Keep Calm and Carry On

Coffee mugs, posters and t-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On” have become popular in recent years.

The origin of the phrase comes from a British motivational poster designed in 1939 to boost morale of the people of England preparing for a world war. While drily evocative of the British reputation for staying calm in the face of adversity, there’s no better time for Americans to adopt it than during the current coronavirus pandemic.

We bring you some tips and tools for continuing to carry on your life calmly during this unpredictable time.

1. Cut down on media. While it’s important for you to stay up to date on conditions, immersing yourself in 24-7 media coverage of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 is a recipe for anxiety. Check in at the start of each day with reputable sources like the Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov) and then consider turning off social media alerts so you can focus on business.
2. Maintain a normal routine. In constantly changing times, it’s important for your mental health and your business that you keep your life as routine as possible. This means going to bed and rising at around the same times you normally do, eating consistently and getting exercise. From a professional standpoint, there is no doubt the real estate market will slow down so you should increase your prospecting efforts. Call your referrals, your past clients and anyone else in your spheres of influence to check in how they are faring during these difficult times. Focus on them and think of this as ‘soft prospecting.’ When the market rebounds and begins a climb towards normalcy, your customers will remember your concern.
3. Work on your skills. There is no better time to upgrade your skills with online trainings, which abound. If you’ve been wanting to learn more about social media or digital marketing, here’s your opportunity. Stay tuned into your professional organizations and resources to keep up to date with the market in your area and nationally: You will continue to receive questions about the market in your area and the ability to respond knowledgeably will be a comfort both to you and to your prospects.
4. Refine your business plan. A best practice is to review your annual business plan each quarter. As we end first quarter 2020, a better strategy is to develop a ‘crisis business plan’ and ‘post-crisis business plan,’ complete with pre- and post-crisis budgets, analyses of interest rates and comps.

Finally, remember that this, too, shall pass. No situation, no matter how dire, be it war or pandemic, lasts forever. Take care to put reasonable plans in place to maintain your business and your health and keep calm. Carry on.

Doug Spak

Doug Spak has over four decades of experience as an advertising copywriter, agency creative director, blogger, and content creator. He joined Vulcan7 as a Content Specialist in 2016. In addition to ongoing website copy refreshes, Doug has produced over 300 blog posts while developing content for Vulcan7’s social media platforms.