We hear this often…
“I really want to implement a real estate CRM software in my business but I never seem to be able to stay with it.”
You’re busy. You’re very busy. You know you need a CRM and you’ve started using one several times but after a few weeks you give up because you just can’t seem to get the time. Using it slows you down and that takes more time. Oh, and it seems like it’s going to take forever to learn! Sound familiar?
What I’m about to say is hardly rocket surgery but after 25+ years of teaching real estate CRMs, these are the most common stumbling blocks I’ve seen and how to overcome them.
Step 1 – Make using your CRM software a habit!
This is the most important step by far.
Forming any habit requires consistent repetition, without exception! You likely start in earnest but then you get busy and don’t do anything for another week. By then you’ve forgotten the little that you learned. The problem is that you cannot keep postponing learning your CRM until the time that you need to spend with it presents itself. For many of us, that time just does not come.
So how do you make it a habit?
Work on learning your CRM first thing in the morning, before, answering voicemails and emails. In other words, make it your first priority of the day. Commit to at least a solid hour each morning. Also note – spending two hours one morning does not mean you can skip the next day. Remember, this is the “getting into the habit” stage. If you don’t do it before you start your regular day, you will not do it consistently and you’ve lost before you’ve begun. It’s only for a while. You’ll live, and you’ll still get done what you need to do that day.
Your goal is to do this every single day until going into Realvolve is no longer a chore, but something that you do because you want to and need to, and dare I say, because you like to.
Step 2 – Recognize that it will not take forever to learn
The time it takes to learn a CRM is finite, right? While it may seem like it in the beginning, it will not take forever to learn. It’s all about attitude so start with the big picture. The learning curve does end. Realize that after you get over the hump it will no longer be an effort to go into Realvolve and work in it. It will become as much a part of your day as your email.
Step 3 – Know that it will slow you down initially and commit to deal with it
You’re probably not as organized as you want to be or you wouldn’t be reading this. But you do have a flow going. It’s important to realize that in the beginning, learning and using a CRM is going to change that flow and slow you down and that can make it frustrating. Accept that and just keep yourself moving forward with your end goal in mind. It’s all about commitment.
Step 4 – Know that you do not have to be tied to your computer
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about using a CRM is an image of themselves tethered to their computer. When you’re in the office you’ll have it open on your laptop or desktop because much of what you do each day will be in Realvolve. But when you’re not in the office, you have access to your database on your phone or your tablet so you can continue to interact with it whenever you need to.
Step 5 – Consolidate all of your data
In order to use a CRM you’re going to be changing the way you do certain parts of your business. One example is that you are currently recording data (names, phone numbers, email addresses) in many places. The goal with a CRM is to have as much of that data in one place as possible. How many places are you maintaining a database electronically? Your phone? Your email software? Your mailing list? Your emailing list? Your transaction management platform? Now you can combine them all into one place. Post-It pads go in the back of a drawer. No more scribbling on desktop blotters or napkins. It all goes into your CRM and when you need it, you can actually find it far more quickly and easily than you do now. Sound good?
Throughout the day if you are in front of your computer, you can enter it easily. Get in the habit of entering it while you are talking to people or immediately afterwards. But sometimes you just need to scribble it somewhere the old fashioned way. That’s fine, but here’s the rule:
You have one notebook in which you take notes. You don’t want to write anything that is destined for Realvolve anywhere else.
You then take that notebook each morning or evening and de-brief that information into Realvolve. You will be amazed at how easy it is to retain and find information easily right away. And after a few years, you’ll have all the ancillary services information at your finger-tips without having to look it all up every time you start a new transaction.
It’s all about making it a habit and recognizing it will take time and work for a while. But you’re really not going to make any of this happen any unless you first make a serious commitment. If you do that, and you take these steps to heart – you will succeed.
Knowing this, are you ready to do this? Are you committed? If so, we’ll work with you to get you over the hump and when you get there, we’ll celebrate with you when you have your Aha moment!
