Real estate has a lot of ups and downs so you need to be doing things that will produce results in the long run. Not everyday are you going to be able to sell a home, pick up a buyer or get a listing, so you can not define a successful day by doing this or not doing this. For me what constitutes a good day is doing things that will produce results in the future. Too many realtors are depressed when they go a while without a sale. I agree that it is not easy, but that shouldn't stop you from doing the right things during the day.
A successful day for me starts by arriving to work before everyone else. For some of you this may not be possible, there are some agents who get to work at 6:00am, but often times many of the agents aren't getting to work until 9:00am or later. Being the first realtor there is not a necessity, but consistently being earlier than most is a good habit.
The second thing that makes a successful day is to have a plan of action and some routines. I try to begin each day with devotions and then 30 minutes of real estate study. There are a number of things that you could be doing, but this has worked for me. Often times we forget how important education is in this business, so I plan a time for me to do it. Learning what other realtors did to become successful is an activity that will help you produce closings in the future.
When my studying is complete I begin my plans for prospecting. I check the expireds from the day before, and also make a note of all the calls I have to return. Not only do I find the expireds but I also write down their phone number so that I will be able to call them and hopefully make a good impression. Having studied, how to work expireds, makes these calls so much easier. Even if you don't make a contact you are still making an effort to prospect and that makes your day that much more fulfilling. I try to call sometime between 9:00 am and 10:00am. Therefore I am not waking anyone up, and if no one is around I call them later. I have found that leaving messages on answering machines never get returned.
After I have made my calls I begin working on my website. Being successful with search engines requires hard work so consistency is important to have. If you don't plan for it at the beginning of your day it is not likely to get done. When this is complete it is normally lunch time. Taking a break is highly recommended. It allows you to recuperate and clears your mind for the afternoon ahead.
It is now time to get back to work. Returning phone calls after lunch has always worked for me. My mind is clear and I am focused on the issues in front of me. This is also a good time to make contact with your sphere of influence. If you do not have a sphere of influence, begin working on that. Often times you are able to leave messages on their voice mail, which makes this much easier. This becomes an easy way of making a contact. Guess who they are going to think of when they need to sell or have a friend who needs real estate assistance?
By this time it is mid afternoon. Now is a good time to show homes, make sure your closings are coming together, and to contact your sellers. If you don't have closings or listings, work on your mailers and website.
When the evening comes if I have appointments I try to schedule them for around dinner time. I am not a big fan of spending my entire night showing homes and being away from my family. I am willing to loose out on a deal if it is continually going to keep me from my family, or at least I can get a referral from it.
When I get home I am satisfied with the work that I accomplished that day. Although I may not have received a listing, a buyer, or even a lead I have still positioned my self to have a lot of business in the future.
