When Realtors® and Lenders start asking me if I'm busy, I know what they really want to know. "Are you busy?" usually means "Am I the only one who is not busy? Please tell me so I know it's not just me."
Tammy Walker, our Sales V.P., is getting this question a lot lately. We talked about how we should respond. We want to be truthful. No blowing smoke. Be genuine, not phony. Most importantly in the current environment, we want to be as positive and upbeat as we can be. Here's how Tammy is answering this question.
Well, even though business is softening considerably over the last six weeks, we're busy. We're busy getting better prepared for when our customers get busy again.
Every winter we examine our entire work flow process; start to finish, looking for better ways to communicate with you and with each other; and, eliminate wasted activity.
We are planning our winter training activities so that next year our team will be even more prepared to deal with the unusual and unexpected.
We're upgrading our computer network, improving the tools we use to service you; looking at how to incorporate powerful new features into our process.
We're looking at our existing production software. They say you only use 10% of your brain. Most of us only use 10% of the features in our software. We're going to be busy improving that ratio.
We're busy with our clients, too. What are you planning for your business? What things about how we work together would you like to improve? Please give us some constructive criticism.
We're into social media; talking to our clients about it. What are their thoughts about web 2.0? How will they incorporate social media into their marketing strategies?
Hopefully soon, after the election maybe, people will stop watching CNSBN (Cable News Sound Bite Network), things will settle out and start returning to normal. It's not a question of ‘if'; it's a question of ‘when.'
In the meantime, yes we are busy. There's so much to do and so little time to get it done before you're busy again.
John
If what is happening in Florida is any indication of what is coming your way- you WILL be busy. Homes sales are on the rise here despite the doom and gloom people are taking advantage of the great buys available...or maybe it is just the beautiful weather.
Good luck and sell well
How can you not be busy in this business? Like you guys I am doing all those things that will produce business in the future in addition to taking care of todays clients. How can REALTORS not be spending their days prospecting? Farms, FSBOS, and expireds. The list goes on.
A REALTOR who is not busy is not really a REALTOR they are just a person who has a business card that says they are.
I have a blog topic coming up about how people kind of shy away from asking whether you are on food stamps if you are in real estate....this is our best year ever ! Focus and move forward !
John: I'm happy for you. A person in our business can always stay busy. The question is it leading to good results since that's how we're paid? I wish you success1
Paul
Thanks to all for your comments!
Allison: Yes, there are great values here too, in every price range. Our local economy is both stable and to a large degree insulated from national economic trends. Every month there are people who move into a home buying demographic. When they stop watching the news, they'll realize its time to act.
Barry: My clients are busy like you too. They get worried that they're the only one not closing deals, though.
Sally & David: Absolutely! Concentrate on what you can do. Don't get too bent out of shape about things outside your control.
Paul: Deciding what will be a productive use of your effort and time is always a question in business, in slow times and in fast times.
John,
Very good as always. If you aren't busy your doing something wrong that's they way I see it.
Charlie
Hey John - we look at it this way...
We always say Yes to that question - if we are not busy servicing existing clients by showing them homes or marketing new listings, then we get real busy getting more buyers and sellers as new clients.
Sincerely,
Grace