With just a few days before the beginning of the New Year, consider investing the time to take inventory of your marketing tools such as signs, postcards, stamps as well as any other tools including office supplies you may need in the new Year. In taking this action, you may also consider re-organizing your desk and other areas of your workspace.
As to inventory of marketing and office supplies, do you have:
- Current signs?
- Frames for holding those signs?
- Business cards?
- Stationery items?
- File Folders?
- Pens and Pencils?
- Wite Out?
- Labels?
- Ink cartridges?
- Paper?
- Envelopes?
- Closing gifts?
- 2024 Calendar Wall and/or Desk?
- Batteries for clocks, mouse, label maker, etc.?
Given there are still 3 days in 2024, any purchases can be included in your 2023 tax return as office and marketing expenses.
Are the tools you use on a daily basis updated for 2024?
After six years in real estate which I have attempted various efforts of organization, I now have a tested system and process established with the help of a 5x7 three ring notebook. This 5x7 notebook is divided with tabs that allow me to quickly reference, sales leads, calendar, daily activities, my goals, AZ Dept. of R.E. Goals (CEUs), In Escrow, Sold properties, Listing properties, KGVAR (our local association). DRRE (Dirt Road Real Estate), Learning Events and MISC. Often, I am in areas without cell service and I have no desire to lug around my lap top. With so many years in sales, I am old school and truly find pen and paper works best for me.
Did you know that scientific research suggests the activity of writing something down involves more areas of the brain (cognitive) than typing?
Within this notebook, I have constructed specific 5x7 sheets for many of these sections. For example in the sales leads section, the individual sheets are numbered as 24.01, 24,02, etc. This way I know how many potential sellers or buyers contacts I have had. If the contact turns into a real estate transaction, I quickly move the sheet to the section "In Escrow" and then to "Sold" transactions. Having this data organized in this manner makes predictions a tad easier for the next year. Yes, statistics can be your friend provided you realize there are events outside of your control.
At the end of each week, I review what has happened and make any notations for actions to be taken the following week. Since I am a High C (procedure/process) and a High D (problem solver) person, I am very focused on not losing opportunities as I am not a fan of last minute must do's.
Excel Worksheets Are My Friend
Another tool that I use with continued frequency is the Excel Worksheet. I have worksheets for example such as articles submitted to Active Rain. This particular work sheet also includes my goals for this marketing activity.
Keeping track of my fees and sold transactions require another Excel Worksheet. I transfer sold properties from my 5x7 notebook into another worksheet with includes earned fees, days to close along with the agent on the other side.
Given I undertake a lot of due diligence and learned a single property may be frequently requested by several interested buyers, I have an excel sheet that tracks those property requests. Also this sheet makes special notations of anything I have learned about the property. Of course, with the New Year, new folders are created on my computer.
Now for some this may seem like a lot of extra work. However I have learned sometimes the Internet is not available to sites are offline for whatever the reason. Being organized is a sales attitude (habit of thought) I developed years ago as I really dislike wasting time. I believe my time is an investment. This habit has earned and saved numerous "sales."
Thinking about organizing, another activity to consider, is updating any passwords to ensure your information is secured. Then update your password tool be it electronic, paper or both. As I firmly believe in redundancy (back ups) I have both electronic and paper.
Finally, this may be the time to organize your desk and if you still are into hard copies those files as well. If 2024 is a fresh start, then shouldn't your desk reflect that fresh start?
Here are some quotes that may support your in your efforts to organize.
Getting organized is a sign of self-respect.
Gabriella Bernstein
Successful organizing is based on the recognition that people get organized because they, too, have a vision.
Paul Wellson
Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.
A.A. Milne
Organization isn’t about perfection. It’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life.
Christina Scalise
Organizing is a journey not a destination.
Anonymous (My Favorite)
Feature Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com
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