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Spring is finally here, and with it comes an opportunity to revisit business practices and ensure that you’re ready to grow in anticipation of the summer season. Now is the time to declutter and organize, and I mean much more than just your closet: Spring cleaning your business increases productivity, reduces stress and boosts team members’ concentration and overall mood.
I’ve outlined how to spring clean a real estate business, but these tips could apply to any industry. Are you ready? If so, here’s a checklist:
1. Scrub that client contact list
Clients are the bedrock of just about any business. If your contact database isn’t up to date, you won’t be able to fully leverage the connections you’ve worked so hard to make, so review and reorganize yours. I recommend sorting clients into categories so it’s easy to know at a glance if they might be looking to buy or sell. Also, take time to correct errors and make updates as needed. A clean database will help provide high-quality service, even when the busiest time of year creates an influx of new leads.
2. Tidy your physical and digital workspaces
No one likes a cluttered work area, so take the time to go through your physical and digital files, getting rid of anything you no longer need and making sure you have a system in place that allows you to find important documents easily.
While purging a desk and filing cabinets of nonessential items, be sure to devote the same attention to your digital space. You’ll be amazed at what cleaning up a desktop, website and email inbox will do for mental clarity and profitability.
And don’t forget to consider how clutter affects clients: Broken links and irrelevant information on your site can prevent prospective ones from getting in touch and/or turn them off from your business altogether.
Related: Clean Your Workspace and Boost Productivity with Desk Mat Pro
3. Audit marketing materials
Take a hard look at the marketing strategy you’ve employed over the past year. What’s working? What could use freshening up or fine-tuning? Maybe you’ll discover that it’s time to take new listing photos, update your site or launch a new marketing campaign for your team or listings. The goal is to make sure you don’t have outdated marketing materials floating around. And if you use automated email sequences, check how effective they’ve been and make updates as needed.
When evaluating your social media presence, zero in on the channels that make the most sense for your target audience. It’s not necessary to use every platform, especially if you don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise to make it worth your while.
4. Tend to your business mindset
If you find yourself in need of some entrepreneurial inspiration, look into books, podcasts and conferences that can sharpen your mindset. I love listening to my friends (and fellow Agency agents) James Harris and David Parnes’s podcast The Blueprint for inspiration, as well as Ed Mylett’s, as he is both a business personality and another good friend.
Related: Top 25 Business Podcasts for Entrepreneurs
Further, if you’ve ever been curious about my career and journey to founding The Agency, my new book The Dealmaker (Simon & Schuster) is being published in April 2023 and offers a plethora of insights into how I got to where I am today.