This week, as we head into spring, I want to focus on time management. This season often brings a busier schedule for businesses, so it's important to prioritize both our work and warm marketing efforts. Are you struggling to balance marketing with your workload? Is inconsistency affecting your lead generation? As I teach in my course, your business is driven by sales and client services, with marketing playing a supporting role. Warm marketing—meeting new people and helping local businesses grow—can be fun, but we need to be mindful of how much time we dedicate to it. (For this blog, I’ll assume you’ve already set your goals and know what you want to accomplish.) My strategy is simple: I use weekly checklists to track daily marketing tasks and a monthly Google Calendar to visualize my appointments. The night before, I take five minutes to review my schedule. If I see I have a 10 AM Zoom call and a 3 PM appointment, I know I can knock out my blog at 8 AM, get the kids to school, and use the window between 11 AM and 2 PM for other marketing tasks. I also have a list of bonus actions—such as sending extra DMs, posting a quick video, or creating content for later in the week—if I find myself with extra time. I personally use Google Tasks because it syncs with my Google Calendar, but if you're an iPhone user or prefer a different method, go with what works best for you. And to answer the next question before you ask: What if appointments pop up during the day? Work always takes priority. I adjust my schedule, move around my marketing tasks, and commit to finishing my checklist before the day ends. I also count meetings with local business owners as appointments because networking is vital for growth. Without a checklist, marketing becomes inconsistent and ineffective—and if that happens, you won’t need to worry about balancing business appointments… because there won’t be any. So, let’s keep it simple this Monday morning: create a checklist of actionable warm marketing tasks. It will help you balance work and marketing, maximize efficiency, and reduce stress.

Yesterday, I had coffee with someone in my industry (real estate pays the bills, warm marketing is my passion). She told me she’s currently buying leads—getting some results, with about three closings last year—but most of her business still comes from referrals and people she already knows. So, I asked, “Why not cut the paid leads?” Her response? “Well, I get a few leads, and making calls makes me feel productive.” Magic answer for a warm marketer. Let’s think about this together: If most of your closings come from warm leads—people you know—and you already have relationships with local businesses, wouldn’t your time be better spent strengthening those connections? And let me save you some money—those cold leads are a waste, especially since they only brought in three deals last year. You can replace them easily with more authentic ways to stay top of mind with your sphere. Here’s an example: You just told me your last home sale was to someone who works at your favorite restaurant. It went well, and you put extra effort into making the experience amazing because you wanted to stay in good standing with the staff and owner. So, build on that momentum! Go in, make a quick promotional video, interview the owner about new spring menu items, when the outdoor seating opens up, etc. It doesn’t need to be long—two to five minutes, max, with a short intro. The owner will appreciate it. The staff will reshare it because they want more customers (and tips). The restaurant’s regulars will love knowing what’s coming up. And let’s take it one step further: Email it to your entire database. It’s something they’ll actually enjoy—unlike another real estate update. Then, turn it into a reel and DM it individually to your audience: “Hey Bobby! I know you love eating at XYZ, so I thought you might like an updated menu. Have a great week!” Not annoying. Just providing value. Something relevant. Staying top of mind. Strengthening connections. I’m confident she’s canceling her lead generation by the end of the month.

The obvious answer to the question about how to stay consistent in your follow-up is going to be the calendar. Set your CRM to alert you when you have to follow up and with whom. I do personalized follow-ups for a person in my sphere quarterly, then a weekly group email with a focus on community content. The quarterly check-in has to be just for that person—spend the time so they know they are appreciated and that you are thankful they are a part of your business. Now, the less obvious part of the question is that you should have fun doing the follow-ups. On one hand, your follow-up should be something that will reach the person. By that, I mean if they prefer texting, then lean on that more than calling, or if they check email, then make that the priority. However, it also needs to be enjoyable. You can mix in a pop-by, start an email with a dad joke, or tag them in your latest Taco Truck video commercial. Follow-up should not be the equivalent of broccoli—you should enjoy it! Have fun checking in with your people and showing them how much they are appreciated. Make it more like the hot fudge sundae of your day. So, the obvious answer is to use your calendar and CRM to stay on track. And we do this by making it your hot fudge sundae for the day—enjoy it, have fun, and remember, your people make your business successful, so let them know that.

By maintaining strong relationships, your open rates will naturally be good—people like you, and they want to support good people. However, do you want to know another way to get those open rates even higher? Add value. It drives me crazy when I see someone just share the thing they sell over and over again. Nothing will turn your audience off faster than seeing the same gadget or service repeatedly—especially when they already know you sell it and don’t need it this week. Blah. Delete. I don’t have time for that. Or worse yet, writing War and Peace-sized content each week about the thing you’re selling! If that’s your approach, your open rate should be 1%—just those who accidentally hit open instead of delete. Instead, give them what they need: What's happening in your community this weekend? Hey, check out this new business that just opened up! Did you know we have a Tiki Boat Tour for you and your friends to try? Have you smelled the new St. Patty’s scented candles from XYZ Farm? Your audience is busy, but they still want to stay in the know. Help them save time and become more familiar with their community. Make them the mini-mayors of where they live—just by clicking a button in their inbox each week. Be their local guide, and watch those open rates increase as they can’t wait to find out what’s next!

Yesterday, I had an eye-opening meeting with an experienced business coach, Phil Whitebloom. If you’re on LinkedIn, I’d recommend giving him a follow! What stood out most during our conversation was how quickly he cut to the chase. He said, “I get it, tons of people market. But why would I tell anyone about you when others are already doing the same thing?” That question hit home. It’s simple: I teach. I’m not here to offer SEO tricks or AI automations—those are just sales tactics. What Live Local is all about is teaching you how to connect with people, build genuine, long-lasting relationships with your community, and become a positive influence in the place you call home. We’re not just about making sales; we’re about teaching you how to build a business that matters. Sure, you could call this the “long road” to running a business, but it’s also the road to building a sustainable and impactful one. I know because I’ve lived it. For over 16 years, I’ve built my real estate business through warm marketing and authentic community connections. It’s not for everyone—if buying cold leads and making sales calls is your thing, that’s fine. But for me, it’s never been the answer. If you’re ready to invest in your business the right way, head over to the Classroom Tab and sign up for Group Coaching. Let’s start your warm marketing journey and build a business that stands the test of time.