| BUSINESS TIPS INTENTIONAL CHANGES TO STREAMLINE YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS |
| Respected thought leaders say success is driven by the energy you bring to your work. But it’s the kind of energy you bring that’s important. Haste makes waste—cranking yourself up for work only costs you more time until you reach your goals. Instead, experts say the quickest way to success is to bring strong, quiet energy to the job. Making the following intentional changes creates the kind of energy that will streamline your way to success. Manage your mail and emails. The blast of information in emails, texts, and physical mail wastes your time and can cause you to overlook important info that could kill a deal. Unsubscribe from sources you truly don’t need. Cull your business tools. These only work if you have the time to learn them. Delete any tool that you know you won’t take the time to learn well enough to use it to its full potential. Trim your calendar. Be ruthless with your schedule. Eliminate some tasks, delegate others. Carve out time for yourself. Don’t try to copy someone else. Instead, focus on who you are, and take pride in the work you do. Concentrate on projecting your personal brand. Prepare pitch materials. Make pitching more efficient by using the same information package for all initial interactions with prospects. Make a short video and an email that explains your value—what you do, and the problems you solve. Prospect intentionally. Examine your database for prospects who still need to list or buy, Contact prior sales with a compelling message. To older leads, send an “I’ve been trying to reach you” message, and delete from your database people who do not respond. Treat leads respectfully. When responding to inquiries, ask for their permission to call, email, or text. You’ll find out their preferred form of communication, and learn how serious they are. Be invested in your prospect’s needs. Don’t be pushy or manipulative. Be a good listener, take copious notes, and provide solutions. Simplify your marketing. Come up with a routine you can easily follow. Keep communications concise. Make texts, voicemails, and emails short and efficient. Schedule your smartphone use. Set times to make appointments, return calls and texts, and engage in social media. Ask for help. If you’re either overwhelmed with work or lack it, don’t try to solve those problems yourself. Go to your network for answers. Never put yourself down. Stop telling yourself what you haven’t accomplished. That kind of self-talk limits you. Instead, remind yourself of your strengths and the great things you’ve done. Take action before you complain. If something bothers you, don’t complain about it before you take action to fix it. Trust your gut. Listen to your instincts. Don’t make quick decisions. If something doesn’t feel right, it might not be right. Schedule downtime. Committing to family, sleep, and vacation time will keep you clear and focused. And it will force you to be very strategic with your schedule. |
| TECHNOLOGY 10 BEST PRACTICES FOR AGENTS USING AI |
| Whether you’re using AI to find and engage customers, or for any other purposes, keep these best practices in mind. Understand AI limitations. Don’t assume AI can take care of any aspect of the real estate business you send its way. Think about where your human expertise is needed to serve your clients. Then use AI to supplement, not replace, your personal service. Recognize the necessary time investment. Understand that AI will not immediately save you time. To get the most value from AI, you’ll need to set aside time to set up, learn, and fine-tune how you use it. Also, take the time to create company policies on using AI to ensure data accuracy and security. Set clear goals. Define specific objectives and measurable outcomes for each AI application, for example, lead generation, client follow-up, and video and graphic enhancements. These goals will guide your AI usage and help you figure out which AI tools to use and what you should spend on them. Check data accuracy. Make sure that what AI is giving you is what you want. With data-based replies, ask for the source, then ask if there are additional or newer sources. Avoid accepting the first response as the final response. Think of an initial AI response as a first draft. If you accept it as the final word, you may wind up with less than the best results. Tell AI what you think of the first effort and ask it to refine and improve its output. Tailor generic AI output. Don’t use generic AI outputs and templates without customizing them. To personalize AI-generated messages, give it instructions about your geographic market, your ideal prospect, and any other factors that are specific to your niche. The goal is to have it create copy, visuals, and other assets that will be uniquely yours. Don’t try to use AI to generate all your client communications. AI isn’t very good at expressing nuance or providing a personal touch to your communications. Build client relationships on a blend of automated and personal interactions. Leverage automation to make your communications smarter, not just more convenient for you. Stay updated. You always want to use the newest AI release, with the latest improvements and most up-to-date training. Ask your AI provider how often their AI tool is updated and trained on market data and industry regulations. Do A/B testing. Don’t assume AI-generated content will work perfectly out of the box. Test your assumptions versus the messages, campaigns, and guidance you get from AI. This will increase the likelihood that you’ll have the best possible AI outcomes. Pay attention to compliance and legal standards. Review all AI outputs to make sure they comply with FHA fair housing guidelines, ethical standards, and local real estate regulations. |
| MARKET TIP 5 WAYS TO GET FROM GOOD TO EXCEPTIONAL |
| Many people are capable of being good at their jobs by just showing up. But if you want to get from good to exceptional, experts suggest you do these five things to set yourself apart: Fully commit. Lean on the fact that this is your career. Don’t have a Plan B, or keep searching for a backup plan. Have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, set up goals you can act on, and revisit them regularly. Put systems in place. Exceptional professionals don’t bank on luck. They develop systems for lead nurturing, follow-up, and client support that keep their performance levels consistent. Approach sales as service. Selling shouldn’t be about being pushy. It should be about confidently helping your prospects achieve their goals by making the best decisions to meet their needs. Focus on the value you provide. If you want to get more, give more. Be persistent. Don’t give up in the face of setbacks. Look at every failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. Avoid thinking you aren’t suited to the job. Realize the system is just working the way it’s supposed to work—virtually no one wins absolutely all the time. Act. It’s great to be motivated, but taking action is what gets results. Start by picking three specific actions you’ll do today, and follow through on them. Success comes from momentum, and you’ll build momentum through dozens of small actions. |
The Jim Passi Team at Citywide Home Loans proudly serves Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia and Flordia. If you are looking to buy a home or refinance, we have you covered. Apply Now to get started.
