Control Your Business

With the recent events in our country and the world, it’s crucial that we come together as a community. The role of an agent is more valuable than ever in the home buying and selling experience. In most cases, we’ve had to adapt to these changes almost overnight, which sounds intimidating to some. Even with the uncertainty, the future of the marketplace is looking positive and the pendulum has begun to swing. To keep this momentum going, here are 5 things you can do right now to take control of your business.

What inspired your “why”? How did your journey start? What moment in your life made you take that first step into this business? Jill Johnson, a relentless agent from CENTURY 21 Scheetz with a 98% customer satisfaction rating, recalls how she was inspired to become a REALTOR? after taking a photo at 3 years-old with her mom in front of a Century 21 sign when her parents first bought their home. Currently an agent in her hometown, Jill shares her passion for delivering the dream of homeownership by sharing her knowledge of the area with her customers and connecting with them personally each and every day. Just recently, she found herself selling that same childhood home she grew up in. It’s stories like this that make you see how this career path can come full circle. I encourage you to think about your goals and dreams and how the momentum of the current marketplace can propel you. Revisit the question, “why real estate” and make this your drive in your everyday business.

Ask questions/educate yourself. In a recent virtual session I hosted with real estate coach Mike Ferry, he stated “A great presentation is a series of questions.” If you give that some thought, the information you present to people is compiled from questions you have asked yourself. Asking important questions can get you to the root of the problem and may bring you to a solution, whether that is in your professional or personal life. If we don’t ask questions, we may find ourselves hitting a plateau of knowledge. The most skilled agents are those who are constantly gaining and learning more. Understanding your field and finding the solutions to problems can make you better at what you do. Throughout this year, we find ourselves using necessary technology in order to adapt to this new market. Programs that some have not used before, but have been available, are now being used every day. We find ourselves shifting the way we do business to deliver extraordinary, and it’s not a bad thing.

Keep up with communication. I might not have to remind you on how important communication is with clients, but I can stress the fact that many are going through unique hard times that they were not expecting this year. I imagine your “why” was not just about selling homes to provide for yourself and family, but to serve your customers with top notch service because of your compassion for them. Take some time out of your week to put the customer first by reaching out to past, previous, and future homebuyers and check in with them. Show your concern for their wellbeing and connect with your community. A small gesture, such as a card or letter, can make the difference in someone’s day and show you are thinking about them and their family. Take one of our most recent Relentless Award Winners, Amber Castles from CENTURY 21 New Millennium with a 95% customer satisfaction rating, for example. Amber understands her clients may need more support during this pandemic, and she’s made sure she is available for them. She says, “Go the extra mile. What does that mean for me? It means making the trip to see the clients you don’t get to see every day, check in on their families and see how you can help.”

Stay connected with your team and community. Whether you operate your real estate business as a team or individual agent, in some capacity we are all on a team working toward achieving success. Being a team player means more than working together. Sharing best practices and keeping communication open and honest can build your team and create steppingstones on the path for success. If one member is successful, the whole team is. Getting your team out into the community can also strengthen your connections with one another. One of our brokers with a 97% customer satisfaction rating, Jenny Rout Stark of CENTURY 21 Breeden, sponsored the Tony Stewart Foundation’s “Free Pantry Blessing Box” at her local public library, which aims to help the less fortunate with food and personal care items. By sponsoring this effort, Jenny and her team are able to contribute to their community in more ways than just real estate. Our peers all have a common care for people and the communities they live in. What makes this company so great is we are always striving to help our clients, and each other, by contributing in any way we can.

Taking care of yourself. During challenging times like today, it really is important to keep your mind clear and healthy. It’s so easy to find yourself caught up in the negative news today, and it can be scary. I find it helpful to create a positive mindset and surround yourself with those who feel the same. Recently, I started training for an Iron Man with Nick Sloney and Adam Oberski from CENTURY 21 Curran & Oberski, along with Greg Harrelson from CENTURY 21 The Harrelson Group. Although training for this is difficult and I have had some days where training is not top of mind, I always push myself because I know it will make me a stronger person physically and mentally. I encourage you all to try something challenging and see it through to the end.

We are all pushing through some uncharted territory, and I am seeing this in all parts of the global real estate industry. I can’t guarantee what the future will look like, but these simple steps can position you for a more positive outcome in any environment. By nature, we are experts at defying obstacles no matter the difficulty. How will you move forward?