I'm sure everyone has heard it:
TIMEBLOCK
TIMEBLOCK
The best way to be effective is to TIMEBLOCK.
To me, TIMEBLOCK sounds
OMINOUS.
How about we call it TIME PLANNING and tie it to PRODUCTIVITY. Let's also say, since we're planning that it has more to do with our "PERFECT DAY" than reality.
So if you go into trying to plan your activities with THOSE THREE THOUGHTS (TIME PLANNING, PRODUCTIVITY & PERFECT DAY), how would your day look.
Some things to remember to plan:
1. first thing in is your NEW business, however you do it, your prospecting for new business goes into the time slot everyday, for as long as you prospect a day. Not prospecting everyday? Maybe it's time to get a checkup from the neck up if you are not doing the business you want to be doing!
2. Closings. Yes, PLAN to attend closings. Block off your time for that closing (1-3 time frames per week) and have an ALTERNATE PLAN because you not likely to be actually at closings 12 times a month! It's ok to know WHEN you go to closings and then aim to book into that time slot. Also, the mindset of PLANNING your closings is energizing!
3. Administrative duty. Yeah, we all hate it but you HAVE to plan it into your week. If you do NOT plan to do your paperwork, it'll be that mad dash to get everything together and in at the last minute. Last minute document gathering, scanning, faxing etc is just plain stressful, but if you plan an hour or two slot every week, then you will never be "out of time" to get it done!
4. Listing Presentations-Yes you should block off times when you are going to go to listing presentations. It's much easier to offer a potential seller a time frame if you already have one to offer: Would Wednesday at 10 AM or Friday at 7PM work better for you?
5. Optimal buyer showing times! Schedule it and you'll be amazed at how the buyers show up and want to go see homes during that time. *I'll put this ONE CAVEAT to the message below about scheduling alternate activities for blocks that you won't always be doing-don't deviate from your showing time block. If you are not showing, go PREVIEW your market! Go to a new home builder/subdivision and see what they've got on the ground or near ready (run into some unattached buyers while you're there and pick up a new client!)
5. Don't forget LUNCH and maybe even a short afternoon break to keep you going! If you don't plan it, many times it just WON'T happen! However, stick to the plan. An hour lunch is an hour lunch...not 30 minutes of drive time, and hour lunch and 30 minutes back to the office with a 20 minute "cool down" after munching down!
6. In areas that you may not ALWAYS have filled in your day (such as time you blocked for closings and you're NOT AT A CLOSING or time you blocked for LISTING PRESENTATIONS and your not at one!) schedule some time for other things that either don't require attention all the time or put some more prospecting in there because if you're not listing, showing or closing, you can probably use it!
I'm including a link to my website below that will land you on a page for downloads (I guess I COULD have required registration to see how many of you really want to be more productive, but I didn't!) I've put a PDF format and a Word Format version because some will just want to print and fill it in by hand (you remember, WRITTEN, egad!) or some will want to alter the Time Planner-Productivity Chart, either with different hours or by filling it in digitally (yes, much neater!).
Here is another cool little tip for when you get that Time Planner-Productivity chart all filled out:
If you ever find yourself standing around in your office (or home office) or wandering around talking to people during hours you know you should be working, take a look at what your PERFECT DAY says you should be doing (I'll bet it will have something to do with making phone calls and prospecting for new business!) It is a remarkable tool for keeping you focused and on track!
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