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This post was updated Dec. 4, 2023.
You have probably heard the term “quiet quitting.” You may have taken the time to read up on it and know it doesn’t actually mean quitting your job.
For reference, quiet quitting is described as:
- Doing only what you are paid for
- Having less engagement in your work
- Setting more boundaries between work and personal time
- Having less motivation to go the extra mile
- Renouncing the hustle culture
- Less face time and more personal time
“If we subscribe to the above listed items as stated, we are solidifying our early exit strategy from the business and not by choice.”
Of course, most real estate agents are independent contractors, not hourly or salaried employees, so most of these strategies undermine our ability to earn a living.
I would like to give you a new perspective to consider and hopefully one that will launch your 2023 real estate career in a fresh new way. It’s called quietly winning, and I believe it will be the difference between those who make it in their real estate career and those who don’t moving forward.
The ‘help culture’ replaces doing only what you get paid for
In the real estate industry, we will always have to support people in getting their goals met and, in some cases, we will not be compensated for it. Changing our mindset to be a truly help-all culture will impact the circle of business life faster than anything else we can do. Regardless of the deals or connections that fall through, helping more people get what they want never brings us less — always more.
High levels of engagement replace low levels and lack of motivation
Engagement is literally the thing that sustains and grows our business. If there is nothing we love about the real estate business right now, it’s time to step back and determine if maybe it’s time to get out and stop beating ourselves up for not reaching some fictitious goal we originally set for ourselves.
It’s not a failure if we just choose to do something different, but lack of motivation and less engagement will surely create a downward spiral in the real estate business.
Learning to say no replaces setting higher boundaries
Instead of making an entire process out of setting a variety of boundaries and trying to figure out all the areas of our life and inside our business where we need to adjust boundaries, simply try saying “no” sometimes.
- Say no to the seller who treats you badly.
- Say no to the buyer who really can’t afford it even though the lender says they can.
- Say no to your colleagues without having to give a long, drawn-out explanation.
- Say no to oversharing with your clients.
These simple “no’s” will save you hours of frustration and your career. Saying no is, by default, saying “Yes” to yourself.
Looking for ways to automate busywork replaces renouncing the hustle culture
I was the epitome of hustle for many years and embraced it. Then I learned more about technology and automated processes that take most people weeks to do (or not do).
I’m not bragging, I’m saying stop being afraid of technology and choose one thing you are going to learn via YouTube, books or an online course by the end of this year that will help you automate one thing in your business.
Hustle comes when we do everything ourselves 24/7; automating a few things (versus hiring people) can save you hours and give you peace of mind while still making you look like you are hustling to your clients.
“A few things I recommend automating / templating: First is your transactional emails that you send out to clients when helping them buy and sell. Next is ongoing email campaigns to your client database for the entire year after you close a deal. Finally, the process of collecting emails from prospective clients directly off your website or social media.”
Massive amounts of face time replaces less in-person time
Let’s face this simple fact: Less face time means people forget about you and refer their business to someone else. This doesn’t mean we need real-life, in-person face time. You could amp up your YouTube Channel, record personal videos for your existing clients and set up social posts 12 months out with royalty-free videos from canva.com.
You can visit your clients in person only once a year if you keep your face time up in other ways. Hiding out is not a strategy for a real estate professional. Schedule the personal, don’t skip your self-care, but get more face time with potential and existing customers in other ways. This will require video. Get creative.
We all get burned out in small ways and sometimes in big ways if you do this career long enough, but getting re-energized and breaking through the blocks that are keeping you from reaching your highest potential is honestly the key to real entrepreneurship.
10 small ideas that could turn your business around and help you start quietly winning
- Learn the process for creating an automated email (i.e., create now, send at a later date)
- Start a podcast for the community you want to serve (and share things about homes, places and businesses)
- Start a new YouTube Channel (upload questions and answers that buyers and sellers have asked you over the years)
- Request 5-star reviews (from everyone you ever helped, even if in your mind you think they hate you)
- Take a break from the media (for at least a couple of days a week)
- Start writing three pages of appreciation each morning (to yourself and about your business)
- Do one thing that helps your body get more fit (your mind will get more fit along with it)
- Help a fellow agent with something (for free, and don’t ask for a favor in return)
- Ask “Is there anything else?” before ending every conversation with your clients
- Learn one new technical skill (no matter how small) and share it with the world on social media to teach others.
Cheryl Spangler is an associate broker with eXp Realty LLC and Social Media influencer and podcaster. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
