Queen of Bliss, Joeann Fossland, Coach To Exceptional People

Your 2010 Business Plan Started Days Ago: How To Market The Extended Homebuyer Tax Credit

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:52:20 -0600

Ted has some great information in this blog post!
How is YOUR business plan coming along?
I have my Awesome Year Plan for 2010 now available as well as

an upcoming webinar series to help you be ready to hit the ground running!

Via TED CANTO, - Loan Officer (Academy Mortgage):

Your 2010 Business Plan Started Days Ago: How To Market The Extended Homebuyer Tax Credit.

I posted a blog on Marketing Opportunities: Homebuyer Tax Credit in AR and also on my Facebook. I had approximately 45 posts on the AR blog and about 26 personal replies and on Facebook I had no posts and about 30 personal replies. I hyperlinked the blogs with www.Bitly.com and had about 33 people opt to follow me on Twitter. If you are left wondering what were the personal replies about, the majority of them were from REALTORS asking me to share with them some marketing ideas.  Get this? REALTORS asking ME for marketing tips! Well, I confess! This is my expertise and I am a marketing wiz of sorts.



What is my point? Well I started marketing the idea of marketing the Federal Housting Extended Tax Credit on my blogs that resulted a total of 1300 views, 134 replies and additions to my database of which I was able to generate 7 appointments with REALTORS and it also generated about 4 referral (buyers) clients to my team. I would say that was a pretty big start. Don't stop the press yet, I just got started! To simplify what I have and continue to do, let me make it simple:

Blog, blog, blog and then blog some more.

Sign up on as many blog sites as you can and write material worthy of reading and educate the masses (learn more at Federal Housting Extended Tax Credit).

Let people know that this is the last tax credit and it "WILL NOT" be extended after April 2010.

Call, call, call and then call some more on your database.

This is the foremost important aspect to what we do as sales consultants. WE TALK!! Do I need to say more

Do not call asking if your client wants to buy or sell. They likely DO NOT!! Use them to extend the word out to their sphere of influence. Let them know that this is the best opportunity for them to help their friends and family take advantage of historic lows while earning the tax credit even if they currently own a home.

Ask your clients if they understand the tax credit. They might be eligible and do not know enough about it. In fact they can claim the tax now if they want to, they do not have to wait to tax return time

Conduct more calls!

Get together with your Marketing Rep and/ or Loan Officer

Strategize on a viable marketing plan (FYI: This takes speaking to a real Marketing Rep. not someone who is going to just throw postcards at you) or even an LO who understands marketing (not many do) not just answering calls and sending preapproval letters. I am an LO and I can tell you that many just don't get it too well.

Obtain a list of homeowners that purchased in 1999-2004 and still live in their homes. Believe me, there are more than you think. Here in Arizona the count was in the 100's of thousands.

With the help of your Marketing Rep and/or LO, devise a letter worth reading and highly informative.

Don't try to be elegant on the letter.

Think about this.. When you get a letter solicitation in the mail in 10-12 size font: How Many Seconds Does It Take You To Throw It Away?

Now think about this: When you get a letter solicitation in the mail with big 18-42 size font: How Many "MINUTES" Does It Take You To Throw It Away?

BIG, LOUD, and GAUDY WORKS!!

Take out your check book. This is going to be an investment well worth it. The best things are not free and take TIME, MONEY and DEDICATION. Sorry! No Freebies here.

Write a check to your preferred direct marketing company and get the postcards, door hangers, and letters out into the world.

Repeat Step 1 through 3 all over again.

Fellow associates... this is not rocket science but it does involve some hard work and dedication. Keep in mind that Real Estate & Mortgage sales and is a lot like holiday shopping where now everyone begins as early as September to buy gifts. For us, we go selling! October, November and December is our 2010 New Year. Our 2010 is already in the works. If you are not devising and/or implementing a plan of attack, you leave the playing field open to the REALTOR & LO next door. We must earn our keep and get our hands dirty and consult our clients to the best of our ability. As you already know, the cream of the crops is rising in the industry and there will be more collateral damage.

As always, the 90/10 Rule Applies here.. What side will you be on?

                                             Direct lender and licensed in most states across the U.S.

                             Real Estate Information You Can Trust

Ted Canto

Sr. Mortgage Consultant

Direct: 480.650.8602

                               Visit www.tedcanto.com

                          Ted's Blog: www.thecantoteam.com

Home of the 10 Day Close! www.tendayclose.com

                                          Company site:  www.academymortgage.com/tedcanto

Getting The Most from the NAR Convention

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:23:43 -0600

I am SOOOO excited.

And, of course, if you know me, you know I get enthused pretty easily! My reason today is that I am getting ready to fly to San Diego to spend a week with old and new friends, to network, learn, laugh and look at all the new tech stuff at the meetings and the EXPO. I have been to every Convention since 1988 and it is one of the highlights of my year. It is my way of really understanding the BIG picture and hearing from people what IS working. There are a few things I have found make my experience even more valuable.

This won't surprise you, coming from me....

Here's my advice: Have a plan!

Include:

•· Knowing specific people you want to connect with. Make a list. Contact some of these people ahead of time and decide when and where you can connect.

•· Making a list of specific items or resources you need to be more focused in the EXPO.

•· Create a budget for the EXPO

•· Make a "wish list" of new techniques or ideas you want to find out more about in the educational sessions or breakouts! Would your business thrive next year if you knew more about Going Green? Or working Short Sales? Or 2^nd Homes?

•· Keep a little journal with ideas you get and come back afterward and pick the next 3 (Joeann's Rule of 3) items to implement into your business. Prioritize the other ideas and time frame them or move to your "Maybe, Someday" list

•· Pick the education sessions that are most relevant and then order the MP3 recordings of the others you can't go to. (If you aren't going to be there-you can still order these!)

If you aren't already going...it's not too late! Hop in the car or on a plane and come!

A few places we could meet and hug...

As Vice chair, I'll be at WCR's Business Development Steering Committee presentation with 4 Amazing Women sharing what IS working and a motivational segment with Deb Battersby on Thursday morning at 8:30
Vicky Cox Golder's Installation! I am so lucky to know this woman! She inspires me.
I am presenting an ePRO Presentation on the EXPO stage on Sunday morning at 11 and a full presentation with tech tips on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 PM
I am signing my books, Conversations on Success and Profit from Technology at 3:15 on Sunday at the Bookstore

Several of my coaching clients are having their best year ever and these are also the stories I always hear from people at the National Convention. Lots of reasons to be enthused! 2010 is going to be an amazing year. Are you ready? It IS your choice how it is going to look! Give yourself the advantage.

Are you Inspired????

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:34:42 -0600

A couple of questions today...

Who inspires you? First, I think of people like Mother Theresa, and Ghandi and Zainab Salbi, Greg Mortenson and Coco Fossland. This morning on Twitter and Facebook, my good friend Karin Hanna posted a tweet with a link to a blog article and a YouTube video. Catherine Bolt and her family have identified something they are passionate about and they are making a difference! What a gift she has given to her children to involve them in seeing they matter and they can make an impact on the world.
Take a minute right now and write down Who inspires you??????

What inspires you? What are YOU passionate about? For me, empowering others to ignite their love, creativity and passions is the BEST activity I am involved with. It gives me joy. A bit selfish....but I believe when we are tapped into our passions, we can not help but impact those around us positively. Think for a moment, what do you LOVE to do? If money were no object, what would you do more of? Ask yourself...What Inspires me? Stop reading for a couple of moments and write this down.

For your planning of 2010....if you start with the very unique soul of who you are and bring that forth more with inspired actions....it will be a very, very good year!

Creating Miracles

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:39:11 -0500

Three Cups of Tea
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But
the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." - Mother Teresa

I love reading and being inspired by unreasonable people who have a dream and set about to make a dent in the world! Often, against all odds and logic, their taking action shifts the direction of the future. I recently finished Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A mountain climber who went to conquer Mt. Everest, Greg has and has spent the last 15 years building schools in Pakistan. He believes educating girls is important because they can bring peace to the world. His story is amazing.

His vision is inspiring. If you've had some struggle in your life lately, do yourself a favor and read this book.

Choosing a vision that you are passionate about and using that energy and passion to create miracles is a great way to approach your business planning. What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail? Why not attempt it anyway? New agents often do very well and try things the people who "know" how it works are skeptical of because they are excited and have a vision. If you need a little inspiration along these lines, watch The Dream Movie. And then, start with a vision for next year that YOU are inspired by. Let go of the "how" to get there. Be very clear in the end result. And, then go to work utilizing every crazy idea and resource that appears! Believe me, it will be a very, very good year!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens
can change the world;
indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead (1901-1978), American Anthropologist

Another Freebie!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:23:27 -0500

Free Think And Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill has been responsible for more self-made success stories than any book I know.

It's the best description of success techniques, the best description of the success mindset, and the best description of setting (and achieving) goals I've ever seen.

Much of today's Law of Attraction work is just another spin on the sound advice from this book. My friend, Vic Johnson, is currently giving away 1 Million copies! How cool is that?

Do You Like Freebies?

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:30:13 -0500

Deal Of the Week: Giveaway of the Day

My friend, Yvonne Coelet from Monument Properties in the White Mountains of AZ, loves bargains as much as I do. She turned me on to this cool site, where every day there is a link to something that you might need (or not even know you needed!) This handy-dandy site has all kinds of free software that they give away each day. The types of software vary: games, how to create flyers, online radio, skype skins, banner software and more. Just click on the logo below to get your FREE software giveaway.

Busnss Planning 101! Your Job is To Choose What You Want!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:34:13 -0500

I love the time I spend with my granddaughter, Lily. She reminds me how powerful it is to know what we want and just believe unwaveringly it will happen. She is never lacking ideas of things for us to do when we hang out. This past weekend, we baked cookies and decorated them for Halloween, carved a pumpkin, and bought a kit and decorated a wooden hand mirror. None of these things had been part of my planning for the weekend, but her enthusiasm sucked me in. When she has an idea of what she wants or what will be fun, she is usually unrelenting until I finally give in.

I think the world reacts the same way. When we are unrelenting in knowing what we want and believing we will get it, there is a power that is unleashed. When we have a clear picture and enthusiasm about what we want, my experience is the people, circumstances and things show up. Is it because of the clear intention that has been explained as the law of attraction? Or is it our intensified awareness of seeing opportunities where we didn't see them before?

In preparing to teach the Women's Council of REALTORS, Performance Management Network Designation Class, Harnessing The Power , the questions about how we can expand and maximize our potential and results are giving me food for thought. One thing is very clear to me: when you know what you want, even if you don't know how to make it happen, you are implementing the first steps of turning your thoughts into things. Our thoughts all have energy and that enthusiasm and belief manifests into circumstances (although, I have noticed, it doesn't always happen on MY timeline or the way I thought it would..go figure!).

I get a little giddy with joy when I realize how simple this really is. I love being in curiosity about HOW my goals are going to happen. Over the past few years, I have slowly given up my need to be a control freak and moved into accepting and allowing what is. With that shift, I react differently roadblocks show up. Maybe, I've decided, the answer is not to persist and push through, but to take another road. The belief that current circumstances are perfect and are leading me to what I want and what I need to learn, let me detach from the thought something is wrong and just get on with it. Is there a situation you are struggling with right now that needs releasing? What's the worst that could happen if you were to accept that "It is what it is" and stop milking the drama of it all. It sure is more relaxing and less stressful.

I've had several conversations with friends about the market in Phoenix this week. What I hear is the smart people have accepted the conditions we are facing with the short sales, the foreclosures and the great loss in equity that are our current reality. Staying optimistic with the realities of how this is affecting people's lives is not what most people doing. Ordinary thinking is to bemoan and blame. Remarkable thinking is to accept that this market may take several years to look differently, with the unreleased bank inventory and the current absorption figures, and then find a way to thrive. After all, people are still buying and selling. Are your beliefs about how good it can get in the way of it being the best year ever in 2010? Now, might be the time to retool and revision. What is it you want? Do you have a clear picture?

Here's your job...

•· Get the vision

•· Start looking out for the circumstances and people that are going to take you there

•· Expand your community! Allow others to support you.

•· Be willing to learn new skills and try new things

•· Be grateful for what you do have

•· Have fun on the journey

Need a Plan?

Each year I revise my 30+ page Awesome Year Plan to help you do your personal and business visioning & planning. Do you want 2010 to be the best year ever? It can be! The 2010 plan is now ready and at $12 is probably one of the best investments you can make to set you sights for a great 2010.

By the way...if you are near Santa Cruz, CA, I'll be there next week (October 23) to offer a 3 hour business planning session for the WCR Chapter Stop by!

Questions To Ask A Real Estate Agent When Selling Your Home.

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:56:09 -0500

Put these questions in your pre-list package!!!! Great stuff, Cara!

Via Carra Riley CRB, CRS, GRI (Carra Riley Inc.- Real Estate Consultant, Author, Speaker ):

Questions To Ask A Real Estate Agent When Selling Your Home.

As a Real Estate consultant, my job is to help a seller select a Real Estate agent who blends with the personality and the needs of the owner. We are all different. We all process information in a manner unique to our past experiences.

Selecting an agent to represent one of the largest transactions most people make in their lives, is critical to the success of the transaction in selling your home.

A sampling of some consulting questions and process for a seller are discussed in this article.

A specific program will be designed for each individual seller to make the most efficient use of your time when selecting a Realtor to market your home.

Details of the entire process will be explored and a feeling of comfort will set in, as you embark on this new adventure in the changing economic times we live in.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

The consulting you will receive will set you up to be able to process the transaction with ease.

We guarantee there WILL BE waves in every transaction. It is what you do in the boat rowing together with the agent you select, to get over the waves that will make or break your experience. You want to have confidence in the agent you select so it is important to interview them like you would a job applicant. You are hiring the real estate agent to do a job and that job is to sell the house.

You do have to listen to the agent and discuss the actual current market conditions. What they tell you may not be what you want to hear but if the agent has documentation on market conditions, you better listen or your home will not sell.

Each agent you interview in a consulting situation will be asked to cover the following information:

      1. Please present a specific marketing plan of what you are going to do to sell the house
         electronically.

      2. What type of communication will you provide about showings on the home and what the
         buyers thought about it?

      3. What will the communication through the entire process be like? What can be expected?

      4. Please provide an estimate of net proceeds if the home sold at your suggested price? Seller
          will provide the loan balance.

      5. Do you offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee?

      6. What happens if you do not perform the plan you have outlined and don't call me about
         showings or tell me about changes in the market?

      7. Do you have a newsletter that goes out to potential past customers or potential buyers?

      8. What will you do through the closing process?

      9. Will you be willing to speak with my Real Estate consultant as the transaction unfolds?

     10. How many listings do you have right now?

     11. What type of advertising are you doing?

     12. How do you prospect for buyers?

     13. How many listings do you have in my price range... How many listings does your office have
          in my price range?

     14. Does your office do a tour of homes weekly?

     15. Do you attend the local MLS marketing meeting?

     16. What clubs or organizations do you belong to or participate in?

     17. What additional education do you have above your State Licensing requirements?

     18. Why do you think you can sell my home?

     19. What types of social media do you use to market property?

     20. What success have you experienced with social media and how can I connect with you?

     21. How many Realtors do you actively engage with about Real Estate and on what consistent basis?

There are more questions to get into specifics of a transaction but this list can give you an idea of how a real estate agent is going to perform by their answers. Please understand, not every agent is going to be able to answer all the quesitons with the reponse you would like to hear.

Having testimony from past clients where you can call and chat would be one of the VERY most important aspects of the interview process.

Aggressive agents in today's real estate world will have web 2.0 websites with video of past clients, demonstration videos on the sales process, a blog where current information is being provided to the public about existing market conditions, area information and place where questions can be posted and answered concerning real estate.

Selling a home is a process, the same events take place in every single transaction. Selecting an agent who can walk you through each phase of the sale with setting expectations and having alternative plans is the one you want to connect with.

Where is your bar of expectation?

Helping connect the dots...in the Cosmic Cow Pie

Cosmic Cow Pie

Carra Riley

Kick Back or Kick Ass?

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:57:32 -0500

There are 100 days left in 2009. You have a choice right now to coast through the Fall and Holidays or to take charge and decide this will be the best quarter of the year. While many agents are feeling the busy part of the year is now gone and they "know" things are slower over the holidays....the smart agents are seeing where the opportunities are and seizing them. Instead of kicking back, you can ramp up a blitz for your sphere, your farm area, or your client base. Plan a client appreciation party or just take a client out to lunch each week. It can not only make for a better last 100 days, but set you up to hit the ground running in 2010.

So.....Let's stop and take a few minutes to put this into place:

What would be a "kick ass" last 100 days? Define on paper the vision. Keep it simple.
Write down a goal in both of these areas :

1. A business goal that is measurable: i.e. # of transactions, # of new contacts, # of new strategic partners

2. A personal goal: i.e. Lose 20 lb, stop smoking, start meditating or doing yoga

Plan what remarkable actions you'll be taking to make this happen: Plug the time into your weekly calendar as an appointment.
Start each day by reviewing your goals and determine for that day, what action will provide the most leverage to get you closer.
Get an accountability partner: Get a buddy, Hire a coach, go public with it on your Facebook page.
Have FUN!!!!! Choose targets that excite you!

If you find you are holding yourself back, it may be time to do some work on that part of you! The WCR Harnessing The Power Course is one way to break free of the self-limiting thinking that you may not even be aware of.

"Project Impact" Dominating real estate the Walmart way

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:25:54 -0500

I like Brian's analogy. The smart agents always learn and adapt from other business models.If your business isn't consumer centric, it will not thrive in today's economy.

Asking yourself each day,"Have I been remarkable today?" is a good way to keep your focus on being the best!

Via Brian Brumpton, Boise Idaho Real Estate (Keller Williams Boise):

Want to dominate your market area? Are you wondering how? Well you could take after one of the biggest retailers in the world and focus on getting the business that steep discounts alone won't buy you. Walmart, the nations leading discount retailer, is launching a new campaign aimed at crushing the competition. Coined "Project Impact" Walmart plans to focus on three initiatives to drive the competition out.

1. Cleaner less cluttered stores to improve the shopping experience.

2. Friendlier customer service.

3. Focusing on categories where they can beat the competition.

Two of these really aren't anything new but lets take a look at how this applies to the business of real estate.

1. Cleaner less cluttered stores to improve the shopping experience - If you're a real estate agent, your storefront is anywhere a client interacts with you. Theses things include your appearance, your office, and your online presence. I'm going to assume you've got enough sense to dress properly and keep a tidy office so let's talk about your online presence.

Your website and your blog are prime examples of a storefront where you and potential clients interact. Treating your online presence like a superstore will help you to dominate in the online game. Start with a web hosting account that can handle the traffic, you wan to make sure you have plenty of parking for all your customers. Make it easy for people to navigate and find what they're looking for. Don't clutter your site by riddling your home page with links to every other page. Give them plenty of well laid out aisles to peruse and links to the shelves of information so they can easily find what they're looking for.

2. Friendlier customer service - If you're having trouble wrapping your head around this one, read Sales 101, and by they way there is no 102. All the discounts in the world won't make up for poor customer service. Not even Walmart with their deep pockets and technology can avoid this cutting into their business.

When a customer has a question, you better be there to answer. This is a pretty simple one to accomplish. First, answer your phone. Second, return phone calls. Third, when a visitor to your blog or website asks a question, respond, and do it in a timely manner. Pretty simple stuff but it's a violation of the fundamentals that will get you every time.

3. Focus on categories where you can beat the competition - This is and important one. Everyone loves an underdog story where a guy with nothing to lose is outmatched and outgunned but somehow manages to prevail. The truth is your chances of success in those instances are very low. Identifying market niches that are under served or at least have a level playing field are prime picking. Larry Easto did a great blog on finding market niches.

You should focus on areas where there isn't already a dominant player or you have an advantage. Once you've thoroughly covered all the bases on your defined niche, you can add another.

A substantial webpresencne and a blog loaded with local content gives you a highly coste effective way to dominate your local area.

You can bet Walmart has spent big bucks to identify these needed areas of improvement and you can benefit from applying them to your business as well.

Focus on Fall

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:18:00 -0500

Seems the whole world has shifted into another energy field as September has rolled in, the kids are back in school and the weather is cooling....It seems natural to take a cue from the universe and do some re-evaluating and shifting with our businesses.

It's a good time to look out to the end of the year and back from the beginning to assess

•· where you are and what you are committed to accomplishing by year's end.

•· What are you doing that is REMARKABLE?

•· What is working?

•· What can you add?

For many of my clients, I find we are being patient with the trust and knowledge that good, solid business connections are being made and the seeds that are being planted are going to break through the crusty surface. Now is no time to get resigned or to stop expanding.

I like the whole concept of being REMARKABLE... Thinking that you are doing something that is unusual enough people are remarking on it!

Brings us back to the concept of being ordinary or extraordinary.... Which will you be this fall?

There is a shop I pass when I go into town that has a sign that says "We refuse to participate in the recession." That's remarkable! I keep talking to people who are trying to convince me that it's going to take years for things are awful to get back to "normal." That is one possible view you can espouse.... if it makes you feel good....but I find, I feel better when I look at what I CAN do...and believe that there are buyers and sellers who can make things work. Because, in my world, THERE ARE! Some people are complacently letting the market control their dominant thoughts and some are thinking REMARKABLE thoughts. Which makes you feel better?

The interesting thing about this inquiry is that there are people who are much more comfortable having reasons why they can't find the success they want right now, than they are at taking steps to accept what is and then re-contextualizing the meaning of the circumstances. So, your circumstances can give you a reason to give up and to have some drama in your life that others will sympathize with you over. In fact, it is more "normal" to do this. Or, your circumstances can pull you into exciting, creative action that is remarkable. It's your choice. Which kind of person do you want to be?

Disclosure Is Not an Option Even if it's an REO

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:02:56 -0500

It's no secret! I think Hercel is brilliant!

Via Hercel Spears (Advanced Realty Education):

Speaking strictly to listing agents/brokers of REOs, are you sure you want the liability?

In Arizona, the latest craze is going after the REO listings. Obviously, there is money to be made in any market as long as you are able to adapt to the changes in the market and right now with REOs dominating the share of properties for sale, a lot of agents are jumping in with both feet to get these listings.

This post is geared to Arizona agents, as I am not familiar with other state's revised statutes. If you have a specific statute in your state that relieves you of disclosure liability please dis-regard. However, if there is no statute limiting a seller's obligation to disclose, then case law prevails and your risk is determined by your knowledge and willingness to comply.

I have seen many times in the MLS statements that this is an REO or Repossessed property and there will be no Seller's Property Disclosure Statement. Really! Why? When the "why" is asked, most agents reply, "Because the seller has never occupied the property." OK. SO WHAT!?!?! Did you as the listing agent/broker do a BPO? In the BPO did you note material items such as damages to drywall, shingles missing from the roof, water damage along baseboards, etc.? If so, the seller is aware, but more importantly, so are you. In this case, whether your client wants to disclose or not, you as the broker/agent have an obligation to disclose these material matters to the buyer.

We are unique in Arizona as our state constitution gives real estate licensees the right to practice law when writing contracts. Along with all rights comes the obligation to be responsible when exercising that right. In the context of contracts, this means that when your client asks you about a clause in the contract, you have the obligation to explain what that clause means to them. I question the ability of some agents to meet this requirement when I look at the REO listing agreement they, the listing agent/broker, have signed. The agreement says, paraphrased, the listing broker/agent will indemnify and hold harmless the seller/lender for any requirements regarding disclosure. Then the agent is instructed to place in the MLS, "No Seller's Property Disclosure Statement will be provided."

So the seller has the obligation to disclose and likely knows this. The seller passes the liability for the disclosure to the listing agent/broker and then refuses to comply and implies by the instruction to the listing agent/broker regarding the MLS comments not to comply either.

Some may take exception to the statement above about seller's likely being aware of the obligation to disclose. Some might say they may not know. This would be a stretch given the brilliant writing of the listing agreement but OK, lets say they are ignorant. Isn't it the duty of the listing agent/broker to provide good advice and information to their client and let them know what the requirements requiring disclosure are? Let there be no misunderstanding here. The answer is YES! When you don't, that nifty clause about indemnify and hold harmless just gained some major fangs.

Who, with the ability to read and understand contracts, and also has the obligation to explain contract clauses to their clients, would sign such an agreement that exposes them to immense liability?

For the past three years I have been teaching these requirement obligations to agents that list REO's. Some of those agents have taken this knowledge and have insisted that their seller's comply. Guess what. The seller's are complying. These agents have told me they were nervous at first because they expected to lose the business to other agents that would not insist on getting the disclosure but this has simply not been the case. Oh sure they have lost some unscrupulous sellers to other unscrupulous or ignorant agents/brokers but they also tell me they are sleeping better at night. Imagine a clear conscience doing that.

Are buyer's agents/brokers doing any better? In some cases the answer is no. A buyer's agent/broker that writes into the initial offer that, the buyer understands and accepts that they will not be receiving any material disclosure has opened themselves up to legal problems as well. Especially if they have not explained the rights their client has given up by including this clause in the offer.

I had this discussion with a big time Lister of REO properties a few months back and was dismayed at his reasons for not disclosing. He stated, "This is the way we have done it for the past eight years without a problem." So you have gotten away with it for eight years. Does that mean we only do the right thing when there is a chance we will get caught? Heaven help us.

Know the law. Comply with the law. Represent your clients. The ramifications are intense if you don't and the rewards are great when you do.

How to Create a Facebook Fan Page for Your Real Estate Business

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:37:42 -0500

Irene has created a nice, simple (I LOVE SIMPLE!) explanation of how to get started with a Facebook Fan page!
EVERYONE who is wanting to build their business needs a fan page!

Via Irene Dorang, TeamIrene.com & ToolsForRealEstate.com (Realtor, ABR, Real Estate E-Marketing Specialist):

From my Tools For Real Estate blog:

Love Facebook? Hate Facebook? Have a personal Facebook profile, but not sure how to use it for your real estate business?

(All of the above?)

Regardless of which category you fall into, here's what you need to know: Having a Facebook business page (also called a Facebook fan page) is a great way for you to market yourself online as a real estate agent. It's free, easy to set up, and easy to keep updated with content such as links to interesting articles, photos, and even videos.

How much or how little you put into it is up to you. But, here's the catch... most real estate agents don't know how to create a Facebook business fan page to begin with!

Fortunately, it's easy. Here's a video I made showing exactly how to do it, along with tips on choosing the right title for your Facebook business page.

Las Vegas New Mexico and other Travels

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:46:41 -0500

The ghost of Byron T. didn't come to our room last night. After reading his legend and the history of the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, I was kinda hoping he would wake us up in the middle of the night, but no such luck. Maybe it was because hubby, Bub, was sleeping blissfully next to me; it is said that Byron prefers to visit single women in this historic hotel, built in 1882.

We are halfway through a six day road trip in New Mexico, as I present e-PRO workshops in 6 towns. I am finding a great positive attitude everywhere I go. Maybe the people who come to learn how they can hone their skills and offer a higher level of service, are the people whose attitudes are the positive ones anyway. I have been getting educated to what is really happening in the little towns and cities in this part of the country.

Monday morning we were greeting by a friendly crowd in El Paso (and, yes, I DO understand that is Texas, not New Mexico!). The drive from there to Alamogordo, through the White Sands Missile Range, was a quick one. There isn't much going on in that part of the state. In Alamogordo, I found friendly, positive group and enjoyed being treated so wonderfully. They are excited about military plans to bring more people in. A positive attitude was pervasive, but that may, in part, be a reflection of their EO Marty's attitude. What a nice guy!

Mostly agents are telling me, the buyers are out. The lower price ranges have the most interest, but inventories are decreasing and people are buying. Is it the incentives for first time home buyers? Or the fact that in most areas, the affordability extends to more people? I believe most would agree this is a great time to buy and if things are not at the bottom, they are close and waiting could bring a higher interest rate, even if the prices decrease a little more.

We drove up to Ruidoso from Alamogordo and it was nice to smell the pines and enjoy the cooler weather, since we are still experiencing scorching temperatures in Tucson. A wonderful friend lent me her second home there and we saw deer and relaxed in a beautiful home in the pines. The Texas Club had great steaks and Bub found a new delicacy: Texas Toothpicks which were jalapeno strips, lightly battered and fried, smothered in cheese! Yum!!!!

On Tuesday, we drove back to Las Cruces for a workshop at their Association. They had a good turnout and nine folks from there took the smart step of signing up to get NAR's e-PRO certification. That will add to their skills and professionalism in a time that technology and Social Media are changing the real estate business. I have been telling people that 2009 is the year of the Video, showing them my Flip camera, and exhorting them to get a YouTube account! If you don't believe there are going to be some changes in how we communicate, take a look at this.

The drive from Ruidoso to Roswell was through the part of New Mexico that is sparsely populated with large ranches and open range. Roswell has 50,000 and I'm told there are space aliens there, though none came to the presentation...only smart agents, four of whom had been in business longer than my 26 years! Talk about survivors! Well, guess it goes to prove there are opportunities in all markets; we just have to be flexible enough to recognize and take action.

From Roswell to Las Vegas, our trip was again on sparsely travelled roads, with lots of miles between ranches and towns. Flat sands and red clay stretched as far as the eye could see with few trees, a couple of bushes and one ridge filled with wind turbines. As we pulled into Las Vegas, it was dinnertime. Most of the shops had closed, but the Landmark Grill and Byron T's Saloon were hopping with activity. We're glad we got to see this part of New Mexico!

An aside-when we checked in with Granddaughter Lily and her Mom, telling them we were in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Lily said, "No, Grandma, I thought Las Vegas was in California!"

So if you haven't been here...stay at the Plaza Hotel next time you are in the neighborhood and maybe Byron T will visit you! I'm off to Santa Fe and Taos...if you areinthe neighborhood-come say hi!

Doing What You Can Where You Are!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:07:20 -0500

One of the most interesting concepts I have learned through my coaching and life training has been that everything IS perfect. As a matter of fact, I have learned that spending any energy on regrets or frustration that I am where I am has always had a negative effect. For years, I wasn't aware of that and let myself dwell on the unfairness or even anger about situations I didn't want in my life. As I shifted from struggling against what I couldn't change to accepting and looking for the gift or lesson or opportunity, I noticed how much better I felt and how things started to go in a better direction. Instead of being at the mercy of how others or life were treating me, I found I had the ability to choose to do something to make it better. And, the more I chose to look to the future and see what steps I COULD take towards my dreams, the better it got.

So, lately...... with the economy the way it is, some of my clients have been expressing fear and/or feelings of uncertainty about their futures. Lacking a crystal ball, my coaching usually takes them to what they can do, what IS working and even the gratitude for what they do have. Sure feels better in this place. I believe, over time, most of us know what will make a difference and when we get into action, we see a momentum towards what we do want and towards the positive.

So, is your life perfect right now?
Do you have some things that ARE working?
Are you grateful for what you DO have?
Are you taking care of it and enjoying it?

Here are a few actions to take that may be useful if you aren't as busy with clients as you'd like to be:

1. Invest in Yourself! Is there a course, a book, a means to expanding your professional skills, or your personal development that you have the time to pursue. Position yourself for the next upturn. Jim Rohn said, "Invest more in yourself than in your career", and agree. Invest in yourself because the most skilled, the most attractive and the most competent people are NEVER unemployed.

2. Invest in Technology. It's ONLINE or the BREADLINE if you haven't learned to maintain a professional practice with efficient tools! Streamline and automate everything! A few dollars and a few days of training to use the right tools will pay dividends for years to come. Be creative. In my GRI Class this week, they did an exercise to spend $1000 to build their businesses (and only $1000). What would you buy? How could you use some freebies? Or partner with some great strategic partners?

3. Invest in Networking. It's a great time to add more strategic partners to your team. Who is interested in the same demographic you are? Create joint marketing, share your influence to expand each other's reach to people who have loyalty and confidence in one of you. Do you have a hobby? Get involved with others who love to do what you love to do and tap into the supplier's or business that make their living from that hobby. You might also find this a reason to have a little more fun! Host a TweetUP!

4. Invest in Customer Care. A few customers well taken-care-of, will provide all the marketing you need! Extreme customer care doesn't cost; it pays! Raise the bar. Surprise your clients with WOW service and they will rave.

5. Invest in Yourself. Upgrade the way you are taking care of yourself. Take time to relax, enjoy and appreciate the little things in life. Even if you can't afford a month in Hawaii, you probably can afford a date with your significant other (even if it is just a picnic in the park). Take bubblebaths. Watch the sunset. We're still above ground, after all.

Life is Good! These investments will give you a phenomenal return!

10 Free & Low Cost Ways To Connect With New Niches

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:11:06 -0500

Many of you know my favorite 4 letter "F" word is.....

FREE

Loved this post and I so agree with the concept! Enjoy!

Via Larry Easto (Real Estate Marketing Link):

On Tuesday, I wrote about Niche Markets from A to Z...the first of 2 key elements of succeeding in niche marketing.

The second element is connecting with with the niche market.

Here are 10 ways of doing just that.

1. Conduct a survey in your niche from your market niche research of your market, select a topic of interest go door-to-door, one neighborhood at a time to 'interview residents' about their opinions abut this topic, using a standard questionnaire.

Ask residents if they would like a copy of your e-report. Collect the contact data data of thjose who say yes and add these people to your network of contacts.

2. Write an E-Report about your findings distribute copies of your E-Report to local media, business & community organizations and interested residents

3. Volunteer to help with a kids' sports team DO NOT act as umpire or referee...you are sure to annoy somebody.

4. Network with others who serve the same kinds of clients you do For help with your networking, click here.

5. Establish a network of referral partners to learn more about referral partners, click here

6. Join & actively participate in a local business group for help with networking in this group

7. Join & actively participate in a local community group or organization for help with networking in this group or organization.

8. Join a local worship or religious organization join because if and only if you believe in and support the organization's beliefs. DO NOT actively promote yourself and your service

9. Write a community-focused blog do whatever you can to engage and connect with your readers

10. Develop a community website to learn more about community websites, click here. Invite the people with whom you have connected in items 1-9 to work with you on your community website

How to use Twitter for Local Business and Hold Successful Tweetups that Take the Online Network Offline

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:43:31 -0500

I think the idea of bring the virtual and the in person together is brilliant. The Tweet Ups I've attended have been so much fun and such a potential for business. Mary has done a great job with this article.

Via Mary McKnight (Sacrilicious Marketing):

Twitter is one of the few social networks you can truly use effectively for local business. Now, lets consider that most local businesses are product or service oriented that require some labor and most importantly the act of meeting with customer offline. Offline? Really, forming relationships without the assistance of that inter-web thing? Do people still do that? Sound so old school and most concerning, like it might involve social skills. You know the shaking of hands in the age of swine flu.

Let people know where you are and find other local tweeps

Ok, so back to using Twitter for a local business. The first thing you NEED is a fully filled out twitter profile! Make sure you include your location and register with:

·       www.twellow.com

·       www.twellowhood.com

·       www.localtweeps.com

·       www.tweeplepages.com

·       www.nearbytweets.com

You can post your profile and location to these local twitter search engines and then find people locally by city, state, zip and even drill down by interest on some. If you want to stay hyper-local you can use the local twitter desktop application called Twitter Local downloadable from www.twitterlocal.com.

Now, use the same services to identify local tweeps find 20-50 or so interesting local tweeps and add them to the people you are following. I do searches regularly to find new more interesting people that are within my local area to expand my neighborhood reach. When you follow people make sure they tweet regularly its not useful to follow people who dont actually use twitter! OK. So, now you are following these people and while I shouldnt have to say this I will because well, you are a geek that is using Twitter and you probably need a little guidance in normal social protocol start interacting with them. Seriously tweet the local tweeps!

Organizing a Tweetup

Use your business or local facility as a meeting place to take the online network offline

Now, remember that business you have? You probably have an office or a facility or some place to do that work thing you do from. Eureka! You see what Im doing here? OK, how about organizing a tweetup at your office, store, shop, restaurant, etc! This is how you take the online network offline. Remember that more better faster stronger relationships are built offline than online so make efforts to take your online network offline face to face is so much better than using the monitor as an intermediary!

Finding a Venue

While the ideal location is your business, lets say you have a slipper network and work in your underwear or bikini from home. You can easily use a local business location like a hotel or a restaurant or bar make sure they have wifi its lame to host a tweetup and have people there that cant connect.

Make sure you have a speaker or a high profile Tweep there to draw people in

Also have a draw. Check out the mashable article on Tweetups you need to keep it real and twitter related not just social use a local twitter celeb and give them a few minutes to talk and teach. Of course after that you can socialize but you do need a draw! Ensure a few core speakers. Find local business people or popular Tweeps with large followings or a specific set of skills and ask them to give a 10-15 minute presentation ont heir area of expertise. Trust me if @ChrisBrogan or @GregVerdino are at an event…it will draw a lot more buzz than @stuartcfoster. These people will help you to 1. Market the event to their following and 2. Help drum up natural buzz for it.

Get help organizing larger groups

Utilize your Twitter network as a way to drum up support, help and ideas. Seed out to local Twitts that you want to organize a Tweetup. You can use one of the above mentioned services to find local people within your area on Twitter to start connecting with outside of your existing network. Find at least 2 other local Tweeps (with large followings preferably in marketing or PR) that would be willing to help out with the organization of the Tweetup.

How to be prepared at the event

At the event you need 2 things:

A fish bowl to collect cards because you want to connect with all these people again

Name badges so people can recognize each other because pics do not always tell the truth yeah Im looking at you realtors with the 20 year glamour shot make sure you ask people to put their twitter user name on the name badge helps people connect best. Now, you can get cool name badges from twitterbadges.com or you can get some a sharpie and some Staples stickers. Depends on your budget!

Give plenty of lead time to plan

Always make sure you give plenty of lead time before the event I like giving 2 weeks but posting reminders to Facebook and twitter every few days. And definitely tweet when you leave for the event and from the event to build buzz.

How to market your tweetup?

·       www.twtvite.com

·       www.amiando.com

·       www.eventbrite.com

·       www.meetup.com

These are all great ways to create a registration page and email invitations that you can send out to your mailing list. Its a great way to keep people in the loop, remind them of event details, get their feedback after the event and connect with people in your local offline mailing list. I love these tools people can register and RSVP so you can get an idea of how many people will be showing up. Always important it sucks to have a huge venue and 3 people just as much as it sucks to have a small venue and 100 people.

Silo your local connections on social networks

1.    Use www.Tweetdeck.com and silo all your local tweeps into a group so you can easily message them and invite them personally to your events and even solicit help and get feedback. Siloing your local tweeps into a single group really helps you stay in contact with them and keep an eye on what they are up to so you can engage them best.

2.    Always convert local tweeps to Facebook friends, group them and message them create an event so they can RSVP and invite them on Facebook too. Encourage everyone to post pictures to the event so you can enlist new people in the area on Facebook to join the group.

Dont discriminate against non Twitts

Use www.meetup.com to find more offline people that may not yet be using Twitter but may have common interests. Dont limit yourself to tweeps there are peeps you want there too there are plenty of non tweeps locally on meetup so create an event over there too and invite the non tweep peeps.

Create a hashtag for your event so you can spread the word and find people talking about easily

Always use a hashtag for your tweetup when you talk about it like #celebrationtweetup

Read more: Check out Mashables post on How to organize a successful Tweetup
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Get Real People. Social Media = BE SOCIAL.

Kalispell To Many Glacier-Week Three The Great Northwest Vacation

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:39:33 -0500

The drive from Paradise to Kalispell took us along Flathead Lake for almost an hour. What gorgeous scenery. In my Missoula e-PRO Class one of the participants said there are over 150+ listings on the lakefront and none has sold in the past 6 months. Seems what I am hearing as I travel, is that the under $200,000 and first time homebuyer market is getting busier in most areas, especially in the last 60 days, but the higher end market buyers are still on the sidelines.

We ate a nice Father's Day dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ in Kalispell. It was tasty and then we swam and enjoyed the Jacuzzi at the hotel.

After an e-PRO Workshop in Kalispell where 7 out of the 8 attendees sign up, we took off to stay in the Glacier National Park Many Glacier Hotel.

We had planned to drive the famous Road to The Sun, but 12 miles of it are still not open due to snow. All of the mountains still have lots of snow and this is the second time in 2 weeks we've been in snow! How amazing for June for us desert rats.

We drove some new roads as we went on the perimeter drive around the park to get to the hotel

On Route 49, suddenly the cars in front of us stopped and we could see cars stopped coming the other way. We thought perhaps an accident, but then saw others out with their cameras. There was a large, brown mother bear and cub about 100 feet from the road ambling through the woods. The motorcycles behind us weren't as entranced and as they revved their bikes and passed between the cars, the bear ran off. We also saw deer twice on the side of the road. Last week I forgot to tell you on the drive back to Paradise from Poloson , a deer ran into the back of my car...thankfully, this time the deer stayed off the road.

The weather was very blustery. Raining hard with a strong wind, we thought it would change to snow at our altitude but it never did. One of the original railroad hotels, Many Glacier Hotel was built between 1910-1914. Many Glacier Hotel is situated on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake and rests at the base of Mt. Grinnell. This Swiss-themed hotel has 214 guest rooms and offers a fine dining. We had hot chocolate followed by a trout dinner. Red bus tours, boat cruises and David Walburn evening entertainment are available at this extraordinary hotel. Our cozy room on the 4^th floor with a lakefront view. There was no cell phone reception, no internet, no TV's but the views were inspiringly breathtaking.

A Weekend in Paradise (Montana) Week Two The Great Northwestern Vacation

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:57:34 -0500

We are still taking roads less traveled and enjoying the scenery and seeing what's going on in the rural towns in the Northwest. From Walla Walla for 4 hours through beautiful green rolling hills. Wind turbines dotted the landscape and cows and horses were everywhere. We saw a deer off the road ambling up a hill and lots of hawks overhead.

We crossed into northern Idaho to go to the beautiful town of Coeur d'Alene so I could share e-PRO with more cool folks! My buddy Christina Ethridge brought her hubby, Chuck, whom I had never met; so, it was fun to connect in person. Christina is a social networking maven and it is easy to see why she is attracting success! It was Triathlon weekend in Coeur d'Alene...so we choose after the presentation to drive on to Quinns Hot Springs Resort is near Paradise, MT

We stayed here 2 years ago and LOVED being in Paradise!

We had a cabin reserved right in front of the playground. Wireless made my work easy. We never figured out how to make the satellite TV work, so everyone got some reading done.

The chipmunks were friendly and sly. At the pool, we watched one go right into someone's pool bag and then scurry off.

On Friday, I go to Missoula and then Polson for 2 ePRO Workshops. The drive was breathtaking. Montana is soooo pretty. I think I could live here. We are still trying to figure out the name of the black and white cows.

Being in one place for 3 days was a nice break from the fast and furious pace!

Lovecats, Likeability, and A Plan to Save the World

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:16:24 -0500

Here is some sage thinking! Enjoy

Via Matthew Dollinger (@properties):

Epiphany (def): a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

Many of us have had these monumental life-changing moments of discovery. Sometimes they come in the form of a higher level of understanding, consciousness, or other moments of clarity. I can honestly say that I've had a couple of these instances in my life, and I consider myself lucky. But the one that I feel is best serving for today's marketplace, for the difficulties and challenges we are all facing in the world today, came to fruition in the one of the most unlikely places for authenticity and delivered by a hipster in a suit with a microphone.

In a previous life, I served as Director of Career Development for a Prudential affiliate here in Chicago. Yearly the Prudential franchises all get together at their national convention for a week long celebration of top producers and branding hoopla. 2005's celebration, at the pinnacle of real estate's glory day, was held in Las Vegas. Somewhere near the end of the convention, in a morning keynote session filled with hung-over agents, (and just as many empty chairs), I met someone that would change my life forever. I had never heard of him before and hadn't read his books, but the message that was delivered was timely, embraceable, and (in retrospect) a precursor to where we are today. The moderator introduced him as the Chief Solutions Officer, (CSO), of Yahoo! and here began my life as influenced by Mr. Tim Sanders.

A skinny guy in an ultra modern suit took the stage, began his presentation, and I was mesmerized. For the next 45 minutes I didn't take notes, I didn't write or check emails... I sat and listened, hanging on every word. He didn't talk about marketing strategies, direct mail, or lead capture. Tim simply preached a message of social karma he referred to as "Love, the Killer App." and from that moment on, I considered myself a Lovecat.

The three steps to becoming a "Lovecat" and instituting a campaign of "biz love" into your career are as follows:

1. Share your network with those you connect with

2. Share your knowledge with everyone who might benefit

3. Share your compassion with those that need it

Tim went on to use examples of this new mindset, tell stories of "Lovecat Achievement", and read exerpts from his two books, "Love is the Killer App." and his newly released (at the time), "The Likeability Factor". Each point he made was crystal clear, almost as if reminding me of something I already knew, yet forgotten or locked away deep inside. And maybe that was it... maybe it was simply professional reinforcement. someone accomplished and respected in the "new" business world that simply said to everyone listening, "It's ok to be a nice guy/girl. And not only is it ok, but you will be more successful in business and in life by being a giving, sharing and caring individual."

I ordered both books from Amazon as soon as we got home from Las Vegas and literally devoured them many times over. I highlighted, made notes in the margin, dog-eared pages, and clipped excerpts for my presentations. My "new agent" training began to include an entire section on "Releasing your Inner Lovecat". I ordered copies of "Love is the Killer App." in bulk, began writing notes to people I knew or met inside the cover, and giving them out at random. I reorganized my reading behavior so that I could become a resource to those around me at work and in life. Networking events became quests to distribute new found knowledge and share insight with others. I was more than an advocate, more than a fan, I was a prophet for "biz-love" and I have never turned back.

The Lovecat, Social Media and Karma

I've always thought that real estate is the perfect industry for a "Lovecat". From the first days of training, agents are taught to cultivate their sphere of influence, ask for referrals, and continually add to their database. Unfortunately most training programs are focused on the acquisition of contacts and not the engagement of them. As 1000watt Consulting so brilliantly pointed out in their video, "I Am Not A Lead", we refer to our circle of influence as leads, contacts, and databases. We capture them, drip on them, and bombard them with the N.A.R. mantra that it's always a "Great Time to Buy". Even now with the evolution of Social Media/Networks, coaches charge hundreds of dollars to attend seminars and webinars geared at adding more and more people to your <insert social network here> "friends".

But those who are really using this wonderful new technology correctly are different, and it struck me about a month ago when I was re-reading "Love is the Killer App" for the hundredth time. "Sanders predicted this 5 years ago." Back before Facebook was more than a college network, before Twitter was a concept, before Web 2.0... the "Lovecat" mentality was changing the REAL world and how people interacted with one another. Think about it. Isn't this what the mentality of the Social Web is all about?

1. Share your network - (#followfriday, LinkedIn introductions, Facebook Friending)

2. Share your knowledge (Twitter link sharing, RSS, blogging, etc.)

3. Share your compassion (genuine interaction, collaboration, help)

The lines that once divided life and business are forever erased. My favorite analogy is that our parents were actually part timers in the workforce compared to us today. We are being forced, whether you like it or not, to embrace a genuinely authentic brand that carries into both our personal and professional lives. And as we adapt to emerging technologies and spread our network of influence further each day, the Lovecat mentality becomes all the more important for one reason if nothing else.

"We as people (both providers and consumers) don't have the time or desire to affiliate with those not providing value to our lives in one way or another."

This is no difference from one industry to another today. Online or off, we have come to expect value from those that we choose to associate with in one way or another. Value might not be the correct term for what we are sharing today, and so I suggest we use a Sanders-ism presented throughout his books, "Biz Love".

"Biz-Love" is defined by Tim as a relationship where "I promote your growth intelligently in a win-win sort of way. Biz Love could be mentoring an employee in a way that not only promotes the employee’s personal growth, but increases the value of that employee to the company. Another example of Biz Love could be bringing customers or partners together to increase the size of their network, their capacity, and their growth."

The question becomes, "How are you showing and sharing your biz-love with your network?

"Biz-Love" The Only Differentiation in a Commoditized World

"Biz Love" isn't just THE way to personally run your business, it also serves as THE true differentiator in a world overwhelmed with choice as Jack Trout discusses in, "Differentiate or Die". That almost every element of life has become a commodity, is something we can see in business or walking through our local grocer. True differentiation has become so few and far between, that when something actually STANDS OUT, it becomes more than a brand, more than a product/service, it becomes a movement. And when I think about brands that have achieved this "movement" status, every single one of them... EVERY ONE... operates from this Lovecat principle. Think about it...

DELL - facebook videos on how to use social media (sharing their knowledge) Amazon - if we don't carry it we'll introduce you to someone who does (sharing their network) Southwest - have an emergency and need to change your flight? no problem (sharing their compassion)

I would argue that every business or brand that TRULY stands out to you today is capitalizing on providing their network, associates, clients and the general public with an incredibly high quotient of "Biz-Love". I might also suggest that this mentality could possibly be the only true differentiator left. Service and Quality have become run-of-the-mill expectations. Price can be a factor, but cannot be considered a differentiator. Your "Social Karma", "Biz Love" or "Network Value Quotient" are true differentiators that will set you apart from those around you, ascend you (and your business) to another level, while building a network, or movement, of raving influential fans.

Life, Likeability, and Lovecats

Probably one of the most important, yet underestimated, outcomes of operating from a position of abundance rather than scarcity, is it's effect on life as a whole. So many, including some of my best friends like Rob Hahn, spend so much time trying to calculate the metrics behind what I call a Social Karma Initiative, that they tend miss the big picture influence.

Human beings are emotional creatures. We all have certain needs in our lives. The need to be loved. The need to be heard. The need to be understood. We are also, (whether we admit it or not) ego-driven in both our lives and business. By approaching life as a "Lovecat", we are able to feed these human desires and in doing so, live life in a happier, more content, positive state. In his book, "The Likeablity Factor", Tim discusses a study that shows that people who were categorized as "more likeable " typically had better relationships, were more successful, lived longer, and judged their overall quality of life HIGHER than those "less-likeable".

In today's world of financial insecurity, job instability and crisis it's hard to see the forest from the trees. We tend to focus on "right here right now" results rather than long-term influential goals. Something like "Social Karma" or "Biz-Love" seems trite while contemplating next months mortgage, a looming car payment, or if we'll have a job next quarter. But think about this... From the network that you currently have, "who is doing better in life?" The Lovecat or the person living in scarcity?" Take it a step further. "From those in your network... who would you recommend if a business opportunity arose?" Again, I'm assuming that the first person you thought of fit into the definition of a Lovecat. Likeability and the Social Karma you provide to those around you make you memorable, enjoyable, and indespensible in our overly chaotic world.

The world as we know it is forever changed and we must change with it. And where I believe, and can see in my own life, that the "Lovecat", "Biz Love", and "Likeablity" are absolute MUSTS to compete in business today, they are far from the silver bullet. They are principals to set for yourself and your business. Most importantly, they are a set of values that each and every one of us can put into place tomorrow for they are inherently grained into our DNA as human beings.

And so my challenge to you, regardless of your position or industry, is to purchase "Love is the Killer App", devour it, share it with everyone around you, and join me as a "Lovecat" in the world.

Read More from Tim Sanders at: www.SandersSays.com www.TimSanders.com or on Twitter @sanderssays

Read more posts like this and learn to evolve your business at www.TheYouFactor.com

Women of Wisdom

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:02:09 -0500

Join me today in this special offer from Kris Steinnes, founder of
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empowering the dreams and spirit of women

2009 IPPY Bronze Award Body, Mind, Spirit &

2008 Award Winning Finalist Best New Non Fiction

from USA Book News

By Kris Steinnes

When you purchase the WOW book today, June 23^rd, at http://www.wisewomanpublishing.com/wowbook.html
you will receive the bonus gifts valued over $3000 and you will be entered into a drawing to win a
free weekend pass for the 18^th Annual Women of Wisdom Conference, Feb. 11^th - 15^th in Seattle, WA.

Gifts from some amazing wise people include Barbara Marx Hubbard, Judith Orloff, Marci Shimoff,
Susun Weed, Starhawk, Nicki Scully, Scott Blum, David Riklan and many others!

Women of Wisdom is in the forefront of the biggest change in human history - the only change that
will assure our continuity as a species. Those who organize and participate in the Women of Wisdom
experience know that for a new world to be born we have to bring a new mind to bear. Critical to this
is the rich mind style of women that has been gestating in the womb of preparatory time, lo, these
many millennia. In their ebullient and evocative conferences WOW demonstrates a tremendous
change in who we are and how we do things. Jean Houston

Women of Wisdom Foundation has inspired women to make powerful changes in their lives for the past 17
years through its annual conference and this book will do the same for you.

Allow yourself to enter into your own life changing personal conference as you experience:

the wisdom of these best selling women authors,

the stories, art and poetry of the WOW community,

and daily inspiration ~ a book to have on your nightstand!

Contributing Women of Wisdom best selling authors in the WOW book include
Jean Houston, Angeles Arrien, Judith Orloff, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Marion Woodman,
Barbara Marx Hubbard, Riane Eisler, Isabel Allende, Frances Moore Lappé,
Nicki Scully and Brooke Medicine-Eagle.

Special gifts by some of our contributors:


Judith Orloff, MD: Live Interview on How To Deal With Negativity in Stressful Economic Times	Susun Weed: Be Your Own Herbal Expert - Learn how to make your own herbal medicines the Wise Woman Way in this eight part series	David Riklan: founder of Selfgrowth.com - The Top 501 Inspirational Quotes of All Times
	Barbara Marx Hubbard: On Being a Feminine Cocreator, a 25 page e-book transcript of Barbara Marx Hubbard's most popular DVD on women's issues only available here.


Marci Shimoff: Happiness Action Plan by the author of Happy for No Reason, 7 Steps To Happiness From The Inside Out, talks with Paul R. Scheele, renowned speaker and author on human potential and learning.	Scott Blum: dailyOM.com cofounder - First three chapters of his award winning book - Waiting for Autumn.	Deborah Koff-Chapin: Two free downloads of WOW conference art, including the WOW book cover, and a free SoulCards 2 with an order of any two decks of SoulCards.
Starhawk: Climate Change Primer, Starhawk's compendium of climate change solutions, for policy makers, transition towns, planners, activists, advocates, and ordinary people who are allies of Mother Earth.

Go here right now and get the details to purchase the book and discover your special gifts: http://www.wisewomanpublishing.com/wowbook.html

This anthology of wisdom from some of the greatest women thinkers and writers of our time
is a rare treasure. It inspires, informs, and gives us hope for the future in which the best
potential of all people, and of our precious earth, can be realized.

Joan Borysenko, author of A Woman's Book of Life

Listen to the many voices of women sharing how to honor and respect your
feminine gifts, claim your voice, and become the leader of your life.

Important messages for women in the WOW book:

Riane Eisler: I believe that feminine consciousness is today more essential than ever,
because it is women who must lead the changes in our world.

Angeles Arrien: Our call in the 21st century is to bring meaning, magic and enchantment
back into the world, and we can only do that by coming forward with our gifts and our talents.

Jean Houston: The most significant change is women rising to full partnership with men
in the whole domain of human affairs.

"This anthology is an expression of the sacred feminine as voiced through individual women
who have keynoted the conferences. It is a rich and inspiring women's spirituality anthology.
Women who have felt a deep yearning for the return of the divine feminine, or had a significant
dream of a numinous woman or goddess, or value the feminine principle will find insights and
encouragement to bring what they know into the world."

Jean Shinoda Bolen, M. D. author of Goddesses in Everywoman and Urgent Message
From Mother (http://www.jeanbolen.com)

Purchase the WOW book and claim your gifts today at:

http://www.wisewomanpublishing.com/wowbook.html

Women of Wisdom by Kris Steinnes, is being offered beginning on June 23rd, 2009 We invite you to go to this page - www.wisewomanpublishing.com/womenofwisdom.html - to access the order page and then go back to this page and enter your order confirmation code and your email address. That will take you to the sign up page for the Women of Wisdom enewsletter, once you join the WOW book group you will be sent an email with a link to the bonus gifts that are available to people who buy the book on June 23rd. You can later opt out of being on the Women of Wisdom newsletter list if you choose.

Walla Walla Waffles & Other Sights on the Great Northwestern Vacation

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:06:45 -0500

Leaving Portland to head east for the rest of the vacation, has us traveling along the army green, mighty, Columbia River on the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway for almost 4 hours. Take this drive sometime, if you can. It's beautiful, especially for a desert rat like me to see all that water. I tried to find Pete Seegar's song on the ipod without success (but I am pretty sure it is there). Why isn't there an easy search feature?

The river in places looks more like a lake than a river. The beautiful Multnomah Falls , the second tallest falls in the country, are astounding beautiful. However, instead of stopping a "Look Lily at the Falls" was all we did. No, this isn't a slow meandering vacation....but we are having fun.

The wine country surrounding Walla Walla was beautiful although we didn't take time to go wine tasting- one choice was a limo that took you to the wineries of your choice. Now that would be the way to go. We just stocked up at the wine store in town and tested some really good pinot niors. In looking at dinner choices, Bub was opting for Dominoes but I saw that Gourmet Magazine had given Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant a great review. Man, was this a good move. The other specialty from Walla Walla, of course, is their wonderful sweet onions. We had an onion string appetizer was fantastic. The small strings in a very light batter and perfect sauce were decadently delicious! But we hadn't seen anything yet: Bub had the Kobe beef and I had the lamb chops. Both boasted a beautiful presentation and were accompanied by organic fresh vegetables. If you ever get to Walla Walla, this is the place to eat! There is also a wonderful bookstore downtown where we got the latest Magic Treehouse Book to satify some of the summer reading assignments.

The choice of hotels in Walla Walla was predicated on who had waffles as part of their complimentary breakfast and a swimming pool. Lily is a waffle eater and we dubbed breakfast Walla Walla Waffles. We giggled over the name for days.

The Great Northwest Summer Vacation: Portland, REEA & Oysters

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:56:06 -0500

This year's REEA (Real Estate Educators) Conference was in Portland. It gave us the timing and destination for our vacation this year. Over 130 Educators, School administrators and Association staff gathered to network, learn and share. If you are an instructor and not a member of REEA, please visit the website and join! You'll be glad you did.

It was fun to see friends like Amy Chorew, Darryl Davis, Rossi, Kathy Howe and Doug DeVitre! And meet some new friends! The Twitter hashtag #REEAPORT will give you some more insights into the experience.

Dirk Zeller, a hometown boy and real estate trainer, delivered the keynote and entertained us with a delightful story about his 7 year old's lemonade stand. That child is following the great example of a salesperson Dirk has modeled.

The theme of the conference was GREEN and the handouts were on a nice little zip drive instead of a notebook! I love it!!! Portland was a good example of a community doing a lot of very environmentally friendly things. The hotel room even had separate receptacles for cans and glasses and newspapers.

Wow! For two nights in a row, we ate the Best Oysters in the World! The first night we went to Jakes Famous Crawfish and the second night to the oldest family restaurant in Portland, Dan and Louis and Oyster Bar Restaurant

The parallel universe trippers, Lily and Bub, went to the great zoo and saw a new baby elephant. Portland is a beautiful town to walk around in. There were lots of parks and the riverfront through downtown was a wonderful walking path from where we stayed about a mile north of the REEA Headquarters hotel.

Rules, Rules, Rules During Week 2 The Great Norwestern Vacation

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:31:58 -0500

Do you love rules or hate them? I usually fit into the latter class, as the speeding ticket I got in Washing can attest!

As a matter of fact, the phrase,"I'd rather ask forgiveness than permission" is one I thought was invented for me! It captures a certain zest for going for it that I've espoused and embraced. How do you feel about rules? And then, there are other people's rules and your rules...

This week I am breaking my rules.

You see, it was my intention to write a little every day about this vacation/trip. I did pretty well last week, but this week enjoying the vacation has outweighed staying up later and blogging. Or getting up earlier. So today, will write later the first post in a week and have it cover several days instead of trying to make up for each day I missed. This crazy Grandma has been trying to get Lily, the 7 year old to blog every day too! Oh, my...I think I'll become a kinder, gentler Grandma. If she doesn't respong to you comments, understand we does appreciate them, but is busy seeing bald eagles for the first time and soaking in the Hot Springs at Quinns in Paradise, Montana!

The Wise Woman who co-exists in my body with the Goal Police has won this week. I am telling the Goal Police that on vacation, I can do this any way I want and not feel guilty, or worse, like an undisciplined failure. Got me thinking that this is probably something to take note of the rest of my life-not just on vacations! Are you ever hard on yourself about what you do and do not accomplish? Do the Goal Police whisper or maybe sometimes nag about the things that are undone that you SHOULD do?

I've found in working with my coaching clients, many are much harder on themselves than they would be on friends or even family. They berate themselves constantly for what is undone or untried, rather than congratulating themselves on what HAS been accomplished. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting we all turn into lazy slobs, but I am suggesting that a little compassion and celebration of accomplishments might be a much saner way to handle things. i find when I do that, I am happier and like myself better and often come up with a way of working smarter not harder!

Life is good this week. We're in Paradise.

Mt Hood Here We Come!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:03:49 -0500

Friday was a drive from Hines, Oregon to Mt. Hood. No presentation this day and we'll be staying at the Timberline Lodge for 2 nights. It will be nice to not have to pack up and get back in the car immediately. This drive reminded me a bit of the train trip from Sydney to Perth, where the road was straight and the scenery was unchanging for miles and miles. That railtrip in Australia has the longest stretch of straight tracks in the world. The road from Hines to Bend is a long monotonous stretch.

The scenery started to change on the drive from Bend to Mt. Hood. We travel through beautiful pine forests as the altitude gets higher and higher. When we arrive at the Timberline Lodge at 5850 ft., it's a blustery day and the lodge is surrounded by snow. The Lodge is beautifully constructed. Built in 1937 by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) during the depression, it is a comfy place to snuggle in and enjoy their signature Hot Chocolate!

We enjoy a wonderful dinner complete with sorbet and a surprise bite of filet for an appeitizer! They say in the service industry, creating surprisese is one of the keys to WOW service! Are you creating surprises for your clients?

There is skiing this time of year on the slopes of Mt. Hood. A little over an hour from Portland, family and groups come for the day. On Saturday, there was a large group of handicapped skiers enjoying the slopes in special ski contraptions. Each of the mornings started out sunny, with clouds below us and as the days wore on, the clouds increased, but the weather is pretty balmy. We bought some gloves and had a snowball fight to Lly's delight!

Lily was thrilled the Pool and Spa, even though they were outside, w!ere warm and fun! I was happy to have a little downtime and just relax....

Life is good!