Editor’s Note: Social Skills is a bi-monthly feature in RISMedia’s Daily News focused on social media and digital marketing tips, trends and solutions for agents and brokers.
Before the new year comes around, now is the time to step back and evaluate your tech stack, from your CRM and marketing automation tools to your showing schedulers and AI assistants. Over time, especially this past year, tools can pile up, subscriptions automatically renew and workflows can get cluttered.
Ask yourself: What’s helping me win business and what’s just taking up space? Start by listing out every platform, app and tool you use regularly, and what you’re using it for. If you can’t name a measurable outcome, like leads, conversions or saved time, it may be time to let it go.
Check for overlap
Real estate professionals often fall into the “more tools = more productivity” trap. But using three apps that do the same thing can actually slow you down. See where your tools overlap. Maybe your CRM now has built-in email marketing, so that other email platform is no longer needed. Or maybe your new transaction management system covers the same grounds as your older document-signing tool.
Simplifying your tech stack can also make training easier for your team and reduce costs going into Q1.
Automate, but keep it personal
Automation tools can take repetitive tasks off your plate, but they work best when they feel human. This auto-responses that sound like you, follow-up campaigns that adapt to client behavior or AI-driven property alerts that reflect your local expertise.
Heading into 2026, review your automations. Are they still accurate? Do they reflect your current branding, voice and market? A little customization can go a long way in keeping automation from feeling robotic.
Sync your systems for better workflows
The tools in your toolbox should work together, not against each other. Integrations, like syncing your CRM with your email platform, reduce friction and save time.
If you are manually transferring data between tools, explore platforms that offer native integrations or automations. Even small workflow improvements, like automatically adding a lead from social media into your CRM, can make a big impact over time.
Back up and tighten up
Before wrapping up the year, back up your client data, clean up old contacts and update passwords across your accounts. Cybersecurity threats are rising and client trust depends on how you protect their information.
This is also a good time to review account access, especially if team members have come or gone, to ensure your data is properly synced, stored and protected.
Decide what to keep, cut or upgrade
As you finalize your audit, sort your tools into three categories: keep, cut or upgrade. You will want to keep tools that are proven valuable for your business and that you rely on daily. Cut items that you have outgrown, previously upgraded or never use. Check tools that you already have that could do more for you, such as new features, higher tiers or integration opportunities.
Doing this at the end of the year ensures your tech toolbox stays efficient, up-to-date and aligned with your business goals, not cluttered with trends from throughout the year.
An efficient toolbox isn’t just about saving money, it’s about freeing up time to focus on relationships and strategy. By cleaning up your tools now, you can enter 2026 with clarity, confidence and systems that actually work for your business and success.
