Adaptation
You may have wondered where I’ve suddenly appeared from in the last few months. I’ve been around for a long time actually, working in the agency world for over 30 years before ‘going solo’ a couple of years ago. However, I recently decided to move with the times and enter the world of social media. So here I am, suddenly visible and it’s all part of a deliberate process to keep evolving.
Learning to use my camera while eating an ice-cream = multi-tasking
Referring back to my previous blog post, The F Word, the world is changing; the property market is changing; client expectations and needs are changing and it’s up to the property industry and those who work within it to change too.
My business is all about personalisation; taking time to learn what my client wants and needs and build my campaign or search around them. It’s bespoke. There is no cookie-cutter model these days, or at least there shouldn’t be. So in order to provide best results for my clients and to remain competitive, I needed to adapt.
And that’s what it’s all about; adapting ourselves and our strategies to keep delivering and this in turn suit adapts our fundamental way of working and thinking…I’ve done a lot of adapting over the last year or so since starting my own business and it’s been the most rewarding and exciting part of my career to date.
1. Admin - I had always had the support of an administration team behind me - now I have to do my own. It’s been tricky. I’m not the best administrator. But I’ve had to learn many new skills and I am quite proud of my progress to date.
2. Time management - working on your own is hard, but I truly love it. I occasionally get distracted (who doesn’t), but I have made sure that while my time is my own (or my clients’ to be truthful), I have maintained a good routine and I make so much better and productive use of my time these days than I ever did working in a structured and rather rigid office environment.
3. Ditching the ‘9 to 5’ - these days you are available 24/7 to clients. It can be pretty intrusive at times, but my clients are busy people. A ‘9 to 5’ approach simply doesn’t work for them. While I still commute, I commute on my own terms. I still pretty much drive into the smoke on a daily basis; I get my viewings done (with or without clients), have meetings with colleagues or associates and then get out again, back to my home office where I can properly process my thoughts and strategies in a quite and calm space.
4. New technologies and methods - you CAN teach an old dog new tricks as it turns out! I have loved every minute of learning new technologies. I am not particularly IT oriented, but learning about social media, SEO, websites and online marketing has been really enjoyable particularly as it involves two of my favourite things - gadgets and photography!
5. Photography - I love photography and so getting to know my camera has been brilliant. You also see places so differently when you look at them through a lens and I have to say taking photos for Instagram has been a great way of getting to know my area in a different way. It’s been a joy. I have also invested in a special cameral that enables me to create 3D Walkthroughs for every property I market, on or off market, so my clients can also have a keepsake of their home as well as potential buyers being able to preview or ‘revisit’ the property as many times as they want.
6. Gadgets...and most importanly DRONES! I am a boy at heart and this development of the remote-controlled toy airplane or car has fascinated me for a long time. So I took the plunge and in the interests of moving with the times in property marketing (of course!), enlisted on a drone piloting course. I spent a very enjoyable week playing with gadgets and learning about safety, navigation, privacy laws, communication and many other actually incredibly useful things. I have one more practical test to go and then I will officially be a commercial certified pilot and I’ll be able to drone on about it for hours!
So, two years after starting Rose & Partners, I really feel like I have achieved a great deal. Not only in business, which actually has been more successful than I could ever have hoped, but also personally.
There is so much to be said for taking yourself out of your comfort zone; for pushing yourself into unchartered waters; for moving with the times… it’s been an amazing journey to date and I hope I haven’t bored you with my social media posts. Honestly, this adaptation lark is the best thing I could have done for both myself and my clients, who now benefit from someone with more time, patience, curiosity, flexibility and a much greater understanding of current market and what my clients actually want and need.
Follow me @roseandptnrs ;)