As we are all being made aware, our businesses—and our lives in general—sometimes demand that we find ways to be effective without actually being physically present.
Today, in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, we are clearly faced with that challenge, and we need to deal with an altered reality for what is now an uncertain timeframe. Thankfully, we live in a time where technology exists to remotely connect with our teams and our clients on multiple levels. Here are a few ideas and tools that will help you stay in touch and stay organized while staying at home:
In lieu of weekly meetings in the office, invite your team to join in for virtual meetings. One popular option is Zoom, which is easy to download and set up and can be used for most team sizes. Team members can log in on their computers or phones and view the meeting material as you present it. They also have the option of simply listening in through their phones by calling into the session. As organizer of the meeting, you have the option of being on-screen yourself to lead the meeting or switching to slides or other materials to review with all participants. One other neat feature is that you can enable panelists so that they can speak to the group (e.g., guest speakers and agent presenters).
If you haven’t done this already, it is imperative that you hone your own and your team’s virtual identity and promote them through social media. Make sure that personal profiles are up-to-date and that all contact info is current. Use social media, especially Facebook, to connect with your sphere, and remind them that you and your team are open for business and will do whatever it takes to help them list, sell, and buy homes in these unique circumstances.
Review your listings and consider increasing the number of photos available to potential buyers. Better yet, add a virtual tour. Video calls (e.g., FaceTime on iPhones) can be used to livestream a home tour or speak with clients or team members more personally. Also, I highly recommend learning how to screenshare with your clients. When reviewing contracts, this will allow you to thoroughly review all contracts with your clients without needing to meet with them.
Now more than ever, your team members and clients will feel a sense of detachment. Make sure that you are staying in touch with frequent calls of updates and encouragement.
These are just a few of the ways that you can stay effective in these extraordinary times, and I recommend that you embrace this situation to the best of your ability and be the leader and resource that your team and your clients need. Your collective success depends on it, so use these tools to focus, adapt and keep listing and selling homes!