Hello, I'm Stupid - 01/31/08 08:53 AM
An amusing thing happened last evening.  I was on my way home from the office and I got a call from an agent on the West coast. 
He said he doesn't like my approach.
He said that I'm 'stupid and don't understand business.'
He said that I 'care too much about people.'
I then asked him why he was calling me.
He had a great 2006 (his first year), but 2007 wasn't good at all.
He hasn't had a settlement in 3 months and is not getting referrals.
I told him he doesn't care enough about people and that's why he … (3 comments)

Success Begins With 'P' - 01/31/08 08:44 AM
I read a great article this morning on RISMedia by Douglas Vermeeren that I hope you will find as inspiring as I do.  I'm a great believer that in real estate or any other sales related business, the very core of business is people helping people.  This article is about "The 4 P's of High Achievers."  In a nutshell, the article covers these points:
Potential - To be a top achiever, you must really believe you can accomplish anything you dream.  Don't just say it...you have to believe it with every fiber of your being.
Possibility - Once we believe in … (6 comments)

Doodling With Tom Hopkins - 01/29/08 10:00 AM
I was reminded recently of a "Get Motivated" seminar I attended last April in Baltimore, MD.  I have to admit, I wasn't thrilled about going.  I have a rather cynical view of these types of things, as the effects rarely last beyond the next day.  But you feel so good!
Anyway, this seminar featured some great speakers including Colin Powell, Zig Ziglar, Suze Orman and Tom Hopkins.
Tom Hopkins...the man who is in the Guinness Book of World Records for most real estate transaction sides in a year. He was awesome.  Absolutely floored me.  He wasn't dishing out motivational fluff.  He … (4 comments)

Meeting New People...Worse Than Death? - 01/29/08 09:41 AM
One of my favorite topics to write about in my coaching blog is fear.  I believe fear is at the root of all failure.  It may not be obvious at first, but if you dig beneath the surface it's right there.
I've experienced successes and failures in my life and when I look at the failures, including my marriage last year, they're all rooted in fear.  The most popular fear is one you hear about all the time, especially at all the "rah-rah, change your life, wow-I'm-magically-a-new-person" seminars:  Fear of Rejection.
This is evidenced every year when that updated list of … (0 comments)

A Quick Reality Check For You - 01/28/08 08:33 AM
This will understandably not be new information for some of you, but I hope most of you will find it useful.
Anyone who has experienced a coaching call from me has been asked these questions and I think they're a great, quick reality check for you to help determine your progress.
1.  How many settlements have you had in the last 90 days?
2.  How many settlements do you REALISTICALLY expect in the next 90 days?
This is a great barometer for your success, as this is a half year of time and if you like the answers then you're obviously … (1 comments)

Believe What They DON'T Tell You - 01/28/08 08:27 AM
One of the most confusing and amusing things I hear regularly (on a daily basis at that) is agents who have been in real estate maybe 6 months who say "I do all of my business by referral."  Let that sink in.
Now I know there are exceptions to every rule.  I have come across agents who were in a related field like mortgages or commercial land development who already HAD lots of legitimate contacts when they started in real estate who bring them more than enough referrals.  That is the exception, and not the rule.
Whether you're young or old, … (1 comments)

DO YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DO THIS? - 01/25/08 09:36 AM
My favorite trainer I have the privilege of speaking with is Sandy Coyer, a regional trainer with Keller Williams.  She related this story to me that I just love.  If you're like many agents and are really in need of buyers, I challenge you:  Do you have the nerve to do something like this?
Here's the story.  She was in Home Depot standing in the checkout line and the gentlemen in front of her was buying a "For Sale By Owner" sign (around 2 or 3 dollars cost).   She told him, "Excuse me...I'll buy that sign for you if you'll … (9 comments)

No Substitute For EFFORT - 01/25/08 08:40 AM
An agent left a comment on yesterday's blog post (FEAR: The Ultimate Career Killer) that really got my gears turning.  It was in response to some very positive comments left by agents and brokers with regard to cold calling:
"The highly respected agent that has 'farmed' my neighborhood for over a decade, who has been interviewed 2x this quarter on our local television real estate news segment, who has recently co-authored his first real estate book, has served on our local education committees, has hosted numerous client appreciation parties; well, when it's time for me to sell my home,  I will … (10 comments)

My Sister is Worth 6,000 Camels...and then some - 01/24/08 11:37 AM
My sister and her husband, who is a Methodist minister, just returned from a visit to the Holy Land today.  They've been there for the last week and a half and I'm still cracking up from what she just told me:
While at the market there, a man offered my brother-in-law 6,000 camels, his business and his own home in return for my sister.
I just had to post this because it's one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard.
I'm immediately skeptical, though...were they ONE hump or TWO hump camels?  This IS my sister we're talking about. Don't be … (13 comments)

FEAR: The Ultimate Career Killer - 01/24/08 09:12 AM
I found an interesting discussion online this morning.   You can check it out for yourself here: http://www.salespractice.com/forums/t-7921-2.html#post30207 
The question posed is this:  Here's the situation, you are a new agent with no contacts or sphere of influence but you have identified 50 people that you want to talk with about the chance of doing business together. What prospecting or lead generation method would be the most effective or efficient?
The discussion includes a couple of blurbs about cold calling, including what I'm sure you've heard a million times:  Cold calling doesn't work.   If someone tells you cold calling doesn't work, … (46 comments)

How Do You Define YOUR Success: Quality or Quantity? - 01/23/08 08:43 AM
One of my favorite topics to discuss with my agents is what THEIR personal definition of success is.  I'll ask all of you - What is YOUR personal definition of success.
You don't have to answer me on this blog.  If you do, though, no corporatespeak allowed:)
Too often people who have no true interest in our lives are the very ones we measure our level of success against.  If you're looking at others and basically "keeping up with the Joneses" you will NEVER be satisfied with your career because you're basing YOUR goals on the goals of OTHERS.
I work … (8 comments)

Having Fun Building Referrals - 01/22/08 11:59 AM
I read a really nice article on referrals through networking today and wanted to share it with all of you.  One of the six points made in the article is to have fun!
My favorite quote from the article:    "People like to talk to happy people. The more fun you’re having, the more popular you will become. (And the more fun you’ll have - bonus!) Greet everyone with a smile and see how many you get in return."   First impressions mean everything!
The core of business is people helping people.  It's all very simple.  We humans have ways of complicating everything, … (11 comments)

Do You Have An Explicit Lead-Exchanging Relationship? - 01/22/08 10:09 AM
If you're not happy with the number and quality of leads you're working in your pipeline, here's a tip to add to your current efforts.
If you don't have one already, develop an explicit lead-exchanging relationship with a mortgage broker or loan officer(s).
Many agents I suggest this to reply by saying something like "Oh, I give my refi leads and my buyers over to the  mortgage guy/girl in our office."   I then reply by asking "What are you getting in return?"  This is typically followed by a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.
If this is your scenario, don't worry.  It … (1 comments)

How to Get Buyers Inside the Home - 01/17/08 09:56 AM
I read this great article this morning from my favorite RE news source, RIS Media.
Most of us are in need of buyers.  Once you get the buyers, the next thing you want is to get them INTO the home.  How many times have you taken buyers out and they've NOT gone into a home based on curb appeal?   And you're thinking "If I could just get them into the house, they would see and feel how nice it is."
Here is a link to an article with some great ideas on how to get your buyers into the home: 
http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-01-16/curb-appeal-17-ways-to-get-buyers-inside-the-home
… (0 comments)

FREE PRIZE INSIDE! - 01/16/08 08:37 AM
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this title was yet another cheap ploy to get you to read this blog post.
It is, however, exactly what I'm writing about.
As a real estate coach, I believe in incentives.  Your incentive as an agent is either a) the money you can make, b) what you can DO with the money you make, or c) a combination of the two.   It goes without saying that you have to have a heart for helping people to really succeed in real estate.
Whatever you do to generate leads, you have to provide some kind of incentive … (0 comments)

So You Hate Open Houses? - 01/15/08 09:29 AM
Open houses are a source of great controversy amongst agents.
Some love 'em, some hate 'em.
One consistency I've found with agents who hate them is that they either don't look at open houses as a source of leads or they don't put any creative effort into making their open house stand out.  The latter is almost always related to the former.
I came across a new perspective this morning online and wanted to share it with you:  http://activerain.com/blogsview/339274/Using-Open-Houses-to
It all goes back to the simple principle of "What You Give Is What You Get."  If you don't like open houses, … (3 comments)

How To Sabotage Your Real Estate Career - 01/15/08 08:26 AM
I've lived and breathed marketing and advertising for most of my career, so I acknowledge that the title of this blog entry is a cheap ploy to get you to read it.
This is another article from RIS Media that I wanted to share with you: 
http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-01-11/10-ways-to-sabotage-your-own-career
I'm not into negative motivation.  I personally believe that in most cases (definitely my own) negative motivation merely awakens the independent and rebellious spirit inherent in all of us and results mostly in reluctant compliance rather than truly believing in what you do.
That being said, this article covers a lot of the excuses … (2 comments)

How To Utilize Your Winter "Downtime" - 01/15/08 08:04 AM
I'm admittedly not a fan of the term "downtime" in business, because too often when I hear the term it is used as an excuse for not putting forth more effort.  In fact, I work with agents every day who think that because it's the beginning of the year "things are slow."   Another favorite of mine is "I'm waiting for the market to stabilize."
This presents us with a paradox:  Things are slow because of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Things are slow because it's early in the year (i.e. Jan, Feb and Mar).  I'm not a mathematician, but it does look … (2 comments)

Don't Pollute My Blog - 01/14/08 12:22 PM
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my blog posts and leave comments.  I recently got a comment post that had nothing to do with my blog post and was obviously spam.  I have this to say to spammers:
I set this blog up for one reason and one reason only...to help agents.  Any comment that is not a true, real human response to either a post or another comment will be deleted.  Obvious spam will be reported as spam.
I believe wholeheartedly in networking.  I also understand how this kind of spam pollutes a social forum … (2 comments)

21 Days to Change - 01/14/08 10:17 AM
Sandy Coyer, a regional trainer on the East coast with Keller Williams, recently told me this:
It has been proven that if you do something consistently for 21 straight days it then becomes habit.
I LOVE this!  If you want 2008 to be better than 2007, write down the changes you need to make in your daily work habits and commit to doing that for the next 21 days.  If you do this, you will create the good habits that will carry you through 2008 and beyond with grace and success! 
For more tips and help with your real estate marketing … (4 comments)

Coaching and Accountability - 01/14/08 10:04 AM
I read this wonderful article this morning that I wanted to share with everyone.  You'll find the link below.
As a real estate coach, I have the  pleasure of working with everyone from brand new agents to agents with 20+ years of experience. 
No matter what your level of experience, EVERYONE needs someone to be accountable to.  Consider Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest golfer of our time.   He's so good at golf and so good at talking with the media that even people who hate golf know who he is.  
Does he have a coach?  Yes.
Is his coach a … (2 comments)