Over the past few years, real estate agents have worked virtually non-stop as buyers and sellers alike took advantage of a booming market. As the market shifts, agents may feel they have to work even harder to maintain momentum. This is where the old adage “work smarter, not harder” rings true. You want and need to provide maximum service to your customers while having time for yourself.
Working with a real estate coach helps you establish and refine your soft skills, creating a stronger foundation on which you can grow your business and be the confident professional your clients can rely on. Here are four tips from some of Buffini & Company’s experienced coaches.
Create a strategic business plan
A solid business plan is the foundation of your business. A real estate coach can work with you on a plan that has structure and action steps to help you achieve your personal and financial goals.
Dave McGhee, vice president of coaching at Buffini & Company, says working with a coach will help you hone your soft skills. These skills, such as negotiation, pricing homes and resolving objections from buyers and sellers, will be essential in this changing market, he added.
Focus on the fundamentals
The fundamentals are the cornerstones of your success. A real estate coach will work with you on skills such as knowing the different stages of a transaction, terminology, negotiating and drafting a contract, and much more.
Continuing education is important for real estate agents, according to coach James Bell, to help them stay educated, especially with the market changing so quickly. Most real estate agents have less than five years of industry experience. Bell believes that if these agents have the desire and are committed to training, they will be the ones who will succeed in the years to come.
Manage your time well
The key to avoiding burnout is being able to manage your time well. If you have a process in place, you will be able to accomplish your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks with ease. A customer relationship management (CRM) tool tells you when to do them. By being systematically organized, you will free up time in your day.
A real estate coach can help you recognize when you’re running out and what action steps you can take.
Allison Oster, a longtime coach at Buffini & Company, says she always reminds her clients to take care of themselves, mentally and physically.
“I tell them that they need energy to be able to give their best to their customers,” she said.
Reponzell Morris, real estate agent (R) in Atlanta, who works with a Buffini & Company coach, saw it for herself. She no longer works long hours every week. Instead, she works 40 hours, takes time off every Sunday, and takes five or six vacations a year.
Get support and accountability
Behind every great athlete is a coach who supports them every step of the way. This also applies to real estate agents. A great coach offers enthusiastic support while holding you accountable. Using an experienced coach who has gone through all types of markets is a bonus. You have access to their real point of view and can tap into this wealth of knowledge.
“I needed individual responsibility, individual strategy, individual care, and that’s exactly what I got from my coach,” said Anthony Pirrocco, real estate agent (R) in Raleigh, North Carolina , about working with his trainer at Buffini & Company.
Pablo Riveroll, real estate agent(R) in Wheaton, Illinois, agreed, noting, “My coach put me in the right frame of mind, keeps me accountable and focused. It means having someone on your team who wants to help you succeed.
For over 26 years, Buffini & Company has been helping real estate agents not only enhance their careers, but their lives as well. To speak to one of our experts and learn more about a free business consultation, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com/bc.