Ditch These Bad Habits To Help Your Career

The real estate business is more competitive than ever. Home inventory is tight in most markets across the country and home buyers and sellers are looking for the very best agents to represent them. Real estate sales require focus and discipline. But maybe you’ve been struggling a bit. Does it seem like you’re lacking leads or not picking up as many home listings and new clients as you should? Whether you’re a seasoned real estate agent or a rookie, it’s easy to slip into some habits without even realizing it. Maybe it’s time to step back and take a hard look at your business. If you’ve developed some bad habits, there’s no time like the present to kick them to the curb and start fresh. Don’t let bad habits stifle your success even a little bit. Here’s a few common bad habits that might be dragging you down: 

Disorganized Mess

Disorganization costs you time and money. If your desk is buried in papers, sticky notes, pens and coffee cups to the point that you have to scramble to find things, it’s time to clean up your act. You would benefit greatly from using a CRM (customer relationship management) system to help you get organized. There are a number of user friendly CRM computer programs and apps to help you organize leads, past/current clients, and keep track of your sales. 

Taking On Difficult Clients

The real estate business revolves around taking on buyers and sellers; however, some clients are more trouble than they are worth. Difficult clients who undermine your expertise or flat out don’t have the budget for their “must-have” list are wasting your time. If you’re one of those people who can’t say no, you’ll have to toughen up. Turning down the wrong business makes room for attracting the right business. 

Wasting Time

We’ve all been guilty of playing a game on our phone/computer or browsing social media when we should be working. Maybe you started scrolling  Facebook with the intention of looking for leads and before you know it an hour has been sucked from your day. Wasting time on social media, games, videos, etc…is a bad habit that can get the best of us. You can prevent getting sidetracked by setting a timer. Limit yourself to 15 minutes to check social media, etc…then stop. It’s time to focus and get to work.

Lazy Communications

Slow response is one of the number one complaints that real estate customers have about their real estate agent. With Smartphones and laptops at our fingertips, there’s really no excuse for not promptly acknowledging your messages. Get into the good habit of responding to your customers within 30 minutes even if you don’t have the answers they are seeking. Not only is this common courtesy, but your clients will appreciate your professionalism. 

Dressing Too Casual

Overall, the business environment has become more casual in the past few years. Wearing a suit and tie everyday is not as common as it used to be. Maybe you’re in the habit of dressing a bit too casual – you wear yoga pants or jeans and a t-shirt when you show a house. There may be certain situations where this is okay, but you still need to dress for success – especially when you’re asking for money. Make a point to snazz up a bit and you’ll look and feel more professional.