Real estate agents seem to work off a floating schedule, if any schedule at all. They work when they want to work and play when they want to play. For most, there is no regular pattern of work time. The trouble with that approach is that it leads to low productivity and low earnings.
The most successful people in any profession are usually highly scheduled. Have you ever met a successful doctor who tells patients to "come on in any old time?" No, doctors have highly scheduled lives. They have blocks of time set up for seeing patients, divided into specific time increments. They know how many patients they need to see each day to create the lifestyles they choose to live. Why shouldn't we run our businesses the same way? It's certainly more efficient than the way most of us run our businesses now.
To be successful you must "time-block" your time. This scheduling is one of the first disciplines we work on with our clients. We help our clients to understand that they, not their buyers, sellers and prospects, control their schedules, and that certain activities should be blocked into one's daily schedule. These activities should be done only during those blocks of time. You need to schedule time daily to prospect, to follow up leads, to negotiate contracts, to return phone calls, to make listing presentations, to show property, to plan your business, to meet with staff, to follow up on escrows. These activities should be clearly blocked in your schedule at specific times. The better you "time-block," the more effective you will be. How effective you are, in turn, relates directly to your bottom line. The better you adhere to your "time-blocked" schedule, the more success you will have in sales.
You need to remember to allow for a little "flex time" or "play time." You will need some time to relax and decompress mixed into your schedule. This relaxation time will enable you to stay focused and sharp during the "up time." Giving yourself 15 minutes of "flex time" every two to three hours should be sufficient to break the tension or to catch up so that you can stay "time-blocked."
Your focus must be on getting people to move into your schedule. You need to move listing appointments into your specified time blocks; to show property during normal business hours, instead of at all hours of the day and night; to have a regular times when you speak with or meet face to face with your lender and escrow agent regarding files in process. How much time is wasted playing telephone tag with people with whom you do business on a regular basis?
I know that a lot of you are saying, "How do you do this? You can't get people to do this." I don't believe that. I had a strict "time-blocked" schedule for years. I required people to meet with me on my terms and in my schedule; it can be done. The first step is to decide that you are going to do it. The next step is to give your prospects and clients the opportunity to meet with you in your schedule. Rather than asking, "When do you want to meet?" or "What's good for you?" ask them to meet you at specific times within your schedule. Give the client a choice between two times. You will be amazed to see how many people will select one of the times, doing business with you on your terms. You have now set a new work standard for you and your clients. You are the one in control, not your prospect or client.
Take back control of your business and your personal life. "Time-block" your way to both personal and professional success. Your family will be glad that you did.
