You can’t talk about the NFL and the Superbowl these days without talking about the Taylor Swift effect. Why am I bringing this up? Well, it is oftentimes stated that the beginning of the real estate sales season is the day after the Superbowl. Why is that? I think it is because as Americans we kind of see the Superbowl as the beginning of the end of winter and in Chicago this means that people are starting to venture out of their houses in anticipation of warmer, sunnier, and generally nicer weather. While not everyone actually cares about the Superbowl, more people did this year because of T.Swift! Will this mean that more of your clients are going to be like, “Did you see that game? Let’s go house hunting!”? No. On the other hand, maybe if you reference the Superbowl as being the start of the buying season more people will perk up!
So what should we be doing as brokers at this point in our season? We should be gearing up for a sprint, relative to your overall business, of activity. This is the field work season. The transaction season. You will be with clients the majority of your working time. Using the NFL season as a metaphor, this is the start of the regular season where the day to day grind starts!
It’s a part of the year that is full of hope and promise. The records are all 0-0. Your numbers for the year are yet to be determined. You have some sense of what may be possible for the year, though you also know that throughout the selling season, buyers and sellers will pop up who are not yet on your radar.
Will the year be perfectly smooth? We all know it won’t. There will be ups and downs. Injuries. Lost deals. 3 game losing streaks. An anemic offense that you hope to get turned around before the playoffs. Maybe you will need to find a new service provider mid-year. Clients and teammates will be dramatic out of nowhere. My advice is to keep your cool. Pace yourself as it is a long season. Hydrate. Eat bananas so you don’t pull any muscles. And above all, trust your instincts and the process. You are good brokers. And you are in this business for a reason. You love it! Always remember your why!
And as the season grinds on and you start to eye the playoffs, the part of our year where deals are still happening and you still need to be at your best (fall and early winter). Take the bye weeks to recharge. Gain inspiration from your favorite T.Swift song. And keep plugging away. This is going to be a great year for you and for all of us!
