Sweeping It Clean for Spring

A great  feeling of freshness and renewed energy is the usual result of Spring Cleaning, or really any time you find you are surrounded by clutter! The first quarter of the year is winding up. What actions can you take to increase your focus and help you be on purpose during the coming months, which, in many areas, are the prime home buying and selling months? 

I am not just talking about physical space, either. You'll benefit by cleaning out all of your systems. Your databases are your daily working capital and the foundation of your business today and in the future. Do they need some spring cleaning? Your body is the vehicle through which you get things done-does it need some fine tuning? Your clientele can be great or drain energy…who should you let go of?

As a coach, I encourage my clients to work on the attraction principle. What I am referring to is the ability to attract, like a magnet to you, the people and situations to grow your business to your desired vision. Though it may sound a bit woo-woo, when you are working in the flow of things—not resisting what’s coming at you—you are able to effortlessly attract what you really desire. Having the space for this new, good business to come in is part of the equation. So a good spring cleaning can free up that space!

The list below contains many areas you may want to take a look at. If you want to take this a step further, there is an assessment called The Clean Sweep designed by Coachu that will help you get your whole life squeaky clean!

The Top 10 Spring Cleaning Areas:

1. Your Office Files & Folders Are your file drawers stuffed with no room for the new stuff? Clean out, throw out or store. Put 1-2 hours on your calendar each week to tackle this until it is done.Or go at it with a vengeance and hire an organizer to spend an afternoon with you to set up systems you can then spend a little time each week maintaining!

2. Your Databases First, spring clean here by updating and correcting, if necessary, all information. Some warm calls to verify information may even result in new business!

Then:Have you segmented your databases? Your goal is at least 3 lists: Begin with a short list of the 20% who give you 80% of your referrals on this list. These are the people who are your biggest supporters and with whom you’ll form the deepest relationships. Then there are the people you want to stay in touch with less often, but regularly.This might include the others in a farm area or sphere of influence. And finally the “suspects” and long term potential clients.

NOTE: If you aren’t using real estate related software or Pat Zaby’s new Respond program (which turns Outlook into a real estate specific tool), make this a priority to get it set up. As a special offer for my newsletter readers, I can offer you a special price on the Respond Software, if you send me an email.If you ever want an “escape” from real estate, your database is what you’ll have to “sell” or negotiate with.

3. Your Rolodex As you segment your databases, this is part of the process. Take out  the jerks. Life is definitely too short to work with people who treat you miserably. You don’t need them.

4. Your Systems Reviewing or creating the systems to automate your business is a critical time effectiveness element. What systems need fine tuning? What needs to be development? How can you use what you already have to bring this to a higher standard. An example would be implementing the “Campaigns” in Respond or the “Action Plans” in Top Producer. It might be a good time to try my email course, Systems and Checklists- you'll get 8 email elessons to walk you through reorganizing your 7 most important systems.

5. Your Bad Habits What gets in the way of you doing your best? Do you procrastinate? Refuse to delegate? Let the clutter and piles render you time challenged? Make a list of the habits to zap this year and then take 1 each month and upgrade the way you operate. For instance, in April, do not let a piece of paper cross your desk without filing, tossing or taking action on. You will find if you are consistent in being aware of the negative behavior and making a change, after about 3 weeks, you have formed a new habit. You could do that 13 times this year!!!

6. Your Stuff Do you need a Feng Shui Consultant or Professional Organizer to come in and get you squared away? Clutter drains energy—literally makes you tired. Free up space! The natural way things work is that space attracts because nature abhors a vacuum.

7. Your Attitude Thinking-Take the storm windows down and put the screens up to let the fresh air in! What one belief, if you let go of it, would create the most joy in your life? One of my limiting beliefs has always been that you have to work hard to be successful. That has had me put a lid on my vision and goals, because it looked like I would have to sacrifice other things I enjoyed to attain a really big goal. However, I began to notice others who were achieving BIG goals and the time they invested was not more than mine. Their beliefs were different and they were able to achieve different results because of it.

 This  may be true for you too in some area…Where have you limited or put a lid on yourself because you believe something to be true that was, in reality, just one possible way of looking at it? Everywhere you find you are limited or stopped, examine the “rule” you have made up that keeps you in that place. Then play with it by thinking up 5 other possible “rules” that could pertain. Or look at what other’s that are successful have as their “rules”. Hint: ask them!

8. Your Desk If you can, change the way it faces or its location. Give yourself a fresh point of view!

9. Your Equipment Are you tolerating equipment that needs replacing or upgrading? Look at your budget and make a list of what and when you will replace the less efficient equipment you have. Even though this costs money, there may be savings of time or other resources to offset the investment. Or maybe, it is what will take you to the next level in your business by the differentiation it will provide. This would include a spring cleaning of your Internet marketing and website.

10. Your Clientele Do you have listings that are costing you money and never going to sell. Or buyers who are true Lookey-loos? One of the reasons top producers are successful is because they don’t try to take every piece of business available but skim the cream. If you are busy trying to keep that nasty seller happy or running around with the lookey-loos, you don’t have time to prospect or work with the nicest people. Let go of the “bad” ones! If nothing else, you’ll stop the abuse and feel better about yourself. You do not have to put up with people who do not respect what you do.