You can’t go anywhere without hearing about the doom and gloom of the Corona Virus. This brings up fear, anxiety and uncertainty for what lies ahead. We have been down a similar road a number of times before with other viruses and other disasters and one thing is certain, this shall pass and we will get back to normal.
In the meantime, while you may find yourself working out of your home there are many productive things you can be doing to give your business a boost. And you might also want to take this time to catch up on your rest because I have no doubt that as soon as this “event” is over we will all get back to normal and our robust real estate market will continue. And you will need to be well rested up for that.
Here is a list of things you can do to make your “social distancing” very productive for your business.
Letter to Your Database
This is the time that your database needs to hear from you about the virus and its effect on the real estate market. They need to hear your opinion about how the virus and all the media attention is affecting real estate and what that might mean for them.
Show them some facts and stats that can assure them that the market is still strong or if the virus is affecting their particular area of the market then be honest and transparent and let them know that you will be back in touch with regular updates.
Annual Client Reviews
This is the perfect time to hunker down and get those annual reviews done for your clients. One of the most common reasons agents tell me they didn’t get their reviews done was because they didn’t have enough time to get them done. This is your perfect opportunity to do them. Take it a step further and offer to go over the review in person or via screenshare if you or they are stuck at home.
Buyer or Seller Brochures
Many agents don’t have a specific brochure they can give to potential buyers and sellers because they find it difficult to write about their services. This is a great time to sit down and write out all the things you do for your clients and then turn that into a powerful buyer or seller brochure. Giving potential clients an overview of how you work is a great way to give them a sneak peek into working with you.
If you need help, we can easily help you with these once you have a brand and basic materials, just reach out and learn how to get started.
Create a Results/Experience Book
This is the perfect time to go through your past transactions and create a visual book that shows potential sellers case studies on past listings and what you did to get them sold for top dollar. Show photos and marketing ideas and the results you got.
This is a very impressive tool when competing for a listing. It shows that you are capable of handling any challenge.
Update Your Database
A database doesn’t update itself. This is the best time to clean up your database and even research to see if anyone on your database has sold their home without you knowing about. Information is power and you need to know what is going on with your database.
Potential Clients ALERT
This is a great time to contact every person in your Potential Client list and send them a “carrot” that pertains to their particular situation.
For example, if they are thinking of buying but have told you they wanted to wait six months, send them information that shows them how the recent reduction to interest rates can positively affect their buying power.
The point is to make a connection – don’t rely on the MLS to send automatic updates on your behalf and fail to make a personal connection. Now is a great time – especially if they have extra time on their hands to get their paperwork together in preparation of buying or get their home ready for the market.
Clean Your Office
You may find yourself with extra time at home and now is the opportunity you have waited for to clean your office. Having a clean and organized work space is very uplifting and is sure to get you excited about your business again.
Connect with People
You may not be able to meet people in person right now if you are trying to socially distance, but you can most certainly connect by phone, email or text – or even screenshare! Real estate is a business of connecting and this is a perfect time to catch up on yours.
Help your local businesses
You have probably heard that many local businesses like restaurants are suffering right now because so many people are choosing to eat at home or skip going out. You could contact that restaurant and buy gift certificates to support them while they are suffering. Pre-buy your client gifts in advance and support others while doing it. What a feel-good thing to do and help out your local economy.
Plan Your Next Amazing Vacation
You may think you will never travel again but you will. Plan your next dream vacation and event contact hotels to see if they are giving discounts right now. I know of a hotel in Greece that I love that is offering 50% off their rate for an advance purchase for all 2021 and 2022 travel, and they are even giving you a cancellation guarantee. They are doing this because they are suffering now but because this will pass you can really benefit from being creative.
If you don’t want to go as far as that, you can simply pass some time by researching your next favorite vacation spot and seeing if there are advantages to booking right now.
The coming weeks are not going to be a cakewalk, but with some creating adjusting, it can be just what you and your business needs to get prepared for what I believe will be a robust market come late spring and summer. Use this time to your advantage!
By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI – The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings nearly three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.
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