By Sash Joveski and Andrew Gallegos, Fearless Agents at Realest.com
A real estate agent should plan the day around the work that leads to appointments, and do that work first. Block one to two hours each morning to talk with people you know, follow up with leads who asked to hear from you and set appointments. Put email, design work and errands after that block. At the end of the day, write down how many conversations you had and the appointments you set, so you can see the real work, not just the busy work.
Being busy and being productive feel the same from the inside. You can spend a full day on your website, your logo and your inbox and still not talk to a single person who might buy or sell a home. The work that grows a business is simple. Talk to people, set appointments, help them make good decisions and keep in touch. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Working with all your heart starts with doing the right work first.
Busy work or real work
Here is a quick test. Ask, “Did this get me closer to a conversation or an appointment?” If the answer is no, it might still matter, but it isn’t the work that comes first.
- Real work: calling or texting people in your sphere who know you, following up with leads, setting and preparing for appointments, showing homes and writing offers.
- Support work: updating your CRM (the contact system where you track people), writing posts, learning the market and planning your week.
- Busy work: redoing your logo, checking email every ten minutes, scrolling social media “for ideas” and reorganizing files you already organized.
Support work matters. It just shouldn’t eat the hours you set aside for people.
A simple daily plan for agents
You don’t need a perfect schedule. You need a few blocks you protect every day.
- Morning: People block, 1 to 2 hours. Phone on, inbox closed. Reach out to people you know and leads who asked for your help. Use our sphere call scripts if you freeze up on what to say.
- Late morning: Follow-up block, 30 minutes. Work through the follow-ups that are due today in your CRM. Send what you promised.
- Afternoon: Appointments and clients. Showings, listing appointments, offers and client calls.
- Late afternoon: Support work. Email, posts, paperwork, market study and tomorrow’s list.
- End of day: Score it, 5 minutes. Write down your conversations and appointments set. Then pick the first five people you’ll reach tomorrow.
If a client needs you during your people block, take care of the client. Then go back to the block when you can.
The Fearless Workday
People
1 to 2 hours of real conversations. Inbox closed.
Follow up
30 minutes. Send what you promised.
Serve
Showings, appointments and client calls.
Score it
Count conversations. Pick tomorrow’s first five.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart. Colossians 3:23
Track what you did, not how long you worked
Hours don’t tell you much. Two numbers do: how many real conversations you had and how many appointments you set. Write them down every day on paper or in your CRM. After a few weeks you’ll see which days and which habits lead to appointments, and you can do more of what works.
Write down the real numbers, and go easy on yourself. A slow day isn’t a verdict on you. It’s information for tomorrow’s plan.
Protect the block
- Put it on your calendar. Treat it like an appointment with a client, because that’s what it leads to.
- Turn off notifications. Email and social media can wait an hour.
- Make tomorrow’s list tonight. When you sit down in the morning, you start calling instead of deciding who to call.
- Reach out with permission. Call or text people who know you or asked to hear from you, and use the way they said they prefer. Don’t cold text and don’t use autodialers.
- Start small. If two hours feels like too much, start with 30 minutes and grow it.
Want a longer view? Our 90-day business plan for agents who don’t cold call turns these daily blocks into a full season plan.
Inside Fearless Training, our lesson on how to actually work in real estate walks through the difference between staying busy and doing the work that grows a business, step by step. Join Fearless Training for more lessons like this.
Frequently asked questions
How should a real estate agent plan their day?
Do the work that leads to appointments first. Block one to two hours in the morning to talk with people you know and follow up with leads, then handle appointments and clients, and save email and paperwork for later in the day.
What is the difference between busy work and real work for agents?
Real work gets you closer to a conversation or an appointment, like calling your sphere, following up and showing homes. Busy work fills time without that, like redoing your logo or checking email over and over.
How many hours a day should a new agent spend talking to people?
Start with at least one focused hour a day, and grow toward two as it gets easier. A short block you protect every day does more than a long block you skip.
What should agents track each day?
Track the number of real conversations you had and the appointments you set. Those two numbers show whether your day was busy or productive.
What if a client needs me during my calling block?
Take care of the client. Serving the people who already trust you comes first. Then return to your block when you can, or finish it later that day.
Be fearless. Sash, Realest.com
Come hang out in the Fearless Agents Facebook group, and join Fearless Training for more lessons like this.
