Business in the Crawlspace

Machete Innovation Part 3

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:33:29 -0500

Machete Innovation to Jungle Growth

Part 3

The Maverick Builder

3. Who are the targets pre-listings vs. at time of sale?

It may seem obvious to you, but let's look again. I want to take a retail example to make a point.

In many cases, the consumer is not the shopper:

Think of a mom. Could be your mom.

A loving mom who wants to please a teenage son. She is going to buy energy drinks for her young, thirsty teenage son. Why, because he needs the extra energy to compete in the athletic arena. It is important to him and she not only believes it, but she wants to take care of her child.

Communications (advertising & marketing) can introduce the brand to both the mom and her son, motivate the son and lead the mom to the category in her favorite store, while convincing her that "G" is the only brand to buy.

Side Note: What a great job the marketing guru's have done with Gatorade. The teenage buyers today use the letter"G" meaning gangster (cool). The dress, the bling, the shoes, etc. The marketers were on their game and captured this market for least 3 to 5 years. Gatorade is the new "G". Drink up!

Back to the line. "The consumer is not the shopper."

The Sales and Marketing campaign requires insights about the mom, the son, the brand and the retailer. It requires an understanding of barriers and bonds to trial and to purchase. Finally, one must uncover where and when to best reach the mom and the son, which is most likely in different places and at different times.

Break this down to:

•· the pre-listing client

•· the buyer client

•· the real estate agent

You need to have insight on each one.

Your main focus may be on the Real Estate Agent but there may also be an area of development of your brand for the client. Within your brand the opportunity exists to capture the client.

By finding the separation and learning where the decision is made you will be well on your way from Machete Innovation to Jungle Growth.

Maverick Rules!

Dave Park

Advantage Inspection Raleigh

www.adrdu.com

Whammo!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:40:37 -0500

Today I'm going to share with you a simple shift in your thinking
that conservatively, could multiply your income.

Yep, I've seen it time and time again... a slight shift in the way
you see yourself and whamo! Unbelievable increases in your
profit potential and your business.

Do you know what it is?

It's simple, but powerful - you need to shift from the "provider"
of your product or service to the "marketer" of your product or
service.

From the doer to the seller.

Most Home Inspectors mistakenly see themselves as the "provider"
of what their business provides with the job of getting customers
as a necessary evil. And boy-oh-boy is that a mistake.

Stated more simply, seeing yourself as the "doer" blocks you from:
-- systemizing your business so it no longer needs you
-- full out marketing of your business and products
-- having the time and space to enjoy your life while your
business grows

Yet, when you see yourself as the marketer, however, your main
responsibility is acquiring, retaining, and maximizing the value of
the customers as your primary role, and the "provider" of the
product/service as the necessary evil.

So which one are you? A provider or a marketer?

You see, how you define yourself, has tremendous impact on how
you allocate your time and energy.

And while the delivery of a quality product or service is certainly
important...it's not nearly as important and critical as the ability
to market and sell those very same products and services.

Please read the above statement twice.

Your Success is Our Success!

Maverick Rules!

Dave Park

Advantage Inspection Raleigh

www.adrdu.com

Machete Innovation Part 2

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:20:56 -0500

Machete Innovation to Jungle Growth

Part 2

The Maverick Builder

2. Where is the purchase or buying decision made?

This is a great question because unless you have researched this question or brought in focus groups, you are probably not sure of the #2, #3, #4, and #5 answers.

Please re-read the question. I did not say "Who" made the decision, but "Where" was the decision made.

Now go ask everyone you know. Whether it's a Realtor, a Vendor, a Leeds Group or online. Find out where the purchase decision is made.

In the Car, at the Realtors office, in their home, at the barbershop, in the gym, at a social, etc. In order to be relevant to your client or buyer, you need to know where this decision is made.

This research is just as important as who made the decision and why. Innovation and growth come from research and gaining an understanding of the trends and events of the client.

I'll bet the answers will surprise you and these answers will shape your sales & marketing efforts and ignite your growth.

Maverick Rules!

Dave Park Advantage Inspection Raleigh www.adrdu.com

Have You Thought About Selling Fashion?

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:38:31 -0500

EBay has been referred to as the fashion capital of the internet, and with good reason. According to one ratings website, EBay's Clothing, Shoes & Accessories category is the #1 website for fashion. The site attracts well over one million buyers a month who are specifically looking for fashion-related items; these same buyers spent $2.4 billion last year alone on items from the CS&A category.

EBay is often the first port of call for buyers looking for unique, rare or limited edition fashion items that no one else has. So if you're thinking of expanding your business into another area, the fashion category of eBay is definitely worth considering. Not to mention the fact that hunting out and selling unique items that people want is actually FUN!

Let's look at what can be learned from the Ebay fashion industry.

•1. In Fashion, be as specific as you can in your description of the item, including any flaws, color, size, measurements (waist and bust measurements are two of the most important), any history to the item (buyers love a story attached to an item), and any other details you can think of.

A good rule of thumb with descriptions is that they can never be too long; buyers want to know everything (and more!) about an item. Just make sure that your descriptions are nicely laid out in a way that's pleasing to the eye and with a natural progression.

Lesson: Be specific and detailed. Remember every home has a story. You will need to write it.

•2. In Fashion, take good photos. It cannot emphasize enough how important good photos are in any listing, but especially in a category such as fashion.

Many items of clothing are truly unique so the importance of a good photo that shows the true color, pattern and style of an item cannot be overstated.

Lesson: Today we look online before we leap. Use great pictures to let me know what you have to sell.

•3. In Fashion, make your shipping and return policies clear. It may seem scary to offer a no-quibble money-back guarantee on all your items, but it will boost potential buyer's confidence which in turn prompts higher bids on an item.

Lesson: Think about it - how many REALTORS do you know of that offer a guarantee. Not only will you set yourself apart from others but you will earn yourself loyal customers who will buy from you over and over.

The Fashion industry is unique, colorful and sexy. Why not the real estate business?

Maverick Rules!

Right!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:30:05 -0500

Last week I made an early morning trip to a seminar/book promo breakfast. After breakfast I decided to check out other areas of the facility and I caught a few moments of a morning with Jack Welch, the former CEO of GE.

As I stepped through the door, a question and answer session was in progress. A woman stepped up to the microphone and asked "Is the client always right?"

Jack smiled and said, "You might not think so, and they may believe so, but if you don't make it so, you're dead!"

That is a pretty strong consequence. . . Dead.

But let's face it. Who will come to do business with you again after you argue with them about their dissatisfaction? I think most people will just go somewhere else.

Isn't it just common sense that we let our customer complain and then make it right? Well for the business owner, we usually just grin and say " what would it take to make you happy today?"

But what about our employees? Our independent inspectors? Our associates?

If we have not taken the time to train them how to deal with an unhappy client, how will they react when one attacks them with "you missed this and that on my inspection and it cost me money" or "I only had it for three days and HVAC fell apart!"

It is important that as part of training anyone who has contact with the client they have training on dealing with complaints as well as how to work the computer software or take the order.

As a business owner you probably have already thought of that.

Is there a piece of this puzzle missing?

The missing piece might be empowerment. The employee or inspector or associate can be trained how to be calm and not take complaints personally. But what if they are not empowered to take action and correct the problem immediately themselves?

What if you have instructed them to get you if there is a problem and you are on your way to the bank to make a deposit? In most cases an angry client will not wait for you to return.

This would mean that if your employee or inspector or associate is not empowered to make a correction or offer a compromise to make the customer happy, you would lose their business forever.

How much does it cost to get a new customer? How much does it cost to make them happy when they are dissatisfied?

The difference on paper is staggering.

Therefore, as part of the training, it should be taught what is possible to do to make a client happy when they are complaining.

A quick response to a problem is appreciated almost more than the actual solution in most cases.

You see in life, we are all clients at some time or other, and I don't know about you, but when I am an upset client, Maverick is always right!

Maverick Rules!

Welcome to the Jungle!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:58:55 -0500

Machete Innovation to Jungle Growth

Part 1

When Procter & Gamble first championed brand management, astute marketers quickly boiled it down to four things:

•· Superior understanding of the consumer

•· Product or service differentiation

•· Strategic marketing

•· Innovation

Great strength resides within the simplicity of these core principles.

Service providers (home inspectors/Realtors) need an understanding of consumer relationships with the brand (The Company) within the context of their everyday lives, as well as how they - or someone shopping for them - relates to the brand. This means gathering and applying insights at every touch-point along the path to purchase.

Now let's not go to deep.

Let's face it, good marketing is easier said than done, however. It demands two kinds of expertise.

•· Brand (The Company)

•· Service (You)

They need to converge to create experiential brand ideas, and not just advertising or promotions.

In short . . . Innovation!

Next I sat down behind my computer and built a process of questions. These questions must be answered to drive our brand to the market. Although deceptively simple, if these six questions are left unanswered you might as well pull out your machete and start whacking, because it's a jungle out there.

These 6 questions will not only help you focus, but will clear a path of innovation and growth. Yes innovation and growth not only comes from the corporate level, but it also exists on the service level.

I will cover 1 question each day and hope that you will also dive right in and let your mind "ponder" (that's my Grandfathers word) on the possibilities that are endless.

Let's get started!

1. What is the brand's and the company's key source of separation?

The differentiation is the "engine" of any successful brand effort. While this is true, it can no longer stop at an understanding of the brand's equity.

The value of marketing the "Brand."

The goal here is to create communications, (advertising, press releases, discovery boxes, builder programs, etc.) that serve both, the brand and the franchise, by expressing what is unique about both, in each blow.

GEICO was a great example of separation. There brand essence is all about saving money and insurance. In the industry insurance quotes and estimates were typically handledby phone with a visit to the local representative.

GEICO was separated from the buyer by the "rep" of the insurancebusiness and the "buy local" mentality for customer service.

GEICO made 2 moves.

The first was 15 minutes could save you $500.00.

The second was to open local offices with local representatives.

The new sport in town is team marketing, between brands and franchiseesand franchisees and vendors. By focusing on what consumers need to know and what buyers need to do to drive growth for the brand, the franchise and the vendor.

You are part of this team. Think about what separates you from the brand. What separates you from the public. In these separations comes innovation and growth.

Instead of "divide and conquer" we will "separate and grow".

Maverick Rules!

Find Your "Groove Thing!"

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:42:54 -0500

Many inspection businesses are in an awful "groove" these days.

They don't know the steps it takes to tap into "bad economy wealth." There's much more economic activity going on, even now, in the midst of what many are calling the worst economic downtown since the 1930s.

I am going to share with you 7 ideas, real things that successful businesses are doing in order not just to ride out the recession but to grow and flourish as never before.

•· Break down your numbers. Not just month to month, year to date, and year to year, but also into categories like how many leads, how many new sales by product, average sale, and average product-source. Then, find your focus by analyzing the data. You are nimble. Make the move.

•· Strategic Process. Have a systematic, strategic process in place that is designed in a predictable, sustainable, and continuous manner to bring in prospects and first-time buyers. You know what works and what doesn't. Now just do it.

•· Produce not just incremental gains but exponential gains by recognizing how your business really makes money. Example: Sam's Club studied its numbers and realized it made more money from selling memberships than from selling goods in its stores! Now advertising and marketing is designed to bring people back into the stores to purchase on a regular basis...in order to keep their memberships in good standing.

Is your income on the inspection side of the business and not up-selling. If that is the case raise your prices and give away a Termite Inspection or Radon Testing. Try it, market it, track it and evaluate it. What happened to your schedule? What happened to your business? What is the noise?

•· Be transparent about all of the factors that affect your business. Understand and believe that none of the problems are impossible. In fact, the vast majority can be improved upon. You need to see the potential income in any business situation and how to make it work for you in a most enriching manner.

When ads no longer work, you know how to get free media. When consumers aren't spending as much money, you know how to find alternative propositions to which they can't say no. If marketing at local events or trade shows stops working for you, then you develop a distribution channel none of your competitors know about.

•· Understand your competitors' appeal, advantage, and differentiation in the market. Research and know how to pre-empt these advantages, or successfully position yourself against them. Take the time and trouble to learn why certain Realtors and clients schedule or buy from your competitors and not from you, and learn how to change that.

•· Learn about the alternative products and services that your prospects can buy in lieu of your stuff, including taking no action at all. Focus on proving to your prospects that choosing you represents the most astute decision any buyer could make. They need you and you want them now as a client.

•· Incorporate growth thinking into everything you do, every action you take, every investment you make, every contact you forge with your client, your Realtor and your marketplace.

These steps are fundamental to finding your groove. Now go shake your "groove thing" into the night and back to success!

Maverick Rules!

Where is the Opener?

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:22:13 -0500

A home inspector friend and I were talking one afternoon about how to improve his selling skills. He has been an inspector for 13 years, but as of late his business has been slow. He was telling me how bad he felt because he wasn't getting many appointments. People weren't returning his phone calls. In addition, the few people he was speaking to weren't interested in hiring his services.

In the next sentence, however, he sparked up and said - with a great deal of pride, 'I'm a great closer. Just put me in front of a prospect, and I'll walk away with an order eight out of ten times."

"Then why isn't your business growing by leaps and bounds? Why aren't you making tons of money? Why aren't you spending more time with your family and friends instead of spending so much time at the office?" I asked?

A perplexed look crossed his face as he pondered my question, the kind of look that says "If I'm this great, why then aren't I rich?" He looked out the window and pondered this question. He stared at the ceiling. He gazed at the floor. And in a soft voice said, "I don't really know why I'm not doing better. I guess I'm just too busy to be calling on people."

And that's precisely his problem. He didn't realize that selling isn't about being a great closer.

Selling is about being a great opener.

It's about creating opportunities. It's about discovering what people want and need, and then giving them the solution to their problem.

Selling is about making the customer's life better, easier. But when you're not opening customers - creating opportunities - you've nothing to close. "What kind of customer contact records do you keep?" I asked.

I then asked him these seven questions:

1. How many times do you dial the phone each day for the sole purpose of scheduling an appointment with a Realtor?

2. How much time do you spend dialing for appointments each day? Do you block out time to call on your calendar?

3. Where do you get your leads?

4. How many times do you attempt to reach a person before you decide they aren't a prospect and move on?

5. How many new people do you call each day? People you've never attempted to reach before?

6. How many people are you calling from your database that you've called on five, ten, fifteen times but have never bought from you? How do you feel calling on the same people who - even though they may be friendly - always tell you that they aren't in the market for a new home inspector?

7. What are your annual sales goats? Quarterly goals? Monthly goals? Weekly goals? Daily goals? What daily activity must you generate to achieve these goals?

With each question he was getting more nervous. His body language told me that he didn't have any systems or methods for looking for - and finding - new customers. "What's keeping you from looking for new Realtors?" I asked. "What do you do every day?"

He explained that he comes into the office at about 7:45 am each day and spends most of the morning doing paperwork and reads e-mail. He then goes on a scheduled inspection and works on the report.

Next is lunch. Then on to another inspection and more paperwork.

By the time he leaves at about 5:15 pm he's put in a full day of doing "stuff," but there is one thing he never gets around to doing: Calling on new prospects. He avoids the phone like the plague.

Ever since I started in sales, I always wondered why bright, talented, knowledgeable and successful home inspectors never continued to grow in their businesses and further their careers.

Why were they always struggling?

Why were they always experiencing high peaks and low valleys?

Why were they living a feast or famine existence?

I've watched inspectors start their careers like a rocket roaring into outer space. But within a few short years their business had leveled off. Their meteoric rise to stardom had stopped, and their sales volume never grew by more than five, ten or fifteen percent a year... at best.

With the passage of time their business started a slow decline as their best clients moved on.

Why did this happen?

He stopped looking for new business.

He stopped being a hunter-gatherer.

He stopped prospecting.

• Sales is about being a great opener, not just being a great closer.

• Sales is about looking for prospects every day.

• Sales is about getting on the phone every day.

• Sales is about solving problems every day.

He tried everything he could think of so he wouldn't have to get on the phone. He sent out letters, post cards, flyers and other advertising, promotional and marketing pieces, and then sat by the phone waiting for it to ring. It didn't!

Every once in a while he would phone some people he had called on before, but more often than not, they weren't around. So he would leave a voice mail message.

But they never called him back, nor did any of the other people that he left voice mail messages for. This got him even more discouraged. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that a salesman's job is to track down the prospect.

And in today's busy world most of us don't have time to return the calls of the people we do want to talk to, let alone return the call of someone who leaves a poorly worded message that basically says, "Please call me back."

So we went to work.

1. We changed his attitude. He began to see the telephone as his friend, instead of his mortal enemy.

2. He developed a great Elevator Speech which enabled him to keep his conversations going. His days of having five to ten second "We aren't in the market." phone calls were over.

3. He started prospecting and looking for new people to call on. He attended networking events. He began asking for referrals. And even started calling on people whose names and photos had appeared in the business sections of the local paper.

Within a month he had turned his business around. He was meeting with new people, asking great questions, solving problems, closing sales and making money.

He had learned a very important lesson:

Selling isn't about closing, it's about opening!

Maverick Rules!

You Sell Like a "GIRL"!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:01:40 -0500

Yup, it's Girl Scout Cookie time in our part of the world. [And, yes, my English teacher DID tell me never to start a sentence with the word "Yup."] For those of you who are unfamiliar with the sights, tastes, and overall experience of helping your daughters sell Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-Si-Do's, you're missing a fundamental and wide-ranging education about the dynamics of sales, selling, and salespeople.

Here are some points I've garnered while helping my daughter, Nicole, age 12, and Troop 429, make their sales numbers. These pointers are hard-earned, field-tested, and as applicable to you and your business as they are to Nicole and hers.

1. It's who you know. It's true: the cookie business is a relationship business. Our next-door neighbor bought 9 boxes - Bam! Neighbors on the other side, 2 boxes, then 3, then more. Why? Because Rebecca had something to sell. What's your personal brand doing these days? If you switched products, services, or companies, would people buy from you JUST BECAUSE IT'S YOU?

2. It's not about the product. It's time to get the lawyers upset. Ready? Girl Scout Cookies, for the most part, taste terrible [Thin Mints are the one exception, in my humble opinion]. And they have enough fat, calories, and cholesterol in them to power a small Japanese alternative fuel vehicle. You want good cookies? Buy Oreos, Mallomars, Ginger Snaps, Nutter Butters, Grasshoppers, Deluxe Grahams, Fudge Sticks, etc. etc. Yet Girl Scout Cookies sell like crazy, year after year, donating millions to the bottom line of Girl Scouts of the USA.

3. It's not about price. Girl Scout Cookies cost $3 a box. The smallest box, by weight, is 7 oz. and the largest is 10 oz. Most retail cookies come packaged in a "small" size of around 12 oz. and cost about $2.49. Girl Scout Cookies even give premium brands, such as Pepperidge Farm, a run for their money when it comes to high cost. Did I mention one of our neighbors bought 9 boxes at a clip?

4. It's not about competition; it's all about contacts and referrals. So who is selling to all those customers who "have Girl Scout Cookies at home - more than they need?" Naturally, it's their Girl Scout. What are the chances of Rebecca selling a box of cookies to someone whose daughter is also selling the same cookies for the same price? You got it: less than zero. Is Rebecca going to bang her head against the wall bemoaning those lost sales?

Of course not.

She's going to tap into her network of networks - neighbors, cousins, kids and parents at the Y where she plays basketball, my former colleagues at my old job who have become good family friends (and Rebecca's customers in previous years). Do you know how to fill your pipeline when things seem dry? Do you know how to move your prospects along to becoming customers, satisfied customers, and then customers-for-life - not of the product or service you're selling today, but of YOU and whatever value proposition you might be offering now and in the future?

5. When times are tough and things look quiet, that's the time to push harder than ever. Cookie sales end at a certain time each year. Right now, we're about two weeks away from the ending date, and there are Girl Scout Cookies being sold everywhere you look. We'll probably have 10-12 boxes left over by the time the deadline comes. Are we depressed that we didn't meet our goal? Are we failures as salespeople?

Only if we quit when it's over.

Don't you see that as soon as everyone else stops selling, stops marketing, and stops with the "Cookie Shop" setups -- these cookies move up from a commodity to a valuable asset? It's the same thing in your business: when the market is down, your competition has pulled their ads, it's "hunker-down" time, get back to basics, and cut, cut, cut! However, that's the worst time to cut - you have everyone's attention! There's actually much less noise out there for your message to compete against. Push now and you'll be heard!!!

What does this all mean to you and your business?

It's simple -- now is the time to get back in the saddle and ride your sales and marketing activities harder than ever. You've got the floor. You've got more relationships and more people rooting for you than you realize, and if you cut through the old excuses about your product, price, competition, the economy, and all the rest of it, you'll see the sales breakthroughs that lie ahead.

Why waste another minute?

Maverick Rules!

Talk'n 'bout My Generation!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:09:47 -0500

When Mick Jagger belted out this tune for the Stones, I do not think he could have envisioned anything like the kids of today!

I've heard them called by many names as of late: Generation Y, Gen Y, The Plug-and-Play Generation, The Gotta-Feel-Good Generation.

What they're all referring to is the new young generation - our current 20-somethings. Every generation "deals" with the generation who comes after them. Their different views, their different ways of doing things, and so on; this generation is no exception.

Why is everyone talking about this new generation now though? They've been coming along for years. They're in their 20's now, after all! Because now they're starting to impact the workforce and because we couldn't predict their group characteristics until we saw them in action. In some ways they're changing the landscape for the better, in some ways we oldies would say for the worse.

Regardless of the nostalgia we feel for the "old days" this generation is plunging headlong into the workforce and will impact you and your business at some point. There's really no sense fighting it. No generation has ever changed the generation which came after it; not once that generation reached its 20's anyway. These are the kids we raised and we did raise them this way, so let's figure out how to work with them. To work with them we first need to understand them.

What makes this generation tick (or turn off) and what is the impact on businesses looking to hire them?

Problem: They're not called The Plug-and-Play Generation for nothing. This generation grew up on video games and television while their parents were out working and making (what they viewed as) better lives for their families. This led to a whole generation of children, now entering the workforce, who need instant gratification in whatever it is they do. Whether its work or play, the satisfaction must be immediate.

Solution: What this means to the business owner looking to hire qualified workers is that you need to be diligent in assigning tasks to (or rather asking the worker if they'd be happy to do the tasks) that they enjoy doing. You must challenge this generation to the capacity in which they want to be challenged.

Problem: This generation waits for nothing and no one. If they don't like the game, they find a new game to play and new people to play it with - now - not tomorrow or next week. Simple as that. Think pulling the PS2 game out of the player and inserting one they think they may like better.

Solution: This goes back to speed again. They're used to moving at the speed of the internet, not the speed of the horseless carriage. You're going to have to give this generation what it's looking for or prepare to lose them. Regular check-ins individually to gauge their interest and excitement is critical to keeping this generation happy and buying from you.

Problem: The Generation Y's demand that they feel good about what they're doing. If they don't feel good about it, they're not going to do it. Again, simple as that and no amount of money will convince them otherwise. Remember: they watched their parents work and work and work to earn a few extra bucks and what did it get them? Absentee parents who were rich. This generation wants quality, not necessarily quantity.

Solution: Sometimes the buying process isn't all that gratifying. However, you can combat that by showing your gratitude in the research and time they have spent working with you. Often the sheer pleasure of helping someone else and that person being grateful is enough for the buyers to receive the gratification they need that will help them to buy.

Problem: The generation of ADD. Oh yes, this is where ADD became popular. The Gen Y's are not going to pay attention for long. They want their information fast and to the point.

Solution: Don't waste time with long drawn out memos and information. Just shoot it straight and fast!

Problem: Lack of etiquette. Unfortunately, the new generation may not even know they're breaking the rules! Etiquette in their world is far different than that of other generations.

Solution: As my wife says, "But wrong is still wrong and right is still right". However, with the internet and a new generation, is this perhaps the new "right". Maybe, maybe not. If most families are dysfunctional, doesn't dysfunction become the new "normal"? Unfortunately I think the new generation has us beat in sheer numbers folks. In this writer's opinion there's not much we can do but learn to deal.

Yes, this (generation's issues) results in a higher mental impact on the sales business, different than we have experience in the bricks and mortar world.

And pretty soon they will be "Talk'n ‘bout that new generation".

Maverick Rules

Pushy Purveyor Problem!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:51:49 -0500

I'll bet you can't say it three times real fast!

And I'll be you can't stand pushy salespeople.

How often do people try to sell us something before we have expressed an interest, have a desire, or are in the market for what they have? It seems the standard for many salespeople is to try to sell to anyone and everyone regardless of the interest level.

When someone attempts to sell us something before we have expressed an interest, the initial thought may be, "Why would I buy from you? You haven't earned the right to sell to me!"

The fact of the matter is that selling, both online and off, is about determining if there is a need before ever attempting to match a buyer with a product or service. It is about providing enough information for the buyer to make the best decision based on their needs. And it is about gaining trust.

The most successful sales professionals are those who are a resource before they are a vendor.

Having been in both brick-and-mortar and online sales and marketing for many years, it never ceases to amaze me how many people try to sell without determining the customer's needs. They don't seem to realize that the better the match, the more likelihood for return business.

The better the match, the more trust gained.

If you depend on repeat business or referrals, trust is absolutely a factor in your customer's decision to come back to you when they need your product or service.

Anyone who has been in business for an extended period of time (or plans to be) would be hard pressed to believe otherwise. Whatever you are selling, the buyer's experience from the initial visit and/or purchase will likely determine whether or not they will ever purchase from you again.

When a customer has a great experience from the beginning the chances of them turning into a repeat buyer is more likely.

It is a proven fact: it is more cost effective to have repeat buyers than it is to constantly seek out new customers. That is not to say you shouldn't be adding new clients as part of your business model. Building trust with existing clients will add to your conversion rate more consistently.

What is often missed in the equation of sales and marketing is the lifetime value of a customer. Once the initial sale is made they are forgotten. With proper care, a one-time or occasional buyer can turn into a loyal buyer.

And loyalty is based on trust.

We live in a "try before you buy" society. Because of this many buyers use what is referred to as the buying ladder. The buying ladder is very applicable to brick-and-mortar sales.

Before buying a high ticket item, buyers will "test the waters." This can be done in a number of ways: by test driving a car, taking a tour of a home, asking friends and associates for a recommendation.

When purchasing on the Internet it can be downloading a free information item or buying an inexpensive product from a website to test out the level of service, quality of product, delivery time, quality of information (in the case of an information product), and response time.

It may even depend on the buyer's "gut feeling." What are your own buying habits? What process do you go through before making the decision to buy?

When you gain trust, people want to do business with you. And they want to tell others about the experience. Have you heard the expression that if someone has a bad experience they will tell more people about that experience than they do a good one? I can't say that I necessarily agree with this statement. There are occasions when I have heard people rave about a great experience over and over again.

Buying decisions are made for a number of reasons, but they ultimately depend upon whether or not the buyer trusts the process. And if they trust you.

It is through the process of building trust that we have earned the right to sell, not the right to PUSH!

Maverick Rules! Maverick Rules! Maverick Rules!

Don't take these to the Bank!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:24:05 -0600

Bad Sales Tips!

1. Not being punctual: being on time is very important to a customer. First impressions are lasting ones and sales people need to make a good impression. Being on time will give a good impression to the client and increase their confidence in your company.

2. Poor presentation: some sales people just do not have all their ducks in a row and simply do not present well. A presentation is the first thing a customer will know about your services. If your product is not shown correctly to the customer he is very unlikely to list or buy.

3. Bad attitude: rudeness and unprofessional behavior is not acceptable under any circumstances. It is quite surprising that you will meet some sales people who are just plain rude and short with the consumer. This gives the potential buyer the wrong impression about your company. They do not get a proper picture of the service, as they will probably not even wait for the presentation to end. You will lose many clients like this.

4. Not being articulate: a sales person must know how to express themselves with confidence and fluency. They need to be able to greet the prospect and introduce themselves with assurance. This will start the whole presentation off to a good start. When they actually present the service they must be sure to do this in a confident manner. They should also be prepared to answer all questions concisely and well. If your sales person cannot do this, your listing or sale will not go through.

5. Not listening to a customer: a sales person should not only be able to present your service but listen to the prospective buyer. There is nothing more irritating to the consumer than having a sales person go on about a service and not letting you ask a few simple questions. After all whose money is on the line here? Worse still is when you do finally get to ask your question and instead of giving you a straight answer they go off on a tangent and have clearly not been listening to you.

6. Basing a sale on cost: it is extremely risky for a sales person to depend on cost to close the sales. The prospective buyer will be quick to take advantage when he sees that the deal depends on the cost factor.

7. Not knowing when to close a sale: This is a common fault but a lethal one. Many sales have been lost because the sales person did not know when to close the sale. A good sales person is in tune with the prospective buyer and knows instinctively when to move to close the sale.

8. Hard sell: Hard sell is when sales people try to push the sale on the prospective customer. This will make the buyer aggressive and he will try to get rid of your sales person as soon as possible. It is a proven fact that nobody likes to be sold to.

9. Inflexibility: a sales person should be aware of different personalities and various situations. They must be flexible and able to adapt to different circumstances. The presentation may be the same but the buyers are rarely the same. Each buyer wants to feel special and expects the sales person to understand his circumstances. Inflexibility will cost you many sales.

10. Not following up a hot prospect: Follow up is very important. It is actually plain good manners. You have spoken to a person who has expressed interest in your company's product but may not have been able to make a decision yet. It is courteous and good for business to follow up with them. You may even make a sale this way. If your sales person does not know how to do this you will end up losing valuable customers and sales.

Make sure that this sales person is not the Man in the Mirror!

Maverick Rules!

Dynamite!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:45:40 -0600

Some of the most effective things in life are the simplest. Marketers spend a lot of time trying to understand the psyche of consumers, discover ways to predict economic trends and a million other aspects of business that can determine success.

It pays to remember that some things are just basic, common sense and as easy as pie. Let's look at some tactics that just might be the key to the success you've been pining for.

1. Keep An Eye On Your Best Customers

Wouldn't be great if all of your customers were just like them? ...easy to please, loyal, and ready to tell a friend about your wonderful service. Just maybe you can develop more customers just like them!

Think about it... what makes them so great? What are the traits they have in common? Direct your marketing campaign to people who are just like them. Focus on their niche! You'll net new consumers and higher profits for your efforts.

2. Hurry It Up!

What's the hurry? Today's customers are busily running helter skelter from work to day care to home to an event back home... They're rushing through life, but trying to save a buck as they go. How much do you think they would appreciate the ability to do both in your shop?

Revise your advertising campaign to stress the time they'll save and the money they'll keep in their pockets while enjoying all of the wonderful benefits your service has to offer.

Chip in a few specials where they can save even more money (with a deadline, of course). Deliver! Immediately! Let them save money and time... and hey, watch your sales explode!

3. Make it Easy to Buy

Convenience it the key to attracting buyers in today's fast paced society. What will be the fastest and easiest for them... credit card, phone, fax, Internet, or cold hard cash? They say there are different strokes for different folks... your customers don't all use the same methods to buy. It just makes sense that if the method they prefer is available, they'll be more likely to take advantage of it.

Simplicy... ah, it makes life so much easier. Your harried customers are busy and tired. They don't want to mess around. Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase. Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

Fully Furnished - Owner Financing - 1 Year Free Yard Maintenance, etc.

4. Follow Up

Following up with a customer who didn't buy can be the determining factor between and "almost sale" and a satisfied, loyal customer. Simply contact them afterwards and let them know the home or homes are still available or offer them further information they may find valuable.

One of my favorite catalog companies always closes out the sale with a special buy that is available only at the time of purchase. I'm not an impulsive shopper by any stretch of the imagination, but it stops me in my tracks every time. I know it's a one-time shot, and I really consider whether I want or need it before I hang up the phone.

Sometime basic "stuff" and be the "Right Stuff"

Maverick Rules!

Marketing ABC's

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:27:15 -0600

Winning Sales Strategies You Can't Market Without!

1. Attention-Getting Ads Get Results

Think about it...how many advertisements do you hear every day...how about every hour?

Let's face it, we're bombarded with magazine ads, newspaper ads, TV ads, radio ads, and the Internet is plastered with ads on every site. Not many of the astronomical number of advertisements stick with us, and make an impact. How can you make your ad STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?

* Make a dramatic statement: "Even my dog knows ...."

* Surprise them with the unexpected: "Use for 30 days totally free..."

* Ask a thought provoking question: "Is your current insurance costing you hundreds of extra dollars every year?"

* Use high impact headlines - it's important to snag their attention right away.

2. Get Personal

How many times have you been caught in the cycle of automated phone services?

You push 15 numbers and end up back at the main menu and never did talk to a sales rep. People are hungry for personal interaction in the marketplace. Look for ways to make your business a personal experience that your customers will appreciate.

Get to know something about the people who walk through your doors. Let the people who visit your website know something about you. Yeh, it's easier to trust an individual than a huge impersonal company...and trust is crucial to building a pool of loyal customers.

3. Paint a Picture

Ah, the end of a hectic week has finally arrived! As I lock the doors on a still cluttered office, my mind wanders to the many things that will demand my attention this weekend. I long to just escape the demanding voices...escape to the waters of the lake across town.

It would be like heaven to plop myself across the back seat of a boat, and watch the sea gulls dip and dive as the waves rock me peacefully to sleep. Yep, I can almost hear the sound of their splashing when the clang of metal alerts me to the fact that I've dropped my keys.

Put your customers on the boat. Painting word pictures that capture their emotions will be more effective that the raw facts of the benefit your product offers. Describe what the benefits will do for them, vividly and in great detail...get them panting for the end result. Paint your way to a sale!

Think about it...the 3 tactics we've talked about deal with human emotions or behaviors, rather than your product itself. When we affect the inner part of the customer, our sales are likely to see great results... and hey, they'll feel good while they're signing the listing agreement or the sales contact.

What more could a Maverick you ask for?

Maverick Rules!

Yes . . . Dave Can Read!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:12:33 -0600

One of the greatest memories of my childhood is spending time among books and paper. I've enjoyed books since I can remember. The best place to spend quality private, family or business time is in the library.

Don't shush me!

Over the last 10 years, however, the Internet has irrevocably changed both access to and obtainment of information. We have the capacity to take a trip to our nearest wireless device rather than a trip to our local library to get the same information and possibly more.

We have the equivalent of the volumes of books in a library at our fingertips through various electronic mediums. This opportunity has both positive and negative impacts on our society.

What are you saying madam librarian?

The inarguable convenience of information retrieval by way of the Internet, on the one hand, is an infomaniac's paradise.

And, I am certain that there are a number of us who appreciate not having to make those late-night trips to the library to whiz from shelf-to-shelf as the lights flicker with impatience.

On the other hand, we severely lack respect for our educational business blessedness and as a result, tend to take advantage of the privilege of having such tremendous access to education resources.

Professor Harold Hill taught "Convenience is essential to utility."

The way we value a person, place or thing in our lives has to have some basis in their availability to us at any given moment. But, we cannot automatically equate accessibility with value.

There is a lot of information that we can readily access, but has no inherent value. It does not teach or edify us in any way, so its value is misrepresented because of its accessibility.

Ironically, the educational and business intelligence available to us today in libraries and on the Internet is often underappreciated.

Nothing saddens me more than to think that our propensity for material gain has overshadowed our appreciation for the national treasury of knowledge, education and wisdom we are privy to.

What does this have to do with "76 trombones"?

You need to become a reader again. Your business needs you to become a reader again. You need to be in the Library, in Barnes & Noble, in Borders, and in the no-name book stores.

Prosperity is in books. Been There Done That is in books. Marketing is in books. Ideas are in books. Innovations are in books.

You need to take the family to the library to explore the wonders of the world as written by many well-known and not-so-well-known authors. It is important to make that a priority just to experience the sheer joy of being around books as knowledge and information ooze from them.

Libraries and museums will always be part of the fabric of this country. They should also be a part of your business strategy and tactics.

There is trouble. Right here in River City.

For those who are most apt to read electronically, there is now a tidal wave of wireless readers coming ashore.

They boast of instantaneous access to countless thousands of newspapers, books, magazines, blogs, and even, Wikipedia. Knowledge may be gained for a moment but lost in the maze of keyboard strokes and the browser button.

Your businesses can be defined by the quality of its education. It's defined by accessibility to information, but even more importantly, the applicability of information for its purposes.

You need to become a reader again.

I challenge you to start a love affair.

No not with the librarian, but with reading.

Maverick Rules!

A Novel Idea

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:50:15 -0600

As she rushed through the office, Kacy Dillon, the broker-in-charge stopped briefly by Ian Brechin's desk, gave him the "thumbs-up" sign and said "Great job, Brechin, you did well!"

She then sped off in the direction of her next meeting leaving Ian a little bemused.

He was struggling with this new desk computer and had just crashed it for the third time this morning. Was she being sarcastic or was she referring to the major deal he had just closed with what was to be the company's largest client.

Hopefully the latter!

From time to time you can see examples where the broker-in-charge acts as spectator.

Their behavior; the words they use and their body language would not be out of place at a soccer or baseball match. They would be sitting in the stands chewing on a hot dog, swigging a beer and shouting criticism at the players (their staff) on the field. There is very little connection between the broker and the staff other than they happen to be sitting in the same building.

This image is used to highlight the profound difference between the 'broker as optimizer' and the 'broker as spectator'.

An Optimizer works individually with each of the players, helping them to overcome setbacks and obstacles to progress. They understand how their team responds to different types of motivation and how their family life and health affect their performance.

Most of all Optimizing is carried out on a very frequent basis. You don't wait for the big contract to give your advice to the team or individual agent in the way that the 'broker as spectator' does.

Optimizers work really closely with everyone in the team to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team before they have to be tested under pressure.

The Language of Optimizing

Spectator language is full of demands; "Do this, do that, do the next thing." There is no time or space for discussion, experimentation and, god forbid, failure. Spectator Managers need results and they need them now.

The language of an optimizer is significantly different. First of all the Optimizer is an integral part of the team; often found in the field and in their fur-lined office. Team language tends to contain the word "We" and you will hear a softer tone to the questions "How can we improve this? How can we make that happen faster, more accurately or more consistently?" It is a relationship of trust between two adults rather than a critical parent talking down to a child.

Ian Brechin's co-worker, Joanna Collins came to his assistance with the new computer system. "I've found some work-arounds that avoid crashing the system, let me show you."

Then, almost as an afterthought she added "I hope you realize how proud we all are that you closed the Grossman deal, you'll need to share some of your closing secrets with the rest of us."

Ian smiled, wondering why Joanna's piece of recognition seemed more valuable than Kacy Dillon's.

How do you optimize your teams' novel?

Maverick Rules!

Men's Underwear?

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:04:15 -0600

It's the year 1982 when Calvin Klein underwear burst into the intimate apparel market with a sheer force. It's a big gap of twenty-five years, still the company holding the top slot in the market of intimate apparel.

The design for Calvin Klein underwear is high in demand these days. It's the design of the product that has certainly raised the popularity for Calvin Klein underwear. Men prefer to buy Calvin Klein underwear from the market due to its comfort and good-looking design.

Now how does this tie to the Real Estate Business.

•1. Innovative design. Credit the people behind (haha) the sales and marketing departments to seeing this overlooked niche. Underwear was already available. It was not a new product. Most innovations are not new, but repackage with a purpose. I know that the next innovation in Real Estate will be in improvement on an existing system or platform. You can find it!

•2. Branding. Again credit the people at Calvin Klein to use their existing brand power to open a new line. Does your firm have a brand that can be empowered and channeled into a new direction or implementation?

•3. Public Opinion. Calvin Klein is the company hugely responsible for changing the public's opinion on underwear with its unique advertising campaigns and loads of celebrities backing (and wearing) the product. What have you created to make a wave in the market? What have you published to signify "now is a great time to buy" or "buy now or pay later". Stir it up. Get noticed.

These three attributes can put your business in the "Window".

So let's wrap this up!

Calvin Klein underwear has some of the most outstanding features. Trend setting innovative design, fine fabrics, signature Calvin Klein branding and a wide range of classic collection from season to season.

Ok so what is it, Boxers or Briefs?

Maverick Rules!

Swinging a Hammer!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:36:13 -0600

Are you a builder or a chaser?

A builder envisions what they want their business to become. The vision eventually becomes a plan based on analysis of personal and competition strengths and weakness, the marketplace, and strategies of ways and means to materialize the vision.

A Opportunity chaser will go to any invitation. They under achieve because time is spent looking for and trying out the best deal on the hottest trend instead of building business with strategy focused with personal values, business growth, and the customer base that drives it.

While all these characteristics may be present in any opportunity, analysis of how your time and money converts to ROI may not be clear.

With no other test but whether or not it can make some money as soon as possible, opportunists chase the elusive get rich quick easy promotions. Although sales and network matrix building are important business assets, what opportunists tend to overlook are basic long-term strategic plans.

Instead of chasing opportunities, business builders tend to analyze and develop them. Business building whether on or off the internet requires a variety of skills that must be developed for any specialized but profitable segment of a market or niche. Therefore, one main difference between business building and opportunity chasing is how to use leverage.

Opportunity seekers tend to choose offers that appear to be do-able from their personal effort as part of a team or network of affiliates which begs the question, who is leveraging whom? Conversely, the business builder tends to select only product and service opportunities that support a scalable business where personal time and ROI can be leveraged for profit.

ROI compels many opportunity seekers to do the same thing as everyone else. In practice, they end up trying to do it longer, faster, and smarter than everyone else with a net result of diminishing returns or lower ROI and their expectations shattered by apparent under achievement.

On the other hand, businessbuilders out-source instead of out-task to quite simply continue to add value to their time instead of having it fixed or decreased by matrix limits. The measurable difference between out-sourcing and out-tasking is whether your time produces an increase or decrease of your return on investment.

ROI should produce a win-win outcome. Unfortunately in practice, it differs more often for opportunity chasers than business builders. Opportunity choosing and business buildings are both important activities, but one without the other is like a car without gas, a nice ride but doesn't go very far.

What is driving you?

Maverick Rules!

P.M.S. Yikes!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:27:31 -0600

We appreciate. We criticize. We laugh. We mourn. We are moved by postcards.

Since its introduction up to the present time, postcard is still one of the best medium of communication. We can recall that postcards were used as means for brief communication. It was the best choice then because they are light and inexpensive.

Nowadays, postcards are not only used to express our hi's and hello's, it is now popularly used as a marketing tool. Whenever there is an upcoming event, a product launching or a new service to be made available postcards can be your reliable ally.

Postcard is a great way to market tourism. Just by mailing them, you can make people desire to travel. Just by using luscious pictures, you can make people starve with food cravings. Just by making your business known to your target, makes the latter long for it. Think Jacuzzi or swimming pool.

Sense of seeing is pretty powerful. It can drive other senses crazy. In fact, it can lead them to ludicrous wants. That power is also imbibed in postcards.

Postcards are most effective when done in full color. 4 color postcard printing adds dimension and create dramatic effect to your postcards. One or two-color printing may be too plain and simple for your artwork might as well use the color process that can bolster your postcards aesthetic as well as functional value.

In deciding whether to use 4 color postcard printing or not, you have to weigh first its pros and cons. Clients, designers and printers are more at ease with this printing process. It maximizes design flexibility. In fact, it can create an almost limitless palette. However, this process can be a bit expensive compared to one or two-color printing. It can go as high as 4 times the price of a two-color printing job.

Exact colors can also be produced with the use of PMS or Pantone Matching System. This process is often resorted to create accurate colors that match the company's logo or traditional design. This process may seem the most costly.

Well . . . . . men should already have known this!

Maverick Rules!

Soul Man!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:11:43 -0600

Advocate Respectfully

This is one of a series of articles on holding difficult conversations. In earlier posts in Business in the Crawlspace, I suggested ways to open communications that create mutual respect; we talked about the importance of knowing your purpose for the conversation; and we added Inquiry and Curiosity to our conversational toolbox.

Here the topic is Advocacy.

Advocacy is the flip side of Inquiry - the opportunity that you open for yourself to tell your story. What can you see from your perspective that they've missed? Can you clarify your position without minimizing theirs?

For example: "From what you've told me, I can see how you came to the conclusion that I'm not a team player. And I think I am. When I introduce problems with a project, I'm thinking about its long-term success. I don't mean to be a critic, though perhaps I sound like one. Maybe we can talk about how to address these issues so that my intention is clear."

Tips for sharing your side of things:

•Wait to offer your side until your partner has expressed all his energy on the topic. Check to make sure he's finished.

•Remember your purpose for the conversation. It's easy to get off on tangents, become reactive, and lose your way. Know and return to your purpose at difficult moments.

•Don't assume. When telling your story, go slow, be clear, and don't assume they know what things looks like from your point of view.

•Teach, don't preach. Notice your desire to "sell" your partner on your story. Simply state how things look from your side.

•Listen to yourself and try not to use words that will cause your partner to react defensively. You want him to listen, so use words that he can hear.

•Share facts rather than subjective interpretations. "When you walked by me and didn't say anything" is a fact. "When you ignored me" is a subjective interpretation.

Most important, speak with respect. As you begin to lose your center, think about this, and remember that you advocate best when you respect your partner's story.

We all have teams, mentors, and friends that we advocate and support. Make sure your communications live up to Aretha's rule. R- E- S- P- E- C- T.

Maverick Rules!

32 Is All You Need to Succeed!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:45:09 -0600

We all have ways of testing opportunities that enter our lives. Some of us just dive right in based on feeling, others walk straight into what they know is right by a gut feeling or intuition. And if it's not gut feelings or emotions that are the tests of opportunities, it is the logical mind persuading us to ignore those feelings and emotions and test it with our reality of reason.

Most of us do not have a predetermined strategy for testing opportunities, or even more generally to test the actions we take and the choices we make in our lives.

There is an easier way to determine if our choices we make and the opportunities we receive ‘pass the test'. This simple 32 word statement of business ethics was first created in the 1930s and used to turn around a failing company. These four questions were applied by each employee to each and to every minute detail of the company's workings. This little list of four questions from Rotary International, a humanitarian business organization, is the most widely printed, translated and reproduced piece of business ethics today:

"Of the things we say, think or do:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

If we built businesses and our lives based on these very simple 4 questions we would be coming from a place completely the opposite of the competitive mind and the lack mentality. As you can see, these questions prompt you to choose what is true, fair, and good, making choices that can build friendships and goodwill. It helps us to see how the choices we make can be beneficial to all concerned.

Because of our societal influences, we most often are inclined to make choices and act based on a competitive mind. This comes from the perspective of lack, scarcity, and ultimately greed.

Any opportunity based on the model of competition and lack will simply not pass the test. Competition promotes strife. It embodies winning one spot, taking it away from all the other people who want it. It misleads people to believing there is only one chance for success, when in reality there is plenty for all.

The competitive model encourages people to rely on a source outside of themselves to give them what they need. This denies the power of their own ability to create what they want. This narrow focus shows they are choosing to ignore the possibility of creating this opportunity in their own lives, instead of trying to win the spot from millions of others.

This simple testing technique takes us completely out of the competitive mind of greed, scarcity and lack. It turns our thoughts and choices toward the positive, realizing there are opportunities we can take that can provide increase for all concerned.

I invite you to use these questions to test your actions and opportunities in your life. If you are seeking opportunity, these questions may help you see things in a different way. In doing this, perhaps you might find an opportunity in your life which truly allows you to benefit the world, while at the same time reaching whatever your dreams, goals, and desires are.

Lets get deep!

Maverick Rules!

"Hello, I'm Johnny Cash"

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:33:09 -0600

I've unearthed some surprising bits of wisdom for new Realtors by listening to Johnny Cash lately. I thought I would share some of these tidbits from the Rockabilly legend.

1) Understand Your Man ...er, target market!

That's right. Do you understand your target market? Yes, Realtors should have a target market or segment of the population (niche). Are you aware of the markets needs, desires and driving ambitions? Does your website, copy, premiums, marketing, and lingo speak to your target audience? If not, perhaps you should make some changes or you customer will be "as gone as a wild goose in winter" too!

2) A Boy Named Sue

Life ain't easy for a boy named Sue...and life ain't easy for a Realtor either. In your business you will have those confidence killers, dream stealers, fun suckers...whatever you want to call them. (the news and media) You will have people who try to tell you that you can't achieve your goals, that what you try won't work. Don't let them get you down!

Sue's father told him, "This world is rough, and if you're gonna make it, you've gotta be tough."

How can you get tough in your business?

3) Man In Black- or Branding 101

J.R. Cash didn't don the all black suit because he didn't have anything else to wear. It was his trademark. He wore all black for a reason.

What about you? Are you working on your brand? In a world full of Elvis Presley's and Jerry Lee Lewis's, how will you stand apart? And remember, your target market doesn't have to be just like you- Johnny Cash wrote Folsom Prison Blues and connected with inmates when he had never yet step foot in jail!

4) The Legend of John Henry's Hammer

This song has two bits of wisdom:

a) Learn your business and you will succeed

John Henry's Daddy told him to: "Learn to a turn a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too." Are you learning all you can about Sales and Marketing in order to succeed? Do you reinvest in books, coaching, mentoring, and software like John Henry's hammer?

b) Technology has its place but it can't take the place of humans.

When the steam engine threatened to take the place of men, Johnny proved that in the end, humans are more valuable. Learn to use technology (like autoresponders) but remember that your website visitor is a human and inject some of yourself into your marketing efforts.

5) One Piece at a Time

This ballad is about a man who decides to build a Cadillac. He steals one piece at a time from the assembly line "and it didn't cost him a dime". But in the end, it didn't work out exactly like he planned!

Does your website look like a pieced together jalopy? Are you unwilling to spend any money on your own domain and hosting, content with a free site cluttered up with ads?

6) In The Jailhouse Now

Please don't throw away your hard work by doing one of the following things:

Not providing full disclosure

Railroading or Steering

Discrimination

Clicking on your Adsense ads

Not keeping records and neglecting to pay taxes

It just isn't worth it, and you may find yourself in the jailhouse.

7) Ring of Fire

Maybe you've made a bad choice... entered into a shotgun romance with a broker or team that's not right for you. Don't be afraid to realize this, chuck everything and start over! Better to find your match and pour your energies into that.

In this song, June Carter Cash chronicles her growing attraction to John. Though they were both involved with other people, they were obviously soul mates and ended up making music and growing old together for the next 40 years.

I know that these 7 steps of Cash Wisdom can help you to "Walk the Line".

Maverick Rules!

"7" is Craps!

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:44:13 -0600

Marketing a business can be fun, exciting and creative. It can also be very frustrating and expensive if one doesn't know what outcome they are looking for or how to evaluate cost effective methods of marketing.

Over the years people have come to know me for my unique ability to develop low cost and no cost strategies to market and promote a business, product or service.

Strategies that have realized incredible returns.

People have also come to know me as someone who is a stickler when it comes to putting systems in place. My marketing successes are a direct result of the systems I have implemented.

With a bit of forethought, planning and desire, you can successfully market your business in a very effective manner. Below are seven proven strategies sure to increase visibility, leads and sales.

1. Business Cards

Business cards are often one of the most underutilized tools in one's marketing.

Use the front and back of your business card to gain full benefit. Depending on your market you can put some very valuable information on the back such as a sports schedule, emergency numbers, or special dates people want to remember.

Keep some in your wallet, your automobile, on your desk, and some at home. Be sure to carry them with you wherever you go and be willing to hand them out as opportunity presents itself.

Creatively distribute your card. When you eat out you can leave one with the tip.

If you borrow a library book, use one as a book mark. Hand them to clerks in stores who may know other people who could use your product or service.

When someone gives you their business card be sure to enter their information in your database. Send them a short note or email within 48 hours of meeting them to keep your name fresh in their mind.

2. Send a picture

A great way to keep your name fresh in a customer's mind is to send them a picture of when they purchased or leased a home with your service.

Put a picture of a buyer's home and yard in a beautiful calendar. Likely, the proud owner of the home will display the calendar for the next 365 days.

3. Associations

Associations particular to your market are a great resource for marketing.

A major opportunity within many organizations is the chance to network. Additionally, to make presentations. Along with presentations come publications.

Often, when you do a presentation, you will get a mention in the association newsletter, their Ezine and/or on their website.

In many cases, when an organization has a newsletter or Ezine, they welcome the presenter writing a press announcement for them. It saves them time and often assures you have a better chance of the information making it into the publication.

They may also welcome you writing an article for their publication or website.

This lends itself to pre-presentation visibility. Additionally, you will position yourself as an expert and increase credibility.

Most organizations have the following opportunities that can help you to gain visibility and do some very effective marketing:

-Newsletters

-Internet listings

-Links to you website

-Discounted advertising rates

-Networking opportunities

-Business referral services

-Special recognition events

-Education seminars

-Business and membership directories

In many cases you will need to be a member of the association to take advantage of the multiple marketing opportunities. In other cases membership is not necessary.

4. Committee Involvement

Committee involvement is a great way to give back to the association or community while building visibility for you and your business. In some cases, you may even want to get involved in a committee where you have little experience or knowledge. This will give you an opportunity to stretch yourself and meet and network with individuals you may not have otherwise had the chance to meet.

5. Contests and drawings

Contests are a favorite for many businesses such as restaurants or those that have high foot traffic. Contests are a great way to build your database quickly.

You are generating very hot leads when you have a contest with people who have already frequented your place of business. The key though is to do back -end marketing. Far too many businesses hold contests, get lots of names and do nothing with them. In this case, it is a complete waste of time to hold a contest.

You can advertise a contest to gain new foot traffic in your place of business.

Trade show booths are a great place to hold a contest. Pre-show marketing helps to generate traffic at your booth. Invite people to stop by booth # _____ (whatever your booth is) to enter to win. Creative contests can also generate free publicity.

6. Cross-promoting

Join with other Realtors or companies who have products or services that compliment yours and promote each other. Example, you could partner with a landscaper to promote yard services to your clients. In return they can promote to their existing clients your services and advice. Cross-promoting is only limited by your imagination.

This can considerably cut down the cost of business promotion and allow each business to use promotion techniques that might be too expensive to implement alone.

7. Bonuses

Secure special offers from various businesses who want to share a similar market as you. Present this package of goodies when you sell and close. This is a win/win all the way around. The other vendors gain visibility, you have something extra to offer you customers and the customers get incredible value for their purchase.

Now roll the dice and let Lady Luck run!

Maverick Rules!

Maverick Mindset

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:16:41 -0600

Sometimes we can all use a friendly reminder to keep us from backsliding into old ways of thinking about selling that lead us down the wrong path with potential clients.

New Thinking = New Results

Maybe it's time to take a different approach. Maybe we need to seriously analyze our sales thinking so we can identify why we're not making more sales. Take a look at the table below and think about your current selling mindset. How would your selling behaviors change if you changed your sales thinking?

Traditional Sales Mindset Vs Maverick's Mindset

1. Always deliver a strong sales pitch. Vs Stop the sales pitch -- and start a conversation.

2. Your central objective is always to close the sale. Vs Your central goal is always to discover whether you and your potential client are a good fit

3. When you lose a sale, it's usually at the end of the sales process. Vs When you lose a sale, it's usually right at the beginning of the sales process.

4. Rejection is a normal part of selling. Vs Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection should never happen.

5. Keep chasing every potential client until you get a yes or a no. Vs Never chase a potential client -- you'll only trigger more sales pressure.

6. When a prospect offers objections, challenge and/or counter them. Vs When a potential client offers objections, uncover the truth behind them.

7. If a potential client challenges the value of your product or service, you must defend yourself and explain the value. Vs Never defend yourself or what you have to offer -- it only creates more sales pressure.

Let's take a closer look at these central Maverick concepts so you can begin to open up your current sales thinking and become more effective in your selling activities:

1) Stop the sales pitch -- and start a conversation.

When you call someone, avoid making a mini-presentation about yourself, your company, and what you have to offer. Start with an opening conversational phrase that focuses on a specific problem that your product or service solves. If you don't know what this is, ask your current customers why they purchased your solution. One example of an opening phrase might be, "I'm just calling to see if you'd be open to some different ideas related to increasing the opportunities and possibilities for your home. Notice that you are not pitching your solution with this opening phrase.

2) Your central goal is always to discover whether you and your potential client are a good fit.

Let go of trying to "close the sale" or "get the appointment"-- and you will discover that you don't have to take responsibility for moving the sales process forward. If you simply focus your conversation on problems that you can help potential clients solve, and if you don't jump the gun by trying to move the sales process forward, you will find that potential clients will actually bring you into their buying process.

3) When you lose a sale, client, or listing opportunity, it's usually right at the beginning of the sales process.

If you believe that you lose sales because you make a mistake at the end of the process, take a look back at how you began the relationship. Did you start with a presentation? Did you use traditional sales language like, "We have a listing campaign that I believe you really need" or "Others in your neighborhood have listed with us, so you should consider it as well"?

When you use traditional sales language, potential clients can't help but label you with the negative stereotype of "salesperson." This makes it almost impossible for them to relate to you from a position of trust. And if trust isn't established at the outset, honest communication about the problems they're trying to solve, and how you might be able to help them, becomes impossible too.

4) Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection should never happen.

Rejection happens for only one reason: Something you said, as subtle as it might have been, triggered a defensive reaction from your potential client. Yes, something you said. To eliminate rejection, simply shift your mindset so that you give up the hidden agenda of hoping to make a sale. Instead, everything you say and do should stem from the basic mindset that you are there to help potential clients.

5) Never chase a potential client--you'll only trigger more sales pressure.

"Chasing" potential clients has always been considered normal and necessary, but it's rooted in the macho selling image that, "If you don't keep chasing, it means you're giving up -- and that means you're a failure." This is dead wrong! Instead of chasing potential clients, tell them that you would like to avoid anything that resembles the old cat-and-mouse chasing game by scheduling a time for your next chat.

6) When a potential client offers objections, uncover the truth behind them.

Most traditional sales programs spend a lot of time focusing on "overcoming objections." These tactics only put more sales pressure on potential clients and also fail to explore or understand the truth behind what the potential client is saying. When you hear, "We haven't made up our minds," "Please just send me information in your services," or "Call me in a few months," do you think you're hearing the truth, or do you suspect that these are polite evasions designed to end the conversation?

Rather than trying to counter objections, you can uncover the truth by replying, "That's not a problem" -- no matter what clients are "objecting" to -- and then using gentle, dignified language that invites them to reveal the truth about their situation.

7) Never defend yourself or what you have to offer -- it only creates more sales pressure.

When a potential client says, "Why should I choose you over your competition?," your first, instinctive reaction is probably to start defending your product or service because you want to convince them to buy. But what do you think goes through your potential client's mind at that point?

Something like, "This 'salesperson' is trying to sell me on why what they have to offer is better, but I hate feeling as if I'm being sold." Rather than defending yourself, try suggesting that you aren't going to try to convince them of anything because that would only create sales pressure. Instead, ask them about the key problems that they are trying to solve, and then explore how your service might solve those problems --without ever trying to persuade.. Let potential clients feel that they can choose you without feeling "sold."

You too can improve your sales effectiveness if you are open minded and willing to try a new and more natural Maverick selling approach.

Maverick Rules!

Negotiation Ninja

Dave Park "The Maverick Builder" (Advantage Inspection Raleigh) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:42:18 -0600

Real Estate negotiating is a skill that like warfare tactics must be honed.

(Honed is a funny word but right for the context.)

It is important to be mentally prepared to win. Do the ground work well before your reach the negotiating table and decide on the "path" you are going to take.

You need to set aside any doubts you may have and stride forward prepared to win at all costs.

The four cornerstones of successful negotiation skills are placing emphasis on common points.

•1. Presenting clear arguments (price, options, financing, condition, etc)

•2. Being innovative and open to several options (time, financing, schedule, etc)

•3. Focusing on the situation or problem being dealt with

•4. Looking for a clear solution.

The key is to be clear about your preferred outcome. However in the back of your mind you must be willing to compromise to some extent.

A good Real Estate negotiator is an excellent communicator. They understand how human beings think, feel, and function. You must be able to befriend the people seated on the other side of the negotiating table. You must know when to push hard, when to accept a compromise, and when to walk away.

A good Real Estate negotiator is in many ways an artist he needs a great amount of creativity to steer the negotiations to a successful completion.

They must keep in mind the 3Fs: fair, fast, and firm.

According to the gurus there are tactics to be used for negotiating:

1. Be focused on the problem or issue. Logical arguments are the key to smooth negotiations.

2. It is important to be firm yet polite when making a stand or presenting a point.

3. Clearly emphasize the advantages and disadvantages.

4. Be patient and let the process of negotiation take its course.

5. Put ego aside and concentrate on the matter at hand. It is finding an amiable solution that's important not self worth or position.

6. Never threaten or manipulate the opposite party-it is completely unethical and unfair.

7. Aim for solutions that are interest based and not what individual desires or aims are. It is best to consider any situation as a whole rather than from a personal view point.

8. Avoid psychological traps and have the magnanimity to admit when you are wrong. Be open minded.

9. Don't accept weak solutions and try and negotiate a plausible settlement. Temporary measures are not what you need. A permanent solution must be sought.

10. Value time, schedules, and deadlines. A good Real Estate negotiator will not beat around the bush or adopt delay tactics or waste time talking about mundane matters. It is professional to immediately get down to the business at hand.

Most of us are born negotiators. From the first breath a baby takes it makes all around him dance to his tunes. Most of us consciously or unconsciously do what we have to do to get our own way in life.

Grasshopper it is your job to become a Negotiation Ninja and master the art of Real Estate negotiation.

Maverick Rules!