How much vacation does the average Realtor or loan officer take? I have never seen a study on the topic, but I can assure you it is not a lot. Most Realtors and loan officers work more, not less, than people who work normal 9-5 jobs. The reason most of us got in this industry was to have more flexibility to do what we want with our time, but most in the industry actually work more than they did at their previous job.
I have been taking more and more vacation the last few years. Taking a one or two week vacation requires you to have help from partners or assistants. But taking long weekends or sporadic days off does not, especially with the right use of technology. One technology has allowed me to spend less time in the office. That software is Go To Meeting, a web meeting and conference call technology. With Go To Meeting, you e-mail someone a link to a website, and when they click the link, they can see your computer screen. This allows you to give presentations over the phone from a remote location.
Here is how it can work. In early June I attended a conference in Las Vegas. I flew out Monday night and was there Tuesday-Friday. Of course my assistant and loan coordinator ran the office while I was gone, but I did not miss any client consultations. I usually meet with 1-2 clients a day, and while in Vegas I still did. Rather than meet face to face like usual, I did them using Go To Meeting. The clients and I spoke on the phone, just like we would talk in my office. They saw me go through a presentation on my computer, just like I would if it was in my office.
Go To Meeting can be used to allow you to travel, and it can be used to allow your clients the option to not meet with you face to face. Either way, it is a great tool to increase your efficiency.
Mike Smalley
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