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How to Delegate like a Pro

By
Education & Training with Buffini & Company

How often do you review your to-do list and feel frustrated that you haven’t completed half of it? Chances are, you’re bogged down with tasks that could be delegated to someone else. If you’re like many real estate professionals and small business owners, you find delegation a tough skill to master. After all, it’s hard to trust that others will do things as well as you can, or the way you like them done. However, if you want to lead a thriving business, it’s essential to delegate some tasks, particularly those that are important, but may not be the big money-making tasks in your business. If you’re on the fence about delegation, here are three reasons to start:

 

 

1. You feel overwhelmed.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it seems as though your list of things to do keeps growing and growing. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, you begin to worry about the tasks you haven’t started yet. This not only makes you stressed out, but it also saps your productivity as well. Delegating allows you to reduce your to-do list to the most important tasks that drive your business.

 

Elizabeth Lucchesi, a real estate professional in Alexandria, Virginia began to feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of running her business as it continued to grow. Her Coach encouraged her to delegate some of her tasks. Hiring staff has helped her business thrive. “Stop trying to do it all yourself. You’re not an island. You need the resources around you,” says Lucchesi. “Figure out what’s the $5/hour job? What’s the $1000/hour job? Understand you can give that away if you have the correct job description for each and every one of your associates.”

 

2. There are tasks that you’re not good at.

Although you may have heard that you should work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths, in reality, doing so only takes away from the time you could be spending with clients and building your business. Let’s face it, if math isn’t your forte, why not outsource your taxes to someone for whom it’s a strength? Or, if marketing your business on social media is taking up too much of your time, hire an expert to take over the marketing aspects of it. That way, you’re free to post when it strikes your fancy and to add a personal touch, but the daily or weekly posts are taken care of without eating into your schedule.

 

3. You want more time to focus on your clients.

Many real estate professionals got into the industry to help people realize their dreams of homeownership. However, it’s hard to help your clients achieve their dreams if you’re stuck at the office taking care of time-consuming tasks. Delegating these tasks to an assistant frees you to spend more time doing the things that drive your business: serving your clients and generating those all-important leads.

 

Heather Roxburgh, a real estate professional from Salt Lake City, Utah, hired help at the behest of her Coach. “She encouraged me to hire a full-time marketing coordinator that can help me continue to sell homes and work directly with my clients, but have that great marketing piece,” she says. “My clients know exactly what to expect from me. They know that they can call on me and I’m going to follow through at all times.”

 

Find balance in your life!

Delegating is not only good for your business; it’s also good for your state of mind! Hiring help and outsourcing some of your tasks is sure to reduce the stress and frustration you feel when you’re overwhelmed. You’ll no longer have to toil away on time-consuming tasks that shift your focus away from driving your business forward. You’ll have more time to spend with your clients as well as more time to spend on personal development and with your loved ones.

 

Want more tips to help you achieve success in your business? Visit our Resource hub! Download motivational PDFs to post in your office, get time-tested tips to optimize your business and learn from the success stories of some of our high-achieving Members.

 

 

It’s a good life!

 

 

Bob Bloom
Cuzitmatters - Vancouver, WA
Agent Mentor & Coach

As always, you focus the problem down to an implementable solution.

Nice blog and than you.

Aug 05, 2015 04:29 AM
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

When you get to the point where you can delegate things really, really take off.  Having help and more than one mind working on things is huge

Aug 05, 2015 07:04 AM
Sham Reddy CRS
Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH
CRS

What a fantastic advice! Thanks Brian!!!

Balance in our lives is most important aspect of making a living!!!

Aug 16, 2015 09:22 PM
L. Scott Ferguson
Ask4Ferguson - Your House-SOLD Name in Real Estate - West Palm Beach, FL
Sunny Florida Real Estate Professional

Great read.  Yes shrink down to the best solution!

Aug 16, 2015 10:53 PM
John Manuwal
Keller Williams Northwest Montana - Kalispell, MT
Kalispell Montana Agent and Photographer

Its funny how hard this can be. But so nice once you do it.

Aug 17, 2015 01:23 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Buffini & Company ...  you showcase the frustrations of many within the Real Estate and Lending community.  Delegating should be easy.  Yet, it's not.  Many of us are a work in progress regarding delegation ...

Gene

Aug 17, 2015 01:31 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Delegation is difficult.  To Do Lists get too long.  They key, for me, is focusing on the ONE top prioritiy at any given time.  There is always one most important thing.  

Aug 17, 2015 02:32 AM
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

The bottle neck is always at the top !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Delegate !!!

Aug 17, 2015 03:51 AM
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Part of the To Do list is to prioritize (realistically) and then actually DO it!

Aug 17, 2015 03:55 AM
Jack Lewitz
Exit Strategy Realty - Evanston, IL

Yes delegating is nice until the person who you delegate too interupts you all the time for your input and feedback. Then it just makes sense to do it yourself. Multi tasking is a solution for nothing getting done.

Aug 17, 2015 04:32 AM
Caroline Gerardo
Licensed in 20 states - Newport Beach, CA
C. G. Barbeau the Loan Lady nmls 324982

Nice tips on finding the core of our business

Aug 17, 2015 04:38 AM
John Mosier
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
Prescott's Patriot Agent 928 533-8142

My life in real estate is out of balance. I am a listing specialist and I like that role best. I now have around 80 listings, mostly recreational land in remote areas that are around a 2-hour drive from where I live in Prescott, AZ. Because of the remoteness and small commissions, most agents from Prescott do not show my listings so I end up working with what few Buyers there are. My listings range mostly from around $25,000 to $60,000 with a few up to $500,000.

I have not had a good experience trying to delegate. I do not have a lot of money to hire people because my commissions are typically small and far apart. I am ambitious in what I try to do.

I am overwhelmed with trying to learn new technologies and social media applications.

I am now considering hiring someone to help with my marketing and working with my Buyers.

Do you think it would be worthwhile for me to have a consultation with your company?

 

Aug 17, 2015 06:32 AM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

This makes perfect sense to me

"Delegating is not only good for your business; it’s also good for your state of mind!"

Aug 17, 2015 12:08 PM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

So true Buffini & Company .

Delegation is something that is easy and not-so-easy! One needs to give up the control - and do what they are best at.

I hope to delegate some tasks - and hope to increase my production.

Aug 17, 2015 04:04 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Thanks  Brian and company, we limit our potential by not delegating those tasks that take us away from our high return projects.

Aug 21, 2015 01:56 PM
Charles Ross - eXp Realty LLC
eXp Realty LLC Salina Group - Salina, KS
Love To Help People

This is great information and the same information that my Buffini coach has given me? having my best year ever

Oct 11, 2015 08:49 PM