Are your clients using Top Producer?

I was wondering if I could get your comments on Top Producer 7i or 8i.  I have noticed several agents migrating away from Top Producer to other programs, such as Microsoft's Outlook.

As a title rep I am curious what you are hearing from your clients about Top Producer 7i or 8i.  Anything?

• Are your clients using Top Producer?
• What do they like about it?
• What don't they like about Top Producer?
• Are they having problems using Top Producer with their Smart Phone?
• Paying to access your own database

This is not a scientific poll or survey but I will post a cumulative results report.

Thank you for taking just a moment to provide your feedback.

Make it a great day!

Jeff

Are you using Top Producer 7i or 8i?

I was wondering if I could get your comments on Top Producer 7i or 8i.  I have noticed several agents migrating away from Top Producer to other programs, such as Microsoft's Outlook.

I am curious what current Top Producer users think about:

1. Paying to access your own database
2. Having to Export your data to create labels or form letters
3. Is the program quick or cumbersome?
4. Are you having issues with your smart phone...do you feel "held hostage" with the limitation of choices?
5. Are you considering using another programs?  If so, which come to mind?

This is not a scientific poll or survey but I will post a cumulative results report.

Thank you for taking just a moment to provide your feedback.

Make it a great day!

Jeff

Outlook Tip: Streamlining customer correspondence

Creating a Client Communication Strategy - Part 3: Streamlining customer correspondence

This post is lengthy but well worth you time to  try this out...it's been a great time saver for me.

There are many things to consider when creating a Client Communication Strategy...one of them is How to Streamline your Customer Correspondence.

As a salesperson, a big part of your job is creating new business opportunities; you do this by sending out regular sales correspondence to customers so they think of you when the topic of "real estate" comes up.  To streamline this task of correspondence (follow up with your customers and prospective customers with letters and e-mail messages) typically, you'll type or paste the same form letter into a lot of letters and e-mail messages to complete this task. And that can take a lot of time, no matter how fast you type.

Time becomes an issue...
You are busy.  With your busy schedule, finding the most efficient way to reach as many potential customers as possible should be a top priority.

Using Microsoft Office Word 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 you create and customize business form letters, whether you're sending them as an e-mail message or by Snail Mail.

Save time by setting up a custom sales letter toolbar in Word 2003 so that the letters you need are always within reach. Whether you are sending one letter or 100 letters or sending an email to one person or 100 you can send the same message to a specific group of people quickly and efficiently by using Outlook and Word.

Create and send letters with a few clicks of a button
Microsoft Office Word and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 offer you an easy way to use AutoText entries and a custom toolbar to create and send your letters.

 Important   To use a custom toolbar with Outlook, you must be using Word as your e-mail editor. To set Word as your email editor go to Tools > Options > Mail Format Tab > Click in the box "Use Microsoft Office Word 2003 to edit e-mail messages".

Write your letter once...
An AutoText entry is stored text or graphics that you want to use on a regular basis. A custom toolbar is a place where you can store your AutoText entries.

Write the AutoText entries for your letters

In Word, type the text that you want to store as an AutoText entry or open an existing letter that you often use.  An example is below:

Dear <First Name>,

I enjoyed our phone conversation earlier and am looking forward to our live online training session next Wednesday at 9am.  I'll be sending you the access information and the handout 48 hours prior to the training.

In the meantime, if you have any questions please call me at 206.850.9996 I would be happy to answer them.

Sincerely,

Jeff Graves
www.ImpactYourSalesNOW.com

1. Highlight the text of your form letter.
2. On the Insert menu, point to AutoText, and then click New.
3. In the Create AutoText dialog box, type the name of the sales letter, in our example we'll call it "Training Confirmation".
4. Click OK.

Set up a custom sales toolbar
Now, let's create a custom toolbar where you can store your form letters.

There are three steps to setting up your custom toolbar:

1. Create the toolbar
2. Add a new menu to the toolbar
3. Add your AutoText entries to the new menu

Note   After you create a custom toolbar, it is available in all programs that use Normal.dot (or the Normal template). The reason you see the toolbar when you switch between such programs as Word and Outlook, is that they both use Normal.dot. After creating a custom toolbar, you might be prompted to save changes to Normal.dot. If you don't save changes, the toolbar you've added won't be available the next time you open Outlook or Word.

Create your toolbar

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. In the Customize dialog box, on the Toolbars tab, click New.
3. In the New Toolbar dialog box, in the Toolbar name box, type the name you want. For this example, type Form Letters.
4. In the Make toolbar available to box, select Normal, and then click OK.

The New Toolbar dialog box closes, and a new, blank toolbar appears on your screen next to the Customize dialog box, which remains open.

Add a new menu to your toolbar

1. In the Customize dialog box, click the Commands tab.
2. In the Categories box, click New Menu (this may be at the bottom of the list).
3. Drag New Menu from the Commands box to the toolbar you created.
4. On your toolbar, right-click New Menu.
5. On the drop-down menu, select the words New Menu in the Name box, and then type the name of the menu i.e. Buyer Letters.
6. When you're finished, click the Form Letters toolbar or press ENTER.

Now your toolbar has a menu on it - but the menu is empty.

Add your letters to your "Buyer Letters" menu

1. In the Customize dialog box, click the Commands tab - you'll see two columns: 1)Categories and the other 2) Commands
2. In the Categories column, click AutoText.
3. Drag your AutoText entries one at a time from the Commands Column to your Buyer Letters menu on your new Form Letters toolbar.
4. Click the Buyer Letters menu to see the new menu you just created.
5. Now you have your Form Letters toolbar - complete with a snazzy Buyer Letters menu containing all your letters just for buyers.  Of course you will want to create a Sellers and maybe Transaction Letters Menus.

Form letters at your fingertips

Now all you have to do when you want to write a sales letter is open Word and click the Buyers Letters menu on your Form Letters toolbar, and then select the letter you want...it is automatically inserted into your Word document...personalize it when necessary and you're ready to print.

How about using it with email...
Start with a New Email Message - hey...there's your new toolbar... it now appears with the other toolbars and you could shoot the letter out via email.  Click the Buyers Letters menu on your Form Letters toolbar, and then select the letter you want and voila!

Whew!  That was a long one huh?

If this seems like a lot of work...it really isn't once you get started.  To save time though...if you have your letters ready you can add them all to your new toolbar one right after the other.

That concludes this blog post...

I can help you increase your skills using Outlook - they're guaranteed to save you time and money.

Jeff - Technology Trainer and Perseverance Coach
www.ImpactYourSalesNOW.com

Do you use the same letters over and over?

Outlook Users:

Look for a post coming in a few days about how you can take letters you use all the time and very quickly access them, and copy and paste them into a email or mailmerge letter.  And "no" you won't use the Copy and Paste actions.

Intrigued?  Look for it to arrive here no later then this Thursday.

Jeff

How important is planning and persistence?

Whether you have been in real estate for years...or you are newly licensed, planning and persistence is key to your success both now and in the future.

How important is planning and persistence anyway?
We all know your Marketing (Direct Mail, Internet and Blogging), Referral Business and Business Planning is key to succeeding in your business month after month and year after year.

Below are two versus - yes from The Bible - that stress the importance of planning and persistence:

Planning...
The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
Proverbs 21:5 (NKJV)

Persistence...
"And so I tell you, keep on asking,
and you will be given what you ask for.
Keep on looking, and you will find.
Keep on knowcking, and the door will be opened."
Luke 11:9 (New Living Translation)

Create a plan and be persistent and you will succeed!

Happy Sales,

Jeff - Persistence Coach
www.ImpactYourSalesNow.com//free_class_list.html
www.ImpactYourSalesNow.com/coaching.html

There is only one reason why agents fail...

Are you ready?  Here it is...

If an agent fails it's because they didn't contact enough people.

Simple isn't it?

Of course it's never that simple is it...well in this case it is ;-)

If you stop contacting people (marketing, advertising, drop bys, direct mail, phone calls, etc.) you will go out of business.  Even if your business is 100% referrals - eventually you would no longer be top of mind and you know there is always another agent right behind you.

You've got to let people know what you are doing!
You've got to get others to sing your praises!

Did you know...

50% to 80% of agents quit within their first 12 months.

Steps you can take to prevent you from becoming a statistic...

There are two primary stumbling blocks for people who are in sales, they are:

1. Self discipline
2. Accountability 

Self Discipline is key.  Some people have it, some don't.  Those that have it don't usually need to worry about stumbling block #2: Accountability.

Those that don't have enough self discipline can get it by working hard, being "aware" of what they are and are not doing, and being held accountable.

Take it One Step at a time...
As a Perseverance Coach I help agents and title reps work through the two key stumbling blocks (self discipline and accountability).  Below is a starting list I use when I begin working with a new client:

• What do you want your business to be...what's your vision of it?
• What have you been doing to make your vision a reality?
• What are your action steps?
• Time management - this is a very in-depth look at your activities, what you're doing, why you're doing it, what you're not doing, why not...this is huge!
• Marketing 101 - don't laugh...most agents don't have any marketing background or training.

I have to wrap this up.  If you would like to learn more about perseverance coaching - shoot me an email or go to www.ImpactYourSalesNow.com/coaching.html

I'm curious...what would you pay for training on Outlook

I know you are real busy...but if you could take just 60 seconds and share your thoughts...that would be great!  I'm interested in finding out how and what agents think about getting technology training they want and need.

What would be your first step to finding someone who provided training on Outlook?

• Go online and search?
• Ask people you know?

What is the most important to you when you need training...

• Cost
• Specific Topic
• How much training you'll receive (i.e. 1 hour, 2 hours, etc)
• Complimentary Tech Support
• Convenience

What would you be willing to pay for a one-on-one session that lasted 60 minutes?

Would you be willing to take a live training session online?

• No travel...(no traffic or parking problems)
• Teacher student interaction...all done in real time over the internet (watch and do) and a phone line (listen and ask questions).
• The topic could cover exactly what you want to learn
• Easy to schedule a time that is convenient for you
• You could put the traiing to use right away

What topic is of most interest to you...

• Creating Form Letters and Address Labels
• Using Categories to Simplify Your Communication with Clients and Prospects
• Sorting Your Database to Communicate with a specific group of people in a manner that is relevant to them
• Don't Loose Your Hard Work - Back Up Your Data
• Getting Your List into Outlook - Importing a file

Thanks again for your input

Jeff

The 7th Area Critical to Sales Success - final post in a series

Persevere (a doer who acts) with Accountability
This may be the most difficult discipline for sales people to accomplish on their own.

Many people suffer from what I call "The Excuse Pattern Syndrome".

Definition: Often using excuses for not taking actions that are uncomfortable, new or just don't like doing.

When we avoid doing things that are uncomfortable or that we just don't like to do...we usually use the same excuses to convince ourselves (and others) that "it wasn't my fault I didn't get around to ______".  We can often times "justify" why we didn't do something...putting the blame somewhere else.

• I have run some errands
• I have to talk with all the people at my office
• I have to re-wrtie my To-do List
• I have to do more research before I could...

What did you HAVE TO DO to avoid what you SHOULD DO?

As a coach I've heard all kinds of excuses.  The word excuses is used when the reason for not "getting to it" is just that...an excuse...a justification.

Do you find you get a little defensive about certain tasks you keep putting off?  Are you beating yourself up for being such a "wimp"? (I'm not calling you a wimp...but that's what your self-talk is telling you huh?)

It's not my fault that...

• I didn't contact people I know to let them know I was in real estate...
• I didn't put together a thorough marketing plan
• I didn't do it

When we allow these excuse patterns to exist we're the loser, no one else.

There are legitimate reasons to not get a particular task done...you know what they are.  Just like you know when the excuse you are using is just that...an excuse.

Solution...
Get yourself an accountability partner...someone who won't pacify you and let you off the hook too easily...someone who will encourage and lead you through those challenges one step at a time. Persevere!

Happy Sales,

Jeff - One step at a time...Perseverance Coaching that's affordable
www.ImpactYourSalesNow.com/coaching.html

Legal Pad Trivia Question...

Do you know why Legal Pads are yellow?

Hmmmmmm

Well maybe because.....nah

It could be that....no not that either.

Because yellow is known to vitalize and stimulate the brain.

Yep, I knew it all along.

How can you use that little piece of trivia?

Can you use it to stimulate your mind?

Can you use it to stimulate your audience with your marketing?  Hmmm.

Happy Sales,

Jeff

Legal Pad Trivia Question...

Do you know why Legal Pads are yellow?

Hmmmmmm

Well maybe because.....nah

It could be that....no not that either.

Because yellow is known to vitalize and stimulate the brain.

Yep, I knew it all along.

How can you use that little piece of trivia?

Can you use it to stimulate your mind?

Can you use it to stimulate your audience with your marketing?  Hmmm.

Happy Sales,

Jeff