Chantal, good questions. I have been where you are way too long. I need time to find help too. If just someone to sit in my office and take calls would be great but I think for sure, I will be looking for a licensed person so they could also work commission based like myself.

I will be reading the responses you get.

Alright, there's three of us in the boat right now.  But I am using a Virtual Assistant to handle my market stuff.  I now have a coach and my life was hectic with no life - it creates balance.

A VA is a good way to go because you don't have to worry about sick days, paying for vacations or health insurance.  I have a service that handles distribution of my fliers.  Have your assistant do work that doesn't generate revenue - that's your ball park.  

Chantal - I'm a listing agent but get someone to setup your appointments for you.  If there are Realtor's calling back to confirm appointments - shift it to a service or vm.  Stipulate that all calls on cell are for clients and not Realtors.  Start departmentalizing and stick to the boundaries.  If you are showing, recognize the number, it's a client - take it and ask them if you can get back to them at "x" or "y".  

It's hard but it's a good thing to complain about, eh?

How about a partner Chantal  ?

Look up O4842720 listing 1/2 of the pie taste just as good :) ya think?

Just my opinion now .

http://MickeyRealEstate.com

Vance@EarMailOrlando.com

Chantal, forward your calls to Me !! ha ha ha

VanceBell

Come on Chantal, if you can generate the calls you surely can come up with a way to handle the volume. Did you develop a plan without a conclusion. If so, let's look a little deeper in the marketing plan. If I put together a plan that says I should receive x amount of calls, than I certainly have planned how to handle them. If not I either didn't have faith in my plan or I hit bonanza!

You see Chantal, it is the plan that makes the game, not the game that makes the plan. If your marketing efforts far exceed your planned outcome than you either got lucky or you planned poorly. Since I believe you too be an intelligent individual, I think you may have planned poorly. The reason I say this is not in a chastising mood but to say that when you plan for success, expect it.

My second observation is that if you can plan a marketing campaign in a tough market that inundates you with business, why are you asking for help? I am sorry but I am confused as to what you really seek!

Ask a specific question, that you don't know how to answer and I am sure you will find many willing to help. Ask a general question, that is more fluff than substance and you will get the above.

As a RE assistant in my past life, I will tell you a good one is worth their weight in gold!  So don't go cheap or all you will be doing is training up your competition.  Years ago I went with my boss to a seminar on RE assistants.  I got out of it that my boss should be paying me $60K a year and he got out of it that I should be bringing in 3 X my salary.  An RE assistant in NOT a partner but an employee.  You need to pay them as such including taxes, unemployment insurance, vacation pay, sick leave, etc.  Check with your board on their rules for unlicensed and licensed assistants.  If you are truly at that level then start your want ads. I doubled my bosses income each year we worked together.

Now I want to know how you are advertising to get your phone ringing that much!  Spill

Jana

If you were my agent, Chantal, and came to me with the question you posed:

First, I'd work with you on honing your skills -- starting with qualifying prospectives.  That will 'unwaste' half your time right there.

Get automated systems in place. You personally may not need to answer the phone if the info can be obtained via recorded message, for instance.

And these websites do a great deal of communicating for us! Utilize yours to the utmost.

Once you've done all the above, if you're still wiped from too much - then look into a VA perhaps.

I can tell you from experience that I am my own best 'human' assistant.   :)

I know what I want, know how to do it, cost nothing and my attitude doesn't bother me . . .  LOL

Oh My Gumbaness !! I love it when you talk Real Estate :)

Vancesistant

There is nothing Mickey Mouse here.

Oops, http://MickeyRealEstate.com

Ha ha Vance! I know you do, that's why your ear is glued to that phone! LOL

1-800 gumbaness ha ha ha I Love it :)

I am always on the phone, I have to go have it surgically removed from my Ear next week ha ha I only take one call a day!!!

Oh Vance@EarMailOrlando.com ha ha

Chantal, I worked out a great solution with my systems. 1) I utilize Centralized Showing Service (showings.com) for $40 a month they handle all of the showing set up for me (if your office does not do that-even if they do, it's worth it, CSS really goes the extra mile and have fantastic feedback systems) and

2) It took awhile to find the right lady, but I had an acquaintance/friend who was in clerical/administrative and recently retired.  I invested in and she took the online REPA coarse thru NAR and became certified and also the ASP classes for staging thru staging.com. This let her get familiar with our industry.  I added on to my cell coverage and got her a business phone (for about $10 a month) and also signed her on thru my Point2 for email.  

Her primary function is a service specialist for my listed clients and communicate with agents getting feedback.  She makes sure that they have all of the communication and materials they need.  She loves it because she works her own hours and a lot from home and keeps some books for me at the office as needed. My clients love it because they get the attention they need. I love it because most of our communication is via email and really keeps me in the loop to know what my client's needs are.  

For about $10 an hour less than a virtual assistant (and I looked into it, but did not like that I did not know the person or where they even were) and she does meet with my listed clients when needed for staging allowing us to offer that extra service. She sometimes sets up showings for me and other duties as needed like putting together marketing packets - a lot of things you probably do and don't realize how time consuming it can be.  

This frees me up to work with buyers which I love to do, go on listing presentations, negotiate offers and not feel so completely overwhelmed.  She has attended some MLS classes with me as well and works 10-20 hours a week, perhaps more as new duties come as needed. Perfect for her.  

It does take the right person (loyal, strong work ethic, flexible in busy/slow time and able to keep information confidential). She has been with me since February of 2007 and it is working out great for everyone.  She is always wanting more to do and that is great to take the load off of me as I am ready to turn various tasks over to her.  As my business grows, she takes on more. I am fortunate to have found her.

The REPA class will help an unlicensed person know for sure their boundaries and limits to keep you legal and a stager does not have to be a licensed agent.  It can be a fantastic solution for you if you can find the right person (for me it was someone without the desire to be an agent, partner or work crazy full time hours, but more of an account/office manager who likes the social/customer service side and has an eye for interior/exterior appeal and a dedicated work ethic).  Hope this helps.

[Vicki sez: The REPA class will help an unlicensed person know for sure their boundaries and limits to keep you legal and a stager does not have to be a licensed agent.]

Vicki, that is wonderful information!

You are VERY fortunate. Usually when one finds a perfect assistant, they want our job eventually.  :)

I think 'retired' is the key.

-----

VanceGumba, you're a nut. LOL!

Hey Chantal,

I just recently hired an assistant thru a temp agency - (Snelling and Snelling)  I think they are a national firm, but if not there must be a few good firms down your way.  I contacted them and discussed my needs and what I wanted.  I agreed on a hourly rate that included payroll taxes and everything, and within 10 days they brought me 4 great applicants to choose from.  The best part is that if they don't work out, they are officially employees of the temp agency and you don't even have to let them go........just let you AE w/ the temp agency do it..........but this could be a nice alternative to try someone out as an asst w/out a long term committment.........but they do have solutions if you like the person and want to keep them on your staff.

You will be surpised at the talent pool out there just waiting to work under a great realtor like yourself. I found a marketing wiz w/ computer experience who actually is a licensed copywriting attorney.......looking for part-time hrs and wanted to learn more about real estate.  I use her 10-15 hrs / wk and in 3 wks she has really proven herself........for $16.90/hr including payroll taxes it is a great asset for me.......two of the other resumes I received were experienced mortgage processors with underwriting experience.......

Maybe you could even luck out and find someone w/ some mtg experience that wants to learn the RE side and they could actually compliment you in helping you prequalify some buyers........

good luck and either way just go for it..........committ to try an asst for atleast 2 mos and I bet you will be so glad you did it.........you can always start part-time.......maybe 15 hrs/wk.......5hrs day......  M/W/F then go from there.......with a temp you can always hire two and have them each work 10hrs/wk and then keep the one you like the best.

The other alternative would be to ask some other successful agents that have assts if they want to sub them out........and that might be a way to try someone w/ experience who already works for a co-worker...........to start out at first til you feel confident enough to hire your own.......but only if you feel comfortable w/ that other co-worker and sharing business strategies and such.

best of luck

Chantal, It isn't so hard; not really.  Spread the word that you are looking for a clerical person with good telephone personality (not licensed). They can field your calls for you; make appointments for listings, ask questions in your behalf for listings that are upcoming and field calls from sign calls. Walter Sanford has great scripts for assistants.  This will triple your income and keep your stress level down.  Right now you are leaving business out there and the business you have is probably not happy and neither are you.  If you don't like your first attempt at an assistant get another.  Make them feel important and on your team.  You might even consider a bonus for every closing.  That I found to be a great incentive to help you close things on time and the details taken care of.  It is more affordable and motivating.  Good luck.  I've had 2 great assistants and 4 not very good assistants.  Make your expectations clear.  You are the boss.

Justin makes good points about the temp agencies.   But the REPA classes your local association probably hosts is another great recruiting pool, as well.  

But you also need to figure out what you can afford to pay out of what you are making now, not just rely on he/she will pay for themselves  with "saved" transactions.  I can tell you unfortunately from personal experience, that an assistant who is not knowledgeable and courteous can COST you transactions as well.  Same with agents.  If it's not "their" business, they just don't treat the same as you will, even with a little delay.  Most of the good ones are doing it for themselves as agents - or soon will be once you teach them the ropes! Just think about that for a bit before you leap into the hiring mode.

Hate to discourage you, but it's the truth. If you see the slightest signs of that, push them out the door asap!  

By the way, I suffer from the "I have to do it all" syndrome too.  If anyone figures out a cure, leave it on my voicemail.  Take care!

I've spoken with a customer of mine who is working from home.  She's very interested in doing computer work, mailings, and assisting me in getting my contacts organized.  We haven't discussed pay at this point, it wouldn't be full time either, but with her picking up the things I don't need to be doing myself and then organizing my contacts/appointments/calls, that in itself frees up a lot of time.  It will enable me to call back and follow through with more people.

It's a numbers game Chantel.  You aren't going to get them all,

At this point, what I do is have two agents in the office that I refer excess customers to.  There is another one that I split listings with.  

Have your life.  You need it.  :)