HACK THE HUSTLE

WELCOME

Hello! I swear I’m starting to forget what my house looks like. I went from vacation in Florida to my 40th high school reunion (!!) to Vail. Everyone keeps talking about a fall slow-down, but nothing feels particularly slow to me right now. However, I have not been too busy to stop and smell the roses, and by stop and smell the roses, I mean gush over how cozy Taylor and Travis were at the US Open. (And that dress! OMS!)

This week we’re going to talk about doing more with less because now’s the time to review and streamline our processes, as we get ourselves lean and (not) mean for the fourth quarter. So let’s go!

THE REALITY OF REAL ESTATE

Hacking the Hustle

Some days I wish I were Glinda the Good Witch and not Glennda the Good Agent, because I would love to have a magic wand to create more hours in my day. However, we’re all given the same amount of time, and the way we spend it directly impacts on our business. No one knows more than I do that it can be so dang hard to do it all, trying to juggle family, work, home, and maybe even a few minutes for myself to smooth down my hair. So many of us feel like we’re stuck on a hamster wheel of being busy—and if you feel this way, too, then this one’s for you. (I see you!)

No one has that magic wand to create more time, not even Miss Taylor Alison Swift who managed to make 149 stops across the globe on her Eras tour. While I might not have won a Grammy (yet), I can promise you that Taylor’s secret to maximizing her time and making money all boils down to this—having the right support system. She’s not afraid to ask for help, and you shouldn’t be either.

Just like Taylor isn’t driving her own tour bus, you don’t have to handle it all alone.

Know this—your availability can MAKE or BREAK your business and you never want to miss out on your next big opportunity. (Like if Travis Kelce wants to slip you his number on a bracelet!) But because you have a life, you cannot be on your phone 24/7. While you have to sleep, the real estate industry doesn’t, especially when competition is this tough. If you don’t answer that late night call from a lead, the next person they call will.

So what’s a gal to do? When that call comes, you need to be ready for it, because you know all too well it will be a cruel summer if you miss those leads. Once they reach someone else, you are never ever, ever getting back together and you’ll be down bad.

That’s why I’m so excited to tell y’all about SignMore, because they are a 24/7 solution for your property business. And I promise they will make you and your clients feel like rock stars because they provide you with a virtual team of 5-star property receptionists. They are here to help you around the clock with call answering, lead capture, appointment scheduling, and more!

SignMore is like having a competent team by your side 24/7, without the cost and management. They are the answer to maximizing every minute of your day. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, whether you’re with clients, family, friends, watching the midnight rain or seeing snow on the beach, SignMore has got you covered! You’ll be out of the woods and safe and sound with SignMore because your callers will always speak to a real person and you’ll never miss another call.

What’s more, your SignMore receptionist will connect with your caller based on your set criteria and then they’ll send you a follow-up message, so you can catch up when you’re next available. Plus, you get the benefit of their cutting-edge tech, from a mobile app to CRM integrations to live chat widget and appointment scheduling software that integrates with your calendar! And don’t forget that business phone number that you can use across your marketing materials and lead generation activity! So don’t be all would’ve, could’ve, should’ve—use the closest thing I can offer to that magic wand!

Sounds good, right? Well, as a loyal SignMore partner, I have a promo for y’all: get 30% off your first three months on SignMore’s Best Value Plan. Simply visit signmore.com/glennda.

@glenndabaker

Premium service is all about the personal touch. My prospects and clients want to speak to a real person, no matter when they reach out, a... See more

_{This is a sponsored post, but the opinions are 100% mine.}

STORY TIME WITH GLENNDA

Leverage It All

Let’s talk about leveraging our resources today, because every one of us is trying to do a little more with a little less.

For the longest time, one of my biggest expenses was payroll. And that was a necessary evil because once we achieve a certain level of success, we have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep that business. In my world, that once meant having a team of 17, including four full-time payroll employees.

Y’all, technology has changed the game.

At one point, I was paying someone $85,000/year to do my followup, whether it was making sure the loan was going correctly, ensuring the attorney had cleared the title, getting the inspection resolved, or putting all of those little (but huge) due diligence reminders in my calendar. But given all the new technology, my processes are so streamlined that I can literally set up a calendar reminder and just add the guest to it. So I no longer need to pay a nice salary, plus medical, dental, insurance, etc. or $400 per transaction.

As much as it’s easy to complain about all the changes in our industry, especially this year, some of them were truly needed.

Now even though we’re bringing in more business than ever, my Diamond Squad is lean and (not) mean. I’ve got me, Elizabeth, Evelyn, and Victoria and we are a well-oiled machine. (I’ll talk more about how to shape your own Diamond Squad in a later issue.)

For example, while I’m out of town, I’ve got Evelyn to go to our closing this week. And all of my clients know that if I’m not available, they’re not getting relegated. Instead, they’re being seamlessly handed off to a different point on the same diamond. If I were to say, “Oh, my assistant will do this, and my assistant will do that,” the client feels like they’re being downgraded. But when I say, “My business partner will be there with you,” it implies that we’re all equal in this, so my clients rightly think, Oh, good, we’re getting the same kind of person as Glennda!

The other way I maximize my time and resources without additional payroll expense is through my vendors. Once you’ve reached a certain level of success, people are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep your business. Strive to be the agent the vendors can’t live without, and then take them up on their willingness to make it easier for you. This has given me the leverage when I’m talking to the attorney, when I’m talking to the inspector to say, “This is how I like to work. Will this work for you, and if so, what do you need from me to make everything work like this?” Because that makes our lives collectively easier.

So if you want to do more with less, take a look around and figure out how you can use what you already have to your advantage.

GLENNDA’S GURU

Welcome, Mandy Rewis!

I am absolutely delighted to introduce y’all to Mandy Rewis. Mandy is the head of business development and partnerships at SignMore! She is not only a customer service guru, but she’s also a driving force in predicting real estate trends. She was inspired to get into the business because of her parents… and now her son is set to follow in her footsteps. Talk about your family legacy! So everyone, please enjoy my chat with Mandy.

Thanks so much, Mandy!

GLENNDAISM

Take This One to Heart

GO HOMES.COM WITH GLENNDA

How About That?

Oh, my stars and stripes I am so excited to share this new listing with y’all! Today I’m featuring a condo designed by architect Robert Greene, who was Frank Lloyd Wright’s last apprentice. Now the last time I sold a Robert Greene property, it was for $2,000,000. So the idea of having something he designed in the middle of Atlanta for this price is just incredible. This one will not stay on the market long, I promise y’all that.

And as always, with Homes.com, it’s your listing, your lead