Houston

Your Summer Blog

We know, we know. It’s the busiest time of year for most agents. Still, there’s no excuse to let your website and social media slide. We’ve got 4 great ideas to get your creative juices flowing on your next few blog posts.

Fun And Free Ways To Explore Your City

Summer has many people thinking of ways to spend their leisure time, especially since we are all getting stir crazy under this global pandemic. A blog is a great place to feature the activities we can do right now. Make a list of the best family movies for movie night, or your favorite board games to play. For those who are itching to travel, look up virtual field trips! Focus on the things that you like best and it will come across as transparent and authentic – something all consumers crave right now.

Home and Garden Maintenance

People are more likely to have time and energy to pay attention to needs around the home during summer. Help your audience take care of their home by posting a checklist of important things to get done around the house. They’ll appreciate your know-how when it comes to protecting their largest investment.

Home Safety for Vacationers

We all worry about safety when we leave for vacation, so this is a perfect time to share some tips on how to keep things secure at home. You can do a little online research to find some great advice to pass on. This kind of post shows that you are truly invested in the well-being of your followers, friends, and clients.

Back To School

Everyone is wondering what the school year will look like. Keep in touch with your clientele to see how people are feeling – this is great information to post on a blog. Consider tips on how to help students prepare for a different kind of school year, how to handle the stress of getting ready in the morning, getting the family back in a routine, how to make a room study-friendly for kids who are distance-learning, or ways that your followers can help kids prepare for school with a school supply drive.

Build Your Business in June

Happy summer! As we know, the summer months can be a little crazy (in a good way) in the real estate world. Hopefully, your business is booming and we’ll be seeing your happy face in our office several times in the next few months. Whether things are going strong or you’re wondering when you’ll get that next client, this is no time to let your marketing efforts fade away.  What can you do this month to strengthen your future business?

Keep An Eye On The Calendar

It seems like everyone is offering some kind of promotion for Independence Day. If you’re worried about getting lost in the 4th of July crowd, there are fun holidays throughout the month of July that might be fun to celebrate. What about an ice cream social in your neighborhood to celebrate National Pecan Pie Day (July 12) or Vanilla Ice Cream Day (July 23)? Even with the constraints of a global pandemic, you can find creative ways to celebrate these fun holidays. E-mail a recipe for homemade ice cream or, better yet, feature a video of yourself learning to make pecan pie.  You can also begin to think a little further ahead to Back To School in August and host a social distancing school supply drive.

Pop Bys

Stopping in to visit your past clients’ houses is not a great option these days, but sending a cute gift via snail mail allows you to take advantage of some summer themes. Consider a S’mores kit, beach pail filled with goodies, or gift cards to get ice cream or frozen yogurt or to see a movie once things open back up!

Social Media Fun: Party Time

Social calendars fill up during the summer months. Use your social media pages to feature easy-to-make dishes and desserts to bring along to those summer cookouts and 4th of July parties, DIY party decorations and ideas, and pool safety tips, among other ideas.

Quarantine Safety

A big part about being the go-to-person about community and neighborhood information is staying informed and keeping your audience informed. Make sure you understand current shelter-in-place orders and help your followers brainstorm about ways to make summer fun, even when traditional vacations and beaches are no longer options.

The Resource: June 2020

Each month, we collect a full month’s worth of posts for you to pass along to clients, friends and family. Feel free to add these to your social media calendar this month!

Texas Tips

Just For Fun

Around The House

Buying And Selling

Trust us…you ARE creative.

It doesn’t matter how left- or right-brained you might think you are. Every single one of us has the capability of creative thought, especially when it comes to business. Adding that little bit of creative spark could, in fact, be the stepping stone to big business success.

If you’re feeling stuck or lost when it comes to new, inventive ideas, let us suggest the following steps to tapping into that imaginative side.

  1. Take A Walk Get out of the office! If you have a bit of free time, even just a five minute walk will give your mind a chance to wander. Here’s the thing, though. Leave the phone, music, or any other kind of technology at home. Give your brain a chance to relax and you’ll be surprised at how the ideas start to flow. Plus, won’t a little exercise be a nice change?
  2. Collaborate Collaboration is an excellent way to change things up in your business. Maybe you have a colleague who would love to run a promotion with you, or maybe there’s a business you admire who could benefit from some cross-promotion as well. What you’ll get out of finding a short-term business partner is a quick change of perspective. Who knows what business ideas you can take away and implement for your own success.
  3. Unplug We are so connected to the world at all times, aren’t we? Whether it’s checking your phone a dozen times a day, being interrupted by email notifications, or even unable to handle silence at home or in a car, we’re surrounded by electronics. With all that noise, it’s difficult to let any new ideas get in. Take a mini-retreat from tech, whether it’s an hour, an afternoon, or even a weekend. Turn the phone and television off, drive to work without turning the radio on, and take an email vacation, and see what develops.
  4. Change Your Routine It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with the same old routine. Get up, go to work, come home, work out, go to bed. We even take the same route to work, listen to the same music, eat lunch at the same places…all of these things make sense, but can also contribute to a bit of lazy thought. Keep yourself on your toes by switching things up every now and then. Take an alternate route, try a restaurant you’ve never been to, wake up early to work out, or forego your evening tv to read a new book.

The Resource: May 2020

Each month, we collect a full month’s worth of posts for you to pass along to clients, friends and family. Feel free to add these to your social media calendar this month!

Texas Tips

Just For Fun

Around The House

Decor Inspiration

Buying And Selling

Don’t live in that RUT!

It happens to all of us. Suddenly, nothing seems to be working with your business. You’ve lost passion and motivation is nowhere to be seen. You’re not alone. And the good news is, if you find yourself in a business rut, we’ve got a few ideas to get you through it and on the road to success again.

#1 – CALL IT WHAT IT IS

The first step to solving your problem is admitting you’ve got one. Say it out loud, acknowledge that this is happening. You may even consider telling a trusted friend or colleague who can encourage you through a lull. And ignoring the problem could just get you deeper into a rut.

#2 – IDENTIFY THE ISSUE

In your downturn, it’s not going to be easy to pinpoint exactlyone problem. But, if you’re feeling a lack of energy in your work, it’s important to know if you’ve lost passion in your career, or if there are smaller issues causing you to want to give up, whether it’s for a day or for longer. Figure out where your dark cloud is coming from and you’ll be a step closer to solving the problem and getting yourself “back in business.”

#3 – BRAIN DUMP

Business owners and entrepreneurs tend to focus on the “public” side of the business and let the “behind the scenes” work suffer. Chances are, there are things you want to accomplish in your business, but you lack the time to do them because the daily business itself gets in your way. Take some time to write down or type out every single idea that comes to mind – don’t focus on whether it’s a good idea or a bad idea, just write it down. As you write, you’ll feel inspiration starting to bubble up and you’ll realize what your next step will be.

#4 – FIND A MENTOR

If you don’t already have someone in your life who inspires and convicts you, it’s time to find one. This doesn’t necessarily need to be someone in your same industry, but someone that you admire professionally and personally. If it’s hard to think of a mentor in your network, find one online – even long distance! Search for others whose businesses or professional style you admire. If you haven’t met personally, send a short email telling them about yourself and asking about mentorship. The worst that can happen is you get a “no” and you move on to the next.

#5 – LEARN SOMETHING NEW

When you feel knowledgable, you’ll feel better about yourself and your work. There are a myriad of options available for affordable online courses and free webinars in every topic under the sun – marketing, social media, sales. If business is really bumming you out these days, use your time to learn something completely new. Take an art class or learn a new language. The confidence you’ll gain from a new skill could be just what you need to change your attitude.

#6 – ENJOY YOUR “DOWN” TIME

If you know you’re going to be slacking off a little during your slump, why not use your downtime better? Instead of sitting in front of your computer for 30 minutes and trying to convince yourself to work, take a 30 minute walk around your neighborhood. Or, take your “work” to the beach or the mountains, and give yourself a mini-vacation to inspire your mind.

#8 – SET REASONABLE GOALS

A mile-long to-do list can be just enough to keep you in your slump. Don’t try or expect to conquer it all at once. Set goals you know you can accomplish. For example: Between 9am and 10am, I’ll make three phone calls. Or: By lunchtime, I will have accomplished x, y, and z. Break your work into small pieces and handle only the next thing.

Remember, setbacks are normal. It’s a part of the game. Acknowledge that there are things you can learn from this. Recognize that you will eventually emerge, ready to take on your work with a new and inspired vision for your business.

The Resource: April 2020

Each month, we collect a full month’s worth of posts for you to pass along to clients, friends and family. Feel free to add these to your social media calendar this month!

Texas Tips

Just For Fun

Around The House

Buying And Selling

The Resource: March 2020

Each month, we collect a full month’s worth of posts for you to pass along to clients, friends and family. Feel free to add these to your social media calendar this month!

Texas Tips

Just For Fun

Around The House

Buying And Selling