September is REALTOR® Safety Month. Here are six tips to help protect you and your agents all year long.
Tip 1: Think about your present level of safety awareness
For REALTORS®, safety awareness can cover many areas, from not texting while driving to managing updates and policies regarding public health to wearing the right shoes on a slippery, rainy day.
What is your level of safety awareness these days? Are the precautions you take helping you feel safe and secure? Or are you not sure sometimes? The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the pioneers of REALTOR® Safety Month, offer a short quiz to help you assess.
Having a month dedicated to REALTOR safety is a great reminder to revisit your safety protocols to ensure that you and your agents are as safe as possible. Make safety awareness a topic to talk about with your team. Put it top of mind for everyone, especially throughout the month of September when social media is sure to be buzzing with information.
Tip 2: Access the safety toolkit from NAR
Google offers a plethora of information on REALTOR safety. But if you’re looking for a more guided, organized approach to learning about this important topic, be sure to visit the NAR site. You’ll find a safety toolkit, which gathers many helpful resources all in one place. In addition, there are programs and videos to help you learn more about safety to protect you and your team.
Tip 3: Focus on safety at open houses/showings
According to the 2021 Member Safety Report from NAR, the two situations where realtors feared most for their personal safety were during open houses and showings. What can you do to ensure your safety?
Did you answer “no” to any of these questions? If so, try to modify your habits and protocols to shore up safety measures at open houses and showings. Even simple tips can help you feel safer and more prepared the next time you’re out in the field.
Tip 4: Trust your instincts
Sometimes, especially while out in the field, you may experience a gut feeling that something is not right. Don’t dismiss it. That’s your instincts kicking in, telling you to leave a situation or call for help. What’s the harm in playing it safe and listening to that voice inside of you?
Watch this video where Tracey “The Safety Lady” Hawkins, a former real estate agent, talks about your number one tool for safety: your gut.
Tip 5: Make safety a best practice for your business
Safety is a two-way street. There are the measures you take to protect yourself and your team, and then there are things you can do to protect your customers.
If hosting an open house for a customer, let them know about the safety measures you’ll be taking to protect their home and everything in it. If you’re meeting a new customer for the first time, tell them why it’s safer for both of you to meet in the
office first.
If you’re farming your local area for prospects and decide to knock on doors, make sure you have an ID that is easily visible. If the homeowner opens the door and invites you in, don’t go inside. Instead, offer a business card and a meeting at the office to talk further.
Leading with safety and incorporating it into the way you do business bolsters your reputation in the customer’s eye. Show your customers and prospects that you’re willing to help them stay safe and protect their home, family, and possessions. You’ll build loyalty and they’ll appreciate your concern.
Tip 6: Have the right support in place
While September might be the month to put REALTOR safety measures in the spotlight, remember to keep safety strategies in play throughout the year. Talk about it with colleagues and peers and continually improve how you conduct business to keep yourself and your clients safe.
One of the best ways to continue to stay up to date on best practices is through the right support network. See how the Weichert Franchising can be your partner in ensuring that you are always up to speed and are able to maintain the best practices for safety in your business.
