Do you ever feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the technology stuff that is out there to help you grow your real estate business?

Websites, GPS, PDAs, laptops, desktops, bluetooth, automated 800 numbers, contact management software... The list is endless.

Ever feel like technology actually keeps you from getting things done?

In my travels helping real estate professionals use technology to make more money, I have found that there are basically two types of people: those who rule technology and those who are ruled by technology.

The difference doesn't have so much to do with what a person knows about gadgets, gizmos, websites and the like. That is a difference of knowledge, and knowledge is something everyone has access to. The important distinction here is intention - the deliberate decision that you must make about how technology fits into your business.

Just like a business has no value without a customer, technology is worthless until it is used for a specific purpose - to reach some goal.

Using technology for a specific, well thought out purpose will help get you to your goal more quickly and with less effort.

Now I know (as I am sure you do) real estate pros who have built multimillion dollar businesses without even turning on a computer, but I am not writing for them.

Using technology to boost your real estate business is smart business. So here are some guidelines to help you make sure that YOU are the one that is stays in control.

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#1 Set your goals FIRST. Then use the tools you need to reach those goals and forget the rest. Who cares what everyone else is doing?
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Take for example the cell phone. Everyone needs one right? No. Do you want to be accessible to your clients at a moment's notice?

Maybe, maybe not. There are plenty of successful real estate professionals on both sides of that argument.

Set your business goals FIRST, before you let your mind go onto finding the tools (technology) you will need to reach those goals.

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#2 Don't jump in the deep end
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If you've never turned on a computer or have little interest in them for your business, then don't run out and buy the latest one with every bell and whistle under the sun.

The goal isn't to be tech savvy. The goal is to be productive and make more money in less time.

Start slow and take small steps. And make sure that your productivity is increasing with each technology "step" you take.

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#3 Learn... and keep learning
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Do you read books about real estate? About business? About marketing? Throw one in every now and then about technology. Or better yet, dedicate some time each month to get on the internet and read some articles that will teach you how to use technology in your business.

Never stop learning. Learning is one of your greatest strategic assets.

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#4 Get a schedule and stick to it
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Do you check your email or voicemail 20 times a day? 10 times a day? Do you need to? Does it make you more productive or just busier?

Make a schedule for how you relate to technology. For example, you could return voice messages before lunch and check your email 2 times a day.

The details of the schedule don't matter. Make it however you want. The important thing is that you have a schedule and stick to it. Your schedule will keep technology from spilling over into the time you want to be productive.

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#5 Understand that most technology is far less than perfect
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I really mean this. The next time your computer freezes or your email goes haywire, don't blame yourself. There is a 95% chance it wasn't anything you did.

For the most part, technology is mediocre. It has bugs, quirks and other problems that appear at the worst times.

Just accept the good along with the bad and learn as you go.

Stop blaming yourself. You're a whole lot more intelligent than the pile of wire and plastic that is your computer.

Jason Leister, the Real Estate Technology Guru (tm) is owner of Computer Super Guy, LLC, a Chicago-based technology firm that helps real estate professionals profit with technology.

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