Motherly Advice: Work What You’ve Got

In honor of Mothers Day this weekend, let’s cheer for  all the miracle workers out there with the amazing ability to make the most of what they’ve got.

A Mother’s super powers are never ending. They include things like: the ability to squeeze 25 hours worth of activity out of a 24 hour day, stretch a dollar further than anyone thought possible, make the people around them feel special, and run a successful business. By the way, running a household equates to running  business.

In real estate, whether you are a mom or not, there are things you can learn from these super heroes of life:

1. Sometimes you don’t need more, you need to leverage what you have: Mom’s are the master at this. Before buying something new, they look around to see if what they already have will accomplish the same goal. Real estate agents often buy one “sales tool” after another, don’t implement them, and then move on to the next best thing. This drains your finances, time and energy. Before spending another dollar, ask if there is something you already have that you could be leveraging better.
2. It’s all in the spin: Your mom didn’t get you eating vegetables because they would lower your cholesterol and make you live longer. She told you they would give you super human strength like Popeye and run fast like a Cheetah. (A classic example of features vs benefits) Knowing how to present yourself and a situation affects the outcome.
3. A little time spent up front can save hours on the back-end: Kids like to know what’s going to happen next. If you lay out the day for them in the beginning it can save what feels like hours of pouting and temper tantrums when you spring something on them later in the day. The same is true for your clients. Lay out the entire process of what happens when so that they feel prepared and confident. It helps to avoid late night phone calls and panicked clients.
4. Good enough is often the same as perfect: Ever tried doing a family photo? Getting everyone facing the same direction and smiling at the same time can take a miracle. Eventually you decide “this one is good enough”. It isn’t perfect, but then you realize that actually, it is. That smirk your one child is wearing is how they look in real life and the stunned look on the other child fits their personality too. The perfection comes from the honesty that the photo represents, not the manufactured, one you hoped to get. Honor your quirks and embrace them in your business. It’s what makes you amazing.
5. Assign chores: There comes a point when you look at your kids and realize, “hey, you can help with this stuff too”. The same is true for your business. It’s time to get help. You can even assign chores to your clients. It helps them feel involved, pro active and “buy in” to your method of doing things.
6. Have a signature dish: Every mom has their go to dish that they make their family. Even if your signature dish is take out, it still counts. It’s that thing that everyone looks forward to and wouldn’t be the same if someone else did it. You have that in your business as well. You have your signature way of doing things. Work that.
7. Manners matter: Manners are not just for the dinner table. They are for everything. Manners show respect and make those around you feel valued and cared for. There’s no better way to build a business than with a solid reputation.

For everyone out there, who has ever cared for another and impacted their future, Happy Mother’s Day!