REBNY’s latest Breakfast Club seminar, “Using Technology to Maximize Your Database,” drew a huge crowd, filling the Mendik Education Center.
The panel, sponsored by Citibank US, was moderated by Eric Barron, CEO of Keller Williams and featured speakers Erin Wheelock of Keller Williams, Patrick Lilly of CORE Real Estate, and Zvi Band, co-founder and CEO of Contactually.
Band shared the importance of enterprise software like Contactually, stressing how crucial it is to one’s business to be as organized as possible. By remaining organized, the panel agreed, your business will not only be more efficient, it will also be easier to manage and less strain on your memory and time.
“In terms of how we approach this topic,” Band explained, “there are a lot of people who you think you want to stay in touch with, but the truth is that not everyone is equally important as the other. There are people you take to the movies, people you take out to eat, people you buy a new set of steak knives, etc.
“You should take your entire network and separate it out into different groups of people based on who brings what to your business. Contactually can help you identify those people and help you keep in touch with them.”
“If there’s one thing you can do for yourself today, it would definitely be starting to clean up your database,” added Barron. “I know people who’ve spent between 90 and 120 days just cleaning their databases, and their lives are easier because of it.”
The panelists also discussed not only which clients to keep in touch with, but how to keep in touch with them. At one point, a member of the audience inquired as to how to avoid harassing clients with useless information, and Patrick Lilly offered his advice on the subject:
“When I think about what I’m going to send to whom,” he said, “I don’t do things that I feel would annoy me if I were the recipient. Ask yourself, ‘What would be of real value of this person?’ Then focus on that. When you know that what you’re sending someone will provide real value, it’s a lot easier to sell it and it’s a lot easier to go forward with it.”
“Remember, technology is only good if there’s that personal connection attached to it,” he added. “That’s why some of the old-school methods of sending someone a hand-written card or taking them to dinner are still the best ways to do business.”
Wheelock urged the audience to learn the values of time management, saying that many people allow outside variables to dictate their days.
“I’m not the best at it myself,” she admitted, “But learning how to manage your time, such as when you’re going to cultivate your contacts, when you’re open to show houses, when you’re going to follow-up with clients, and so on, is an important part of maximizing your business.”
To learn more about REBNY’s Breakfast Club and other upcoming seminars, contact Jeanne Oliver-Taylor at JTaylor@rebny.com.