What I’m Grateful For: Pivoting
I’m thinking a lot this week about the recent NAR settlement and the uncertainty and questions about the future picture of real estate and home buying in the future. I know that a lot of real estate agents are wondering how this will affect them and if there’s anything that they can do to buffer themselves against the uncertainties. In my life, I’ve had to pivot many, many times – and it’s never been comfortable, easy or fun (while in the pivot). But each change has truly brought growth, richness, new wisdom and new opportunities into my world, and even when the pivot was hard and NOT what I would have chosen, in hindsight I am grateful for each and every one of them.
The easy gratitudes are the small, simple things: coffee, friendships, birds outside my window. The harder gratitudes are the ones that are challenges wrapped up in chaos, uncertainty and fear. But if you refuse to spend much time thinking “Why me?” and you focus on the Next Right Thing To Do, you can work your way through even the hard things, one step at a time.
So drink water, take yourself for a walk outdoors, pet your dog (or cat) and look for opportunities every morning. Talk to others that have weathered uncertainties. Explore additional ways to bring value to the world. If you are thinking about moving into Property Management or some other path that might entail changing things around a bit, email me back and we can chat about some great tools and partnerships that could be helpful for you.
In 2030, we’ll look back together and see how much we have to be grateful for!
What I’m Reading:
The Anxious Generation
This book is on pre-order, so I haven’t read it yet, but I’m excited to! The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt. I listened to the author talk on a great Hidden Brain podcast while driving last weekend, and it piqued my interest greatly. A deep dive into the constructs of culture, morality, conservatism and liberalism, social media and the rise of anxiety and depression in teens and young people. WOW what a lot to devour. Can’t wait to get the book next week and dive in! Here’s the podcast if you want to listen.
Tip from Gene:
Keeping it Simple, Clean and Easy
As a new agent or even a seasoned pro, it’s hard not to want to go all out on your website. But here’s the thing: simplicity is essential when it comes to your website presence. If you have us create your website, we will do all this for you! But if you are going it alone, this will help guide you.
Here’s a few reasons why you should keep it clean and simple:
1. Easier to navigate: A simple website is easier for visitors to navigate, which means they’re more likely to find what they’re looking for.
2. Faster loading times: Simple websites tend to load faster, which is important because studies show that most visitors will abandon a site if it takes too long to load.
3. Less overwhelming: Too much content can be overwhelming for visitors, and it can make them feel like there’s too much work to do in order to become a client. By keeping it simple, you can make your site feel more approachable and inviting.
4. Cost-effective: Simpler websites are often less expensive to build and maintain, which is important for new agents who may have limited budgets.
So, how can you make simplicity happen? Here are some tips:
1. Use a clean layout: Use a clear and consistent layout throughout your site, with plenty of white space to make it easy to read and navigate.
2. Limit the amount of content: On your homepage, include the most essential information and calls to action early on the page. This will help prospects quickly find what they need and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Further down, include a few well-written paragraphs of text with good keywords for your area to enhance SEO (search engine optimization). If you need help with your SEO, reply to this email and we can send you a little how-to or get you a quote to have us help you out.
3. Use high-quality images: Instead of using clip art or poorly rendered graphics, choose just a few high-quality images that clearly communicate your message and brand.
4. Use straightforward language: Write in plain English and avoid using technical terms that might confuse visitors. Most of today’s local newspapers are found to be written at a 6th and 7th-grade level.
There you have it, just a few of my tips I have found to be effective since 2000 and I still use them to this day.
Remember, consistency and simplicity win every time.
Quote I’m Pondering:
”Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin.
