Ask An Ambassador: Avoiding Vampires

What many new real estate agents may not realize is that as agents we are a small business.  Whether you work for a big box brand or a small brokerage, you're responsible for your own success. 

Establishing goals, a business plan, understanding your sources of business, your costs, recognizing your limits, planning for taxes, that and much more are a critical part of being successful.  And it's not just a matter of grossing the most, but a matter of keeping a good sized piece of those earnings in your own pocket.

So to be successful, you've got to avoid vampires.  While there aren't any literal vampires attached to your neck, what you do have if you're not careful are people and things that are sucking the life out of your business.

I'd venture there isn't a single agent out there that hasn't at some point bought into a "But you only need ONE extra sale a year to pay for this!" pitch, or thought "But the monthly fee is only $40/month!" and set up an autopay.

But how often do you reevaluate those nickel and dime type expenses?  Have you actually examined your monthly credit card statement lately and done a pro/con assessment on each item?

Is your IDX site providing you Return on Investment?  If not, it's time to either commit to putting the work in to make it work for you, or cut bait.

Are you paying for more than one CRM system?

Are those Google ads working?

That Facebook ad campaign?

Look at each recurring line item and decide "Does this STILL make sense for me?".

If the answer is no, you need to either change your habits to make it make sense/cents, or cut the expense.  Cut enough of those monthly vampires and you just might find that you've gained the equivalent of another closing or two!

And vampires aren't limited to things and services, some of them are human form.

Maybe your office environment is horrible, with all kinds of time sucks and office drama.  Are you in the best place for YOU?  Is it time to change brokerages or just work from a home office?  (Been there, done that!)

Or maybe you're taking on clients that just aren't good for you.  Questioning everything you say, refusing to take your advice, missing out on great home after great home?  Or maybe you pushed your geographic area just a bit too far and you're spending a lot of time on the road to show a house here and there and at a price point that just doesn't pay for your time. 

Or maybe it's social media in one of its forms.  Too many political fights, too many cute kitten and puppy videos, etc.  A 10 minute sit down suddenly turns into an hour or more of clock time and what do you have to show for it?

Each of us have our vampires.  Some we choose to keep, some we can put a stake in, but we at least need to be aware of them.

Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help!

Bill of Liz and Bill aka BLiz

 

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of RE/MAX Elite
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, CRS Ohio License SAL.2002007747
William (Bill) Spear, CRS Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!
Two locations: Lebanon & Mason, OH
Bill Direct:  513-520-5305
Liz Direct: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418
MailTo:  LizSpear@Go-Concepts.com

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