It’s one thing to start your business from scratch, build a brand and make yourself known when all you have is a vision of what you may become. But when you decide to do a complete make-over and be the best REVA ever all at the same time, well, let’s just say it’s a lot to have on your plate.
My clients come first, and they will always come first. I don’t really quite understand the mentality of a lot of V.A.’s out there who seem to have an enormous virtual chip on their shoulder. Danielle Keister, who I admire and will completely devour anything she writes, has written a lot on this subject lately, and I’ve begun to see it myself, especially on Social Networking sites.
I think a lot of us in this industry have been burned before, maybe by a former employer, or have had businesses fail, so they turn the tables and burn before they can be burned. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working out for you?
Aren’t we providing a service? Aren’t we asking these other entrepreneurs to pay us to provide something to them they can’t or won’t provide their self? Don’t let anyone walk all over you, but don’t bite the virtual hand that feeds you either.
Especially if you’re in real estate. In my experience, general V.A. work can be scheduled, it can have a longer turn around time, and if you need to work on something more pressing you can usually put that work on the back burner for a bit, then take care of something else. But if you decide to provide transaction coordination (my specialty) as a service, be prepared to be available to your agents at a moments notice, and a lot of times over the weekends.
As I work on restructuring and revamping, I decided to revisit just why I am in this industry, why I love it and what I’ve learned along the way.
Here is my REVA Top Ten:
- The really good agents put their entire being into their work. They will expect nothing less of you.
- Get a Blackberry (or something similar) so that you’re reachable. Most of the time for me, a simple “got it” goes a long way for a hard working agent, and you can take care of the work when you have the time.
- Be able to take the heat. If your agents are still selling in this economy, (especially here in California) it means that they are hard workers that don’t take no for an answer. It’s likely that a deal may fall out of escrow, the buyers may no longer qualify for their loan, etc. and you’ll need to know how to deal with your agent, and sometimes even be their scapegoat.
- Buy a kick ass laser printer. Have both letter and legal size paper, and lots of it.
- Find ways to save time for your agents, and not just by doing things for them. Teach them how to do things more efficiently – you should be an expert in this field!
- Know the newest technology that will be beneficial to them. Help them learn it, and you will become invaluable to them.
- Be innovative. Don’t copy what other V.A.’s are doing, find your own path. If you can’t find it, make it. I keep doing this, which is why my business has changed so much.
- Become a marketing genius. With agents and brokers, I am great in this area. Marketing my own business? Hmmm, not so much.
- Know yourself and be selective. I know who I won’t work with: Whiners, complainers, lazy agents, over-critical agents, women over 60 (more on that another time), and the non tech savvy.
- And finally, love it, live it & be great at it. If you can’t, go do something else. This line of work is not for the faint of heart.
