can boost your skills, but it can also be time-consuming.
• What DON'T you want to do as a volunteer? Identifying your dislikes will give you a clearer picture of what your ideal volunteer experience looks like.
Whether you’re selling raffle tickets for a draw, helping run a small agency as a board member or serving food to the needy, remember that your efforts not only serve to inspire you but others as well. There’s nothing like starting a rippling effect of kindness.
What kinds of charities or causes do you enjoy helping out with? What is one of your most rewarding volunteer experiences? Do you plan to volunteer more or less this year?
Friday, November 25, 2011
Helping those less fortunate
November 25, 2011 -- Almost every year, I head south in November to spend some time with REALTORS® from all over the world at the National Association of REALTORS® Conference. It is a great way to find out what is new and happening in terms of technology and get an idea of the upcoming issues for the real estate community.
As we watch our American neighbours celebrate American Thanksgiving, and we as Canadians officially enter into the holiday season, I’m reminded of just how thankful I am to live in such a wonderful city. I also can’t help but take this time to reflect on how we as a REALTOR® community can help others achieve the dream of homeownership.
And so I’m truly honoured to be part of a community of REALTORS® who have volunteered to help make that dream a reality for one local family.
Starting on November 25th then again on December 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th, our community of Greater Toronto REALTORS® are taking part in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home that our professional association the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has sponsored.
Located at 4572 Kingston Road near Morningside Avenue, the home marks the fourth title sponsorship of seven Habitat for Humanity builds to which TREB has contributed in recent years.
We as REALTORS® have the distinct honour of witnessing on a daily basis one of the greatest life changing moments when we witness our clients achieve that homeownership dream.
And so as REALTORS®, we recognize that a home is more than just bricks and mortar: It serves as a retreat from our busy world, a place where friends and family gather, and where memories are made. So I know I speak for all REALTORS® who will be playing a key role in improving the quality of life for another local family, not just through sponsorship but by volunteering to take part in their home’s construction.
In recent years TREB also sponsored Habitat for Humanity homes in Scarborough’s McLevin Woods and Etobicoke’s Lakeshore Village. The organization, which constructs simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with low-income families has built more than 225 homes throughout the city, and has set a goal to build 50 new homes each year by 2015.
By offering a helping hand to families in need, Habitat for Humanity is helping to build a better Toronto, which is a priority goal that we as Greater Toronto REALTORS® share.
Each year, Toronto Real Estate Board REALTOR® Members contribute to the overall quality of life in the Greater Toronto Area by supporting shelter-related charities through the REALTORS® Care Foundation. Last year it offered grants totaling more than $178,000 to 35 different organizations throughout the GTA.
So with the holidays upon us, this is a time of year when many people’s thoughts turn to helping those less fortunate. I encourage everyone to contribute their time or their financial resources to the GTA’s many shelter-related related organizations because doing so benefits us all.
Richard Silver is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 32,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.
As we watch our American neighbours celebrate American Thanksgiving, and we as Canadians officially enter into the holiday season, I’m reminded of just how thankful I am to live in such a wonderful city. I also can’t help but take this time to reflect on how we as a REALTOR® community can help others achieve the dream of homeownership.
And so I’m truly honoured to be part of a community of REALTORS® who have volunteered to help make that dream a reality for one local family.
Starting on November 25th then again on December 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th, our community of Greater Toronto REALTORS® are taking part in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home that our professional association the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has sponsored.
Located at 4572 Kingston Road near Morningside Avenue, the home marks the fourth title sponsorship of seven Habitat for Humanity builds to which TREB has contributed in recent years.
We as REALTORS® have the distinct honour of witnessing on a daily basis one of the greatest life changing moments when we witness our clients achieve that homeownership dream.
And so as REALTORS®, we recognize that a home is more than just bricks and mortar: It serves as a retreat from our busy world, a place where friends and family gather, and where memories are made. So I know I speak for all REALTORS® who will be playing a key role in improving the quality of life for another local family, not just through sponsorship but by volunteering to take part in their home’s construction.
In recent years TREB also sponsored Habitat for Humanity homes in Scarborough’s McLevin Woods and Etobicoke’s Lakeshore Village. The organization, which constructs simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with low-income families has built more than 225 homes throughout the city, and has set a goal to build 50 new homes each year by 2015.
By offering a helping hand to families in need, Habitat for Humanity is helping to build a better Toronto, which is a priority goal that we as Greater Toronto REALTORS® share.
Each year, Toronto Real Estate Board REALTOR® Members contribute to the overall quality of life in the Greater Toronto Area by supporting shelter-related charities through the REALTORS® Care Foundation. Last year it offered grants totaling more than $178,000 to 35 different organizations throughout the GTA.
So with the holidays upon us, this is a time of year when many people’s thoughts turn to helping those less fortunate. I encourage everyone to contribute their time or their financial resources to the GTA’s many shelter-related related organizations because doing so benefits us all.
Richard Silver is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 32,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.
Being a Top Producer Means Being Multi-Dimensional
Friday, 25 November 2011 09:07
Heather Wright
.
. When standing atop your climb to of success, if you were to look downwards, what would the path you travelled look like? What elements are present on your road map?
Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors are in!...
Is rising to the top of your game, and stepping above your peers a question of skill and strategy, or is it about possessing a “quality”? Or is it about something even more volatile and less specific, like being in the right place at the right time, or sheer luck?
To break this down even further, as many who are already enjoying success know, it’s not just the intensity of the work that matters; you have to work strategically, adopt behaviours and habits, and know which tools and resources that are the ones that will set you apart and ahead.
Top Producers
There is success, and then there is being at the very top end of the scale of success. Do you ever wonder what sets these people apart? Are they gifted? Do they have endless budgets to invest in activities? Do they have a secret?
A recent study in the US by ActiveRain of 1700 indentified top producing REALTOR®'s probed into the topic of what actually constituted the specific behaviour and habits that set this group out from the pack. Their survey broke down success from the inside out and studied things like marketing practices, social media usage, CRM usage and work habits.
The survey drew many conclusions, but among them the fact that the two things that top producers have in common is a willingness to invest in technology, and an aggressive, proactive stance on acquiring business- which has to remain consistent throughout all marketing activities. 54% of this group engaged in regular email campaigns with all segments of their books- prospects, current clients, and past clients. Many are also leveraging the power of social media to get their message out.
So do these elements a top producer make? We put this question to members of our Propertywire.ca community, and while they agreed that investment in technology is important, as is proactive marketing, they almost unanimously felt that there was much more to it than that.
Typical?
In talking with some Propertywire.ca readers, what was interesting was the reluctance to characterize success as a quality, or to paint a picture of a top producer based on just a few qualities, which suggests that there is great depth and dimension to those who rise to the top, as well as acknowledgment that the market in which they conduct their business is ever changing as well.
While there is truth to the value of technology and to proactive marketing, Margaret Burniston, Broker, Century 21 Explorer Realty Inc., Brokerage believes that there is more than meets the eye: "No truly successful agent is one (or two) dimensional. Top agents also have strong repeatable systems, are on top of their local market and industry trends, and provide excellent client service.”
People Business
One highly overlooked resource is that of the human kind- whether it is clients, people in your centre of influence or your team backing you up.
What is often forgotten when examining the characteristics of success is that client based business is the people business, run by people for people. As such, if you keep the client and their happiness at the nexus of your business operations, chances are the rest will follow suit.
Says Burniston: “The number one tool or resource a REALTOR® has is simply people. After all real estate is a contact sport! From clients to colleagues to administrators and everyone in between, this business doesn’t work without people.”
Furthermore, in this increasingly technical world, where instant information is the guiding force, in the people business, don’t lose the human factor. Electronic delivery is great, because it can easily increase the frequency of contact, but don’t underestimate the power of face time (or phone time). In order to do business with you, people need to trust you. Trust is built on personal interaction, and emotional connection.
Mike Cunningham, REALTOR®, Bosley Real Estate Limited says that, in the people business, personal connection really counts. “Picking up the phone is the new email for me. I would always rather speak directly to someone, or meet with them face to face than I would send an email. It adds a personal touch and shows people that you are sincere and serious about what you are doing.”
A fundamental understanding of people, and their behaviour is key says Karen Filice, Broker of Record/Owner, Cirrius Realty Inc., Brokerage, “It is the ability to communicate with people, and how to read people and understand what they say when the words do not say it well. It is recognizing what people need to have as opposed to want to have."
Commitment/Consistent Behaviour
Bottom line, whatever your preferred tools or marketing strategies are, what many seem to suggest is a common thread amongst top producers, is a deep commitment to hard work. Additionally, being consistent in your efforts seems to help top producers rise to the top.
Being a good producer is not easy. Being a great producer is harder still. What seems to set many apart is the drive to persevere and to stick to plan, unwavering, short, medium and long term.
The ActiveRain Study indentified one of the common habits of top producers was the proactive stance that they took in their marketing campaigns. To break that down even further, it appears that those who consistently block off time in their schedules, and who squeeze every opportunity out of those blocks of time are the ones who set themselves apart.
Burniston says that being consistent in activity is important- but as important is recognizing the fluidity of the market in which they operate, and building that into their plans is matters too: “Successful agents are consistent with their efforts, blocking regular time to prospect and build business. They are also adaptable. Real estate is an every changing business with no two transactions quite the same. The ability to respond quickly to change, without appearing frantic, is key.”
There are pitfalls inherent to managing your own time as a self-employed person that can put up roadblocks on the way to the top. Cunningham says that it is the top producers that know that they are there, and figure out how to navigate them, while remaining consistent with work ethic: “In terms of common behaviour for a successful REALTOR®, I believe it is consistency and a strong work ethic. Having a plan and sticking to it seems to be the way that most of the top REALTOR®'s go about their business. It is very easy to get out of rhythm because of the autonomy that a REALTOR® has on a day to day basis. Managing time effectively and responding quickly to a client's needs are easy to do if there is a commitment to success and a will to get there.”
Good Habits, Good Business
As some have suggested, anyone can invest in marketing, but it takes good habits, sharpened skills and acute business sense to actually make good on the marketing.
Filice says that top producers share in common a set of habits and specific skills that go beyond technology and the like. It comes down to attitude, and to the way in which they examine the professional world around them. While some may see nothing, a top producer will identify an opportunity, and furthermore, will find a way to make that opportunity theirs.
“Being able to close a deal is another element. Top producing REALTOR®'s take closing a deal for granted because it is as much a part of them as breathing. But for those less successful, it is a skill they need to learn or they will just be frustrated. A behaviour all top producers have in common "ABC - Always be closing". They see opportunity in everything that they do, and when opportunity knocks, they open the door, they do not ignore it.”
Combo deal
Seemingly, those that are really successful understand how to combine successful behaviour and tools. There is no one thing that will deliver them to the top. The real secret to success lies in harnessing the power of what you have in front you, and combining everything together.
Laurin Jeffrey, Real Estate Salesperson, Century 21 Regal Realty, thinks that ultimately something less specific, like personality, will ultimately deliver top producer status; “Technology will only get you so far, each component plays its own part. But you have to do everything in order to make that leap to super agent. You need to have the personality to sell, to sell yourself to everyone you meet. You have to have the drive to join three groups and get out to every meeting and event and make sure everyone else knows what you do. You need a huge ad budget to be able to keep your name in front of everyone all the time.”
Burniston agrees, “A successful REALTOR® relies on a combination of learned skills, technology and those less specific skills and senses. Some studies suggest that 80% of REALTORS® drop out of the business in less than 5 years. So it would appear that the skills and education required to get a real estate licence are not enough. It’s easy to become consumed with the latest technology.”
FIlice says, “Being a top producer means being able to find balance in your life but it also means finding the right team, using the right technology, being a good manager - of time and resources. It is the ability to do business quickly without appearing rushed. It means being a professional who is recognized as such by the public and your peers.”
Jeffrey is philosophical about success in Real Estate: “As a wise person once told me, there are three ways to get business in real estate. One is to wait for it, two is to buy it and the third way is to earn it. Some agents get their license and wait for clients to fall out of the sky into their laps. Others come out of the gate spending $5-10k a month on advertising. The last ones work their sphere, their network. None is the best way, a successful REALTOR® needs to incorporate a bit of each.”
Heather Wright
.
. When standing atop your climb to of success, if you were to look downwards, what would the path you travelled look like? What elements are present on your road map?
Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors are in!...
Is rising to the top of your game, and stepping above your peers a question of skill and strategy, or is it about possessing a “quality”? Or is it about something even more volatile and less specific, like being in the right place at the right time, or sheer luck?
To break this down even further, as many who are already enjoying success know, it’s not just the intensity of the work that matters; you have to work strategically, adopt behaviours and habits, and know which tools and resources that are the ones that will set you apart and ahead.
Top Producers
There is success, and then there is being at the very top end of the scale of success. Do you ever wonder what sets these people apart? Are they gifted? Do they have endless budgets to invest in activities? Do they have a secret?
A recent study in the US by ActiveRain of 1700 indentified top producing REALTOR®'s probed into the topic of what actually constituted the specific behaviour and habits that set this group out from the pack. Their survey broke down success from the inside out and studied things like marketing practices, social media usage, CRM usage and work habits.
The survey drew many conclusions, but among them the fact that the two things that top producers have in common is a willingness to invest in technology, and an aggressive, proactive stance on acquiring business- which has to remain consistent throughout all marketing activities. 54% of this group engaged in regular email campaigns with all segments of their books- prospects, current clients, and past clients. Many are also leveraging the power of social media to get their message out.
So do these elements a top producer make? We put this question to members of our Propertywire.ca community, and while they agreed that investment in technology is important, as is proactive marketing, they almost unanimously felt that there was much more to it than that.
Typical?
In talking with some Propertywire.ca readers, what was interesting was the reluctance to characterize success as a quality, or to paint a picture of a top producer based on just a few qualities, which suggests that there is great depth and dimension to those who rise to the top, as well as acknowledgment that the market in which they conduct their business is ever changing as well.
While there is truth to the value of technology and to proactive marketing, Margaret Burniston, Broker, Century 21 Explorer Realty Inc., Brokerage believes that there is more than meets the eye: "No truly successful agent is one (or two) dimensional. Top agents also have strong repeatable systems, are on top of their local market and industry trends, and provide excellent client service.”
People Business
One highly overlooked resource is that of the human kind- whether it is clients, people in your centre of influence or your team backing you up.
What is often forgotten when examining the characteristics of success is that client based business is the people business, run by people for people. As such, if you keep the client and their happiness at the nexus of your business operations, chances are the rest will follow suit.
Says Burniston: “The number one tool or resource a REALTOR® has is simply people. After all real estate is a contact sport! From clients to colleagues to administrators and everyone in between, this business doesn’t work without people.”
Furthermore, in this increasingly technical world, where instant information is the guiding force, in the people business, don’t lose the human factor. Electronic delivery is great, because it can easily increase the frequency of contact, but don’t underestimate the power of face time (or phone time). In order to do business with you, people need to trust you. Trust is built on personal interaction, and emotional connection.
Mike Cunningham, REALTOR®, Bosley Real Estate Limited says that, in the people business, personal connection really counts. “Picking up the phone is the new email for me. I would always rather speak directly to someone, or meet with them face to face than I would send an email. It adds a personal touch and shows people that you are sincere and serious about what you are doing.”
A fundamental understanding of people, and their behaviour is key says Karen Filice, Broker of Record/Owner, Cirrius Realty Inc., Brokerage, “It is the ability to communicate with people, and how to read people and understand what they say when the words do not say it well. It is recognizing what people need to have as opposed to want to have."
Commitment/Consistent Behaviour
Bottom line, whatever your preferred tools or marketing strategies are, what many seem to suggest is a common thread amongst top producers, is a deep commitment to hard work. Additionally, being consistent in your efforts seems to help top producers rise to the top.
Being a good producer is not easy. Being a great producer is harder still. What seems to set many apart is the drive to persevere and to stick to plan, unwavering, short, medium and long term.
The ActiveRain Study indentified one of the common habits of top producers was the proactive stance that they took in their marketing campaigns. To break that down even further, it appears that those who consistently block off time in their schedules, and who squeeze every opportunity out of those blocks of time are the ones who set themselves apart.
Burniston says that being consistent in activity is important- but as important is recognizing the fluidity of the market in which they operate, and building that into their plans is matters too: “Successful agents are consistent with their efforts, blocking regular time to prospect and build business. They are also adaptable. Real estate is an every changing business with no two transactions quite the same. The ability to respond quickly to change, without appearing frantic, is key.”
There are pitfalls inherent to managing your own time as a self-employed person that can put up roadblocks on the way to the top. Cunningham says that it is the top producers that know that they are there, and figure out how to navigate them, while remaining consistent with work ethic: “In terms of common behaviour for a successful REALTOR®, I believe it is consistency and a strong work ethic. Having a plan and sticking to it seems to be the way that most of the top REALTOR®'s go about their business. It is very easy to get out of rhythm because of the autonomy that a REALTOR® has on a day to day basis. Managing time effectively and responding quickly to a client's needs are easy to do if there is a commitment to success and a will to get there.”
Good Habits, Good Business
As some have suggested, anyone can invest in marketing, but it takes good habits, sharpened skills and acute business sense to actually make good on the marketing.
Filice says that top producers share in common a set of habits and specific skills that go beyond technology and the like. It comes down to attitude, and to the way in which they examine the professional world around them. While some may see nothing, a top producer will identify an opportunity, and furthermore, will find a way to make that opportunity theirs.
“Being able to close a deal is another element. Top producing REALTOR®'s take closing a deal for granted because it is as much a part of them as breathing. But for those less successful, it is a skill they need to learn or they will just be frustrated. A behaviour all top producers have in common "ABC - Always be closing". They see opportunity in everything that they do, and when opportunity knocks, they open the door, they do not ignore it.”
Combo deal
Seemingly, those that are really successful understand how to combine successful behaviour and tools. There is no one thing that will deliver them to the top. The real secret to success lies in harnessing the power of what you have in front you, and combining everything together.
Laurin Jeffrey, Real Estate Salesperson, Century 21 Regal Realty, thinks that ultimately something less specific, like personality, will ultimately deliver top producer status; “Technology will only get you so far, each component plays its own part. But you have to do everything in order to make that leap to super agent. You need to have the personality to sell, to sell yourself to everyone you meet. You have to have the drive to join three groups and get out to every meeting and event and make sure everyone else knows what you do. You need a huge ad budget to be able to keep your name in front of everyone all the time.”
Burniston agrees, “A successful REALTOR® relies on a combination of learned skills, technology and those less specific skills and senses. Some studies suggest that 80% of REALTORS® drop out of the business in less than 5 years. So it would appear that the skills and education required to get a real estate licence are not enough. It’s easy to become consumed with the latest technology.”
FIlice says, “Being a top producer means being able to find balance in your life but it also means finding the right team, using the right technology, being a good manager - of time and resources. It is the ability to do business quickly without appearing rushed. It means being a professional who is recognized as such by the public and your peers.”
Jeffrey is philosophical about success in Real Estate: “As a wise person once told me, there are three ways to get business in real estate. One is to wait for it, two is to buy it and the third way is to earn it. Some agents get their license and wait for clients to fall out of the sky into their laps. Others come out of the gate spending $5-10k a month on advertising. The last ones work their sphere, their network. None is the best way, a successful REALTOR® needs to incorporate a bit of each.”
Saturday, November 12, 2011
How to Break Free of Your Comfort Zone
The heat sneaks up on you like a bad rash. You’re warm and then you feel the perspiration as it trickles down your back or your brow. Anxiety about how uncomfortable you appear causes your heart to speed up as your palms become clammy and your breathing grows more and more shallow.
Next thing you can’t feel your fingertips and your having a hard time getting a good, deep breath. Before you start hyperventilating know that you’re not dying. You’re just having an anxiety attack. Millions of people suffer from them. While the cause is anyone’s guess, one big motivating factor is social anxiety, that unease you feel when you’re outside of your comfort zone.
Thankfully, being outside our comfort zone doesn’t result in debilitating physical symptoms for all of us. But the effects can be equally weakening on our hearts and souls. Another day goes by and your same old, same old has turned into a rut.Life gurus often say things like, you can only grow if you are doing new things that make you feel awkward or uncomfortable.
While it sounds cliché and hokey, there’s some truth to that. Pushing the boundaries and discovering new frontiers takes fortitude, risk and a certain sense of fearlessness.
So what happens when you’re in a profession that prompts moments of disquiet? In the housing professions there could be a good number of times you might feel nervous. Perhaps the notion of prospecting makes you dizzy with discomfort. Public speaking might send you over the edge. Or maybe writing up real estate ads drives you to drink.
Whatever the situation, there’s help. Face your fears. In life, we have big fears such as the fear of death, job loss. Those are natural. But what about your debilitating fear of public speaking? Or those panic attacks you get while driving?
Before you can overcome your fear, you need to acknowledge and understand it. Talk to people about it. Look for online support groups.
Try joining Toastmasters. Remember you can’t overcome your fear until you confront it.
Become more comfortable with taking risks. A tall order? Yes. But most things in life worth doing are those that required some level of risk, thought and hard work.
Start small. Change the coffee shop you go to each morning. Then step it up a bit until you’re doing things you never thought imaginable.
Rethink Routines. It’s important on occasion to give your routines a re-evaluation. Take a different way home or consider tuna for lunch instead of egg salad. Get rid of those routines that don’t really work anymore.
Think about what you’d like to switch them with. Then raise the bar to things that really count. Bear in mind that trying out new things takes courage.
Pat yourself on the back. You deserve it.
Cozy up to the unknown. When is the last time you felt the rush of excitement of not knowing what lay ahead?
It’s probably been a while. We’re talking about baby steps here. Again, start small. Take a different route on the way to work. Buy a brand of chewing gum just because you like the package. Greet people differently.
See how it feels and what kind of response you get. Once you’re comfortable with those smaller matters, broaden your scope to things that hold more meaning in your life.Have you ever made a concerted plan to break out of your comfort zone? What did you do? Share your stories with us.
Next thing you can’t feel your fingertips and your having a hard time getting a good, deep breath. Before you start hyperventilating know that you’re not dying. You’re just having an anxiety attack. Millions of people suffer from them. While the cause is anyone’s guess, one big motivating factor is social anxiety, that unease you feel when you’re outside of your comfort zone.
Thankfully, being outside our comfort zone doesn’t result in debilitating physical symptoms for all of us. But the effects can be equally weakening on our hearts and souls. Another day goes by and your same old, same old has turned into a rut.Life gurus often say things like, you can only grow if you are doing new things that make you feel awkward or uncomfortable.
While it sounds cliché and hokey, there’s some truth to that. Pushing the boundaries and discovering new frontiers takes fortitude, risk and a certain sense of fearlessness.
So what happens when you’re in a profession that prompts moments of disquiet? In the housing professions there could be a good number of times you might feel nervous. Perhaps the notion of prospecting makes you dizzy with discomfort. Public speaking might send you over the edge. Or maybe writing up real estate ads drives you to drink.
Whatever the situation, there’s help. Face your fears. In life, we have big fears such as the fear of death, job loss. Those are natural. But what about your debilitating fear of public speaking? Or those panic attacks you get while driving?
Before you can overcome your fear, you need to acknowledge and understand it. Talk to people about it. Look for online support groups.
Try joining Toastmasters. Remember you can’t overcome your fear until you confront it.
Become more comfortable with taking risks. A tall order? Yes. But most things in life worth doing are those that required some level of risk, thought and hard work.
Start small. Change the coffee shop you go to each morning. Then step it up a bit until you’re doing things you never thought imaginable.
Rethink Routines. It’s important on occasion to give your routines a re-evaluation. Take a different way home or consider tuna for lunch instead of egg salad. Get rid of those routines that don’t really work anymore.
Think about what you’d like to switch them with. Then raise the bar to things that really count. Bear in mind that trying out new things takes courage.
Pat yourself on the back. You deserve it.
Cozy up to the unknown. When is the last time you felt the rush of excitement of not knowing what lay ahead?
It’s probably been a while. We’re talking about baby steps here. Again, start small. Take a different route on the way to work. Buy a brand of chewing gum just because you like the package. Greet people differently.
See how it feels and what kind of response you get. Once you’re comfortable with those smaller matters, broaden your scope to things that hold more meaning in your life.Have you ever made a concerted plan to break out of your comfort zone? What did you do? Share your stories with us.
Your home’s sale price is private information
Mark Weisleder
A few years ago, the federal Privacy Commissioner ruled a home’s sale price
is personal information and cannot be advertised or disclosed without the
permission of the buyer and the seller.
This is what privacy legislation is all about — protecting your personal
information. The lesson is that if you do not want to see your home’s sale price advertised after closing, then don’t agree to it.
In another case decided in 2006, an insurance company arranged for
photographs to be taken of an apartment unit, without the tenant’s permission.
The purpose was to get examples of the state of repairs of the interior of the apartments to assist in figuring out the building’s value. However, the pictures included some of the apartment’s contents.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office found that while the purpose might have
been to show the condition of the unit, it also revealed information about the tenant, including their standard of living, whether they could afford expensive media equipment, whether they loved music or art or cooking. This was found to be personal information and thus permission should have been requested.
What this means is that before a buyer or agent takes photographs of anything inside a seller’s home, even during an open house or home inspection, they should ask for permission.
In another case decided in 2008, a consumer asked their bank for a copy of
the appraisal report the bank had done on their home. An appraisal contains
information about other comparable property sales in your area that help the appraiser calculate the value of your property. The bank refused, claiming this was confidential commercial information and not personal information.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office decided that, while the consumer was entitled to the appraisal value of their own home, they were not entitled to the name or contact information of the appraiser, or anything related to comparable property sales, as this was the personal information of third parties.
The issue of privacy arises in the ongoing lawsuit between the Competition Bureau and the Toronto Real Estate Board, something I’ve written about in the past few months.
The Competition Commissioner wants Canadians to be able to go online and access the selling price of any home in Canada. The potential abuses are
huge, starting with thieves who want to learn about potential victims and their lifestyle. Since buyers and sellers didn’t provide this permission, in my opinion, it violates privacy legislation.
It seems to me the Privacy Commissioner should be involved in these proceedings and I encourage all Canadians to complain to the Privacy
Commissioner’s office in Ottawa and to federal Industry Minister Christian Paradis.
To register a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner’s office, you can
download a form from their website, www.priv.gc.ca, sign it and then send it in. You can email Paradis’ office at minister.industry@icigc.ca.
Mark Weisleder is a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. Contact Mark at mark@markweisleder.com
A few years ago, the federal Privacy Commissioner ruled a home’s sale price
is personal information and cannot be advertised or disclosed without the
permission of the buyer and the seller.
This is what privacy legislation is all about — protecting your personal
information. The lesson is that if you do not want to see your home’s sale price advertised after closing, then don’t agree to it.
In another case decided in 2006, an insurance company arranged for
photographs to be taken of an apartment unit, without the tenant’s permission.
The purpose was to get examples of the state of repairs of the interior of the apartments to assist in figuring out the building’s value. However, the pictures included some of the apartment’s contents.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office found that while the purpose might have
been to show the condition of the unit, it also revealed information about the tenant, including their standard of living, whether they could afford expensive media equipment, whether they loved music or art or cooking. This was found to be personal information and thus permission should have been requested.
What this means is that before a buyer or agent takes photographs of anything inside a seller’s home, even during an open house or home inspection, they should ask for permission.
In another case decided in 2008, a consumer asked their bank for a copy of
the appraisal report the bank had done on their home. An appraisal contains
information about other comparable property sales in your area that help the appraiser calculate the value of your property. The bank refused, claiming this was confidential commercial information and not personal information.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office decided that, while the consumer was entitled to the appraisal value of their own home, they were not entitled to the name or contact information of the appraiser, or anything related to comparable property sales, as this was the personal information of third parties.
The issue of privacy arises in the ongoing lawsuit between the Competition Bureau and the Toronto Real Estate Board, something I’ve written about in the past few months.
The Competition Commissioner wants Canadians to be able to go online and access the selling price of any home in Canada. The potential abuses are
huge, starting with thieves who want to learn about potential victims and their lifestyle. Since buyers and sellers didn’t provide this permission, in my opinion, it violates privacy legislation.
It seems to me the Privacy Commissioner should be involved in these proceedings and I encourage all Canadians to complain to the Privacy
Commissioner’s office in Ottawa and to federal Industry Minister Christian Paradis.
To register a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner’s office, you can
download a form from their website, www.priv.gc.ca, sign it and then send it in. You can email Paradis’ office at minister.industry@icigc.ca.
Mark Weisleder is a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. Contact Mark at mark@markweisleder.com
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Strangest Secret
The Strangest Secret
In 1957, Earl Nightingale, speaker, author and co founder of the Nightingale-Conant Corporation, recorded his classic motivational record “The Strangest Secret.” “The Strangest Secret” sold over one million copies and made history in the recording industry by being honored as the first Gold Record for the spoken word. Nightingale, known as the “dean of personal development,” concluded that life’s “strangest secret” is that we become what we think about all day long.
Your belief system, like your computer, doesn’t judge or even question what you input; it merely accepts your thoughts as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Think thoughts of defeat or failure and you’re bound to feel discouraged. Continuous thoughts of worry, anxiety and fear are unhealthy and often manifest in the body as stress, panic attacks and depression.
At the core of Earl’s message, he reveals the incredible power of positive self-talk, belief and expectation. What you vividly imagine and hold in your subconscious mind begins to out picture as your reality. Your belief system not only defines your reality, but it also shapes your character and determines your potential.
The Placebo Effect
The ability of the mind to cure a disease even when the medicine is known to be worthless is known as the “placebo effect.” This occurs in medical trials where doctors give patients sugar pills, but tell them they will cure their illness. Often it does, even though the pills contain nothing of medical benefit. The only thing of value in these medical trials is the patient’s own belief that the sugar pills will cure them. It’s the power of the patient’s belief and expectation alone that produces the improvement in his or her health. I recently read a remarkable story about a group of cancer patients who thought they were being treated with chemotherapy, but were actually given a placebo. Before their treatment began, the patients were informed about the complications associated with undergoing chemotherapy treatment, such as fatigue and loss of hair. Amazingly, based on nothing more than their belief and expectation, nearly one third of the patients who were given the placebo reported feeling fatigued and actually experienced hair loss!
The Power of Affirmation and Positive Self-talk
If you had access to a powerful tool that would enhance your self-esteem and allow you to reach your full potential would you use it?
A good way to create positive self-talk is through affirmations. An affirmation is a positive statement that represents your desired condition or outcome. Interesting enough, your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between a real experience and a vividly imagined “mental” experience.
When he was a struggling young comedian, late at night Jim Carey would drive into the hills overlooking Hollywood and yell at the top of his lungs “I will earn ten million dollars a year by 1995.” When 1995 finally arrived, Jim was the star of the movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, for which he was paid $20 million! World-class athletes understand the value of affirmation and recognize the impact of their mental preparation on their physical performance. They use the power of positive affirmation to reduce anxiety and increase their expectation of achievement. To be of maximum benefit an affirmation must be simple, encouraging and stated in the present tense. By repeating an affirmation over and over again it becomes embedded in the subconscious mind.
To be effective your affirmation must be stated aloud…
1. In a positive manner with the focus on what you want. When you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative about yourself, counteract the negative self-talk with a positive affirmation. Start your affirmation with words like “I am…” or “I already have…” Example: “I close sales with little or no resistance.” “I take good care of my customers and they show their appreciation by referring their friends to me.”
2. In the present tense. Your subconscious mind works in the present tense, so avoid words such as can, will, should or could. Example: “I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially.”
3. With strong emotion and conviction.
4. Repeatedly. I suggest you read your affirmations each morning upon awakening and again each night just before falling asleep. Close your eyes and picture the end result. Feel the emotions associated with the affirmation.
Here are some of my favorite affirmations:
“Every day in every way I’m getting better and better!”
“Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly!”
“I love and appreciate myself just as I am!”
“I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially!”
“I now have enough time, energy, wisdom and money to accomplish all my desires!”
“Infinite riches are now freely flowing into my life!”
“I am relaxed and centered!”
“I feel happy and blissful!”
Do affirmations really work and can they be used to propel a person to achieve greatness? As a young boy growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, 12-year-old Cassius Marcellus Clay dreamed of someday becoming the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. When working out in the gym, Clay would continuously affirm to all within earshot that he was indeed the greatest boxer of all time! While many felt he was brash and boastful, few people actually took this 89-pound youngster seriously. Mohammad Ali used his affirmation to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world and arguably one of the most popular and recognized sports figures of all times!
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.” – Anonymous
You show me a salesperson with high self-esteem, a positive attitude and a healthy work ethic and I’ll be able to predict his or her success in advance… I guarantee it.
For more information, visit www.johnboe.com
In 1957, Earl Nightingale, speaker, author and co founder of the Nightingale-Conant Corporation, recorded his classic motivational record “The Strangest Secret.” “The Strangest Secret” sold over one million copies and made history in the recording industry by being honored as the first Gold Record for the spoken word. Nightingale, known as the “dean of personal development,” concluded that life’s “strangest secret” is that we become what we think about all day long.
Your belief system, like your computer, doesn’t judge or even question what you input; it merely accepts your thoughts as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Think thoughts of defeat or failure and you’re bound to feel discouraged. Continuous thoughts of worry, anxiety and fear are unhealthy and often manifest in the body as stress, panic attacks and depression.
At the core of Earl’s message, he reveals the incredible power of positive self-talk, belief and expectation. What you vividly imagine and hold in your subconscious mind begins to out picture as your reality. Your belief system not only defines your reality, but it also shapes your character and determines your potential.
The Placebo Effect
The ability of the mind to cure a disease even when the medicine is known to be worthless is known as the “placebo effect.” This occurs in medical trials where doctors give patients sugar pills, but tell them they will cure their illness. Often it does, even though the pills contain nothing of medical benefit. The only thing of value in these medical trials is the patient’s own belief that the sugar pills will cure them. It’s the power of the patient’s belief and expectation alone that produces the improvement in his or her health. I recently read a remarkable story about a group of cancer patients who thought they were being treated with chemotherapy, but were actually given a placebo. Before their treatment began, the patients were informed about the complications associated with undergoing chemotherapy treatment, such as fatigue and loss of hair. Amazingly, based on nothing more than their belief and expectation, nearly one third of the patients who were given the placebo reported feeling fatigued and actually experienced hair loss!
The Power of Affirmation and Positive Self-talk
If you had access to a powerful tool that would enhance your self-esteem and allow you to reach your full potential would you use it?
A good way to create positive self-talk is through affirmations. An affirmation is a positive statement that represents your desired condition or outcome. Interesting enough, your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between a real experience and a vividly imagined “mental” experience.
When he was a struggling young comedian, late at night Jim Carey would drive into the hills overlooking Hollywood and yell at the top of his lungs “I will earn ten million dollars a year by 1995.” When 1995 finally arrived, Jim was the star of the movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, for which he was paid $20 million! World-class athletes understand the value of affirmation and recognize the impact of their mental preparation on their physical performance. They use the power of positive affirmation to reduce anxiety and increase their expectation of achievement. To be of maximum benefit an affirmation must be simple, encouraging and stated in the present tense. By repeating an affirmation over and over again it becomes embedded in the subconscious mind.
To be effective your affirmation must be stated aloud…
1. In a positive manner with the focus on what you want. When you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative about yourself, counteract the negative self-talk with a positive affirmation. Start your affirmation with words like “I am…” or “I already have…” Example: “I close sales with little or no resistance.” “I take good care of my customers and they show their appreciation by referring their friends to me.”
2. In the present tense. Your subconscious mind works in the present tense, so avoid words such as can, will, should or could. Example: “I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially.”
3. With strong emotion and conviction.
4. Repeatedly. I suggest you read your affirmations each morning upon awakening and again each night just before falling asleep. Close your eyes and picture the end result. Feel the emotions associated with the affirmation.
Here are some of my favorite affirmations:
“Every day in every way I’m getting better and better!”
“Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly!”
“I love and appreciate myself just as I am!”
“I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially!”
“I now have enough time, energy, wisdom and money to accomplish all my desires!”
“Infinite riches are now freely flowing into my life!”
“I am relaxed and centered!”
“I feel happy and blissful!”
Do affirmations really work and can they be used to propel a person to achieve greatness? As a young boy growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, 12-year-old Cassius Marcellus Clay dreamed of someday becoming the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. When working out in the gym, Clay would continuously affirm to all within earshot that he was indeed the greatest boxer of all time! While many felt he was brash and boastful, few people actually took this 89-pound youngster seriously. Mohammad Ali used his affirmation to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world and arguably one of the most popular and recognized sports figures of all times!
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.” – Anonymous
You show me a salesperson with high self-esteem, a positive attitude and a healthy work ethic and I’ll be able to predict his or her success in advance… I guarantee it.
For more information, visit www.johnboe.com
Effective Time Management: Nine Tips
Property Wire
Monday, 07 November 2011 08:44 Heather Wright
Do you ever wonder why top producers are top producers? Are they gifted? Do they have connections that the average person can only dream of? Are they lucky?
Check out this article
The Results Are In! The PropertyWire.Ca Survey "Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors"
The results of the PropertyWire.Ca reader survey, Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors are in!...
Read More Perhaps. But chances are the one thing that top producers have in common with each other, is an innate sense of how to translate every hour in their day to impact productivity- and ultimately their bottom line. Time Management can either be your friend or your foe when it comes to climbing the ladder of success.
Busy does not Mean Productive
Is it a more effective use of energy to run in circles, or to make a direct dash for the finish line? In productive business, not all activity is created equal. You may be busy and pressed for time- but you must make sure that the tasks in front of you are the important ones, and that they are getting allocated the appropriate amount of time.
Work Backwards
If you feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day, take a look at how you are spending your time. Take a few days, and document in detail the tasks you perform, how long you spend on them, and what the outcome was.
Also, make note of what you didn’t get done. Are these items that should be on your desk? How is their non-completion affecting your business now- and in the future?
Set Measurable Goals
Take time to plan ahead to really juice every opportunity out of your day. Have weekly, daily and monthly goals.
Map out how much time you will spend on each item. Once the time allocated is up, move on. In this sense, it is important to have goals that are flexible and can be re-arranged over time, especially if you are finding that you spend too much time on something, and consistently running out of time on something else.
Prioritize
There is no doubt that everything on your list is important- but it is also true that there are varying levels of importance.
Decide, ruthlessly what tasks take priority, now- next week and further on in the future. It may seem difficult to let certain tasks fall to the back of the queue initially, but when you start seeing results, it will make more sense.
Have a Reasonable To-do-list
Nothing is more de-motivating, than having a list that does not end. In order more you to feel productive, you have to see progress- and that can’t be accomplished if you don’t feel that you’ve achieved goals.
Don’t fall into the danger of having lists of things that you’d like to do. Confine lists and projects to what you need to do.
Find a System that Works
There are many tools and apps available to help streamline your business, and make your time management the most effective it can be.
However, while one tool may be the latest and greatest, but it ultimately is useless if it does not match your particular needs.
Whether you use a day timer, software or pen and paper, decide what works for you- and be consistent. Flopping around and changing means that you are wasting time deciding how to spend your time.
Colour Code it
It works for traffic lights, so why not for time management?
Assign level of priority- green needs immediate attention. Yellow can wait- but not too long. Red- can afford to be pushed to the back of the pile- but not forever. Again, the key is not to have items on your list that have no hope of getting done. They will just serve to make you feel unaccomplished.
Guard your Time Ruthlessly
Block out specific time in your day for things like emails, phone calls or prospecting- and guard that time like an angry dog. Furthermore, communicate these hours to your client base- so that their expectations are in line with what you will deliver.
These items have a way of infiltrating the rest of your day if you don’t contain them.
Delegate/Outsource
While you are captain of your own ship, to effectively steer it, you really need both hands on the wheel. In the Real Estate and Mortgage Industries, that means taking some tasks- and handing them over to others.
While letting go is a great difficulty for some, it is probably the most effective way around to allow you to maximize opportunity- and to squeeze the most out of the hours of the day.
Consider, if possible, having an assistant handle administrative duties. Consider outsourcing things like website design and management, editorial content or staging.
Monday, 07 November 2011 08:44 Heather Wright
Do you ever wonder why top producers are top producers? Are they gifted? Do they have connections that the average person can only dream of? Are they lucky?
Check out this article
The Results Are In! The PropertyWire.Ca Survey "Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors"
The results of the PropertyWire.Ca reader survey, Successful Habits Of Canadian Realtors are in!...
Read More Perhaps. But chances are the one thing that top producers have in common with each other, is an innate sense of how to translate every hour in their day to impact productivity- and ultimately their bottom line. Time Management can either be your friend or your foe when it comes to climbing the ladder of success.
Busy does not Mean Productive
Is it a more effective use of energy to run in circles, or to make a direct dash for the finish line? In productive business, not all activity is created equal. You may be busy and pressed for time- but you must make sure that the tasks in front of you are the important ones, and that they are getting allocated the appropriate amount of time.
Work Backwards
If you feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day, take a look at how you are spending your time. Take a few days, and document in detail the tasks you perform, how long you spend on them, and what the outcome was.
Also, make note of what you didn’t get done. Are these items that should be on your desk? How is their non-completion affecting your business now- and in the future?
Set Measurable Goals
Take time to plan ahead to really juice every opportunity out of your day. Have weekly, daily and monthly goals.
Map out how much time you will spend on each item. Once the time allocated is up, move on. In this sense, it is important to have goals that are flexible and can be re-arranged over time, especially if you are finding that you spend too much time on something, and consistently running out of time on something else.
Prioritize
There is no doubt that everything on your list is important- but it is also true that there are varying levels of importance.
Decide, ruthlessly what tasks take priority, now- next week and further on in the future. It may seem difficult to let certain tasks fall to the back of the queue initially, but when you start seeing results, it will make more sense.
Have a Reasonable To-do-list
Nothing is more de-motivating, than having a list that does not end. In order more you to feel productive, you have to see progress- and that can’t be accomplished if you don’t feel that you’ve achieved goals.
Don’t fall into the danger of having lists of things that you’d like to do. Confine lists and projects to what you need to do.
Find a System that Works
There are many tools and apps available to help streamline your business, and make your time management the most effective it can be.
However, while one tool may be the latest and greatest, but it ultimately is useless if it does not match your particular needs.
Whether you use a day timer, software or pen and paper, decide what works for you- and be consistent. Flopping around and changing means that you are wasting time deciding how to spend your time.
Colour Code it
It works for traffic lights, so why not for time management?
Assign level of priority- green needs immediate attention. Yellow can wait- but not too long. Red- can afford to be pushed to the back of the pile- but not forever. Again, the key is not to have items on your list that have no hope of getting done. They will just serve to make you feel unaccomplished.
Guard your Time Ruthlessly
Block out specific time in your day for things like emails, phone calls or prospecting- and guard that time like an angry dog. Furthermore, communicate these hours to your client base- so that their expectations are in line with what you will deliver.
These items have a way of infiltrating the rest of your day if you don’t contain them.
Delegate/Outsource
While you are captain of your own ship, to effectively steer it, you really need both hands on the wheel. In the Real Estate and Mortgage Industries, that means taking some tasks- and handing them over to others.
While letting go is a great difficulty for some, it is probably the most effective way around to allow you to maximize opportunity- and to squeeze the most out of the hours of the day.
Consider, if possible, having an assistant handle administrative duties. Consider outsourcing things like website design and management, editorial content or staging.
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