1. Virtual
Life has gotten a little more virtual because of COVID-19 and it’s actually not so bad. With more and more people using “Zoom” and “Google Hangouts” today, we are able to connect quickly from various locations. In the past, agents may have not been able to attend company meetings due to their work or family, but now they are tuning in. Even if agents can only stay for a few minutes, virtual meetings are giving them a chance to be more involved with their team. Also, it’s giving them more opportunities to connect with clients all over the nation, which can be very convenient for them. In a way, it has given Real Estate agents a floodgate of opportunities and it’s up to you to take advantage of them. Going virtual is allowing individuals the ability to spend more time with their families throughout their days too, which is truly a beautiful thing. Who doesn’t like to work from home every now and then?
2. More Time to Plan
If this global pandemic has given us anything, it’s more time to our advantage. We have received more time than we probably were wanting. That is why you should have a solid game plan coming out of this. A plan that delivers your confidence and excitement towards your clients. If that is mailing cards, upping your social media game, making that phone call, you should be trying all avenues. When I say, “have a game plan”, I’m asking for you to envision results for yourself too. Have a vision for yourself of what the outcome might be from you putting in the extra work. With social distancing at its peak, as agents, we should be looking forward to the day ahead when open houses bring livelihood to a home again. Have a plan of what that open house might look like for yourself. Step out of your comfort zone a little bit and be as unique and genuine as possible. There are trials and errors in this process, so tweak little things along the way. Never give up on a plan because like always, eventually you will see results.
3. Quick Clips
I’ve noticed an increase in quick 30-60 second videos on social media. It’s a great way to connect to your audience in a simple but efficient way. It can be a wonderful tool if you have something to announce to your client-base. This also invites a more relatable experience for those watching your videos. If you are unable to reach everyone all at once, you might as well give this method a try by bringing them to you. It also allows for shareable content on your social media and it will, in a way, build trust between your clients and yourself. Even if your first few videos aren’t the best quality, simply bringing the content to the surface will bring awareness of the work you are doing. I realize it can be uncomfortable at first to be in front of a camera because it feels like all eyes are on you. Just be yourself as much as possible and try not to read from a script, this can come across as disingenuous. So, take the time to make yourself comfortable, find good lighting, and think about quality information your clients will be interested in viewing. After a few takes, you will feel more relaxed and it will get smoother from there, I promise. Give this a go and see what kind of feedback this gives you.
4. Cleaner Houses
COVID-19 has brought a powerful awareness of needed cleanliness, not only in our country but the entire world. Taking the time to deep clean your home shows others that you genuinely care about the process. Having a clean house for people to view is such a great way of showing respect for yourself, others, and your community as a whole. Unfortunately, having an unclean household for viewing may, in fact, turn buyers in the other direction. If you want to benefit from your agent showing your property, doing a deep clean beforehand can truly speed up the process of a possible future selling of your home. Clients appreciate being able to smell the fragrance of cleaning products because it allows for a “new home” feel. When it comes down to it, a sold home was based on how the client felt upon entering your front door. If you can’t find the time to do it yourself, there are some spectacular cleaning services available in the greater Springfield area, and it’s less expensive than you might think. You can always reach out to your agent for recommendations on who to use as well.