As a real estate agent, your time is valuable, and you’re always looking for ways to optimize your productivity. However, one often-overlooked opportunity for boosting your business is your drive time. Yes, you read that correctly. Your commute to and from work and appointments can be turned into valuable time for your business. In this post, we’ll explore why drive time matters for real estate agents and share some strategies for making the most of it. By the end of this post, you’ll have actionable steps and resources to help you leverage your drive time and propel your real estate business forward.
So, why is drive time important for real estate agents? For starters, it’s a regular occurrence that can add up to several hours each week. These hours can be spent actively advancing your business or mindlessly listening to the radio. Secondly, it’s a time when your focus is almost solely on driving, so it’s a great opportunity to multitask and work on other things.
Throughout this post, we’ll explore various strategies and resources that can help you take advantage of your drive time. These include how listening to educational podcasts or audiobooks can help you stay informed about the latest trends, how prospecting on the phone or through social media can help you expand your network, and how revisiting past clients can lead to repeat business. Additionally, we’ll share some useful tools and resources that can make your drive time more productive.
Let’s dive into how you can leverage your drive time to boost your real estate business.
Why Drive Time Matters For Real Estate Agents
Your drive time, whether to an appointment, an open house or just to the office, presents a unique opportunity for real estate agents. It’s one of the few times when you’re alone and in a relatively uninterrupted environment. You’re not pulled in different directions by other agents or clients, and your focus is solely on getting from point A to point B.
In addition to having uninterrupted time, you also have the ability to multitask. With the rise of smartphones and in-car technology, you can do more than just drive while on-the-go. You can listen to educational podcasts or audiobooks, make important phone calls, or stay up-to-date with the latest real estate news by listening to radio programs.
However, despite the opportunity drive time presents, there are challenges to using it effectively. One of the biggest challenges is staying focused on business-related tasks instead of being distracted by other things. For example, it’s easy to get sidetracked by social media notifications or personal phone calls while driving. Another challenge is finding the time to plan and prepare for productive drive time. Some agents might prioritize other tasks and leave their drive time underutilized, while others may struggle to identify what actions will have the greatest impact on their business.
Strategies For Leveraging Drive Time
Let’s dive into some specific strategies that can help real estate agents make the most of it in driving for dollars real estate investing.
- Listening to educational podcasts or audiobooks
One of the most efficient ways to use your drive time is to listen to educational podcasts or audiobooks on topics that can help you grow your real estate skills or your business. You can gain new ideas, expand your knowledge and learn from experienced professionals in the industry. Some examples of podcasts include The Real Deal in Real Estate, Kevin Ward’s Yes Talk, and BiggerPockets Real Estate. You can also find audiobooks on a wide range of topics, including leadership, marketing, and sales strategies.
- Prospecting on the phone or through social media
Drive time can also be an excellent opportunity to prospect for new leads. By using your phone, you can call prospective clients, follow up with past clients, or connect with potential business partners. You can also use social media apps like LinkedIn to build your network and engage with potential clients. Just make sure to keep safety in mind and use hands-free methods while driving.
- Revisiting past clients and checking in on their needs
Driving is a great opportunity to reconnect with your past clients by reaching out and checking if they need any assistance. You can use this time to touch base, ask about their housing needs and work on building long-term relationships that could lead to repeat business. Your clients will appreciate you for remembering them.
- Staying informed about the local real estate market by listening to news and radio programs
Staying informed about the local housing market is critical for real estate agents, and regular drive time can be used effectively to catch up with the latest news and insights. You can listen to real estate news and local radio programs to stay up-to-date on trends, legislation changes and hot topics that can influence your business strategies.
- Practicing scripts and role-playing scenarios to improve communication skills
Driving alone is a perfect time to practice your communication skills by role-playing different scenarios or practicing real estate scripts. This practice can help you refine your pitch, improve your tone and demeanor, and work on overcoming any anxiety or nervousness you might face when talking with clients.
Tools And Resources For Maximizing Drive Time Productivity
In addition to using effective strategies, there are several tools and resources that can help real estate agents make the most of their drive time. Here are some recommendations:
- Investing in a phone and car mount can provide a safe and efficient way to use your phone while driving. These mounts keep your phone securely in place and allow for hands-free phone calls or voice commands.
- Mobile apps can be a game-changer for real estate agents, helping automate routine tasks and improve productivity. Some essential apps include Zillow, to find potential leads; Dotloop, for transaction management; and Docusign, to sign documents electronically.
- Personal development books can be a valuable source of inspiration and knowledge for real estate agents, helping them improve crucial skills such as leadership, sales, and productivity. Books like “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, and “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, can help you develop your professional skills while you drive.
- If you spend significant amounts of time behind the wheel, it’s essential to ensure that your car is running smoothly and comfortably. Maintain your car by frequently checking and inspecting your vehicle and getting regular tune-ups.
Conclusion
As real estate agents, you often overlook the tremendous opportunities presented by our drive time. It’s a valuable time when we can use different strategies to boost our productivity and increase our chances of success.
Listening to educational podcasts or audiobooks, prospecting on the phone or through social media, reconnecting with our past clients, staying informed about the local real estate market and practicing communication skills, are among some of the best ways to make use of our commute.
It’s crucial for us as real estate agents to maximize our time and resources to succeed in this competitive business. By using our drive time more effectively, we can gain a competitive edge over our competitors