Do less…achieve more. Sounds good doesn't it? But how in the world could it be possible when you are overwhelmed just trying to keep up? Wouldn't doing less just get you further behind? After all,you've got buyers to do research for, the sellers whose houses haven't sold wants to know what you are doing and are calling frequently, you got problems with some escrows….and where is that piece of paper you need ?

You have as many hours in the day as Bill Gates. Do you use them as effectively as he does? Knowing what to do and what not to do is perhaps the best way to become very effective. What is the highest and best use of your time? How can you do less and achieve more?

Simplifying your business and your life to reflect what makes the most difference is difficult when we need the next piece of business to pay the rent. It seems to make sense to follow up on every little possibility because there might not be any more out there. Some simple steps can help you prioritize and start to use your time like Bill Gates…..stop doing the less productive and be very effective.

The Top 10 Ways To Simplify Your Business and Create More Space In Your Life

Do a Clean Sweep Of Your Environment

If you have piles of papers and file drawers you can barely get another paper into, it's time to take major action. Time block half a day and do nothing but get your organization and environment up to standard. Stop tolerating an environment where you spend precious time every day looking for lost papers. If you need to, hire an organizer. The investment will cause you to take it more seriously and you will probably learn some tricks to keep it that way. The Coachu Clean Sweep Assessment will help you do this in four major areas.

Release Listings That Are Sucking Time And Energy

Do you have any listings that you know are NOT going to sell? Sellers that are driving you crazy? Let go of them or refer them to an agent for whom they are a better fit.

Only Work With "A" Buyers; Refer The Rest

Are all the buyers you are working with motivated and able to buy? For the next month, refer out every buyer who isn't ready willing and able to buy now. And make sure to sign an exclusive buyers contract. You wouldn't work an open listing…why are you working for buyers without a guarantee of getting paid? This will also weed out the serious from the lookey-loos.

Refine Your Database

How many on your sphere of influence list are truly advocates for you? Reduce the number in your database to those who fit your perfect client profile and who are or would be likely to become referral engines for you. There are probably 50 or less who fit this profile, yet you are spending your marketing dollars on some who you don't even like. Pare down the “A” list.

Get Serious About Creating Customers For Life

Once the list is pared down, initiate a really exciting program for the loyal ones. In some states, you can offer referral fees. In others, you have to be more creative. How much loyalty do you think you'd build by sending them on a 3 day jaunt to Las Vegas or the beach or ????? Be outrageously creative in showing these people how much you appreciate them. Double or triple the contact they get from you, preferably by seeing them IN PERSON more often.

Do Open House Tours

Are you spending hours at one open house hoping to get good traffic? Start doing tours where each house is open for a much briefer period of time. You'll be able to make 4 sellers happy instead of one and will increase the urgency for the lookers. Don't forget the opportunity when you do an open to visit the neighbors in person.

Use The Internet To Farm FSBOS

A new place to find FSBO's. Check out the for sale by owner sites with listing in your town. Set up a series of emails that will automatically farm these prospects.

Use Real Estate Software

The most profitable use of real estate software is the action plans. By applying a plan to every contact, you are automatically reminded each time you turn on the program what to do. If you will devote time to fine tune and/or set up plans tailored to your niches and your business, you'll marvel at the results of consistent use.

Create Systems & Checklists For Everything

If you are in business seriously, you can't afford to fly by the seat of your pants. How do you think MacDonalds can serve French fries that taste the same everywhere you go and have most of their stores staffed primarily by teenagers? Systems are the answer. They make it a no-brainer to follow the steps of what they know works. The E-Myth Revisted by Michael Gerber is one of the best books around for making the case of how much more effective you could be. Or you could take course by email on Systems & Checklists to help you with the major areas.

Ask For Help

Our nature as sales professionals is to be independent and self-sufficient but the very success that has been achieved through doing it alone is bottlenecked by the lack of time and resources to DO IT ALL ALONE. So, get over it… And start asking others to participate with you. Remember having more fun is part of this. So who can you delegate to? Who will help with the administrative tasks you shouldn't be doing? Who will partner with you on mailings and relationship building. You have untapped resources all around you. If you spent an hour today making a list and calling some of those resources, you would see results quickly. Do some outside the box thinking.

Make March 2000 the month to do a clean sweep and simplify by considering and taking action on any of the areas that aren't “buffed” up.

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Published: March 2, 2000

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Joeann Fossland ePRO, GRI, MCC, PMN, SRS is a dynamic, international speaker and business coach. She personally coaches a small number of extraordinary agents who want to leverage their production results and have a life they love! She was recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Real Estate in 2008 by Stephan Swanapoel. Subscribe to her free Tuesday Tips, attend Fossland's Forums, free monthly tele-seminars, and find out about classes delivered by email and personal coaching by visiting Joeann.com or email her at . You can also connect at Facebook and Twitter.