In real estate, we all have our busy seasons, and slow times. Generally, our markets, inquiries, and business tend to slow down in the fall. In other areas, companies are restructuring, job creation is off, there are layoffs, and relocation business is off because of local and national economics conditions.

Perhaps many in our field have not been in the business long enough to experience this normal economic cycle. If you haven't been through a market downturn before, it is not good to fret, and get yourself in a twist. The sky isn’t falling. Seasoned agents recognize the realities of the business cycles, they've endured other peaks and dips, and have survived by adjusting their marketing efforts when they have more down time.

What do these veterans do with more free time? They strategize their marketing efforts, and streamline for better times.

One of the things you can do is get ready to do more business by putting your marketing mind and equipment in better shape. The best time to update a computer, an office network, integrate new software for database management, upgrade software, etc, is when times are slow.

So here are some practical ideas for things to do when times are slow. Use some of them to grow your business by working smarter, not harder!

• Upgrade your home or office Internet connection to high speed.
• Attend a few seminars that are focused to expand your productivity.
• Employ immediately the best ideas.
• Take a few computer courses at local schools in the evening.
• Catch up on those continuing education real estate hours that you need.
• Take some designation courses now since you have some free time.
• Take an inventory of your business this year.
• Determine where you want grow your business.
• Create next year’s business plan, and market strategy.
• Choose a business and market focus for the coming year.
• Update your contact manager's list. Delete those names you do not need.
• Update your e-mail lists, farming data, market stats.
• Update your signs, business cards by branding your marketing image.
• Update, or redesign your marketing, presentations, and brochures.
• Optimize your computer. Delete unused files and software.
• Make your computer run more efficiently with memory upgrades.
• Run maintenance items on your computer with defrag, and virus scans.
• Evaluate your computer needs today, and allow for future growth. (Does your computer have enough capacity to meet those needs? Do you need to purchase a new computer? Will a software upgrade suffice?)
• Currently have a lot of system crashes on your computer? If so, what operating system are you using? If you use MS ME go to XP Pro.
• Evaluate current software, and upgrades. Determine if the upgrades are worth it. If so, decide which software best improves your needs, and professional image.
• Take time to do research, and make the right selections.
• Decide what other areas of your business need improvement.
• Determine which areas of your business are handicapping you.

It makes more sense to take care of these things when business is really slow than to get in a panic when you're busier. What if your computer doesn't work because a virus crashed your computer because you didn't have time to update your anti-virus software?

There are probably many more areas that we could look at to take use of downtime, rather than to be paralyzed in fear by it. When the markets pick up, you will be in a great position to take full advantage of your skills, presentations, and technologies to earn more, by working less. If you do this now, you will be less stressed, and have more free time when business picks up. Now just do it!

Published: December 3, 2002

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Jim Crawford, ABR, e-PRO 500 is currently licensed as a Broker Associate with RE/MAX Paramount Properties in Atlanta Georgia, and as a Broker Associate with Prudential PenFed Realty Fairfax Virginia. Jim and his wife Ellen work as a husband and wife team in the northern Atlanta suburbs, and have recently expanded their web business to Northern Virginia and Maryland. As the team's rainmaker, Jim is a self-taught webmaster and designer, and he relies exclusively on the Internet for marketing. He is considered an expert on marketing, nationwide relocation, cutting edge technology, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for real estate, and Internet marketing. Jim's seminars, online contributions, and technology ideas assist real estate agents to maximize their business results, and raise the industry's professional service level skills. His common sense marketing ideas have been published and quoted regularly in trade publications. He has also consulted and advised NAR offices regarding Internet issues, and Internet ethics for Realtors. In between sales, Jim is a popular speaker at national and regional real estate seminars, REBAR Camps, Blogging seminars and retreats. Jim is a major proponent and advocate of online ethics and the development of social media policies. He is also an online real estate coach, with a self-tutorial coaching site for real estate professionals for webs and Blogging. Jim was a featured speaker at the November 2004 National Association of REALTORS® convention in Orlando, and has spoken at the several REALTORS® conventions both in the United States and Canada. Visit his website at RealEstateTechCoach.com, or e-mail him at .