In the interest of fairness and balance I want to present the other side of the coin that I wrote about the other day...'What do I do when I'm not previewing...?'

Good question, go on appointments!

There was a question I had taped to my mirror and in my car that drove my business, and it still does; What do I have to do to get an appointment today? My entire business plan was centered on this. I knew my financial goal and how many units that meant, and each sales unit had a client conversion ratio that always came back to the same basic premise, how many appointments do I need to go on to get a listing or a sale?

To prove this my coach used to count the steps backwards from a paycheck.

1. You only get paid at a settlement
2. You only get to a settlement if clients have signed an agreement
3. Clients will only sign an agreement when you meet them in person *
4. They will only meet you if you ask them to
5. SO GET ON THE PHONE AND ASK

*except when they're out of town...but still you have got to get in their face to get things done. So what will I do to get an appointment today? I have at least a dozen things that I will try, but the best trick in my bag is making more calls: calls to friends, to leads, to past clients, and even clients in a transaction to ask for referrals.

So, pick up the phone and start counting down to a great day!

No, I'm not talking about me...

But we now have a new reason to get back into the old practice of previewing properties during our work day. Not such a new concept for some of us; I am a big fan of this practice.

Recently in Central PA our multi-list launched the public access side of our multi-list. This isn't such a big deal when we look at it as agents; we have had public IDX access to our listings for years. What is new about it is that when the consumer public hears about it as the "Public side of our whole MLS database" they will flock to it. Even though our own websites have as much and sometimes more data from multiple MLS IDX feeds, for some it might be seen as an unvarnished look into our secret world, unfiltered and untainted by brands. Am I saying I don't like this new development? No I actually love it, I can educate my clients and consumers and they can validate everything I show them.

What I am saying is that we must be better educated on the market inventory and conditions than the public. And here's how I do that. I preview properties as they come on the market and those that have been around a while. Why? If all I do is look at pictures and sit behind my computer all day, I don't have any more insight than my clients. So what do they need me for? I have to be in the homes and in the neighborhoods to be able to talk intelligently and answer the questions that always come up. If you need convincing that the photos don't tell the whole story, think back to the last time you saw or even attended a class on taking better photos to market your home.

So all you list agents out there, please don't be alarmed when you hear from me asking to preview your listing, I'm just doing my job. And please feel free to call to set up a preview of mine. As I write this I am committing to do even more previewing during these cold lonely winter days.

See you out there, go make it a great day!

Ok, time to get back in the game...I've been doing lots of other stuff and now it's time to get back out in the'Rain'

So let's take a deep cleansing breath and jump right in. The news has been crazy all year, "the market's up", "the market's down", "prices are up", "prices are falling". To me none of that matters. What does matter is how has YOUR year been and why? Back in December I wrote about this, and it's still true. If you sit around and worry about the market you'll have a lousey year.

So let me hear from y'all out there. How's your year been going and what did you do to get some new business? Maybe a twist or turn added to your Open House marketing, or even something new and techy. Let's throw them all out here and see what we can find.

I'll start, I have made an extra effort to pre-view more local active listings in my market (even though I manage the office and don't actively sell). And now in conversations with friends I run into I have something interesting to talk about. And guess what, it sometimes turns into a discussion about them or someone they know needing to buy or sell a home.

So Happy Independence Day all, let's hear from you.

If you follow my writing at all you know how to complete this line...

Mondays are for ______________, and Thursdays are for _______________.

If Mondays are for Sellers and Thursdays are for Buyers, what do I do on Wednesdays? Well if you're like me your sales meeting was on Tuesday, so Wednesdays are for Filling the Pipeline!

Pure concentrated new business prospecting! Calling new FSBO leads, walking through the mall with your name badge on talking to strangers, calling your sphere until you get a referral lead, or even the dreaded canvasing of a neighborhood.

Do something to ACTIVELY seek NEW leads today. Yes you, put down the coffee and step away from the copier...Get out of the office because no one there wants to buy or sell a house today.

See you out there!

Ok I wrapped up my first day back with some positive actions, called and talked to 7 friends about how I feel about the new year and what some of the "experts" predict. I also asked each of them to let me know if they run into someone that is thinking about buying or selling.

What next?

For a lot of us we can manage and motivate ourselves, and don't really need too much outside accountability. For some of us, me included, we need to be held accountable by someone or something. I have weekly reports to turn in, and I use weekly reports for my agents who are new or need a business boost.

Here's how I use them. I create a report that captures and tracks activities that I believe will generate new business. Agents might not do all of it every single week, but they know what activities are important to be done. Then they take their weekly activity planner and fill it in and plan their weekly activities to get numbers to put in the weekly report. Here's an example: On the weekly report is a spot to track how many sphere contacts the TALK to on the phone, send emails to, or send a postcard or note to. So on their planner they pick a time block to make calls until they talk to 5 people, pick another time block to create and send an ecard to 50 friends, and pick another time block to put together 25 postcards or  personal notes and mail them. There is also a place to record how many FSBO contacts you met and talked to. So what would you plan for your week to get FSBO numbers to put in your report?

I have found this works, when the agents agree to be held to it, and I keep my promise to hold them to it. If you feel you need someone to be accountable don't go to your neighbor, you need to start with your manager or broker. If that doesn't work for you, you might need a professional coach.

Hope this helps.

As the saying goes, If you are going to eat an elephant you have to do do it one bite at a time,

Business planning and New Years Resolutions are big sweeping ambitions that we all dream about. But they are too big to really do anything about. I've written about it many times and so have lots of others here. To get more business you have to get in front of more actual people.

And isn't more business what it's all about? The elephant has many parts; healthy lifestyle, sound financial situation, happiness and family harmony...etc. But it all comes back to our success in life; not necessarily money but definitely success.

So what are you going to do today? In an article that is out soon on Broker Agent Social Network I talk about how to get beyond the paralyzing size of the elephant and just step up and take the first bite.

So keep dreaming, keep planning and keep making good resolutions to improve your life, but while you're doing all that planning...Pick up the phone and call someone!

Is it difficult out there for Sellers? Yes. For Buyers? Yes. For real estate professionals? Yes. And, is it going to be difficult for a while yet? Yes. Ok then, let's get to work and solve the problems that are within arms length!

Some of you were around in the '80s whith interest rates in the high teens...18%. Did we sell homes for Sellers? Yes. Did we find homes for Buyers? Yes. Did we as a profession make a fair income? Yes. We created ways and adjusted our business plan to get our job done; bringing buyers to sellers. What about the "boom" years, with rising prices and interest rates at between 6% and 8% at times, and little to no standing inventory. I watched very good agents with very good business practices get out of the business because it was too hard to get a home for buyers; it was tough to compete with 8 or 10 or 12 other offers. But, we adapted to the situation and found ways to do what the clients hired us to do; bring buyers to sellers.

In my humble opinion, today's challenges are no better or worse than at any other time in our markets' history; they are just different. But, it's just a new day, and a new opportunity for a solution that might be based on a time tested and proven technique (ahhh...the good old days...). So don't be so quick to throw a wet blanket on an idea just because "we've tried that before and it didn't work," or "that might work where you are but it will never work here."

Do I have the silver bullet, the "one thing," that magic potion to make you successful? NO, but you do. Go to work. Go to work every day, doing the things the clients have asked us to do. Then when you run out of that, do something that you can honestly say moved you toward 'finding new business everyday.' <Sorry, started channeling my old coaches and friends Herb and Greg.>

But that's what I'm talking about, did you put your name and business in front of someone yesterday? Bernice Ross wrote a great article posted on Inman News Dailey Headlines  and on her coaching newsletter yesterday about how to prioritize your clients (watch for part 2 on Thursday) but it spoke to me about how to prioritize my daily activities. You can do a quick websearch for more from Bernice Ross - I'll paraphrase what she said; it's what we have been saying for a hundred years. First take care of the clients who hired you-Buyers or Sellers, then set up or prep for a listing appointment, then prospect for more listings, then work on buyer leads and try to turn them into clients, then find more buyer leads. By the time you've done all these things every day, it's time to go home and tell the person you work for - either the face in the mirror or your family - you did a good job today.

Was it tough? Yes. Will it be tough tomorrow? Yes.

So what! If this is the profession you choose to earn a living then you might as well face the fact that hard work is hard...uh oh i think now I'm channeling my Dad.

Anyway, it 's not all doom and gloom, I know folks who are have a great year; brand new agents who are successful, experienced agents and brokers who are doing fine and even opening their own firms.

The magic is in YOU. Go make it a great day!

I really love the fall weather here in Pennsylvania. But I also love the fall real estate market.

Buyers seem a littlemore serious...seem could be the important adjective here, and homes that are lived in seem more festive with more holiday decorations. In my humble opinion a home never looks better than when it's all lit up for the Christmas season.

But back to reality, is colder, wetter, and it gets dark sooner...so whats so great about the fall Jim?

We have always had good 4th quarters, my best settlement months have either been July or December. Why? I don't change when the weather does. The systems and processes that generate new business day after day shouldn't change.

I had a coach who used to give us a Fall Countdown each year about this time. He said if you don't get something under contract by the first of November it probably won't close for you this year. Well in my case he was using reverse psychology and it worked.

We kept up the pace right through the fall Holiday season and into the start of the new year. Think about how your first quarter went last year or the year before, Does it seem like your starting a stubborn old engine every January? If so, try something new this year, don't change your business plan in the fall. If you do anything you should ramp it up a bit. Gather up some of the serious business that others are leaving behind because they close up shop and start doing their taxes. Like the busy ants in the children's story you should be gathering up B and C Buyers and Sellers for spring and working hard to get today's Buyers in a home for the Holidays and getting Sellers' homes open for everyone to see - after all traffic is good.

If you're not sure if your business is systematic enough to stand up to the changing leaves and shortening days, drop me a line. I'll be happy to help you evaluate what you're doing.

Successful professionals know that if you create systematic business processes to create leads every day, you can't fail!

Make it a great day!

One of my favorite movies is Catch Me If You Can. In the movie the father tells his son the story of the two mice.

Two mice fell into a bucket of cream. One of the mice gave up and drowned, while the other mouse struggled and struggled to stay alive. The second mouse worked so hard churning up the cream that he turned it into butter and walked out.

Which mouse will you be?

Keep churning up the market, go make it a great day!

It's time to get serious about our role as facilitator and trusted adviser and negotiator for our clients interest, but sometimes we play these roles at the wrong time and on the wrong people. I've heard it said more than I can recount "Oh, my client would never go for that..." or "My client won't accept anything under asking price..." The problem with these is they came at the wrong time, before they have even discussed the issue with the Buyer or Seller.

Let's stop trying to intimidate each other and use our super powers for good...the good of the Buyer or Seller.

Be invisible in the process; when a low offer comes in thank the agent and then work privately and out of sight of the other side to press your case for the Seller to stand firm (if that's what you believe and can justify) and help them vigorously negotiate a better price or terms. Then when you go back you can clearly say that "the Seller wants this" or "the Seller wants that." If we keep ourselves out of the visible battle we can more effectively advocate and counsel the Buyers and Sellers. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "My Seller will never agree to that..." only to have the agent come back to me and say "Wow, I can't believe they did that." Keep those thoughts on the inside because your super powers don't have any effect on me; I'm just the messenger of what the client wants to ask for.

There's a lot of great negotiating tips and training out there, this is just a little peek into a philosophy I was taught years ago.

What's your Super Power?