The year couldn’t have started much worse for Jenn Wersal.

She switched to Realty Group in January, driven by a desire for more educational opportunities in real estate and flexibility to work from home. Her previous brokerage, for instance, frowned upon the use of Zoom, and she was unchallenged by the “educational” offerings. 

But by mid-January, her four-year-old daughter got sick, and doctor’s couldn't diagnose her illness. The illness dragged on and on, requiring a hospital visit that required her to receive fluids. Then everyone else in the family also got sick, some struggling for days, others for weeks.

“It was scary,” Jenn says. "The doctors could not give us answers. We don’t know if it was COVID because they weren’t testing at that time.”

Finally healthy, the family went ahead with long-arranged vacation to Orlando in March, which included two days at Disney and one each at Universal Studios and Legoland. The lines were manageable, as people were traveling less and avoiding crowded places like amusement parks. in fact, Jenn’s family visited Universal Studios two days before the park eventually shut down.

When they headed home, Jenn and her husband decided not to spend an extra day, as scheduled, in Chicago, and opted instead to rent a vehicle and immediately drive home. 

Then, when COVID triggered lockdowns, Jenn worried even more about her business. In 2019, she'd closed 16 transactions, a personal record, but all the changes and challenges threatened to doom her 2020.

“Everything I worked for basically went down the toilet,” she recalls. “I had to adapt my business.”

Here are three keys to her success:

1. Put in the time — A self-starter, Jenn acknowledged being “down in the dumps," given all that was happening in the world and in her own family, which includes her husband and children ages 1, 4 and 7. But she committed to working eight hours a day, which included cultivating new leads, and checking up on past and current clients. “I told myself, ‘You have to work!’ I hear people say they get into real estate for the flexibility, but you have to put together a schedule that works for you and stay consistent.”

2. Adjust to the time — Already comfortable with Zoom, Jenn started to connect with people via Zoom and was intentional to quickly respond to anyone. She was aggressive in letting clients know that she was being proactive for everyone’s safety and highlighting the facets of the process that could be taken care of virtually. “Real estate is essential,” she says, “but I wanted them to know I was taking the right precautions.” She ended up earning a lot of referrals based on how well she was serving clients.

3. Creatively market — Knowing she couldn’t see people as much in person, Jenn decided to invest in a service that allows her to send an unlimited number of cards via the Post Office. Some postcards featured word searches, or simple quotes or reminders that they were on her mind. “We were all in the dumps together,” Jenn says. “Everyone was home, wondering what was going to happen. I tried to give people Happy mail.” People positively responded. Her hope is to send each client six to eight cards apiece. She also sent some desserts and treats, and regular newsletters with tips and updates on the market.

Those keys have helped Jenn thrive. She was recognized by Homesnap among the top 15% of agents in the nation. And despite the rough start to 2020, she’s on track to double her transactions from last year.

But Jenn warns that her life is hardly smooth or easy. Her home is not as clean as she’d want, distance learning presents lots of challenges and sometimes she doesn't shower until 3 p.m. She is also thankful to close family who can fill in gaps, when she and her husband both have work commitments. 

“Maybe it looks perfect from a social media standpoint, but I’m on the struggle bus too,” she says. “It’s not always glamorous, but (my husband) and I take it day-by-day.”