Get Out of the Office

Running an agency makes it easy to stay at your desk. There's always another email, another quote, another fire to put out. But the longer I do this, the more convinced I am that one of the most valuable things I can do for my business is leave the office and go meet people. 

For me, there are two types of people worth making time for. 

The first is referral sources. One good referral source can send you business all year long. Lenders, realtors, financial advisors, CPAs. These relationships compound. You don't build them over email. You build them by showing up, having a real conversation, and being someone they trust to take care of their clients. 

The second is other agents. I just got back from San Antonio, where I spent time with Eric, learning how he runs his operation. My friend Ciera made the introduction, and I'm glad she did. I came home with ideas I wouldn't have found in any book or webinar. Other agents will tell you what's working, what isn't, and what they wish they'd done differently. That kind of perspective is hard to put a price on. 

Getting out of the office is hard. It eats your day. It feels like you're falling behind. But done with intention, it's some of the most valuable time you'll ever spend. And honestly, it's re-energizing. You come back sharper than when you left. 

We're in the people business. That's the whole thing. The agencies that grow are the ones whose owners are out there building relationships, not the ones grinding through their inbox. 

The trap I see, including in myself, is that when things are going well we stop doing the things that got us here. Don't let that happen. Be intentional about it. Put it on the calendar. Go meet someone this month. 

It's worth it.