It’s time to revisit a list of practical suggestions for getting your business off the ground or giving it a shot in the arm when the market slows down. As agents we are thrown into the deep end and no one breaks down for you EXACTLY what you should be doing on a day to day basis. In this episode we give you a list of business building activities that will fill your time more intentionally and almost all of them are FREE. If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed then this episode was made for you! After listening if you aren’t sure how to lay the foundation of your real estate systems, then now is the time for you to jump into Agent Systems 101. Doors open March 8th and you can find all of the information at agentsystems101.com.

The following is a rough transcript provided by Otter.ai

0:01
You took a really heavy deep breath

0:05
No, I live with decline.

0:09
We’re looking for listings Do you live in a house? But you don’t make any money I know so hard. Hi, y’all.

0:21
Welcome to hustle humbly. It’s Alyssa and Katie and we are two top producing realtors in the Baton Rouge market.

0:26
We work for two different companies where we should be competitors. But we have chosen community over competition.

0:31
The goal of our podcasts is to encourage you to find your own way in business to

0:35
stop comparing yourself and start embracing your strengths. Hey, y’all, Katie here, the doors to agent systems. 101 are opening March 8 For a limited time as we head into the even busier summer season. Now is the perfect time to get systems in place or fine tune the ones you already have in agent systems, we will work together. That’s right. I’m going to be there supporting you towards your goal of saving time and producing repeatable results. And here’s what a past student Daniell had to say, I highly recommend your course it has saved my butt save me time made me more professional and is worth every penny. Although I don’t know if I would call it 101. It is easy enough for any new agent to get through it and implement. But it is also full of next level systems that I’m sure many seasoned agents don’t even have you guys. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked or just simply confused about what to do next. This is the course for you. I won’t be offering agent systems again until August, so don’t miss your chance to join me. I’ll be there with you on this six week transformative journey. And you can find all the details at agent systems. One Oh one.com. Can’t wait to see you there. Hi, Alyssa. Katie. Guess what? It’s episode 135. Okay, what to do? When you don’t know what to do?

1:53
Sometimes you just don’t know what to do. No, and you feel lost? Yeah,

1:59
we’re gonna help you be found. Okay, today. This is an episode with a nod to harkening back and probably some repetition of episode number 17. Okay, which is what to do when you’re new or, or slow.

2:13
Sometimes I feel like I don’t know what to do, because I’m overwhelmed. Because I’m not slow, like I have so much going on. And

2:20
then you have to make choices. Right? And it’s just, you know, what, it’s actually the same feeling whether you’re overwhelmed too much work and underwhelmed. Nothing going on. It’s, it’s there’s so many things you could be doing. It’s hard to pinpoint what to do.

2:33
Yes, right. In that situation. That’s when I rely heavily on my email to tell me what to do. What’s in the what’s on the what’s on the to do list? Yeah, I just am like, I’m so overwhelmed. I just need to sit down at my computer to write and start somewhere. There’s always something to delete and start on and do the task that the email says now that something awful Yes, just to start something off, though, get moving. So that that’s how I come out of my paralysis. Yeah, I get in the email, I just get in there. And then as I’m doing that, I start thinking becomes more clear, it becomes more clear on what I need to do my direction, all of a sudden make sense. I feel like I’m achieving things. But then I also think of things. But I like levels

3:16
of urgency show up. Yes. Once you’re in the email. Yes, it does. And then I like to

3:22
do the flip report pretty deeply. Just so we weren’t doing.

3:27
Tell you what. Y’all don’t worry. I know that there was no flip report last week. And we’re all really sad to see the flip report, go. But I have good news. Next week. The episode is nothing but

3:42
the flip report, we’re going to just do a whole recap. We’re

3:46
gonna do it beginning to end including the ending pieces, which none of you have heard yet,

3:51
how are things going in the contract? What is happening and appraised? What about the inspection of the repairs?

3:58
There’s so much left to learn. So we’re going to cover all of that and numbers. And so if you have specific questions about this flip, flipping, please submit them ASAP because we do have to record this. But I think we will record it after this airs. Great. So either way, or maybe we’ll make a post. Okay, but flipper board coming next week. So that is all be on

4:25
the lookout to do to beat beat the BB.

4:29
Going back to what to do. Okay. All right. So you just go to the email,

4:34
yes. And then license server and I get to a place where the email is somewhat settled. That doesn’t mean empty. That just means settled. Not to walk away and fold clothes in the laundry room or go for a walk because then I start thinking oh, this this like I remember the things that weren’t in the email sense. So clearing my head is important when I’m just overwhelmed and don’t know what to do. Yeah. But then there’s the what to do when you’re you don’t know what to do because you’re slow. Right?

5:05
Right. Okay, well, I want to start with something I read in an Inman article comment. Even in the article, I don’t remember what article it was. But the commenter said, they had learned that business structure is described as attract in three phases attract, convert,

5:27
deliver. What’s the first word attract, attract? So

5:31
if in a business you are attracting, then you convert, then you deliver, okay, but I think that you actually build that. So if you’re new, and you don’t know what to do, and you’re like, What, Where do I even start? You have to build that backwards? Deliver is systems. Right? Okay. So how do you deliver to your clients? How do you actually do the job? Well, that’s your systems. If you don’t have systems, that should be the first thing on your list. Okay, then how do you convert the people to get them to be a place where you deliver? Those are the people in your database, okay, you gotta get the people in there and convert them attract to me would be whatever marketing or social media or, or whatever you’re doing to get the people into your sphere on your database. Right? So that’s your track, then you got your data, your converts on your database, and then you got deliver those your systems? Yes. What do you new agents want to do first? Attract? Yeah,

6:30
like, where all the leads? Oh, yes. Look at me, I’m ready to work. I’ll need the client clients money, all the clients.

6:34
But what’s happening is you’re starting where you think you should start. But then you don’t have everything the foundation is not in place. Correct. So if you’ve got time, yeah, look, and this is true. I didn’t put my systems and processes like, on a piece of paper, and like, lined out for many years, it’s not like I started on, you know, year one, I was like, look at all my systems, they’re all in place. No, like, we’re just trying to help you not live that life, well, then

7:01
it’s hard, because you don’t know if the systems are working until you are delivering, right. And then if it works for you, or whether you need to tweak what you’re doing until you get through a full transaction and say, How did my system and processes handle that transaction? Did I answer the questions of the client ahead of time? Was it smooth?

7:21
And you know, how you’ll know if the systems and you delivered is if you have repeat referral business? Correct. So you’re not going to, you cannot build a business that we’re teaching you in this podcast if you don’t have the ability to deliver? Correct. So that so to me, education and systems have to come first, then clients have to come second.

7:42
But you don’t make any money learning. I know so hard.

7:48
That’s why you have to have the money saved up?

7:50
Yes. And so I think so many people jump into it without a plan. Yeah. And so they’re so eager to jump into the money side of it, right? And then they close their first deal. And then they are back to where they were as if they had never had a deal before. Right? That’s the hard part. They’re reinventing the wheel every single time they’re releasing, take notes the first time you do it on what you did, right?

8:16
How will you know? Okay, do you have some things when I have a whole list? I gotta start selling lists. Things that you would do when you didn’t know what to do? Number one,

8:26
are these things you did? Or just good things to do?

8:29
I think both Okay, a little both. Ask your broker what classes to do. Hey, I have a great idea. Instead of you just being swayed by social media ads or whatever shiny thing you have seen. Why don’t you go talk to your broker? The human who thought you’d be good at real estate and say, what are good classes to take? Yeah, and then go take the classes and

8:51
there’s a lot of good free ones out there so many good free ones. Is that something you don’t need to be spending money? You know, if you’re slow, don’t know, you can’t don’t spend the money. Where did you get it? Right?

9:02
I know it’s we have sweet listeners that message sometimes and say we really want the, uh, you know, the templates, but I’m new and I don’t have a lot of money in my budget. I’m like, that’s okay. You don’t need templates to be successful. No, they are great addition to your business. But you can also create them yourself if you’re just paying attention to the process. So if you don’t have money to spend, you can’t spend it.

9:23
Don’t spend the money you don’t have you can’t do that. Well, I have found that the people that had to exit the business, the majority of the ones were because they financially could not support themselves. Yeah. And they’re so quick to throw marketing dollars or education, but there’s so much free stuff

9:42
that’s like marketing like that is under duress.

9:45
Can we talk about free stuff? Gleadless Do you have any on your list free study?

9:49
Here’s the next one. Free stuff. Find a mentor, slash busy producing agent. Okay, now just mentor please don’t just find someone who’s been in the business one year longer than you write and wants to, that’s fine if they want to train you on their systems, but you need a mentor, a busy producing agent, and you need to work for free work for free. I’m gonna cost you anything to do this other than time, but you’re gonna learn a lot. And then you might actually get some type of, you know, lead referral, something from that maybe you get that maybe you say, hey, look, I’m open to doing this for I want to learn for the next six months. And then you say I’ll,

10:27
the hardest part is when I if you are truly at a point where you need money, and you were complaining and worried because you don’t have business. It’s like the number one because I think of myself when I was new. There was not a Sunday, I was not sitting in a house somewhere meeting the public when I was really needing to get my business rolling. And it’s so hard to say. That’s like the first question. Are you doing any open houses? Well, well, no. Are you doing phone duty? No, I’m not. I’m not doing well. Like what do you think is gonna happen? Right? Like you have to be doing something I don’t want to just are you posting on Facebook, right houses, other people’s listings, something to just let them know that you’re here and you’re available? Right, and you’re working. But why is it so hard to get started? Do you think

11:23
I think some of it is just sheer confusion paired with embarrassment? Yeah, like impostor syndrome, like, I don’t actually know what I’m doing. Like, it’s not exactly easy to go find a producing agent in your office and be like, Hey, I’m new. I would like to follow you around. Can I do some showings for you? Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. It’s not like a lot of people are not comfortable seeking out that and it might partially be generational.

11:51
You know what I think too, I don’t think I would feel comfortable as a top producing agent. If someone came and asked to follow me around, you know, I would decline. I would, I would I do not have time. You’re like, I can’t I can’t have a shadow because I don’t even know where I’m going to be a lot of times. That makes sense. So but if they came to me and said, Hey, Alyssa, if you ever need help with showings, right, I would love to help you. To lean on. I would be like, Oh, I’m putting your number in my phone right now. Right? Because every now and then, I might need you to go show house for me. Yeah. Or, you know, when opened, I haven’t done open houses Well, in forever because the listings are selling so so

12:30
fast. And then there was COVID like the first time we recorded this topic, it was pre COVID.

12:36
But I have to say that there’s a few agents that are still really hustling the open house or they even if it’s pending, but they the traffic at the open houses lately has been astronomical I bet. So it doesn’t matter if it’s if the house is pending.

12:54
How do you handle that so that it’s transparent for the consumer and they don’t feel like you they’ve been entrapped?

13:00
So usually the open house is scheduled when it’s active. Okay, I don’t schedule an open house events are hitting okay, but there have been times where I have scheduled an open house on a house that’s active. Yeah, and then it goes pending. But we’ve already put the ads out there it’s on all the websites of the time so we just keep it open and let them know hey, it did just recently go under contract is this what you’re looking for? You want me to try to do you want me to put you on a list in case something else comes up in this area? So you can still really be and then I think it gets you face to face with people that you don’t know. And if you can speak with confidence and say look, this market is crazy. Right? And right now you really need an agent that is working full time. Yeah, that will keep you up to date you need to sell why they need you while you have them there in that moment.

13:55
You should be like we’re looking for listings. Do you live in a house?

13:58
Do you live in house can can we sell your house sell your house? Right I mean it’s still even in this market. I mean, I think open houses would be great if you were looking for new business. Yeah,

14:10
I agree. I have it on my list. I also have preview listings on my list. Oh yeah. Okay, so you as an agent with no business and no listings and no buyers even you can go to the listing that popped up today schedule a 15 minute showing that says pre list on the you know showing time so you don’t you know get people’s hopes up and or preview and then go right maybe you even messaged a listing agent and say hey, this house is staged Great. Do you mind if I take a couple of photos for social media? Would love to share your listing I’ll tag you I think that’s a great idea. Why would you not do that? Go look and the more houses you see the more comfortable you get at showing houses correct. So I think that’s free. Also free also free so preview listings hold opens ahead on my list free. Next free thing on list I have get an update your database get

15:04
and you don’t know database, start your database if you don’t have one and update it to do Yeah, and then reach out to it. That’s a dozen people think that you’re done once you like the database is something that is never finished No, it is always ongoing. Yeah, there’s always someone you can go comment on their page or write them a letter or send them dinner or something. There’s always something to do. Yeah, there. Yeah. But yeah, you’re never finished with the database. So if you think you have nothing to do, you can always be going through the database. Yeah,

15:38
I think being intentional with your time is a mindset issue. And you know, he like Oh, I’m I’m friends with them on social media. I saw their posts. Well, did you like it? Did you comment? Or are you sending DMS to people who are on your database? Hey, I saw what you know. Like it’s not hard. That’s free, free free. Okay, here’s a free one that I love. Especially if you’re a little slow and you’ve been in the business for a minute send or even just look at your database and figure out who owns a house. Now figure out who’s lived in their house more than three years. Okay, now send those people a market report about their house.

16:16
That’s a good idea. Just saying hey, I was just had some downtime and wanting to let you know that the your neighborhood has done very well. How about this, here’s what your house is worth right now. Hey,

16:26
I’m brand new, and I’m working through a class on learning how to do marquee reports. So I wanted to send you a free one. I am just loving my new career. Here’s your current home value. Happy to answer any questions. I am just taking trainings left and

16:39
right. That’s amazing. I would use you

16:41
be like Why? Because I would rather I wrote this in my notes. I would rather use because these new agents I know you all feel like nobody’s gonna want to use me. I’m new. I don’t know anything. I would rather work as a human. Not not as a realtor. Katie as a human would rather work with a new excited person in their field insurance, dentistry, whatever. I don’t care, a new excited, well trained person that I want to work with a board veteran. Yeah, I don’t want to get it who’s busy and overwhelmed. If I’m choosing right, the professional I want to work with? am I choosing the board veteran who’s close to retirement and is overwhelmed and busy? Or am I choosing the new fresh, freshly trained with the latest, you know, innovations? I’m excited

17:27
because I use your energy of like liking my house and being excited.

17:31
Yeah. And that energy? Yes. If I if you walk into my listing appointment, like oh my god, your house is so great. We’re gonna stay this way. We’re gonna do this. And I can’t wait to get the listing photos. Wow. Yes.

17:41
I’m excited to him. I’m excited to work with you. Yes. Yeah. I mean, so new people really do have a leg up on a lot of veteran agents, just from their enthusiasm, their willingness to work. Yep. And just showing the client that they’re excited about their house. Yeah. After losing so many listings in the beginning, because of my age. I’m finally just trying to stop pretending like I was old, older. And yes, I just was like, Listen, I am new, and young, and young. And I have been in my office every day training, learning, I have the most amazing mentors. If you let me list your house, I will just, it will be my baby. Oh, I will dedicate my time here. I have to get this done.

18:33
I have no one else on my docket, you will be my I have told. In fact, I think I told my biggest listing ever that and I was far into my career wasn’t like I had no other listings. But I said, I don’t have any other luxury listings, you will be my first listing over $2 million, you will get all of my time and attention. And I this is a big deal for me.

18:54
Right in there. Be transparent. This is a big deal for

18:58
me. So this is a big deal for me. I like that I am going to handle it. Like it’s a big deal for me. Oh, so good. It was the truth, y’all. Why are we hiding from the truth? Just Just tell the people and if the people don’t like your truth, let them move on. So I mean, and I can’t tell you how many times regardless of price point I have said, Listen, I typically keep five or less listings or, you know, when I was at the peak of my career Look, I don’t like to keep more than 10 listings at a time because I have a certain level of service I would like to provide so there’s a reason why I’m not touting to you that I have 50 listings Correct. I don’t want 50 listings. I’m trying to keep a certain level with what I have. And that will help you too. If people are ever doubting your numbers are like well how many listings Do you have? Or how many did you sell? Well, I intentionally didn’t have you already heard

19:49
my business plan. This is how many I want.

19:51
I love that per my business plan.

19:53
I keep this as my choice things.

19:55
Yeah. Would you like to be one because they’re gonna fill up fast Hey Alyssa. Hey Katie, what do we mention almost every episode, email template, you’re right, we sure do. And after every time we mentioned an email template, do you know what we get

20:12
emails asking if they can have copies of the email template,

20:15
send me a copy of that template. I would like that. That sounds great. And you know what the good news is, you can get all of our email templates from our course, email templates, one on one, tell the people about it,

20:27
our course has all of the email templates you would need to send to your buyers and your sellers and your clients that are buying and selling at the same time. Exactly. To get through every step of the transaction and giving them information that they need for where they are in the transaction. It’s great, because you never forget to tell them something. Yeah. So we’ve already done all the work for you. Yeah, we wrote them, and you can personalize them. Yes. And just feel organized, knowing that you have all the information where it needs to be.

20:56
And if you purchase email templates, 101, you do get lifetime access. So occasionally, we like to go in and make updates based on the market or if we find a new best practice. So we put that right into the template and you get that updated straightaway.

21:09
It just goes straight to your core. Yes.

21:13
It’s already hair. She’s already on there. You don’t have to worry about it. Well, email and we’ll say updated. That’s great. Where can they find these email templates? You can find the email templates at email templates with an S one Oh, one.com email templates. One Oh, one.com. Yes. Head over for reviews and all of the specifics. Wonderful. Okay, enjoy. Okay, so here’s another freebie on the social media front. Don’t be a secret agent post about it. I know, you took a really heavy, deep breath there.

21:48
There’s a new agent that I really love and have been trying to encourage to do posts and I check the Facebook and there is no postings and I don’t understand. But she was like, You know what, I’m going to post your listing right go for I said, that is fine. But you live here. Why don’t you find some lists if you really need to? And we’ll get we’ll do a whole episode on we’re gonna do geo farm geo farming. Yes. But But like, wherever you want to work. That is what you need to be consistently posting. Yeah, I got to where I was only doing open houses in a very certain zip code or two. Yeah. And I was seeing the same people pretty often. And I got a good start from there, you again. But being intentional about what you post, you can MIT you can post whatever you want, like, what do you want to be? Where do you want to work? Yeah, and post that. And it just with time you just become known

22:46
for that. I think this also would apply whether you’re new or veteran, and you’re slow, and you’re trying to maybe do your social media, you know, plan post what you want, regardless of so like if you were working 80% buyers and 20 prints since sellers but you want to level that out. Well maybe you don’t make so many posts about the showings you’re on maybe make a million post about the listing stuff. Yes. Like you’ve got to put out there what you want more of correct if you keep talking about first time buyers, that’s fine. But that’s what you’re going to get

23:21
you know, what is a perfect example of this? By accident. You have become labeled as the vintage bathroom. Yes, it totally by acts by accident. I have become labeled as like the tree lover. But you do love tree I do you love trees and you love. And so you just posted what you liked. And so did I and you in that? Yes. And now people are tagging me in trees and you and bathroom. Yeah. All right. SHAN it’s just funny because same thing could happen for your real estate business.

23:51
Wait, y’all do you do realize that’s why I went to work at the brokerage I’m at now. Because in my social media, I was posting all of my staging tips. And I was heavily staging focused. And this company that I’m at now is a design staging real estate firm. And my broker who I only knew in passing, and maybe one previous transaction, messaged me and said, Hey, I’m not really recruiting right now. But you seem like you’re on the same page as this business plan. I’m

24:20
working over here because you like staging,

24:23
thank you. Whatever you put out there is what comes back to you.

24:27
Oh my gosh, he

24:28
reached out to Matt because of my staging post. That’s amazing. But it also don’t you want to do more of what you love? Yes. So then just tell people what you’re doing that you love. If you had a crappy part of your day, don’t share that. No. Why don’t or you have a challenge. I mean, it’s fine to share stories and things that make you more approachable and you know, relatable and real, but also put out there the stuff you want more of,

24:53
what do you want to be known as exactly?

24:57
You can be known as anything? Mm. Literally anything, you could be the biggest foodie realtor there was, and you could go to every single restaurant specifically in the neighborhood you want to work and share interviews and post and reviews and pictures of your food. And

25:14
then you become that expert in that area. Yeah. Huh?

25:18
Yeah. So real estate is fun, because you can really take it any angle you want to. Yeah, you could become the queen of public parks, didn’t you?

25:27
Oh, one of my agents in my office doing Yes, her kids were little Yeah, she was feeling like she had been dropping the ball on social media, and marketing. So she was like, You know what, I’m gonna just start highlighting local parks, taking my kids there and taking my kids there to play and doing a quick video showing why I like it, what age it’s appropriate for and the cool features about it. Love it. The end. That’s pure genius. Okay, it’s also free. Correct. So, with your kids? Yes.

25:56
Great. Okay. So the next one I had was when you have downtime, or in the beginning or whatever, study the MLS. Like it’s going to be a test you’re taking, especially the neighborhood you’re interested in. But then but also just the neighborhoods and areas that your database is in? Who are the people you’re going to run into in life? And what are they going to ask you? If your kids go to a school inside like mine do in inside of a neighborhood and the parents at school are always like, Hey, did you see that house? On the boulevard? That’s, it’s best for me to know. Yes. What is going on in that neighbor? Maybe

26:33
I should know that house on the Boulevard right? I

26:35
should keep up with this stuff. So studying the MLS is what I did when I was new. I just sat at my desk and I just scrolled and clicked and looked at pictures and read. How long do they stay on the market hat like just learn learn, let Li cannot learn too much. And if you stop learning, you will also fall behind

26:55
when I used to set up myself on the buyer reports. Yeah, so I would get a message immediately. If there was a new listing in my neighborhood, or at the end of each month, I will get the summary that showed what’s pending what sold what did it sell for? How long was it on the market? So it kind of just came to me Yeah, for whatever subdivision you want.

27:17
I do it for the last subdivision I lived in that I marketed to and we’ll discuss this in geo farming. And I do it for my current subdivision. Because if you can’t talk to where you live, right, you should probably consider a different career. Like you need to know about the houses near you. Yes. Okay, here’s some other freebies, read books, listen to podcast, like find some other educational devices, personal development, yep, gain knowledge. And here’s the kicker and then share it. What did you learn, well shared with anyone who will listen, you can share it on social media, you can share it in person, but gain knowledge and then share it. And the article I was reading on Inman said, This is how you build reputation and influence by gaining knowledge and then sharing it you can’t leave Allah share at peace, you have to share the knowledge you’re gaining. I have a couple more freebies. firm up your systems. So you can for free decide what what are you going to do with that buyers appointment? What are you going to do with that listing appointment? Collect up the needed data and information and makeup, whatever you’re gonna do folder or binder or whatever, digital presentation I don’t know, but know exactly how you’re going to do those things a buyer and a seller console? How are you gonna do what’s it look like? What is it? What is it literally look like? What are the steps?

28:37
I talked to her agent yesterday and another marketplace that said she has a buyer intake form that she asked them to fill out and then when they are done, they send it to her and she scheduled a 30 minute zoom interview. I love it. And so they just hop on the computer see each other face to face talk about the buyer intake form. She asks her questions, love it sets up their search, talk about the pre approval, and then they’re off. I thought I really liked that. I liked that too. She said that the Zoom interviews have helped her clients too. And it’s saving her so much time from having to get ready. Leave the house get there. Yeah, let’s just zoom yes,

29:15
we’re all very lucky. And if you got into this business since COVID, you probably don’t even realize this. But the fact that society as a whole is more comfortable with video calling zooming that type of has made this where you can implement these types of systems like a zoom call. You could not have done that before. Oh, that would have been weird people would have been like I don’t want to be on video with you. Right that’s weird Vidya Yeah, now they’re like, Okay, another zoom. Call

29:43
it yeah, do this. I actually did one with a buyer and they had requested it like they said, Hey, do you mind if we just do a zoom call? We have some questions, but we’d like to be face to face. I had talked to them on the phone before. But I thought sure I hadn’t met them yet. And it went really well, and I thought that was easy. Yeah. Like, I was kind of nervous about it leading up to it. But then I was like, That was right. I worked on my laptop until it was time for the Zoom call, hit the button, hit the button started and then went back to work. I didn’t have to drive anywhere. Oh, cut out all that. Yeah. It was just very efficient. I love it. And it worked out well.

30:21
Okay, great. I think that’s great. Okay, how about some things that cost a little tiny bit of money? Okay. Since we’re not trying to, in fact, out of my entire list, these are the only two things that cost any money. Okay. Number one, this is $50. Y’all, you can find $50 by a roll of stamps now, right? Until the stamps are gone. Oh, right. And thank you letter, right? A CMA Right. Right, a mid year check in right. Whatever. Right? handwrite? It handwrite you will have to pay for some like no cards as well. Yeah. So like, I

30:58
guess let’s call it $60. Whatever.

31:00
Right? But write something, yes.

31:03
Anything,

31:04
anything, keep the people information. So that’s that. And then I have go to coffee. Honestly, that one’s about 10 bucks, get you go to coffee, buy someone coffee, your friend, your mom, your you know, somebody from church, whatever. But figure out who your A pluses are like who’s in the database, it’s really going to be like, I want to send business to you. Right? They’re not there yet. But maybe they’re A’s they will probably use you start with those people. Don’t just go to coffee, download a coffee with another agent. It’s not doing you any favors, or actually go to coffee with a top producer. Yeah, you could do that, you know, if you’re trying to build that mentor relationship. So if you want to do this for free, the free version of this is just have conversations. Like, are you at your kids practice? Are you sitting in the corner looking not approachable? Or did you go up to the other parents and be like, Hey,

31:58
how’s it going? Good to see you. Right? House, whatever, yes, anything?

32:02
Do you talk to people, there was a lot of traffic getting here, you know, whatever, just talk to people, you if you don’t talk to people, you’re never going to get people to add on to your database. No, you got to talk to them. So have the conversations wherever you are, and also go to places where you might have conversations.

32:19
I think that was something I wish I would have done sooner. In the beginning, when I didn’t have a database was tracking the people that I was meeting how because I wasn’t putting their information or their names anywhere, right? And then when I was like, Oh, my gosh, I need a database. It took

32:38
forever. It didn’t you probably forgot plenty of them.

32:41
Yes. I mean, it was hard. But that is something I wish I had implemented early on was the database. It’s like, make it your goal to collect people.

32:51
Right? But not just to have an email and never use it. No, make it your goal to when you meet someone. That’s my other thing. If you’ve met someone in person, go ahead and ask them to be your Facebook friends. Like that’s usually my rule, I have to have met you in person, correct. I’m not going to ask every parent in my kid’s class to be my Facebook friend, if we’ve never had a single convert, like, Hey, how’s it go? Like we have to at least have met? Yeah, but don’t leave out those parts. That’s how you grow your sphere, large enough to actually impact your business.

33:25
It all goes back to just being really intentional with what you’re doing. I think the reason that so many agents burnout is that they are working very hard, right? And they’re doing things but they’re not doing anything really consistently. And so they’re not seeing the results anywhere right? They might post on their Facebook once a week a house in Ascension Parish and then the next week a house in St. Francis fill and and then it’s there’s no clear thing of where you work or what you do. And maybe they wrote five letters. And that was enough. And anyway, it’s never enough to but but that’s all a lot of work. Yeah, it’s not focused enough to actually get you any results.

34:08
What do you think is the work that they’re doing? That isn’t like, what do you think they’re doing? That’s not utilizing their time intentionally?

34:16
One of the biggest things is that people always said, Why are you at the office on phone duty, but I used it as I wasn’t really there for phone duty. If the phone rang great, and I did get you know, leads from it. But I was there to focus my effort on writing letters, right, doing the emails doing what like, because I was there I was just in that environment. Yes. And it made me be productive. And it made me be consistent. Because I had like two or three phone duty shifts a week.

34:51
Yeah, you know, it’s ironic that’s exactly the same for me. We didn’t have because the small office I was in where I really got moving like so that was like in no vember I got my license in August the first office didn’t work out in November, I went to this small office five agents broker, I either got in her car and did everything with her. But every I didn’t know the day before I showed up at the office at the latest 9am Every day, there were only five agents total. So very rarely were they all there. It wasn’t like we had a fight over phone duty. I would just be there. No one was there. They were out working. So I would answer the phones. Yeah. Or I would find out where my broker was going that day. And she’d be like, do you want to come do this? And I’ll be like, Yes, I do. Yes. But I went there in that mindset. Every state like it was a job. Like it was a literal job.

35:37
I do enjoy working from home and having an office. But there are times when I get out of the house. And I’m like, oh, when COVID was letting up and coffee shops open back up. And I went and worked at a coffee shop and saw three people I knew at that coffee shop, I was like, Oh my gosh, I forgot about I forgot. And then people just see your face.

36:00
You need to see the people. Yeah, it just is to people.

36:05
It’s not rocket science. But it just takes a little bit of effort. I was talking to a agent this week, who told me that she doesn’t really have an office day because she starts her morning each day at her office. Well, that works. I said, Yeah, that’s perfect. You don’t have to block out a whole day. If you’re so her, she likes to get there around 830 Knock out whatever she needs to knock out and then start her appointments. But if there aren’t appointments that require her to leave, she’s like when the phone rings, I’m able to answer it right away. All right. I’m right here. Yes, I’m in work mode. I’m just addressing things as they come in. And I’m so caught up. But I’m like, That sounds amazing. Just starting each day,

36:49
right? Well, I think I’ll say the part where it’s like, go find a mentor, and shadow them or get their overflow work or work for free and learn that way. If you go to your office every day, and are there, you’ll quickly first of all, meet all the agents that are going to show up, they’re going to be in and out with files and this and that and they got stuff to do, you’ll meet them. And then you’ll also get a vibe for who looks like they’re overwhelmed, who’s complaining to the broker really sit as close to the brokers office as you can, right? You’re gonna know very quickly, who might be open to or the or we walk into your brokerage office and say, who’s really busy right now? Who do you think I could help? Where can I be of service to someone else that will also help me learn, it’s easier to have those conversations. If you’re in the physical office,

37:38
our broker has always been pretty rewarding to those that are in the office, if you are there, and you’re showing up for the classes, and you’re at the sales meeting, when you come ask for help. When and I feel the same way. 100% I will help you. Yeah, if you aren’t, if you didn’t come to the authentic sign class, and you want me to teach you authentic sign, that’s just rude. It’s just rude. Like, I’m like, I’m sorry, I’m not the trainer. Right? But we had free classes on this. Yes, you

38:09
do it. That’s how I know how to do it.

38:11
Right. Another thing too, that I think is a good idea is if you have an agent in your office that works as new construction neighborhood, they’re usually open all the time, and people have to take shifts, but saying hey, could I work a few shifts, it’s free. And then you have a gorgeous new construction office to sit in on your laptop. And if nobody comes, you were just super productive, right? And if somebody comes, you got a lead, right? And then all of this is just really good social media content

38:44
Exactly. For free for free. I do think you’re right, though participation is always rewarded. So the more you’re present and participating, the more your office and your broker are going to see that and reward you and you’ll just be in that work mode. To be in work mode if you won’t work.

39:02
When I was newish. I was still in my first year. Okay. I was in the office all the time. Every Monday morning meeting, every Wednesday sales meeting, I was picking up all the phone duty shifts. I went to several of our agents and asking for open houses in the area that I wanted to be in. And then we had an agent that was getting out of the business. Okay. And she was like moving for her husband’s job. Okay, she had a few listings. My broker reached out to me and they weren’t like the best listings, okay. They were. She reached out to me and was like, Do you want these four listings? I was like, what? It blew my mind. Your s days? Oh my gosh, yes. Yes, please. I made up one of the four was a bigger listing. It was like 550 Why the other three were like 120 150 and they were like kind of scary. listings but I got them all sold and the big one I double sided from an open house stop now I held the house open. And I will also say I’m not saying you should do this. This is before I had any boundaries and we’re scared to ask people to do anything. I cleaned the house the day before I cleaned it. It was vacant.

40:22
And I was like to interject when you’re new slow, don’t know what to do. It’s okay to clean the house then.

40:30
put my foot down until the seller to do it. I just didn’t have the confidence. I clean the house the day before with my parents, by the way that they came out with me. Good. Oh, Mom and Dad was it lived in? It was vacant. Okay. Thanks, Mom and Dad. I know anyway, so I held it open the next day. And I was actually leaving. I was in the car. I was about five minutes away. The open house had ended and I get this call. I missed the open house. Are you are you still inside? I’m like, No, but I’m five minutes away. I can come show it to you. And I so she bought it. So that 550 turned into like a $1.1 million. Transaction. Yep. From being in the office. Doing an open. Wow. It blew up. I mean, while still thinking about it. I’m like, that’s so cool. That is so cool. It doesn’t get tainted over time. It just is still that exciting to me. Yeah, like that was nine or 10 years ago. Good. Wow. But if you’re sitting at home, wondering why nothing is happening? Where do I get the business from? Or if you finally get a client or two, so you quit doing everything else? Because you finally see then if you Yes, if you quit doing what you’re doing? And want many clients I’m doing Oh, no, I heard this perfect analogy. Let’s hear it was a train engineer. What do they call the train and air? Yeah, I thought they the train.

42:03
Conductor? Yeah. Okay, train conductor,

42:06
he was saying that it is the best way to maintain the trains is to keep the speed at the perfect momentum. So that they can coast right. It’s the stopping go, yeah, that really wears on the train. And they have to replace parts. And they have to do all this maintenance, and it costs a lot more money to operate that way. But when you are on momentum, and you are just staying where you know, doing what you know, you need to be doing instead of like slamming on the brakes. Wait, I have a client, I’m gonna stop writing letters and stop doing phone duty and stop doing open houses because I have a client so now I have a paycheck in the pipeline. So I’m stopping everything. And then I’m just gonna dedicate all my energy to this transaction, but then the transaction closes and I’m like, speed up. Hit the gas, how fast can we go, but it leads to breaking you know, it breaks the train it breaks you and it leads to more maintenance and burnout and problems and exhaustion and issue all the things the perfect analogy for that rate analysis. So even when you get excited that you get a piece of business you have got to keep doing the things that got you there. What got you there, keep doing those things so that you can have steady momentum, steady paychecks. And just coast just coast. Yeah,

43:31
I love them about some quotes.

43:33
I’m reading. Okay, I love quotes.

43:34
I know, success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced every day. Jim Rome. Yeah, just cuz that’s your consistency right there. See? Okay, here’s a good one. Formal education will make you a living self education will make you a fortune. Ah, like seeking out education. So yeah, whatever you’re forced to learn like you’re continuing yet or you’re licensing Yeah, you had to do that had to do that. That’s fine for your living. You could you could make a living you could, hopefully, but self education will make you a fortune. Yeah, these are actually all Jim Rome. Okay. Is this from the book you’re reading? No, no, it’s not okay. It was from an article in Inman where my favorite writer Jimmy Burgess, the broker agent in Florida was just doing Jim Rohn quotes. Okay, great. Okay, fine. That here’s the last one. You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.

44:37
That is true. Like you could decide today that you know what, I’m just gonna start posting about whatever this and I’m gonna give it a three month trial, consistently posting about one thing in your whole direction of your business and what you’re known for in your business could change.

44:56
That’s a great tip for any amount of time you’ve been in the business. You want to shift move What’s weighing on you? What’s hard, what’s not working?

45:03
I have stopped. Like, saying, Are you looking to buy a house? Because I just can’t take on another buyer just like are you looking to sell a house? Yes, yes. I cannot invite more buyers at this time. The dockets all full. I just see a little break get his full even though it’s like x feeling like I’m getting some under contract. I’m like I’m just not ready. No and that’s okay. I would like to take a little break of incoming buyers for a moment for just take a take a beat. It’s just so hard out there.

45:36
It’s so are it out there. Oh my god. I saw Rebecca post a story or Facebook post yesterday. She had 41 offers on her listing yesterday. Oh, this weekend? What? Yeah, yeah. Oh

45:50
my gosh.

45:51
I’m like, oh, no, please tell me that’s not going to start happening in our market. Yeah. 1012 was enough. Four or five is enough to see where that was already. One in ascension somewhere. I think it was like a under 200. Maybe. Yeah, you can’t find that right now. Or maybe never in the future. Yes. Okay, that’s all I have. Are you good? I’m good. I feel like I don’t know if that was a full on repeat of what to do when you’re new. No, I

46:16
think it was good.

46:17
I think that it’s fine. But if

46:19
you feel like you need more, you should listen. Go back and listen to that episode because it’s one of the best. It’s very logistical like do these things. Practical Tips.

46:28
It’s very, very good. Okay. Are you ready for your toes? Yes. This is from Emily Loggins. She is a realtor in Trussville. Alabama. I don’t know Trussville. And she wants to toast to her mom. Wait for her mom’s name. Donna dollar. What is that? She says this is Emily. When I was growing up. My mom took me to showings closing so her mom was a realtor right? Open Houses. She was a top producer in her area and she actually started her own real estate company after a few years in real estate. She did all of this while being kind, forming actual relationships with our clients and showing me what it looked like to be a strong, independent loving woman and mother in 2008. Things changed and she pursued other careers. This past year in 2021. With both of us in a great place we decided to work together on a team in real estate and it has been the best decision ever. She continues to educate and motivate me every single day and a few days ago we actually had our first closing together it’s the cutest it’s also with me on the buyer side and her on the seller side and I’ll remember that moment for the rest of my life.

47:45
Oh, they dealt so they were Yeah right. So

47:48
cool. She is my best friend my rock when life gets stressful and my biggest cheerleader in business and in life are you like over the top about this? I’m like Emily logins make me cry today. So cool. So it’s dollar and dollar Realty Group.

48:05
How cute is that at

48:06
their Keller Williams and Trussville. So thanks, Emmeline. Yeah, that was a great, so sweet. Cheers to Donna who sounds like a gem of a human. Yeah. Wow. My child will talk about me thinking that yes, that is amazing. So cheers and you’ll have an amazing day. And if you don’t know what to do, just do some of these things. Yes, plenty. Okay. Bye. Bye. You bet your little bye bye. Goodbye.

48:33
Thank you so much for tuning in to the hustle humbly podcast. Let us know who we should toast to for the next episode. Be sure to

48:39
follow us on Facebook and Instagram at hustle humbly podcast. If you have an episode topic or question please email us at hustle humbly podcast@gmail.com

48:48
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