A real estate sales career doesn’t fit nicely into a 5-day a week, 9-to-5 schedule. After all, real estate agents are entrepreneurs whose living depends on making the most of their time, regardless of what time (or day) it might be.
This doesn’t mean, however, that real estate has to be a 24/7 calling; it means real estate agents must understand how to maximize their time and spend it in the most productive ways possible – serving customers, building relationships and prospecting for new business.
The challenge of wisely using all 24 hours in each day is often called time management, but it’s really more about “choice management.” The biggest choice one can make to save time is around the systems that automate and streamline activities. That’s where premier technology can play a huge role.
Websites talk – make yours shout
The best technology amplifies and scales what agents would do on their own. For instance, an SEO-strong website that presents an agent in the very best light possible — with strategically displayed listing info, personal details, professional insights, market data, reviews and ratings, photos and social integrations — does a lot of the heavy lifting when a potential buyer or seller searches for the agent. The site contributes to the agent’s “digital brand” and helps visitors perceive the agent as a local expert worthy of their time and trust.
Apart from the initial setup and some ongoing maintenance, having an effective website and digital brand shouldn’t require much of an agent’s time. And, because virtually all potential clients are going to Google an agent’s name before moving forward, having an attractive, modern and mobile website is critical. Far too many agent websites send the wrong message — with dated design, sketchy tech, choppy functionality and/or mediocre content — and do nothing more than get the agent deleted from consideration.
Save time, deepen connections
Of course, the best tech goes far beyond a website. A powerful CRM, for instance, enables agents to scale and maximize client interactions. Again, the tech is able to amplify what the agents would do on their own — touching base with existing clients, deepening connections, providing relationship-building value, and adding new people to the list. Then, when it’s time for face-to-face contact and conversation, the agent steps in, displaying his or her real-life insights, communication skills , and personality. In other words, investing time in the step that matters most.
Obviously, the real estate industry is filled with technology companies capable of helping agents manage these aspects of their business. What’s most helpful is when tech systems interact and complement one another, as with an end-to-end solution such as the booj Platform launched earlier this month by RE/MAX. The platform, featuring built-in integrations with premier tech vendors such as DocuSign, dotloop and zipLogix™, includes CRM and a wide variety of time-saving solutions to help with digital brand building, lead generation, client engagement and beyond.
The ultimate goal of the booj technology is helping agents build their business and save more time. What those agents do with the extra time is completely up to them.