The new year, new decade is here, and we are living in the speed of light decade of change. As passengers on this train and we can enjoy this ride or pull the emergency handle and exit to join the 'The Slow Media Movement' which some people have decided to do instead of the multi-tasking - texting craziness of the new decade.

As a Sales Trainer, in real estate, and an early adopter to all of the latest gratest technology tools I am able to walk in this crazy multi-tasking, constantly connected world, and honestly I love it most of the time. What I find distressing is the number of recent adopters to all of this trying to coach and sell me, and my company, things that they know less of than I do.

I wrote a piece on Max Pigman and the REALTOR.COM roll out last year, Max was talking about the latest tools, and really he did a decent job, and I thought it was pretty good, until I looked at his social network profiles, and among having no presence really on facebook, he had been a member of twitter for about a week and I think followed 3 people and had about the same following him - and I called him on it. 

I sold real estate for the number one company in my area, in our brand in Connecticut, and I was the top agent. When I go on an appointment with one of my new agents, I bring that kind of certainty to the situation, when I coach and mentor - I make sure I know what I'm talking about, and I am still in the trenches with my agents helping them hands on - I see what works, I know where our leads come from and I'm not going to make it up. We have the top market share in our town by far, and we are the number one Century 21 Office in Connecticut.

This is my take - When you get into Real Estate - you are getting into SALES. Do not get distracted by all of the busy work that can take you out of the business of calling new clients, finding new business and making appointments to list and sell houses. That is THE priority.

I hire new agents, I always do a business plan with them, this is what you need to do, this is how to do it, and they love the 'idea' of being very successful, having their own business, making their own schedule and it is all very exciting.  Around Day 14 they realize, This is Sales, Jodi told me that but I don't think I was listening, you know.... maybe I'll become a stager - I love homes, maybe that's how I can make a LOT OF MONEY??? - or....I'll become a blogger- or I'll invent the best website there is, to save money I'll learn CODE and do it myself- it can't be that hard.... and then they are off to the races of getting OUT OF THE BUSINESS... or getting a divorce, because the other half isn't liking this too much.

This is the deal - YOU CANNOT MAKE A LOT OF MONEY BEING A STAGER! sorry - show me your tax returns. You cannot make a lot of money buiding your own website for real estate and then thinking people will just flock to you because you have an amazing website- wrong!

YOU CAN make a decent living as a REALTOR, if you prospect for business every day as if your life depended on it, in the begining, and then - you give the BEST SERVICE possible, so the people you do work with, tell their friends, and eventually you won't have to search quite as hard for new business.

That said - I am a certified stager, I have a website, and my company has many websites, I use all the social networking sites, and I do get leads from all of it- but- that is not my FOCUS. My focus is on contacting clients, and making appointments, and following up for ever with anyone I contact. After all I want to stay NUMBER ONE!