Stefanie Hahn
By Stefanie Hahn
What does getting it done mean? My “it” goes something like this…I want to work hard, be kind, and have a life. In order for me to be kind and have a life, I have to get it done. Working hard is weaved right in there. Here are a few of the apps that I use each day to get it done. *Bonus – all of these apps are free!
Assistant (Android) | SpeakToIt (Apple)
I spend a ton of time in the car – I got an Assistant to help me use this time effectively. The Assistant app can open apps, search for answers and addresses, compose an e-mail or text, read news, e-mails, and texts, play voicemails, save “to do” list items, and more. The voice transcriptions are some of the best I’ve seen in apps of this ilk, which makes using the Assistant fast and easy (and hands free)!
Any.Do (Android, Apple, Chrome add-on and Web)
Using lists helps me keep it together and accomplish what I need to each day. Any.Do works on my phone and has a fun little Chrome add-on that I use on my laptop. Of course, like most of these “to do” list apps Any.Do allows you to cross off items that you’ve completed. Additionally, you can set priorities, display and file under multiple lists, set alarms, add notes, and share your “to do” items.
Business Calendar Free (Android only) Continue reading »
Anand Patel
By Anand Patel
One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received several years ago that I continually advise my agents to do today is to recap, in writing, your conversations with clients, attorneys, title companies, appraisers, fellow agents – any and all parties involved in your transactions. These details will help clarify the conversation you have, leaving no confusion about who said what. It will help cover your “assets” if things go sour in a transaction, and it will aide you in solidifying and growing your relationships.
Here’s what I recommend:
TAKE NOTES
Take detailed notes of your phone calls. I keep a notebook by me at the office at all times and also take it on the road with me. When I’m at the office, if I’m on the phone with you, I probably have you on my hands free set and am taking notes at the same time. If taking a call on the road, once I get to my destination I’ll jot down some notes in my notepad (or sometimes in Evernote on my iPad or iPhone).
Things to write down: Continue reading »
Dave Robison
By Dave Robison
It’s interesting to read REALTORS®’ social media posts because I’ve been seeing a lot of the same thing lately. Here is a typical agent Facebook post (or comment in person): “This market is going crazy. I’m so busy right now. I’m busier than I have been in years!”
Wow…they must be having success, right? Let’s look up their stats in the MLS and see what their sales are like.
First “busy agent” stats: Sold six homes in the last year.
Second “busy agent” stats: Hasn’t sold a home for 3 months.
Let’s be blunt here. To all those who think they are busy: You are fooling yourself! Stop focusing on being so busy and start focusing on creating results! This goes for anyone, even if you are selling 30 homes a year.
Chet Holmes talks about these “busy people” in his book “The Ultimate Sales Machine.” He has some great tips on time management. Here are some tips to overcome this syndrome:
1. Stop talking about how busy you are. You are just attracting busyness while pushing away business.
2. Create a list of “Big Rocks” to accomplish every day. Continue reading »
Jared James
By Jared James
Hi Ypn’ers! If you are like most people, you are planning to do one of two things for the New Year:
1.) Get motivated and try once again to set a new goal for the New Year, or…
2.) Don’t even attempt it because you have been there, done that, and are tired of setting goals every year only to disappoint yourself by not achieving them.
There are many things that I am not very good at. For example, I have good form but swim at the speed of a sloth in the water. I am also probably the most directionally dysfunctional person you will ever meet. Don’t challenge me on this. I have come to terms with this fact and I accept it. But one thing I have always been very good at is to understand WHY people do what they do, or don’t do what they do. In every circumstance there are specific reasons why we are successful or not, shy or outgoing, look up or look down, speak high or low and so on.
In an effort to not bore you with the psychology of it all, I will just say this: There are very specific reasons why you have or have not hit your goals in the past or why you will or will not going forward. I have the fortune of keynoting conventions for groups all over North America and recently I covered this very topic. If you want to figure out how to set your goals for 2012 and actually achieve them… then enjoy this short clip!
Jared James is the CEO and founder of Jared James Enterprises (JJE) and travels around North America speaking to and coaching REALTORS®. Connect with Jared at www.jaredjamestoday.com, on facebook.com/jaredjamestoday, or follow him on Twitter @jaredjamestoday.
Stefanie Hahn
By Stefanie Hahn
I have a new favorite. I think you will love it too. Evernote is more than just a tool for note-taking. Evernote is a cloud productivity tool where I can write, save, tag, share and sync my notes. I started using Evernote on my iPad, then installed it on my laptop and grabbed the app for my Android. A note I start on my iPad can be edited on my Android and finished on my laptop. Seamless. Truly. Awesome.
There are 4 ways to take a note:
1. Write it out
2. Record your voice
3. Take a photo note
4. Grab a Web clip
Writing (or typing) is the most common way I take a note. I use Evernote to start most of my blog posts now. Even a video post requires a bit of planning, so starting here makes sense. This works like a charm if you are taking notes in a meeting or class too! Taking notes while hammering out a deal over the phone? Write them in Evernote. Even email them to the other agent.
I use the voice record notes when I’m in my car, which is all the time. These are perfect for recording ideas, things to remember, and to-do lists. Continue reading »
Brian Copeland
By Brian Copeland
I’ve been a part of many referral organizations in my short real estate career. Some have been a wasteland of nothingness. One or two others have been the Promised Land of Income. In my time, however, I’ve never seen a new force of referral energy emerge on the scene until now. The YPN referral network is booming.
Daily, yes, daily, I receive word of someone closing deals together across the miles. I’m seeing praises on facebook walls about a client well-served by a network member. I’m hearing story after story of YPNers cooperating from coast to coast. Two questions: Is YPN the next big referral engine? Why is this medium for REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® referrals growing so much?
The first answer is easy. Yes, YPN is the next big, if not the current, big organic referral engine, without question. More importantly, I think we need ourselves and our surrounding organizations to understand why.
1. I’ve honestly never been a part of such a close-knit group of people. Even as a former fraternity president and director of youth leadership programs, what we have is rare. Our generation has the knowledge and power to leverage strong, deep relationships that begin either in person or online and continue to grow in media like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Foursquare. While other groups are scratching their heads, criticizing “all the computer play” as a fad, our YPNers are oblivious to the confusion. We’re just roller skating along enjoying the moments.
2. Our demographic is hot in real estate sales. Gen Y and Gen X buyers and sellers are the majority of the market. While many of them still work with agents out of our generations, many are now comfortable with the level of professionalism we all continue to bring to the table. No longer is the argument, “Ah, they’re new and too green to the business,” valid. We are an arsenal of smart, hard-working, ethical REALTORS®. Continue reading »
Crystal Webster
By Crystal Webster
I’ve been to a national office supply store what seems to be about every day this month in an attempt to get ready for the spring and summer months. Occasionally, I purchase the wrong item and it takes me a little bit to return it to the store.
I returned a day planner the other day because it just wasn’t going to work for me. I present the cashier with my item and my receipt and she immediately tells me that I purchased the planner 32 days ago so the receipt was no longer valid, BUT she could do the return without the receipt and just put it on a gift card. Seeing as that’s how I paid for it in the first place, and the fact that I’d just turn around and spend it, I had no problem.
After about 10 minutes of fumbling with the computer system she tells me that I’m getting a refund of about $35. “That’s great! But, I only spent $25. See, here’s my receipt.” I was politely reminded that my receipt was no longer valid because it was more than 30 days old and I would just have to accept the return as is, or keep the item.
Well, of course, I took the cash and went about my day.
This got me thinking about how I run my business and if there are things that I do “just because that’s how they’re done” or “because that’s how I’ve always done them.” I realized just the other day I spent three visits with a seller trying to get all the paperwork put together when it would have been more convenient for everyone if we just did it through Docusign.com. I realized I can be way too eager and accommodating when it comes to meeting people places (friends and business acquaintances alike).
Are there things you do in your business that might not be the most productive or profitable?
Crystal Webster is a REALTOR® in the Kansas City area. Visit her at www.kcyoungprofessionals.com and www.theheritagehometeam.com.
Kelly Reark
By Kelly Reark
Do you want a sense of accomplishment? Do you want to be a highly effective person? Are you feeling like there are just not enough hours in the day?
With all the fun ways to waste time every day, it is imperative to learn time management. I used to think that by sitting down once a week to plan my week was a waste of time. Now I know from practice that it is the biggest benefit to my time. Like many of you, I have a smartphone where I keep my schedule and it kindly reminds me of where I need to be when I said I needed to be there.
My smartphone is just the tip of the iceberg. I use it for appointments and commitments. However, I have a full-size day runner that I keep with me at all times. I have yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily goals. Each month, at the end of the month, I make a list of the projects and goals I have for the coming month. I review my past month and grade myself with imaginary gold stars on all I have accomplished. Anything I did not accomplish becomes a priority for the following month.
Each week on Sunday night, I block out my time and tasks for the week. Solid blocks are set up right away for each of my lives. Your lives may be different than mine, which include my family life, health life, artistic life, spiritual life, work life, social life, and financial life. Some of these lives I only address once a week or less. Some have daily blocks of time committed to them. Whichever the case, I make sure I have time for the things that are important for my life to remain balanced by blocking them in first.
What I find when I block in my time is that I have a lot more time than I thought I did. Continue reading »
Nobu Hata
By Nobu Hata
Much has been made the last couple of weeks about two online “conversations” that permeated the real estate socialwebs. One, an “Open Letter to NAR President Vicki Cox Golder” regarding the disconnect between us REALTORS® and NAR Leadership. The other, the need for professional standards within our industry — the conversation raged among a handful of practitioners over the course of two weekends on Twitter, that continues today.
These issues are as old as the industry itself and the topical conversations are as inevitable as the sun rising, taxes and death. You can set a clock by it: pay NAR dues, see an ad you despise, whine (or blog) about it while letting loose a couple of “while I’m at it, let me tell you about something else I hate and what I’d do about it…,” get busy with the real estate thing, forget about it, rinse, and repeat in January the following year. I get it; writing/talking/venting about what irks you is almost like therapy, making that check you cut to NAR for their ad a bit easier to stomach. To tell you the truth, I was as jaded and cynical about these issues as well, but what could I do… right?
Thing is, these conversations, blogs – what have you – aren’t so one-sided anymore. Look no further than the reply to the aforementioned blog post by none other than NAR President Vicki Cox Golder herself. Me personally? I commented on the blog post trying to encourage involvement and thought nothing more of it. Later that week I served on a practitioner panel for REBAC requiring a visit to NAR headquarters. By the time I landed in Chicago I’d received the NAR perspective on both issues and a Presidential appointment to an NAR committee in hand. Apparently, Vicki Cox Golder is listening, reading, and absorbing what we have to say. What’s more: she wants us to get involved.
And getting involved we must. Let’s stop opining about the wrongs in our industry and start doing something to right it. There are 60+ forums/committees available to REALTORS® at the national level, countless more at the local level; which one are you on? All committee meetings and forums are open to the REALTOR® public during MidYear; which one will you stand and make yourself be heard at? (#RTB folks, Professional Standards Committee is meeting Thursday at MidYear, just saying.) On a national or local committee? Seek out like-minded thinkers, bring to the forefront the solutions we have, and discuss with the REALTOR®1.0 types. There’s power in numbers here, and besides, don’t you want to have meaningful debate among those outside your blogosphere?
Let’s stop the perpetual cycle of these conversations. Formulate a solution to the beef you have and Facebook Vicki on it… Facebook – Vicki. I’m still having a hard time saying that. Let’s stop talking “Us” versus “Them” and embrace “We.” No more armchair solutions. Do. Act. Try. NAR is a trade association, after all: by the members for the members, so do your part.
There is something different about this NAR president, and if she’s embracing her “On the Rise” concept for her year in office, the better. The industry is changing, bringing with it a lot of validity and credibility to what some of us are trying to say. Our voices are being heard. Let’s take advantage of that!
p.s. Vicki, if you’re reading this: I hate the new “Uncle Sam” ad. Most of us hate it. It’s failing to resonate with the majority of your members and the general public at large. Hit me up Facebook the next time you’re contemplating a TV ad, ok? Please?
Nobu Hata is a sales associate for Edina Realty in Minneapolis, and a founding member of the Minneapolis YPN group, the YoPros. Visit his Web site at www.nobuhata.com.
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