It has to survive
When it comes to real estate sales, many imagine it’s all about charm, charisma, and having a house with a view. Picture a savvy real estate agent in a crisp suit, dazzling buyers with witty banter, a knowing smile, and a strategically placed fern. While those elements might help sell a house, one critical factor is often overlooked: structure—and no, I’m not talking about the house’s foundation (though that’s important, too).
Real estate is more like a chess game than a footy match. Sure, enthusiasm helps, but without a strategic plan, you’re just running in circles. A solid structure in your sales process is the difference between closing the deal and chasing potential buyers down the street like a crazed pelican. In Australia’s fast-moving property market, you need more than just charm to stay afloat; you need a methodical approach that ensures you’re getting the right buyers into the right homes—every time.
Why Structure Matters
Let’s set the scene. Imagine walking into an open house: the agent doesn’t know who you are, hasn’t followed up on your inquiries, and can’t remember the last name of the seller. Worse yet, they keep losing their keys to the property! You’d likely leave faster than you arrived. Now imagine the reverse—an agent with a well-organized system, who greets you by name, knows the property inside out, and already has a tailored list of options that fit your exact needs. That’s the power of structure.
Being organized allows agents to provide better customer service, maintain a higher volume of listings, and avoid burnout. Most importantly, it builds **trust**—which is vital when people are making the biggest financial decision of their lives. So, let’s talk about how to put a solid structure in place and what happens if you don’t.
Tip 1: Get a CRM—No, Seriously
A good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is to a real estate agent what a net is to a trapeze artist. It catches everything—leads, follow-ups, potential buyers, properties sold, and everything in between. Real estate deals are all about relationships, and without a system to keep track of every client’s likes, dislikes, and housing dreams, you might as well be trying to juggle knives blindfolded.
Without structure, agents can lose track of prospects—leads go cold, important dates are forgotten, and buyers slip through the cracks like spilled sangria at an open house. Take Sam, a seasoned but scatterbrained agent. He had a red-hot buyer ready to purchase a beachfront property, but Sam forgot to follow up on the inspection. By the time he remembered, the buyer had fallen in love with another house—probably one with a more organized agent.
Tip 2: Prioritize Time Management
Time in real estate is like gold. Every minute counts, and without proper time management, you’re liable to end up showing the wrong house to the wrong client at the wrong time. A clear structure allows you to segment your day effectively—appointments, calls, emails, follow-ups—so you don’t double book yourself or forget to attend an auction entirely.
Consider the unfortunate case of Julie, an agent who had two clients scheduled for the same day—one wanted a heritage home, the other a sleek, modern apartment. Julie, running late, swapped the addresses. The poor heritage home buyer was baffled by glass-and-steel minimalism, while the modernist couple grimaced at floral wallpaper from 1895. Needless to say, Julie didn’t close either sale.
Tip 3: Stay in Touch With Old Clients
A lack of structure often means agents overlook their greatest asset: past clients. A happy home buyer can become a repeat customer or, better yet, a valuable source of referrals. But many agents are too disorganized to keep in touch. A quick “how’s the new home treating you?” email or anniversary card can work wonders. Failing to follow up can cost you not just one sale, but an entire network of future business.
Tip 4: Stick to a Routine
A predictable routine doesn’t sound glamorous, but it’s the unsung hero of successful real estate careers. Structuring your day-to-day work around consistent practices, like weekly client updates, market analysis, and scheduled calls, ensures you stay on top of your game. A solid routine also provides stability, especially when you’re juggling multiple clients, properties, and listings.
The real estate industry has its fair share of lovable rogues—agents who seem to coast along on sheer charm. They show up at inspections with nothing but a smile and a dream, only to find themselves bewildered when the paperwork is late or the buyer walks away. These agents are easy to spot—they’re the ones rummaging through their car boot for a business card while the competition is already signing contracts.
Even the best agents can get swept up in the excitement of a booming market, and that’s when things go wrong. Take Liz, for example. She was juggling six listings and forgot to advertise one. The open house came and went—empty. The owner was furious, and Liz had to watch her reputation crumble faster than an old Queenslander in a storm.
It’s said that failing to plan is planning to fail—and in real estate, that couldn’t be more accurate. The good news is, with the right structure, you can avoid becoming the next Greg or Julie. Instead, you’ll be the agent people recommend at their barbecues, the one who gets the job done—without breaking a sweat (or losing your keys).