Are we, as Real Estate business professionals making the shifts necessary to become real estate solution experts? A Real Estate Solution expert offers resources, information and options, sometimes by referring others to providers who preserves the integrity of the relationship with professionalism. You would want to maintain your relationships by expanding your sphere of influence.  

How many calls or requests are you receiving a day, or a week where a customer is in financial crisis with their present mortgage?  Are you leaving potentially huge amounts of income on the table by turning them away with a "go get 'em" pat on the back?  I feel that 2010 requires us to shift more into being a source of information and solutions for those who are having the real estate blues. Strong alliances with other professionals will greatly enhance your business and keep you as the primary source of contact for all of their real estate needs in the future. 

I cannot count the number of "SOS" emails daily from those customers in need of solid solutions.  Since we provide solutions for commercial property owners in financial crisis, the leads for other services are overwhelming. It allows me to network with other professionals as I source the appropriate services. It is just the nature of the game, right!  What gives me joy is the ability to offer someone hope, a possible solution or at least alternatives which they may be able to find some relief. The thrill of making deals work is why most of us choose the real estate profession.  

      It becomes easy to ignore the signs and say, "I cannot help you" when confronted with such a call. I have done it and was left a little dismayed. So, I decided to do something about it, and expand my knowledge and contact base. It is easy to get complacent in helping only those who fit within our business matrixes. What is interesting, when I expanded my knowledge and contact base, my value was raised. Maintaining valuable relationships with my customers by providing resources keeps me on their speed dial, opening up their colleagues and friends rolodexes. I call that marketing dollars well spent! For me, the driving force to career enhancement strategies for 2010 is to become a source where your customer can find solutions!  

                   The Key to success and surviving the current market is to stay informed, look for opportunities to meet needs and build great strategic partnerships. There is a saying that goes something like this, "ones bank account reflects how many people they are serving."   Are you serving more people this year than the last? In the coming months it will be the most challenging at best, many will close their shops, more will lose homes, businesses and store fronts because the current market conditions will squeeze them out.  Are you positioned for the next wave to expand while others are contracting?  Or will you become an expert in serving the needs of others by having more career enhancement relationships that generously appreciate your efforts?