Sun and Strategy: Helping Agents Build a Vacation-Proof Business
Guide agents in batching content, setting up autoresponders, and leveraging SMILE Stops™ so they stay top of mind—even while out of the office.
Summer is calling – and so are your agents’ time off plans. Beach days, backyard barbecues, family reunions, and (let’s be honest) burnout recovery are all valid reasons your team may want to unplug and take a little time away from the office.
The problem? Many of them do it without a plan in place to keep their business running, even when they’re away. And, when agents go radio silent for weeks on end, so does their business. Leads cool off. Momentum stalls. The pipeline dries up. Then August hits—and panic sets in.
As a broker or team leader, now’s the time to step in—not to block their vacation, but to help them protect their production while they take it.
Here’s how to coach your agents to take a break without breaking their business.
Related reading: Harvard Business Review – How to Get Your Team to Use Their Vacation Time
ONE: Preach the Power of Pre-Planning
You know this: Real estate doesn’t stop when agents stop working—it just goes to someone else. Buyers still need to buy, sellers still need to sell, and they’re not going to wait around while your agents are hiking through the mountains or basking in the sun with an umbrella drink in hand.
Before your agents pack their flip-flops, help them answer:
- What follow-up system is in place while you’re away?
- Who’s checking in on active buyers or sellers?
- What auto-messages are set to keep you visible and responsive?
Create a pre-vacation checklist for your agents. Include:
- Setting out-of-office emails with clear response times
- Recording a temporary voicemail greeting
- Notifying clients in advance and introducing their coverage plan
- Giving you (their broker) and a backup agent access to critical transaction info
This positions them as responsible professionals, not vanishing acts.
Related reading: How to Be Several Steps Ahead in Your Business and Life
TWO: Teach Them to Batch Like a Boss
One of the easiest ways to stay visible while away? Batch and schedule content.
Have your agents block off two hours to:
- Write 4–6 social media posts
- Schedule a weekly email (or use your provided newsletter)
- Record 1–2 short videos on market insights or tips
- Prep one SMILE Stop™ to drop off before they leave
Most agents think they need to do marketing every day. They don’t. They just need to batch it—and schedule it to run in the background while they are off doing other things.
THREE: SMILE Stops™ Make the Perfect Summer Touchpoint
Your agents may not want to prospect in a swimsuit – but a SMILE Stop™ is simple, fun, and powerful summer marketing.
Encourage your team to add fun stop-by moments to their schedule for 5-10 past clients this month. Here are some great ideas to get them started.
Each drop-by keeps them top of mind and community focused. Done right, these touches spark conversations and referrals—even while they’re technically “off.”
FOUR: Position It as a Service Strategy, Not Just a System
This isn’t just about staying in business—it’s about honoring their clients. There is no such thing as too much communication, and that includes communicating about your agent’s holiday plans.
Clients deserve to know:
- Who they’ll hear from
- How they’ll be supported
- What to expect during the agent’s absence
Framing this prep work as professional client care helps agents take it seriously—because it’s not just about avoiding a dry pipeline, it’s about showing up as a pro.
FIVE: Create a Vacation Coverage Swap Sheet
This is a game-changer. It also ensures that everyone on your team knows who’s going to be away and when, and that each agent has someone to cover for them while they’re away. Not only does this ease the stress of the agent while they’re gone, but the stress of their clients who are still being taken care of.
Set up a system where agents in your office can:
- List their vacation dates
- Note which parts of their business may need light monitoring (calls, showings, updates)
- Volunteer to cover for one another
This encourages collaboration, community, and accountability—and makes it easier for everyone to relax without leaving clients hanging.
SIX: Make It a Culture, Not a Crisis
If your office has a pattern of agents disappearing without prep (then scrambling in August), change the narrative now. By taking the time before summer starts to prepare your team and get a plan in place, you can ensure the summer break goes without a hitch.
Promote summer planning as part of your office culture. Hold a “Vacation-Proof Your Business” workshop. Offer templates. Share success stories. Recognize agents who prep well—and model it yourself.
When strategy becomes standard, summer stress gets replaced by real systems that work.
Related reading: Summer Motivation Strategies for Real Estate Leaders
Ready to Help Your Agents Work Less Chaotically—and More Strategically?
Inside the POWER AGENT® Program, we give brokers and agents the tools, checklists, and done-for-you templates to make systems like these simple – and successful.
Want to turn this summer into a season of growth—not ghosting? Email GaleC@DarrylSpeaks.com to learn how you can enroll your office in a POWER AGENT® Broker Block and get access to the tools, systems, and templates your agents need to unplug without unraveling.
Let’s make this the summer of strategy.
Related reading: My Real Page – How to Take a Stress-Free Vacation as a Real Estate Agent
For Your Agents:
Vacation Shouldn’t Cost You Momentum. Want to take a real break this summer? Great! But take 2 hours this week to:
- Schedule next month’s social posts
- Send out a “just checking in” email to your past clients
- Drop off a SMILE Stop™
- Set your out-of-office message with clear instructions and expectations
Take care of your business before you take care of your tan.
Darryl Davis is an award-winning international speaker, real estate and business coach, and best-selling author of three books, all published by McGraw Hill Publishers.
For more than 35 years, Darryl has spoken to and trained more than 600,000 sales professionals around the globe to more than double their production year after year. His book, How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate, tops Amazon’s charts for one of the most sold books to real estate agents.
He was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speaker’s Association, which is given to less than 2% of all speakers worldwide.
Whether from a stage or Zooming into a virtual room, Darryl’s extraordinary humor, relatability, and natural gift for teaching real-world, results-producing skills and mindsets to audiences have made him a client favorite throughout his career.
Audiences will laugh, learn, and ultimately walk away better prepared for a changing world, with the tools, skills, and training they need to build their businesses with more ease and less stress and to design lives and careers worth smiling about.
Bring One of Darryl’s W.O.R.K. Topics to Your Organization!
By providing your agents with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the game, you can ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that comes their way!