There is a lot of buzz around going paperless, and a lot of us don’t really understand how or why we should go paperless. Or even why to go paperless (aside from the obvious reason of course, of contributing towards saving trees and the environment).
But really what does it truly mean to go paperless in your Real Estate business, and why should you bother?
Why go paperless?
It is said that on average, a salesperson can save up to 5 hours of their time by going fully paperless. We all know that in our business, time is money. That is 5 hours per transaction that you can spend prospecting instead or working in your business with your clients.
In addition, going paperless will add to your day to day convenience. Realtors aren’t known to be the most organized bunch, and our strength lies in being in the field and doing what we do best – selling! By going paperless, you can be more organized, without the effort. Additionally, when you’re more organized and efficient, you’re also able to better serve your clients and communicate with them. It’s more convenient for both parties, which is a win-win situation!
How to go Paperless
Slow and Steady: The key is not to dive into the paperless world by downloading every single app that is out there. The app world is filled with solutions for your every move, therefore it’s crucial that you evaluate carefully what your needs are and which app will best simplify them. Remember the main objective of going paperless is to make your life easier, and often when we try to transition too quickly it can do the opposite! This brings us to the next important point – transition slowly! All your paper won’t magically disappear, and that’s okay!
Quality is Key: Invest in a quality tablet, because that will be the most important requirement in this process. Study the apps you would like to work with and make sure they are compatible with the tablet you own or are looking to buy.
Where to Start
There are an overwhelming number of apps that you can download, but here are some that we recommend to get you started:
Evernote – This is the most important, and probably the first app you should download. It will help you in most aspects of your business, including keeping all your paperwork, communication, and systems organized. With helpful add-ons such as the web clipper for your browser, and the business card scanning app, you can be sure that this app will become your one stop shop for all your notes. Notes on Evernote can consist of written, audio or even visual notes.
Dropbox / Google Drive – Signing up to a cloud based service can be extremely helpful in having a back up to all your materials. These can include your marketing materials, documents and images!
Docusign – If you are looking to switch over to digital signatures, Docusign is one of the most secure and safest platform!
