So, you’ve gone and found the perfect office desk, the perfect paint colour, the perfect office chair, and you have started to get all your paper files organized and tidy. In today’s digital age, its very important to also keep your computer as neat and organized as your office space, if not more organized! It is crucial for efficiency – to easily access computer files at the click of a mouse; and for productivity – rather than spending hours searching through documents, you have them well-organized and easily accessible. Once the files are established, it takes little time to continuously organize your incoming information accordingly. Here are some suggestions I have utilized to keep your computer organized and realtor-friendly:
Let’s start with the Documents folder: I am a big fan of file folders. It helps keep everything very clean and easy to find! There are 8 essential folders that I would say everyone should have in their Documents folder:
● Admin Documents
● Advertising
● Business Plans
● Buyers
● CMA’s & Listing Presentation
● Current Listings
● Open House/Client Letters
● Sellers
In Admin Documents, place any listing checklists, fax cover pages, mailing labels, sign-in sheets or digital signatures (see example). I use this file to put documents that I, as an assistant, tend to use more often. Every agent is different and thus the admin folder may differ from agent to agent. Just remember it’s a good idea to keep things clearly labeled and separate when you see fit.
In Advertising, keep your photos, digital signature, feature sheet write-ups, company branding and logos, and finally any postcards and photos you have used in your marketing pieces.
Any business school major will tell you that the trick to running a successful business is to prepare a business plan. This is the best way for you to record you career goals year-to-year. I think every agent should create a Business Plan folder where you can recorded your goals and your yearly stats. I suggest that every January you spend some time to figure out what your sale statistics were for the year before. This will not only help you determine how your business is progressing, but will also help you reach your goals.
I like to keep a separate file for Buyers, Sellers, and Listing Presentations, but generally these folders have the same content. It is a great idea to have two presentations, one for sellers and one for buyers, and to keep the content of each package separate.
In Buyers, I would keep such documents as, “Tips For First Time Home Buyers”, “Testimonials From Buyers” and “Lead Generated Summaries Sheets”.
In Sellers, I would keep documents such as, “Getting Your House Ready To Sell”, “The Action Plan For The Sale Of Your House” and “Testimonials From Sellers”.
It’s a good idea to keep the Sellers and Buyers folder contents separate; however, for documents that pertain to both buyers and sellers, I keep it in the Listing Presentations folder. These documents could include anything from your personal bio, information about your marketing campaigns or a moving checklist.
The Current Listings file should house all the documents you need for your listing, including: photos, schedules, floor plans, surveys, and checklists.
Other files in your Documents folder should include Open House and Client Letters. This is where you will keep your sign-in sheets, signs for the open house (ex. “Please Remove Your Shoes”), and any additional marketing material used on open houses. In the Client Letters file away any template letters, such as thank you letters or closing letters with feedback requests.
As your business grows you will add more folders, but if you are just starting out make sure you begin with these ones. If you can master these files you are on your way to being a super organized agent!
